Chapter Six – Last Song

The ray of sunlight emerged where the two remains within the prison. They fell asleep after they spent with so many hours within each other's presence. Still separated between the bars, the two were holding each other's hands for the entire night, making sure that they will see each other on the next day. Athrun opened his eyes as soon as the ray reached his eyes. He tilted his head slightly, facing towards the other boy who was still in deep sleep. The prince rolled his body as he reached out his hand, then he decided not to do it, afraid that he might woke up his Kira. He sighed as he lay on his back, staring at the ceiling with his hands still holding Kira's.

He still remembered the vision of his furious father, or perhaps he should start calling him his stepfather, on how he shouted at him. He tried to forget it as he quickly shook his head to present. He had to start thinking a way to get out from this cell. He got up, he held the bars and shook them. Since he got too much mind mingling inside his head, he ended up losing his control of his emotions. The loud banging noise were echoed, making the other boy was forced to open his eyes.

"Hmm?" Kira replied as he slowly got up, rubbing his eyes.

"Ah, I'm sorry..." Athrun apologised, "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It's alright." Kira smiled in reply.

The blue haired boy approached the songster and kneeled down beside him.

"I'm trying to find a way to get out from this place." Athrun paused, "Before they take you away...I'm not going to let that happen."

A sudden banging noise echoed within the prison room as the two gasped in surprise. They knew their time had run out and there was no way they can escape in time as the sound of soldier's steps were slowly getting louder and louder. Athrun gripped his beloved hands tightly, not wanting to let go. He could see Kira's face clearly, soft tears were slowly trailed down on his cheeks.

"Athrun..."

Silence was his only answer as he reached his hand, wiping Kira's tears away.

The door was unlocked as two soldiers approached Kira from behind and snatched him away. The time of the sentence was near. Kira struggled to let himself free as he repeated calling his lover's name. His eyes were locked onto Athrun's, who could only reached out his hand as he shouted his name.

'Without any destination, I continued to wander alone'
'My faint breathe, dyed a soft white'
'I looked upon the transience of the changing seasons'
'And without reason, tears began to flow'
'But, I still love you...'

Athrun gritted his teeth as he tried not to shed any single tear. He struggled himself to be strong. Although he realised that from this day forth, he would never be able to see Kira again. His green eyes then slowly turned to Miguel who stood nearby from his cell.

"Miguel?" His voice filled with denial.

"I'm sorry, Athrun."

And then, he slowly walked away with the two soldiers dragging the songster out. The voice of his beloved can no longer reach him as the heart-aching prince was left alone in the darkness. He felt that he had been betrayed from anyone he knew; his father, Isaac and now Miguel. His mind then remembers his mother, a person who he hadn't even meet since the day he was born. Desperate in the need of trust, he slowly whispered, breaking the silence within the room.

"Mother...please help your son..."

Inside the castle, specifically in the throne room, the King rubbed his forehead and letting out a tired sigh. He didn't expect today would be the day when the prince knows his true identity. Now he wasn't really sure whether he did was right. The King walked forward slowly, with his face facing on the shiny marble floor.

'No, father!! Let me gooo!!!'

His son's echoed voice within his mind then recalled the event that he could not forget. A voice of the Queen. He still remember that night when just arrived from his long journey and he found the Queen together with a male songster within her chamber, who assumed to be her hidden lover. The King was shocked as he found out. His heart was racing violently and the King became out of control as he took both of their lives away.

The King was also about to take the baby boy's life. He quickly assumed that the baby who was on the cradle wasn't his son. However, as soon as he saw the baby's innocent face, he didn't have the nerve to take it away. The baby soon cried after all the brutal sounds within the room beforehand. The baby's crying voice made the King's heart melted.

Since then, every point in time when the King placed his gaze upon Athrun, his hatred overwhelmed him, remembering the songster who fell in love with his Queen. He didn't want to remember his past. The King was trying hard to bury his past away. Hence, he made one rule which no other country have, that singing is forbidden.

'The sadness that continues to fall will turn into pure white snow'
'I was always looking up to the heavens'
'If my wish could be granted before this body disappears'
'I just want to hold you closely again'

A soft door knock interrupted the King's reverie. He placed his eyes onto the door. A soldier walked forward and bowed.

"Your majesty, the high chemist would like to make an audience with you."

