The Master and his Slave
RF: Okay... this is my first Beyblade fic (even though it's AU) so bear with me... the characters are kind of OOC sorry!! PLEASE read and review!!!
Warning: this is a yaoi fic, which means boy luving boy. No lemons, though.
Disclaimer: ... me, own beyblades?... you have to be kidding...
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"..." – speech
'...' – thoughts
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Chapter 1
Rei Kon, Prince of the White Tiger clan, was completely and utterly bored. Sweeping his clearly bored golden gaze across the room, he found himself surrounded by nearly 50 advisors, all clearly (or supposedly, anyway) bent on the tribe's wellfare.
Although he was only 16, he was already close to being the king of the White Tiger clan, a great "honour" though Rei could think of nothing more horrible than being the king. All he wanted was to be normal. Just to be friends with whoever he wanted, to do things that were deemed 'improper'- such as running around on the streets and just hanging around with his friends, not that he had many.
But no, he was the prince, and soon to be king- his father's health was failing rapidly, and he was unable to do anything, slipping in and out of consciousness.
How he would just love to run away, just to get away from all the richness and finery of the royal world...
"An escape could be arranged, milord."
Rei straightened instantly and glared at his best friend, Lee. The black haired boy just winked mischeviously at him, making sure that none of the advisors- who were currently arguing heatedly- could overhear them.
Adopting a more serious tone, Lee carried on "If you wanted, Rei, I could bribe the guards away tonight, and you could just be free for one night. But you have to be back by tomorrow morning. Would you like that?"
Rei didn't have to think about it long. Sure, there would be consequences, but who cared about them? He would be *free*.
"Really?" Rei leant forward, his long raven locks half covering his face. Impatiently, he brushed them back. He inclined his head. "I am forever in your debt, Lee."
The warrior chuckled softly. "You saved my life, Rei. All I'm doing is bribing guards. As soon as you hear a cuckoo sound-"
"A cuckoo?" Rei interrupted, amusement obvious in his voice.
Lee glared at him. "What do you want, a cat? We *are* neko jins. Everyone sounds like a cat."
"I know..." Rei caught his scowl and quickly shut his mouth, and gestured for him to carry on.
"A cuckoo sound, alright? Nothing else. If you find my body in the morning, then you'll know that I didn't succeed in bribing the guards." "Thank you."
Lee nodded and quickly straightened into his normal stance by Rei's right hand side when one of the advisors approached Rei.
Rei sighed. Why did tonight seem so far away?
~*~
Kai Hiwatari sat at his desk, checking the castle records. Everything seemed to be in order, yet...
"Something's missing." Kai spoke aloud, his cold voice echoing throughout the empty room.
But what what missing? He looked over the records again, and realised that there was a definite lack in servants.
He rang a bell and almost instantly the commander of his army appeared by his side. Although he had a strong dislike for the blue haired boy, he knew that Takao was the best fighter.
"Yes, milord?" Takao asked, keeping the distate from his voice. He hated Lord Hiwatari fiercely, though he would never dare say that aloud- he would be killed instantly, by Kai himself, who was a formidable fighter.
"Buy me some slaves. I don't care from where. Just get me some slaves." Kai ordered, then made a flicking movement with his hand to show that the bluenette was dismissed.
Gritting his teeth, and holding back a sharp retort, Takao bowed hesitantly and left the room. Where could he get slaves from? He gathered a small group of soldiers in the courtyard of the large castle.
"Get me some slaves from the forbidden lands." Takao said, knowing very well that if they got some slaves from there, then no one would know, for hardly anyone crossed the borders between the lands- everyone was afraid that the fearsome neko jin -the cat people- clan, the White Tigers, would kill them.
Not much was known on the elusive clan, other than that they were unbeatable warriors and mysteriously beautiful.
"The Forbidden lands, sir?" one of the soldiers asked fearfully. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Normally he would never speak back to his commander, but this was serious- they could all be killed.
"Would I send you there if I wasn't sure?" Takao snapped, his meeting with Kai putting him in a horrid mood. "Besides, it's his Lord's orders."
The soldiers didn't even hesitate before bustling off to march off. Nobody dared to disobey Lord Hiwatari.
~*~
Rei revelled in the fresh night air against his tanned skin, and a wide grin covered his face, revealing his fangs, which, though obvious, weren't as prominent as when he was angry.
His slightly pointed ears picked up a sound in the bush nearby, and he whirled around, his night eyes searching around in the darkness.
But there was nobody.
Rei's eyes narrowed, and he wondered if Lee was playing a trick on him. Surely his best friend wouldn't sneak up on him like that...
Lost in his thoughts, Rei didn't notice the large guard behind him until it was too late. Before he knew it, something large and heavy hit him on the head and he fell to the ground with a gasp, and was instantly unconscious.
"Got one!" the guard crowed. "I think that's enough- we got 5 slaves, how many more do you need?"
The others nodded, and dragged Rei along, back to the castle. When Rei awoke, he was lying on cold stone floor, and his wrists and ankles were manacled.
"What? Where am I?" he demanded, looking around, his keen senses alert and ready for action.
"You're a slave now." came a voice, and Rei found himself looking at a sturdy young man around the same age as him, with blue hair and brown eyes. A sword hung from his belt, classifying him as a warrior, and his clothes were of the finest silk, marking him as a noble.
A warrior noble. How interesting, Rei thought briefly, before his mind registered what the boy had said.
"A slave? But-" I'm the prince of the White Tigers, he was about to say, before quickly shutting his mouth.
Hey, wasn't he the one that wanted to be normal in the first place? Although being a slave wasn't exactly what he had in mind, it would have to do. Anything was better than returning back to the White Tigers.
"I'm sorry. But it's milord's wishes." The bluenette really did sound sorry.
"That's alright." Rei said, and noted the look of surprise on the boy's face.
"You aren't... I don't know... angry? Sad?"
"Why should I be?"
