Little Prince

The port city, Medea, a city that was nothing if not bustling. The many streets, made narrow by the countless numbers of vendors, all lining the streets like silver with their wares on display for the wall-to-wall packed passers to see. Summer, always the busiest time for the fare city, high winds allowed boats to come in with more frequent pace, which allowed sellers to try to pedal their wares for outrageous prices.

All brought to light by the beautiful rays of sunshine casting down on the golden skinned inhabitants of the city, and the older, leather skin crowd that were are one time the beautiful golden skinned crowd. Only difference was time in the sun.

"This place is beautiful! I've never been to a place with so much life." Roan beamed, skipping down the street. Albel found it cute, how a seventeen year old could act like a child with such little reservation.

"Yeah, it's great, huh? Medea's one of the most popular port town's, so there's always alot of business. Fox Claw actually has a post here, too. We get a lot of business through this city." Albel finally caught up to Roan, observing the carefree smile on his face.

"How many Prince's can you steal?" A click of his tongue and a sarcastic grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, hey, hey! Keep it down with that shit! You wanna get me arrested?"

"Guess I've got you by the balls then." He snickered.

"Who taught you that phrase!? Sure as hell wasn't me."

"Ah, I read books..." While he spoke, Roan's eyes drifted from booth to booth, pushing through the bustling people. His eyes fell on a silver peddler's booth, adorned with all kinds of silver trinkets, inherently useless, but possessed a certain charm that made one want to buy them anyway.

"Oooh, this is kind of, er...Kinda cool." Roan picked up a necklace with a silver insignia resembling the silhouette of a phoenix.

"20 coins..." Grumbled the balding owner of the booth.

"Isn't that a little steep?"

"Yeah, it is." Albel snatched the necklace from Roan's hand and dangled it accusingly before the owner's eyes. "This thing ain't genuine silver, pops. And the design's really simple, any drunk monkey could do it. All in all, this probably isn't worth more than five coins."

"Ten coins."

"Eight, and you've got a deal."

"Fine, fine." The owner grumbled.

Fishing eight coins from his pocket, Albel scattered them to the booth for the owner to scramble and count, before fixing the pendant around Roan's slender neck and pulling him along.

"I was gonna buy it, myself..." Roan pouted.

"In the future, say thank you when someone buys you something." He grumbled, with a rude dishevling of Roan's long blond locks. "And, it looks good on you."

"You have my thanks." He admired the shimmering silver necklace.

"Do what, now?"

"Thanks."

"That's better. Now, c'mon. No more window shopping, we need to get to the port and get the hell out of this country."

"Fine, but I need to go to Reinas before I go to whoever hired you to kidnap me."

"Sorry, that ain't up to me."

Before Albel could sink out of reach in the crowd, Roan took hold of his wrist and brought his golden eyes back toward him. "Then I'm not going with you."

"Well..." A sharp grin pulled at his lips. "Look who's finally grown a pair. But, sorry. You'll have to take it up with the Boss when you meet him."

"I guess I have no choice."

"Nope, you don't."

They continued to cut through the crowd, Albel making sure Roan stayed at his back. Albel always loved his height, made people get the hell out of the way, making thickly cluttered streets a mere minor inconvience.

Turning down a scattered street, people more loosely tied than the tight knots of the market, Albel guided Roan to the harbor, the white stone licked by the blue tongue of the ocean. On the wooden outstretchs where boats were tied to harbor, one stood out as being larger, and more beat down, than the neighboring merchant vessels. Guided to the shabby boat, Roan stopped short of the wooden harbor.

"What are you doing?"

"I-I changed my mind...." The sight of the endless blue slapped Roan with a sense of restless dizziness. "I-I don't think I can do this."

"You'll be fine. C'mon." Albel grabbed Roan's wrist, tremors quaking from the boys body into his own, just before Roan snatched his hand away.

"You're really scared aren't you?"

"Of course! You think I'd make something like this up!"

"Look, when we get on the boat, you can go below deck and pretend you're in a cheap inn. But, if you even want a chance of getting to Reinas, you have to get on this boat." Albel took Roan's hand again. "Now, let's go."

"W-Wait---please, please Albel, I'm begging you!!!" Albel dragged Roan onto the rotting wooden outstretch toward the rope ladder of the ship. Roan clenched his eyes shut, weakly fighting Albel's tight grip and whining like a kicked puppy. "I'm scared, I'm scared!!!!"

