It was dawn as Sasuke carefully walked back to his rooms. He was sore, both inside and out, and his raw back stung as it rubbed against his clothes. He was sure that his wrist was sprained as well. All he wanted to do was slip into the hot spring that the old bathhouse was built upon, but he was worried about Boruto. Master's punishment had gone for longer than expected; especially considering the obvious amount the prince had drunk before Sasuke's arrival. This had, however, been the trend lately. Something was changing and it made Sasuke wonder if he would see his twenty-seventh birthday.

Reaching the forgotten library, Sasuke saw that a small bundle had been left on a table. Sasuke smiled and murmured thanks to Enrí's kindness. He picked it up and retrieved the hidden key before quietly slipping into his rooms. Despite his carefulness, Boruto woke with a start, his eyes snapping opening and for a moment they were a curious, vivid blue that outshined his light before dimming back down. Sasuke froze. That was odd.

"Io lord?" Boruto asked, slipping from the cot.

"Careful! Don't strain your wound." Sasuke rushed over, setting aside the bundle of food and ushered the boy back onto the cot. In the dawn light he checked the bandage and saw that Boruto had bled through a little. "You might have opened it."

Boruto pushed Sasuke away until they were face-to-face, the worry evident in the child's eyes. "Io lord?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't understand. Fardon. Lord?"

Boruto pointed to Sasuke's face and when clarity didn't come, he pointed to his injured shoulder. "Lord."

Hurt.

Sasuke sighed. He must look dreadful. "I'm fine. Nelord."

Boruto didn't seem convinced.

"Promise. En sar. Let's get you down to the baths whilst everyone is still abed and then we can eat."

"Saren," Boruto corrected with a smirk.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and helped Boruto carefully get out of bed. He then collected some necessities, a change of clothes, and paused. His clothes wouldn't fit Boruto and the boy's shirt was in tatters. He'd have to make a point of asking Enrí for a spare shirt. Setting aside his mental chiding for later, Sasuke ushered Boruto from the room and they carefully made their way to the bathhouse, which thankfully was not far and was nearly always empty, save for the occasional risqué rendezvous between servants.

The bathhouse was a large hot spring situated underneath the castle. It had been deemed unsafe after the roof had partially collapsed and, with the modern invention of plumbing, unnecessary. Sasuke, however, quiet enjoyed the large, steamy spring. It was relaxing and soothing, and the natural minerals kept his skin relatively smooth despite the growing number of scars over the years. As for the roof, he inspected it every week and there had yet to be any more damage. It was likely that the collapse had been due to poor infrastructure on that end of the spring, but the end he used had more support columns.

Sasuke lit several candles as they entered the bathhouse. Having been constructed over a thousand years ago, the basic architecture was Haulian—something the momadi would be more familiar with than the Imperials. The walls were carved with depictions of pagan gods framed by geometric designs similar to the ones the Thorthúilians were fond of. Yet there was something also innately organic about the bathhouse, as if the ancient Haulians had kept with much of the original structure of what was likely a hot springs cavern—the religious murals curving and bending with the walls instead of the walls being first made flat, as one would see in Thorthúilian architecture.

"Fan ik oma!" Boruto said, a gleeful smile consuming his tiny face.

Sasuke couldn't help but smile back at the boy. "It's like your home? Does your tribe wander near a hot spring?"

Boruto shook his and knelt near the steaming water. "We do not wander."

"You don't wander?" Sasuke asked, setting down his things. Everyone knew that the momadi were nothing more than nomadic tribes that wandered the desert attempting to survive. How could Boruto's tribe not wander? How could they find food if they did not? They couldn't farm like people did in the Fertile Lands.

"I get in?" Boruto asked, touching the water.

"May I get in, and not yet. I want to look at your wound. Come."

Sasuke gingerly sat on a stone bench and patted the spot next to him. The boy huffed, but did as Sasuke asked. Gently, Sasuke removed the bandage, expecting to see an angry, red wound. Sasuke blinked. The tan skin beneath the bandage was nearly healed, forcing most of the stitching out. By the Goddess! How was this possible? Sasuke had heard tales of momadi oddities, old myths of them being unholy descendants with strange powers and abilities. Sasuke hadn't believed a word of it. But now—humans don't heal this fast. Stranger still was that Boruto's life light didn't brighten to a normal level at all, it was still worryingly dim. Was there another injury Sasuke hadn't seen that was unable to heal like this one had?

"Boruto, how do you feel?" Sasuke asked, turning the boy to face him.

