Chapter Five – I for You

Athrun was shocked at the revelation. His thoughts were lost in his own confusion. He did not know what to think. Should be glad that the selfish King is not his real father? If this is so then, where are his real parents? Does this mean that he is an orphan? Are his parents still alive?

Athrun couldn't believe his ears. He is not the King's son. The revelation weighed down heavily on his shoulders. After all these years of being a prince of the kingdom, it was only now that he learnt of the truth. This piece of truth was even more painful than they fact that the king ill-treats him.

"What…what did you just say?" Athrun asked again, reconfirming on what he just heard.

"You heard me." The king replied, "Now you know the reason…"

So was that the whole reason why he's been ill-treating him all this time? Since he was born? Now, he felt that his role as a prince was meaningless.

'You told me that you couldn't love anybody'
'I finally realised what you meant'
'What I saw you were afraid of everybody'

"But at least you don't have to treat me this way! You can just send me somewhere and I'll be happy for it!"

"Silence!!!" the king shouted at him, his emotions became uncontrollable as he points his finger to the boy, "You understand nothing! Be grateful that you're still alive until now! And is this how you repay me? Sneaking out at night and sleeping with another boy? And with a forbidden SONGSTER at that!! Shameful! Utterly shameful!"

"But, father…you could've just told me…" he pleaded.

"Guards!" the king immediately called his soldiers. In an instant, the guards move forward and seized the boy, "Take him to the prison! I cannot stand him anymore."

"No! Father! Let me go!" Athrun struggled himself inside the soldiers' grasp. His effort was useless. "Father, please! Noooo!!!"

'How ironic is it'
'If us two met'
'Only to get hurt?'

A sob escaped Kira's throat and echoed down the prison corridors. Kira couldn't believe that he fell for it. He fell for whom he called his beloved. The pure love that he had for Athrun, had blinded him from the fake that Athrun was all this time. Athrun was just bait used by the King to lure him out so that the soldiers will be able to find him easily and exterminate him. How could he have let himself be deceived by Athrun?

He wiped his tears and tried to control his sobs. His body remained stationary in the corner of the prison cell his whole body enveloped beneath the shadows. He closed his face with his hands, shame painted all over his face. The vision of when the soldiers were on top of him, ripped his clothes off and took his virginity away mingled in his mind. The laughter of enjoyment, amusement and moaning voices of lust echoed within the prison. He closed his eyes tightly and plugged his ears with his hands, trying hard to shut the vision out of his mind. He would rather be executed immediately than be toyed around like this.

It was just like Isaac to abuse his authority as the head knight. Isaac had a deep hatred for Kira's kind and had figured that a physical and mental torture would befit Kira than just a clean execution. Besides, he would be doing his fellow soldiers a favour by letting their lustful desires go wild for that day.

He screamed at the top of his lungs.

'With all my heart'
'I have to tell you this'
'All I want to see it the real you'

His eyes looked distant and unresponsive.

His breathing became still and light.

His voice was no more.

And he felt that he was going to die…

Isaac did well in torturing this poor soul. He knew exactly how to break Kira apart. It was a double bonus for Isaac. His job here was done knowing how this would put Athrun in a living hell. Plus he had satisfied his hatred for the songster's kind by tormenting Kira.

The main dungeon doors creaked loudly into the dungeon cells as the keeper pushed the heavy doors open. The keeper led the two guards and Athrun to an empty cell.

A creaking sound of an opened door reached his ears. His heart pounded violently against his ribcage. He quickly gathered himself and huddled into the corner as if, trying to disappear into the wall. From a free songbird, Kira was reduced to an outlet for the soldiers' hungry lust and desires.

The voices got louder as the group approach. From where Kira was, he could see the shadow of the prisoner, struggling to free himself from the soldier's grasps. Without hesitation, the soldiers threw the prisoner into the cell next to his and locked the door. The bunch of keys clanked against the metal gates as the dungeon keeper twisted the key a few rounds and left promptly.

'You still don't smile very well'
'Because even now'
'You still wear sadness around you'
'If the only reason I was born was'
'So I could meet you'
'Do you think I'll be able to change everything?'

Athrun struggled to his feet and ran towards the prison bars. He gritted his teeth and shook the bars violently. With a sigh, he turned his head towards the other cell. He caught a glimpse of his beloved. He hesitated before he called out his name.

"Kira?"

Athrun could see the eyes rolled to him, but not his face. He still could not see it.

"Kira? Is that you?"

"Why?" the songster replied in a weak voice. "Why did you do this to me?"

"What?"

'With all my heart'
'I have to tell you this'
'We're hurt, but we've still got time'
'With all my love'

'I love you'
'I want to wipe away'
'All the pain that falls on you'
'I for You'

"You betrayed me…" his voice were mixed with his sobs, tears were rolling down on his cheeks. Athrun opened his mouth to speak, but Kira's voice has cut his sentence. "You betrayed my feelings!"

Athrun noticed some ripped material attached on Kira's body. He could see some bruises heavily changed the colour of his skin. Worries overcome his feelings.

"Dear God, Kira. What have they done to you?"

Kira smiled sarcastically in reply, "You wouldn't care…why should you?"

"Kira…please…I have enough already. Don't do this to me…"

Then, he broke in sobs.

"I'm already broken, Kira. All this time, my role was nothing than a mere figure. "He paused, "The king just told me that I'm not his son. What am I?"

A moment of silence ensued. Within that moment, Kira realised that he took everything into a negative perspective, having thought that Athrun had betrayed his feelings.

"Please. I cannot stand this anymore. I'm so angry at what happened to me as well as to you. I want you to believe in me. That I still love you…"

Kira slowly crawled, struggled making his way to the blue-haired boy. The abuse had made walking a difficulty. Athrun almost could not believe what he saw, so many things happened at the same time. He felt himself completely useless; he wasn't the king's son and now, the king knew their relationships and he now wanted the songstress to be sentenced to death. On top of that, he found himself that he could not protect his beloved songstress. He felt so fragile that he felt his tears started to flow on his cheeks.

'With all my heart'
'I have to tell you this'
'If only I could smile like that forever…'

Their faces were now only a few inches apart, they could not approach any further as the prison bars were the only obstacles between them. Kira lifted his hands, placing them on the prince's cheeks.

"I…I'm sorry…"

"No, it's all my fault, "Athrun quickly took Kira into his embrace. "I could not protect you. Oh, God…I could not protect you…"

"Athrun…" Kira closed his eyes as tears streamed on his cheeks. "You came back. That's all that matters. I miss you." The smaller boy then broke in tears within the other boy's embrace.

Athrun kissed his lover's forehead and embraced him more tightly.

"I miss you too…"

'With all my love'
'I love you'
'I want to gather every piece of light'
'And gave them all to you'

'I for You'

Note: Luna Sea performed the song "I For You"