Rimnerel: Well folks, what do I really have to say for myself...besides that I've been trying real hard to get back to this story. No, you don't have to kill me, I'm going to be better about updating, I promise. I'm glad everyone liked the first chapter, and sorry for the wait, this next chapter may confuse some, but I want to explain what I did. The first chapter was a prologue telling a little about what will go on, and this chapter is the real beginning of things. But don't worry, I promise that I will get back to that lovely scene at the end of last chapter, now onwards.
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The young man with long blue hair tied back out of his way, stared out at the city not too far from where he was for a long minute, his mind preoccupied with things. Placing his hands on the balcony he stood out on, he gave a short sigh. This had to be the right decision he kept thinking. There was no other choice in the matter he and his brother had to do this in order for the people of Japan to be at ease. But he kept pondering, kept questioning whether or not his father would have done the same thing in his position.
This young man was the eldest son of the King of the Bakuten Empire, Prince Tyson. Bakuten was an empire that controlled Japan under the power of the four beast gods. The first of these spirits was Dranzer, supposedly the offspring of the great Suzaku, a red phoenix type spirit that controlled fire and rebirth. Dragoon, the offspring of the great Seiryu, a blue dragon spirit controlled the storms and was said to bring strength and power to those that were able to control it. Driger was the offspring of Byakko, a great white tiger whose courage and speed was second to none. And last was Draciel, offspring of Genbu, a black turtle with an endless supply of wisdom and gave protection to those worthy of it.
It was said that his father, the king was had the divine power of all four beast gods from the minute he was born, something a king of the Bakuten empire had not been blessed within more than two centuries. Because of this great power, no other kingdoms tried attacking, afraid of the wraith of the beast gods. So, the kingdom was safe from war...but because there was no war, the armies began dispersing until finally the country was completely unarmed and ill prepared for the worst if it were to happen, which it had.
No more than two months ago, the young prince discovered there was something wrong with his father. Occasionally Tyson found his father slipping into long periods of sleep during the day or frequent complaints of pain. Worried, Tyson had doctors do tests on his father, despite the man's insistence he would be fine. It did not take long before the doctors came back to him with word that there was an irregular thump when his heart beat. Tyson feared for the worst and it came, his father soon was bed ridden with illness.
That soon did not become the only worry that the young prince and the kingdom had. It did not take long for the other surrounding countries to discover that Japan's king was ill. Over the course of weeks, Australia, Korea, China, and India were gathering together their forces for invasion. Japan was a wealthy country that strived off the minerals and rare metals that were found all over the course. Among these minerals and metals were oil, petroleum, silver, bronze, and diamond.
"Prince Tyson?" a soft voice said. The young prince turned around to the woman standing behind him. Her dark blue eyes shifted from him to the town. "Are you that worried to leave the kingdom with your father still ill?"
"I..." Tyson smiled, staring up at the clouds. "I suppose so, Nanako." This woman was both his personal maid and his brother's when they were small. After his mother died, she was the one he confined in more than anyone else every now and then he found he still did, even if she was only five years older than him.
"There is nothing wrong with feeling like this Tyson," Nanako stated. Walking up to the teen, she raised her hand, stroking his hair in a motherly way.
"Nanako...I know that the kingdom is importance, but..." Tyson paused, not really wanting to worry her.
"Ty?" Nanako said. Looking over at him, she found a deep thoughtful look on his face. "What's the matter? If you have second thoughts about going to Russia, I'm sure that King Boris will understand your hesitation to leave your father."
"No...Nanako," Tyson shook his head. "I gave him my word that Kenny and I would go to meet his sons. It's just until father becomes better again."
"But Ty," she started.
"Are you worried that something may happen to me going to Russia?" Tyson smiled. "You don't have to be. Trust King Boris, after all if he was after the kingdom like everyone else, he would have already conquered us. He's trying to help, show him as much respect as you would my father. And I promise that the minute you send word of my father's recovery, I will make a swift return."
"Tyson...I want you to be careful, you understand," Nanako sighed, knowing she would never be able to talk him out of going. "Make sure that if you sense you are in any danger, don't hesitate to call upon Seiryu's power."
"I won't," Tyson nodded. Tyson was very important to the throne, not just as heir, but also as one under the divine protection of the dragon god, Dragoon. Unlike most of the other heirs that were selected to succeed the throne on the death of the previous king, Tyson's birth was foretold by the dragon god a year prior to his conception. Dragoon stating that Tyson would gain his divine power on his seventeenth birthday. That was considered an honor for the kingdom since of course no other king was foretold in such a manner.
"Now promise me that you shall write to me often, and promise to write you often with news on my progress, along with Kenny's," Tyson said.
"That's another thing I'm worried about," Nanako sighed, folding her arms.
"What?"
"Kenny. I don't know how he will take this. I know that you will be there with him...but do you really think that he's going to okay leaving home for a while. I mean...he's so shy and introverted sometimes."