"Haven't you seen how slaves are treated?" the warrior noble sounded so sympathetic that it made Rei nervous.
Something bad was going to happen to him. He just knew it.
"They're sort of like servants, aren't they?" Rei asked, mystified. The White Tigers were against slavery of any sorts, so he had never come across a slave in his life. He had heard of them, and how the Eastern lands were up to their traitorous necks in slavery, but he had never thought that he would ever become a slave in his lifetime.
"I guess... Except they're treated worse than dirt."
"Oh." Rei's face fell.
"What's your name, by the way? I'm Takao."
"It's nice to meet you, Takao. I'm Rei." Rei couldn't help but like the brown eyed boy. He had a cheerful air around him that instantly attracted people to him.
"Rei. That's an interesting name." Takao commented.
Rei stiffened. He should have thought about how names differed in the Eastern Lands. Oh well. It was too late now.
"Mmm." Rei said non commitedly.
Takao was about to ask more, when a bell sounded, and a scowl darkened the boy's face.
"Milord calls." he said bitterly, and gestured for Rei to follow him. "You were captured last, so naturally you were the last to wake up. We actually thought you wouldn't wake up until later, but you've made an extremely quick recovery."
Rei blinked. "A quick recovery? But I don't feel any pain."
Takao chuckled humourlessly. "You will later. We gave you pain killing herbs. They'll take away the pain, but only for a while."
Rei groaned, a grimace on his face. "Great. Just great." he whispered to himself sarcastically.
Takao overheard, and grinned a real grin. "Don't sound so sad! It's not going to hurt that much, just a slight bump on the head. You'll be fine."
"I know... it's just all too much... a slave?" he sighed. "Surely it can't be that bad." he missed the sympathetic look that Takao gave him. "So where am I going?"
"To meet the lord of this castle and these lands- Lord Kai Hiwatari. He's a cold hearted bastard with a short temper, so be careful, okay? I'll be in there with you, but I can't help you if you piss him off."
Rei nodded, nervousness settling like lead in his stomach. This was bad. This was very, very bad.
They stepped into a room, and Rei felt a chill settle over his body, and he shivered slightly.
"My castle too cold for you, slave?" a voice so cold it made Rei shudder sounded through the room.
Rei blinked as Kai Hiwatari stepped out from the shadows. He was actually rather pleasant to look at, Rei mused. With two toned slate hair and fierce crimson eyes, he *was* rather intimidating, but surely under all that ice there was a warm heart? He was obviously fit, with a lithe body and long, slender hands and feet, but deadly pale. Rei wondered briefly if this guy ever went outside.
Kai studied the slave in front of him curiously. It wasn't often that Kai was curious in anything. Especially if it was human. A *beautiful* human. The slave had long, raven black hair which was bound tightly and hung down his back, reaching past his waist, and large, golden eyes, just like a cat. He was well toned, and agile looking, dressed in strange clothes- he had to be from the border.
But that didn't matter anymore. He belonged to *him* now. He was Kai's, and Kai's alone.
And why was that important? Kai wondered to himself. He actually sounded... protective.
"What's your name, slave?" Kai demanded, coming to sit in front of the still standing boy, who blinked at him.
"Rei Kon."
The next second he was roughly backhanded into the wall. Rei gasped, anger bubbling furiously in his chest, all his instincts screaming at him to fight, to rip out this bastard's throat with his fangs... but he couldn't- he wasn't in his territory anymore, and Rei valued his life. Besides, the chains on his wrists and ankles stopped him from doing much.
"You will call me sir, or my lord. Understand?" Kai snarled at the boy who glared at him from the ground. "Stand up!"
Rei noted, with some discomfort, that the blue haired boy was taller than him, and most probably older by a few years, as he stood up so that he was standing face to face with Kai.
"Now get to work." he snapped and went back to his desk.
Takao quickly dragged the glaring Rei out the door, and along the corridor.
"Is he always that grumpy?" Rei asked the warrior noble as they entered another chamber.
"Yeah." Takao sighed. "You've just got to learn to stay on his reasonably okay side."
"Don't you mean his good side?"
"He doesn't have one." Takao laughed, then turned serious. "Believe me, Rei. He's a brilliant fighter. He would kill you instantly if he thought for one second that you were disobeying him."
One fang slipped over his bottom lip and Rei growled softly. Who did that Kai person think he was anyway? Slapping him like that- if only he could fight back!
But no, he was going to have to abide by the rules of this land now. What would Lee think of him, the best fighter in the Forbidden Lands, unable to fight?
Rei felt like a bucket of cold water had been tipped over him. Lee! Lee would think that he was either dead, or had betrayed him and ran off! He groaned. This was not good- and his father's health was in serious question, and Rei was soon to become ruler, and he had just disappeared! This was really not good.
"You okay there, Rei?" Takao asked, and there genuine concern in his eyes.
The raven haired boy nodded weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Where are we going now?"
"To your room. From now on you live here, and you wait on Lord Hiwatari hand and foot, okay?"
Holding back a grimace, Rei nodded.
Takao carried on. "You are a slave now, which means that you are now Lord Hiwatari's property." he smiled sympathetically. "I'm really sorry Rei. You seem like a decent fellow."
A decent fellow? Rei's lips twitched into a smile. "Thanks, Takao."
"You will serve Lord Hiwatari until you die. Milord has every right to whip you, or do as he pleases with you. You cannot wander outside the castle grounds. If found trying to escape you will be used as a public example to the inhabitants of the castle."
Do whatever he pleases with you... Rei shuddered. That meant that the blue haired lord could kill him just because he was pissed off.
His life was worthless.
His life had gone from being worth his clan's life, to not even being worth dirt. Things were definitely not going to go well. At least he had one friend- Takao.
He glanced up at the blue haired boy, who unlocked Rei's door, letting Rei look around his new room.
It was incredibly small, with a handful of straw on the ground to serve as a bed. Rei was disturbed to see chains on the wall, along with what looked like dried blood on the floor. He stifled a gulp.
