Chapter 5: Innocence or Ignorance

by Karma

"No, like this." He took the instrument from his master, and showed him, once more. "Your fingers shouldn't be too tight; relax."

His master tried once more, failed, and then gave up. "I have NO talent for music. NONE. I prefer to leave its beauty to be produced by those who can make it." The prince glanced at him and gave a rueful smile.

Ah, how he loved his new job. He was actually treated decently, and was not called a slave or servant but "hired" as a mentor. Of course, seeing as how he was eternally a slave, nothing would ever change, but it was nice to pretend. He had been working for his new master, the Red Dragon, a for few months now, and he enjoyed every minute of it. The boy was sharp, witty, kind, and impossibly beautiful. He failed miserably in all his music lessons but did not fault the teacher for it. Oh, he did not fail too horribly; he could play simple, very simple melodies, but he never seemed to wish to. He would do well for a while, and then stop and ask him, the bard, to play instead. They spent long moments talking about nothing in particular, and he enjoyed every minute of them. The prince was very intelligent and easy to talk to. And not once did the prince hit him or beat him for displeasing him. No-- in fact, he even once called him "friend," because that was what they had become. It had been unintentional on both parties, but somewhere between all the talks and music, they had.

The second eldest Go son was also very pleasing to the eyes. Very pleasing. His dark hair, brilliant eyes, high cheekbones... He was gorgeous. It was impossible to stand near him, and not feel attracted, but, wisely, the bard hid his attraction from him. The last thing he wanted was for his master to become angry with him for any reason; and he doubted that telling his prince his feelings would make him happy. Nothing could ever come of it anyway, and so he contented himself by simply enjoying his company. He began playing another song for the one he served, a soft ballad.

The prince relaxed in his chair and smiled. "THIS is music..."

"Your lessons are progressing very well, my prince."

The beautiful prince gave him a long, sarcastic look that spoke volumes.

Grinning impishly, the minstrel leaned against the window and glanced out. The Royal Gardens were a beautiful site to behold in the light. Lush, green, plentiful plants. All the flowers...lovely. He noticed his lord's brothers walking out of it, and called this to his friend's attention. "Look, your brothers."

The handsome dragon walked over and glanced out the window. "So THAT's where they always go." He frowned. "Who's that?"

Walking with his brothers was a third youth, a boy with light blue hair. He was laughing at something funny that the White Dragon had apparently said. Suddenly, he glanced up, and froze.

The Red Dragon gave a polite nod, but he looked slightly bothered. "I've seen him before...two weeks ago or so, coming out of Taishinoufujin-sama's room. I wonder who he is."

Below, the Black Dragon had caught notice of his older brother's attention. He waved excitedly, and then said something to the White Dragon. Then, they both looked at the third person and said something to him. The blue-haired boy shook his head and looked reluctant; until the older brother grinned, grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him away, his younger brother following.

Minutes later, there came a knock on the door. Surprised, he stopped his piece and moved to open the door.

Barging in came the second youngest Go son, followed by the youngest. The elder of the two greeted the Red Dragon merrily. "Hey, I have a friend I want you to meet." He glanced at the door. "Come on, Aoiki, there's no need to be nervous."

Reluctantly, the blue-haired boy walked slowly into the room. He gave the Red Dragon a shy smile, but said nothing more.

"Aoiki, this is Chuukei, my older brother. Chuukei, this is Aoiki, a friend." Aoiki nodded politely.

"And this is Chuukei's music teacher, Hisui. He's been working here for couple of months now."

"Oh oh oh! Hisui, will you play Aoiki something? Please?" begged the Black Dragon.

The musician smiled. He picked a piece randomly in his mind and translated the thought to his fingers. Deftly, he plucked the strings while he watched the newcomer. There was something about "Aoiki" that bothered him, but he wasn't sure what. Clearly, by the way he walked and other characteristics, he was nobility. But there was something about him...

The Red Dragon smiled politely. "Aoiki, is it? We've met before, haven't we?"

"Ah, sorry about that," Aoiki bowed.

"Think nothing of it."

"He's really nice," piped in the Black Dragon. He was addressing his older brother, which meant that he was talking about the newcomer.

"He's also a mystery man." The White Dragon laughed heartily, and Hisui could almost swear that he saw Aoiki redden for a second. But it was so fast, that he was not sure if it was a trick of the eyes or not.

"In fact, we only like calling him 'Aoiki." We debated between that and 'Aoki," but liked the sound of the first one more. 'Aoiki sounds cooler than 'Aoki', right? At least, I think so, even though 'Aoki' is more popular."

