Part 9:

            Issai stormed through the smooth, stone hallways towards the dungeon he had been forbidden to enter ever since he returned over a week ago. He had tried to have Sasha released. He had been concerned about his condition. He had even found it difficult to sleep at night. Horrible nightmares of Sasha dying in his cell, alone, would violently rattle the prince awake, breathless and cold.

            But now he felt the fool. Sure, he would give the Enkaian an opportunity to explain. However, what explanation could there be for such deception. And Issai despised being lied to.

            He wasn't angry. Yet. But his sullen mood sent the servants he encountered along his way scurrying as far and as quickly from him as respectfully possible. If he allowed himself to examine his true feelings, it wasn't the lie that bothered him, or even the sense of betrayal; It was that he felt something achingly deep and unknown for Sasha. But more importantly, uncontrollable. And if he were to examine that, he would realize....

            He stumbled a step as a rushing force collided with him, latching around his waist. His gaze darted down to the body hanging from him giggling.

            "'Sai! I got you again!" Natatsu laughed, hugging him tightly.

            Issai sighed. How could he have been so lost in his thoughts to not see his never subtle sister? He reached down and tried to pry her arms off him. With no success. And how could such a small girl be so strong?

            "'Tsu, now is not the time," he finally said, his patience strained.

            "What's wrong?" She glanced up at him with bright, hazel eyes.

            "I have to go talk to someone. We can play later."

            `Tsu smiled impishly. " That pretty Enkaian soldier?"

            Issai stared at his little sister, shock in his flashing jade eyes. "H...how do you know about him?"

            She giggled. "I watched when they brought him..." She lowered her voice melodramatically. "..to the dungeons."

            "You shouldn't have been anywhere near there," he scolded.

            She let go of Issai and stood with her hands on her thin hips. "I wasn't! I just followed them until they got close."

            Issai shook his head and continued heading for the dungeon. "I have to go."

            "Not without me!" she latched onto his arm. "I want to see him again too. He was really pretty."

            "Appearances aren't everything,`Tsu." He sighed again, and his glittering eyes tightened. "And I need to speak to him alone."

            Natatsu glanced up at her brother, her eyes sad for a moment, then she smiled. "You like him, don't you!"

            "What?!"

            "You like him," she repeated smugly. "Alot!"

            He stopped and stared at her. "What ever gave you that idea?"

            " You, silly. It's so obvious!" she was nearly bouncing with glee, still holding onto his arm.

            "Well, that doesn't matter now." He pushed at his black-framed glasses.

            She grinned. "Yes, it does! Yes, it does! Why are you upset with him?"

            "I'm not upset. I just need to talk."

            "You are to! You only push at your glasses when you're nervous or... upset."

            Issai sighed, tucking a stray lock of midnight-black hair behind his ear. "`Tsu, not now. I need to go. And you can't come with me."

            Pressing her full, rosy lips together in annoyance, she released her hold on her brother. "Ok. But you have to let me meet him too sometime." She raised herself to the tips of her toes and whispered in Issai's ear, "And you have to tell him you're in love with him." She smirked then scampered down the hall.

            "I am not!" he called after her. He wasn't! How could he be? He barely knew him, barely knew anything about him, as he had been so glaringly reminded. Besides, it would be impossible. Completely impossible.

            Issai approached the dungeons, having lost sight of the servant long ago when his sister `attacked' him. She was adorable but sometimes she went too far. In love. Indeed! He would never be that foolish. ...Well... Not anymore.

            " Your highness, what brings you down here?" asked a guard, with friendly gray eyes, posted at the dungeon's iron gate.

            " I've come to see the Enkaian prisoner," the prince replied simply.

            " Sorry, your highness, but he's already been taken to his new rooms. About time, too, the poor lad."

            " Which ones?"

            The guard tapped his clean-shaven chin thoughtfully. "I believe I heard mention of the blue suite in the western wing, your highness."

            " Thank you." he said quickly and hurried away.

