Disclaimer: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh or any of its characters

Claimer: I, chop4tess, own this story, its plot and any and all original characters

Welcome to chapter four, where things start to get heated! (I hope)

Chapter 4: floating

Ryan wasn't sure how he felt at that moment. It was sort of like, floating. Yeah, floating. He couldn't feel any of his limbs, but that didn't matter. He was weightless, floating in a dark space which was nowhere and everywhere. It was complicated but as soon as he tried to figure it out he was overcome with an 'it doesn't matter' feeling. And it didn't matter, nothing mattered. He couldn't remember who he was or what his name was. Family? Did he have family? Nah, doesn't matter, who cares. Ryan couldn't see or hear anything but he wasn't afraid. He had never been so relaxed in all his life. It was like being in a deep dreamless sleep. Yeah, he was asleep and floating. Did it matter anyway? No, it doesn't matter.

The doctor glanced at a monitor and smiling turned to the man standing behind her glad to give him good news.

"He's stable and completely submerged. Nothing will wake him unless we order it from the computer." David glanced at the female doctor then turned his gaze to the prince of demons. Ryan was naked except for a black sheet wrapped around his waist and was inside a long cylinder like object filled with water. Several straps held the young boy in place while IVs fed into his bloodstream and other wires coated in plastic measured his breathing and heart rate. A water-proof oxygen mask was strapped to his face giving him oxygen mixed with a special chemical which was inducing his dream-like state.

"So we can go ahead with the testing then?"

"Yes sir, he won't feel a thing and it will do him no harm."

"Start, and doctor," David narrowed his hazel eyes at the doctor making his scar seem bigger and deeper, "I want to give the lord good news. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes sir, of c-course." Doctor stammered and hurried away. She knew that if she messed this up her life would be in forfeit.

:-:

'The kingdom is below us, we should land before they see us coming.'

"I agree, but we will need you to help us escape." Elvira ran her eyes over the land, already looking for a good place to camp.

'Ok, when you go in I will come as close as I can and wait for you there. Grab some horses and gallop to me. I can carry all three of you for a short time.'

"For how long?" Alviss asked annoyed that Sliver couldn't carry them all the way back home.

'Far enough to give you three a very good head start. No land animal can outrun a dragon.'

"It's not land animal's I'm worried about." Alviss muttered, but Sliver didn't hear him over the wind. Alviss and Elvira clung on tight as Sliver dived towards the ground. After finding a decent hill that would hide them from any humans Sliver landed and Alviss jumped off, glad to be on solid land again.

"Right, I'm going in first. Alviss wait here with Sliver."

"No way I want to go too!"

"Alviss you sound like a 5 year-old child. I'm human; no one will pay me any attention. I'll get some clothes for us and a disguise for you." Before Alviss could think of a come back, Elvira had vanished.

'Trust her Alviss; she also wants to find your missing friend.'

"Why did you say you would help us Sliver?" Alviss suddenly asked.

'Do you not trust me either?'

"I do trust you, but I still wonder."

'Then you are wise. Like I said before, I want to live at the palace, in the soft green grass without worrying a hunter will kill me like they killed my family.'

"Are, are you an orphan?"

'Yes, human's killed my family.'

"I'm also an orphan as is Elvira. I don't know what happened to her family but my father was killed by an assassin and my mother died from illness."

'Sad how fate sees fit to punish some of us so hard.'

"Did the human who killed your family come from here?" Sliver started and Alviss grinned. "You can't hide your true reason from coming here from me."

'Indeed, yes the human was from here. He would be about 40-ish in human years I think. I remember cutting his left cheek but other than that I can't remember what he looks like. I will be happy to sink my teeth into him and tear him to pieces for what he did though mark my words.'

"I know how you feel; I also wish to cut the ones who took Ryan to pieces. How could they do it? Ryan never hurt anybody."

'Maybe when we find them, we should ask.' Sliver's eyes shone and Alviss grinned.

"Yes, maybe we should."

:-:

"Dad!" A young boy's voice called and Wolfram raised his head to see 6 year old Ryan running towards him looking very pleased with himself.

"Ryan, is everything ok?"

"Yeah guess what dad, guess what!"

"What?" Wolfram smiled as Ryan jumped up and down with excitement.

"Papa said that I could go riding with him this afternoon!"

"Oh did he now?"

"Yeah he did isn't that cool!" Ryan beamed at Wolfram who laughed and ruffled his son's hair.

"Your father spoils you." Ryan giggled then went serious.

"Dad…."

"Hmm?"

"I was talking with Honey today, she was talking 'bout babies."

"Oh?" Wolfram raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, um, she said that babies come from mothers. Like, girls. But she didn't say were from in girls."

"Oh, err, and?" Oh god he can't be asking me where babies come from already can he? Wolfram panicked.

"Well I was wondering…..both you and papa are guys. How did you have me?" Wolfram almost gasped in relief.

"Well Ryan that's a bit complicated son, I gave birth to you like a girl would because I'm a pure blood demon. You could have children too, since your pure blood, if your partner was a male demon."

"Hmm I don't think I want to marry a guy dad." Ryan screwed his face up and Wolfram laughed.

"You can marry whoever you like Ryan, male or female."

"Will I ever have a brother or sister dad?"