"I...see." Clearly, the Red Dragon did *not* see, and as a result, he was baffled. He tried to hide it, but evidently, this was what the White Dragon had been hoping for.

The White Dragon grinned. He looked at 'Aoiki,' who was now saying nothing, listening to the music.

"You play beautifully."

"Thank you, my lord." He did not know what rank Aoiki held, and called him 'lord' as a precautionary.

"Ne, ne, Oniisama...we're gonna practice fencing lessons. Aoiki's really good. Wanna come?"

The Red Dragon glanced at his musician. "No...perhaps another time." He looked at Aoiki. "Well met."

"The pleasure is all mine."

The younger Go sons and their friend exited the room. When they were gone, the third eldest Go brother looked at his friend worriedly. "Who's he?"

He liked watching the confusion on his lord's face. It was such a comical expression on someone whose face was always calm and collected. "Who knows? Perhaps another of the noble's sons."

"I thought I've met them all by now."

A shift.

He was now watching Aoiki, spying for the one he loved. As a precaution to ensure that he had no malicious intent. He followed the boy to his room and was puzzled, for the quarters here were only for those that were of His Majesty's blood. He waited, watched when Aoiki left, and then entered the room. He saw the crown lying carelessly on the table, and knew.

"Hisui..." The voice came from behind him.

He felt pure fear. Was this how it would end? Slain by the emperor's son, the prince?

"Please...tell no one..."

Hisui looked at him, shocked. Asking him? Not commanding, ordering, or killing for reassurance?

Aoiki looked down, ashamed. "I did not want to lie, but I am afraid to lose them if I tell the truth."

Oh, how well he could relate to that feeling.

"I don't have anyone else that I can call my friend other than the empress. Please...I don't want to be alone, I don't want to lose them. Please...tell no one?"

Even though they were so different, they were so alike. He nodded. "I promise."

"Thank you."

What a strange being.

Another shift, more violent than the first.

HISUI...

"Guibu..."

Arslan stared numbly at the body of his friend. The minstrel was very pale, the cloth tied around him a dark, crimson-brown color. Guibu was breathing very slowly now, and Arslan knew that he would die in a few minutes.

"But you are the only prince that I have ever met where I thought, 'If we were to die for people, then perhaps it would not be too bad to die for him.� "

No! It can't be like this! He can't die!

Arslan felt Darun place a hand on his shoulder. "Your Highness..." He shrugged it off, uncaring. He took a good step back and looked at everyone. Farangis, holding Guibu, a look of pure misery on her pretty face. Alfreed and Eram, tears running down their cheeks. Melain and Narcasse, eyes closed. And Darun...he turned at looked at his closest friend calmly. The Black Knight's head was bent as well, eyes closed.

So...he's really going to die, isn't he? At least, to everyone, he's already dead. Arslan kneeled near Farangis and felt Guibu's forehead. It was cold, much too cold. He watched the red bloodstains on the cloth, watched as his friend's life was ebbing away.

"He's not going to die."

"You Highness..."

"He's NOT GOING TO DIE!"

Arslan could tell his words were bothering his friends, but he didn't care. He's not going to die! I won't let him! He can't escape this life as easily as the last! He, too, has his own destiny to fulfill and until he did so, he will not die. He felt like wrenching the body from Farangis and throwing it to the floor. Guibu, there was a reason you came back and you aren't going to leave until you find it. The knowledge flooded back to him swiftly, like an epiphany. He knew what he was going to do.

Calmly, the prince took hold of the body from Farangis. The others were troubled, but they said nothing in protest. He closed his eyes, and saw.

HISUI, YOU WILL NOT DIE. YOU CANNOT DIE.

I am Hisui no longer.

Smoothly, Arslan struck him against the cheek.

YOU ARE HISUI, YOU ARE GUIBU, YOU ARE A SERVANT, YOU ARE A FRIEND. YOU ARE NOT TRAPPED LIKE ME, BUT YOU CAN BE AND IF YOU LEAVE YOUR NEXT LIFE WILL BE SIX TIMES WORSE THAN YOUR LAST ONE.

Pushy, aren't we. He was scared. You have no control of anything, not yet.

BUT I WILL. AND WHEN I DO, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU PAY FOR ABANDONING ME.

My prince...how can you do such a thing to me?

I AM SORRY...BUT YOU ARE NEEDED. YOU ARE NEEDED HERE, NOW, ALIVE, TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN US.