Takao followed his line of sight and clapped Rei on the shoulder in a friendly gesture.
"Good luck, Rei. I'll see you around." he started to move off.
"Wait!" Rei yelled.
"What?" Takao turned around, blinking clueless at the raven haired neko jin.
"Two things- what do I do, and what about these chains?"
Takao flushed, embarrassed. "Sorry, I tend to forget things. Well, you have to report to Lord Hiwatari at dawn tomorrow, and he'll inform you of your duties. Do you want me to wake you up?"
"I should be fine." he woke up at dawn every morning anyway, so it didn't matter much- though his wound worried him. Perhaps it would knock him out again. "Yeah, you'd better wake me up. I don't think I quite know my way yet."
Takao nodded. "And about your chains..." he bit his lip. "I'm afraid they have to stay on. I just remembered that I have to chain you to the wall each night. That means that I have to see you every morning anyway. I am sorry, Rei."
"I know you are Takao, it's not your fault."
"It is." Takao hesitated- he really did like Rei, and he didn't want the raven haired beauty to hate him, but he would feel better if he told Rei the truth. "I was in charge of getting slaves. I told my men where to look, and yeah..." he trailed off.
Rei's eyes darkened briefly, but he smiled cheerfully. "That's alright."
"So where exactly do you live in the Forbidden Lands? And what's it like?" Takao asked curiously, as he chained Rei to the wall.
"I lived... on the border." Rei lied. "It's really nice. It's a bit more wild than here, not that I've stayed here long, so I don't really know."
"It sounds nice..." Takao sighed enviously. "I wish I could get away from this hell hole."
"You don't like it here? But you're a noble."
Takao shot him a surprised glance. "How did you know I'm a noble?"
"Your clothes... the way you walk, the way you talk... Everything about you screams of nobility." Rei grinned. "It's interesting that you're a *warrior* noble."
"Yes." Takao looked thoughtful. "I suppose."
"Why don't you like it here?"
"Are you crazy? Lord Hiwatari, as I've said before, is a cold hearted bastard. He doesn't care about any of us, he just uses us to get his own ends. That's why he's so rich and powerful. Watch out for him, Rei, and especially his advisors. They won't hesitate to use you as their whore."
"Their whore?!" Rei thundered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I refuse to be used in that manner!"
Takao stiffened when Rei's golden eyes turned into tiny slits, and what looked disturbingly like fangs protrude over his bottom lip.
"What the hell?!" Takao jumped back, scrambling around for the door handle. He wasn't sure what was happening to the new slave, but he didn't want to find out.
Rei held out one hand, stopping Takao in his tracks. "Wait! Takao, wait!" Takao hesitated, and dropped his arms to his side again. "Rei, what happened to you?"
Rei sighed. "It's nothing important."
"Yes it is! Your eyes... your teeth..."
"You must have been hallucinating. All I did was tense up." Rei laughed, hoping that Takao would think nothing more of it.
The blue haired boy looked dubious, but shrugged. "Whatever. I guess I'm more tired than I thought. Well, goodnight Rei."
"Night."
After the warrior noble had left, Rei picked at his chains, wondering whether he could escape after all- sure Takao had said that he would be punished if caught, but surely they wouldn't catch him?
Using a thin piece of wire that he always kept on him -he was always prepared- Rei managed to get the chains off him, and he quickly slipped out of his room.
Grinning impishly, he raced down the corridors, using his keen sesnses to find his way out. Surely there was a door around here somewhere...
So involved in finding the door, Rei didn't notice the dark shadow by the foot of the stairs until too late.
An arm shot out and grabbed him, making the neko jin cry out in pain. Why hadn't he heard the person? Hoping desperately that it was just Takao, and that the blue haired boy wouldn't be mad, Rei turned around and his heart sunk.
He found himself looking into the coldest eyes he had ever seen. His mouth opened in horror, though no sound came out, and he instantly started struggling, all his instincts screaming at him to get far, far away. He had thought Kai was scary- this man was worse.
"What do you think you're doing, slave?" the voice was enough to make Rei whimper in fear.
Why, oh why, had he tried to run away? It had been a bad idea in the first place- he shouldn't have even *thought* about leaving the White Tigers.
When Rei didn't answer, the man slapped him, hard. "Learn some respect, slave." he hissed, and dragged the extremely reluctant Rei behind him, into a dark chamber.
"Verin!" the man yelled, and, almost instantly, a large, burly man came to stand by them.
The man, Verin, cracked his knuckles menacingly as he glared at Rei. "How many, my lord?"
My lord? Rei wondered, confused. But hadn't Kai been the lord of this castle? Who was this man?
The man scrutinised Rei closely. "40. And consider it a warning, boy. Your punishment, if you dare to attempt another stupid escape, will be worse." he snapped, and left the room.
Rei, out of the man's tight grasp, immediately tried to bolt to the door, but Verin grabbed him and held him back, chuckling darkly to himself.
"Not likely, slave." he tore of Rei's shirt, and pulled Rei's arms up sharply, causing the black haired boy to wince, and chained them to the low ceiling. Rei struggled madly- he had a good idea of what was going to happen to him, and he didn't like it one bit.
He had to get free... he just had to get free...
He heard Verin test a whip out against the stone wall, and his heart beat increased wildly. No, this couldn't be happening... not to *him*...
Sharp pain lanced across his back, and Rei released his breath sharply. Pain... so much pain... and he had to endure 39 more?
Gritting his teeth- he would make it through this- Rei shut his eyes and tensed. He didn't have to wait long- another crack, and agony filled his entire body.
After a few more whips, Rei slid out of consciousness, his every fibre aching fiercely, and he sobbed brokenly, unable to hold back his pain. When he came back into reality, he found himself lying in his chamber, and tried to stand up- and instantly regretted his choice.
His back ached so much, he hadn't thought it was possible to be in so much agony. Rei felt tears slide down his cheeks, and he hastily wiped them away.
