For those of you who are new here, this CANNNOT BE READ AS A STANDALONE. If you haven't already, please read "The Stranger in the Garden" before you read this. Again, this is not a standalone story, it is a sequel. Save it somewhere you'll be able to find it again and read the prequel before starting on this.

"As you from your crimes would pardon'd be, let your indulgence set me free."
-William Shakespeare, "The Tempest"

Killua smiled broadly as he followed Gon out to the pomegranate tree.

The sky above them was so bright and blue it seemed to go on forever and ever, going beyond even the horizons it was confined to. There were a couple large, puffy cumulus clouds over their heads, drifting lazily through the infinite amount of blue overhead, in absolutely no hurry to get wherever it was they were going.

"Hurry up, Killua!" Gon called over his shoulder, having already made it to the tall, thick tree in the center of the lush palace gardens. The chocolate-brown bark was gnarled and twisted in extremely abnormal ways, giving the tree a very ancient, wizened appearance. "You're so slow!"

"That's because you dragged me out of bed much earlier than usual for this." Killua feigned an exaggerated yawn to emphasize his point. "I am not a morning person, unlike you. Where the hell do you get all your energy from, anyway? It's ridiculous!"

The sun had just barely risen over the Eastern horizon, making it obvious it was still pretty early in the morning. The air was warm and humid, so humid that Killua felt all sticky and gross. He hadn't gotten used to the overabundance of moisture in the Southern kingdom yet, seeing as he'd only lived there for a couple weeks now. He was much more accustomed to the freezing, dry air of the Northern mountains.

"Oh, come on! It's not that early!" Gon pouted, already beginning to scale the massive tree before him. "Besides, the pomegranates taste so much better when you eat them right after sunrise!" he added, between tiny gasps of exertion.

"You're just making that up to make me want to climb the stupid tree with you." was Killua's even response. He continued to move at the exact same pace, walking along with his hands jammed into the front pockets of his shorts. He was intentionally going as slow as possible to mess with his husband, who had already made himself comfortable on one of the thicker branches near the top of the tree.

"And you know you'll do it anyway, cuz you love me." Gon shot back, rearranging himself so he could literally hang upside down on the branch, clinging to it with just his knees. "I know you're going slow to annoy me, but it isn't gonna work! Not this time! I mean it!"

"Oh, yeah?" Killua raised one snowy-white eyebrow at the tan male, who nodded enthusiastically.

"I mean it!"

The Zoldyck snickered and sped up a little, finally reaching the tall pomegranate tree. He had to duck under some of the lower branches, which formed a brown and green canopy of leaves that swept across the ground, nearly touching the tallest flowers in the grass. He grabbed on one of said branches and pulled himself up onto it with ease, eyes fixated on Gon, who was peering down at him from the top of the tree with those large, rounded brown eyes of his.

Killua reached for a branch a little higher up, but nearly lost his balance. He flailed his arms around a bit, eliciting a peal of laughter from the other prince above him.

"What's so funny, baka?" Killua snapped.

"I can't believe you're already struggling so much! You're so close to the ground that it would not be a big deal at all if you fell!" Gon taunted, pulling himself upright so he could kick his feet around childishly without falling and cracking his head open. "Now, me on the other hand, if I fell off right now, I would die and you'd probably spend the next ten years crying about it."

"Feh. I haven't spent my whole life climbing all over everything like you have, so you don't get to say anything. Besides, if you died right now, I'd probably throw a party. You're so annoying." Killua grumbled, pulling himself up onto the next branch with a lot more caution than before.

Gon rolled his eyes with a knowing smile on his face. "I highly doubt the whole party thing, but okay. Also, I'm not annoying. You just have very selective hearing."

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, brat." Killua kept climbing higher and higher, his slender hands finding purchase in the thick bark of the tree with newfound ease.

"Ha. I'd do it again in a minute." once his beloved got close enough, Gon reached down and offered him a hand, pulling him up to his height. Killua was extremely lightweight for an eighteen-year-old, which made lifting him alarmingly easy.

He glared at the Southern Prince as he made himself comfortable on the branch, finding a smooth, flat length to sit upon.