"I know," Tyson said, looking out over the city once more. It was true that if Tyson was there, his little brother tended to shy away from strangers. Tyson didn't know whether or not they would speak with the two Russian princes separately or at the same time. Tyson didn't want to make his brother feel pressured to do his best while there. "I will do all I can to watch over him, you know that."
"Yes, but if you two are separated for a period of time, what will happen?" Nanako inquired. "He may just end up being rude by his silence and then who knows."
"Nanako, don't worry so much. I'm sure the princes will understand his situation. They are brothers after all, I'm sure the younger of the two can try to identify with the situation. Now, I think we should see if the servants have finished packing everything for the trip," Tyson said, turning away from the scene on the balcony.
"I still can't believe that you're going to go through with this," she sighed, following her prince as they headed out of Tyson's room and down the hall. As always, things were quiet, most of the servants and maids were either attending to the preparations for the trip Tyson and Kenny would be making, or Tyson's father and the guest at the palace.
"Well, you know that it's my duty, I can't avoid it," Tyson grinned.
"Well, I suppose you've finally grown up from the rambunctious boy that I had such a hard time keeping up with. You know, you make your mother and father proud. You make me proud too."
"Thanks Nanako."
The two continued walking until they reached outside where the stables are. Before they could check on the progress of things, they would need to take horses to the harbor where the boat was. In only a matter of another sunset, Tyson and Kenny would be sailing to Russia in the company of ten of King Boris's best men. Once they got to Russia, they would be personally escorted to the Russian palace where they would be able to meet the Russian princes face to face once settled in.
"Do you think we should bring Kenny along with us, Tyson?" Nanako inquired, climbing up on a brown and black mare. "I'm sure he would like to get away from the palace for a while."
"When I saw him at lunch early, he seemed distracted, I think we should leave him to his thoughts until the trip," Tyson responded, hoisting up on a golden brown mare. Nanako only nodded once more, knowing that the younger of the two princes probably needed time to alone to think before the trip. Tyson had a feeling that his brother was having doubts about this whole trip.
When they were having lunch with King Boris, and he was telling the two about Russia, Tyson noticed that every now and then his brother would tense up. Kenny had hardly eaten much, claiming that he was too excited to eat. The older man brought the fake smile, but Tyson saw right through it. His brother was far from happy. If anything, this trip to Russia was wearing on his thoughts. Tyson just hoped that everything would work out fine.
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Tyson stared out over the clear blue water, the sun shimmering on the surface as it hung high over the boat that was sailing for the foreign county of Russia. The birds that flew over the boat in the clear azure sky squawked. Some dove in the water, catching fish that swam just under the surface. The wind was not strong that day, as it had been the day he and his brother set sail. So far, ten days had passed since leaving Japan.
Most of the city people that were able to get away for one or two hours came to wish the two princes off on the voyage. Since King Boris arrived in the Bakuten Empire, the people were more at ease, going about their normal lives without worrying about the threats of attack, because of the soldiers that were positioned outside the boundaries of the towns and cities. Nanako and some of the servants in the palace also saw him and his brother off, King Boris stayed at the castle in case something were to happen to the king.
"And now, here I am," Tyson said to the sky above. Soon, maybe in a matter of hours, he would catch his first glimpse of the shores of Russia. He was excited this was his first trip out of his homeland. He wondered if the Russian country was much the same as the Bakuten Empire. He wondered if there were large mountains to climb up, woods to explore and hunt, rivers and fields that he might have a chance to sit out in and think to himself.
"Amazing, the sea is, isn't it?" a deep voice said. Tyson heard footsteps approach him as he continued to stare out at the water. Only shifting his eyes to a tall male with short black hair came to the rail, standing beside Tyson.
"Commander Bukharin," Tyson nodded an acknowledgement to the male beside him.
This male was King Boris's leading commander and was instructed to get Tyson and Kenny to Russia safely. When Tyson first met the man days ago, he immediately felt he would be someone that Tyson could count on. He was a very loyal soldier and a kind man, as Tyson found out on the first night he was walking around the deck and found the man playing a violin. It was always Tyson's experience that someone who could play an instrument was a person you could count on because it took much kindness to handle and play as delicate an instrument as a violin.
"The sea is very beautiful I've never seen such a beautiful scene. Tell me, from the Russian palace, can you see the ocean?" Tyson inquired. "It would be nice some mornings to just wake up and look at the sun against the water."
"I suppose you can see the ocean from the servant quarters," the commander responded. "But if you get up early enough some mornings, and make your way out on the balcony close to the servant quarters, you can get the best view of the ocean and sun in the mornings."
"Really!" Tyson exclaimed as he turned bright dark blue eyes up at the male who smiled down at the young prince with a smile. "I'll have to wake up early enough then!"
"Prince Kenny is not on the deck with you?" the commander inquired looking around for the quiet brunette. "I suppose he doesn't like the sea, I always find you watching the waves, but he's always in the ship's hold."