Taking sympathy on his screaming partner, Albel turned and pulled Roan into his arms, the boy whimpering and clinging to his tunic. "Just relax, okay? I won't let you fall in the ocean, I promise."


"I-I..."

Roan pushed deeper to Albel, a gruff voice ruining the mood between them. "Hey, Albel! What're you doin'?"

His golden eyes tracing up toward the furry boss of Fox Claw, standing on the solid of the harbor, and waving him over. Carefully guiding Roan back to the solid stone of the harbor, Roan's weak knees buckled and he breathed a sigh of relief, keeping his back to the ocean.

While Roan collected himself, Albel turned to the bearded leader. "Boss, what's goin' on? I figured you'd be waiting on the ship."

"Yeah, well...Rey, Kain and Sasha wanted to go into town last night, so we just decided we'd rent a room at the local inn and spend the night in town."

"So, where are they now, we need to get going. He's a little shaken up, but I've got the prince."

"A little shaken up?" The Boss leered at Roan. "The boy looks like he about pissed himself. What'd you do to him?"

"Nothing!" Albel was almost offended by the implication. Of course, he had done something, but the little blond had enjoyed it just as much as he had. "He's just got a major water phobia."

"Really? Huh, weird. Anyways, don't try and get me off track dumbass! The problem is, last night those dumbasses took Kytes out drinking!"

"So what's the big deal? Lil' rum never hurt anybody."

"It's killed people..." Roan collected himself, joining in on the conversation.

"Rum ain't the problem. Problem is, Kytes was picked up by some of the magistrate's personal guard."

"What!? Why?"

The Boss sighed, a deep wisp of air uncharacteristic of the stern man. "Because, the magistrate of this town's startin' himself a harem. And, instead of buying his whores like every other creep, he's just snatchin' up off the street. Any slender teen under eighteen who has no proof of legal guardianship is taken to the harem, on pretenses of street cleaning."

"And, what the hell are you?"

"They said I couldn't vouch as guardian. Somethin' about paperwork or whatever."

"So, our Kytes, is getting buttfucked by some old geezer? Fuckin' hell, boss! I'm gone for a couple of days and shit hits the fan!" Albel reeled back, thoughts of his comrade being violated by some old bastard almost churning his stomach enough to produce vomit. "It'd be fuckin' funny if it was Rey, or Kain, but damn, Kytes is only fifteen!"

"Yeah, good kid too. Security around his mansion's tight, there's no way to slip in."

"U-Um, excuse me." With a raised hand, Roan stepped between the two men lost in their own thoughts. "Why not just walk in the front door?"

"That's dumb."

"No, it's not. Not with this anyway." Roan shuffled and pulled a golden stamp from his pocket, embossed with the insignia of a rafflesia flower. "It's my royal seal. I brought it with me, just in case."

"It's a fancy stamp, big deal." With a huff, Albel brushed Roan aside.

"Wait a minute, damn idiot!" The Boss snatched the golden stamp from Roan's hand's holding it up to the sun as though he were screening a fake dollar. "We could get just about anywhere with this!"

"Yeah, but it's still useless. They'll hide away all the kids in the harem before we could even get close, seal or not."

"Not if someone's already on the inside. Someone who could find Kytes and help him slip away." Roan defended.

"Yeah, but who..." The Boss scratched his scraggly beard and looked toward the crowded market street in his thoughts. "Rey's twenty five, Kain's twenty two, Sasha's twenty nine, and Albel here's nineteen...and there's no way in hell I'll pass for some twink."

"Oh hell no!" Albel turned a sharp glare to Roan. "I know what your little ass in thinking! And there's no way it's happening!"

"But, Albel!" Stepping up to the black haired thief, Roan continued. "I fit the description perfectly! I'm slender, only seventeen years old, and I really don't have any proof of legal guardianship. I could get in easily."

"Nope, Albel's right. There's no way that we're letting someone we've kidnapped do our job for us. Guild's take care of their own."

"What if we consider it a payment, for me hiring your guild."

Scratching his beard again, out of habit, the Boss let a sly smile curl his lips. "What did you have in mind?"

"Boss! You're not even considering---"

"Shut up for a moment! Let's here it prince-boy."