            Ever polite, even though being prince gave him privilege to not be, Issai knocked on the gold-inlaid door intricately designed with a vibrant blue lacquer. No response. He turned to the stoic guard stationed outside the room.

            The large man shrugged. " On my honor, he hasn't left, your highness. And the windows are barred. Perhaps, he is sleeping. He looked rather ragged when they brought him."

            Issai's black brows narrowed. Ragged? He knocked on the door again, louder. Still no answer.

            Well, he was a prince. A bitter inner chuckle rose at the thought. How absolutely ironic. He turned the carved gold handle and opened the door. Entering the spacious room, a solid click sounded behind him as the door closed.

            Rich, royal-blue velvet covered the walls, accented with gold filigree molding along the floor and ceiling. He stepped further into the room, the thick indigo carpet soft under his green slippered feet, searching for the missing Enkaian. He glanced at the large bed, curtained in multiple delicate layers of blue silks. It appeared to be empty. Then a slight fluttering at the corner of his vision dragged his attention to the window far to his right.

            He turned to the sheer azure drapes flowing on a faint breeze and vaguely hiding a cushioned window-seat. And a very quiet and very still blond.

            "Sasha," he called curtly as he strode towards him.

            The Enkaian didn't move, didn't speak.

            Issai stopped several feet from the window, his hands clasped behind his back. " We need to talk."

            Still nothing. Sasha sat motionless, staring out the open window, the breeze stirring his unkempt white-gold hair. If Issai hadn't been bordering irritation, he would have thought the sight almost perfect to paint.

            " Well, I'm going to talk anyway, and you're going to listen. Why did you lie to me, Sasha? Or should I say, Prince Sashiro!"

            Sasha flinched, then dropped his head against the cold, iron bars of the window. " So you know?" he finally whispered with a dead voice.
 
            " Yes, I know! Since your father's furious over you being taken here."

            " You should have left me," he said quietly, his tone the same terrifying deadness.

            " Well maybe if you had told me the truth I would have!"

            The Enkaian prince sighed. " Maybe I should have. But you would have hated me then like you do now." His pale gold lashes fell.

            " I don't hate you. I just wish you had told me the truth," Issai's tone softened and pushing at his glasses, he took a small step toward the cold blond.

            " Yes, you do. And I had wished the same of you." He finally turned from the window to stare at Issai with dead blue eyes.

            " I..." Issai gasped. " Sasha! What happened to you?" He rushed to the blond's side, gathering his frighteningly haggard and ashen face in his hands. Sasha cringed, shivering.

            His angel looked wretched: eyes glassy and listless, and dark, sunken shadows underneath; skin so pale it was as white as his hair; and his hair, his hair was matted, filthy, the strands falling at his face discolored with red-brown tinges of what looked to be dried blood. And he reeked. Of vomit, of a sickly sweetness, and of so many things Issai couldn't place them all.

            " Don't touch me." Sasha breathed, his voice still as lifeless as his eyes, but he didn`t fight against the Midori prince`s hold.

            " Why haven't the servants drawn you a bath?" Issai said with irritation at their obvious neglect in their duties.

            " They did," Sasha replied flatly.

            Issai struggled against the pain rising in his chest at the sight of his beautiful angel so battered and deadened. Being misled seemed such a small, unimportant thing now. He grasped the trembling, slender hands, urging the blond prince to his feet. "Well, I'm getting you cleaned up then."

            " What's the point?" The emotionless prince didn't move.

            " You stink, is the point. And you look terrible."

            " I told you that when I met you," was Sasha's bitter reply.

            " That's not what I meant and you know it. Now are you going to cooperate or am I going to have to carry you?" His smoky green eyes narrowed threateningly.

            Sasha sighed and stood slowly. " If it will get you to leave me alone."

            " I won't agree to that," the dark-haired prince retorted, his heart aching with each moment his once sweet angel slipped further and further behind an icy wall.

            The Enkaian prince sighed again and shuffled to the adjoining chamber, Issai closely behind him.

