Prologue

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word. Sister's gonna buy you a mockingbird. If that mockingbird don't sing, sister's gonna buy you a diamond ring."

"Isn't it: Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird, or diamond ring?" Atri pointed out. He was a very straight forward four year old. He looked elegant, but he had yet to quite act the part.

His sister tilted her head. She blinked, her long eyelashes following. Her eyes were the same, rich brown as Atri's and even if she was only three, it was easy to see she would be a rather becomingly beautiful, young woman. "But I'm his sister…"

Atri shrugged. He didn't really care about the words. He was just bored. Shrugging off the conversation, he merely went back to plucking the string to his toy bow. His father had told him that he had to wait until he was older before he could have a real bow and arrows to go with it. His mother didn't want him to have the weapons period, but she knew, within the future, she would not be able to keep his wish from him. Atri didn't know the age he'd have to be before he could receive a real one, but he was sure his parents had yet to settle on it and more than likely wouldn't until they handed them to him.

The girl, Eri, looked around. She was careful not to disturb her baby brother in her lap. "Where's Mama?"

"I think she just went out to milk the goat. Why?"

"Kazuki seems hamgry," Eri stated as a matter of fact.

"Hungry or hangry? He seems fussy." Atri teased her on how she said hungry.

"Hamgry," she repeated.

"Well, he shouldn't have to wait long. Mama should be back in just a min-" Atri was cut short as the wooden door swung open. Strange men came rushing into the small house. The two children screamed, not knowing what else to do.

Atri, seeing that men were advancing towards them, rushed forward and started to whack their legs with his bow. His father had taught him to not let strangers hurt them, and by the way they had attacked the door, they certainly did not seem like friendly strangers. One of the men effortlessly slammed the child into the wall, and Atri immediately blacked out. Eri was crying as she watched her older brother slump in unconsciousness. She hugged her badly brother closer, but only to feel him being ripped from her arms. One of the men put a cloth of sleep drugs to her face. Slowly, her world faded and grew dark.