Boruto shrugged. "Tired, I guess. And…" The boy's eyes fell and he suddenly looked worried and scared. "Thirsty, fari thirsty."

Sasuke ran a soothing hand through the boy's hair. "Why don't you bathe then, and I'll go get you some clean clothes and drinking water? Can you manage on your own?"

The boy shot him a look. "Of course, I can. I'm nine, nearly a man!"

"Nine?" Sasuke held up nine fingers, surprised. Boruto looked far too small to be nearly a teenager.

Boruto gave a curt nod.

"My apologize, then. I thought you were younger."

Blushing, Boruto straightened his shoulders. "I small, but I smart."

"I am." Sasuke held back a smile. "You'll grow. I was small as a child too."

"Really?" Boruto's eyes widened. Despite Master's wishes, Sasuke had grown to about six feet, tall even for an Imperial man—the punishments for that upset had been severe.

Sasuke nodded. "Go bathe."

"Okay."

Watching the boy out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke made sure Boruto was moving well enough on his own. As the child removed his trousers, Sasuke spotted a black marking along Boruto's outer ankle. A mark. Had the child been branded as Sasuke had? No. It wasn't a branding. A tattoo then? Momadi warriors were often covered in black tattoos, but for someone so young to also have them… Sasuke stood. The momadi culture was certainly different.

Leaving the bathhouse, Sasuke made his way back to the main castle. He knew he looked a fright, and his muscles were starting to stiffen from pain, but the worry in Boruto's expression when he said he was thirsty worried him. With luck Enrí would be overseeing the morning meal preparations and Sasuke would be able to get his attention whilst still staying relatively out of sight. The other servants weren't subtle about their dislike of Sasuke and that seemed to be doubly so when he was already suffering from Master's punishments. Sasuke prayed the Goddess would be kinder today.

Apparently, She continued to ignore him.

"What in the name of the Goddess are you doing out of your cage?" the housekeeper seethed as Sasuke turned the corner toward the kitchens. "I just cleaned that spot and now you're dirtying it up!"

He turned toward the middle-aged woman with a surprisingly flat chest, considering how large her belly was. As rumor had it, some thirty years ago, the prince had drunkenly fondled the housekeeper's rear and the woman seemed to hold that over everyone. The fact that she knew Sasuke's true gender and that the Master seemed to prefer him over her was a constant sore in her side.

Sasuke notched his chin up slightly higher and looked down his nose at the woman. "You mean you actually did something besides badger the chambermaid? Astonishing."

"You better watch your tongue, you insolent slut, or I'll give you what you really deserve."

"And perhaps you might want to watch yours. The Master doesn't take kindly to woman who talk."

The housekeeper blustered. "The Master would never harm me! You're just some disposable mongrel. I'm his loyal servant. He loves me."

Sasuke lifted a thin eyebrow. "And yet whose legs was he between last night?"

When the housekeeper flushed red, Sasuke gave her a cold, knowing smile, and resumed his course. His smile fell as soon as his back was to her. The woman was an idiot. They were all idiots who idolized a disgusting cretin who bought a child and raped him repeatedly for the past twenty years all because of a birth defect that gave Sasuke red eyes. It was repulsive. If the housekeeper wanted the bastard prince so badly, she could have him! If it weren't for the branding on his shoulder and the collar around his neck, Sasuke would have run away ages ago.

Sasuke took a deep breath as he reached the kitchens, schooling his features into an indifferent expression. He had to remain aloof, unaffected by anything and everything. He prided himself on not allowing them the satisfaction of knowing how they hurt him. The kitchens were a bustle of noise and motion as Cook hollered at everything that moved. Sasuke glanced around the room, not seeing the butler, he moved to the great hall.

He found Enrí on the dais sorting Master's newspapers—not that Master actually read them, but he put on the act every morning. Enrí looked up as Sasuke approached and gave him a disapproving look. Sasuke looked down at his ruined dress and shrugged. There wasn't anything he could do about it and he saw no need to hide the truth of his life. It wasn't like anyone cared anyways. Enrí sighed and gestured for Sasuke to follow him as he led the way over to a side corridor that only Master used. It would be private since the prince was likely to sleep for several more hours.

"You should be tending your wounds," Enrí reproached once they were out of sight.

"I'm fine. Nothing I'm not used to," Sasuke said evenly. "I've a question about birds and I was hoping you might know something."

Enrí looked up and down the corridor and then moved further into it before signaling for Sasuke to continue.

"The wounded chick appears to have healed overnight. Is this normal?"

