Prologue: Discoveries and Departures

Yohji, son of the Emperor Hayama of the Kudou Dynasty, sighed listlessly as he lay on his bed. He had just returned from a meeting with his father and his father's trusted advisor, Nagi.

Yohji hated Nagi. He was a manipulative brat, and to make matters worse, was close to his age, which was sixteen. Nagi had short, straight purple hair that fell to his ears, and evil-looking red eyes. Though Yohji was loathe to admit it, the stuck up advisor was kind of cute, in a I-am- willing-to-risk-eternal-damnation-to-be-with-you kind of way.

The meeting with Emperor Hayama and his advisor had not gone well. The arguing had reached a fever pitch, then Yohji's father had said something Yohji would never forgive him for...

**Flashback**

Yohji waited as he was announced to the Emperor as 'His Highness, Prince Yohji, Emperor-heir of the Kudou Dynasty,' then allowed to enter the throne room. His father, a man with sandy brown hair and usually warm brown eyes sat on the gilded throne as if he had never left it. And knowing Emperor Hayama, he hadn't as of yet. Beside the Emperor, standing, of course, was the teenage advisor, Nagi.

Yohji strode forward, then stopped in the middle of the room and fell to one knee. One hand covered his heart and the other fell to his side, where it would have gripped his sword hilt if he'd had one. Strength was much valued in the Kudou kingdom, and this bow was much revered.

"Rise, Prince Yohji of the Kudou Dynasty," Emperor Kudou entoned. Yohji stood, his young jaw tightening. Why couldn't his father say, 'rise, my son,' instead of that annoyingly long title? No one would look down on him for it. He was the Emperor, after all.

"You summoned me, Your Majesty?" Yohji asked in a neutral voice that contained just the right amount of respect and reverance due an Emperor. Yohji's inner disgust was well hidden.

"Some disturbing information has come to His Divine Majesty's attention," came Nagi's smooth, slightly oily voice. Yohji turned to the advisor and let some of his disgust show. Nagi's eyes narrowed and the red flashed with fire. "It has come to his attention that you, Your Highness, have spent an inappropriate amount of time with the Maxwell brat."

Yohji got a small bit of satisfaction from the fact that Nagi had to address him as Your Highness, but somehow the advisor made it sound like an insult. And Emperor Hayama looked oblivious to the entire exchange. Yohji's teal blue eyes flashed as the jab about his best friend finally registered. He pushed his wavy shoulder length hair out of his eyes and all but hissed at Nagi.

"That 'Maxwell brat,' as you call him, is twice the man you will ever be," he spat.

The previously oblivious Emperor Hayama looked up in disapproval. "Yohji! Appologize to my advisor!" he snapped.

"Why should I appologize to some boy possibly younger than myself?" Yohji returned. "I find it hard to respect the commands of an Emperor who allows himself to follow a child's advice!"

Both Nagi and Emperor Hayama gasped, their eyes widening. No one spoke to the Emperor that way, even his own son. "Y-Yohji," Emperor Hayama stammered. "What has gotten into you?"

Yohji allowed himself a secret smile as his father gave him the perfect escape. Schooling his features into one of remorse, Yohji turned to his father. "I'm sorry, Father. I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me," Yohji simpered, falling down on one knee.

"Of course, my son," Emperor Hayama began.

"He lies," Nagi hissed, his words sounding decidedly snaky. Suddenly, Yohji couldn't move. Then his body filled with an indescribable pain and was forced to stand up. Yohji was so distracted with the pain he completely forgot to cry out and inlist the aid of his father.

A voice filled Yohji's head and he immediately recognized it as Nagi's. When I release you I want you to bow to me and your half-wit father and appologize. Yohji struggled with the thoughts pushing against his resistance. No, he said to himself. Yessss, the voice hissed. Yohji felt an unnamed power well up inside him and push at Nagi's hold. It gathered itself and released in a wave that caused Nagi to cry out.