"You know, you don't gotta be an ass all the time." he remarked, even as his hand instinctively found its way over to Gon's.

"I know you don't mean that." Gon replied, lacing their fingers together and squeezing the other's hand affectionately. "Because you love me."

"Yeah. I do." Killua declared, sidling a little closer so he could rest his head on Gon's shoulder trustingly. "And I know you love me, too."

"Of course I do." Gon nodded, tilting his head to one side so it was resting atop Killua's. "So, so much."

This was how they normally spoke to each other after their wedding two weeks ago. Every day had seemed so surreal, so perfect since that day that Killua had a very hard time believing he wasn't dreaming up every second of it. It certainly did feel like a dream, what with how vividly beautiful his world had become since he'd married Gon.

That same night after their wedding had ended, the two of them had become one in a physical sense as well. They had been a lot more intimate and comfortable with each other since then, especially now that they knew literally everything there was to know about each other.

Killua had vague, fuzzy memories of being pushed back into silk sheets, soft gasps escaping his lips as Gon's warm, calloused hands explored his body, every touch experimental, tentative and oh, so gentle, as if the porcelain-pale figure beneath him was as fragile as a thin pane of glass. It was unlike anything either of them had ever experienced in their lives, and it was absolutely beautiful.

Killua couldn't help but smile a little bit brighter at the thought. "But I love you the most, and you can't top that," he murmured, voice soft and placid, almost sleepy.

"Yes, I can. Watch me." Gon puffed out his chest a little bit before saying, "I love you the mostest!"

"That isn't a word, baka."

"It is now."

Killua yawned – a genuine yawn this time – and snuggled closer to Gon, basking in the natural warmth of his skin like a cat basks in sunlight. "Whatever. I guess I'll let you win this time."

"Awww, is somebody feeling sleepy?" Gon asked, giggling as he ran his hand up and down Killua's back in slow, gentle motions. "Killua's so cute and pretty, especially when he's all drowsy and quiet like this."

"I'm not pretty." Killua mumbled, batting clumsily at Gon's head with one hand.

"Yes, you are. I shall stand by that point until the day I die." the Southern Prince hummed, nuzzling his face into Killua's soft, unbelievably fluffy hair. "You're more than pretty, you know. You're gorgeous. Stunning. Breathtaking. And all the other words that mean beautiful."

The Zoldyck rolled his eyes drowsily. "You're embarassing me. Stop it." immediately after he spoke, he began making a soft sound deep in his throat akin to purring, much to Gon's amusement.

A sort of companionable silence fell over the two, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves scraping against each other and ancient branches creaking, driven by a pleasant breeze. If he strained his ears, Gon also picked up on the soft whisper of countless blades of grass beneath him, bowing their lime-green heads to the wind.

He decided it would be best to keep quiet, because Killua appeared to be dozing off on his shoulder and he didn't want to disturb him. Gon knew for a fact that his beloved had scarcely gotten a good night's sleep for most of his life. He was always either plagued by horrific, vivid nightmares of things that had already come to pass, or he didn't sleep at all because he was too busy fearing for his life. His parents had done so many terrible things to him, but, thanks to Gon's help, the nightmares were beginning to stop. Killua was actually able to get a full night's rest filled with pleasant dreams rather than painful flashbacks.

Gon began to hum a little tune to himself to help pass the time, keeping one arm looped around the Northern Prince's narrow waist, supporting him so he didn't fall over backwards. The tan boy's sharp ears picked up on the sound of footsteps approaching from directly ahead, soft and purposeful.

"Ah, there you are!" Kurapika exclaimed, appearing at the base of the tree. The bodyguard's shoulder-length blonde hair swayed from side to side, driven by the breeze, and his silver eyes sparkled with an enigmatic light. "I've been looking everywhere for you two!"

"Shh!" Gon rushed to shush the blonde, gesturing frantically with his free hand to the beautiful creature sleeping peacefully on his shoulder. "Killua's sleeping! If I move, he'll fall and hurt himself. Go away. I'll come down when he wakes up."