I will not stay if you command me to. I have no reason to stay, and am sick of always obeying orders. Always, always, I must listen and follow orders. If you command me, I will leave. I do not care if my next vessel is twenty times worse than my last. Freedom is worth it. Where is this arrogance that you are displaying to me coming from? You were never commanding, not here, not then. I have always respected you for that, but this new attitude of yours sickens me. Command me? Order me to stay? Threaten me? Was this instinctual from your royal blood? He sneered. If this is how you are, truly, then you disgust me and I plan to leave.

I'm sorry. I only wanted you to stay so badly that I was acting exactly how my father acted. This was how he treated others, and sometimes he succeeded. I had been hoping that the same would work on you as well, but now I can see that it is the very last thing that would.

Damn right. I will not stay if I am ordered to. It was my last wish, to come back where I am free. Free to love who I would, choose who I would, serve who I would, perform for who I would. Granted to me, this is why I came back as I am. It's ironic that the same occupation I had last time would give me so much freedom, but it has. I will not stay if you command me to, I am free now, unlike you, and am more than willing to act upon it.

Then...if I asked as a friend?

Hesitation.

Guibu, you are a dear friend to me. I need you. Will you stay? Please?

Silence.

Guibu, I am afraid. If you leave, then the one chained to me may still love you, and I will never have anyone. I know it is selfish of me, but will you stay? I love you, I love all of you. I wish I had never come back but I have and I am afraid. I'm not sure what happened exactly, and only a few of us remember so strongly that the memories haunt our sleep. You are one of them. As a prince, I need you; as a friend, I need you. Think of the one that you have given your heart here.

She cares nothing for me.

She does. Everyone does. I do. Here, as we are now, I love you as one of the closest friends I've ever had. Please...will you stay?

Is it not too late?

No...never...I have the same abilities that I did last time, though they are so weak now that they are almost useless. But still...Guibu, will you accept this gift of life? You are free now, to say no if you wish, to say yes if you will. I will understand either way, and will hold nothing against you.

Silence.

But, I will miss you.

More, thoughtful silence.

If you come back now, neither of us will remember this consciously. But I will never forget.

Slowly, a nod.

Thank you.

Arslan collapsed just as color began to return to Guibu's cheek.

"Prince...!!!"

"What's wrong with him?"

"Is he hurt?"

Darun ignored the others and examined the prince. The boy was pale, but alive. He breathed shallowly, and it became clear that he was unconscious. The prince's champion looked at his best friend. The strategist felt the prince's forehead and frowned.

"What do you think?"

"He doesn't appear to be injured...my best explanation would be that he fainted. But he seems weaker than a person who does faint normally would be."

Darun nodded. He lifted the prince intending to carry him, winced briefly, and then looked at Farangis. "Do you need assistance in carrying Guibu's body?"

Farangis was staring at the minstrel's body with a disturbed expression. Uncertain if she was imagining what she saw, she touched the redhead's cheek. Warm. She felt for his heart and was astounded to find it beating weakly, but stronger than before. He was alive; what more, his wounds appeared to have stopped bleeding. And he was going to live. She looked at Melain in wonder, took the bandit's hand, and pressed it against the bard's neck. Melain's eyes widened.

"What is it?" asked Narcasse, observing the surprise upon their faces.

"He's alive. And he's going to live."

He felt the power surge through him, and Hajime resisted the great urge to join them. He knew it wasn't the right time, and he concentrated on changing the energy into something that Matsuri could use. When he felt that it was enough, he called to his brothers and commanded them to return to their human shell. They were reluctant, but they could not resist their leader. They screamed in agony to be free and he resisted every urge to join them.

"Return!"

Each of the three dragons crackled with power and then exploded. He shielded his eyes and looked once more, when the light was not so intense. Hajime spotted each of his brothers, naked, lying on the floor and he quickly moved to dress them. He felt that he had done his brothers a great injustice, but it was too late to change his actions. His main concern, now, was finding a way to give the energy to his cousin.

She smiled at her love's younger brother. She had come to ask a favor, and hoped that he would fulfill it. "How are your music lessons progressing?"

He gave her a thin smile. "Not very well. I have no talent for music." And he gave a slight grimace, which made her laugh.

"Well...if it's not too much of a bother, may I hire your tutor for a performance tonight?" Her husband's child had been sad for a while. She did not know why...she, too, was sad...but only because the one that she loved had returned home, temporarily, with his younger brothers, to escort their father to court. Apparently, the head of the Go family had something that he wished to discuss with the Emperor, and had requested the presence of all his sons but the second oldest; for he was to stay as a representative of the family.

