For all intents and purposes in this fic Rem and Urie are both seventeen years old at this time. Even if they are the same age Urie is referred to as "the young prince" or simply as "young prince" because he was born ten minutes after Rem was.

Ritsuka is currently the same age she is in the beginning of the anime.

Please note that if you are Muslim or Christian then please stop reading at this point. Please I don't want you to get all pissie, find out where I live and go on a Jihad or a so called holy war against me, more than enough people have already died in this year alone.

Chapter four

The palace school room.

". . . in the year 628 of this countries' founding a time that would later come to be know as the Years of the Dark Twilight in this country, not unlike that written about Rome centuries before, a group of 10,00 followers led by the man known now only as the False Prophet, a madman who was the head of that hedonistic cult that we know know Muslims or un-Arabs were led into to the city and dared to storm the holy site at Meeca a place that was once the countries' capital and defaced the images of our divine gods and declared that the new religion would be what we know now today as Islamic, a false religion close to that of Christians who believe in only one god like them. They two feared magic and outlawed it and killed many of the true inhabitance of the land so swiftly leaving few unprepared and thereby forcing the rest to go into hiding, their magic still in its infant stage of life unlike that which is known today. After the madman's death it was hoped that the old ways would return but his fanatic ideals became stronger than ever despite the brave efforts of this lands ancestors. Their noble blood still circulating within the currents of the Red Sea for all time. It would remain that way it supposed for all time it would seem until the first true kings of this land, your ancestors, joined forces with the powerful sorceress and goddess-like..."

"Young prince, are you paying attention to any of this in the least?!"

For the life of him he wasn't and couldn't pay attention to all the droning happening on in front of him. Honestly, it was as if Holland loved to hear the sound of his own voice more then anything else. And besides the fact, he had heard it all before since the cradle and knew it all by heart anyway so now very quickly he found himself first staring at the clock on the wall and then to the window finding that it wasn't long before he found himself thinking back to that image of the pool when he had glimpsed those eyes he had seen with Rem the other day. Yes... those eyes he had seen along with his brother reflecting at him from across the water. The color of them so unique and yet so un-unique in their style.

He didn't understand why he was so interested to find the identity of the one who possessed them.

But he would know soon enough.

"Hmm?" Urie looked up at Hollands shrilly voice aimed down at him.

"Really now, of all times must you stare off into the sun during a lecture like this? As we speak the one who will became your other is learning this so your children can learn from her as well..." Holland sighed heavily before continuing. "And now once again your elder brother has to show you what he has learned while you stare out into the sun. Prince Rem?"

"Yes Holland."

"Please explain the events that unfolded in Rome Italy after its siege by the Goths as well as what happened to that of the Christians and Muslim uhh... religion to the two of us please."

"...The attack on Rome and the empire itself was powerful and deadly, the people in the city too overtaxed to care to even want to fight back, however it was pushed back by a small but powerful few who had yet to become fat and lazy off the their bloody games and sports, for they were former slaves that would one day become our ancestors as well as ones who secretly practiced magic that at the time was banned and used it to drive the invading arms off. Afterwards they attempted to revive the old glory to the city they had been enslaved by in some bizarre sense of blinded loyalty. However they were still few in number and try as they might the several million citizens who still remained within the city were too afraid of them and did not wish to be ruled by outsiders such as them, even though they did not resist the pillage of their city they had been so proud to be a part of. The lot of them were too fat and too simple minded now, still clinging to the glory that had been slowly evaporating from the city so long ago before their own eyes and other taxed beyond all sense allowing themselves to nearly be conquered by outsiders but not to be ruled by them. . ."

Rem paused in his words before continuing, a slight creese in his eyebrow, like he was trying to refocus on what he was saying.

"And so not long after that day our ancestors left the walled decaying city behind them to find again their own homeland for the one they had come from was had been burned to ashes and Rome fell to ruin. All thanks to a mad emperor who came into power and who moved the capital to Constaninople in the east decades before, leaving the old city all but defenseless thereby allowing the sacking that befell Rome. However not long afterwards that city too was captured by Vandals as well as its own people and left to rote to pillage and plunder to the last of its stone and rock. For a period of time afterwards Rome was ruled by Christians trying to set up a capital safe behind its walls and bring their beliefs to the countries that had been once ruled by Rome, attempting to halt any and all ideas that differ from their own. Calling for at least two mad holy-war called Crusades against the Muslims who had nearly destroyed our lands and our way of life. They attempted to halt the progress of the world to spread their own beliefs and ideals, inevitably loosing much technology in the progress during their short live middle ages. When they first began taking over what was left of Rome they stripped the temples of their gods and destroyed the images of their deities building their churches on top of their temples, outlawing any and all pagan traditions that they did not understand and halting progress. Like how the Muslims did with to our own ancestors. Fearing that their stupidity and love of war would lead to the end of the world the Sorceress Goddess eventually managed to form a contract with the Mongolian Empire who were once her people and together managed to break through their gates and along with the Sorceress Goddess' power combined with the might of the Mongolas and our unified countries in battle they drove them out of the lands they had conquered from the true inhabitancy whom were brought out of hiding by the Goddess and scatter them throughout the world. The sorceress Goddess then swept through the countries they controlled destroying their churches and teachings. All this happened during their their third Crusade where they were too busy fighting amongst themselves to notice what was going on elsewhere, and when they finally noticed it was far too late as her powers and captured along with the like of three of the Christians kings fighting amongst themselves as well as Saladan. Today there are few in number, their religion as well as that of Muslims outlawed and hated by all."