"I want to go to the kingdom of Reinas. After I conclude my business there, I'll go and see whoever wanted me to be kidnapped. That's fair, right?" A loud growl came from Albel's direction, the Boss' sharp glare not allowing any words.

"What the hell, you've got a deal."

"Boss!!"

"Shut up, Albel! Or, do you wanna leave Kytes behind! We ain't got alot of options here. Now, instead of wasting your time trying to change my mind, go round up Kain and Rey."

"What about Sasha?"

"Leave her, she's making money."

After Rey and Kain were rounded up, the Boss gathered everyone on the boat, much to Roan's dismay, and went over the finer points of the plan. Roan, who was nearly identical to Kytes in size, was dressed in some of Kytes' less than noble rags, that dirty brown contrasting his snow white skin. The Boss and Kain dressed themselves in their nicest clothes, which Roan noted were far from noble, but didn't bother voicing it.

The plan was simple. Simple tended to leave room for error, but as the Boss elegantly yelled "We ain't got time for perfect." Admirable words, truly.

The plan called for Roan to be dragged into the magistrate's building by Kain and the Boss, who would pass themselves off as wealthy merchants passing through Medea. Roan would be sold, and would infiltrate the harem and look for Kytes, who he remembered as the brunette that took placing in his kidnapping. Then Rey, whose blond hair was the closest match they had to Roan, who approach the building claiming to be Prince Roan, along with Albel who would act as his personal escort. When the guards were scrambling to hide the harem boys, Roan and Kytes would escape.

Simple, and far from perfect.

Once everyone was ready, Kain wrapped a rope around Roan's wrist and tied them hard to his back. They guided the boy back to the market street, ignoring the peoples curious eyes and whispering lips. Toward the end of the street, where the opal white building of the magistrate stood proudly before all denizens of it's fair city.

Dragged to the protecting gates surrounding the mansion, Roan's limp form was dropped to the dirt before the two guards.

"Brought a nice catch. Thought the magistrate might pay a nice price." The Boss said with a deep gruff.

The guard's eyes cast down to Roan, who's green eyes shimmered with anger as they stared at him. "He's a cute little thing."

"May we go in?"

"Yes, the captain should be just inside. He'll decide whether or not to purchase him." The guards stepped aside, directing the Boss and Kain inside, the two lifting Roan and pushing him roughly forward.

Passing through the luxurious white doors of the mansion, inside the blue furniture complimenting the white walls, where a lean man with swept back ebony hair and deep blue eyes greeted them: the Captain.

"Gentlemen, how'd you get past the guards?" He stood, walking toward Kain and the Boss, who thrust Roan to his feet. With his hands bound, Roan's body fell limp to the tile floor.

"We're merchants. Picked up something off the street that we thought the magistrate might be interested in."

The Captain's eyes shimmered as he looked down at Roan. "My, it seems as though you imply the magistrate is involved in some rather...shady business."

"Shady business is no different than any other business. Either you want my goods or not, and if you don't, I'm sure others would pay good price for him."

"Indeed they would. On your feet boy. Let's see if you're worth the magistrate's time."

Hands bound at his back, Roan found himself wobbling like a turtle to try and get to his feet, grateful whenever Kain's large hands took his shoulders and hoisted him effortlessly up.

The captain's calloused hand brushed Roan's cheek, sweeping the blond bangs that fell carelessly over his eyes aside. "My, he's stunning....Untie his hands, he has no need for constraints."

Kain nodded, tugging the knot loose and freeing Roan's hands, who nursed them as though they'd been abused.

"Good, good...now, strip, boy."

"W-What!?"

In a motion that surprised both the Boss and Kain, the Captain raised his hand and struck Roan, a stinging red flash that imprinted across Roan's cheek. "Don't speak out of tone again. Strip."

Worried green eyes glanced back at the Boss and Kain, who shrugged in a body language way of telling him to just do it. Roan sighed. Many things he would do to help a person. He wasn't sure if being naked in a room with three other guys and being examined like a cut of meat was one of them.

Nevertheless, he peeled the dirty brown scraps of cloth from his body, allowing them to slip off his limber body and fall to the ground. He covered his groin with his hands, and blushed as he looked away from the captain's probing gaze.

"He's worth at least two hundred coins. So beautiful..."

"T-Two hundred coins!?" The Boss was uncharacteristically startled.