He was *not* weak. He would get through this.
Rei forced himself to stand up, and pulled on his shirt, trying his hardest to ignore the pain.
Someone- presumably Takao- knocked on the door lightly before entering. As soon as Takao saw the blood on the ground, he shook his head. "You tried to escape? By the Gods, Rei, I thought you would have more sense than that."
"Hey, I tried, didn't I?" Rei attempted a cheerful grin and failed entirely. "I want to go home, Takao. You don't understand how important it is to me. I'm needed at home, and badly. My cl- family can't survive without me." he knew that sounded selfish, but he didn't care- it was true. No one else knew how to rule the White Tigers.
Takao sighed angrily. "You don't understand, do you, Rei? You're a slave now, and nothing you do will change that. You can't go home, unless your family has enough money to buy you. And they don't know where you are- that's why you were taken from the Forbidden Lands."
Rei slammed his fist against the wall, frustration bubbling inside his chest. Everything was so *pointless*. He couldn't tell Takao that he was the prince, and soon to be king- that would just mess things up even more. The Eastern Lands and the Forbidden Lands had been at war for *ever*. He let out his breath slowly, inwardly counting to ten. Calm again, Rei faced Takao.
"Okay. So are you going to take me to Lord Hiwatari or not?" Takao nodded, and they walked down the corridors in silence.
"By the way... Takao, who is this man?" Rei described the man that Verin had called 'my lord' the night before.
Takao paled, and he grinned Rei's forearm tightly. "You saw Lord Hiwatari?"
Rei frowned, confused. "But I thought that blue haired man was Lord Hiwatari?"
Takao let out a groan of frustration. "This is hard to explain. There are two Lord Hiwataris. Well, actually the man you saw yesterday, with the blue hair, is Lord Kai, but most of the time we just call him Lord Hiwatari when the *real* Lord Hiwatari isn't home."
"So who's Lord Hiwatari?" Rei asked curiously.
Takao shuddered. "He's Lord Voltaire Hiwatari, the King's closest advisor and Lord Kai's grandfather."
Rei gave an appreciative whistle. "So he's pretty powerful, huh?" he had heard the name Voltaire before- he was the one that had ordered the killing of 70 neko jin prisoners. They were still incredibly bitter over that, though none of the neko jin prisoners had been from the White Tiger clan. None of the prisoners that the neko jins took in were treated badly, and freed after a while.
"Yeah." Takao nodded, and let go of Rei's forearm, and they continued walking down the corridor. "Now *he* is nasty. Whatever you do, as soon as you so much glimpse him, run. Don't worry if you'll be punished by Lord Kai afterwards, this man is much, much worse."
Rei nodded. Lord Hiwatari had proved that at their encounter last night. Takao stopped walking outside a chamber with the letters KH engraved on it. "Here we are." Takao whispered. "Good luck, Rei." they shook hands and Takao walked off.
Rei opened the door, sucking in a deep breath. He found Lord Kai seated behind his desk, glaring angrily at a piece of paper. Crimson eyes peered up at him as he cleared his throat gently.
"What?" Kai snapped, watching the raven haired boy fidget nervously in front of him.
"My duties, my lord." Rei said, his voice soft and submissive, though secretly he was bubbling with anger. He hated Kai Hiwatari.
"What about them?" Kai demanded. He wondered vaguely what it would feel like to run his fingers through the slave's lustrous black hair.
"I don't know what I have to do, my lord. Takao said that you were going to tell me...?" Rei trailed off uncertainly. Perhaps Takao had been wrong.
"Of course." Kai mentally cursed himself- what was doing, making a fool of himself in front of a *slave*. "From now on you serve me, and me only."
Him only? Rei felt a grin tug at his lips. Kai must've noticed, because he quickly added "You must do what nobles wish, but if they demand some obscure, then you have the right to denny their wishes."
Rei nodded, casting his eyes to the ground sadly. There seemed no end to this toture. He wondered vaguely what Lee was doing right now. Was he sad that Rei had disappeared? Worried? Angry?
"Are you paying attention?" Kai snapped.
Rei immediately blinked and focused his attention of the angry figure of the slate haired boy in front of him. "Yes." he hastily added "my lord."
Kai nodded, a satisfied smirk on his lips. "Good. You will remain by my side all the time, until I dismiss you."
Rei bit the inside of his cheek. Remain by *him* all the time? He was surely going to be driven into madness...
"Do you understand?" Kai snapped.
"Yes, my lord." Rei gave a small sigh, and looked around the room. It was bare, and as boring as a room could get. Hadn't Kai ever heard of decorations?
"Sit." Kai gestured for the neko jin to sit on the floor. "Now start scrubbing." Rei noticed the bucket and scrub that were next to Kai's desk and his eyes narrowed dangerously, before he calmed down and bowed.
"Of course, my lord." he spat the words out as if they were poison.
Kai smirked and carried on working, though he couldn't help but glance at the sud covered figure that scrubbed the floor steadily, occasionally flicking a strand of hair out of his eyes.
Suddenly he realised what the feeling that nagged at the back of his mind was.
Love.
Kai gave a growl of anger. No way was he in love with some common born slave that he had only just met the day before! This was all stupidity. He was just tired, that was all.
Rei glanced up at him, obviously surprised at the blue haired boy's outburst.
"Are you alright, my lord?"
"I'm fine." Kai grounded out, glaring so hatefully at Rei that the raven haired boy flinched.
Was it possible to contain that much hate? Rei wondered, watching as Kai went back to work. Rei couldn't help but notice how beautiful the noble was.
He shook his head and went back to scrubbing the floor. Being a slave was doing strange things to his mind... how could he possibly think of Kai as *beautiful*?
He hadn't known the crimson eyed boy for long, but he didn't like him. Or so he told himself forcefully again and again.
