In the days that followed the auditions, Shion barely left his room. He attended meetings with Ichigan but avoided rehearsals. Always making up excuses for other work.

Deciding parts was the hardest meeting. He gave Viola to Nezumi. It was obvious he was the most qualified. The best fit for the role. Still, Shion could barely sit through five minutes of talking about it without wanting to curl up in a ball or change his mind. He wasn't sure which one. Luckily it was over quickly.

Sweet relief came a week later in the form of Rikiga calling Shion to the throne room, offering up the perfect distraction.

"I have an assignment for you, Shion." Rikiga said. "Starting tomorrow, your mother and I leave for the annual hunt, and I'm leaving you in charge as my Regent."

Shion's eyes widened, "Really?"

Rikiga frowned, "You can handle it…"

Shion nodded.

"Good." Rikiga sighed. "There is a messenger coming tomorrow night from the country with important news. I need you to be sure to get the message he's carrying. It is rather important."

Shion nodded, "All right, I'll be sure to intercept him."

Rikiga smiled, "Good."

Later that night, after Shion had wished his mother luck on her travels, Shion was heading back to his room.

He turned the corner and stumbled to a halt.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest was Nezumi.

Shion considered turning around.

Nezumi looked up, his cold steel eyes meeting Shion's and narrowing into slits.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he said without preamble.

Shion let out a full breath all at once. "What are you talking about?"

Nezumi straightened, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking at Shion straight on. "You've ducked rehearsals for a week now. You've been skipping dinner most nights. You're acting like you got dumped for the first time."

Shion's cheeks flamed. He balled his hands into fist and made a determined stomp towards his bedroom door.

"Well it's not as if it's any of your business," He grumbled, reaching for his door— planning to storm inside and slam it behind him.

Nezumi slid neatly between Shion and the door. His eyes baring down on Shion from inches in front of his own.

"What do you want from me, Shion?" Nezumi demanded.

Shion's eyes widened without his permission, and for a moment the two of them were standing inches from each other. Until Shion jerked and stumbled back, looking at the ground.

"What do you mean?" Shion asked. He felt like his energy was bleeding out of him as he stared at the floor. His body felt heavy and weak to him in the space of an instant.

"Don't be half hearted," Nezumi chided, "look me in the eyes when you talk."

Shion flinched.

Nezumi made a frustrated noise and reached out to grip Shion by the jaw and yank his face up until they were looking at each other.

Nezumi narrowed his eyes. "You're acting like a child."

Shion eyes snapped open and he shoved Nezumi off him, almost falling over backwards from the force. "Shut up! I don't want to hear that from you!"

"What do you want to hear, Shion?" Nezumi shouted,"I'm never going to be one of your little subjects who babies you for your favor!"

Shion shook his head, "I don't want you to!"

"Then what!" Nezumi's voice had gotten loud and rough. Shion could see the strain in his face as he fought to restrain something before he continued. "What is it you want, Shion?"

Shion stared at the dark haired boy in front of him, and as he did he could hear his own heart. It sounded so loud to him. He could feel it in his hands, making them shake.

He felt something inside himself stirring, violent and unsteady. He felt an impulse trying to force it's way into his veins and every muscle of his body only to fumble and end up ramming him in the stomach.

What did he want from Nezumi? His mind flashed to a dozen moments. Nezumi's laugh as he pulled drunk Shion over his shoulders. The feel of Nezumi's fingers against the sensitive scar on his cheek. Rolling over towards Nezumi's warmth in the middle of the night, and not even needing to open his eyes to know he was there. He heard Nezumi's voice in his ear as the light of birthday candles flickered in his eyes. The lilt of Nezumi's singing rippling through him like the wind. Soft musical words followed by the hot pressure of Nezumi's lips.

Shion jolted and shook his head.

Shion raised his eyes and caught a wide eyed look on Nezumi's face the moment before his expression seemed to slam shut before his eyes.

"Nezumi," Shion began before he could stop himself, "All I've ever wanted is to know you."

Nezumi jerked like Shion had slapped him, turning his face down so his hair hid his eyes.

"You're such an airhead. You don't even know what you're saying."

Shion felt a stoke of pain run through his chest like a shallow knife.

"I do know!" he started to protest.

Nezumi's hand snapped forward and grabbed him by the collar. Dragging him forward and off his feet until Shion was dangling from his grip and the two of them were almost touching noses.

"YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING!"

Nezumi dropped Shion all at once so he fell to his knees on the ground, wincing at the impact.

Nezumi stepped over him and stormed down the hallway and into his own room, slamming the door behind him.

Shion sat there, hands and knees against the cold floor. He waited there in silence for a long time. Until he finally dragged an arm across his eyes before shutting himself into his room.

Shion woke up early to see his mother and Rikiga off. He stood in front of the castle waving as they drove into the distance, forcing a smile for his mother as she shouted goodbye.

Shion got pulled into meetings with some of the royal court, after that. He listened so that he could report back to Rikiga, but Shion's mind was elsewhere.

Finally— after dinner was over— Shion found his way to the throne room, waiting for his father's message to arrive.

He had a book propped open on his lap. Hamlet. When Shion first chose it he worried it was masochistic, but instead it wound up rather soothing. Reading it transported him back. To a time when his was younger and all he had of Nezumi was memories and childish daydreams of running into him again someday.

Shion found it almost bitter now, thinking about how, back then, he had just wanted to see him. Nothing else.

How greedy he turned out to be.

Shion had started absent-mindedly thinking over the motives of the characters. The way Nezumi had taught him. When he heard a racket coming from the hallway.

Shion looked up just in time to see a castle guard come storming into the room with panicked eyes and a pale face. He dropped to one knee at the foot of the throne, bowing his head quickly before he spoke.

"My Lord Regent, there has been a terrible incident,"

"What's happened?" Shion demanded, straightening up and furrowing his brow.

The knight looked up with mournful expression.

"The knights who were guarding the castle walls spotted something from their posts earlier. Upon further inspection we discovered it to be the body of a messenger bound for the castle. He is currently unconscious. He got attacked and robbed."

"What?" Shion rose to his feet, "Did anyone see who did this?"

"No, Lord Regent, I'm afraid we arrived after the fact."

"And his message?"

"Stolen my lord."

Shion felt his stomach drop. "Do you know where the message was coming from?"

"There is evidence that the message was from a prison in the county side, my lord."

Shion's eyes widened, "A prison?"

He sank down in the throne holding his head.

"Is the messenger's health stable?" Shion asked after a moment of breathing. The knight seemed surprised by the question.

"Yes, my lord."

"Inform me when he wakes then."

"Yes, my lord."

The knight left.

"A prison?" Shion whispered, reaching down to clutch his stomach. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Shion had almost no choice in attending rehearsal the next day. He'd dodged too many all ready and Ichigan had asked him to help with blocking and set assignments. Shion could not be less focused.

The night before the messenger had never woken. Shion had waited up past dawn for the chance to speak with him.

As it turned out, he had come from the prison. He said he didn't know what the message had said, but that he had thought it had to do with the transfer of prisoners.

When Shion asked him about his attacker all he could say was that they were wearing a gray cloak. They hid their face, and they were fast as a snake. He barely caught a glimpse of them before getting struck on the head and everything went black.

Since then Shion had nothing to do but worry. He sent knights out to patrol for witnesses, but it happened on an empty road and he didn't have high hopes they'd find anything. All he could think was that Rikiga would surely banish him now.

The only decent idea he had was to send knights to the prison and report to them of the lost message. Hopefully they could do something useful with the information, but there was no telling for sure what would become of it. The thief could sell the information, or may be planning a prison break.

The not knowing was driving Shion insane.

"Are you all right?"

Shion looked up to find Ichigan standing over him. He blinked in confusion for a moment, glancing at the stage. He noticed they had reached the second act.

Shion looked back, "Of course, thank you. Do you think the rehearsal is going well?"

Ichigan frowned "Well, not particularly, since our lead is missing."

Shion's eyes widened in shock and he glanced around the room. Nezumi was nowhere in sight.

"Where is he?" Shion asked in surprise, and Ichigan gave him an indigent look.

"Locked himself in his room. Something about being in quarantine. I think he's just playing diva over having the stomach flu or something. Actors are all drama queens…"

Shion had stopped listening. An unnamed panic had bloomed in his chest. Was Nezumi just being dramatic or was something wrong? Shion only allowed himself to fret for a moment before shoving the thought away.