Yohji watched as Nagi gathered himself then turned to Emperor Hayama. His lips moved as he whispered something, and the Emperor turned to Yohji. "Go to your room and do not return until you are ready to apologize to my most brilliant and excellent advisor," he snapped. Yohji stared at him. "Now!" the Emperor commanded. Yohji stood and ignored both the Emperor and his advisor. He bowed vaguely in neither direction.

"May the Divine One's light shine on you and reveal the sins you try to hide from the light," Yohji said to a tapestry close by. He bowed to it and left the room, humming happily to himself. Suddenly, that hissing voice returned. You have not won, my little morsel. You will bow to me soon enough. Shivering, Yohji headed for his room.

**End Flashback**

And that brought him to his current situation, on his back in the middle of his queen sized bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering about the heated look Nagi had given him.

"Psst! Hey, Yohji!" a voice whispered urgently. Yohji whipped around to face his window, where a lithe figure was outlined by the setting sun. Yohji reached slowly and carefully for the dagger hidden in his soft court boots. The figure moved into a beam of light and Yohji sighed and moved his hand back into his lap.

"Hey, Duo," he said, smiling at his young friend. Duo of Maxwell Abbey grinned back, sunlight glittered off his white teeth and long, braided chestnut brown hair. The hair fell well past Duo's waist, stopping almost at his knees, and the boy's cobalt blue eyes twinkled. Set in a heart- shaped face, Duo's eyes were his best feature. They shifted from blue to violet with his emotions, and could hold the attention of anyone for long periods of time. Coupled with Duo's amazing voice, some thought he might be a siren or some other tempter.

"What's up, buddy," Duo said in that husky voice that sent shivers down just about anyone's spine. He got up from his perch on the window sill, then moved to the bed and sat down, leaning against Yohji. Turning slightly, he gave Yohji a feather-light kiss on the lips, then settled back down. "So, you gonna tell me, or what?" he asked.

Yohji smiled at the endearing expression on his friend's face. He kissed him back, then settled down to tell his story. As he talked, he thought about his and Duo's strange relationship. They'd met when they were ten, Yohji had been escaping his nurse yet again, and Duo had gotten bored singing hymns in the novice ward. They had both hidden in the same tree in the palace gardens.

Duo hadn't noticed Yohji right away. He was too busy eating apples from the tree they were in...

**Flashback #2**

Little Yohji climbed the tree hurriedly, hoping against hope that Molly hadn't seen him. His nurse was a hawk when it came to finding Yohji. Hugging the tree trunk, Yohji continued to climb until he was high enough to be hidden by the foliage. He was just about to settle himself down for a long wait, when he felt the tree shake with another weight. After a moment, a young form came into view. It was what looked like a girl, with braided chestnut brown hair and the tunic and breeches of an Abbey novice. The novice looked around distractedly for a moment, then visibly relaxed. The novice settled back against the trunk and grapped a nearby apple and began to eat.

"Stop eating my father's apples," Yohji demanded. The novice gave a start and dropped the apple she'd been eating. She looked frantically around for the source of the voice. "Up here, novice," Yohji said haughtily. The novice looked up and Yohji almost fell out of the tree at the sight of the most gorgeous blue eyes he'd ever seen. Right before him they shifted from cobalt blue to a wary blue-violet.

"Who're you?" the novice asked, her face pinched in annoyance.

"Stop eating my father's apples," Yohji repeated. The novice snorted.

"These're Emp'ror Hayama's apples, kid. They ain't your father's. 'sides, the Emp'ror needs ta share more," the girl said haughtily in a voice that sounded suspiciously like a guy.

"Listen, girl, my fa--" Yohji began.

"Girl! Girl?! I ain't no girl!" the novice shrieked. Yohji looked taken aback, then remembered he was trying to hide and attempted to shush her.

"Be quiet! If Molly catches me I'm gonna be in so much trouble!" Yohji pleaded.

The novice sniffed indignantly. "Girl. Hmph," the novice said. "For your information, I'm a guy. The name's Duo Maxwell, kid."

Yohji's blood boiled. "I am not a child, novice Duo. My name is Yohji, Emperor-heir of the Kudou Dynasty," Yohji said proudly. He didn't expect Duo to burst out laughing.