The Red Dragon was surprised. "Well..." She knew, then, that he did not want to; and she wondered why. It would be only one performance, after all, for her and the emperor's son. He looked uncertainly at her. "Who would be in attendance?"

She indicated herself. "My person and Prince Hoshiki."

"Prince Hoshiki?"

She nodded. "Is that too much to ask?" Social conditions stated that, if she wanted to, she could demand to have the minstrel for herself and have the emperor get him for her. But she was not that type of being, and respected the wishes of others instead. Still, it was a little surprising to receive such a reluctant answer--most of the other nobles would have told her 'yes' by now.

He had no reason to say 'no,' although he clearly wished to. She, therefore, went to reassure him. But how could she address his fears without embarrassing him? She tried anyway.

"It's only one performance, and he will be paid. I would not presume to keep him afterwards, and rest assured, the same can be spoken of Prince Hoshiki." How could he think that she might possibly wish to take a gift that his brother gave him? She would do none of the sort, no matter how well he sang. She was a little hurt that he distrusted her so-- were they not friends? Did they not spend time together, her and all his brothers, in their youth, before she had become empress?

He must have seen the hurt in his eyes, for he confided in her, just as in the days of their youth, before social situations had put a wall in their friendship. "It's not you, Your Majesty." How she hated to be addressed that way by an old friend! "It's Prince Hoshiki."

That was reasonable enough. He appeared to distrust the prince, as he had never met him, and in her heart, she was glad that they were still friends enough that he was not afraid to tell her the truth. Other nobles in his position would be afraid of saying so, for fear that they would be punished for inadvertently insulting the prince.

"Prince Hoshiki has no intentions of stealing your teacher." She smiled comfortingly. "Please, trust me on this. The prince is a kind and compassionate being, he would do nothing of that kind. And if he did, he will not get his way because I will not permit it."

He nodded, because he did trust her, and she was glad that there was something in the friendship of their youth that had survived. "But..."

She nodded. "Of course, we have to ask him first. May we...?"

At her words, he was satisfied. She was the same considerate and compassionate friend as before, and she would never force anyone into something that they did not want. She hoped that the minstrel would say 'yes,' for she wished to lift the spirits of her husband's child. She could not forget how hauntingly beautiful he sang, and hoped that a little music would make the young prince smile.

Matsuri felt something press against her lips and woke up to find Hajime kissing her. It was the best way, he felt, to transfer the energy; but she did not know this. All she knew was how warm and safe she felt, and how much more energetic she felt. She had always felt attracted to Hajime, it was true, but never did anything because she was afraid of ruining their friendship. She wasn't dying to be lovers, but the thought had crossed her mind before. Nevertheless, no such action was ever taken because she was content with the way things were. They were close, and she was happy. Still... there was always that line that she never crossed, and to wake up to find him crossing it was as surprising as it was exciting. She knew that there was a perfect, logical reason that he was kissing her, but out of curiosity and a strange, new enthusiasm, she leaned forward and kissed him back.

Surprised, the eldest Ryudo broke off the kiss and hugged her instead. "I see that you're awake."

Feeling tired, she looked over her cousin's shoulder and saw the other younger brothers, all dressed and sleeping peacefully on the ground. She moved to sit up, and Hajime released her. She looked around, dazed, and then looked at her friend for an explanation.

"You fell down a hole," he explained to her. "And became very ill."

Matsuri knew, then, that the kiss was related to her recovery. She still felt ill, it was true, but she also felt slightly better than she had before. Feeling relieved and at the same time, strangely disappointed, she hugged her cousin once more and attempted to pull herself onto her feet. Hajime stopped her, and told her to lie down some more. Not feeling as great as she thought, she obeyed. She looked happily at the other cousins. "When did they get here?" Her throat was scratchy and painful. She looked at Hajime's face, and then became concerned when she noted how tired he looked. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. They arrived just a little while ago."

"Cool! Now we don't have to look for them!" She grinned at her cousin cheerfully. "Now what, leader? The armies have arrived. What does the captain say?"

"Sleep." Gently, he pushed her back down, until she was lying in her previous position. "Get some more sleep, Matsuri-chan." Feeling reassured and safe in his presence, she obeyed and fell back asleep.

Hajime stared thoughtfully at his pretty cousin and sighed. He glanced at his brothers and sighed even louder. Here they were, reunited finally, and he had not the slightest clue what to do. Furthermore, he would be expected to know. Thoughtfully, Hajime went to move all his relatives into more comfortable and safer positions while he contemplated of how to get back to Tokyo.