He didn't have room to worry about anything else. If Nezumi wanted his help he could have asked. Shion needed to focus. Nezumi probably wanted nothing to do with him anyway.

Shion skipped dinner again. He spent the time with the knights who had gone looking for witnesses. He ended up disappointed when he heard they hadn't found anything.

"It was completely clean," one of them reported. "Who ever did this, they knew what they were doing."

Shion felt sick, sick and worn. He was certain now the attacker wanted more than money. They were dangerous, and this wouldn't be the end of what they were willing to do. The idea made Shion dizzy.

That night when it was time for bed all he could think was that he only had one hope left. The knights he sent to the prison. If they got there soon enough, maybe it would prevent further disaster. He tried to let that comfort him as he struggled to fall asleep. He was just about to give up, and read instead, when there was a knock at his door.

Shion rose and pulled on a dressing robe, pulling open the door while still shrugging it on.

On the other side was a knight.

He bowed, "My lord."

"What is it?" Shion asked, made nervous by his grave expression. "Has something else happened?"

The knight frowned, "I'm afraid so,"

Shion's stomach lurched. "Tell me."

"The three knights you sent," The man began, looking pale and maybe a little green. "We just received word. Their bodies surfaced in a river a few hours ago."

For a moment, the entire world swayed.

Shion caught the edge of the door just in time to stop himself from falling over.

No

"My lord?" The knight looked stricken, "Are you all right?"

Shion closed his eyes, trying to force back nausea.

"Were they…?"

"Attacked on their way to the prison, My lord," The knight said mournfully. "They never made it there. Someone was clearly trying to stop them from warning the prison."

Shion's head was starting to ache. "I understand. Thank you for telling me. If you could, please send a message to their families explaining what happened. Be sure to tell them—," Shion choked.

Tell them what?

"I understand, My Lord," the knight looked sympathetic. "I'll take care of it." with that he bowed again and returned back down the hall.

As soon as his footsteps disappeared into the distance, Shion collapsed on the floor, holding this head in his hands.

He didn't know how long he sat there, only that it wasn't enough time for the world to steady around him.

Then, he heard a loud thud.

Shion looked up in confusion. For a moment, he thought someone would be standing in the hallway when he looked up. Then he realized the sound had come from Nezumi's room.

All thoughts flew out of his head but one.

Nezumi

Shion scrambled to his feet and ran for the door to Nezumi's room. He tried the handle but it wouldn't open.

"Nezumi!" Shion shouted, "Nezumi, are you all right?"

There wasn't any answer.

Shion panicked. He was about to try to break down the door when he remembered he had a key to this room. He ran to his room and dug it out of his dresser before hurrying back and fiddling open the door.

When he swung it open, a few things made themselves known all at once.

First, the room was dark. Not a single light beside the moon.

Second, The window was open, and cool night air was flooding in, blowing the drapes wide, like dancing ghosts.

Third, Nezumi was there, collapsed and lying on the ground like he'd fallen there, directly below the open window.

Last, Nezumi was wearing a gray cloak. Covered in blood.

Shion stared– for a moment suspended. Nothing touched him. Not thought, or feeling, or time. He existed between moments, staring at everything before him without any of it catching up to him.

Then, it hit him all at once.

"Nezumi…" Shion whispered.

The boy on the ground stirred, rolling to look up at him.

His eyes were hazy. All the light had gone out of them.

"You…" Nezumi spoke in a strained, choking voice, "You weren't supposed to see this."

Shion's eyes widened.

No

"Nezumi," Shion whispered, "It…. was you?"

Nezumi slumped against the ground. He was clutching at his arm. There was a bandage wrapped around it, soaked in red.

"I'm sorry, Shion." Nezumi whispered, and then his eyes slipped closed, and he lay still against the ground.

Once again, Shion's thoughts seemed to leave his mind.

All except one.

"You're—- hurt—-," Shion choked in surprise. "Do you—- need help?"

The dark haired boy's eye widened in surprise, like those words were the absolute last thing he'd expected.

"Nezumi," Shion whispered, closing his eyes. "You've hurt yourself again,"

Shion stepped forward shakily, and hoisted Nezumi, gentle as possible, onto his shoulders. Carrying him into his room.

Nezumi woke up to the weak, struggling light of an almost dawn coming through the window. Every part of him hurt, but somehow he was so comfortable. He sighed.