"Your alright, kid," he said, plucking another apple from the tree and taking a bite. Yohji opened his mouth to complain some more, but the novice noticed. "Look, kid, we're both hidin', right?" Yohji nodded. "So if we both be quiet, we both won't get caught. I'll pretend these're your pops apples if ya shut it for a while, k?" Yohji nodded again. "Good," the novice said. "I'm goin' ta sleep. Wake me at first dark." And he promptly went to sleep.

**End Flashback#2**

They became lovers when they were around fourteen. They weren't really 'lovers' lovers, because they hadn't taken the last step, but they did love each other. they planned to save their innocence for who they would spend their lives with.As Yohji's recitation of the throne room meeting wound to a close, Duo sat up and turned around so he could look Yohji in the face.

"You think Nagi cast a spell on your father?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Yohji shrugged and Duo turned back around. "I think he did. I heard in the market today that Nagi was known back in his village for sorcery. It's very likely."

"Yes. Also, I think Nagi might have a thing for me. He entered my mind and all I could feel is intense want," Yohji said, shuddering. "Did you know his mind voice sounds like a irate snake?"

As opposed to my mind voice? Duo's words came as a caress in Yohji's mind and the young future Emperor shivered. "Yes, Duo. Only your mind voice could make me feel cold and hot at the same time," Yohji complimented.

"Why thank you, love," Duo said, chuckling. He sighed. "I gotta go. The sun'll be down soon."

"Brush your hair before you go?" Yohji whispered.

"Of course, love," Duo said. The blue-eyed boy leaned forward and Yohji wrapped a tanned hand around the fat braid. Carefully, Yohji unraveled it and ran his fingers through the slightly wavy waterfall. Standing, Yohji went to his bureau and picked up the brush he reserved for such occasions. Moving back to Duo, he reseated himself behind his friend.

Taking the brush, Yohji slowly dragged it from the middle of Duo's back to the tips of his hair, again and again until his beautiful locks shined. Steadily he moved up until the entire mass shimmered. Stroking through it to make sure, Yohji seperated the heavy tresses into three parts and began to lovingly weave them together, reproducing a neater, cleaner braid.

"All done, love," Yohji said, hugging Duo from behind. Duo turned around and kissed Yohji on the nose.

"Thanks, babe. See ya tomorrow," Duo said, hugging Yohji back. He gave him a fleeting kiss, then stood and made his way to the window. Looking over his shoulder, he blew a kiss to Yohji before jumping over the sill and disappearing. Yohji was sure his friend had reached the ground four floors down. Sighing, Yohji stripped and slipped into bed, thoughts of his problems flitting around before he sank into restless oblivion.

~~~~***~~~~

Duo hurried across the palace courtyard, down the hill, and up another until he was at the window of the novice ward. He slipped in and slithered inconspicuosly to his bed. Or atleast he thought he had.

"Where have you been, Duo," asked an angry female voice. Duo shivered. It was the Spirit Walker, Hilde of the Schbeiker Cathedral of Oz. Spirit Walkers were mean, true, but Hilde was one of the meanest. Spirit Walkers were a general population of people with creepy eyes and even creepier dispositions. The went around floating and disappearing and making people believe in ghosts, plus they tampered with your spirit ever once in a while. They were all pale skinned, weird-haired and strange. What made Hilde different was that she looked normal, and could even act normal. Which meant she could blend well. Which was not good.

"I-I've been in the Emperor's garden again, Your Eminence," Duo said carefully. It was partly the truth. One had to past through the Emperor's garden to get to Yohji's window.

"Why is your hair all shiny and neat?" Hilde continued, her glowing blue eyes flashing.

"I brushed it?" Duo said, wincing at his mistake. He shouldn't have sounded unsure.

"It was that Prince brat wasn't it," Hilde barked, her young face twisted into a scowl. Duo cowered as her eyes glowed brighter. And yet he couldn't excuse the slur to his friend.

"Yohji isn't a brat!" he said bravely. He immediately regretted his bravery as Hilde snarled at him, revealing the pointed canines of her other form. Duo's heart froze. He knew Hilde was changing into the form most feared, a Spirit Walker's demon form. Suddenly, he dearly wished he had paid attention in class when they'd discussed ways to escape the Walkers.