            They entered the bath-chamber, a small room tiled in sapphire blue edged in gold. A large, gold-trimmed, sunken bath filled half the room. The rest of the space contained shelves stocked with blue towels, jars of bath salts, soaps, and whatever luxuries one would need for a relaxing bath. Mirrors lined the velvet covered walls and a corner near the wide window was curtained.

            Issai pressed a hand to the small of Sasha's back to nudge him forward. At the touch, the blond shuddered again. Issai groaned. Apparently his time in the dungeon had not only deteriorated his body, but any bond between them. The blond prince's behavior was worse than when they met. At least he had been adorably shy then. Now he was...

            Issai forced himself to be cheerful. "In you go," he said straining a smile and reached out to the laces of the tattered silk shirt to help the other prince undress.

            " No!" Sasha hissed, clutching his shirt so tightly his knuckles turned white even against his deathly pale skin.

            Issai flinched, tears burning his eyes. "You can't bathe with your clothes on," he said simply.

            " Yes, I can! Or I won't bathe at all!" Sasha snapped, his ice blue eyes defiant.

            The Midori prince sighed, shoring his patience. " Fine. Whatever makes you comfortable," he finally replied much calmer than he felt. What was wrong with Sasha? He didn't seem angry. He didn't seem anything at all. Except terrified. Well, Issai would find out eventually. Hopefully.

            Sasha slowly eased himself into the warm, unscented water, and it lapped at his chest, plastering the darkening silk of his shirt to his skin. Jerking his gaze from the mirrors that surrounded him like he had been burned, he clamped his eyes shut.

            " Any scent preference for your bath?" Issai asked casually as he strode to the shelves.

            " I could care less. This is your idea." The once soft, sweet voice was still lifeless, bitter.

            Issai winced, tears creeping into his eyes. He wanted his angel back. His shy, sweet, fierce, beautiful angel. By the gods, it was almost like he had left him behind to die. Issai grabbed a vial of vanilla bath oil and sighed, the scent giving him a small portion of comfort.

            Snatching an indigo washing cloth, and vanilla-scented soap, he returned to Sasha, kneeling at the edge of the bath beside him. Emptying the vial of oil into the water, he ignored his usual artistic preparation. He was too desperate and hurt to care. Soon the subtle vanilla slowly masked the pungent odor clinging to his broken prince.

            "Under the water." Issai urged. Sasha opened those blank blue eyes and stared at him. The pain welling in his heart nearly broke free of his struggling control into tears as the obvious truth, that cleansing his angel's body would have no affect on the heart or mind, was plainly etched in the icy mask of Sasha`s face.

            But Issai refused to believe he was lost to him completely. He had tried before and won, for a short while; He would just try harder and hopefully win again, and for a much longer time, perhaps forever

            " I can wash myself," the blond whispered coldly.

            " But you said you didn't care."

            " I don't."

            " Please, just let me help you. It will be over that much sooner," Issai sighed, a tear escaping his tight grasp, sliding a silver trail along his cheek.

            Sasha just stared at him, his eyes even more dead and dimly accusing. Then he shrugged slowly and carefully slipped completely into the water. His silver-gold hair flowed with the rippling motion of the bath, a film of dirt and grime clouding on the surface. After several breaths, he emerged, and suddenly clutched his side, his face twisting in excruciating pain .

               Issai jumped into the bath next to him and grasped his shoulder. "What's wrong!" His ocean green eyes widened in alarm.

            " Nothing," Sasha gasped through clenched teeth.

            Not even acknowledging such a blatant lie with a response, Issai grabbed Sasha`s hand away, ignoring the violent trembling that followed and lifted up the soggy shirt to examine him. He froze, then trembled violently himself.

            Ugly bruises in a full range of colors from yellow to darkest purple mutilated his once lovely skin. Where Sasha's hand had been was the worst, red and vicious. His hands quaking and tears streaming from his eyes, Issai tore at the shirt-lacings to witness the full extent of the damage. Sasha's entire torso was covered in the mottled colors of pain.
 
