Alfred sat on the balcony of his room overlooking the kingdom. Amerika sat in his lap purring as his ears were rubbed. It had been three days since the lady had been found and her killer hung for all to see. As always the king had asked for his attendance and yet again he refused. He would bear witness to a life he had caused to end. It was just who he was.

Yet, he was cursed with the sight of the past unlike his brother. His twin was blessed, the gift of foresight. He was able to change the events of the future, save lives. Alfred was cursed to watch helplessly as they played out. He was elder yes and happy to give everything for his brother. Matthew, his twin with wavy blonde hair with a single curl that stuck out, pale skin and the largest amethyst eyes in the world was gifted, not cursed. Unlike Alfred, he was a non-bearer.

He smiled slightly as he removed his white silk gloves, to protect him from making unwanted contact with anything that could trigger his curse. He ran his hand along the rail and was thrown into the past.

~/-*-\~

He stood on top of the railing his nine year old eyes looking out at the kingdom lit by the night lanterns. The cool breeze blowing his hair back as he looked to his brother who trembled beside him. "Al-Alfred I am fearful...what if we are discovered?" He looked at the black and blue mark on Alfred's face from a resent beating. Alfred had received it when he claimed that it was him who gave gold earrings to a starving woman with a child when in fact it had been Matthew. Had Alfred had the chance he would have done it anyway.

He smiled. "It matters not brother, for now we take wing! Freedom, just beyond the horizon!" his blue eyes lit up as he held his hand for his brother to take. "Together until our death."

His shy brother took his hand but shook his head. "Thou art a bearer Alfred; it is dangerous for you to be out without a guardian! Should you bear out of wedlock..." he couldn't finish. He felt his hand being squeezed and looked into his brother's calm face.

"Then my brother, I will love my child and never leave it, never sell it, never abandon it." He looked up into the moon's light and smiled softly. "I care not for titles nor honor of a marriage to a Noble nor Royal. I care for your life and if blessed with such a child or two." his voice was shaking with fear. How would he provide for it? The only option for such a bearer would be to become a whore. He smiled and held his brother close. "Let us take wing and fly to our freedom." with that they vanished.

~/-*-\~

His eyes were glazed with tears but none fell. The Holy Mother knew how much he missed his twin. More than he could ever truly know. For as long as he could remember they were together. Well, up until seven years ago. Seven years had it truly been that long? Seven years since he watched his brother vanish into the Dark Forest and toward freedom.

A smile crossed his lips. It was not long now before he would seek a lover. They were of marriage age after all. He would miss his brother's wedding. Miss seeing his children. Miss so much. It hurt. Knowing he would never see him again. He was okay with it though, as long as he was free in a place far away and in a kingdom where he could live comfortably. Knowing he was happy.

Alfred sipped his tea. His eyes scanning over the kingdom of corruption. The entire place was divided by three rings. The outer ring was made of surfs and peasants that worked the fields as hired whips crack above their heads from the nobles. Working hard to produce crops for harvest. The long hot days of summer spent weeding thousands of miles of cropping fields just for a lousy 5% of the overall harvest to divide among them all.

Pass through the second gate and there you find the merchants, craftsmen and soldiers. Living slightly comfortable lives as they sell to nobles and royals. Here there are heavy taxes that take their toll. Several of them get thrown into debtor's prison to work it off. Few ever come out without a wooden box.

The third gate is divided into two sub-rings. Within the first are Statesmen who run the outer walls and report to the king. They collect taxes, pay for goods and give opinions of the Kingdom. Alfred found these people to be fat fools with a n eerie want for virgins. He never liked traveling to that part of the Kingdom. Feeling that he was either going to be eaten or taken by force.

In the inner most ring is the palace which houses the nobles and royals. Nobles are sent to take care of foreign affairs and give contribute opinions to the king. They did little but spend money and throw large balls.

He hated them most. Being expected to dress presentable for a Bearer, mainly a tight fitting dress with a large slit up the side to his waist, and be wrapped around (literally) his master's arm. All their wanting eyes looking him over, dark with lust but fearful of the wrath of a sorcerer.

Finally the Royals, the overzealous buffoons that spend tax money on useless things such as whores, including bearers, and rare items of riches. The king was worse of all. Seventeen wives, three bearers, sixty-three children with four on the way, thirty-four grandchildren and two on the way. This was not counting his mistresses. Each of them spoiled and stuck up. All envious of his so called beauty. Compared him to flowers.

