Rim: And all my testing is done! Let's rejoice because once I get my head screwed back on straight, we can see more updates. Man, this has been a long semester of school for me. Well, I guess this will make up for my lack of writing these past two months. I'll give everyone as much as this chapter is willing to be written, so here we go, an all new chapter from me.
-oooooo-
The young Japanese prince closed his eyes, letting the frigid wind wrap around his body. Even through the thickness of the fur lined coat he wore, he could still feel the chill. It penetrated every single pore in his body, sinking deep into his bones where it settled. Refusing to relinquish that spot for any reason. Prince Tyson mused that it was just like Prince Kai.
Prince Kai of the Russian Empire…
That name sent a chill worse than the arctic wind of the seas through him. Every time he thought there was nothing left to shock him about the older dual haired bluenette, something sprang out of nowhere to toss him through another loop. Even now the image of the young baron flashed through his mind down to the very second where his head was sliced from his body. Seeing the red eyes prince staring apathetically at the twitching corpse while cleaning the blood from his blade on the dead man's clothes. Prince Kai shifting his eyes on him without so much as a flicker of sadness or remorse for what he's done.
It wasn't right. No one should be able to just turn away from something like that with a smile. That wasn't the sort of thing that happened. Of all the battles he had ever heard from his father, no one came out of such an event as nonchalant as the Russian prince had. Unless they had killed plenty of times before. However-even then-parts of those murders would carry on with that person. The faces, their lives before their deaths, all those things would haunt their executioner.
Was Kai like that too? Was he seeing the baron's face everywhere he went? When he woke up at nights from nightmares? Was he thinking back to all the memories he had of the other? Or did he sleep well at night, thinking he was justified in his actions that he didn't need to worry? Had he shrugged off all notions that what he did was wrong? Was he as immoral as Tyson saw him?
It wouldn't matter soon. He had to remember that he was on his way home to Bakuten. When he was there, he could forget all about the Russian prince and his psychotic older brother. He and his brother would be safe once more, without having to worry over the deception of the two princes.
"Dragoon, please deliver me safely back to my homeland. Our journey is almost over," Tyson murmured to the air around him. Opening his eyes, Tyson's mind curved around another thought haunt him upon returning to the Russian palace.
His brother.
His kind, gentle young charge, which showed him a smile no matter how bleak a day, it was. The smile he had expected when he last saw his brother was not in place as it usually was. In fact, the smile he received stubbornly declined lifting to the brunette's eyes that had stopped twinkling with light.
Instead, tired-and quite sleepy-eyes greeted him, alongside a brief empty hug. Something in Tyson's gut told him his absence changed the gears of many things, and renewed fears over the older Russian prince towards his brother gripped him. Tyson had no time to question this change for the maids informed the two that they were to prepare for their trip home. Since then, he had not seen his brother who was always in attendance to the older prince.
"You'll catch cold if you remain out here," remarked the voice behind him. The prince didn't turn around as the boots echoed off the wood when Prince Kai took steps towards him. Stopping just behind the younger prince, Kai stared out over the ocean, this being his first real trip out of his homeland in years since he was taken to China with his father on a diplomatic trip to form an alliance with the country.
"I'm fine," Tyson said.
"I only think about your health and well being," Kai replied.
"Health and well being?" Tyson repeated.
Tyson spun around to glare defiantly in the eyes of the Russian prince. Meeting the ember eyes that were dull. The older prince met his gaze for a long second, and then returned them to the ocean before him. Tyson clenched his fists at his side, outraged that the prince was once more playing the innocent angel after being the devil for so long.
"My health and well being were never your concern. You wanted me to submit to you and be your slave. How can you say something like that, when I still remember the whippings you gave me for being disobedient? For not submitting to you, for speaking my mind? You treated me like a slave, nothing more, yet now you speak of my well being? Is it because you will have to answer to your father for what you've done?"
"I do not have to explain my actions to my father," Kai said. "You might believe everything I've done has been selfish, but it has been justified."
"Justified?" Tyson blinked. "Nothing you have done since killing Anton and his uncle have been justified! You've tossed me into one situation after another mercilessly. Now you're expecting me to forget about everything?"
"I'm not asking or expecting you to do any of that," Kai said.
"Then why the subdued nature? It's not like you," Tyson snapped.
"I have a lot of my mind. You wouldn't understand," Kai voiced.
"I don't. I don't want to either," Tyson scowled.
"How amusing," Kai chuckled.
"What's amusing?" Tyson frowned.
"I came seeking out your company, yet the plan I had in mind, I don't feel like executing it," Kai answered. "If I tried to take you back to my bed, I might end up in a position which I won't be able to get myself out of."
