Part 7:

           Sasha clenched his eyes shut to shove aside the piercing pain in his shoulder. He struggled to remain upright, to not collapse in the wet grass. Issai. He must protect Issai.

           " Sasha!" the prince's sweet voice shot through the pain. Strong, gentle hands pressed against his chest, steadying him. Then a violent gasp. " Gods! Sasha!"

           His pale lashes flickered open, gazing down into the look of utter horror and fear on Issai's beautiful face. If he had taken the time to think about it, it was in no way the same expression as when the prince first had seen him, all of him. But there wasn't the time. He had to get to his feet, to stand and face whoever threatened them.

           " Prince!" the same foreign voice, closer now, shouted in the midst of jangling metal and hurried breaths.

           Sasha lurched to his feet, tugging up his breeches with one hand; Wincing and clenching his teeth, he reached over his shoulder with the other and yanked out the imbedded arrow dripping his blood. Through the white haze of pain, his icy eyes met five men, all in neutral, common clothing and all rushing towards him. They had swords either strapped at their sides or in their hands. One, lagging slightly behind the rest, carried a strung short bow, nocked and ready to be drawn.

           Sasha felt the rustle of clothing and then warmth as Issai rose behind him. " What is the meaning of this?" Issai's smooth voice demanded.

           " We've come to bring you home, our prince," a stoic, gray-haired swordsman broke from the others, and dropping to one knee, replied quickly, his voice gruff but reverent.

           " What? I can't leave here! It will start a war!" The prince tried to move to Sasha's side, but the soldier held out an arm protectively to stop him.

           " No, your highness. His majesty, your father has solved that problem. He sent us to rescue you." Rising, the older man took a step forward, and glared at Sasha.

           " Stay behind me," Sasha whispered, never taking his intense blue eyes from the now slowly approaching gathering of men. He didn't trust them. Maybe it was the hatred in most of their faces; two of them reeked of it. Maybe it was the unprovoked attack that throbbed, enflamed, in his shoulder. Maybe it was his warrior's instinct telling him they were dangerous in a way that went beyond skills. Whatever it was, he would protect Issai to his last breath if he had to.

           In an instant, the four swordsmen charged Sasha. He twirled the arrow still in his hand into a more offensive grip and edged toward the practice sword lying in the grass. His boot nudged against the hilt and he stopped. Timing. All a matter of timing.

           The first two were upon him. He thrust the arrow quickly into the leg of the nearest swordsman as he rolled to the ground, snatching the sword with his free hand then rose to his feet again in one fluid motion.

           He raised the sword just in time to block a strike slicing towards his head. " I've heard much of the supposed Midori honor," he said with cold calm as he dodged another attack, using his momentum to whirl under his attacker's wild swing and land a blow to the back of the man's knee, causing the swordsman to stumble.

           "... but I have yet to see any." With the upward arc of the same strike, he blocked the sword of another attacking him from the side. " You shoot an unarmed man in the back." He spun aside another attack, positioning himself to remain between the prince and the intruders. The third and fourth swordsmen joined their comrades and pressed forward.

           " And then attack with superior numbers." He would have to find a way to confront them one on one, if he was to succeed. Two on one if there was no other way. They had him at a definite disadvantage, and if the archer decided to join... well, he had encountered worse odds, but never alone and never with something so important to protect. "I am not impressed."

           A scraggly-haired swordsman directly before him seethed with a hatred so strong it oozed like a invisible dark cloud of loathing. But something else raged in the dark eyes, and that was what disturbed Sasha. It made him feel naked, dirty, though he had no idea why.

           "What do ya know of honor, scum?!" the man spat.

           Issai stared at the pale and silver whirlwind before him. Sasha? His shy, gentle angel? The angel was far from shy now. He could see how the cold silver helm and the starch uniform suited the blond. So much so, that as the prince watched in stunned silence, he only saw Sasha, the Enkai officer, not his half-clothed angel. Sasha was fierce, commanding, even intimidating. This must be the side of him that his men saw on the battlefield. And if so, then Issai could almost understand the Enkai honoring a foreigner.

           But the battle at hand was in no way a fair one. Fierce though his beautiful warrior angel was, the swordsmen outnumbered him. Even with Sasha constantly maneuvering to only engage at most two at a time, he seemed always concerned with Issai. And attempting to protect him was distracting the soldier. It would only be matter of time before he would fall under their overwhelming assaults. And Issai couldn't let that happen. If these men were his countrymen as they said, then the battle would stop, and stop now.

           " Enough!" Issai commanded. " Stop! Now!"

           And the battle did stop. With Sasha slumped to the ground, knocked unconscious by a sword-pommel to the back of his head. One of the soldiers, an uncontrolled fury in his eyes, raised his sword to finish sending Sasha into darkness, eternal darkness.

           " I said `Stop'!" Issai yelled as he rushed at the men like his life depended on it, shoving into the swordsman and knocking aside the sword.

           " No more! He's to be kept alive!" the prince ordered, his breaths heavy and shaking with fear and adrenaline. He gazed down at Sasha crumpled on the ground his silver-gold hair spilling in waves across the green grass. He was so still, so frighteningly still. Then Issai noticed the blood, bleeding red into that pale hair. Sasha! He dropped to his knees with little grace. What if he had been too late? If there was no life to keep?

           His heart pounding so hard as if it was trying to hammer it's way out of his body, he lurched forward and pressed his ear to Sasha's sweaty, blood-flecked chest. A heartbeat. Steady but barely. Thank the gods!

