His body was slender by nature; he was forced to endure jests about how he was good for nothing except being beneath a man with his feet in the air like a woman.

Because of that, he trained harder than Kirk, harder than any other wards of the Rose family. He had no other choice than that. If he didn't, he would be consumed by the black murky rage inside him, and in the end like a moth to a flame, burned to cinder. For his duty in the Rose family wasn't just limited to being Kirk's playmate; there were also the nightly visits from Chancellor Marve Rose, Kirk's father, and his guests. His Lady Wife and maids in the house couldn't appease the Chancellor's lust, for his lust was of different kind.

Thinking back on it didn't cause Soa to be swallowed up in a gulp by despair and mind numbing fear any more. He was trained better now. Now there only cold left in his being: a freezing kind of cold, a type of cold that cut off any other emotion, leaving him blissfully empty and clear-minded, not much different from a battlefield he once saw, all the blood, gore and carcasses were encased in ice in the aftermath as the snow fell.

Once upon a time, the snow had a different connotation for him. It served as a reminder for every dastardly deed ever done against him. In that place, people didn't wait until nightfall to conduct ill deeds but for that thick blanket of snow to fall.

From beneath the deep hood of his simple white travelling cloak, decorated with an intricate circular icy blue insignia, he gazed dispassionately at the steadily falling snow around him.

If those bastards could use the snow to cover up their crimes, why couldn't he, a victim, use it to cover up things that were done against him?

One good thing about traveling in the space-in-between was that he could travel in any condition he wanted with a simple spell. Travelling in a heavy snow fall suited him perfectly. Frost jerked his head as if to pull him from his contemplation and ask how much longer they had to travel. He lifted one white gloved hand from the reign and petted his travelling companion.

Frost was a sentient magical being that resided in the pocket of space and time that he created. It appeared after Soa had created this travelling landscape, took a liking to it and made it its home. Master Remae told him that it was an ice spirit, that it was probably attracted to the landscape. After he interacted with the spirit for a while, it understood that he was the creator of its home; it became attached to him; to the point that it manifested itself into his plane of existence and followed him everywhere. He had no choice but to master its power as his own; in the end, he gained a friend.

'More like a pet rather,' he mused. Thinking about Frost always brought a smile to his face. Then, in response to the creature's question: "A little bit further, Frost."

He heaved a sigh, thinking about his destination and a golden metallic key in his pocket with a knob in the shape of a sun.

Master Remae had decided that it was time for him to complete his training in order to earn his Master status. He was already a Master and beyond in power; it just a matter of name. Master Remae was someone he respected and loved with all his heart, so if this was something his master wanted him to do, so be it, no matter how distasteful, or how much he thought it was unnecessary.

He ran, his muscles contracted and propelled him into the air. With a snap of his body he landed, only to propel himself again into the air, this time with a twirl. Again he landed, but with more grace, body sliding in sensuous, undulating motions. With an arm out beckoning, he tilted his upper half back and turned his whole body into a ripple motion from head to toe.

"Master Sunlight." A Palace servant interrupted, head bowed, waiting patiently for Sunlight to take notice.

From his pose, Sunlight gracefully folded his body back and straightened. He ran his hands from his face to the back of his head. He nodded at the servant and smiled warmly.

"Your master due to arrive soon. I'm here to help you get ready."

With another nodded Sunlight gestured with his hand for the servant to lead. "Thank you, Soot."

"It's my pleasure to serve you, Master Sunlight."

As Sunlight went to the bathing room, he passed through the living room and the bedroom and saw the a small group of servants already moving about to put everything back to where it belonged and making sure that nothing was out of place. When he reached the bathroom there were already two servants running the bath, ready for him to step in. In matter of moments he was bathed, scented, and dressed. They headed to the living room where the all the cushions in the pit in the middle of the room were fluffed. The skylight which took up the whole ceiling was exposed with all the curtains pulled back from their panels, bathing the room in light. In front of the main door lay a cushion for him to wait on for his master to come. All the servants withdrew when everything was together, except two who remained on each side of him standing, waiting with him.

"Do you know if my new master will be staying for long?"

"Yes, I heard that he'll be staying here for a while," Soot answered.

"'He'?" Sunlight smiled.

"Yes, your master is male this time." Kale, the other servant answered.