"I'm never going to give in to you!" Tyson shouted, moving away from Kai. "You can try to do whatever you won't, but I'll refuse you every step of the way."
"I know you will," Kai nodded. "However, you should know that only makes me want you even more. Yet the more we carry on this hunt, I grow more aware that what I desire no longer matters like in the beginning. It's changed so much, who knows what it is that I was hunting for in the beginning. The only thing I know is that I can't allow another to hunt you in the same manner I did."
"What are you talking about?" Tyson stopped moving away from Kai, staring at the weary ember eyes he mistook for dull earlier. Narrowing his eyes with wariness, he approached the Russian prince.
"You wouldn't understand it. You foolish prince, you haven't understood any of this since it began," Kai shook his head. "When you're away from me, you'll understand what I mean."
"Why don't you just tell me, you've never once been this…this evasive when it comes to telling me things? You've always been blunt about wanting me, about promising to make me yours, yet now you're acting as if you're…you're…" Tyson stammered in frustration.
"As if I'm in love with you?" Kai helped out.
"I don't know what it means to really be in love with someone, so I don't know if that's what you're feeling," Tyson admitted.
"Neither do I," Kai smirked. "However, my brother believes this."
"Your brother doesn't know a thing," Tyson scoffed.
"Maybe so," Kai laughed. "But he has noticed a change in me, just like I've noticed a change in him. He and I are nothing alike, yet…"
"Shut up now!" Tyson interrupted, giving Kai an angered stare. "You're rambling, that's not like you at all. If you're tired or something just go to your quarters and sleep or something. You're making less sense than a minute ago. You aren't the type to express your feelings or emotions."
Watching a flush appear on the younger prince's cheeks, Kai felt another laugh bubble up, spilling from his lips. "I suppose from what I've shown you, you're right. You've brought out something in me that's been shut off for so long, I'm shocked it's still there."
"You're still not making any sense," Tyson frowned.
"Forgive me then, my prince," Kai bowed to the younger prince half mockingly. "I suppose my fatigue is causing me to say things which are normally silent. I shall take my leave from you now to rest." Tyson said nothing as the older prince turned from him, walking below deck. He didn't understand what that was about, but it was a bad omen. He could feel it in his bones worse than the chill of the wind.
-oooo-
-flashback-
"Have you seen the boy?" one of the maids whispered as they hung out the bed linen. A small group of five servants looked up at the pretty young woman with short crimson hair as she reached into the basket of linen. She was the Queen's personal servant, and responsible for taking care of many affairs within her personal circle of maids.
"What boy?" another maid, this one with long shimmering silver-blue hair questioned. She was one of the newest maids to arrive at the castle, and hadn't heard of what was occurring. "Do you mean Prince Kai?"
"Of course she doesn't mean the rightful heir to our kingdom," laughed another maid, this one with curly black hair. "She means that filthy little urchin which haunts the servants quarters."
"Do not tell us you haven't seen that cursed child?" the first maid asked in shocked. "It's hard not to miss him!"
"Those horrifying artic eyes. They say it's not natural to have eyes like that!" gasped another maid with long brown hair. "I've seen him before, he was watching Alexia clean one day and scared her into fever! I say it was because she scolded the boy for making a mess of one of the servant's rooms with his presence!"
"I think I have seen that boy," said the maid with the silver-blue hair, thinking back to when she was moving her things into her assigned room, only to remember the feeling of being watched. When she had turned around, she spotted a little boy of three peering into her room with the most beautiful azure eyes she had ever seen. When he had realized she was watching him, he took off down the hall and out of sight. She figured he was one of the servant boys, and paid it no more attention. Now her interested was peaked by what the others knew of the child. "Who is he?"
"That's King Boris's cursed oldest son," said the maid of seniority with disgust. "He sired a child by one of the members of that savage wolf tribe. He still keeps her locked up within the palace with that wretched child."
"I heard that he was bewitched by the woman into siring a child. Thankfully that boy will never be able to take the throne because of his dirty cursed blood. I could never imagine our land being ruled by a savage thing like that," scoffed a maid with waist length orange hair.
"The King must still be under that woman's spell not to have gotten rid of her by now," said another maid, shaking her head. "Or maybe it's the boy's own black magic that keeps the king from tossing the woman and boy out back to the wildness of their ways."
"You know, the boy's eyes, they are trademark of those savages wolf god, Wolborg," whispered the orange haired maid. "My grandmother use to tell me stories about those savages when I was small. You know, to scare children into being good. She said that those with those blue eyes are reincarnations of that evil deity which haunted our lands."