"Not enough? Three hundred then, we must have him."

"No, that's more than enough." After regaining his composure, the Boss followed the captain to another room connected to the den, taking his satchel of coins, and left with Kain afterward. Both passed Roan a reassuring nod that they wouldn't abandon him. That was what Roan hoped it meant, anyway.

"Now, come along, angel. Don't bother with clothes it's bath time anyway. But there's something else to be taken care of first."

Taking a deep breath, Roan followed the captain down an adjacent corridor, as sickeningly white as the rest of the decor, and down to the end of the hall into a decently furnished room decorated by swords and unpractical shields held still on the wall. The captain's room, and Roan could think of only one reason he would have be taken there.

"Relax, boy." As though the captain had read his thoughts. "There's no need to be nervous. We're not going to have sex. Now, turn towards the door."

The man's words held a ill tone to them, almost a mere seductive whisper that disgusted Roan. He obliged the request all the same, turning and facing the door. His back to the captain.

"You have a beautiful ass." The captain purred. The shinking sound of a blade being brandished. Fear coursed itself through Roan's veins. His hair was pulled taut, the long blond locks pulled into a pony tail. A tearing sound, followed by shimmering golden threads fluttering through the hair, Roan's eyes widening in shock as the realization of what was happening struck him as hard as the captain himself had earlier.

Another slash, more hair joining it's kin on the floor. The captain skillfully cut the dagger through Roan's long blond locks. The very hair that once cascaded down his back now stopped just short of the ears, and the bangs that framed his face now hung jagged over his green eyes. Roan said nothing, voiced no objection or let his discomfort show on his face. But, he felt violated, disgraced.

"My lord likes his girls to be girls, and his boys to be boys. He has no place in his bed for a long haired boy." The dagger was set aside, the captain scruffing Roan's hair to give him a more boyish charm. "Now, to the bathes. We have to prepare for tonight."

They left the room, Roan pouting while keeping pace at the captain's back. His eyes narrowed, trained on the captain's back, before trailing down to the dagger loosely strapped to his belt. He wanted to grab it, thrust it through the man's back and be done with it. He held his contempt. It was just hair, and it could always grow back. A boy's sanctity, his life, were at stake. Hair was insignificant.

Down another hall, to a room sweating with heated steam. The captain opened the door to the marble tiled bath, with a large boiling pool in the center, decorated by floating rose petals and young boys all chatting and splashing. "Enjoy..." The captain cooed, pushing Roan inside and shutting the door behind him.

"My, my. He's kinda cute."

"Really fuckable."

"Shh, shh, he's coming."

Roan slipped into the water, skin flushed from the heat of the water, and the hands that "accidentally" groped him. Roan passed them by, smiling and greeting whoever approached, eyes never making contact as they searched through the pool for the boy he remembered from the castle.

Brown eyes, soft face, chestnut hair. Several in the pool matched the description, but Roan found the boy from his memory. Alone at the edge of the pool, huddled together, looking as though he were about to cry.

Wading through the pool, Roan took the boy's side. "Your name is Kytes, isn't it?"

Surprised, the boy looked to Roan with wide eyes. "Y-Yeah...you're not gonna pick on me like everyone else, are you?"

"Pick on you? Kytes, it's me. Roan. Y'know, the person you and Albel...erm...kidnapped."

"Y-Your majesty!" Having failed to notice Roan's features before, Kytes glanced him over again. "How'd you get in here? And, and, I thought you had longer hair..."

"The hair is a story for another day, Kytes. I'm here to get you out of here."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, but you look like you're about to cry. They haven't done anything to you, have they?"

"N-No..." He seemed to break down just a bit further. "But that creepy guy told me I was gonna be called tonight. I'm still a virgin, and I don't even know if I like boys or girls yet. But even if I do like boys, I don't want my first time to be with some old guy, and---"

"Relax, Kytes." Roan stroked Kytes' back soothingly. "We'll be gone long before you're called."

"You promise?"

"Yes, you'll be fine."

"Thank you, your highness!" Kytes leaped into Roan's lap, wrapping his arms around his neck and clinging desperately. With just a sigh that crooned to a smile, Roan stroke Kytes' chestnut locks, hoping to sooth the younger boy who still trembled in his arms.