Enrí's eyes widened slightly and he frowned. "I have heard of rare birds who could heal rapidly, but it usually comes at a cost."

"A cost?" Sasuke frowned.

"They usually need to replenish themselves with something… abnormal." Enrí took a deep breath. "Is the chick hungry or thirsty?"

Sasuke thought of the worried expression Boruto had had. "Thirsty. He seems afraid of that fact."

"It's likely he's never experienced it if he's young."

"You said something abnormal, like what?"

Enrí lowered his voice, "Blood."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Blood? Momadi drank blood?

"I know what you're thinking," Enrí continued, "but it's probably more dramatic than the reality. And no, not all birds are like that." Enrí paused, looking more worried. "From what I know the rare few who do are usually chiefs and warlords—basically royalty."

"So, you're saying the chick is royalty," Sasuke said slowly, "And he needs blood."

"And to get out of here as quickly as possible. Birds are very protective of their own. I doubt this standstill will last long if the chick is killed in the Imperial domain."

Sasuke leaned against the wall, ignoring the pain that radiated through his back, and swore. This just became vastly more complicated than simply rescuing an injured child. If war was to finally ensue it would be a massacre. Despite modern weaponry, the Imperials had been unable to penetrate Balla-beinne. From what Sasuke had overheard over the years, to do so would mean bringing in foreign help, which could also mean relinquishing imperial power. The world as they knew it would change and the lives lost would be catastrophic.

"You need to get the chick out of here, Sasuke," Enrí said softly.

"Me?" Sasuke shook his head. That was impossible. He was a slave, one who had been hidden within the palace most of his life. Sure, he had snuck out into the town a handful of times, but he certainly didn't know how to survive out there. "No, I can't-"

"Yes, you can. The gods have blessed you with this opportunity, Sasuke. You do not deserve this life. If you return the chick to the nest than the birds will certainly pardon you. You can start anew."

Gods. Not Goddess. Sasuke stilled. The Imperials followed the northern religion of the one true Goddess and forsook the Haulian pantheon. If Sasuke was honest, he cursed the Goddess more than prayed to Her, but that didn't mean he was ready to abandon his Imperialism. He had already been forced to leave the only life he knew once; did he want to do it again? What if the momadi were worse than Master? Could he survive that?

"Sasuke, look at the state of yourself," Enrí said more harshly. "Do you honestly believe you will last the year?"

He took a deep breath, not answering. He already feared that.

"The Prince has purchased a new child bride."

Sasuke went cold. His replacement.

"This one's female."

And that was that. Sasuke gave a sharp nod. "How do we proceed?"

Half an hour later Sasuke returned to the bathhouse with a stack of clothes and a knapsack of food, supplies, and what coin Enrí could spare. Boruto had finished bathing and sat near the spring, drying and eating the food Sasuke had left on the bench. Seeing him, Sasuke blushed at the child's unreserved nudity and averted his eyes. He had been forced to grow accustomed to his own nudity as a child and that of Masters, but Boruto's comfortability with it made him uncomfortable.

"I've brought some clothes," he said.

"Dankio," Boruto said, walking over.

Sasuke handed him the clothes. "How're you feeling?"

Boruto looked perplexly at the Imperial clothing. It was probably more fitted than he was used to and the ties and fascines more complex. Imperial clothing had been greatly influenced by the northern styles, which were not particularly easy to get in or out of.

"Me, um," Boruto pointed to his throat, "nak lord."

"Your throat hurts?" Sasuke frowned.

The boy nodded. "Hard to, um…"

"Swallow?" He emphasized a swallowing motion.

Again, Boruto nodded.

Sasuke bit his bottom lip. Severe thirst would cause a sore throat and difficulty swallowing. If Enrí was correct, water wouldn't help, but was he really willing to give the child his blood? Sasuke looked at the boy. Boruto was struggling to put on the clothes. He was so small and alone, so far away from his people. Sasuke felt a keen protectiveness for the child wash over him.

Kneeling down, he helped Boruto with the trousers. "Boruto, have you ever had this thirst before?"

"Ne. Fafa has told me about it."

"Arms up," Sasuke said, lifting the shirt above the boy's head. "Did he say what you should do if you ever had it?"

"Lif to fafa." Go to papa.

"Is he far? Is your oma far from here?"

Boruto frowned and nodded. "Ai."

Sasuke took a deep breath and steadied his mind. He couldn't let an innocent child die. It wasn't Boruto's fault that his body required someone else's blood. It was just the way he was born. "I need you to close your eyes, Boruto, and do not open them until I say. Understand? Komfre?"