Sunlight winced comically and sighed dramatically for effect, imitating a lady in distress, "Oh, I do hope he'll be gentle with me."

The other two servants laughed uneasily. The Palace being the accommodating place that it was, they supplied everything that was necessary for a romantic sensual experience or a rough and violent sexual one; candles with different scents and sizes, whips in big and small and varieties, harnesses, and so forth. The Palace trained a selective set of Keys that were willing participants in those areas; however, what the Master wanted, the Master would get. For a certain price, of course, but they'd get it. What the Keys wanted was considered irrelevant. In some cases, although interventions were taken, it was too late and the Palace always hesitated before taking any action; after all it housed an army of healers on par to none. All the Keys could do was to endure the.

"Come now, it's my body and I can joke about it, so why can't you?" Sunlight smiled beseechingly at them. They reluctantly smiled back.

"It was supposed to be funny." He heaved another dramatic sigh for their benefit.

Soot and Kale both chuckled. "Master Sunlight, at least we know now that you'll never make it as a comic act," Kale commented.

"Rubbish, I'm quite good. It's just that you two have no sense of humor."

Before they could answer him there came the sound of a key sliding into the lock, hushing them all. The servants bowed deeply from their waist while Sunlight knelt fully on the cushion his forehead touching the ground in submission.

They all felt it as the door opened, coldness wormed its way though their clothing and reached skin. They all remained still though, as they were taught to do. From their angles, the servants could see two pairs of boots enter the room. One of them was ornate and stylish, the other just simple white travelling boots. For some reason the servants were reluctant to move their gaze from them; realizing it, they quickly looked down.

"This will be the Key that serves you while you are here with us," the Steward said with his head respectfully bowed.

Soa scanned the suite, the servants and at last the Key on the floor. He took in the brightness of the room lightened up directly by the sun, closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the warm air of the room before releasing it slowly. He eyes moved back the kneeling Key.

"Stand up Key." With fluidity the body unfolded. The head remained down.

The Key appeared to be on the same height as Soa with defined, lithe muscles. His skin was smooth and golden. Naked from the waist up, the Key was dressed only in billowy pastel yellow pants that cinched tight to his ankles with what appeared to be layers of silk sash with bells on them. The pants hung low on his hips with another sash with more bells, holding it up. A tattoo of the sun and moon on his right forearm was the only body decoration on him, leaving golden skin to spans uninterrupted over muscles. It was his bowed face that drew Soa's attention to the fact that the Sunlight Key didn't have a single hair in sight.

'I wonder if he has any in his private area.' Soa mused silently.

His head although lacking any type hair, sported an earring in the left ear and tattoos on the back of his head.

"What is that tattoo?" Soa asked, gesturing to the Key's head.

"My lord, it's the mark that we put on the Keys here so they don't escape," the Steward explained, after the short pause he continued. "Does this Key displease you?"

"No." With a few steps Soa stood in front of the Key, with his fingertips he lifted his face up by the chin.

In front of him was Kirk.

Immediately he backed up. Despite of his fierce struggle on his control over his power, the glasses in the suite iced over. The others collapsed to their knees.

"What. Is. The. Meaning of this?" he grated out. His voice, although not raised, was full of thundering rage and menace.

"M…M…My lo …Lord. Yo.. Your master! Your master!" The Steward struggled futilely to get the words out, luckily he got out that much.

With a violent wave of his hand, a slab of ice appeared and the surface facing him blurred only to focus and presented Master Remae.

At Soa's demeanor, Master Remae only smiled.

"My dear boy, I'm afraid that this simply is a lesson you must learn, a test that you have to pass. There is no other way. And before you turn the entire Palace into an ice-cube, that Key is not who you think he is. I've discovered him quite by accident and combined it with what regrettably happened in the past, I believe this is a marvelous opportunity for you to heal."

Soa withdraw further in the folds of his cloak, his eyes adverted from his beloved Master, not wanting him to see what was now so transparent with in their depth. "Master… why?"

Master Remae doesn't need to look eye to eye with Soa to sense his pain, the loaded emotions in that single query was enough, "Look around you. Look!" Soa stiffly looked around at Master Remae's command. The whole room was now iced over as if they were inside of an ice block rather than a suite, the others lying unconscious on the ground, their body rapidly changing into an unhealthy color. Still, Soa couldn't bring himself to look upon the being that was wearing Kirk's face.