He turned his head, and he caught sight of white hair on the pillow beside him.

Yes, he thought, I remember this. I've been here before. I dreamed of this everyday when I was still a child. This was the moment… things changed.

For a while Nezumi just closed his eyes. He let himself drift in this moment, of lying injured in a bed next to Shion, and knowing any moment he would have to leave him.

A bitter sweet memory. Just like always.

It took Nezumi a long minute before he started to put together that something was wrong.

He opened his eyes.

His pain was wrong. The sharp septic ache wasn't coming from his back– like it should have been. It came from his arm– and the bed surrounding him seemed too crowded— like himself and the boy next to him took up too much room.

He wasn't a kid anymore.

Nezumi sat up.

"AH!" he shouted without meaning to, his arm stabbing as he tried to move, causing him to fall back against the bed with a breath through his teeth.

There was a grumble from the boy beside him, and Shion shifted.

Nezumi felt the need to hold his breath.

"Hmm?" Shion muttered, "Nezumi? What are you doing? Don't open your wound again, or you're going to bleed out this time."

Nezumi stared at him.

"Shion?"

The white haired boy rubbed his eyes. They had dark circles under them, and he looked pale and thin— even more than usual.

Nezumi noticed it all sharply. He felt like it'd been so long since he'd seen him.

Shion stretched his arms. "Still so early." he whined.

"Shion," Nezumi repeated, louder this time, and the white haired boy finally turned to look at him, his red eyes wide and curious.

"What is it?" he asked, "Is your wound open again?"

Nezumi blinked.

"What?" Shion seemed to be finding his awareness and suddenly looked worried. "Is everything all right?"

Nezumi coughed like someone hit him in the chest.

"Is this a dream?" The dark haired boy demanded, looking down at himself. He was wearing parts of his clothing from the night before. Minus his shirt sleeve, and everything besides his shirt and pants. "What happened last night?"

Shion looked at Nezumi for a long moment.

Finally he turned his head.

"I think you ought to answer that." Shion replied, seeming unable to look at Nezumi while he said it.

Nezumi had a flash of memory then.

Climbing in his window around the excruciating pain of his arm. Falling on the floor with a thud. Shion's voice calling out to him from somewhere, but being so dizzy with blood-loss he could hardly tell if it was real. Then, looking up and seeing Shion in his open doorway, staring at him with this look like he couldn't breath. Then everything faded to black.

"Oh," Nezumi looked down with a jerk of his head, his hair falling over his eyes. "So you know then."

"You were the one who attacked the messenger," Shion said in a voice that didn't hold any air. "You killed the knights I sent to the prison. That's how you got hurt, isn't it? Not all that blood on your cloak could have been yours."

Nezumi closed his eyes.

"You're right," he said, when he could find the words. "I did all those things."

Shion flinched, and Nezumi felt it like a jab. For a long time neither of them spoke.

Finally Shion asked.

"Why?"

Nezumi sighed.

"Shion," he whispered, "Do you remember what I told you when we were kids? About where I came from?"

Shion's head snapped up, like that was the last thing he was expecting to hear.

"You mean… about the wild tribes?"

Nezumi nodded his head.

"Do you know what happened to most of the citizens who didn't get away during the war?"

Shion was silent.

"A prison transfer," he said a while later, in an almost reverent voice. "War prisoners…"

"Shion," Nezumi said, "There's something I should have said to you from the start. I'm not here to try to live like a citizen in this kingdom. I'm here to avenge the things that it's done. That is my top priority."

Shion gripped his head in his hands. The boy began to tremble.

For a moment Nezumi thought Shion was angry with him, but then… he started to cry.

"You must hate me!" Shion screamed, shaking his head back and forth in his hands. "You have to… why didn't I see it?"

Nezumi jolted, "What? Shion, no—,"

Shion let out a sob.

"Shion!" Nezumi raised his voice, "Get a hold of yourself, Shion! I don't hate you!"

"Then why?" Shion turned bright red eyes on Nezumi, causing the dark haired boy to shift back against the pillows in surprise. "Why didn't you just come to me for help? The message was coming to me! Why did you hurt all those people unless you wanted nothing to do with me?"

"Because I didn't want you involved in this!" Nezumi snapped, "This is my revenge! This has been my choice ever since you were just a boy I'd probably never see again. I never meant to involve you."

