Never to Be - Chapter 4

By: EricaX

Rain poured heavily on the stone walls of the castle. Residents on the inside were preparing for a harsh storm as they could hear the rumblings of thunder in the distance. The rain was already upon them, now it was the lightning's turn.

The waterworks were working inside Takeru's chambers as well as they were outside.

Ken was so depressed it startled Takeru to no end. The blonde didn't understand why the indigo was so upset. He tried to compfort the other boy, but to no avail. If anything, it seemed to make things worse.

As the hours went by, Ken grew weary of his crying and soon fell asleep in his mound of belongings. Takeru, feeling pity for his new friend, refused to allow him to sleep there, silently lifting the dangerously light boy to his bed, where Ken now slept.

The blonde watched Ken's chest rise and fall as he slept for several more hours before waking. Takeru had fallen asleep himself when Ken woke. The first thing the slave saw was Takeru's face, scaring the living daylights out of him.

Ken scrambled as clumsily as one could manage, falling off the bed in the process. With a loud 'Omphf' sound, and a loud thud on the ground, he woke up Takeru. Ken was still scrambling about on the floor when Takeru rubbed his eyes, looking down at his slave.

"What's gotten into you? You act as though I'm a ghost. Which, I can assure you, I am not" spoke Takeru with a grin. Ken grimaces as he hides behind his hair, trying to keep the tears back. Takeru frowns at this reaction, cocking his head to one side.

"Please...Stay away..." whimpers Ken at last. Takeru is taken aback at this request, his eyes wide. What could have possibly have happened to Ken to make him act this way?

Takeru couldn't help but wonder what was wrong as he tried desperately to get Ken to calm himself. The boy in question was currently shivering as he curled up into a ball.

"Please Ken, tell me what's wrong. What's bothering you so? Please...Tell me!" Takeru was to the point of literal begging. He crawled down to the floor, resting his hand on Ken's back, trying to get Ken to speak. The two seemed to get closer and closer to each other, their noses touching.

"I...I..." Ken began in less than a whisper.

Takeru leaned his head farther in, listening intently.

"I...L-lo-" Ken was interupted by the abrupt sound of someone knocking on the door. Takeru growled inwardly at the interuption. "Sorry" he muttered, getting up to see who it was. Takeru scrambled to the door. As he straightened the clothes he was wearing, he opened the door.

From his spot on the floor, Ken had turned his head to see who was at the door. Standing in the doorway stood a tall light skinned boy with very short dark brown hair. He wore a tan robe with silver linings, long tan silk plants to match. His eyes were narrowed, almost as though he were suspicious, and were a severe shade of green. The newcomer smiled at Takeru, who in turn, smiled back.

Ken was both startled and terrified as he watched the two of them hug like long lost brothers.

"Iori!" cried Takeru as he finally let go of the embrace. "It's been such a long time!"

Ken watched them exchange smiles and hugs at the door as he rearranged himself on the floor, so he was now facing the door. Then, his eyes widened, pupils dialating. He watched, as the two boys got closer and closer to each other, their noses now touching as they still kept getting closer. Their lips touched, and Ken's heart was shattered to peices.

Time appeared to have stopped for Ken as he watched in utter anguish. His heart throbbing in his throat, Ken felt as though the room was closing in on him. Sweat poured from his brow as he panted for breath. The heartbroken boy curled up into a ball as the two boys at the door finally stopped kissing, both oblivious to Ken's pain.

"It's been such a long time...How long...? Five years?" asked Takeru, hugging Iori close. "Sounds about right..." replied the brunette, his voice appearing too deep for one so small. They kissed once more, only to stop at the sound of gagging and choking noises. Takeru looked behind him to see Ken vommitting on the floor. The blonde let go of Iori and rushed over to his friend. "Ken!"

Iori frowned as his love went to the other boy, sneering down at Ken. "Is that your slave? He's awfully puny."

Takeru ignored him. "Ken? Are you okay?" Avoiding the mess on the floor, Takeru helped Ken onto his bed, where Ken now lay. Ken grabbed onto Takeru's hand, enjoying the momentary touch. "You just relax now Ken. You're not well."

"Dear Takeru, I finally get my chance to come here with great news and all you do is care for your slave, who isn't even meant to be given any type of kindness. He is a slave!" complained Iori.

Takeru shot him a glare. "He's more than a slave to me...He's a friend."

Iori's eyes widened. "A f-friend?" Iori burst out laughing. "A friend! Ha! You always did have a way of making me laugh Takeru!"

"This is no joke Iori. Ken here really is my friend" hissed Takeru sternly. Iori stopped laughing and watched the two closely with a frown.

Ken couldn't help but feel slightly better at Takeru's words. It was obvious that he meant something to the blonde.

Takeru made sure Ken was compfortable before turning back to Iori, who was now standing there in silent fury.

"Done yet?" demanded Iori. Takeru nodded and turned back to Ken.

"Will you be okay here if I left with Iori? You're more than welcome to go see your friends again if you'd like" offered the prince. All Ken could do was nod.

Iori then grabbed Takeru's arm pulling him through the door, slamming it afterwards.