Memories, more of them. They were fleeing, and as he tried to catch on to them, to hold on, they disappeared. Desperately, he caught one.

"...My prince, why do you not wish to play?"
"Because I need an excuse to hear you play, instead..."

He opened his eyes in surprise when he felt someone touch his cheek. Moving to sit up, he winced when he felt a great wave of pain wash over him. Deciding to lie still after all, he cast his violet eyes around the room and tried to discern where he was.

"Guibu..."

He started when he heard the other's voice and looked at the source. A beautiful, raven-haired woman, sitting uncomfortably near for a stranger, was speaking with him. He stared at her in astonishment. She was quite possibly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Dark green eyes, smooth skin, glossy hair. She paused and looked at him expectantly, and he realized that she had been speaking to him.

He cleared his voice and asked, confused, "Pardon?"

"I asked how you were feeling," she said, neither gently nor angrily.

He glanced down on himself and found bandages wrapped all along his chest. Wondering where they came from, he stared at them for a while, and then looked back at her. He felt confused and disoriented, and did not attempt to mask it from appearing on his face. He looked at her, smiled weakly, and asked where he was.

"In Castle Peshwal."

He tried to connect the name to a picture or anything, but nothing came and he looked at the woman again. She must have been caring for me. I wonder who she is? She's so beautiful. He then felt that something was wrong, he didn't know what, but something was dreadfully wrong.

Licking his dry lips, he asked for water, and she brought him a cup. The water was cool and refreshing and so he drank every drop. Feeling slightly better, and he looked at the woman again, was relieved that she did not leave, and shifted so that he could speak to her more comfortably. "Thank you," he said simply, to inform her of his gratitude. He did not know who she was, but he was grateful for her watching him.

She seemed slightly surprised at his sincere attitude, but nodded. "I should be the one who is grateful, Guibu."

Guibu, she called him. Was that his name? He couldn't remember and fought to hide the panic that he felt coming. Where was he? Who was he? What happened?

She continued, oblivious to his confusion. "I...got careless and thought I saw something in the sky. I must...thank you for..." she appeared to have difficulty saying what she wanted to say. "...thank you for saving me."

He stared at her in astonishment. I saved HER? "What did you see in the sky?" He asked. The sound of his own voice, so rough against hers, surprised him.

She looked at him, and, away. "Dragons," she said reluctantly, wondering what he would say.

"What did they look like?"

"They were...very beautiful."

He nodded and then, thoughtfully, he placed his hands over hers. Her skin was warm, and she started from his touch. Not wishing to frighten her, he looked at her his violet eyes pleadingly. She stopped when his eyes met hers, never had she seen him with this expression before. His eyes were bright, and he looked...surprisingly vulnerable.

"...Can you help me?" He asked worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

"I...I can't remember anything. Not you, or me, or anything. I don't even know my own name." He bowed his head. "Please forgive me for forgetting one that is as beautiful as you..."

Farangis stared at him in astonishment, and then grew angry. "Is this one of your tricks, minstrel?" she demanded, jerking her hand away from his. Her tone made him wince. She's scary. "Are you playing with me? Trying to get my sympathy for your injuries? Getting revenge at me for causing them?"

He shook his head. "No...never mind." Even if you were the cause of my injuries, I would not resent you for them. He sighed and gave her a forced laugh. Should I pretend that I do remember? The last thing he wanted was her contempt. And it might be dangerous, if an enemy found out that he lost his memory. Enemy? Do I have any? Maybe, maybe not. Still, it was best not to risk anything. I AM injured, after all. Who knows how I got this way? Besides, maybe if he acted normal, he could learn more about himself. He laughed again. "I guess I couldn't fool you, could I?"

Unfortunately, his answer angered her more. Does nothing please her? She slapped him against the cheek, and his face burned like a brand. "You...you made me so worried! Guibu, as usual, you do not fail to make me sick!" Angrily, she got up and left.

And he could only stare after her in astonishment and admiration. What a woman.

He sat in the garden, weeping profusely. It was the only place where he could be alone; in his room he was visited constantly by servants sent by his father. He doubted any of the brothers would appear today; they had probably already heard the news about the marriage and were thoroughly disgusted with him for lying.

And so he sat, and wept, for his days seemed numbered and he wondered why this had to happen to him.

"Aoiki?" Came a familiar voice.

He froze.

"Aoiki, what�s wrong?" The White Dragon sat next to his friend, watching him worriedly.