Then why did his stomach do a little flop everytime he glanced at Kai?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RF: And that's the end of the first chapter! Please read and review!! I'll give you chibi kai plushies!!! ^-^
RF: Okay... this is my first Beyblade fic (even though it's AU) so bear with me... the characters are kind of OOC sorry!! PLEASE read and review!!!
Warning: this is a yaoi fic, which means boy luving boy. No lemons, though.
Disclaimer: ... me, own beyblades?... you have to be kidding...
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"..." – speech
'...' – thoughts
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Chapter 1
Rei Kon, Prince of the White Tiger clan, was completely and utterly bored. Sweeping his clearly bored golden gaze across the room, he found himself surrounded by nearly 50 advisors, all clearly (or supposedly, anyway) bent on the tribe's wellfare.
Although he was only 16, he was already close to being the king of the White Tiger clan, a great "honour" though Rei could think of nothing more horrible than being the king. All he wanted was to be normal. Just to be friends with whoever he wanted, to do things that were deemed 'improper'- such as running around on the streets and just hanging around with his friends, not that he had many.
But no, he was the prince, and soon to be king- his father's health was failing rapidly, and he was unable to do anything, slipping in and out of consciousness.
How he would just love to run away, just to get away from all the richness and finery of the royal world...
"An escape could be arranged, milord."
Rei straightened instantly and glared at his best friend, Lee. The black haired boy just winked mischeviously at him, making sure that none of the advisors- who were currently arguing heatedly- could overhear them.
Adopting a more serious tone, Lee carried on "If you wanted, Rei, I could bribe the guards away tonight, and you could just be free for one night. But you have to be back by tomorrow morning. Would you like that?"
Rei didn't have to think about it long. Sure, there would be consequences, but who cared about them? He would be *free*.
"Really?" Rei leant forward, his long raven locks half covering his face. Impatiently, he brushed them back. He inclined his head. "I am forever in your debt, Lee."
The warrior chuckled softly. "You saved my life, Rei. All I'm doing is bribing guards. As soon as you hear a cuckoo sound-"
"A cuckoo?" Rei interrupted, amusement obvious in his voice.
Lee glared at him. "What do you want, a cat? We *are* neko jins. Everyone sounds like a cat."
"I know..." Rei caught his scowl and quickly shut his mouth, and gestured for him to carry on.
"A cuckoo sound, alright? Nothing else. If you find my body in the morning, then you'll know that I didn't succeed in bribing the guards." "Thank you."
Lee nodded and quickly straightened into his normal stance by Rei's right hand side when one of the advisors approached Rei.
Rei sighed. Why did tonight seem so far away?
~*~
Kai Hiwatari sat at his desk, checking the castle records. Everything seemed to be in order, yet...
"Something's missing." Kai spoke aloud, his cold voice echoing throughout the empty room.
But what what missing? He looked over the records again, and realised that there was a definite lack in servants.
He rang a bell and almost instantly the commander of his army appeared by his side. Although he had a strong dislike for the blue haired boy, he knew that Takao was the best fighter.
"Yes, milord?" Takao asked, keeping the distate from his voice. He hated Lord Hiwatari fiercely, though he would never dare say that aloud- he would be killed instantly, by Kai himself, who was a formidable fighter.
"Buy me some slaves. I don't care from where. Just get me some slaves." Kai ordered, then made a flicking movement with his hand to show that the bluenette was dismissed.
Gritting his teeth, and holding back a sharp retort, Takao bowed hesitantly and left the room. Where could he get slaves from? He gathered a small group of soldiers in the courtyard of the large castle.
"Get me some slaves from the forbidden lands." Takao said, knowing very well that if they got some slaves from there, then no one would know, for hardly anyone crossed the borders between the lands- everyone was afraid that the fearsome neko jin -the cat people- clan, the White Tigers, would kill them.
Not much was known on the elusive clan, other than that they were unbeatable warriors and mysteriously beautiful.
"The Forbidden lands, sir?" one of the soldiers asked fearfully. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Normally he would never speak back to his commander, but this was serious- they could all be killed.
"Would I send you there if I wasn't sure?" Takao snapped, his meeting with Kai putting him in a horrid mood. "Besides, it's his Lord's orders."
The soldiers didn't even hesitate before bustling off to march off. Nobody dared to disobey Lord Hiwatari.
~*~
Rei revelled in the fresh night air against his tanned skin, and a wide grin covered his face, revealing his fangs, which, though obvious, weren't as prominent as when he was angry.
His slightly pointed ears picked up a sound in the bush nearby, and he whirled around, his night eyes searching around in the darkness.
But there was nobody.
Rei's eyes narrowed, and he wondered if Lee was playing a trick on him. Surely his best friend wouldn't sneak up on him like that...
Lost in his thoughts, Rei didn't notice the large guard behind him until it was too late. Before he knew it, something large and heavy hit him on the head and he fell to the ground with a gasp, and was instantly unconscious.
"Got one!" the guard crowed. "I think that's enough- we got 5 slaves, how many more do you need?"
The others nodded, and dragged Rei along, back to the castle. When Rei awoke, he was lying on cold stone floor, and his wrists and ankles were manacled.
"What? Where am I?" he demanded, looking around, his keen senses alert and ready for action.
"You're a slave now." came a voice, and Rei found himself looking at a sturdy young man around the same age as him, with blue hair and brown eyes. A sword hung from his belt, classifying him as a warrior, and his clothes were of the finest silk, marking him as a noble.
A warrior noble. How interesting, Rei thought briefly, before his mind registered what the boy had said.
"A slave? But-" I'm the prince of the White Tigers, he was about to say, before quickly shutting his mouth.
Hey, wasn't he the one that wanted to be normal in the first place? Although being a slave wasn't exactly what he had in mind, it would have to do. Anything was better than returning back to the White Tigers.
"I'm sorry. But it's milord's wishes." The bluenette really did sound sorry.
"That's alright." Rei said, and noted the look of surprise on the boy's face.
"You aren't... I don't know... angry? Sad?"
"Why should I be?"