The King blinked in puzzlement. It had been years since the last time he saw his chemist. The chemist was the one who'd been taking care the King and his family, as well as taking responsibility during the Queen's pregnancy. The chemist left the castle after the incident happened. Since then, the King and the chemist never to see each other again, until now.

The door in the throne room slowly opened, revealing a figure of an old man. The King smiled at him as he walked towards him, spreading his arms wide, greeted him in a warm welcome.

"My dear friend. What brings you in this sorrowful kingdom?" he said as he embraced him.

The old man smiled in reply, "Don't say such things. You have a beautiful kingdom. You're a great king. But...may I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"What happened on the city centre there at the moment?"

The King knew that the chemist referred to the execution of the songstress. And what disappointed him most is that his son also got involved in it. The King replied with his face to the ground.

"They're going to execute a songster."

The old man hesitated before he spoke. He wasn't sure what he just heard, despite on his age. Even though he knew about the affair between the Queen and the songster.

"A songster?" he repeated.

The King nodded and eventually told the old chemist the story he'd gone through. He told the story of his son, who attempts for running away from home several times and finally fell in love with a songster. The King felt that his past haunted him. He felt the songster had cursed his life by making his son fell in love to his own kind. The chemist held the King's shaking shoulders.

'We couldn't understand each other and hurt each other so many times'
'But even then, you were always gentle'
'It was engraved in the ring you gave me so unexpectedly'
'We were never able to carry out our promise'
'But, I still remember you...'

"I told him he's not my son! After all this time, since you left, I took care of him! I know he's not my son. And is this the way he pay me some respect?"

"Patrick, no. Listen to me..." the old man spoke again after a long pause, "He is your son, Patrick. Athrun is your son. You had mistaken it that it was the songstress' son."

"Wha...what?" The King replied in a slightly raised tone. "How did you know?" His feelings began to stir. He began for not knowing which one's right and wrong.

"The Queen. She told me that she was carrying Athrun after you left for your duties."

King Patrick's eyes went wide in disbelief. Before the King could say anything, a soldier appeared before them. His worried face was almost hidden behind his helmet.

"Your Majesty, the Prince had escaped."

Their eyes widened.

"What??" the King gritted his teeth in annoyance. He shouted at the soldier with his pointy finger pointed towards the sky as he ordered them to find the prince, "Go and find him! Hurry!!"

The sound of tumbling drums rolled at the city centre. The voices of the citizens emerged within it. The sun had almost set behind the horizon as the sun glared its red ray to the sky. The execution had already begun as several people surrounding it struggled to break through against the soldiers who protected the area.

The songster was tied against the pole and his almost tear-up white clothes covered his body. He opened his eyes as he blinked, adjusting the light in his surroundings. His ears started hearing the people's voices around him. Then, a loud voice emerged in front of him. The owner of the voice was facing his back on him.

"This songster has made several witchcraft acts. His singing voice leads our people to the wrong side of the path. The sentence: Death!"

A loud roaring voice emerged from the crowd. Kira recognised the voice of the announcer as he turned around facing him. It was Isaac. Kira's eyes then turned to the branches, which laid rest surrounding his feet. Then he was about to be burned alive at the stake. Kira struggled to let himself out as his eyes searched for his Athrun, but he was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he's already gone, he thought.

A hard light emerged in front of him. The head knight held the torch with his smirk painted on his face behind the fire. Isaac turned his head scanning towards the crowd, and then went back to Kira again.

"It seems that he won't be saving you this time."

'These distant memories will always be too painfully bright for me'
'Because I still wanted to be with you'
'I can never see you again, but you would always be by my side'
'So please don't ever change'

Kira hated the tone he threw on him. He hated it when someone playing at his own beliefs. He knew Athrun would come to save him, to take him away and leading him to their happiness. Yet sadly, the time remains unknown.

He gritted his teeth in anger and let out a small spit, which landed against Isaac's cheeks. Voices of surprise emerged within the crowd as Isaac slowly wiped it with the back of his hand. Felt angry, he quickly slapped the songster.

"I will give you much more pain than this!" he hissed as he grabbed Kira's hair, "This fire will burn you in hell!"

With that, he threw the torch below him, causing the blazing fire to emerge. Kira gasped and quickly shut his eyes tightly and held his breath, avoiding the smokes that could invade his system. He soon coughed, as he couldn't hold his breath much longer. The songster eventually fell unconscious.