            Issai turned away, lowering his eyes as they splashed silver tears into the water. "Who did this?" he choked.

            Sasha said nothing. He had gone deathly still the moment the dark-haired prince tore open his shirt.

            Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, as if squeezing away the brutal image, he then glanced up through his dark lashes. Sasha was unmoving and white. Issai surged forward and drew the paralyzed blond into his arms, only barely mindful of his wounds.

            " Sasha! Please, tell me who did this! Please," he begged.

            Faint stammering breaths brushed his ear. "No! Not again! Please, no!" he whimpered over and over, barely audible enough to be heard.

            Issai held him tighter, stroking his wet, platinum hair. "Shh. I won't hurt you, my dearest angel. I could never hurt you. Never! Just, please, come back to me. Please!" He nuzzled Sasha's still not quite clean hair, but he didn't care. He never wanted to let his angel go again and leave him to whatever, whoever, had hurt him. He knew Sasha wouldn't tell him who it had been, but if he ever found out... and he would,... well, the Evil One himself would be more merciful.

            Eventually Sasha stirred from his shock induced daze. Why did the prince still want to touch him? He was dirty, dirty in a way that would never wash clean. And he was more than dirty; he was broken, shattered completely. Beyond repair. Not that he understood anyone wanting him before, how could anyone want him now? But then, Issai didn't know what had actually happened, did he? And he would never know. Never!

            He glanced up from his pillow of Issai's soaked tunic and chest into a sad smile. The dark prince's arms were still wrapped around him, almost protectively, a hand gently stroking his hair. It was a heaven he could never deserve, now even more so. But one he never wanted to leave.

            " Ready to let me clean you properly now?" Issai's eyes sparkled a warm green.

            Sasha sighed and nodded. Even after a nearly a week since the attack, his body still ached and, if he moved too quickly, eye-hazing, white pain would whip through him like lightning. It had felt like a much longer time, but with only the healer to tell him otherwise, how would he truly know.

            Many of his days in the dungeon were a blending fog, one only the kind old man and his acolyte finally dissipated with their care; though, they didn't tend to his injuries from the beating, they hadn't known about those, only what he had done to his own body in his despair. Even in his weakened state, he had hidden the truth well. No one would know! Or so he thought. But at least no one would know the full truth. Ever.

            He felt Issai shift, then the sweet, deep voice said something his mind had wandered too far to comprehend. He blinked at the beautiful Midori prince, who smiled tiredly in return but with such warmth Sasha shivered.

            Issai held up a bar of cream-colored soap. "Lean back. Your lovely hair's still a mess."

            Sasha blinked. Then he nodded and pulled away from the comforting embrace just enough to dip the back of his head into the water, amazed that it was still warm.

            With one arm supporting him by the shoulders, Issai soaped his filthy hair, the prince's dark brows furrowing in quiet concern. Tears he had thought long expended slid silently into the bath. Issai was still so kind, so gentle, so much more than he deserved to even know. Why? Why could he be so kind now, yet had abandoned him to such a horrible place, to such horrible creatures he refused to call men?

            The dark-haired prince's slender fingers stroked through his lathered hair, massaging and soothing wherever they touched.

            " Why?" he whispered, staring into the intense yet kind face hovering inches above him.

            Issai glanced down, his eyes glittering and pinched. He smiled. "I've wanted to do this the moment I met you, though you were asleep at the time." His smile finally crept into his exotic eyes.

            Sasha's pale lashes flickered over his pale blue eyes. He hadn't meant that. Why, how, did Issai always do that? Say just the right thing to make him feel actually wanted? Like he truly cared? The blond sighed, shaking his head with a slight movement. "I meant, why did you bring me here? And leave me to... to...?" He clenched his eyes tightly, tears squeezing through his lashes.

            A splash lapped his ear and the gentle hand stopped. Suddenly, he was fiercely enfolded in a tender embrace.