"No wonder the boy is so creepy," shuddered the black haired maid. "I knew there was something wrong with him. It's like he can see into your soul and bewitch you with just those eyes. If I was the Queen, I would do whatever was in my power to toss those filthy creatures back to their wolf god!"
"But then it will be angered, maybe the King is keeping them around to save us from chaos! He is such a noble man to suffer for us all," cried the brown haired maid. "I wish I could kill the boy myself for our King and take the complete wraith of whatever that animal has in store for us, so we can be free of its presence here."
"The only thing we can do is endure until the time comes when that creature's power does not bind our King so tightly," prayed the black haired maid.
"I…I'm not a creature…" said a small voice behind the women. The women turned around, screaming to find the little boy of topic standing behind them holding a worn teddy in the shape of a wolf with blue eyes. His nursemaid had been the one who had sewn the thing together for him, and it was one of his most treasured items.
"Be gone demon!" shouted the maid of seniority. "Your evil can not harm us while we are under the protection of our King!"
"I'm not a creature," the little boy repeated, his eyes shimmering with tears at the hurtful things the women had said about him. "I'm not a curse! I'm not a demon! I'm not evil!"
"Lies! Do not listen to his lies! This is how his kind is! They want you to feel sympathy for them then devour your soul later! Do not sway your resolve, it's only a trick!" shouted the head maid, as she glared at the boy who shook in front of her. Tears pooled from his azure eyes as he clenched his teddy bear in his arms. "See, he has a demon doll of his savage god with him! That proves it!"
"I'm not a demon," shouted the little boy, squeezing his eyes shut. "Stop saying those things!"
"Your real father is that wolf god! He used our King! You filthy urchin, you will never be a true member of this palace! You will never be able to corrupt us with your evil!"
"I'm not evil!" The little boy turned around and took off back to the small quarters he shared with his mother. Rushing into the room, he went over to where his mother sat by the window, looking out at the snow with lucid brown eyes. "Momma! Momma, tell me it's not true! Tell me I'm not a curse! Tell me I'm not a demon! I'm not what they say am I! Tell me it's not true! Tell me they are lying about me!"
-flashback ends-
"Prince Tala…Prince Tala, wake up…" Kenny shook the red haired prince who was whimpering in his sleep. His body was dotted with a cold sweat, his brows sunk into a deep frown of pain and something unreadable. "Prince Tala…"
"Tell me…it's…not…" Tala mumbled within his sleep.
"Prince Tala…" The brunette prince watched a tear escaped from the confines of his closed lids, soaking into the pillow. "Prince Tala, please wake up!" Abruptly, a pair of azure eyes snapped open. The red haired prince shooting into a sitting position, gasping for air.
His lungs burned with a need for oxygen as he shook from the vibrancy of the dream. He couldn't remember the last time he actually had that dream, or a dream close to it of his childhood. He thought it didn't matter any more what any of those women, or the other servants said about him over the years. He wasn't bound to his mother, or her tribe. He lived for no one but himself. Yet, here he was being trapped by the tangles of the past once more.
"Prince Tala…are you all right?" Kenny gripped Tala's arm lightly, trying to bring his attention back to him. For a long minute, those azure eyes remained out of focus, haunted with images from his dreams. The foggy haze shielding his eyes slowly faded until the mist cleared completely and Kenny found familiar azure eyes on him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing boy…?" Tala growled.
"You were having nightmares…sire," the younger prince whispered softly, lowering his eyes to the damp sheets Tala's back laid against minutes before. "I thought you would have wanted me to wake you up from them."
"Hn…" Tala didn't say anything, pulling the young prince to him and taking his mouth forcibly. Snagging the bottom lip between his teeth, he bit down on it, getting a moan from the younger prince before he slipped his tongue into the boy's mouth. His hands removed clothes without trouble then roamed over the familiar plains.
Kenny squeezed his eyes shut, knowing what was about to happen. Kenny felt the hands move lower, gripping his rear. His breath hitched as another spurt of pain shot through him with the older prince's actions. Feeling himself pulled into the red head's lap, he eased the anxiety in his body, hoping to quall some fear in his heart. Tears streaked down his face for the pain of his sacrifice once again. His lips still captured, so his scream was muffled under the pressure of Tala's lips.
"Give your body to me," Tala murmured, breaking the kiss as he thrust up into the body perched in his lap.
"You already have it, isn't that enough?" Kenny asked, tears continuing to fall down his cheeks with each motion that Tala executed. "What more are you asking from me?"