"Your welc---No problem..." Damned Albel and his common talk lessons. "By the way, you shouldn't call me, your highness. Friends should just call me, Roan."

"We're friends?"

"You don't want to be?"

"No! I really wanna be! You're really nice!" A soft stain of crimson tinted Kytes' cheeks as he pulled away to look at Roan. "And I really like your hair short."

"W-Well...thanks..."

"This is a really shitty idea." Not one to be so worried about a mission, and known for his ability to turn with the tides, Albel found himself welled with stinging anxiety. It could have been like any other boring mission, had the image of Roan screaming out and crying while some old bastard ravished him. Roan had promised him his cherry, granted he never spoke that desire, but Albel had felt it, and he would be damned if some old bastard stole it from him.

"God, since when have you been so anal? It's gonna go fine." Rey pushed through another crowd of people, trying not to knock the delicate goods from their hands. "This is gonna go fine."

"Well, it's just you don't exactly look like a prince. No soft glow, beautiful golden hair, perfect little slender body..." All the while, he was blissfully unaware of Rey's eyes now widened, before lidding with a smile pulling at his rosy lips.

"Wow, I didn't know all prince's looked like Roan."

"I-I wasn't describing Roan!"

"Really, his beautiful golden hair, his perfect little slender body, let's see. What else describes all prince's. His green eyes. His rosy lips that would look perfect around a dick..."

"Wait, did he say something to you?"

"No, what do you mean?"

"N-Nothing..." Albel pushed forward toward the magistrate's mansion.

"No, no, no! You freaked out when I mentioned sucking dick!"

"No, I didn't. C'mon, we're here." The guards crossed spears as Albel and Rey approached the gateway of the mansion.

"We'll talk about this later."

"No, we won't your majesty. Now..." The attention was turned back to the guards, Albel stepping back, as Roan stepped forward, drawing the royal seal from his shirt.

"Prince Roan of the Rafflesia empire. I'm here to see the magistrate." Rey announced.

"P-Prince Roan!?" The guard blubbered. "I-I'm honored sir, please wait here!"

"Wait here? No, I said I'm here to inspect the estate."

"There's someone here to see you, my lord." Not waiting for Rey to voice a complain, the guard disappeared into the mansion, Albel and Rey turning their attention to the other guard.

"Someone here to see him? Who?"

"Um, well, sir..." The doors to the mansion swung open, from the marble gateway the guard re-emerged, along with a very tall man, charcoal hair brushed back and dark eyes peering at Rey and Albel. Though, on Rey, his eyes seemed transfixed on the royal symbol dangling around Rey's neck.

"Here he is, Sir Siegfried." The guard presented.

"Is this a joke?" He grumbled.

"J-Joke sir?"

"This street trash is not the prince." Before Rey could retaliate at the rather direct insult, Siegfried took him by the collar of his shirt, and hoisted his body off the ground. "But, I would wager since you have that symbol, you know where he is, no?"

"Sorry man, just bought this off a street vendor."

"Insolent dog." Rey's racing body was lifted higher off the ground, his feet weakly paddling to regain their footing. "You have made a mockery of the crown. Your head will be the payment."

"Son of a bitch!" His legs thrusting him forward, Albel braced his body to attack the much larger man, but from under the ebony cape draping the man named Siegfried's body, he drew a sword concealed by the cloak, the ebony blade shimmering in the light of the setting sun as it halted any further movement's Albel may have employed.

"I would advise against that." He grumbled his almost cliched line. "There is a way for the two of you lowly mutts to save your worthless heads. Take me to Prince Roan, with utmost haste."

"Go to hell!"

The boys were all playing, splashing the hot water on each other, some even kissing and other actions that made their company more pleasurable. The boys who had all adapted to the life of a concubine, a whore, and now grew to crave it. Roan refused to think less of them, they were all just trying to survive the only way they knew how. Kytes, whose hand had formed a vice on his, clung to Roan, the only familiar face, and watched on in a mixture of fear, and wonder. Roan took some of the water and ran it over Kyte's body.

"It's okay."

"I-I know..."

"Then you needn'---" Roan's mouth stopped to allow his eyes the grace of moving along the wet marble flooring and run to the door where the familiar captain from earlier entered, a sneer creeping from one end of his hard face to the other. Kytes clung tighter to Roan.