He thought he was going to die of shame and embarrassment. How weak he must look before the White Dragon! The prince, sobbing like a baby in the Royal Gardens. He turned away, ashamed and filled with self-loathe.

The second youngest Go put his arm around him and gave his friend a hug.

"What�s wrong?"

"D-d-o-on�t you know?"

The White Dragon frowned. "Know what? Did something happen to you? Someone you want me to beat up?"

He gave something that was a cross between a laugh and a sob. It felt good to have his arms around him, comforting and protective. It wasn�t fair!

The White Dragon waited until the boy�s sobbing subsided a bit and then let go. "Care to tell me about it?"

The emperor's son was silent.

"Aoiki. I know you never really told us about yourself. You dodged every question about who you were, and we didn�t care, because no harm was done. We knew the person that we laughed and played with, and that was good enough. But you�re hurt and upset and I feel that you owe me an explanation. So, tell me."

"...did you hear about your brother?" He asked quietly, in soft, low voice. "Your older brother, Chuukei. The news."

"Chuukei? News? Oh! The marriage! How did you know? I was just coming here to tell you the news! Doesn�t that suck? Poor Chuukei! I have to talk to my father about this. To be forced into a marriage...that�s quite possibly one of the worst things that can be done to someone. Imagine not having the freedom of choosing who you want to be with! Poor Chuukei."

He felt like cutting his hand off and flinging it at his father. "...have you met his match yet?"

"The prince? No, actually, I�ve never seen the guy. I heard he was good-looking and kind, though."

"Who told you that?"

"Hisui."

Silence.

"Chuukei...Chuukei�s in love with Hisui, isn�t he?"

The White Dragon stared. "He is? Since when?"

He stared back at him, shocked. Didn�t he know? Couldn�t he see how they looked at each other, how they talked to each other? Didn�t he see all the signs? "Uh..."

"Chuukei in love with Hisui?" The White Dragon laughed. "No chance of that ever happening." He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then shook his head. "I don�t know. Why do you ask?"

Miserable, he could not meet the eyes of the one he loved. And so, he looked away. "No reason."

The White Dragon stared at him. "Do you...are you in love with Chuukei?"

He felt like beating the Go�s head in with a stick. No! I�m in love with you, you idiot! You, not your brother! You! But he�s the one I�m stuck with! "No."

"Oh good. Cuz he�s getting married, you know."

He felt like screaming. Didn�t he know, didn�t he know? "I know." He looked at the White Dragon and met his dark eyes with his own blue. "Who did you think he�s marrying?"

The third oldest Go son frowned, slightly puzzled. "I just told you, the prince."

He began to laugh. It was so ironic, so perfectly ironic. It was so unfair. How could this happen? Why? What did he ever do? And to think, that if he had just told his father that he already loved someone...what would have happened? Would he be marrying the person that sat next to him right now? The tears, as unwelcome as they were, slid down his face once more.

"Come on, Aoiki. Tell me what�s wrong." The White Dragon was beginning to get frustrated and irritated. "Just spill it. We�ll get it fixed and then we have to go talk to my brother to give him words of comfort."

"Shukukei...Haven�t you wondered about me? Why I was in the garden? Why no one else was? Where I come from, whose son I was, anything?" He looked down, sadly. "You...you don�t even know my real name."

"Of course I wondered. Sometimes me and Kikei spend nights wondering about it. We�ve even placed some bets. But you never told us cuz you didn�t want to, and we respected that, even though we were overflowing with curiosity. We weren�t going to force a friend to do something he didn�t want to, so we never asked."

"Ah..." He was impressed by the kindness of the other and was, once more, filled with remorse.

Silence.

"My name is Hoshiki. Prince Hoshiki. I�m the emperor�s son."

The White Dragon�s face was pure amazement. He brightened. "Really? That�s so cool!"

He was silent, wondering what was so special about it, what could be so wonderful about it.

"That means we�re going to be brothers!" Shukukei exclaimed, and he felt his world crumbling away. Oblivious the second youngest Go son continued. "I was so afraid of that my brother would marry a jerk. I�m so glad it�s you." He didn�t know, he never knew, and now he was lost and nothing would ever happen. He never even felt remotely the same way. I don't want to be your brother, I want to be your lover...

A shift in the dream. A distortion.

Oh, a guest.

"Salutations."

"Greetings."

"I felt something today. Was it you?"

"Well, I attempted to use my power."

"And?"

"My powers are weaker than I thought. I do not believe it ended up as I had hoped."