~~~~***~~~~

Meanwhile, Yohji was suddenly awakened by a loud crash. He sat up slowly, thinking it was just a servant there to wake him for dinner, but the crash sounded again, and then was followed by the clank of armor. Why was someone wearing armor outside his room? Yohji moved cautiously toward the door and prepared to open it. Then froze as he heard a familiar voice.

"Yes, Lord Nagi," came the voice of Olby, Emperor Hayama's personal guard, in reply to something the Emperor's advisor told him.

"Make sure no one sees you leaving the young prince's room with him, Olby. We must be away before dawn. Or rather, you must," Nagi said in that oily tone of voice that meant everything was going his way. Yohji listened, shocked, as the coversation continued.

"Take him to your castle in the Sanq Kingdom, Lord Nagi?" Olby asked.

"Yes. I want him to be guarded day and night. Even if no one finds him, there is a tremendous amount of foolish people in this world. See that it is done," came Nagi's reply.

"Yes, Lord Nagi," came Olby's usual answer to everything. A moment later the hallway was quiet, as both men went off to conduct their business. Yohji slid down the wall, visibly trembling. Nagi wanted to kidnap him? Tonight? Right under his father's nose?

I've gotta snap out of this?! Mentally slapping himself, Yohji leapt up and headed for his closet, grabbing his clothes from earlier on the way. Once in the closet, he slipped on the gold tights, gold tunic, dark brown tunic belt and leather boots. Slipping his dagger into one boot, Yohji grabbed his journey bag off a hook and began to fill it. In went three different colored tunics, matching breeches and belts, another pair of boots, a winter cloak of crushed velvet and five crisp white lace-up tunic shirts, hardly worn. Taking down a brown cloak, Yohji slipped it on and pulled the hood up, then strapped on his seldom used short sword. Though relatively new, Yohji had been trained by the finest teachers and was deadly when provoked.

Deeming himself prepared, Yohji moved to the window. On the way he passed his writing desk, and something made him stop. There, in the corner, was the pendant his father had given him two years ago to mark his fourteenth year. It was in the shape of a phoenix, the Kudou crest. Snatching it up, Yohji slipped it into his journey bag. Still, something compelled him to leave a note. Snatching up a piece of parchment, an ink well and a feather quill, Yohji quickly scrawled a note:

Father, I am sorry that I must leave you, but I do not wish to die or become a slave. I suspect you will never know of what I speak, and I dare
not tell you in so crude a way as correspondence. Forgive me, father. Hopefully I will return and claim the throne before Nagi manages to corrupt you any more. I go with love in my heart, and pray it is in yours. Goodbye.

Until we meet again, under the light of the Phoenix's wings,

May the Divine One bless you,
His Highness, Prince Yohji, former Emperor-heir of the Kudou Dynasty

Yohji grabbed a handful of sand from a small pot beside the ink and sprinkled it on the note, the lit a candle. Breaking off a piece of the scarlet wax block also next to the ink, Yohji held it over the candle until it heated and softened, then pressed it into the paper near his signature. Straightening his signet ring, he pressed it down into the wax then removed it, revealing a perfect impression of a phoenix in flight next to his more personal initials. Sighing, Yohji turned away.