For a long second, Tala stared up into those haze pained blue eyes staring down at him and paused in his actions. Exactly what was he asking this boy for that he didn't already have? Why couldn't he just use the boy and be satisfied with it? Why was it that every time he tried to sate himself with the boy's body, it always failed? Why was it that he couldn't find the satisfaction he rightfully deserved?
Why?
It didn't make sense he felt anything other than disgust for this boy. He didn't need anyone in his life. He never had, he had always taken care of himself. Yet…why had he run to his mother before? Crying and begging for her to tell him that his life wasn't meaningless? That he was wanted within this world? Why had he wanted that so much when he knew that he would receive no answer from that pathetic doll which had given him breathe in his lungs? It was like now, only this doll saw him, and was making it impossible for Tala to be like he was before with his mother.
"Prince Tala…" Kenny replied, breaking the prince from his reverie. "What more…is it…you ask of me?"
Tala's eyes sharpen to frigid points of artic glaciers as he roughly took what he wanted from the boy yet again. Listening to the pained whimpers wafting the air, he ignored the pain that stabbed at his chest. "I want nothing from you…nothing at all that I haven't already taken."
-oooo-
Tyson knocked on his brother's door one more time before opening the door to the cabin to find it empty. Walking inside, he frowned with nervousness to where he figured his brother was. There was no way Prince Tala would allow him to question his brother about the events which might have transpired between them during Tyson's absence. Alone he could get his brother to open up to him, but in front of the older prince, Tyson feared deep in his heart there was not a chance of it happening.
"Tyson…?" The soft voice behind him almost made him jump out of his skin as he whirled around to face the quizzical face watching him.
"Kenny," Tyson breathed. "You shouldn't sneak up on your big brother like that."
"I didn't sneak, I walked," Kenny replied with a small smile curling the ends of his mouth upwards. "Is there a reason why you're sneaking about my room?" The remark brought a flush to Tyson's cheeks, as he walked up to his brother and lightly bopped him on the head.
"Where have you been?" Though he didn't really need to answer because there weren't many places on the ship where his brother would likely go.
"Is there a reason you hit me like that?" Kenny wondered, walking into the room and closing the door.
"Answer the question." Tyson ignored his brother's question.
"I was with Prince Tala. He hasn't been feeling well lately. He's been under the weather," Kenny responded.
"Sea sick?" He really didn't care if the red head was, but for the sake of not sounding like a paranoid mother hen, he would try to carry on a normal conversation without rapid, frantic inquiries towards what he's been doing and upsetting his brother.
"No," Kenny shook his head, knowing his brother was refraining from asking what he really wanted to ask. When it came to his brother, he knew how his mind worked better than even Tyson. He didn't want to worry Tyson, but there was no way he could just ignore the pleading, restrain. "He's been suffering from nightmares lately which have placed a lot of strain on his health. You don't have to worry that he's done something to me that I haven't wanted."
"So, you don't deny that he's already done it?" Tyson replied. "Do you love him that much to say something like that? To protect him like this, when all I see is you suffering while he's being allowed to get away with it?"
"I don't love him," Kenny stated. "I told you once when you asked me that question and the answer still remains the same. I can't love someone like Tala."
"Then what's the only possible reason you're putting yourself through this if you don't love him?" Tyson exclaimed.
"He has no one else that will go through this for him," Kenny answered softly. "There's more to him than either of us know. I think more than even Kai knows."
"You shouldn't let him fool you with that act!"
"It's not an act," Kenny shook his head. "Who would make an act out of trying to hide pain they never want anyone to see? Who would rather hurt others than allow a hand to be offered to them? I don't know anyone who would do something like that. It doesn't make sense to do something like that."
"I don't believe that," Tyson scoffed.
"You don't have to believe it, but it's true," Kenny remarked. "It's just like if I were to ask you if you really hate Prince Kai."
"Of course I do!" Tyson shouted.
"Why?"
"For treating me like a slave, like I've never been his equal. For trying to make me surrender to him!" Tyson snapped. "Every minute I'm in his presence revolts me to no end. I can't wait until we dock in our harbors. I will be too anxious to leave his presence where he can never again control me."
"Is that really how you feel, or are you just saying that as an act?" Kenny declared. "Because I doubt you honest can say that without lying to yourself that he doesn't mean something to you, even if you don't love him."
"I don't care about him," Tyson proclaimed.
"That's hard to believe, considering how long we were in Russia," Kenny said quietly. "I thought that--" Whatever the brunette was about to say was interrupted by a knock on the door. A second later, a guard pushed the door open, bowing to the two princes.
"Prince Tyson, Prince Kenny, I was to inform you that we would be heading into the dock within minutes. And that your presence above is requested."