"Being a Master doesn't mean having the power, but rather the ability to control it. I cannot with clear conscience allow you into the world possessing such power that will do more harm than good!"

"But Master!"

"But nothing! As your Master I've never ordered you to do anything, yet this is the one thing that I feel compelled to do so." At this his master closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Never had he appeared to Soa to be so aged. His hair, its color faded into grey, was tied up high behind his head, and his face was carved into mercilessly by passage of time. Wizen face never appeared to be so wearied.

"My time here has drawn near its end. It is my greatest wish to see you grow into a man of virtue who utilizes your power for the good of those in need, and most of all…" that this his eyes opened again and captured Soa into a fixed stare, "who is happy. I want you to be happy." His face hardened and he turned his back to Soa. "If you refuse, don't bother coming back. You are not welcome." With that the slab of ice shattered.

Soa collapsed to the ground. His world in a blink of an eye had darkened. He wondered fleetingly if this is how puppet felt if their strings were cut. Numbly he grappled with his power and managed to turn it inward. He shuddered piteously on the floor from the backlash then dragged himself to the large window where the sun was shining the fullest into the room. He curled up in the corner and was glad as the murky blackness greeted him, he slept.

He didn't know what woke him up or how long he had slept. He breathed in the warm air and for a while he just sat there and breathed.

Then it came back to him. Kirk's face. Master Remae's back to him telling him that he's no longer welcome at his side. He held back the urge to whimper. His mind frantically reminded him that it was not the end, that all he had to do was…

He wailed internally that that might as well be, he would never able to do what the Master Remae wanted!

A rush of anger welled up from his Beast within. No mere human could cripple him like this! The Beast was the result from the first time he tried to morph into a tiger and the spell gone horribly wrong. Now he was stuck with the Beast that resided within him.

His eyes snapped open. He searched the room for his prey. He found him lying there amid the cushions in the middle of the room like nothing had happened. He even turned his back to him! The fool! Staring at all that naked golden skin and flesh and he felt hunger. His tongue quickly darted out and licked his lips unconsciously.

"You're awake aren't you?" Sunlight spoke, feeling intense gaze on him.

He sat up languidly and reached over to the white cloth in front of him. After fastening it securely around his head, covering his whole face except eyes, he turned.

And froze.

Soa's clothes were shredded by his body's sudden growth. His hands now were claws tipped and the backs were thinly covered by white fur with black stripes. Short, messy, silver-blond hair became a long fluffy white mane shot with black to his waist in layers. Along with his ears were a pair of delicate cat ears that swiveled to different directions to catch whatever sounds he seemed to hear. The elegant and beautiful face had somehow changed; it was still beautiful but feral. However, what caused Sunlight to freeze was none of those but the hypnotic predatory stare from now slitted pupils in the middle of blue-irised eyes. He felt very much like a piece of meat right now both euphemistically and literally. He shook and wondered fleetingly if Soa going to rape him raw then eat him alive or feast on his flesh and blood while sating his sexual appetite at the same time. Those claw-tipped fingers looked awfully capable of rending him to pieces.

And he thought that this was a break! His new Master's mentor contacted them while Soa was comatose and gave Sunlight an amulet to guard himself against being turned into an ice cube and commanded that Soa was to do as he pleased. Sunlight didn't have to serve Soa, and was to treat Soa as someone who was just happened to reside in the same room. Needless to say, Sunlight was overjoyed. Free to do as he pleased and a companion this lonely suite! That was more than he could ask for or expected to happen since he got his tattoo!

"I can call in some food if you are hungry."

Soa just grinned lazily in answer, "No need. Although I am…famished."

Sunlight tried to convince himself that Soa hadn't just said the last word with a smug relish. Of course the operative word was try.

"Why did you cover yourself up like that? I wish to see your face."

Sunlight's static brain managed to float a few comprehensive logics up to him to process and Sunlight didn't appreciate it at all. It was his face that caused Soa to flip in the first place. What guarantee was there that he wouldn't again, though by the look of him, he wouldn't painlessly lose consciousness like last time.

Again the image of Soa sating his hunger for carnal and nourishment appeared in Sunlight's mind. Bile came up and lodged in his throat and he was horrified to discover that his body responding was to the image.

