Mandrake was sitting on his bed in the privacy of his quarters. His eyes were cast down with sadness. "You know I hate it here. You promised to take me away." He said to the undressed leafman sitting opposite of him.

Ronin sat back on his heels, looking over Mandrake with tired eyes. "I know. And I will. It's just not something I can up and do. It takes time to-"

"She's pregnant..."

Ronin froze mid sentence and his eyes widened.

Mandrake clenched his fists as the first tear fell from his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed against Ronin's chest, getting off of the bed. Reaching over, he grabbed the Albino Bat Coat that his father had skinned for him five moons ago and he placed it over his shoulders, covering himself. "You're too late. I can't leave now...you're too late." He was angry and sad but, most off all, he was stuck. He could never leave the Rot now. He was going to have a child now with someone he didn't love. He was going to be king soon of a kingdom he never wanted. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't leave now.

"There has to be a way." Ronin stood up off of the bed as well.

"My father already knows that I now have an heir. He's going to pass along his powers to me during the New Moon tonight." Mandrake sat back down on the bed and held his face in his hands. "He was so close to giving up on me and then this happens. You know how important it was to my father to bring our colonies together with her colony. We've been at civil war for so long. Now that she's having that child of ours, we're stuck together so that we can keep peace among this horrid place."

"I can still take you with me!" Ronin stood, angry that this was happening and desperate to make it better again.

"Ronin, it was easier before. Once my father gave up on me and chose his second born instead, then you could have taken me away without starting a full on war. But you can't take me away anymore... There isn't enough time. I'll be King by tonight and everyone will know about my child."

"Then...then we just have to wait until your child is of age to accept your powers and-"

"That will take ages!" Mandrake stood, glaring back at Ronin. "I didn't want to be King of decay and rot. I hate it here! You were suppose to take me away from all of this!"

"Well, if you hadn't of plowed her every night, I could have!"

Mandrake punched Ronin across the face and Ronin backed up with a sore cheek, not wanting to turn this into something more.

"You screwed it up, Ronin. Just admit it." Mandrake let a few more tears fall as he glared hatefully at the leafman. "You failed me."

Ronin looked away and he ran his fingers back through his hair, feeling a tightening in his chest. He failed him? He failed the one person he loved in this decay. He failed the soon to be King of the Boggans. All of the dreams and fantasies that he had told Mandrake were gone. Every smile Mandrake gave Ronin after sharing the dreams just vanished. "Mandrake...I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?!" Mandrake's voice hit an octave now and he threw another punch and then another. He shoved Ronin and cried out. "You're sorry for ruining my life! Is that's what you're sorry for!?"

Ronin had enough of the hitting and he grabbed Mandrake's wrists, pulling his arms to clasp around his neck. He hugged his own arms around Mandrake's waist and he kissed his cheek then buried his face against Mandrake's neck, listening to the young Boggan cry. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you from the Rot sooner..." He whispered against his ear and felt a strong pain in his chest. When Mandrake spasmed, he knew that he must have felt the same pain. "But I won't give up on you. I have to find a way to be with you. You're the only one who makes me smile so easily."

There was a knock on the door and Mandrake quickly pulled from Ronin's arms. If Ronin were found out it would be disastrous. "What!" He snapped.

The voice behind the door was a guard and he was urgent in his message. "General Mandrake, The King wishes you to come to the court. A leafman was captured stalking the perimeter."

Mandrake turned to Ronin who had narrowed his eyes.

"Ill be there in a moment." Mandrake said and heard the footsteps of the Boggan leave down the corridor. "You brought a friend? You know what they're going to do to him?"

"We were sent here to scout the place. We heard rumors that your father was planning on spreading his rot and causing a war." Ronin said, becoming serious as he thought of an escape plan for his friend.

"There hasn't been a war between us for centuries! You know very well that my father has kept his rot in check. My father is a great king. He even made it so that the leaves changed color when they rotted and die off the trees and you're accusing him of-of wanting to start a war!? Ronin! How could you be so foolish to take a rumor to heart and assume the worst? My father may be a good King but he isn't forgiving when it comes to others questioning his loyalty."

"At the next full moon, our Queen is going to pick an heir to take over the forest. She just wants to make sure that nothing will happen while she picks out her bud. I was sent here only to confirm or deny that rumor. We weren't meant to get caught."

"We'll, you didn't do a very good job with that whole plan, did you." Mandrake crossed his arms. "You had better hope that your leafman keeps his mouth shut and doesn't anger my father. It would be best for him to die for trespassing than to die by starting a war."

"He isn't going to die." Ronin gathered up his armor and began to get dressed. "I was suppose to be his backup. If he's captured then I have to save him."

Mandrake scoffed then uncrossed his arms and rested his hands on Ronin's shoulders. "Don't make a fool of yourself. I know how you are. You let your emotions get in the way. You're so quick to being angry."

"And you're any better with that?" Ronin let a playful smirk grace his lips and he pulled Mandrake close again, kissing him softly. "I will have you for myself someday."

"I don't believe you."

"I'll prove it to you."

Mandrake looked away but leaned back into the touch when Ronin kissed him again.

Ronin pulled from the young Boggan general and he left out the way he came, being careful so not to get caught by any guards.

Mandrake fluffed his bat coat then raised his chin up and walked out of his room, heading to the throne room where his father was waiting for him.

Just a short story on a more in-depth look into Mandrake and Ronin's past.

Or at least how I would like to believe their past was like lol

I'll post another Chapter soon ;3