"The motion of the waves upsets him." The first day Tyson tried to get his brother up on the deck to look at the waves with him, Kenny lost the little lunch he had eaten immediately. The first two days Tyson actually spent caring for his ill brother. On the third day the illness faded and Kenny declined to go back out on the deck unless there was a need to.
"I see how is he doing?" Commander Bukharin wondered. "Does he need any medicine for his illness?"
"No, that's okay, he feels better. He just won't come up on the deck unless he has to. I think once we hit land, things will be fine. Some of the soldiers said that it for some people the motion of the waves and boat causes them to be sick and it clears up once they get on land again."
"That's right, we call it motion sickness. It seems your brother is more susceptible to it than you," Commander Bukharin smiled.
"I think it's because I have the power of the dragon god on my side," Tyson admitted.
"Dragon god?" the man raised a brow to the young prince beside him.
"Yeah," Tyson nodded. "There are four gods that protect my land. They are the offspring of the original deities that Lady Nu-Kua asked to protect the pillar she made that kept heaven from crashing down on Earth. I am under the protection of Dragoon, the offspring of Sohryu the Blue Dragon of the East."
"I think I understand. Then you must be well blessed," Commander Bukharin spoke. Is your brother protected by Dragoon, or another one of the gods that you talked about?"
"Both of my parents wished he was, but when he was born, now of the gods appeared to show he was under their protection. Sometimes, a god will never appear to a royal member of the family, and at times, they must wait until their seventeenth or eighteenth birthday for a divine blessing. If anything were to happen to me, the kingdom would be out of a king until the gods decided who is worthy to sit upon the throne," Tyson explained.
"Your brother must feel out of place sometimes around you with a god protecting you and not him."
"No, because I know that despite the gods not showing themselves to him right now, he will still receive their protection. He is a very kind person, my brother is. They know that, and know that right now, he would never be able to take the throne if something were to happen to me. He is shy and indecisive about things. He's always looked up to me for help and answers. Eventually I will have to let him make his own decisions, but it will be hard. Since our mother died, he has always tagged along with me everywhere I went," Tyson grinned. "It's going to feel funny when he won't turn to me anymore for the answers."
"You shouldn't feel bad, I'm sure that he will still think of you as his big brother and no matter how much you let him go, he will come back to you for answers whether you want to give them to him or not," Commander Bukharin stated.
"I hope so. I love him and only want what's best for him. I don't want to see him cry, nor hurt in any way. I know that's usually a task for mother's, but...I guess I've grown a mother complex over the years." Tyson looked up at the sky.
"You're close to your brother, that's a good thing. That's how brothers should be."
"Commander Bukharin..." Tyson looked over at the male who stood beside him. "May I ask you a question?"
"A question...of course Prince Tyson, just ask."
"What are they like?" Tyson wondered. Since leaving, he had asked himself over and over again what these two Russian princes were like. King Boris didn't say any real thing of interest about them. Actually, the King of the Russian Empire had failed to give him anything about his sons, as if they were not important at all.
"They?" Bukharin blinked. "Do you mean Prince Kai and Prince Tala?"
"Yes, what are the Russian princes like? King Boris failed to give any significant information on his sons. I want to know what they are like."
Bukharin looked down at the young boy who stared up at him with curious dark blue eyes. Immediately he wanted to turn his eyes away from the boy. Of course King Boris had not told the princes about his sons. If the boy really knew...Bukharin mentally shook his thoughts clear. He could not disobey his king, even if he wanted to save this boy and his brother from what he knew may happen.
"Well...let's see...Prince Kai...and Prince Tala..." Bukharin thought for a long minute, wondering how in the world he was going to get himself out of this situation. He had to tell Tyson something, but he didn't want to lie to the little prince. Nor could he ruin his king's plan that would cost him and his family their lives. His son was about Tyson's age.
"Commander Bukharin!" one of the soldiers shouted from the mast. "Commander Bukharin, I see land ahead!"
"Land?" Tyson whipped his head from the commander to the ocean, sure enough, there was land approaching. Tyson's eyes widened, seeing the tall trees that still contained summer colors and the mountains that seemed to reach the tip of the heavens in the background. Even the temperature in the air had dropped drastically from earlier that day, sending chills up and down Tyson's body through his summer robes.
"You might want to go wrap up with as many warm clothes as possible. Opposed to your warm summer, we are amidst the middle of fall here. And make sure that you tell your brother to wrap up tightly. I don't want you both catching a cold coming into the country. Not a way to spend your first days," Bukharin instructed.
"I...all right. I can't wait to see what Russia is like. And I'll be meeting the two princes soon, so I won't need to ask you what they are like," Tyson grinned as he headed back down to the ship's hold. Bukharin stared after the boy for a long minute before turning his eyes back to Russian. With a sigh, he prayed that all the protection the boy had would save him from this horrendous trial he and his brother were to face.
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Rim: And there we go. Chapter two has finally been completed. I promise that the next chapter won't take so long to write up and post. Well, I hope everyone likes it. There is so much planned from here on out.