Alfred knew of flowers all too well. They bloom bright and beautiful, but just like his beauty, it will wither and die. What then? He will be tossed aside for another. Never to be loved again. He didn't want that. He didn't want to end up like the king's Bearer wives. No, he would rather there never be love in his life then have it and watch helplessly as it was ripped from him. He hugged his knees, pulling them close to his body. "Long has my heart been locked in a cave of ice. No man shall claim it, take it, or gain it." he whispered. "Forever shall my heart be cold and forever alone am I. A caged bird am I, with not a song to sing." No tears. Thy have dried long ago.

"Thou are saddened fair maiden?" The voice startled him and he looked up. There was a man crouching on the rail of the balcony dressed in tight fitting black attire. His head covered by a mask so that only his eyes were visible. A lovely dark brown. Across his back was a oddly thin bladed sword.

"Matter does it not. Thou art an assassin? I can tell by thy dressings and weapon upon thy back." He wasn't afraid and did not move. If he was meant to die by the man's hand he would have. Thus he had nothing to fear, at least he hoped.

"Yes, I am an assassin. Pray tell, why you fear me not?" he tilt his head to the side and his eyes seemed to be smiling at the question.

"If thy wished me to breath my last breath thy would have done so. Yet, I still draw-ith breath." He stood then only to have a blade to his neck. The man was quick. Yet, Alfred showed no fear of him. What had he to fear? Death was welcome to him.

"I can tell not if thou art wise or ignorant." A chuckle from the man in black as his eyes wandered down to the collar. He lifted it with his sword and examined it. "Ahhh, thou art a slave. No debt a slave of lust."

Alfred's eyes were cold now, eyeing him dangerously. "Slave yes but of lust nay!" he would say no more. He had never been so insulted before. The sword pressed harder against his neck.

"Pray forgive me fair maiden, no offence was intended. Thy beauty is overwhelming, tis hard to believe thou art pure." He withdrew the sword back to its sheath and hopped down to bow a full ninety degrees though his eyes remained on Alfred. "Long have I been to such a land and nay are there pure beauties such as thyself." he stood back up and reached in his pocket for something. "Pray take this token for my foolishness." he handed him a crystal lotus no larger than his palm. The lovely blue color matched his eyes so well. Yet, the beauty did not take it. He walked right past it and to his room. He laughed loudly. "A pure beauty with not an eye for riches. Such a strange land is this?"

Alfred turned to yell at the man but he was gone. Running to the balcony he looked around and found no trace of him, save the blue lotus he left on the railing. The blonde picked it up and it began to glow a bright blue. In the light, he saw eyes, large beautiful amethyst eyes. He threw it in on his bed as his heart raced. Was what he saw true? If so...then his brother was out there...looking for him.

He ran back to the balcony. "Thank you." he whispered as he ran back to the lotus to see his brother.

~/-*-\~

The man hopped from roof top to roof top, running like the wind making little noise as he headed for the end of the kingdom. His mind going over every detail of the strange maiden he had been ordered to give the lotus to. Something seemed familiar about him, yet what he may never know.

He moved quickly to dodge a throwing knife and armed himself. A small laugh and an embracive hug. "Worried was I of you, aru!" the other dressed in the same clothes but in red. His amber eyes scanning him up and down. "No more must you leave me like such! My heart can no take!" He hugged him once more.

"Yao-san, hurting are you to me!" he pushed away but smiled behind his mask. "Lovely was the maiden." he said as they walked into the Dark Forest. "Like sunrise his hair, sapphire his eyes, warm his smile."

"AIYA! Talk of these things not! He not of our clan his is, aru. Forbidden!" Yao warned as he stepped on a root to avoid the lightning sand. "Young still are you."

The other jumped over it and landed in a tree. "Yet of marriage age soon shall I be. A wife needed, sons beared." he helped Yao up and jumped to another tree. "Marry soon you will as well?"

"Marry soon you will, Kiku. Many find a wife there are." he threw a knife in a tree to use as support for their footing. "Marry soon I shall."

Kiku pulled his mask down and sipped some of the water. "Iie, marry him shall I." he smiled as Yao gave him a disapproving look.

"Not pleased would Bàba be. Not of our blood!" he warned as he followed his brother's lead.

The younger brother smiled. "Matter not it does. My wife shall he one day be."