Kurapika shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. Despite being eighteen and married, Gon really hadn't grown up that much. He was still an upbeat, bouncy child with an overabundance of energy and enthusiasm.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Your Majesty. Didn't you promise Mito-san you'd help her in the library today?"

"Call me Gon. And yes, I did. But I didn't specify exactly what time, so I can basically stay up here as long as I want and she isn't allowed to complain about it." was Gon's stubborn reply.

"Good luck explaining that to Mito-san, because she's waiting for you right now." Kurapika shot back, planting his hands on his hips and giving the prince above him a stern look. "You'd best get going, unless you want to risk being lectured for the next three hours."

Gon's eyes widened so much they might as well have been popping right out of his skull. "Alright, alright. Give me a moment to wake Killua and help him get down, he's not that good at climbing trees yet and I don't want to let him fall." he reasoned, waving the guard off and turning his attention to Killua, who was still soundly sleeping. "Ne, Killua? Killuaaaaa..."

The Northern Prince flinched a little like he usually did upon waking up and cracked one eye open to glare at Gon. "What?"

"I'm sorry to wake you, but it's time to get down. I promised I'd help Mito-san rearrange some of the books in the library today, and apparently, she expected me down there a lot earlier than I would've liked. We can come back and pick pomegranates later, okay?" Gon tucked loose, unruly strands of white, slightly curled hair behind Killua's ears, touch as light and gentle as an angel's.

"Hmm, fine." Killua yawned and rubbed his eyes with his fists, giving Gon the most annoyed look he could muster. "You should remember to specify time, dummy. That way, you can't be caught by surprise like this."

"I'm sorry." Gon repeated, sincerely. He took Killua's hand and laced their fingers together, bringing the other's porcelain-pale hand to his lips so he could kiss the back of it. "Let's get you down from here. You don't have to come with me to the library. If you want to go back to bed, you're more than free to do so."

"Mmh. I'll come with." Killua stretched his arms over his head before turning to make his way down the thick trunk of the tree.

Gon followed him, skipping lightly from branch to branch with practiced ease. His eyes remained glued to his beloved, ready to jump forward and catch him if Killua lost his footing and fell. Fortunately, Killua was well-balanced and kind of knew what he was doing despite his lack of experience with climbing. He made it down to the ground without incident, Gon right at his heels.

The two followed Kurapika inside, chattering quietly amongst themselves.

A soft whimper broke the silence, followed immediately by a choked sob.

Gon was awake in an instant. He was a light sleeper, so he immediately noticed the sound, faint and almost inaudible though it was.

It was still completely dark in his and Killua's shared room, filtered moonlight streaming in through the full-length window off to the left, spilling out onto the wooden floor in silvery-white, translucent sheets. Despite the warm, humid air and the soft, pleasant, homey atmosphere that filled the room, Gon could tell right away that something was wrong.

Killua had kicked the bluish-purple blanket away from him and was tossing and turning in his sleep, beads of sweat collecting on his brow and rolling down his temples. His skin was a lot paler than normal, giving him a sickly appearance. Unsightly dark circles had formed beneath his eyes, which were scrunched shut so tightly he almost looked as if he were in physical pain. Though still fast asleep, his breath came in short, shallow gasps, as if he was having an extremely hard time pulling air into his lungs.

Hesitantly, Gon raised himself to a sitting position, eyes fixated on his beloved. He didn't know if it was appropriate to wake a sleeping person who was very obviously plagued by vivid, violent nightmares.

He hated seeing Killua in so much mental anguish, though. It pained Gon to see his Killua thrashing around on the bed, pale skin coated in a thin layer of sweat.

Should I wake him up? Or should I leave him alone? The Southern Prince wondered, tilting his head to one side, eyes glittering with unfettered concern. If I wake him up, he might panic. I'll have to reassure him that he's alright. But that certainly seems a lot better than just letting him suffer until the nightmare runs its course.

Mind thoroughly made up, Gon reached out and tentatively laid his hand on Killua's shoulder, preventing him from moving. "Killua. Killua, wake up."

Killua didn't react at first, making an absolutely heartbreaking sound in his throat that can only be described as a low, sorrowful keening. It was the most horrible sound Gon had ever heard in his life, mostly because it was full of more pain than he thought possible for any one human to bear.