"Thank you," Tyson nodded as the guard bowed once more and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Looking back to his brother, Tyson let a smile waver momentarily before dropping. "We won't need to have this conversation soon."
"I suppose we won't," Kenny agreed briefly. "You'll push me to forget about what's happened until I can no longer recall anything."
Tyson didn't respond to the comment. It was best if he didn't engaged in the discussion more since it really wouldn't matter what he felt or not. Once he and his brother were back in their kingdom, nothing experience or discovered in the last half a year would be relevant. Everything would be like a bad dream. "We should head up they are probably waiting for us."
Kenny nodded, following his brother who took lead for the ship's deck. Silence settled between them. Each wrapped in their own thoughts of either the conversation, or the last few months within Russia. Their journey was coming to a close.
It was finally over…
The cold wintry wind wrapped around the two boys as they stepped up onto the deck where the two Russian princes were staring at the approaching land and dock. On the harbor, many tiny dots littered the docking area awaiting the ships arrival. Prince Kai turned to stare at the two, his eyes targeting in on Tyson who shift his glance away.
"How does it feel to be home?" the dual haired bluenette asked.
"We are both anxious," Tyson forced excitement into his voice. "It will be wonderful to set foot into Bakuten once more."
"I see," Kai murmured. "Then this makes it that much harder."
"What are you talking about?" Tyson frowned.
"Turn your eyes landwards," Kai ordered. "You'll understand."
"What do you--" Tyson's voice caught in his throat as the ship rolled into dock, stopping. The devastation which laid before him of his home was too much to bear. His eyes fell upon a nearly barren land littered with rubble that once were buildings. Snow did little to mask the damage of the abandoned, shambles which once were of a flourishing town. The palace remained intact, and unscathed which was a miracle, but the surrounding damage was still too much to take in. "War…"
"If you wish to call it that," Kai said.
"Then what do you call it?" Tyson shook, continuing to stare at the devastation as the ladders were lowered. The figures awaiting access to the ship began coming aboard. Kai said nothing, seeing his father coming onto the ship. He turned his eyes to his brother who was paying no attention to anything other than the younger of the Japanese princes as he stood in shock at what had become of his home.
Kai raised his hand for the guards on board to surround the two princes. Guns were pulled out and cocked; their aims on the two princes. Hearing the noise, Tyson was the first of the two to turn around. His eyes betrayed the fear in him as he stepped in front of his brother, blocking the guns' view of the brunette. "You asked me what this is called, Prince Tyson of the Bakuten Empire, well I shall tell you. It's called an invasion."
"What's the meaning of this!" Tyson shouted.
"Tyson!" Kenny squeaked, his eyes glazed with fear.
"I won't let them hurt you," Tyson growled. "Kai! Answer me what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Exactly what I asked him to do." King Boris stepped forward from the cluster of soldiers to bow mockingly to the princes. "Welcome back home my little princes."
"What's happened to our home! What have you done, King Boris?" Tyson demanded.
"What I set out to do months ago," King Boris replied. "Kill your father and bring this kingdom under my control. Kai and Tala did well to keep you safe and out of the way until I was ready for your power to be mine."
"It's…it's not…" Tyson gaped, his eyes falling on Tala and Kai who were bowing before their father. "It's not true that…you…how could you…"
"Guards, take them back to the palace until I'm ready to set my plans in motion," King Boris said, turning to his two sons as the guards moved in to capture the two. The Russian king walked over to where his sons remained bowed, ignoring the slight struggle going on before the sounds were silence and two objects dropped to the deck with blunt thuds. "You boys did well, I'm very pleased with you both."
"Thank you father," both said concurrently.
"I hope they didn't give you too much trouble while they were in Russia?" their father questioned.
"Their resistance was nothing we couldn't handle," Kai responded. The answer receiving a laugh from the older Russian.
"You may both rise, we still have some work to be done before this land can finally be ours," King Boris replied. "The only thing that is left is the boy's manifestation of power. Once we get that to arise, then there is nothing left for us to worry about."
"Some of it has already shown itself in Russia," Kai answered, standing up.
"Good!" King Boris turned back to the two unconscious bodies that were being tied up to be carried back to the Bakuten palace. "Then we just have to push it a little bit further for a full awakening. Everything will fall into place in no time."
-oooooo-
Rim: Am I evil? Am I? Let's all thank listening to "Motherland" and "I Will" from Full Metal Alchemist, "Tsuki No Curse" and "Michiyuki" from Loveless for the completely angst filled chapter you've all finished reading. Now I must get ready to put a play list together for my next few stories.