"Goodbye, Father. May the Divine One bless you, and may you always walk in the Light," he whispered to the wind. With that small prayer, Yohji leapt over the side of the sill and was gone, just when Olby opened the chamber door...

~~~~***~~~~

"I'm sorry, Your Eminence!" Duo pleaded, tears streaking his pale face. Hilde laughed maliciously at the honorific, knowing full well she was no priestess. But she liked the attention she received for her lie.

"Sorry is not enough, worm! Running around with that brat when you should be here with the other maggots! Filthy whore! You probably sleep with him for little trinkets and bobbles! Don't you?!" Hilde screamed. Her eyes glowed as she mentally twisted Duo's soul. The boy's body arched with the incredible pain she had him in. "Don't you!!" she demanded.

"No!" Duo gasped. "Yohji loves me!" His soul twisted again as Hilde laughed, causing his back to arch and bend him almost double.

"Love? Hah! Emperor's are clever liars, Duo. They trick you until they have what they want. Your filthy orphan body," Hilde snapped. "Then they use it again and again until you're broken, but they won't leave you be because they like you that way!!" Another twist of Duo's soul. Another scream.

Duo lay on the floor of Hilde's appointed torture room, panting. Finally he had the breath to ask a question. "Is that what happened to you?" he whispered, before he went back to labored breathing.

"ARRGHH!!!" Hilde shrieked, eyes blazing. She lifted Duo with her mind and threw him into a wall, grinning when she heard his scream of pain. Duo lay there against the wall, anger welling up inside him. How dare she take her pain out on him? No wonder she's a bitch!

Some unknown power filled Duo and his body rose off the floor. His tired eyes opened and the sockets swam with a violet light. The light filled him, completed him...avenged him. Lifting his arms, Duo pointed at Hilde, his torturer, his victim. The light filled him to the brim, then burst from him and traveled down his arm, snaking away from him in a rope of pure violet light and slamming into the still insane Hilde. He pushed her, slammed her, threw her, and all the while she laughed insanely. Finally, tired of her cries, the light surrounded her and consumed her, and a sizzling sound filled the air. Right before the light winked out, Hilde screamed long and loud. The scream was abruptly cut off as the light faded.

Duo's body slowly floated to the floor, unconscious before he hit. As the light diffused, a voice entered Duo's head, and a warm feeling surrounded his aching soul. Duo, my son, you have finally come into your power. I am proud of you...

//Wha? Father?// Duo said.

Yes, Duo. I can only appear to you in your mind, as I am indeed dead. i have come to witness your Showing.

//Showing?//

When you first use your Gift. Give me a moment. The voice faded away and Duo was distressed, but then he froze as a shape formed before his mind self. It was the shape of a wellbuilt man, who had chestnut hair and vivid blue eyes a shade off of Duo's.

//Father?// Duo stammered.

Yes. As you can see, you get your eyes from your dear mother.

//Mother? Is she alive?//

No. But she will assist you also. You have come into your inheritance.She will be anxious to see you.

//Really?//

Really. I have only appeared to you to check if you are ready, and to tell you something vital.

//What's that, Father?//

Your friend, the Prince? Break off your relationship with him. Soon you will meet the other half of your heart.

//I will?! Who is it?//

You will know when you see them. Just know it is soon. And tell your Prince that he should not despair, his heart comes closer everyday.

//Yohji too! Great!//

Yes, but I fear I told you too much. I just want you to be happy, son. Your mother will tell you more when you meet her. I have prepared a pack for you. Your friend will be here soon and you must leave with him to the House of Fujimiya. Lord Ran will tell you what to do. Goodbye my son. Rest until we meet again.

//Goodbye, Father.// And Duo drifted off into real sleep. ~~~~***~~~~

Yohji stumbled into the Maxwell Abbey, determined to get Duo before he left the country. He knew he wouldn't be able to go on without his cheerful friend beside him. A lone novice was passing by and Yohji grabbed him.

"Do you know a Duo Maxwell?" he said urgently. So urgently that the novice tried to move back a step but was still in Yohji's deathgrip. "Well, do you?"

"Y-yes, sir. Duo's in the Room with Her Eminence Hilde of the Spirit Walkers," the novice whispered. Yohji dropped the boy's arm in shock and fear, and the novice darted away. He went unnoticed as Yohji played back a few scenes Duo had told him of...about the evil uber bitch Hilde and a torture chamber called the Room provided by the church. He snarled loudly and took off in the direction he thought it would be. As he got deeper and deeper into the Abbey, he threw open random doors and threw his head inside.

Finally he reached a door with a huge wooden bar across, a bar so big only a Spirit Walker could lift it with their minds. Luckily, Yohji knew a few tricks of his own. Centering himself, Yohji stared at the bar intently, letting his anger at Hilde, Nagi and the Emperor manifest itself into his power. The power of the phoenix. A surge shot through Yohji and the wooden bar promptly lit on fire and quickly turned to cinders.

Rushing forward, Yohji entered the room and looked frantically around. In one corner was the remains of some blackened being, and in the other was an unmoving Duo.

"Duo!" Yohji cried, rushing to his friend. Right before Yohji touched Duo's shoulder, the boy opened his eyes, revealing sleep-dilated violet irises.

"Hey, Yohji. Time to go?" Duo asked cheerily. Yohji stared, then grinned. Duo was alright.

"Yes. I'll explain later, but we have to go," Yohji said urgently.

"I know," Duo said solemnly. "I kinda killed the Spirit Walker, so we really gotta go. Gimme a sec..." Duo searched the ground around him until he came upon a pack stuffed with clothes and a few of hs personal things. "Hah! Thank you, Father!" he said. Yohji watched him, eyebrows raised. Duo grinned. "Well?"

"Er...yea, we gotta go...I don't know where, but.." Yohji began.

"Let's try your cousin Ran? He might be able to help us," Duo suggested. Yohji smiled.

"Great idea, Duo! Hurry," he said, snatching his friends hand, Yohji ran out of the room, then out of the Abbey, heading for his cousin's manor at the edge of town.