'I bet some part of my brain still hasn't thawed.' Sunlight thought.

Soa with his heightened senses picked up on Sunlight's delicious fear and … desire. His lips stretched into a mockery of a smile, revealing sharp teeth in the process. He stood up with animal grace from his sprawling position on the floor.

"Why so silent? Don't you like talking to me?" Soa asked with false unhappiness.

Sunlight fear and desire began to climb as Soa sauntered slowly over to where Sunlight sat among the cushions. He circled around him and with trepidation, Sunlight held himself back from following him with his eyes. Any move might set Soa off and…

He jumped when he felt heat on his back. Those claw-tipped fingers were now clutching his shoulders. Sunlight trembled. His overloaded brain was unable to decipher whether it was in dread or anticipation. Soa couldn't resist the fleshy ears; he ran his tongue along one shell, dipped his tongue inside, took the ear and sucked on it. It was his turn to shudder.

Sunlight panted. He could feel the raspy tongue on his ear, and the sharp teeth that scraped erotically against his skin. They were both well aware that Soa could bite it off cleanly with a quick snap of his jaws; Sunlight bit on his tongue to keep from moaning. Soa drew back and placed light kisses on it.

"I'm hurt." Soa purred huskily into Sunlight's ear, lips still close enough so that they moved against him. Cool air brushed against his wet and sensitized body part. At this Sunlight threw his reservation to the wind.

Life in the Palace was like a light that burned bright in the dark, bewitching people into forgetting that it had burned many to dust for getting too close. And Sunlight and the others lived in it. He died a long time ago, only this empty body remained so that passing travellers could pass by and exploit it to their wishes. The taint of human perversion permeated his being, snuffing out all the things that he considered good and whole.

But this, this didn't feel dirty; primal was what this was. He felt like they were animals, wild, powerful, and free. So what if Soa decided to he was better as food? Life had no meaning anymore for him anyway, might as well help him sate his hunger. His tears soaked into the cloth that covered his face. One of Soa's hands left his shoulder and with an index finger, he traced his claw over Sunlight's skin. Desire burned away other emotion and he leaned back against the figure behind him and let the feeling sweep him away. That claw that traced oh so gently over his skin, yet could rip his skin to shreds in seconds but that knowledge only spurred him on. He tilted his back resting on Soa's shoulder and vocally expressed his feelings with groans of desire.

Soa smirked and let his other fingers join in, playing against Sunlight's chest, his nipples, gleeful as the muscles on his belly twitched at the contact. Soa used his other hand and slipped it under the cloth that covered Sunlight's face on the back of his head, with a curve of his finger he rip the cloth with ease. The fabric fell away. He let himself look into the face flushed with lust below. The more he looked, the more traces of Kirk fled, leaving an aroused young man with eyes filled with desperation. Soa wasn't arrogant enough to blind himself that all that desperation was for him. And because of that, he determined to make it so. With that thought in mind, he smirked and clasped one of Sunlight's hands in his. He read the marvel on Sunlight's face as his fingers in their clasped hands touched fur.

Their eyes broke contact as Sunlight felt those sharp claws no longer running rampant on his front move leisurely downward and followed them with his eyes. His breath hitched, and he shivered knowing what would most likely happen next. Soa raised their clasped hands and used to gently tilted Sunlight's face up again.

"Won't you talk to me?" Soa crooned. The pointed tips played within the space from his belly button to his sash but refused to go any lower.

Sunlight's face crinkled. "Please." He uttered breathlessly. Legs spread apart, hips moving enticingly.

"Un, but please what? I don't understand." Silver brows drew together in mock puzzlement.

Sunlight felt like his body is a furnace. He licked and teeth worried at his bottom lip. "Please touch me." Suddenly feeling embarrassed, Sunlight shift his eyes away.

"No, look at me. Good, touch you where?" Soa smirked wickedly, exposing a fang before grabbing the bulge that appeared beneath Sunlight's sash. Sunlight hissed.

"Here?" Soa's growled. Heady scent from Sunlight's body assaulted his nose. While one hand stoked Sunlight's member, he let go of Sunlight's hand and looped his arm around Sunlight's waist, pulling him close to his body. Soa rubbed his desire against Sunlight. He grabbed that panting mouth and fed. The moment their lips touched, they became frenzy in their lust.