Rem drawled out the well known words as if it they were straight from the book itself, hardly a pause for breath. His voice sounding more than ever like he had swallowed the entire history-book whole. And yet there was a certain amount of distraction to him quite unlike how he usually was in these times.

"Well said my prince," Holland smiled benignly at the two in the room and looked up at the clock. "Oh dear is it that time already? I suppose it cannot be helped That is all for today."

The two princes nodded. Rem scooped his books up eyes moving towards the window where the garden courtyard could be seen frowning slightly before looking away and heading towards the door.

"My prince forgive me for saying this but... you seemed somewhat distracted today." Holland asked him as he was leaving books tucked under his arm careful to avoid the dagger tucked into his belt.

"I... It is.. nothing Holland," he said as Urie turned back to smirk at him.

Rem frowned, his mind's eye agin pushing his memory back to what he had seen in the garden. Why could he not get that image out of his head, he knew it had been a girl dressed in simple servant clothing from the kitchens.

A simple servant girl, nothing more nothing less another face in a crowd of plenty.

So why was he... so intent on finding out who she was?

"Is it the matter of the marriage proposal? Hollan asked suddenly. "Please my prince do not worry about it, the princess Shiki cannot be so bad as they say she is and may perhaps you and she may create a child that is as glories and as strong the goddess and hero of old! You as well young prince. Goodness the people will be happy to finally have a princess of the desert again."

Urie simply grimaced at that and Rem was certain he was thinking the same thing as he was before he left him in the room with only Holland.

. . .Why was he picturing a man with purple hair for that matter?

"My prince... Are you alright? You seem very unwell. . . Do you think prince Urie snuck any mushrooms into our food lately when the servants were not looking again!?"

A few corridors away Urie stopped by a tapestry depicting that of the Red Sea pulling back the curtain revealing when he did a hidden a blank wall beneath the fine turkish tapestry the wall slid open with just a wave of his hand, revealing when he did a set of platforms big enough to hold at least five people leading either leading to the top of the palace or the bottom and all areas in between. He slipped inside the large room carefully pulling the thick tapestry back so it would not flutter as the wall slowly slid itself shut the door behind him. He figured that he would make it a lot quicker this way he turned going to the right and down snapped his fingers and the single platform descended on their own the floor disappearing as he went lower. After a few minutes of this he simply stepped off to a solid ground and he looked around finding what he was searching for and moved closer to a seemingly blank wall. He placed his ear against the smooth seemingly thick surface and listened for any movement on the other side. Hearing no footsteps what so ever he placed his palm against the wall and it slowly slid open and he slipped within a deserted covered walkway leading towards the palace courtyard shielding his eyes from the bright light for a mere moment before going more openly out into the light.

As his vision cleared he looked around the hallway carefully, making sure no one was coming this way before he went fully into the bright hallway and the stone wall slid silently shut behind him and he made his way out into the palace courtyard. It would not do for a servant to go telling his father of his careless use of the secret stairways, no doubt father would soon be seeing red if he heard about his laziness.

"Come on Rem, this way!"

"Slow down Urie."

Soft childlike laughter rang through the marble halls of the palace an echo of an age long past and all but forgotten in the flowing river of time.

He still remembered that time long ago he and Rem had used this a lot when they were younger.

But lately Rem...

Urie sighed heavily as he walked amongst the flowers sitting by the edge of the pool and dipping his fingers into the water eyes trained towards the area where he had seen the half mysteriouse butterfly.

If he remember correctly she had been wearing clothing of the one who worked in the kitchens.

But why was she wearing what appeared to have been slave bracelets...?

He placed his hand on the stone closing his eyes concentrating, trying to see on the memory of the earth and stone.

"Escuse me... Sir what are you..."

Urie paused in his movement and turned to see a servant girl from the kitchens and smiled.

Perfect.

"Oh! Prince Urie! I am sorry. I did not recognize you for a moment! Please forgive me for distracting you!" Hurriedly she placed her left hand over her heart and bowed her head low.

"That is alright, sweet butterfly. Rather... I am very happy you came upon me." Sitting up from the low wall he approached her chuckling slightly at the bashful look on her face.

"Wh-what is it, my prince?"

"Can you come with me for a second my dear? There is something I need to ask of you..."

"My prince! ...I apologize but... I am... busy."

"It won't take long, dear butterfly." Urie smiled golden eyes fixed on the one before him glittering like yellow crystals in the morning light.

He watched him walk among the pool and flowers with the servant girl before disappearing into one of the many walkways, towards the direction of his room. Wolf like eyes narrowing angrily.

Yes I know this chapter is short.