"Ashura-sama. There is news of Fai-san."

The assassin's message woke him from his stupor. He looked up from his desk, eyes drowned in disbelief. "Did you just say..."

The assassin nodded firmly. His face showed no emotion, but that was only because of who he was. "After searching everywhere, we found an unidentified fortress deep in the forest. Ran by whom, we don't know, but we are certain that Fai-san is there."

"Did you see Fai with your own eyes?"

"No, Your Highness."

"Then how do you know for sure?"

"The man with red eyes is there, and I have heard of the soldiers spoken of a blond hostage."

Ashura's eyes narrowed at the mention of Kurogane. Someone was going to pay for taking his Fai. "We ride tomorrow at sunrise."

"Hai, Ashura-sama."

-.-.-.-.-.-

Yuui was unaware of his missing twin. Many times when Fai returned on a mission with Ashura, he had always stayed with the prince for another week.

Therefore, it didn't appear as anything out of the ordinary when it was after a week of the prince's return.

3 days after, Yuui started to feel that something was not right. He took off from Koto and headed for the castle.

He snuck into the castle, easily bypassing Ashura's assassins. It had become his repertoire. He found Ashura in his study room with his assassins, talking in low voices, but Yuui tried his best to fine tune into their conversation.

-.-.-.-.-.-

How many days had it been, Fai did not know. The people in the fortress were odd. The majority of them treated him like a real hostage as opposed to Kurogane and Tomoyo, who treated him like a guest.

It did not matter, however. He had not spoken to any one besides Kurogane and Tomoyo.

It was early in the afternoon when Fai sat under a tree's shadow while watching Kurogane trained his crew. There was nowhere he should be or anything he should do. He was a captive after all.

Sitting there, Fai started to reflect how he was feeling more comfortable living with his supposed enemies. He especially felt most accustomed to being with Kurogane. It was so natural that he didn't want to believe it. There was a time that he wished they had met under different circumstances and befriended.

If Yuui was there, he might have said that Kurogane was the most handsome man in the world of men, which was quite ironic in an unknown way. Fai shook his head and turned his back on Kurogane.

Fai thought about his brother, wondering whether Yuui knew he was captured. But then again, Yuui was never curious when it came to Fai's job in the palace. He let out a light sigh of relief, positively knowing that Yuui did not know. Fai didn't want his brother to be worried.

"What is on your mind?"

The sudden voice from behind startled him a bit, but recognizing the voice, smiled and then turned around. "My life back in the city."

Kurogane came over and sat next to Fai on the rock looking out to the river ahead. "Do you miss it?"

"…I'd say yes." Fai responded softly.

They sat quietly together until a soldier ran over looking tired from the running. "Kurogane-sama, Princess Tomoyo calls for you."

Fai craned his neck sideway to give Kurogane a brief look.

"I'll be on my way." Kurogane told the soldier, who left promptly. He turned back to Fai. "I need to go." He didn't have to be so informant, but he felt the need to let Fai know.

Fai nodded approvingly with as smile and Kurogane left.

Kurogane found Tomoyo behind her wooden desk inside her chamber. "You called for me."

Tomoyo looked up with a small smile and beckoned for Kurogane to sit down.

With an observant look at the princess, Kurogane knew it right away that whatever Tomoyo was going to tell him was going to be bad news.

"How is Fai-kun? Does he miss his home yet?"

"What happened?" Kurogane ignored the question, wanting to get straight to the point.

Tomoyo thinned her lips and picked up a parchment. It had a few holes in it. "This came not long ago. You might want to take a look at it."

Kurogane stood up to come over to take the parchment, all the while with his eyes looking at Tomoyo contemplating. He read it and a frown creased on his forehead. "Where did you get this?"

"Souma found it along with an arrow embedded into the main door of the meeting hall." Tomoyo closed her eyes briefly. "They know."

"Don't hand him over." Kurogane said in a possessive tone.

"I have neither the right nor choice to make the decision. It is up to Fai-kun whether he wants to leave with them tomorrow or stay here. Though, I highly doubt the latter."

Kurogane opened his mouth to say something, but Tomoyo cut in. She wasn't finished yet. "If you have forgotten, we are in hiding and I hope that whatever you do, you should think of our identity first."

Kurogane looked away looking agitatedly. "That Prince bastard made Fai a sacrifice sheep, and now he wants Fai back? I won't let him use Fai in such ways again." Without getting permission to be dismissed, Kurogane left with a loud slam of the sliding door.

Tomoyo merely smiled, not at all offended.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kurogane did not visit Fai at dinner. Instead, an unfamiliar soldier carried dinner into his room and left subsequently without a word. Fai had a strange feeling growing in his stomach, like something was going to happen.

With a heavy sigh, Fai stood up from his bed and walked out the door. He looked at the room beside his, but there was no light. Longingly, he walked and stood in front of Kurogane's door, semi hoping that Kurogane was inside.

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Fai immediately turned around, stumbling on his feet. Seeing the face that he was longing for, he smiled. "You're back." He walked on the stone steps.