A frown. "What do you mean?"

A sigh. "The transaction was...not complete."

He heard voices. They were spoken in low whispers, but he could still hear them. They're kind of noisy, he thought resentfully.

"Lejendra is wondering why he hasn't seen Arslan. I told him that the prince was sleeping, but I'm wondering if he suspects."

"True. Lejendra may not be the fool he pretends to be."

"And he insists on a celebration."

"WHAT?!"

"Quiet, lower your voice."

"Why that contemptible Shindran prince..."

"He doesn't know that Arslan is ill."

"Still..."

It�s Darun and Narcasse, the prince realized. I wonder if anyone else is in the room. He felt a lazy haze over him, and did not feel like moving. Instead, he decided to lay there and listen.

Silence. Then, "I hope he's alright." Arslan felt someone brush some of the hair out of his face and he resisted the urge to open his eyes and shout "Boo!" at the top of his lungs. Stop thinking such thoughts. He was having trouble enough keeping his eyes closed already, let alone a smile from crossing onto his face.

"It's nothing fatal." There was concern in the voice.

"I hope so."

"You worry too much."

"Look at him. When he's asleep, you realize that he's just a boy. He's a mature and intelligent person, granted, but look. He's almost 15. Not even 16 yet..."

Silence.

"Is it right, Narcasse? To force the burden of the crown on someone so young? So innocent?"

"You were younger when you entered your first battle."

"Still..."

"If anyone was suited for the crown, it would be him. I've observed his actions, and he has passed all of my tests. Like with considering Ilina as a hostage. He's young, true, but it's better that these events happened while he was young, while he can still grow, adapt, and change."

"He�s just a boy. An innocent boy. He may be our future ruler...but Narcasse, look at him. Arslan�s heart is the purest heart that I know. He cares for everyone and everything; he always stands by his principles. His soul is an overflowing abundance of infinite innocence. How can we do this to a child? To expect him to fight for a throne he may not even want, and if he wins...to rule over Palse and face the harsh realities of life?"

"We can�t protect him forever, Darun. Arslan may be pure, but that is the precise reason why he would make a better sovereign than all of his ancestors combined. He may be innocent, but he is not unknown to suffering or pain. The fact that he stands by his principles even after what happened to him, that he is still "innocent" after everything that has happened...it shows that his heart is stronger than anyone else�s. His "innocence," as you call it, his compassion and kindness, his faith in his countrymen, that is what a ruler needs and that is why I chose to follow him. A ruler must be innocent like a child, compassionate like a woman, and strong like a man. We can�t protect him from the corruption of the world nor from any other ugly faces of reality. But with him...Arslan is far stronger than we think. Exposed to evils, he will not be tainted, but learn from them, grow stronger, and rule even wiser. He�s strong, Darun. His innocence is a strength and even when exposed to vile, it will not break."

Silence.

"I, on the other hand, would never make a fine ruler."

"You? You're far too cynical."

"Precisely. Only someone who can maintain faith in his countrymen, who continues to be optimistic in them...only that person can rule correctly. Only someone with an innocence like Arslan's. If the ruler has none, then he would feel that all his actions were meaningless, that those he was ruling over were not worth defending. With this feeling, nothing would ever get accomplished. When a ruler loses this faith, he cares nothing for his people and becomes a tyrant abusing his power. This is why Arslan's "innocence" is a strength in a ruler. Without it, the king feels no responsibility for his people."

Another moment of silence.

"Arslan's fit all of my expectations so far, and those are fairly high. I doubt that he would fail us on this. He has a noble spirit and heart, and he really does care about his subjects. If it turns out that we were wrong, and that he is not suitable for the throne, we'll just find someone else."

"Narcasse...!"

"Don't look at me like that. That's not what I meant. I mean...if all our cards are played correctly, then Arslan would ascend to the throne. He would not fail as a ruler; he's compassionate, intelligent, and authoritative when he chooses to be. The only matter that would make him a failure as a king would be if he chose to be. If he decided that he would rather be a normal civilian than king, that he would rather work a peaceful life that rule over lives...then that's his choice. I doubt it would happen. But if he decided it, then there's little we can do but find another king or have a rival country rule us."

"Arslan would never abandon us."

"I know."

Silence. Arslan heard a scuffle and then a sharp intake of breath.

"Gods, Narcasse!"

"Darun?" Another sharp inhale. A rustle of fabric. "Darun, you idiot!"