"Ai. Komfrehen." Boruto said, closing his eyes.

Sasuke pulled a dagger out of the knapsack. His hands shook. He wasn't afraid of pain, he had experience enough of it over the years, had even grown numb to it, but he had never purposefully caused himself pain before. But it was what Boruto needed and he hated the idea of someone so young and innocent suffering because he just stood by and watched. It was something his country was far too complacent with. Holding his breath and squeezing his eyes shut, Sasuke slid the blade across his wrist. He swallowed the pain and didn't make a sound, but by the Goddess that hurt.

Moving behind Boruto, Sasuke put his wrist to the child's mouth. He watched as Boruto's nostrils flared and then instinct took over. Boruto's lips engulfed the wound and Sasuke felt the boy's canines dig into his flesh as Boruto's tiny hands kneaded his forearm. Sasuke ground his teeth together to keep silent and wrapped his free arm around Boruto's torso, hugging the child too him. It was a strange sensation—having his blood sucked from his arm. After a moment it didn't particularly hurt, but Sasuke wouldn't call it pleasant either. It filled him with a possessiveness that Sasuke didn't quite understand, as if Boruto was his child to protect and comfort.

Sliding to the floor, Sasuke rested his head against Boruto's as the boy released his arm. They were both breathing heavily and Sasuke felt even more exhausted than he had after Master's punishment. He smiled, though, as he realised that Boruto's light was significantly brighter, though it still wasn't a fully healthy brightness.

"Armio!" Boruto panicked, as he awoke from his blood-haze. "Sarri! Sarri! En ne-"

"Shh," Sasuke soothed and hugged Boruto. "It's alright. Oka. En nelord."

Boruto turned in Sasuke's arms and snuggled into his chest, hugging him back. Sasuke repeated his soothing mantra as he felt damp tears wet his dress. He kissed the boy's soft blonde hair and rocked him back and forth until the tears dried up, replaced by slow, gentle breathing. Carefully, Sasuke laid the sleeping Boruto down and then proceeded to undress and wash up. He had waited too long before bathing and the hot water stung his sore, misused body.

He needed to soak for a good few hours and then rest, but that was not going to happen. They only had an hour or two before the main household would begin to wake, and for the plan to work Sasuke and Boruto needed to be long gone by then. Master would not expect him to appear for breakfast, not after last night, but Master would likely grow angry by lunch and by supper he would certainly know that Sasuke was missing.

If the winds were favorable, Sasuke and Boruto would be halfway up the river by nightfall. It was the least obvious path since Master did not know about Enrí's small boat. He would also assume that Sasuke, like most Imperial women, didn't know how to swim, but Sasuke had taught himself in the hot spring. He actually loved it.

No, Master would have his men search east and south first, assuming Sasuke would try to escape into the mountains of Balla-beinne—alone. That was another thing in their favour. Master's men would search for a lone woman, not a runaway mother and child. It also helped that Boruto did not look like the typical momadi with dark hair and eyes. Boruto's blonde hair and blue eyes gave him a foreign Fíorian look, which would help with Sasuke's unwed state. The Empire was filled with scandalous stories of foreigners ravishing Imperial women, particularly women of the lower classes.

Sasuke had considered going a step further and having Enrí cut his hair so he could dress as a man, but Enrí had disagreed, stating that Sasuke would draw attention because he didn't act like a man. Sighing, Sasuke dipped his head under water. The truth of Enrí's words stung more than he wanted to admit or even think about.

Pulling himself out of the hot springs, Sasuke dried himself off and tended to his wounds. His sprained wrist was swollen, but unfortunately he couldn't give it the rest it needed. The best he could do was bandage it with some anti-inflammatory herbs. The same with his blackened ribs. The pain in his backside he ignored, there was nothing he could do about that. His waist-length black hair was still damp as he pinned it up and wrapped it on top of his head with a headscarf. It would likely make his scalp itch, but he didn't have time to let it dry properly. Dressing in a work dress, Sasuke nibbled on what was left of the food Enrí had left for them earlier that morning, and then wrapped another scarf around his throat to hide his slave collar.

"Boruto?" he said gently as he went over to the sleeping boy, but the child was out cold.

He decided not to wake him, a tiny body like that needed time and rest to heal properly. Picking Boruto up, Sasuke cradled him against his hip. His back and ribs protested, but he ignored his body and carried Boruto out of the bathhouse. He didn't matter, getting Boruto safely home did. He threw the knapsack over his other shoulder on the way out and didn't look back as he left the place that had been his cage for the past twenty years.