~~~~***~~~~

Hands touching him...caressing him...sweet, slow kisses...hot breath on his ear...shivers...pleasure...pain, more pleasure...white hot...deep...heaven...

Chang Wufei of the Dragon Clan, revered Dragon Warrior of the mythical island, sat up quickly, sweat slicking his usually cool forehead. Breathing slowly to eliminate his hurried pants, Wufei turned a dull, angry red. Dammit! Why must I dream of him?! Arrogant foreigner...

Wufei sighed, then rolled over and got out of the bed. Beside his night table was a glass and a pitcher of the cool waters of Dragora. Pouring himself a glass, Wufei turned his thoughts inward, to the dream and the visions of the ginger-haired foreigner who he couldn't forget.

Wufei remembered the man well. He'd been tall, muscled but not overly much, lean and graceful, signs of a seasoned fighter. His hair was ginger-brown bordering on red, and fell into beautiful blue eyes that alternated between ruthless cruelty and sincere softness. He was someone of note in some army or another, but Wufei couldn't quite remember which. All he remember was being flustered around the ginger-haired Adonis and forgetting his noble mission to keep order in Dragora. Before he'd known it, he was in the handsome soldier's arms, and bed.

That night had been beautiful, though Wufei saw it through a haze of rage. He was sure the foreigner had drugged him, then seduced him and probably coerced him into telling valuable information about Dragora. And yet, Wufei could only remember one sentence, breathed over and over by the blue-eyed demigod. I think I am in love, my Dragon...

Wufei closed his deep onyx eyes and sighed, then scowled. He would get that foreigner! Where did he say he was from? The Yuy Kingdom. He would go there and crush the seducer personally. The thought brought a contented smile to Wufei's usually cold lips.

"Tsukiyono!" he barked, calling his slave. A moment later the figure of a boy no older than fifteen appeared in the doorway. It was Wufei's slave, Omi of the House of Tsukiyono, a boy with honey brown hair and ocean blue eyes.

"Yes, Master?" the boy asked quietly, kneeling in the doorway. Wufei smiled slightly, glad that his slave was obedient. There were rumors of a slave with icy blue eyes that had escaped to the Yuy Kingdom. Maybe Wufei would see him there.

"Pack for a two week journey for myself and you, then straighten my room and bring me tea in the waiting room before dinner," Wufei commanded. He didn't worry that Omi might not finish. He always did, and on time, as expected of a slave.

"Yes, Master," Omi said obediently, not moving. Wufei smiled faintly again. A slave did not stand until commanded.

"Stand and begin," Wufei said, before leaving the room. Nodding, Omi stood and began to follow his orders. By tomorrow morning, everyone would know that his master was on a journey.

~~~~***Tsuzuku***~~~~