"Haven't you seen how slaves are treated?" the warrior noble sounded so sympathetic that it made Rei nervous.
Something bad was going to happen to him. He just knew it.
"They're sort of like servants, aren't they?" Rei asked, mystified. The White Tigers were against slavery of any sorts, so he had never come across a slave in his life. He had heard of them, and how the Eastern lands were up to their traitorous necks in slavery, but he had never thought that he would ever become a slave in his lifetime.
"I guess... Except they're treated worse than dirt."
"Oh." Rei's face fell.
"What's your name, by the way? I'm Takao."
"It's nice to meet you, Takao. I'm Rei." Rei couldn't help but like the brown eyed boy. He had a cheerful air around him that instantly attracted people to him.
"Rei. That's an interesting name." Takao commented.
Rei stiffened. He should have thought about how names differed in the Eastern Lands. Oh well. It was too late now.
"Mmm." Rei said non commitedly.
Takao was about to ask more, when a bell sounded, and a scowl darkened the boy's face.
"Milord calls." he said bitterly, and gestured for Rei to follow him. "You were captured last, so naturally you were the last to wake up. We actually thought you wouldn't wake up until later, but you've made an extremely quick recovery."
Rei blinked. "A quick recovery? But I don't feel any pain."
Takao chuckled humourlessly. "You will later. We gave you pain killing herbs. They'll take away the pain, but only for a while."
Rei groaned, a grimace on his face. "Great. Just great." he whispered to himself sarcastically.
Takao overheard, and grinned a real grin. "Don't sound so sad! It's not going to hurt that much, just a slight bump on the head. You'll be fine."
"I know... it's just all too much... a slave?" he sighed. "Surely it can't be that bad." he missed the sympathetic look that Takao gave him. "So where am I going?"
"To meet the lord of this castle and these lands- Lord Kai Hiwatari. He's a cold hearted bastard with a short temper, so be careful, okay? I'll be in there with you, but I can't help you if you piss him off."
Rei nodded, nervousness settling like lead in his stomach. This was bad. This was very, very bad.
They stepped into a room, and Rei felt a chill settle over his body, and he shivered slightly.
"My castle too cold for you, slave?" a voice so cold it made Rei shudder sounded through the room.
Rei blinked as Kai Hiwatari stepped out from the shadows. He was actually rather pleasant to look at, Rei mused. With two toned slate hair and fierce crimson eyes, he *was* rather intimidating, but surely under all that ice there was a warm heart? He was obviously fit, with a lithe body and long, slender hands and feet, but deadly pale. Rei wondered briefly if this guy ever went outside.
Kai studied the slave in front of him curiously. It wasn't often that Kai was curious in anything. Especially if it was human. A *beautiful* human. The slave had long, raven black hair which was bound tightly and hung down his back, reaching past his waist, and large, golden eyes, just like a cat. He was well toned, and agile looking, dressed in strange clothes- he had to be from the border.
But that didn't matter anymore. He belonged to *him* now. He was Kai's, and Kai's alone.
And why was that important? Kai wondered to himself. He actually sounded... protective.
"What's your name, slave?" Kai demanded, coming to sit in front of the still standing boy, who blinked at him.
"Rei Kon."
The next second he was roughly backhanded into the wall. Rei gasped, anger bubbling furiously in his chest, all his instincts screaming at him to fight, to rip out this bastard's throat with his fangs... but he couldn't- he wasn't in his territory anymore, and Rei valued his life. Besides, the chains on his wrists and ankles stopped him from doing much.
"You will call me sir, or my lord. Understand?" Kai snarled at the boy who glared at him from the ground. "Stand up!"
Rei noted, with some discomfort, that the blue haired boy was taller than him, and most probably older by a few years, as he stood up so that he was standing face to face with Kai.
"Now get to work." he snapped and went back to his desk.
Takao quickly dragged the glaring Rei out the door, and along the corridor.
"Is he always that grumpy?" Rei asked the warrior noble as they entered another chamber.
"Yeah." Takao sighed. "You've just got to learn to stay on his reasonably okay side."
"Don't you mean his good side?"
"He doesn't have one." Takao laughed, then turned serious. "Believe me, Rei. He's a brilliant fighter. He would kill you instantly if he thought for one second that you were disobeying him."
One fang slipped over his bottom lip and Rei growled softly. Who did that Kai person think he was anyway? Slapping him like that- if only he could fight back!
But no, he was going to have to abide by the rules of this land now. What would Lee think of him, the best fighter in the Forbidden Lands, unable to fight?
Rei felt like a bucket of cold water had been tipped over him. Lee! Lee would think that he was either dead, or had betrayed him and ran off! He groaned. This was not good- and his father's health was in serious question, and Rei was soon to become ruler, and he had just disappeared! This was really not good.
"You okay there, Rei?" Takao asked, and there genuine concern in his eyes.
The raven haired boy nodded weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Where are we going now?"
"To your room. From now on you live here, and you wait on Lord Hiwatari hand and foot, okay?"
Holding back a grimace, Rei nodded.
Takao carried on. "You are a slave now, which means that you are now Lord Hiwatari's property." he smiled sympathetically. "I'm really sorry Rei. You seem like a decent fellow."
A decent fellow? Rei's lips twitched into a smile. "Thanks, Takao."
"You will serve Lord Hiwatari until you die. Milord has every right to whip you, or do as he pleases with you. You cannot wander outside the castle grounds. If found trying to escape you will be used as a public example to the inhabitants of the castle."
Do whatever he pleases with you... Rei shuddered. That meant that the blue haired lord could kill him just because he was pissed off.
His life was worthless.
His life had gone from being worth his clan's life, to not even being worth dirt. Things were definitely not going to go well. At least he had one friend- Takao.
He glanced up at the blue haired boy, who unlocked Rei's door, letting Rei look around his new room.
It was incredibly small, with a handful of straw on the ground to serve as a bed. Rei was disturbed to see chains on the wall, along with what looked like dried blood on the floor. He stifled a gulp.