Unable to take it anymore, he lightly shook Killua's shoulder. "Killua." he repeated, a little louder this time.

Suddenly Killua was wide-awake and sitting bolt upright, as fast as a loaded spring coil. A tiny, harsh scream tore from his lips, but he slapped one hand over his mouth before it could fully escape, cutting it off entirely. He doubled over, hyperventilating and trembling all over. His sapphire-blue eyes were wide and wild with a sort of animalistic panic.

Gon rushed to reassure him, pulling his shaking figure into his arms and murmuring soft reassurances to him. "It's okay, Killua. It's alright. You're safe, it's just us here. You're okay, nobody's hurting you. Whatever you were dreaming about isn't real. It's not happening. I've got you, Killua..."

Killua squirmed around a bit, unable to control his unease. But after a few painfully long moments had passed, he recognized Gon's voice and familiar, comforting scent and started to calm down a little.

"G-Gon..." he whimpered, turning and burying his face in the other's chest, burrowing into the soothing warmth he knew so well.

"I'm here. It's okay, shh." Gon carded his fingers through Killua's soft, snowy-white curls, which were a little damp from all the sweating he'd been doing. "Would you like to go downstairs and get some water? That might help settle your nerves a little bit."

Killua shook his head even as a choked sob broke out of his chest. "I-I can't move, I still... I still see it..." his voice was frantic and high-pitched with panic, almost nothing like his own. "The blood, a-and the... the broken plate... I d-didn't mean to break it, b-but... h-he was still so angry, and... it h-hurt so much I thought I was going to... g-going to die..."

Gon's heart tore a little. He tipped his chin forward, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Killua's head, lips brushing against fluffy curls of hair. "I'm so sorry, Killua, I wish I could've been there for you while all that was happening. But it's over now. You never have to go through that ever again. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you like that so long as I live. That's a promise." Gon began to hum a soft, pleasant tune, holding Killua to his chest and running a hand up and down his back, trying to comfort him.

Killua stifled another sob, nuzzling his face into the crook of Gon's neck, seeking out as much of his warmth as possible. Killua's chest ached dreadfully and his head was throbbing. Images of painful memories flashed through his mind like a record stuck on loop, replaying one of the numerous times he'd lain crying in a pool of his own blood, begging for the beating to stop. A couple warm, large tears spilled from the corners of his eyes, trickling down his face. He jumped a little when Gon gently wiped those tears away.

"I love you, Killua. You're so precious to me. I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?" Gon whispered, slowly rocking from side to side.

Suddenly, a horrible realization struck Killua. He gripped Gon's shirt so hard he heard the seams popping, knuckles whitening. "My siblings."

"What's that?" Gon asked, frowning a little.

"I just left them there. Alluka and Illumi and... and Kalluto... They're still with my parents."

"We leave in just a week and a half to go visit them, remember? It'll be alright. I'm sure they're fine."

"No. No, they aren't. I know how my father is, he'll probably take his anger with me out on them, and he can be so horrible sometimes..." Killua whimpered, tucking his head under Gon's chin and shuddering at the thought.

Gon shook his head sadly. "That's why we're going to go check on them. Try not to let it bother you so much. They're Zoldycks, I'm sure they can handle themselves. Besides, Illumi's looking out for them, and he's perhaps the most capable person I have ever met."

"But he tends to jump in the way and take the blame for things that are absolutely not his fault. Which means he's taken countless beatings before that should have fallen upon me or one of our other siblings. I doubt he's ever gonna stop doing that anytime soon." the snowy-haired boy winced as even more painful memories pushed themselves to the front of his mind. Memories in which he had no choice but to watch his older brother get beaten within an inch of his life for things that weren't even his fault. "We have to go back for them, Gon. I don't want to wait."

"I understand your concern, but we don't really have a choice in the matter regarding when we get to leave. If we were allowed to rearrange the time, I would go down there with you first thing in the morning. But it isn't possible. We just need to stick out this last couple weeks, alright?"

"A-Alright..."