Their mouths fastened, hands and claws tearing away clothes. Their naked bodies gleamed with sweat and streaks of blood, writhed and twined together. Unsatisfied, Soa tore Sunlight away and roared angrily. Soa pushed him to his stomach violently, spread his butt cheeks apart and thrust in. Sunlight screamed. His blood lubricated the way and they strained against each other for more. Soa clamped his jaws around Sunlight's shoulder and almost took away a chunk. He paused in his thrusts and turned Sunlight on his back and plunged back in.

In front of him was a stranger; Kirk never bore such an abandoned expression in his pleasure like this. The man beneath him with his hands clutched the cushions, head thrown back, lovely golden eyes luminous in their lust, mouth swollen and wet with kisses, face flushed hotly. He purred, and quickened his pace.

Such pain, such pleasure, Sunlight shrieked as he came. His channel convulsed and tightened, enticing Soa to do the same and with a few more thrusts, Soa couldn't resist.

Being with Sunlight brought him the best feelings in the world. He could say what he wanted, and do what he liked without being judged.

Sunlight was, he thought, such an apt name for such a delightful person. Whenever the world outside got too cold all he had to do was come to visit him and warm himself by his light. Master Remae had accepted him back. He couldn't thank his Master enough for sending him to the Palace. Being with Sunlight made him see the world through an entirely different scope. Everything was precious and should be treasured. Even though losing a loved one will cause pain … nothing equals the pleasure felt during the time with them.

His new outlook in life even caused him to view his past in a different light. Even being in Chancellor Rose's house didn't seem like something that should be buried away and never seen again. There were bad times and there were good times also. Remembering the time he spent with Kirk never failed to bring a smile to his face. Although the ending of their affair was less than desirable, but… he treasured the love he felt for him, up to this day he never love another as strong as him.

He felt like he could breathe now, just simply breathe instead of frantically trying to numb out his pain.

Sitting in his favorite sun spot in the living room doesn't take Sunlight's mind off like it did in the past. He wondered fleetingly if it was Soa's magic at fault here. Maybe it was a side-effect of being with him for too long. The cold that radiated from him constantly would soak into your very marrow and burrow there like an irritating tick that refused to go away. He lifted his glass of Forgotten and drained it in one gulp. Settling down, he raised his hand to fill it again and snatched up the bottle instead. He lifted the bottle to his lips, and drank deep feeling like a child that had been denied a birthday party with torrent of unknown emotions rushing up about to sweep it away. No, he was an adult, he understands those feelings but he made the choice to ignore them, refusing to let himself be carried away with the violent torrent.

Relinquishing his hold on the bottle he stood up with the intent of dancing away his woes, but only to swayed and fell down in a drunken haze. The pain from the fall throbbed. He felt tears well, and run down his face. He curled up in a ball and sobbed, telling himself that the pain from the fall would go away with the tears.

The door slammed open. Soa rushed in and fell into the cushions, shaking. Sunlight hurried out when he heard the door, ran out from the bedroom where he just finished putting on his clothes after his bath. When Soa heard him, he lunged for him and crashed them both down on the floor. He sobbed uncontrollably into his chest.

"It was all a lie, a lie Sunny. Kirk didn't betray me it was all a lie."

And brokenly the whole story came out.

Chancellor Rose and his court were nothing but maggots. They feasted on so many broken lives and dreams. Although Soa was nothing more than a plaything for him and his guests, Kirk didn't care and was there with him the whole way. Grim and unbidden, he was a pillar for Soa to cling to. They grew up in that house loving each other. When Kirk finally came of age, he went into court to buy a new future for them, used his own body as currency. Soa were there on countless nights to welcome him back where Kirk would scrub himself raw to rid himself of the dirt he felt in his mind. Every time Soa would beg him to stop, that he rather be a whore for the rest of his life than see Kirk like this, and every time Kirk would shove him away and tell him angrily that not if he can help it, and why couldn't Soa trust him enough that he can and will get them a better life. Then they would cling to each other and cry bitter tears for each other, for themselves, mourning the innocence lost long ago.