            "I.. I .." Issai's soft voice began to whisper in his ear as the dark prince nuzzled his cheek. A sigh. "I was afraid. I thought you would die if I left you. I couldn't bear that, and knowing it was all because of me." The hug tightened possessively.

            "But..."

            " I didn't know. I swear, I didn't know. I wanted you with me. I wanted to be sure you were well. But I wasn't allowed. If I had known, I would have defied my father and stormed into those cells myself. But he assured me you would be safe. He assured me!" Issai broke into sobs, clutching Sasha like he would never let go.

            Sasha hesitantly brought his arms up to the other prince's shuddering back to return the embrace. The Midori prince definitely could never know now. Issai would only blame himself. And Sasha found bringing such shame and self-loathing to the beautiful prince was more painful than having to wallow in it himself.

            Days and days passed. Sasha had slowly been mending with the aid of the healer, the kindly man who had tended him in the cell. Fortunately, his spirit was mending as well, and Issai hoped that was due to his own aid. Slowly, the trust that had been sparked between them during his enslavement began to flicker again. Slowly.

            Issai was temporarily staying in neighboring rooms to Sasha's and often woke in the night to the angelic prince's screams. He had a sense that something more must have happened to the sweet beauty, but Sasha wasn't telling and Issai didn't know if he could handle a worse truth. He already was furious, swearing to tear apart whoever had brutalized and broken his beloved prince.

            The news that Sasha's father, King Shion, would be arriving in two weeks to sign the treaty of peace between their nations, seemed to lift the blond prince's spirits as well. He still had difficulty understanding how it was possible Sasha, rather Sashiro, was Shion's son. When he had the time, he would have to do some research. Sasha had already told him all he knew, though the questions were vague since he still was very insecure about his appearance.

            At first, Issai thought the prince might be adopted, but considering Enkaian culture, that made almost as much sense as actually being born Enkaian. And his exceptionally fair features resembled no other race in the known lands. Except the Doitsujin. But they were long dead.

            Issai pulled himself from his thoughts to focus his attention on the beautiful young prince beside him and the lush, vibrant garden they walked through. He smiled and grasped Sasha's strong hand in his. The blond had healed well, little sign in his blushed face and sparkling eyes that he had been as close to death as the healer had said.

            His silver-gold hair glittered in the sunlight dappling through the row of trees lining the large garden's marble walkway. His bruises were fading, except for the nasty one at his side. The healer said he had broken a rib and was amazed the boy could move at all before it had been tended.

            Sasha still trembled fearfully when Issai tried to be more affectionate than a hug and even that had taken time. A kiss was completely out of the question. Issai didn't want to even remember the frantic terror in his angel's pale eyes the one and only time he had tried.

            Issai squeezed Sasha's hand affectionately, gazing into the momentarily serene face. He would have to gather his paints one day and create a portrait of his ethereal prince, though he knew it would never even near capturing a fraction of the beauty that was Sasha.

            " What would you like to do after the gardens? Another game of `Sages and Barbarians' by the pond?"

            Sasha smiled. It didn't happen as frequently as Issai wished, but at least it did happen, unlike the first half of the week since he had been released from the dungeon.

            " Don't you mean `Warriors and Fairies'?" he chuckled warmly.

            Sasha actually chuckled! The dark-haired prince`s smile brightened. " You Enkaian can call it whatever you like, it won't make you any less barbarians!" Issai teased.

            Suddenly, Sasha's gaze snapped across the garden. Issai caught the flash of fear and fury in Sasha's fire blue eyes as four guards passed along another path. Instantly the older prince realized those were the men who had beaten him, or at least one was; though, he knew, the Enkaian prince would never admit it. Issai's eyes flared a bright smoke green as he stormed towards the men.

            " Halt!" he called, his voice gone ice-cold with rage.

            The four turned. Noticing it was their prince that called for them, they stopped and saluted.