"Maybe one day Ryan, one day." Wolfram smiled and they heard Ryan's tutor calling for him. "You're as bad as your father Ryan, go back to work!" Wolfram grinned as Ryan pouted.

"But…."

"No buts young man; if you ever want to be king you need an education. Off with you now." Wolfram shook his head smiling as Ryan sighed but skipped to his tutor who took his hand and led him back to class. A younger brother or sister huh?

Wolfram awoke with a jump. He glanced around and saw the dim light behind the curtains and guessed that it must be late evening. An unfinished meal sat on the bedside table but Wolfram had lost his appetite. The dream had felt so real, the cool breeze, the soft grass and the smell of summer. With Ryan's high pitched voice and cute smile with his big green eyes. Wolfram closed his eyes and sat up. I miss him so much, but how can I tell Yuri about…Wolfram put his hand over his stomach. He couldn't tell Yuri, not now when so much had happened. They still hadn't gotten over losing Ryan and Wolfram wondered if they ever would.

As their first blood child Ryan had been doted on and spoiled. He turned out pretty good though. He was kind and thought of others before himself, even if he did always run off with his friends instead of practising. Wolfram smiled sadly when he thought of Alviss and Elvira. They had vanished off the face of the planet much like Ryan had. They however, had left by choice to find their missing best friend. Yuri had told him that some soldiers had been sent out to find them. The country was no place for children.

Yet Wolfram was sure that if anyone could find his boy then it was his best friends. Alviss and Ryan had been friends since the age of 6 and Elvira at 8. The troublesome trio everybody called them. Always getting into trouble and mischief they had the spark of life and adventure about them. Wolfram used to love watching them play together when they were younger. He had noticed how Alviss acted slightly differently towards Ryan as he got older. A year ahead of Ryan, Alviss seemed to mature faster than most boys and Wolfram had often wondered if there was more between him and his son than just friendship. Ryan was as clueless as his father in the terms of love though. He wouldn't know someone had a crush on him if it hit him in the face.

The door opened with a small creak and Wolfram glanced up to see Yuri trying to sneak into the room without waking him. He smiled sadly and shook his head.

"I'm awake Yuri."

"Oh, Wolf." Yuri walked up to the bed and sat down next to him. Wolfram saw him give the nearly-full plate a glance.

"Are you not hungry again?"

"No, not really."

"Wolfram you need to eat, starving yourself won't help Ryan will it?" Wolfram flinched at Ryan's name and Yuri sighed and hugged him. "I know how hard it is for you Wolfram; I'm doing everything I can to bring him back you know."

"Yes I know but…."

"But?" Yuri pulled back to look Wolfram in the eyes but Wolfram looked away. "Wolf, something's bothering you isn't it? Besides Ryan I mean. Please tell me, we are married aren't we?"

"Oh Yuri I…don't know how to tell you. You might hate me." Wolfram broke down into tears and Yuri sighed and held him close.

"I could never hate you Wolf, never. Please tell me what's wrong."

"I-I think I'm…."

"Think you're what?" Yuri prompted gently.

"I think I might be pregnant again."

:-:

There was a flash of pain which just registered in Ryan's foggy brain but he didn't think about it. It didn't matter really, pain was pain. It quickly faded and Ryan soon forgot all about it. He was still floating in that black space. He wasn't cold or hot, thirsty or hungry. It was almost as if he didn't exist anymore. That thought didn't fill him with fear however; it was accepted and pushed to one side as if it was never there, like all his thoughts.

"Ryan."

"Huh?" A voice calling a name; was it his name? He couldn't remember his name or anything really.

"Ryan." There it was again. It sounded male, and…sad, really sad. Ryan felt sad because the voice was sad. He didn't want the voice to be sad. "Ryan, wake up." Wake up? Why should he wake up? He liked the floating and darkness, it felt good. He didn't want to leave its safety. "Ryan, wake up. Find the light." What light did he have to find? It sounded important though, maybe he should wake up; find this light the voice mentioned.

The doctor cursed as she pounded instructions into the computer glancing at the screen in frustration. This can't be happening; the boy can't be waking up! She checked the dosage of chemical and shook her head. It was enough to put a grown man out for the count how could this skinny boy fight it?

"What's happening?" The doctor looked around and saw the last person she wanted to see at this time.

"Sir the boy is trying to wake up. We can not do the tests if he is awake." David eyed her for a moment before glancing at the computer screen.

"The dosage is high."

"Yes sir, I can't go above that amount. It may kill him."

"Indeed." David rubbed his chin.

"Sir, what do you wish?"

"I wanted this to happen."

"What?"

"Yes, it shows that I was right. He has the power, its pulling him awake because it knows what we're doing." As he spoke a soft blue light surrounded Ryan as if to protect him from the cruel straps and needles stuck to his skin. Many of the doctors murmured in shock and surprise and the female doctor gasped.

"What is that light?"

"That light is just what we want. Stop the tests, go straight to stage two." The doctor's hurried to comply and David smirked as Ryan's eyes opened slightly. His once green orbs were now a bright blue. Yes, this boy has the power of the white tiger alright. Wait till the lord hears this! I'll get promoted for sure. I can't wait to see the look on the demon king's face when we use his own son to kill him. Laughing David watched as Ryan's eyes once again slipped closed as the chemical drew him back into a dreamless sleep.

*End Chapter*

Oh dear, Ryan's in trouble. Review please!