Finally with enough tangible alliances, Kirk placed a careful veiled threat to his father about the amount of money, that was supposed to go to helping the villager of the East during their drought that, magically disappeared. He threatened to expose the whole thing to Emperor if his father would not let him take Soa away. Being the maggot that he was, his father wasn't stupid, and he accepted his son's ultimatum.

Then Kirk wasn't enough anymore, the maggots in Court wanted Soa. Because of that, he started to fall out of favor with a lot of them. The solace they found with each other was so flimsy. They were just a couple who were so in love with each other and each wanted to shield the other from the storm. Because of that they walked into their doom blindfolded.

Kirk caught the eyes of Lady Lanka, a confidant of the Earl of Orin who was cousin to the King himself. The Lady wasn't happy that she was being thrown scraps from Soa's bed, she wanted Kirk for herself. With a few well-placed letters, Soa was accused of insurrection and thrown in jail and condemned to be beheaded in two weeks. Kirk was under suspicion. Kirk was frantic; being himself out of favor among the Court, his case was desperate. The Lady then extended a helping hand promised that Soa would be released back to him. Convincing him that he should move in with her so that no more misplaced letters should occur, she stopped him from visiting Soa so that they wouldn't be linked. Kirk was more than happy to the first and reluctant to the second but then he agreed.

Mean while Lord Hoen, who owed Lady Lanka a few favors, visited Soa constantly. He poured countless lies into his ears. He told Soa that Kirk was tired of him that he wanted to get rid of him. He asked if Soa knew where the letters came from, if he knew how they got there. Then, viciously, Lord Hoen told him the answers to those questions, Lady Lanka to the first, and Kirk to the second. At Soa's refusal he then asked Soa why Kirk hadn't come to visit him. Night and day his words chipped away at Soa. Then came the final blow, he informed Soa that Kirk had moved in with Lady Lanka and now lived in luxury. He told Soa he could save him, that he loved him.

As Soa's execution day drew near, Kirk became more restless. The Lady assured him that evidence was now being searched, that he had nothing to worry about. And on the day of Soa's execution, the Lady announced that new evidence was discovered! That Soa would be released within two days. Kirk was overjoyed and begged her to go see Soa. The Lady gave in and said that only for a bit because the suspicions were still on him.

They then headed for the execution ground; he was beyond ecstatic when he saw his beloved alive and well, he turned to the Lady and grinned manically. He grabbed her and kissed her in gratitude. When he turned to Soa, their eyes locked and he smiled in relief. The Lady then dragged took him away after telling him they shouldn't draw any attention to themselves. He left with hope and happiness in his heart. Like she'd said, he then later heard that Soa was proclaimed innocent and would be release in short future days.

Soa never wanted to die until that day. That day when he saw his beloved kiss another in front of him happily, that he looked upon his death with a smile of relief then rushed away to dally with his new love. All the things Lord Hoen told him came back and he saw nothing left but death waiting for him. Before his death sentence was carried out, Lord Hoen used his power and proved that he was innocent. That night when Lord Hoen visited him, he asked for a knife, some paper and ink. He wrote a letter to Kirk, telling him how much he loved him, that he was so tired of this life, and wished that he would find happiness in the future. They carried his body away and dumped it in the mountain. As his spirit leaving his body, Master Remae found him and forced it back, he healed his body and put gauze on his mind and heart.

He just found the truth recently when he went back to look upon his beloved one last time. After discovering the truth, he searched for Kirk, scoured the country for him.

After he had gotten the news that Soa was dead, Kirk had turned to the bottle and was thrown out by Lady Lanka. Soa finally found him by the side of the road, tattered and broken, body marred beyond recognition. He took him to Master Remae who was currently trying to heal him as much as he could.

During the whole story Sunlight cried along with Soa but for a different reason.

At last this would be the end of them. That gaze that never looked at him but always searched for something beyond had now found what it looking for.

Sunlight looked at his empty future and found it hard to close his mouth without begging Soa to stay. He clung to Soa when he finished, as his mind ranted and pleaded for the man in his arms not to leave. To not leave him in this room of four walls, in this world no longer the bright thing that it was; don't leave, don't left him behind. But nothing came out except whimpers of pain that mistaken for sympathy.

That night Soa made love to him, desperate and sweet for hours. When Sunlight woke up, he was gone, until a long time in the future that Sunlight sees him again.