Kurogane did not smile, but merely nodded. "Did you have your dinner yet?"

Fai shook his head. Inside, he felt a stab of pain that Kurogane was being distant to him for no apparent reason. "Have you?"

Kurogane nodded. He lied. He did not feel hungry that night. "Aren't you hungry?"

"No." Fai answered, looking at the ground.

Kurogane sighed tiredly while looking at Fai's downward head. He turned and walked over to the stone table and bench in the courtyard and sat down, placing his sword on the table. "Being here for so long, do you wonder why we haven't done anything to you yet?"

Fai looked at Kurogane with confused round eyes. He panicked. Are they going to kill him now, after all those times? Is that why Kurogane wasn't smiling this night? "…"

Kurogane reached into the slit on his front clothing and pulled out a parchment. He reckoned Fai to come closer and held out the paper.

"What is it?" Fai asked in a small voice, as if he was afraid.

Kurogane took Fai's hand and forcefully placed the paper in it. "Read it."

Fai slowly opened the paper and read it. At the end of the paper, Fai frowned and looked at Kurogane. "This."

"He's coming to get you. The Prince wants you back."

Fai licked his dry lips.

"Do you want to go back?"

Fai was surprised at the question. It was as if Kurogane did not want him to go back. "I…The Prince…" Fai looked away. "He's my lover." He felt the need to let Kurogane know.

Kurogane felt dry and angry. His red eyes blazed. "What?" He stood up and violently spinned Fai around.

Fai didn't say anything.

Kurogane gripped Fai's shoulders tighter, making him wince. "He used you, Fai! He used you and you could've died." Kurogane's voice died down. "Why do you stay with him when he does all these things to you?"

Fai bit his lips, thinking about his brother. If he wasn't Ashura's lover, his brother would've been dead by now. Unconsciously, his hands fisted. "I don't mind. He loves me."

Kurogane sighed in exasperation and stepped away from Fai to release his anger on tree nearby.

Fai's eyes trembled as he looked at Kurogane, feeling guilty for hurting Kurogane. Maybe, just maybe he had fallen for the ninja. But he couldn't leave Ashura. There was no doubt that Ashura will track him down wherever he went.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Morning came and Kurogane didn't get a glimpse of sleep.

A knock came upon his door urgently. "Kurogane-san!" The soldier sounded rushed.

Kurogane immediately walked over and opened the door. "What happened?"

"The Prince's army is here. They are at the front demanding us to hand over our captive."

"Where's the Princess?"

"She's heading to the gate at this moment."

Kurogane got his sword and rushed to the gate.

Their defense squad was blocking the gate. Kurogane's eyes traveled quickly to the watchtowers and higher platform to see archers on their firing stance. Closer range offenders made a barricade outside the gate where Ashura's army stood their ground. Kurogane recognized the General on a black steed.

"Princess." Kurogane came to stand by her, who was surrounded by many skilled others.

"Whoever you are, hand over Fai this instance!" The General demanded sublimely.

There was recognition in Tomoyo's eyes as she regarded Ashura seriously. She had seen that face in her vision before. "Who are you?"

Ashura lifted his chin high and smirked. "Someone who you should be reckoned with."

While they converse, Yuui hid behind a grandiose tree from a branch up high. His eyes widened when he saw Kurogane joining the crowd. It's him!

Yuui couldn't believe it. He saw the red-eyed man again.

"Hand Fai over, or I will burn this fortress down without mercy."

Tomoyo whispered to someone nearby to go get Fai. "I do not intend on keeping him here if he does not want to stay. It is up to him." She spoke majestically to Ashura.

Ashura's eyes diverged to Fai when he immersed from the soldiers and he smiled. "I'm here for you, Fai."

Tomoyo waved in dismissal for the soldiers to part way for Fai to go through. He stopped by Tomoyo. "It is up to you whether you want to stay or leave. We will defend you if you choose to stay."

Fai looked at the ground before looking at Ashura with hesitation. "I…I want to leave."

Kurogane's eyes widened in disbelief when he saw the gaze between the General and Fai. He understood right away.

"Then I won't hold you."

Fai gave her a small grateful smiled. "Thank you for treating me like your kind all this time."

Tomoyo smiled and nodded.

Purposely, Fai avoided Kurogane's eyes that bored onto him and slowly walked forward to Ashura. Inside his chest, his heart was hammering fast. There was a part of him that wanted Kurogane to call his name.

Kurogane wanted to hold Fai back, but he couldn't move. Mustering up his courage, he took a few steps forward and said softly. "Wait."

Fai stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Don't go." He whispered.

AN: There is no excuse for my lateness, and i aplogize. So here is the update. ^_^ I'm not so sure with this chapter. Not the best, but it's something.

Thank you to the reviewers for letting me know that there are readers. I have a few readers who told me that they don't like the AshuraFai pairing. Sorry to say this, but this is how my story will be like and I cannot turn Ashura into a father or brotherly figure. Ashura must be like that for the flow of my story.

On the last note, Constuctive Critism is welcome, as well as any pointing out of plot errors. R&R