           " Your highness." The prince glanced up at the quiet voice. The gray-haired swordsman held out a letter. " Your highness, I was told to give you this."

           Issai took the yellowed paper and examined the violet-wax seal, his father's seal. He opened it and perused the perfectly penned writing. The letter gave no details and, typical of his father, was brief. It confirmed what the swordsman had said. He was to go home. Home!

           Issai slowly rose. He couldn't leave Sasha here. He was still alive now, but only now. His fierce soldier was bleeding and unconscious. What if he...? A tightness pinched behind his misty green eyes. "Bring him with us."

           As the black, lacquered carriage rolled through the fortified gates, a young girl dashed from a side garden towards it. Once they had crossed over the Barrier Sea from the mainland to the island nation of Midori Kuzan, the guardsmen insisted Issai return to his father's palace with the style and comfort befitting a prince. He insisted Sasha remain inside with him, much to the guardsmen's discomfort and distress.

           The carriage came to a stop, and the gray-haired guard exited, holding open the door for his prince.

           " Your highness," he said, head bowed.

           Issai lingered over Sasha, touching his sweat-damp, even paler forehead. Still unconscious. He sighed, tenderly stroking the soft, but sweat-soaked silver-gold hair. Well at least they were home, well, he was home, and there would be a healer to aid him.

           The guard cleared his throat. " Your highness?"

           The prince looked up. " Oh. Yes." He stepped from the carriage, glancing back at Sasha. " Make sure he's well taken care of and a healer sees to him."

           " Yes, your highness."

           " And..."

           Before he could finish he was tackled from behind in a enthusiastic hug.

           " `Sai! I'm so glad you're back!" the young girl said excitedly.

           Issai looked down at the arms tangled around his waist and the dark head and bright, hazel eyes peeking from under his arm. He smiled warmly. " `Tsu! I have missed you," he chuckled. " Where's father?"

           " Right here, my brave son," a deep voice bellowed, a commanding air mingled with controlled joy.

           Issai turned. A man, middle-aged and regal, strode towards him, raven hair, streaked with silver, flowing over his shoulders, fluttering slightly in the breeze with the force of his gait. Following closely behind him, a much younger man was a near mirror image of the first, though taller, more slender, but with the same noble bearing.

           Flanking the two, half a dozen stone-faced guards in royal colors, purple and green, and shining, though well-worn, chainmail armor moved as one. Their eyes were ever roving and ever alert.

           " Father!" Issai cried, his sister still latched to his hip.

           The king clapped Issai on the shoulder, a proud smile on his lips. " You have brought our family much honor, my dear son. And the kingdom." Then he pulled the prince into a fierce embrace. " I am so very proud of you!" he said softly into Issai's dark hair.

           " Thank you, my dear, honorable father," he replied, burying his face and his tears in his father's shoulder. " It means so much to me to hear you say that."

           " Am I to be left out of this joyous reunion?" a low, smooth voice muttered. It wasn't until Issai lifted his head and gazed at the speaker that he saw the playful smile and warm gold-green eyes that accompanied the serious tone.

           " Kayosi!"

           The taller prince rested a strong hand on Issai's shoulder. " I am glad to see you home, safe, little brother."

           " I'm glad to be home!" Issai smiled brightly.

           " Begging your pardon for the interruption, your Majesty," the guard at the carriage door said quietly, bowing with a salute of fist to heart.

           The king turned, releasing his son. " Yes, soldier?"

           " What should we do with the prisoner, your majesty?" the gray-haired guardsman asked respectfully, gesturing to the carriage.

           " Prisoner?" One of the king's dark brows lifted.

           " Yes, your majesty."

           "I did not command that prisoners be taken," he said with irritation.

           The guard nodded in the direction of Issai. " It was at the prince's insistence, your Majesty."

           " Father, I need to speak with you about him." Issai pushed at the bridge of his glasses, his earnest green eyes blinking at the king.

           "What is this about?" The king peered at his son, seriousness in his dark jade eyes clouding the joy of his son's return.

           "He's an Enkaian soldier, an officer...and..." Issai said quickly, feeling for the moment like the little boy scolded so often for staying awake too late reading.

           The king's expression darkened. " Why would you bring one of them here? You know our feelings toward the Enkai."

           "Father, he was, is, wounded," the prince's voice warmed with emotion as he thought of his angel, unconscious for the entire five days the journey home had taken. And still unconscious and not being aided. He had to convince Father. "I couldn't leave him there to die."

           " We will discuss this matter later in my chambers." He turned back to the guard. " Have him held in the dungeon for the time being."

           " Father! You...," Issai cried in horror.

           " That is my decision," the king said gently, yet with an air of finality.

           " He's wounded and ill. You can't..." The prince's ocean green eyes glittered as he held back the tears straining to fall.

           " He will be attended to. Now let us retire to my chambers and celebrate your return to us."

           " But father! He's..." No! How could he celebrate anything if Sasha was still hurt? And in the dungeons no less!

           " That is my final decision. We cannot have enemy soldiers wandering about the palace, especially in a time of war." The king's deep, noble voice was stern. "If you have something to offer that changes the matter we will discuss it later." Then he added with exasperation and mild bewilderment. "Why ever you are concerned for him there is no need. He will be treated as any prisoner."

           " War?! But I thought..." Issai's eyes widened, his dark brows wrinkling.

           " There are many things that need to be discussed, but here is not the place." The king gently urged his son forward with a strong hand on his back and forced Issai to leave his wounded angel.