'The very last tears I showed you, I could not erase'
'Even if I were to disappear with these white petals of snow'
'I want to stay alive within your heart'

All of a sudden, Isaac spotted a tip of a sword lies beside his neck. He turned and his eyes widened in shock.

"Athrun?"

"Isaac..." he said almost in whispering voice. He stood still, holding his sword the same level with his eyes.

Nicole quickly ran towards the stage and untied the songstress. Isaac noticed it from the corner of his eyes. He then quickly pulled out his sword and tried to stop Nicole's attempt. And yet, Athrun's sword quickly pushed Isaac's and the sparks came between the two swords.

"Over my dead body, Isaac..." he pointed his sword once again.

"My pleasure, because I am your God of Death!"

A fight then could not be avoided. Athrun screamed on top of his lungs as he swings his long sword towards Isaac. Isaac could easily dodge those attacks. He was quite surprised that the prince's skills slowly decreased since the last time they had their sword fight last time.

He felt victory will belong to him soon enough as he noticed Athrun's breathing slowly getting heavier. The fire behind them began to engulf violently.

Nicole gritted his teeth as he struggled to lift himself and the other boy. They already walked a few metres away from the area, until Nicole felt a huge pain came from the back of his left leg. The green haired boy ached in pain as he let both of them fell onto the ground. An arrow was stuck on it. As Nicole tried to pull the arrow out, the archer eventually revealed himself as he slowly walked towards them. Nicole recognise that figure.

"Diacca..."

"Sorry, Nicole." He said as he pointed his arrow towards the songster. Nicole quickly shielded him as he screamed in terror. Then, a voice came between them.

"I don't want anymore bloodshed, Diacca. Release him." It was Miguel, with his sword stood beside the dark boy's neck. Diacca decided to surrender.

"Captain Miguel!" Nicole cried in relief.

"I'm sorry, Nicole. I couldn't do anything to protect Athrun."

"It's alright. But I'm glad that you're still on our side."

The captain then turns his head towards where the prince and Isaac engaged in the heat of battle. Miguel noticed Nicole was about to make a move to save his friend. He decided to stop him by placing his arm in front of him. He knew that Athrun would prefer to die in honour and besides, the boy was in no condition to fight. The songster eventually blinked his eyes open before Miguel fixed Nicole's wound.

"Are you alright?" Nicole said.

"Ah, yes..." Kira then noticed the blood coming out from Nicole's leg. "You're wounded!"

"It's alright. It'll recover soon."

Kira seemed to ignore the other boy as he raised his arms in front of him, placing them on top of the wound. A bright green light came from it. Soon after, the wind, which came from the light, blows his hair and his clothes softly.

As he finished, the wound was healed and Miguel noticed that Kira's breathing has gone heavier. It seemed that he let out too much energy from it.

It had been discovered the songster life was really dedicated for helping other people. Miguel just could not see the reason why the King would abandon such race. Kira then turned his head towards his prince as he struggled to lift himself up. Nicole helped him to stand up once more.

"Athrun..."

'Please don't forget the warmth of our bodies nestled close in an embrace'
'Even if you were to live somewhere else'
'All I want is to grasp onto the last sound of your voice'
'And fall into a deep sleep'

Athrun gritted his teeth as he struggled protecting himself from Isaac's attacks. Several sparks came from the sword.

"What's wrong, Athrun?? You keep blocking! Attack me! Come on!!!"

With his last cry, he gave all his strength to bring down the prince along with his sword. Athrun fell on the ground. He felt his sword was getting heavier and his vision starts to look blurry. Sweats and dust mingled in the air as he fell. The prince coughed as he struggled himself to stand up. Soon after, Isaac's pointy sword lies beside his neck.

"You lose."

'The sadness that continues to fall will turn into pure white snow'
'I was always looking up to the heavens'
'And if my wish was granted before this body disappears'
'I just want to hold you tight again'

Athrun screamed in pain as his sword thrust within his chest. He felt time stood still. The pain slowly emerged throughout his entire body. Not far where he fell, he could hear his lover's voice calling out his name.

He thought it was all a mere dream...

'I just want to hold you tight again...'

Note: Gackt Camui performed the song "The Last Song"