They stayed like that for a little longer, holding each other tightly. Killua was curled into a little ball in Gon's lap, clinging to him so tightly his fingers were cramping painfully. His entire body ached, though he knew it was a remnant of his nightmare. He wasn't actually in pain, but his mind was still reeling from the violence of the dream he'd been awoken from, so he almost felt as if he were covered in bruises.

Gon kept lightly petting Killua's hair, playing with the soft strands and running them between his calloused, tan fingers. He would keep going as long as he had to, even if it meant staying up all night.

Finally, the tremors running through the Northern Prince's body stopped and he relaxed, exhaling softly.

"Come back to sleep." Gon flopped over onto his pillow, pulling Killua down on top of him.

Killua didn't hesitate to make himself comfortable, snuggling up against the other's chest and burying his face in the crook of Gon's neck. Gon smiled, winding his arms around the Zoldyck's narrow waist, holding him close. They fell asleep like that a few moments later, and somehow managed to stay like that all night long.

Several days later...

Killua couldn't help but perk up a little as the first breath of icy, thin mountain air hit him. It was just as cold and sharp as he remembered it being. He daintily stepped out of the carriage he and Gon had ridden in for the entire trip down to the Northern Kingdom, glancing around the familiar crystalline walls of the palace he had grown up in.

The walls around him were made entirely of white gold, shimmering in the bright torchlight scattered across the massive, dome-shaped room just inside the palace gates. Veins of translucent diamond ran through those walls in random, elegant patterns, curling in spirals and shooting across the ceiling like thin lightning bolts. The floor itself was composed of silver and marble bricks that clicked pleasantly under his feet as he moved.

There were a ton of people gathered in the large room, each of them dressed in appropriately thick, fluffy clothing to fend off the cold. They bustled to and fro, some of them caring for the horses and carriages, others simply wandering about, in no hurry to get wherever it was they were going. Each and every one of them had some sort of expensive jewlery on, making it obvious they were rich, noble people who had every right in the world to be clustered together inside the Crystal Palace itself, where the Zoldycks dwelled.

As Killua walked by, several people recognized him and dipped into low bows. Gon received much the same treatment, but he kept stopping to try and make friends with them instead of just ignoring them like Killua did.

The snowy-haired male paused once he reached the long corridor leading down to the throne room, turning around and watching as Gon scrambled to catch up with him.

"You're so slow, idiot." Killua declared, with a slight roll of his eyes.

"Sorry, Killua! It's so big and beautiful here that I can't resist the urge to just stare at everything!" Gon replied, grinning playfully. "Also, why's it so cold? I don't recall this place feeling like the inside of a glacier!"

"That's because you got used to it the last time you came here, then got un-used to it when we moved back to the Southern Kingdom together. It's much warmer there." Killua reasoned, looping his arm through Gon's and leading him down the corridor, which was wide enough for six grown men to walk shoulder-to-shoulder. The ceiling was so high it would make one dizzy to look up at it.

"We're going to see your parents first, I assume?" the Southern Prince asked, obviously shivering beneath the thick, fur-lined leather coat he wore.

"Yeah, of course. It's only proper, seeing as I don't live here or go by the same surname anymore." Killua replied, waving his free hand dismissively. He had been signing his name as Killua Freecss ever since his wedding day because it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside, just knowing that he belonged to Gon.

"Oh. That's a shame. Your parents scare me." Gon shivered a little harder, making Killua chuckle.

"Don't be dramatic. Now that I live elsewhere, they won't dare lay a finger on either of us. In fact, I'm sure they'll be happy to see me."

"Hmm. I guess."

The two continued down the long hall in silence, choosing instead to enjoy the sights and sounds around them rather than spoiling it all by talking. As they walked, Killua couldn't help but notice the knot of anxiety that had tied itself into his stomach. He wasn't afraid of his parents for his own sake. He was absolutely terrified of what they might have done to his brothers and sister while he was away, though. So far, he had seen no sign of his siblings.

He stopped upon reaching the massive silver double-doors. Two tall, beefy guards were stationed on either side, razor-sharp spears clenched in their right fists. They wore the standard sky-blue uniform those who worked at the palace were expected to wear, with gold spiral designs sewn into the shoulders. The moment they laid eyes on Killua, they dipped into respectful bows and pushed open the doors for him.