Ken laid back in the fluffy bed, savoring the smell of the bed, knowing this was where Takeru slept each night. Sighing, Ken closed his eyes, replaying what he just saw in his mind. He trembled at the memory. If only he hadn't stuttered, then maybe he could have told Takeru...And maybe he wouldn't be laying here alone at this moment.
Ken grumbled to himself, trying to decide what he should do. After minutes of deliberation, he decided to go and talk to Daisuke, who always seemed to have answers for him. Getting up seemed a harder task than he though it would be. He fumbled around in the covers, nearly falling off the bed in the process. As he got up, he grabbed his slip-on shoes and went out the door.

Daisuke was never hard for Ken to find, and he never did discover why that was. Other people had a tough time finding him, but he didn't. Perhaps it was because the two of them were so close...

Either way, Ken pushed his way past the other slaves working around the barn yard and came upon Daisuke, who just finsihed milking a cow and giving it to Hikari to take to get used for drinking. The other slaves scowled at ken as he pushed his way past them, reaching Daisuke at last.

"Daisuke! Daisuke!" cried Ken.

Daisuke turned at the sound of his name, having just giving the retreating Hikari the milk pail. Daisuke looked at his indigo friend, confused. "Ken? What's going on? He let you out again?"

Ken nodded, panting as he placed his hands on his knees. "Y-Yes...But that's not why I'm here..." Ken looked up at his friend, having caught his breath. "Daisuke, you have to help me. I-I...I was about to tell him!"

It took Daisuke a split moment to realize what Ken was referring to, his eyes widening in acknowledgment. "I see..." mumbled Daisuke. "But isn't that a good thing?"

Ken shook his head, taking his hands and clinging to Daisuke's loose work shirt. "I...I was about to tell him when-" Ken went silent, pain from the memory of Takeru and Iori playing in his mind.

"When...?" ventured the red-head.

Ken gulped. "When this boy...known as...Iori...another prince from out of the village, came and...and..." Ken was close to tears and Daisuke shook his head, knowing his sensitve friend was going to break down again. "Daisuke! They kissed!"

This took Daisuke off guard. "What?" Ken nodded at his responce, wiping away the un-shed tears in his ears.

"They kissed! They seemed to know each other...Old...lovers...from years ago. Iori finally came back, and this made Takeru so happy. They looked so happy together and...ugh..." Ken grabbed his stomach.

Daisuke shook his head. "My poor Ken...Whatever am I going to do with you...?" Daisuke led Ken over to the fence, which kept the cows in their pen and they both sat down on it. Bypassing slaves ignored them, being used to their close friendship. "Listen. I know i was the one who told you to try and get the Prince to like you back, but maybe...That wasn't the best advice ever given by me..."

Ken sighed, looking at Daisuke in the eyes. "What I'm trying to say is, forget about him Ken."

Ken shook his head. "Too late Daisuke. I can't. Everytime I close my eyes...He's there..."

Daisuke let out a groan, looking around. He caught a glimpse of a girl over by the barn helping Hikari with all the milk pails they had to take care of. He grinned widely.

"Ken, maybe you just need to look at someone else!" He pointed to the girl helping Hikari. "Look at that girl. The one with long purple hair. Hikari told me once that her name is Miyako and that she's really nice. Why don't you try going out with her? Or at least become friends with her..."

Ken took a good look at the girl next to Hikari. She did have long lavender hair, and she wore crippled, half broken glasses. She waslucky she had them. Most slaves who needed them weren't allowed them. She must have a sympathetic master. She was cute, and seemed to have a nice smile. She was tall, and Ken was always one who preffered them taller.

Ken shrugged. "I don't know Daisuke."

A rumble of thunder boomed in the distance, making the cows behind them moo, wanting to go into the barns. The slaves around them hurried about themselves, trying to finish their chores before the approaching storm began.

"So, are you going to forget about him?" asked Daisuke, wanting an answer before his friend left. He felt bad for Ken, and he always looked to the other boy as his brother, and wished nothing but happiness for him.

Ken sighed. "You just make it sound so easy, Daisuke..." The other boy shrugged.

The two of them were silent as Ken watched Hikari and Miyako walk off into the barn, turning his gaze down to his shoes afterwords. Then, after several moments, Ken looked up. "Daisuke. I've made my desicion." Daisuke looked at his approachingly. "I'm going to make Prince Takeru love me..." He narrowed his eyes. "Even if I have to force Iori out of the picture..."
Daisuke was silent, for Ken's eyes had narrowed, and his voice gone soft yet sharp. A bolt of lightning peirced through the sky, breaking them from their silence as they hurried off the fence and into the nearby barn.

As they walked in, Daisuke looked to a deep thinking Ken. "W-What do you mean Ken? You're scaring me...I've never seen you this way before..."

The slaves around them were busily getting all the animals in as someone shouted that it had started raining heavily. The drumming of the rain hitting on the barn's roof became so loud, no one could hear themselves think. The boys still walked, that is, until Daisuke grew weary of the silence and pulled at Ken's arm, making him stop and look at him.

"What do you mean?" demamded Daisuke.

Ken was silent at first, thinking of what to say. "Daisuke...I have to make Taleru like me. I know for a fact that there is no way I'll stop loving Takeru...So...I must get rid of Iori..."

"And exactly how are you planning on doing that?"

Ken didn't reply, he only smirked, walking back to the Prince's chambers.