They were still whispering, but not as quiet as before. Did Narcasse just call Darun an idiot? Becoming more and more curious, Arslan sneaked a look. Narcasse was examining Darun's left arm with growing concern. The prince couldn't see well, but with Darun's sleeve pulled up, he could see a hint of red. He closed his eyes again.

"Why didn't you get this treated?" Narcasse's tone was harsh.

"I meant to, but the prince and Guibu are more important."

Guibu! Was he hurt! Is he okay? Did he die? Now he really wanted to let them know that he was awake, but he didn't because he was embarrassed that he was eavesdropping on them talking about him. Not this again. Haven't I learned anything from this morning?

"Besides, it's just a flesh wound." Darun almost sounded defensive. If Arslan didn't know better, he almost sounded...well, a little afraid. Darun, afraid of Narcasse? "It doesn't hurt much."

"Doesn't hurt much?" Said ever so sweetly, dripping with honey and biting sarcasm.

Someone made a hissing noise. "Except when you poke it like that."

"Idiot." The sound of rustling fabric. "You carried Arslan with your arm like that?" His tone was strange, as far as Arslan knew, he never heard Narcasse ever speak like that to anyone, and the prince had trouble identifying it. Angry, irritated, exasperated, concerned, and...something else. "Hold still, let me tie this. There."

"...Thanks."

"Let's go get some medicine for it."

"It really isn't that bad of a wound. I've received worse. It'll get better in a few days. Ow! Stop it!" He was whispering furiously. "It won't get better if you keep poking it!"

A low laugh. "Come on, let's go. We can call Alfreed and Eram to watch Arslan, dress your wound properly, and then see how Guibu's doing." The door opened.

Doing? He's alive! Arslan felt a great sense of relief come over him. Guibu's alive! The door closed, and then Arslan opened his eyes. He was eager to see how Guibu was feeling. Alive. Moving slowly, he looked up and froze.

Oblivious to their awaken prince, Darun had Narcasse pressed against the closed door. They were... kissing. Arslan slowly lowered himself back onto his bed, turned his face away, and blushed furiously. I had no idea...Oh gods, this is so embarrassing. He waited until he heard the door open and close again, before daring to glance up. They're gone. He sat up, again, dazed. I must admit, I NEVER noticed. I mean, sure they were close, but I had not the slightest clue that they were lovers. He thought of his conversation with Guibu in the morning and then of other, past incidents. The fact that *every*time he spied on one of them he learned something *completely* new had to mean SOMETHING. Everyone...has a much a different face from the person they show me. They all have separate, private lives that I've never even imagined. He felt odd, slightly hurt and sad. Resigned. I will never get a chance to really learn about those that I call my friends because to them, I'm on another, unreachable level. I'm a prince, so I am on a pedestal. I will...never truly be able to understand any of them or know who they are. I'm different. He sighed, and slowly moved his legs to the side of the bed. Well, he thought amused, at least I know why Darun and Narcasse tend to consult each other before they consult me.

Well, my wounds aren�t too bad. I can walk. I think. Feeling weak, but determined to move, he slowly slid off the bed. She called me "Guibu," right? I suppose I�ll go by that name for now. It�s all I have. He spotted some clothing and decided to dress. Wincing in pain as he did so, he moved to open the door and leave.

Just as he did so, the door opened and two men stood in his way. One had dark blue eyes and black hair. He was well built, and dressed in black. The other was a feminine looking man with long, brown hair and brown eyes. If Guibu didn�t know any better, he would have mistaken him for a girl.

The dark-haired man spoke first. "Guibu, what are you doing out of bed?"

The androgynous man watched him with a slight frown. "His recovery is extraordinary."

Guibu gave them a nice, fake smile. He searched his memory for them, had no recollection, and realized that he would have to fake this conversation as well. "Good day," he greeted them.

They stared at him. Then the girly-guy spoke. "Farangis left here looking rather upset. Is there any reason behind her reactions?"

Guibu gave them his best innocent look. Farangis, is that her name?

They, in turn, gave him extremely sarcastic looks. "Why are you out of bed?" demanded the man with black hair.

"I..."

"Guibu! Are you alright?" It was another speaker, a young boy in his teens. He stood behind the other two men, with a concerned expression.

The dark-haired man looked at him with surprise. "Your Highness. Should you be out of bed so soon?"

The boy with light blue hair smiled. He was young, and his eyes were a compassionate blue. From out of nowhere in Guibu�s mind, a name matched the face, and he was thrilled that there was someone he recognized.

"Prince Hoshiki," he bowed.

Chapter 4: Love for Life

Chapter 6: Alone

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