Title: The Bonds of Providence

Series: Viewfinder, AU (possible x-over with CS, maybe)

Pairing: AsamixAkihito

Rating: PG-PG-13 right now, just some swearing

Warnings: Uh… it's a little angsty for the moment? Er… yeah. _

A.N.- I blame this on the pain-killer induced dreams I've had this past week. O_o; It should only be a few chapters long, and once this is out of my system I can hopefully go back to working on my other stuff. So, enjoy my… I was gonna say temporary insanity, but really, I should know better. :-P On with the fic!

Disclaimer: Everything Viewfinder related belongs to the great Yamane Ayano. The lame stuff? All mine. :-P

The Bonds of Providence

Prologue

By: shad0wg8

Takaba Akihito, Crown Prince of Bryn, had just lost the two most important people in his life. His parents were dead. He'd never see them again. Everything came to a startling, screeching halt. They were gone. It had been sudden, unexpected; shocking to say the least. The world failed to make any sense to him that late spring day as he sat through the Burial Rites, face blank, and mind just as empty.

The moment he set foot back inside the palace, he was surrounded and roughly grabbed by armed guards. Struggling, they hauled him up the north tower, shoving him unceremoniously into the topmost chamber. The door slammed shut with a reverberating bang, the cold rasp of metal scrapping against the thick wood panels as it was padlocked. He threw himself uselessly against the sturdy door, banging his fists against the wood, screaming to be let out until his voice gave and he sank to the floor sobbing. Tears rolled freely down his cheeks and he scrubbed at them angrily, feeling helpless and frustrated. His sobs died down to hiccups and finally subsided as he wore himself out, puffy, swollen eyes drifting shut as fatigue dragged him down.

He was startled awake as the door scraped open, rough hands grabbing him and hauling him to his feet. He stumbled along in their grip, still half asleep as he was dragged to a small study. He was thrown inside and the door slammed shut behind him. Mind reeling, he tried to keep it together.

"Hello nephew."

Akihito glanced up from his kneeling position on the floor.

"U-unlce Balthazar?"

He felt his heart sink further, if that was even possible. The man nodded, a slow, oily leer working its way onto his thin lips. Everything sharply came into focus and Akihito's eyes widened in horror. He was only twenty-three. He couldn't assume the throne until he was twenty-five, which meant…

"Ah, finally figured it out did you? Don't worry, everything is taken care of."

Akihito shuddered at the myriad of possibilities that could entail.

"You see, dear nephew, I want you out of the picture. This kingdom may be small, and pretty much unknown, but it's better than the backwater little sty I've been governing all these years. This is my golden opportunity, and I'm not going to let you ruin it."

"Y-you bastard!" Akihito choked, jumping to his feet and advancing on the tall man.

"Language, Akihito. Didn't they ever teach you manners?"

"Manners?!" the boy practically screeched, hands fisting at his sides. Caught up in his rage, he hadn't noticed the guard slip in behind him. As he made a lunge for his uncle he was tackled to the floor, arm twisted up and back behind him painfully. He writhed on the floor, eyes flashing in fury. He heard his uncle sigh dramatically above him and bristled even more.

"I haven't quite figured out how to deal with you yet. Killing isn't my style, so you needn't worry about that. But I do need to get you out of the picture. Discreetly."

Akihito ground his teeth.

"Until then you can stay in your little tower room. Who knows, maybe prince charming will even come to your rescue," he mocked as Akihito was lugged out of the room kicking and struggling.

_____

He spent months in that little room, pacing the floor, screaming in frustration, crying in grief. He was brought food and water, given the basic necessities. He tried to keep himself occupied and sane, with only one narrow arrow slit to see the outside world by. Spring quickly changed to summer, and summer was approaching fall by the time he was led out of his prison not looking forward to what it could mean, but happy to be out of the stifling space.

"Marriage. The King of Haverford has accepted my proposal. It's far enough away that I won't have to worry about you running back home, and a new enough kingdom that I won't have to bother with a large dowry."

Akihito blinked. The damn man was insane if he thought he'd willingly go along with this. Besides, his voice would be a dead giveaway that he wasn't… what he was portrayed to be.

"The wedding is in a fortnight. You'll be leaving tomorrow."

"You can't- I'm not marrying a man!"

"You can, and you will. I'll be there to make sure you do."

"I'm male," Akihito protested. "Don't you think he'll notice that his bride isn't a bride at all?"

"That's the beauty of this plan. He won't know anything is amiss until your wedding night, and by then it will be too late."

Akihito choked on that bit of information. He didn't even want to think about what that could possibly involve.

"H-how can you… I won't!"

"Ah, you're forgetting that there are ways to gain your compliance against your will." He motioned a reedy man over who had been hiding by the curtains. Akihito had a desperate, sudden urge to be back in his hellish little prison when he took in the robes and gnarly staff. A wizard, which meant…

"N-no!"

"It won't hurt. You'll just be in a small trance until the ceremonies are over and the contract is signed."

"Don't do this," Akihito tried to plead, startled that his voice was so faint, trying to object further and realizing with despair that his voice was gone.

"Oh, yes, and you won't be able to talk until your lovely new husband kisses you," his uncle explained, waving him off. "If he ever does, that is."