He stood there, helplessly as the lady turned around the corner of the castle. She was unaware of the dangers in the darkness. she was smiling happily as she touched the petals of the rose she held. "My lord is truly kind to thee." she said softly. Her green dress began to flow in the gust of wind that blew, knocking the rose from her hands. Smiling at herself, she turned to gain what had been lost. The small white petals swaying in the breeze.

It was then he showed himself. He come from the darkness harboring a single blade which reflected the moon's light. She didn't see him, she didn't know. "NO!" he cried trying to warn her of the other man, the one whom meant her harm. He moved to them, but they didn't hear him. They never do. He watched as the cloaked man stabbed her over and over again as she screamed in pain, cried for her Lord whom would she would never see again. He took what was of value, a few rings and a necklace of pearls before he fled.

He moved to her then. She was crying, begging the Holy Mother to spare her life as she reached for the last gift her lover had given to her soaked up her blood so greedily. He looked into her eyes, a lovely green, rivaling the beauty of emeralds. They were losing their light, losing life. "P-Please...I wish not to pass." she whispered with strained words. "M-My Lord...I shall forever lo-love thee." a soft smile and her life was gone.

Blue eyes looked over the body as he began to cry. He could do nothing but watch everything unfold. He was unable to save her, just as he could not save countless others. His tears fell upon her as he moved to close her eyes. "No..." he whispered. His teeth gritted his eyes closed tightly as anger consumed him. "NO!"

~/-*-\~

He was slapped across the face as he came out of his trance. In his hand he held the dead Lady's. She was so cold, her soul had been gone for hours before he had come. He closed her eyes and turned to the man whom had slapped him.

Dull green eyes looked at him from under thick eye brows. His honey blonde hair elegantly styled as he tried to get the other to speak. "Well, lad, what can you tell us?" he asked as he helped him to stand but not before black gloves were placed upon him.

All his weight leaned on to him as he held his dizzy head. "He had eyes the color of freshly made mud. Skin as pale as parchment and a scar across his left eye to the right of his lips. On his belt he wears faux emerald which harbors the symbol of a serpent." He looked on as the Lady's body was carried away. Her Lord following behind holding fast, voiding his true emotions. "So young." he whispered.

"Yet, elder to thyself." he said motioning for him to follow. He did. "Men shall be out looking. He will not deny the noose long, love." his words brought no comfort as he made sure he was in the carriage before entering. He noted the blank look on his face. The dullness in his eyes he gained when deep in thought. "Things would be different if you didn't help him escape."

Sapphire eyes turned to him, sharp as swords and just as deadly. "I shall not regret what transpired those years ago. My heart will not allow such bonds upon my own blood. To be enslaved for a curse thou use for thy own greed." he turned away and looked out toward the castle walls, to the gates. "Caged am I, a bird with not a song to sing."

The other huffed before leaning forward. "Say as you will, you have no right to deny thy master. You are slave to thee, body and soul. Thy life to the King." he smiled at that. His eyes wandering over the youth before him. From the sun kissed skin to the wheat blonde hair and ending at the sapphire eyes so sharp, so deadly. How he longed to hold that body close.

"I alone gave him wings." he smiled as they pulled through the second set of gates. "At the cost of my own." He was helped from the carriage by his master and lead to his home. Within no time he was greeted by a young child, his master's younger brother. A kind smile displayed on his features. "Little Peter you grow once more!" he exclaimed as he watched his Master place the seal upon the door once more, locking him with in the grounds.

"Perhaps so! May one day I grow taller then you Alfred." he giggled as he ran to his brother. "Lord Brother Arthur, tell me, when can I go with thou? To catch those whom make thy Queen weep so and send them to the noose?"

Arthur ruffled his hair. "When you grow taller than myself. At that time you shall be welcome with open arms." He laughed at the look he got. "Seems such you are a child still, Brother come what have the high scholars taught to you?" he asked as he watched his prized slave wonder too his room.

Alfred looked around the large room filled with priceless items. Golden figures littered the room along with sheets of finely woven silks all for the sake of his delicate skin. Oils and scented lotions scattered across the vanity. Gems and highly decorated pieces of jewelry were draped over marble statues of him. It was a room fit for a prince, all provided by his Master.

He ignored it all and walked to his desk. Pulling out a piece of parchment and rare bird feather pen. Dipping it into the ink he slowly drew the image of the Lady whom he was too late to save. Each feature of her face was paid closely to. Once finished he moved to the alter that was set up near the window. Upon it was the image, and he placed an incent down upon the alter. Placing his hands together he prayed to the Holy Mother for the young Lady's spirit.

His eyes opened as he heard the door closed. "What is it you wish of me?" he asked unmoved from praying. He knew what was coming. What always came after his little trances? He was ripped from his prayers and thrown to the bed soon to be joined by his master, the King's high sorcerer. The elder pressed his body down upon the youth as his hands hovered above the body of the child. His eyes scanning with want.