Shion stared, his eyes still watery. "But I could help you!"

"You shouldn't!" Nezumi's voice was cutting. "Shion this is treason—,"

"It doesn't have to be!" Shion pleaded, "We could do this the right way, I'm the prince—,"

Nezumi scoffed, "There is no right way, Shion. This is a war. Payment for sins in blood. It will never be pretty."

Shion shook his head, "There could be another way—,"

"Enough!" Nezumi interrupted him, turning his head away.

Shion stopped, his mouth poised open for a moment before it closed.

More silence, until Nezumi finally asked, "So how long do I have?"

Shion raised his head, "What?"

"Before you turn me over." Nezumi said. "I'm a criminal, aren't I?"

Shion's eyes widened.

Nezumi balled his hands into fist, "It's funny. The second I realized we were staying here, I knew it had turned the two of us into enemies. The only thing that stopped it this long was ignorance."

"You didn't have to choose yet," Nezumi sighed, "you didn't know you ever would. That saved us. Until now."

Shion looked down until his hair fell over his face.

"But it is a choice, isn't it?"

Nezumi looked at him. "What?"

Shion raised his head, "I can choose you."

Nezumi's lips parted, his eyes were wide, but no words left his mouth for a moment. Then finally his eyes narrowed.

"There is nothing for you in a choice like that Shion." Nezumi warned, looking like he was considering smacking Shion on the head. "You can't stand and watch this place burn with me. You've never had that in you."

Shion felt a jolt go through him from his toes to his hair at the image that appeared in his head.

Him and Nezumi standing alone on a hill, staring down and the castle and the countryside burning below them. So bright it turned the night sky black– no stars visible at all.

Shion shook his head to clear it.

"There could be another way—,"

"There is no other way!" Nezumi snapped.

Shion raised his eyes to Nezumi's face and saw he was gritting his teeth.

"You don't get to choose what's at the end of the path, Shion. You just choose to walk one way or the other. I am your enemy or this place is. That's it."

Shion stared at Nezumi's face. His jaw was a tight line under his skin, and his blade colored eyes gleamed with a feverish light.

There was something wild about it, like watching a force of nature. Shion swallowed.

"Well," said Shion, "We're just going to have to see then."

Nezumi blinked, "What?"

"I'm not going to turn you in," Shion said, and smiled. "No one is going to know what I know about the messenger."

Nezumi glared, "Oh, yeah? How's that? I'm not going to stop trying. Are you just going to take the heat for whatever happens?"

Shion shrugged, "I'll handle it. Whatever happens. That is my choice."

Nezumi scoffed, "You're insane."

Shion raised steady eyes. "I'm resolved."

Nezumi jerk his head around to look at him.

Shion smiled. "Maybe their are more paths to choose from then you think, Nezumi." he said.

Nezumi's eyes thinned and he looked down. "You're such a naive brat."

Shion laughed and earned himself a glare.

"Maybe you're right," he agreed, "but this is what I can live with."

Nezumi snorted at that. "I hope you don't think I'm indebted to you now."

Shion smiled, "Of course not. Protecting you was my choice."

"Protecting me?" Nezumi protested, looking horrified. "You are not protecting me."

Shion blinked. "Then what would you call it?"

Nezumi glared.

"We'll make a deal." Nezumi said. "In exchange for not turning me in you can ask one favor. Bargaining is a method I may have had to resort to at some point anyway."

Shion tilted his head. "You want to do me a favor?"

"It's payment," Nezumi scowled.

Shion tried not to smile, he thought it might make Nezumi more angry. "All right. Then you can continue my acting lessons."

Nezumi sort of choked. "What?"

"Every night I don't turn you in, you teach me to act," Shion said. He was unable to stop beaming. "That way you'll be helping me with my plans too. That's fair, isn't it?"

"Every night?" Nezumi repeated, and then sighed. "How much time do you think I have?"

Shion laughed, "I can be a little flexible if I need to be, do we have a deal?"

Nezumi let out a heavy breath, running his hand over his face. "Good god, you really are an air head."

Shion rolled his eyes and held out his hand toward Nezumi's good arm. "Is it a deal or not?"

Nezumi looked at him.

For a moment the pressure in the room seem to change with the way Nezumi looked at him. Red eyes to silver.

Nezumi took Shion's hand.

"Fine. You have yourself a deal."