Takao followed his line of sight and clapped Rei on the shoulder in a friendly gesture.
"Good luck, Rei. I'll see you around." he started to move off.
"Wait!" Rei yelled.
"What?" Takao turned around, blinking clueless at the raven haired neko jin.
"Two things- what do I do, and what about these chains?"
Takao flushed, embarrassed. "Sorry, I tend to forget things. Well, you have to report to Lord Hiwatari at dawn tomorrow, and he'll inform you of your duties. Do you want me to wake you up?"
"I should be fine." he woke up at dawn every morning anyway, so it didn't matter much- though his wound worried him. Perhaps it would knock him out again. "Yeah, you'd better wake me up. I don't think I quite know my way yet."
Takao nodded. "And about your chains..." he bit his lip. "I'm afraid they have to stay on. I just remembered that I have to chain you to the wall each night. That means that I have to see you every morning anyway. I am sorry, Rei."
"I know you are Takao, it's not your fault."
"It is." Takao hesitated- he really did like Rei, and he didn't want the raven haired beauty to hate him, but he would feel better if he told Rei the truth. "I was in charge of getting slaves. I told my men where to look, and yeah..." he trailed off.
Rei's eyes darkened briefly, but he smiled cheerfully. "That's alright."
"So where exactly do you live in the Forbidden Lands? And what's it like?" Takao asked curiously, as he chained Rei to the wall.
"I lived... on the border." Rei lied. "It's really nice. It's a bit more wild than here, not that I've stayed here long, so I don't really know."
"It sounds nice..." Takao sighed enviously. "I wish I could get away from this hell hole."
"You don't like it here? But you're a noble."
Takao shot him a surprised glance. "How did you know I'm a noble?"
"Your clothes... the way you walk, the way you talk... Everything about you screams of nobility." Rei grinned. "It's interesting that you're a *warrior* noble."
"Yes." Takao looked thoughtful. "I suppose."
"Why don't you like it here?"
"Are you crazy? Lord Hiwatari, as I've said before, is a cold hearted bastard. He doesn't care about any of us, he just uses us to get his own ends. That's why he's so rich and powerful. Watch out for him, Rei, and especially his advisors. They won't hesitate to use you as their whore."
"Their whore?!" Rei thundered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I refuse to be used in that manner!"
Takao stiffened when Rei's golden eyes turned into tiny slits, and what looked disturbingly like fangs protrude over his bottom lip.
"What the hell?!" Takao jumped back, scrambling around for the door handle. He wasn't sure what was happening to the new slave, but he didn't want to find out.
Rei held out one hand, stopping Takao in his tracks. "Wait! Takao, wait!" Takao hesitated, and dropped his arms to his side again. "Rei, what happened to you?"
Rei sighed. "It's nothing important."
"Yes it is! Your eyes... your teeth..."
"You must have been hallucinating. All I did was tense up." Rei laughed, hoping that Takao would think nothing more of it.
The blue haired boy looked dubious, but shrugged. "Whatever. I guess I'm more tired than I thought. Well, goodnight Rei."
"Night."
After the warrior noble had left, Rei picked at his chains, wondering whether he could escape after all- sure Takao had said that he would be punished if caught, but surely they wouldn't catch him?
Using a thin piece of wire that he always kept on him -he was always prepared- Rei managed to get the chains off him, and he quickly slipped out of his room.
Grinning impishly, he raced down the corridors, using his keen sesnses to find his way out. Surely there was a door around here somewhere...
So involved in finding the door, Rei didn't notice the dark shadow by the foot of the stairs until too late.
An arm shot out and grabbed him, making the neko jin cry out in pain. Why hadn't he heard the person? Hoping desperately that it was just Takao, and that the blue haired boy wouldn't be mad, Rei turned around and his heart sunk.
He found himself looking into the coldest eyes he had ever seen. His mouth opened in horror, though no sound came out, and he instantly started struggling, all his instincts screaming at him to get far, far away. He had thought Kai was scary- this man was worse.
"What do you think you're doing, slave?" the voice was enough to make Rei whimper in fear.
Why, oh why, had he tried to run away? It had been a bad idea in the first place- he shouldn't have even *thought* about leaving the White Tigers.
When Rei didn't answer, the man slapped him, hard. "Learn some respect, slave." he hissed, and dragged the extremely reluctant Rei behind him, into a dark chamber.
"Verin!" the man yelled, and, almost instantly, a large, burly man came to stand by them.
The man, Verin, cracked his knuckles menacingly as he glared at Rei. "How many, my lord?"
My lord? Rei wondered, confused. But hadn't Kai been the lord of this castle? Who was this man?
The man scrutinised Rei closely. "40. And consider it a warning, boy. Your punishment, if you dare to attempt another stupid escape, will be worse." he snapped, and left the room.
Rei, out of the man's tight grasp, immediately tried to bolt to the door, but Verin grabbed him and held him back, chuckling darkly to himself.
"Not likely, slave." he tore of Rei's shirt, and pulled Rei's arms up sharply, causing the black haired boy to wince, and chained them to the low ceiling. Rei struggled madly- he had a good idea of what was going to happen to him, and he didn't like it one bit.
He had to get free... he just had to get free...
He heard Verin test a whip out against the stone wall, and his heart beat increased wildly. No, this couldn't be happening... not to *him*...
Sharp pain lanced across his back, and Rei released his breath sharply. Pain... so much pain... and he had to endure 39 more?
Gritting his teeth- he would make it through this- Rei shut his eyes and tensed. He didn't have to wait long- another crack, and agony filled his entire body.
After a few more whips, Rei slid out of consciousness, his every fibre aching fiercely, and he sobbed brokenly, unable to hold back his pain. When he came back into reality, he found himself lying in his chamber, and tried to stand up- and instantly regretted his choice.
His back ached so much, he hadn't thought it was possible to be in so much agony. Rei felt tears slide down his cheeks, and he hastily wiped them away.