            The guard at the front, the oldest and highest ranking of the group, took a step forward and addressed the prince, apparently oblivious to the cause of his anger, but noticing the rare occurrence nonetheless. "Hail, your highness." He bowed, the others following suit. " What is your wish?"

            Issai stopped several feet from them, his glare so intense they flinched. " My wish is to know why you have harmed Prince Sashiro?"

            The captain's dark eyes wandered over the shorter shoulders of his prince, noticing Sasha as he slowly stepped towards Issai, his eyes downcast. The captain scowled, with a flicker of realization that calling Sasha a liar was no longer an option.

            " We didn't know he was the prince, your highness," he replied simply.

            " I was not finished..." Issai's chin lifted, a rigid indignation set in his jaw and his eyes narrowed to slits of fiery jade, as he glared down the line of his cheeks at the men before him. Even though physically shorter than all of them, he somehow managed the effect of looking down on them. "Why, against my order, " his teeth clenched in cold anger. " have you harmed my friend?!" His emphasis on `friend' brought another shiver through them.

            The four were struck momentarily speechless. A gentle hand touched Issai's shoulder.

            " It's not important," Sasha's soft voice said. " Let it be."
 
            "No!" The prince shook with fury. "I will not let this be!" He held the pale, slender hand on his shoulder. " Anything that concerns you is very important to me!" His gaze burned into the men before him. "You have not answered my questions!"

            The captain swallowed nervously, but forced a semblance of dignity onto his rugged face and into his heavy voice. "It was for your honor, your highness. He.." he jabbed a thick finger in Sasha's direction. "... and his bastard father dishonored you! Your highness!"

            " Do you think me so weak I cannot defend my own honor! Do you think abusing my dearest friend would return whatever honor you thought I lost!"

            A tall, wiry guard, probably no older than Issai, dropped to his knees, his head hanging. "Your highness, I beg your forgiveness. I thought we were doing the right thing. We were just supposed to rough him up a little, teach him a lesson about hurting you! That's all! Until... The captain ordered us to... while he...." the man gulped, sweat visibly dripping down his forehead. " It's not our fault!"

            Issai's voice grew low and dangerous." ...While he what?"

            The captain glared at the guard beside him, but the younger man was obviously more afraid of the prince than the captain.

            Sasha leaned forward, his hair softly brushing Issai's neck. His breath was warm and heavenly on the prince's ear, but the Midori's fury was too high to appreciate the heated tingle it unconsciously sent through his body. " Leave it be," the shy prince's sweet voice trembled with shamed sadness. "..please."

            Issai gently squeezed his hand. " ...while he what?!" he repeated.

            The tall guard was shaking, and the other two guards stepped away from the captain, obviously not wanting to share in the wrathful tempest that would be sent his way. " He...he...forced ....himself on the.... prince ..., your highness."

            " He what?!" His eyes flew wide, blazing a firestorm of green at the captain. His hands shook at his side, whitened by the tight clench of his fists. He felt a warmth fall at his side, then against his leg, but his fury was too hot and focused to acknowledge it. "How do you mean `forced'?" he seethed. He had his suspicions but he refused to entertain the thought of his innocent angel... Another violent wave of rage rose even stronger through him.

            The guard continued, fear still in his voice but a slight hint of relief while the prince's anger was elsewhere. " Excusing the language, your highness..."

            " Out with it! Now!" Issai hissed.

           The captain growled at the other guard. " Another word and you're a dead man!" he snarled.
              Issai grabbed the captain by the neck and forced him to his knees by the powerful fury of his glare. "If he stays silent, he's a dead man. This way he brings you with him!"

            The wiry guard cleared his throat nervously. "... he ....forced... Gods, it was horrible!... he... He fucking raped him! He shoved himself down the prince`s throat and fucking raped him. And I don`t care what he says, I saw the prince`s eyes before he did it, we were wrong! He raped him... And liked it!..."