"You two, there in the back." His finger speared Roan and Kytes. "Come." He said nothing more, leaving the bath room and expecting Roan and Kytes to follow. Kytes clung tighter to Roan, who guided him along, both taking a towel from the pile by the bath and wrapping the plush cotton around their slender waists.

"Where are the guys?" Kytes asked, timidly following Roan, who followed the captain's steps.

"Good ques---I mean, I'm sure that they're one their way."

"I'm scared, Roan."

"Don't be. We're friends, remember?" Giving Kytes his hand again, the boy pulled it to his chest and held it dearly, like a precious memento he feared to lose.

"Don't...don't leave me, Roan...."

Turning to give Kytes a soft smile, the two continued to follow the captain, up the pastel colored stairs, down another snow white corridor, and to a room that sat alone at the end of the hallway, the captain opening it to a room as white as the outside, blue quilt covering the bed with an almost sickiningly holy aura given off by the abundance of blue on the furniture. On the bed, draped in little but a white bath robe, sat the old magistrate, fifty years old, stern and wrinkled, with a face that was made cruel by years of public service.

"Which one suits you best, my lord?" The captain purred, too close to Roan's ear for his liking. The intent on his voice was obvious.

"I'm in the mood for a..." His high pitched voice halted, as though to build the overrated suspense of which he'd pick. His dull green eyes fell upon Kytes. "...A brunette."

Kytes cringed, Roan's hand actually hurting from Kytes' tight grip. "M-My lord..." Roan couldn't believe what he was about to say, but like spitting up vomit on an ill stomach, he choked the words out. "I-I'm more experienced than this child. Please, take me to your bed, tonight."

"My, my, so eager. You'll have your chance, eventually little blond. I swear to it. But for tonight, you, come to me." He took Kytes by the shoulder, guiding the boy to his bed who, after losing Roan's hand, began to whimper like a scared pup.

"Stop it, he's too young!"

"I love them young, they're more...supple..." His foul tongue traced Kytes' jawline.

"Come now, tonight's not your turn, beautiful." The captain pulled Roan along, who watched with great pity as tears stained Kytes' youthful face, that usually brimmed with so much energy. The door closed, the click almost a voice that told Roan what needed to be done. He turned, the captain's lusty eyes upon him.

"I need company tonight, captain..." Roan purred, pushing his body close to the captain, who took delight in wrapping his arms around Roan's almost nude body. "We don't have to tell the magistrate..."

His guard dropped, Roan holding back the smile that wanted to come to his face. He pushed the captain to the wall, lips now locked with his. He pushed his knee between the captain's legs, spreading them so wonderfully for him. The captain's tongue, traced across his lips, before shirking away as intense pain wretched his body.

Roan's knee planted to the captain's groin, once, twice, then a third time, the captain falling over in writhing pain, screaming bloody murder for the whole mansion to hear. Didn't matter at this point. He took the dagger from the captain's sheath, and stormed back into the bathroom, where the magistrate had Kytes' naked body pinned.

"Get off him!" Roan cried, springing forward toward the magistrate, who squeeled and rolled off Kytes, his body dumping off the bed and sprawling out on the floor. Passing Kytes' the towel the magistrate had shed, he gave the boy a moment to tuck the towel around his waist.

"W-What're you doing?" Kytes asked, firmly securing the knot.

"Not obvious? Getting out of here."

Nothing more said, the two darted from the room, ignoring the almost tearful captain curled in a ball on the floor, and headed down the stairs, Roan pushing through the guards that tried to bar their path at the bottom of the stairs. The front door, home base, as they pushed through and stumbled into the main gateway of the magistrate's mansion, Rey and Albel shirking away from the large hulk of man towering over them. The man Roan recognized very well.

"Royal Knight, Siegfried?"

"Kytes, Roan!!!" Rey shouted, despite already being acknowledge by the two scantly clad boys.

"Damn..." Albel's lusty eyes raked over Roan's slender, creamy body guarded only by a towel, and noting the new hair cut that gave him an innocent, boyish cuteness. Only Roan could make him forget about the very threatening man before them all.

"Prince Roan, it's good to see you. Though, I remember you preferring more clothes than that."

"Siegfried! What are you doing here? Did my father send you?"

"Yes, your father is very concerned, my lord. Please, return with me at once."

"I can't, Siegfried! You know as well as I that my father schemes dark things! And, what about this harem!? You are in this city, and have down nothing to shut it down! This is illegal practice!"