He was *not* weak. He would get through this.
Rei forced himself to stand up, and pulled on his shirt, trying his hardest to ignore the pain.
Someone- presumably Takao- knocked on the door lightly before entering. As soon as Takao saw the blood on the ground, he shook his head. "You tried to escape? By the Gods, Rei, I thought you would have more sense than that."
"Hey, I tried, didn't I?" Rei attempted a cheerful grin and failed entirely. "I want to go home, Takao. You don't understand how important it is to me. I'm needed at home, and badly. My cl- family can't survive without me." he knew that sounded selfish, but he didn't care- it was true. No one else knew how to rule the White Tigers.
Takao sighed angrily. "You don't understand, do you, Rei? You're a slave now, and nothing you do will change that. You can't go home, unless your family has enough money to buy you. And they don't know where you are- that's why you were taken from the Forbidden Lands."
Rei slammed his fist against the wall, frustration bubbling inside his chest. Everything was so *pointless*. He couldn't tell Takao that he was the prince, and soon to be king- that would just mess things up even more. The Eastern Lands and the Forbidden Lands had been at war for *ever*. He let out his breath slowly, inwardly counting to ten. Calm again, Rei faced Takao.
"Okay. So are you going to take me to Lord Hiwatari or not?" Takao nodded, and they walked down the corridors in silence.
"By the way... Takao, who is this man?" Rei described the man that Verin had called 'my lord' the night before.
Takao paled, and he grinned Rei's forearm tightly. "You saw Lord Hiwatari?"
Rei frowned, confused. "But I thought that blue haired man was Lord Hiwatari?"
Takao let out a groan of frustration. "This is hard to explain. There are two Lord Hiwataris. Well, actually the man you saw yesterday, with the blue hair, is Lord Kai, but most of the time we just call him Lord Hiwatari when the *real* Lord Hiwatari isn't home."
"So who's Lord Hiwatari?" Rei asked curiously.
Takao shuddered. "He's Lord Voltaire Hiwatari, the King's closest advisor and Lord Kai's grandfather."
Rei gave an appreciative whistle. "So he's pretty powerful, huh?" he had heard the name Voltaire before- he was the one that had ordered the killing of 70 neko jin prisoners. They were still incredibly bitter over that, though none of the neko jin prisoners had been from the White Tiger clan. None of the prisoners that the neko jins took in were treated badly, and freed after a while.
"Yeah." Takao nodded, and let go of Rei's forearm, and they continued walking down the corridor. "Now *he* is nasty. Whatever you do, as soon as you so much glimpse him, run. Don't worry if you'll be punished by Lord Kai afterwards, this man is much, much worse."
Rei nodded. Lord Hiwatari had proved that at their encounter last night. Takao stopped walking outside a chamber with the letters KH engraved on it. "Here we are." Takao whispered. "Good luck, Rei." they shook hands and Takao walked off.
Rei opened the door, sucking in a deep breath. He found Lord Kai seated behind his desk, glaring angrily at a piece of paper. Crimson eyes peered up at him as he cleared his throat gently.
"What?" Kai snapped, watching the raven haired boy fidget nervously in front of him.
"My duties, my lord." Rei said, his voice soft and submissive, though secretly he was bubbling with anger. He hated Kai Hiwatari.
"What about them?" Kai demanded. He wondered vaguely what it would feel like to run his fingers through the slave's lustrous black hair.
"I don't know what I have to do, my lord. Takao said that you were going to tell me...?" Rei trailed off uncertainly. Perhaps Takao had been wrong.
"Of course." Kai mentally cursed himself- what was doing, making a fool of himself in front of a *slave*. "From now on you serve me, and me only."
Him only? Rei felt a grin tug at his lips. Kai must've noticed, because he quickly added "You must do what nobles wish, but if they demand some obscure, then you have the right to denny their wishes."
Rei nodded, casting his eyes to the ground sadly. There seemed no end to this toture. He wondered vaguely what Lee was doing right now. Was he sad that Rei had disappeared? Worried? Angry?
"Are you paying attention?" Kai snapped.
Rei immediately blinked and focused his attention of the angry figure of the slate haired boy in front of him. "Yes." he hastily added "my lord."
Kai nodded, a satisfied smirk on his lips. "Good. You will remain by my side all the time, until I dismiss you."
Rei bit the inside of his cheek. Remain by *him* all the time? He was surely going to be driven into madness...
"Do you understand?" Kai snapped.
"Yes, my lord." Rei gave a small sigh, and looked around the room. It was bare, and as boring as a room could get. Hadn't Kai ever heard of decorations?
"Sit." Kai gestured for the neko jin to sit on the floor. "Now start scrubbing." Rei noticed the bucket and scrub that were next to Kai's desk and his eyes narrowed dangerously, before he calmed down and bowed.
"Of course, my lord." he spat the words out as if they were poison.
Kai smirked and carried on working, though he couldn't help but glance at the sud covered figure that scrubbed the floor steadily, occasionally flicking a strand of hair out of his eyes.
Suddenly he realised what the feeling that nagged at the back of his mind was.
Love.
Kai gave a growl of anger. No way was he in love with some common born slave that he had only just met the day before! This was all stupidity. He was just tired, that was all.
Rei glanced up at him, obviously surprised at the blue haired boy's outburst.
"Are you alright, my lord?"
"I'm fine." Kai grounded out, glaring so hatefully at Rei that the raven haired boy flinched.
Was it possible to contain that much hate? Rei wondered, watching as Kai went back to work. Rei couldn't help but notice how beautiful the noble was.
He shook his head and went back to scrubbing the floor. Being a slave was doing strange things to his mind... how could he possibly think of Kai as *beautiful*?
He hadn't known the crimson eyed boy for long, but he didn't like him. Or so he told himself forcefully again and again.
Then why did his stomach do a little flop everytime he glanced at Kai?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RF: And that's the end of the first chapter! Please read and review!! I'll give you chibi kai plushies!!! ^-^