"Tell me...where is he?" he knew it was useless. That the child would never give him up, even if he did know where he was. He was too precious to him to give up. He did this to get close. To get as far as he could without tainting the purity that is the child below him. Purity he wished for, longed for, wanted to take, to claim.

The child turned from him. All this bastard was is a lust fill sac of shit. As if he would dare tell him where his brother was. It had been only seven years since he was able to help him escape. In ensuring his brother's freedom he denied his own, thus forced to stay with Arthur who rarely let him out of sight.

The elder male narrowed his eyes. How he wished to touch the boy, to feel him. Yet, it was forbidden. If he did, the child would lose his purity and thus his gift. It angered him beyond reasoning but there was nothing he could do. He moved away and handed him a box. "For you, a token." the other said.

The other turned from the box refusing yet another gift, another offering to his curse. A noise came from the box. Alfred turned to it and heard it again. Something was alive in it. Upon opening it a small animal jumped out. It's white fur shown brightly in the sun's light and its gray collar looked much like a silver necklace. It hissed and growled at Arthur and Alfred. Yet, it did not detour him. Slowly he reached his hand out and was bit by the small creature. A small droplet of blood trickled down his finger but his features were kind. "Come now, no need to fear." he spoke softly. As if a command from the Holy Mother herself, the creature released him and began to lick at the wound he caused. Quickly he jumped up on the Oracle's shoulder and rubbed his head against the tan cheek. This caused a giggle to fall from the flawless lips.

Arthur watched carefully. It was no easy feat to tame a Squirrel-Fox. They were wild and very fierce. Yet when his men had stumbled upon it, he couldn't help but test his Oracle's powers even further. It took a liking to him almost instantly. It amazed him. What was the boy truly capable of? He wished to know and thus would never allow him to leave.

"Tell me, what is it you are called?" he asked the small creature. It ran down and sat on his lap before it mewed softly. "Such a lovely name, what does it mean?" The small fox ran to the window and sat on the pane before mewing once more. Alfred's eyes stared at the window. 'So...his name is Amerika and it means...freedom.' he thought. 'Freedom...' he shook the thought from his mind. It was dangerous to think of it. "I see, tell me small one, where are you from?" A loud mew and it jumped repeatedly. Alfred nodded and laid on the bed. He was tired. His powers came at a price. One that was easy to pay. Closing his eyes, he felt the bed shift as Amerika laid in his arms. He smiled, knowing that he wouldn't be alone any longer.

~/-*-\~

Alfred woke a few hours later to a knock on his door. He was still tired as he willed himself to answer it. He wasn't surprised to see the captain of the guards there as well as his royal highness. The king's long golden locks hanging behind him. Lowing his head slightly, instead of the full bow he should be taking, he looked up at the annoyed captain. "Lord Alfred high virgin Priest you are still to bow lowly to thy king!" he boomed.

The boy smiled. "To claim me Lord when I am slave to one makes for foolishness, Captain. I do not bow to thy own master what makes you think I shall bow such to thy king? He is not my king for I am not native to thy lands he rules." Amerika jumped on his shoulder then, eyeing the intruders.

The king laughed. "Such spirit in a child so young! It is a shame he is wasted here with the sorcerer. He'd be far more suited in my palace and in my bed chamber."

He wanted to vomit. "A Bearer am I, yet pure must I remain for my powers to remain." he reminded the old bastard. "Please, King of Deutschland why, pray tell, you have you come to my bed chamber?" it was unsetting.

"We have caught the man whom had taken my nieces life. We need you to come and confirm we have thy right man." the Captain said with irritation in his voice.

Alfred could not resist himself. "Ah, and you are one to speak, your highness!" he bowed lowly to the Captain. "For if you are to answer for thy king surely you are he."

The king's booming laughter filled the room. "Your youth is wasted here! I say once more to refuse thy master and thy name for the sake of palace riches!" he had made the offer so many times, since the day he had found that the child was indeed a Bearer.

The child narrowed his eyes. "To be a second wife is to reduce me to a whore! I shall not tarnish my name for the sake of false riches." what nerve of him. His blood was boiling in anger and frustration. Why would any man need two wives was beyond him.

The king looked at him in bewilderment. "To refuse riches as gems and gold as false. What have you for true riches? Pray tell, so I may better understand such."

Alfred turned on his heels and walked to the bed. "Silks and gold, silver and rubies all will tarnish in time. Yet one thing remains, something pigs as you will never understand." he turned back to them, a glare of hate and pain in his eyes. "I gave up my one true love to freedom. To ask that I be bound to you as a whore is repulsive foolishness. My will is strong but my heart is stronger!" he removed his glove and touched the king's hand.

He stood in the dungeons of the palace looking around. It was cold and lit by few torches. Armored guards stood at the entrance to the cell as it opened. There sat the man who had killed the young woman the day before. He had no regret, no remorse on his features for what he had done. In fact he laughed about it. Laughed like a man whom lost his wits.