"Thank you." He murmured, as he slipped past them and into the throne room.

Contrary to the rest of the Crystal Palace, the throne room had veins of copper running through the walls rather than diamond. The left wall had been completely cut away and replaced with spotless glass, allowing unfiltered sunlight to pour in and spill all over the floor, giving the copper veins an eerie golden shine.

King Silva leaned forward on his throne, propping his chin up on his interlocked fingers. His sharply defined, aged face was set into a deep scowl, silvery-white hair gleaming in the natural light filling the room. His shimmering blue eyes lit up the moment he recognized his son.

"Killua. I was wondering when you'd arrive."

Killua dipped into a low bow before replying, "Hello, Father."

"Son!" Kikyo shrieked, jumping out of her throne and rushing across the room to pull Killua into a tight, protective hug. Her slick black hair was tied back in a messy bun and there were dark circles forming under her eyes, betraying just how exhausted she was. She was such a thin, spidery woman that it gave her a very unnatural appearance, but Killua immediately noticed that she was a lot more scrawny than usual. "I'm so happy to see you again! What have you been doing all this time?"

"A wide variety of things." Killua smiled, taking both of his mother's hands and cupping them between his own. "It's good to see you too, Okaasan."

"Come back here, woman." Silva rumbled, unclasping his hands and glaring at his wife. "As for Killua, I'm sure he only came here because he wants something from us. Isn't that right?" his icy gaze landed on Killua, who glared at him defiantly.

"The only thing I want is to know where my siblings are." he said, his tone level and firm. "I miss them more than anyone else present."

Kikyo flinched visibly as she scurried back to her position at her husband's side. The obvious passive-aggressive insult was not lost on her. The look of displeasure on her face was all too obvious as she sat down gracefully on her throne.

"I sent Alluka to the library earlier to help Kalluto study. Illumi's in his room." Silva replied, waving a hand dismissively.

"I'll be finding them now, excuse me." Killua bowed as quickly as possible before turning and rushing out of the room, Gon at his heels.

The Southern Prince had been content to stay silent throughout the entire tense reunion. Seeing as nobody spoke to him or even acknowledged his presence, he had figured it would be best to not say anything. He preferred it that way because he was so afraid of Killua's parents.

Once they had made it a good distance away from the throne room, Gon finally spoke. "Who are we gonna go find first?"

"Alluka and Kalluto. We're closer to the library." Killua replied, stiffly. "I'm disappointed, you know. I honestly hoped my father would be happy to see me."

"Sorry..." Gon murmured, grabbing the other's hand and squeezing softly. "Your siblings will be absolutely elated to see you again. I know that for a fact. Let's find them and not worry about anything else, okay?"

"Alright." Killua took a deep breath and paused for a moment to kiss Gon's cheek lovingly. "Thank you for doing this with me, by the way. You really could've stayed home if you wanted to. My plan was to find solid, concrete evidence that my siblings are being hurt and leave with them right away, which won't be a very hard task to accomplish. We won't be here for very long."

"I wouldn't let you go all by yourself no matter the circumstance, Killua. You shouldn't have to face your family alone." Gon smiled and caught Killua's soft lips on his own before continuing down the corridor.

Killua smiled and nodded, a warm blush creeping into his cheeks. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, my love."

The library was up a short, spiraling flight of stairs they had walked by earlier on their way into the throne room. It was a massive room with shelves stacked to the ceiling with various hardcover novels. At the front of the room, there were a few large, round white tables that were open to the public. Two familiar figures were seated across from each other at one of them, surrounded by open books and various papers.

"Alluka! Kalluto!" Killua called out, face lighting up as he made his way over to his siblings.

The two children lifted their heads at the sound of his voice. Alluka immediately jumped up and ran to her older brother, screaming, "Onii-chaaaaaaan!"

She slammed into Killua with such force he actually stumbled back a couple steps, but he laughed it off and threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Oh, it's wonderful to see you again, Alluka. Did you miss me?"