            "Enough! I have heard enough!" As his hand tightened around the captain's neck, his eyes burned white with rage. He closed his eyes for a moment as he reassured himself that he indeed wasn't a violent man. Over and over. But all he could think about was what this wretched excuse for a human being had done to his pure, virgin angel! His control was shattering into tiny sharp fragments of wild, unfathomable anger. He wanted to squeeze the life out of the filth at his feet like it had nearly squeezed the life out of his precious prince.

            "I would tear you all apart with my bare hands!" His tone was pure ice as he opened cold green eyes. " But I refuse to become a creature as low and contemptible as you are." His fingers clamped stronger as his fierce gaze stabbed the man before him. "Particularly one as despicable as you!" He angrily gestured to the ground. "Down. On your knees, all of you!" When they didn't move quickly enough, he roared, "Now!"

            " We did it for you, your highness!" The captain pleaded from his knees, choking past the hand tightly around his throat..

            " Guards!" Issai shouted, wringing himself from the men and turning towards the garden entrance. "Guards!"

            He returned his glare to the men at his feet. "You did nothing for me! None of you! You did it for your own sick, disgusting, perverted pleasure! How could I ever want anyone treated as you treated him, no less someone I love! You fools! You wretched fools!"

            " What will...?" one of the other guards squeaked.

            " Silence! No more from any of you until my father and the magistrate are to decide your fate. Though no punishment will be severe enough for what you have done!" His chest heaved with violent, furious breaths, his hands shaking and white at his side. "He was pure and untainted and you violated him, you robbed him of his innocence and nearly his life!"

            A sob behind him broke the spell of his fury. Turning quickly, he found Sasha huddled on the grass, weeping. Without even a second thought he was at the other prince's side, enveloping him in his arms. " I'm so sorry, my sweet angel. I'm so sorry." Issai's own tears splashed in the white-gold hair as he tightened his embrace.

            Royal guards streamed into the garden from every possible entrance with an alert and ordered frenzy. " My prince, what is the trouble?" asked a serious, gray haired and bearded guard, a commander of his father's elite, as he saluted with fist to heart.

            " Rajura, these men are to be put under arrest!" Issai commanded as he tenderly stroked Sasha's hair, trying to calm him, to be close to him. And maybe to calm himself as well.

            " What charge, your highness?" Commander Rajura asked stoically.

            " The brutal assault of a prince."

            " My Prince...?" the elite guard started, his stoicism fading in concern.

            " It was not me but Prince Sashiro," Issai replied, his teeth clenched in anger. At the sound of his name, Sasha trembled and seized onto Issai's tunic like letting go meant a fall to his death.

            " Your highness." The old guard's eyes narrowed with empathy. He motioned to his men and they hurried to the four on the ground, hauling them roughly to their feet.

            " Prince Sashiro, I humbly apologize that our security is so lax to allow such a thing to happen. As they were my men, I take full responsibility. Their lack of honor reflects on me."

            Sasha didn't move. His sobs quieted, but Issai could feel it was not that they were gone but much more intense. "Their demented sense of honor is not your fault. Just make sure they can never do it again!"

            Rajura bowed, with a click of his steel-booted heels. "My prince, If that is all, we take our leave."

            Issai nodded, his attention drawn to his wounded angel. The Guards left, the disgraced four roughly forced ahead as they marched towards the dungeon.

            " You should have told me." A shake of the head burrowing into his shoulder was the only response. " By the gods, my darling prince, do you think I would want you suffering in torment, alone?"

            " I deserve it." Sasha replied in a choked whisper.
 
            Issai pulled away from him slightly, lifting his smooth chin with a slender hand and gazing tenderly into watery, jewel- blue eyes. " No. You. Don't," he said gently. " No one does, but you least of all!"

            He drew him back against his shoulder. "Oh, sweet Sasha. You are such a precious treasure, but you don't understand that, do you?" Issai sighed. He gave him one last tender squeeze then released him and stood. " I`ll take you back to your rooms." He offered his hand, and Sasha hesitantly took it.