The boy stumbled back, nearly falling before he gripped the wall for support. Panting heavily he nodded. "H-He is the one you seek. He wears the blood of thy Lady upon his sleeve." he turned away from them, heading once more to the bed. "Be on your way. I've need for rest."

It didn't take long for him to hear the shouting. For his master to scream his name. He didn't move. His body was far too weak. Twice within a few hours was exhausting. Yet he was not spared. Arthur broke the door as he stormed in. His face red as a tomato. "How dare you defile thy king!" he growled.

"He is not my king." he mumbled. Half-lidded sapphire eyes looking to his master. The man was irate with him, yet he could care less. He was tired, that's all he was worried about.

Arthur held his head in his hand. "I-It matters not! You reside in my home in his land! He is thy king!" the elder plopped in his chair and sighed. "Being of my class of sorcery will not fetch much, with an unskilled brother to feed." He looked out the window at the setting sun. "Watching him wither away was torture..." looking back at the slave he owned, he stood. "No choice have I had in purchasing you and your brother with the last of my gold coin! Your gifts cannot be replicated by magic!"

The other closed his eyes. "And yet, you used us for your own benefit, to gain favor from Royalty. Pushing us past limits and braking us down. Like you, I did what I had to in order to save my brother." His mind began to drift with a yawn.

"You sill misunderstand! I did such to make wealth for us all! You to gain rewards for murders and thy brother for the sight of foreseeing future outcomes. In three short years we were wealthy beyond that born of noble's blood!" He gripped the youth's silk robes and pulled him closely. His eyes enraged as he snarled. "For such I never expect thy ungrateful bitching!"

Alfred turned away from his revolting breath which smelled of rum. "The riches were yours! We needed not gold and silver but freedom! To bathe us in oils and dress us in silks dressing us in rare gems and metals as trophies is a mockery of our birth right!" he touched a gold necklace around his neck which bore a sapphire and lock, reading "Property of the Duke of Kirkland." "To force a collar upon us like dogs! We were not thy equal but thy slaves! Even more so when I was found to be of Bearer blood!" he pushed away and hugged his body. His strength gone due to exhaustion. "You think I know not what men truly desire...I know what they wish of me. Thy noblemen, thy king and even..." sapphire eyes looked up sadly. "Even thyself. Yet, I am no more than a Bearer."

Arthur sighed heavily as he sat next to him. Taking hold of the child's gloved hand he pulled him close. "Bloody git." he whispered as the boy held him closely. This was a rare pleasure. One that happened only when he was truly exhausted. His judgment impaired and sought out any form of warmth or comfort he could get. "You're more than just a Bearer."

He shook his head. "Bearers are males born with the ability to bear children. A low class of being even less than that of women. Yet, only nobles and royals have such honor in marriage to one in this land." he hissed at the word honor. The very thought made him sick. "I-I refuse such a thought. To wed a noble or royal...I'd sooner join the Holy Mother then commit to such. To be a second wife..." he looked at his hand. Looked at how frail it was. He was weak, like all Bearers in need of protection. "Is to doom me to a life of a whore."

"Twat. It's not like I am to sell you to a noble. Thy king had offered a large sum for thy hand." Arthur could feel the child stiffen. Interesting. "I refused. Thy king has many to which he wed, but none shall replace my Alfred." he smiled down at him. "True as the difficulty that you provide to me upon each day. None here have your youthful spirit."

"If such be truth then pray, tell me if you wish to take my hand as thy own?" he was curious. Long had he wondered if that was why his master even bothered to be with him like this if not to swoon him?

Loud laughter was echoing off the walls of the bed chamber. "Alfred you jest! Why on this world would I wish such?" damn the boy was sharp. He was right. He did wish to bed him but without being a noble or royal it was forbidden. That is why he needed him. Only with Alfred's help could he gain the Right of Nobility from the king, then and only then could he be the lovely blonde.

Alfred pushed away and crossed his arms like a child. "More accusations! To say I jest about truths. A pox upon you degraded sorcerer! Such foul trickery upon a fool king! A pox I say!" He was starting to get dizzy, a sign he was over doing it again, but he couldn't let him win. No, he would go down fighting as always.

"Youthful are thy spirit blessed. Yet, unknowing of thy place." Emerald eyes narrowed in aggravation. Every day was the same. He fought until the better end. Just once he wished he could have peace before his rest.

The other smirked. "If what thy said be true, then it is thyself to blame for such disknowledge. For thy master teaches thy slave." he was winning. Arthur was a fool.

His master nodded and stood up moving to the door. "I shall admit that I am at fault, I've yet to train you properly so I shall. For thy lack of respect toward thy master, your supper shall go cold."

And the gold coin goes to...

"Fine, thy skill with food is that of a poorly trained blind hag with no sense of taste!"

Alfred.

A/N

lol just something I have been working on. Will update IDK when. Hope you enjoy, review if you wish for me to continue.