"So much! Where'd you go off to for so long, huh? It's been boring around here; I've had nobody to play with!" Alluka was practically bouncing up and down with excitement, clinging to Killua tightly. "I tried asking Father, but he slapped me across the face and told me to go play by myself."

"Did he?" Killua grimaced, a shadow passing over his face. That was more than enough evidence in and of itself to take his siblings back to the South with him. "That's awful. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

"That's okay, Onii-chan! You're here now!"

Kalluto had followed Alluka's lead, but he was walking extremely slowly with his head down, staring at the floor. Something was definitely wrong.

"Is Kalluto okay?" Killua gently nudged Alluka aside and knelt down in front of his little brother, cupping Kalluto's tiny face between his hands. "Are you alright, Kal? Did something happen?" the snowy-haired boy winced when he noticed the dark spot forming under Kalluto's right eye that was definitely the beginnings of a fresh bruise.

Kalluto sniffled and wiped his face with the back of his hand. It was obvious he'd been crying. "I-I'm fine. But Aniki..."

"Oh!" Alluka interjected, tugging at Killua's sleeve to get his attention. "He means that something really bad happened earlier. None of us know what it was exactly, but Aniki won't come out of his room now. All I know is that there was a bunch of blood splattered on the floor earlier, and Father kept telling Kalluto and I to go somewhere else. I think we weren't supposed to see the blood."

Killua's eyes widened. "I'm gonna go check on him, then. You two stay close to me, okay?"

Kalluto nodded and obediently slipped his hand into Killua's. Alluka took Killua's other hand, and they made their way toward the exit together. Once again, Gon had decided to hang back and let his beloved interact with his family without interruption, but he immediately noticed the concern on Killua's face.

"What's wrong?" Gon asked, following the three Zoldycks out of the library.

"Something happened to Illumi. I'm not sure what yet, but based off what Alluka told me, it isn't good. And Kalluto has fresh bruises." Killua replied, tersely. His shoulders were squared and his jaw was set in a grimly determined line. Even the way he was walking was extremely tense and urgent.

"I'm fine, Onii-chan." Kalluto mumbled, covering the bruise beneath his eye with his free hand. "It doesn't even hurt that much."

"You guys are gonna come stay with Gon and I for a little while, okay? I'm tired of our parents mistreating you." Killua shook his head sadly, eyes sparkling with a sort of anger Gon had never seen before. "We're gonna get Aniki and we're gonna leave. And we aren't gonna tell Mother and Father, because they'll try to stop us. Okay?"

"Sounds like fun!" Alluka beamed.

Kalluto just nodded and kept walking in silence, squeezing his older brother's hand in an attempt to reassure himself.

"We aren't gonna tell your parents we're taking them?" Gon's eyes widened slightly. Killua was already shaking his head before the Southern Prince had even finished his sentence.

"No. They deserve a little bit of a shock such as this after everything they've done."

"Oh. Okay." Gon said, a little hesitantly. He wasn't so sure about that decision, but he also didn't want to argue over something this important. "Let's get them all gathered up, then. I'll go make sure our carriage is ready to go." he turned right back around and started down the stairs.

From the top of the stairs, it was only a short distance to the room Killua used to share with Illumi. The snowy-haired boy couldn't help holding his breath as he located the right door and released Kalluto's hand so he could push it open, unsure of what would be waiting for him inside. He cautiously stepped into the room...

...and immediately jumped back, a startled gasp escaping his lips.

Alluka screamed.

There was blood everywhere, forming a dark, splotchy trail of crimson on the floor. Some of it had even splattered on the far-right wall, where an unconscious Illumi was lying in a pool of his own blood, unconscious.

To be continued...

A/N: Ah yes, it's only the first chapter of the sequel and I'm already whumping the hell out of Illumi. I feel terrible now, but if you read the description you knew this was coming. Hehe, sometimes the amount of character whumping I do makes me feel evil. I'm so excited to finally be writing the sequel, and I sincerely hope you're enjoying it so far!

Eyyy, thanks so much for reading! Please remember to leave a review on your way out, I'd love to hear what you think of this story so far! Love y'all, be safe and take care of yourselves!

-UltimatexAdmin