"Like I care about a few brats snatched off the streets. The world is better without them."

"Siegfried!"

"You bastard!" Albel hissed.

"Never mind it, Albel!" Roan took hold of Kytes' hand. "Let's just get out of here!" He cut past Siegfried, who reached out to grab Roan, but the blond already cut past, Kytes in hand, while Albel and Rey followed suit. They cut through the diminishing crowd, the setting sun always an end to a busy market day. Towards the dock, where Kain and the Boss had already raised anchor upon seeing the four running toward the boat. A scramble, Siegfried following with a frightfully quick pace. Roan and Kytes were pushed atop the boat first, their bodies assisted by the Boss and Kain waiting at the top of the rope ladder dangling over the side of the ship. Rey and Albel came afterward, narrowly climbing to the top of the boat before Siegfried reached the harbor.

And did nothing. He watched with blank eyes as the Daedalus caught wind and left the harbor. His knight chivalry told him when a loss was worth pursuing or not, and trying to go after a ship would have been a futile effort.

The hours passed, the Boss later noting that Sasha had been left in Medea, too which Rey and Kain seemed to have no problem, and came as a great relief to Albel. The sun set, and the moon rose high in the hair, bright, and softly glowing on the black, rippling sea. Kain, Rey, and the Boss all retreating below deck to scratch up anything that could pass a food for supper. Roan sat above deck, glad to have gotten clothes back on, and giving his best effort not to vomit. The rocking of the ship didn't bother him, just the sight of the deep, endless water that stretched out to eternity, in all directions. Like a deathtrap, specifically designed for Roan.

"You okay?" Roan looked up, seeing Albel grinning down at him, a piece of crumbling bread in his hands.

"Yeah...I'm trying that shock therapy you advised earlier. I thought that if I looked at the sea long enough, I'd stop being scared of it."

"Ah, well that probably won't work. Here, have some bread." He broke the soft bread in his hands, handing half of his loaf to Roan. "I know you're hungry."

"Thanks..." Roan took a bite of the sweet loaf, his green eyes gaining life to them.

"I um...like your hair..."

"That captain cut it, said my long hair was too girly for a harem boy."

"It's really cute."

To fight the growing heat in his cheeks from the simple compliment Albel gave him, Roan changed the subject. "How's...how's Kytes doing?"

"He's shaken up, grown attached to you. Said how you rescued him. He's sleeping it off now."

"I'm glad."

"Sorry I couldn't help. Got held up by Mr. Brawn."

"Siegfried's just like that."

"Hey, Roan--" The moonlight caught the blond so beautifully, an ethereal glow cast over the boy's soft features, Albel's eyes drinking in the most perfect sight. "Roan..." He put his bread to the deck, taking Roan's face in his hands. His heart beat faster. No woman had ever caused such a reaction, no form of pleasurable company made his blood race. He remembered Roan's orgasm, the beautiful sight of the boy throwing his head back and moaning to the high moon.

"Albel?" Confusion, confusion and desire glimmered in green depths. His lips parted, begging Albel to kiss him.

"Roan...I..." Roan pressed his lips to Albel's, his lips parted before Albel's tongue even slithered out to ask for permission. The burning desire, reducing his stomach to cinders, drove him. The desire for the thief since he first lay eyes on his beautiful body glistening in the waters of the river. The tongue, wiggling and slithering like a wet snake in his mouth, probed every inch, every nook and cranny, until Roan was whimpering for air, trying to pull away from the pythons holding a tight grip on his waist.

When their lips parted, both hot, aroused, and panting for air, Albel could only utter, "Wow..." He brushed the golden locks hanging over Roan's eyes, swooping in to kiss along his fair jawline, soft moans spilling from Roan's rosy lips, hands clutching Albel's back as he settled himself into the sturdy waist.

"Got oil now..." Albel cooed, slipping a mischievous hand under Roan's tunic, stroking the creamy skin up to the pink buds which were met by assault from Albel's talented fingers. Another moan, such beautiful little tunes that rang together in sweet harmony. "These are so cute..." Albel purred, his fingers continuing to poke, prod and tweak the diamond nubs. Ceasing his kissing of the boy's angelic face, he raised Roan's arms and pulled the tunic over his head, the silver necklace Albel had bought for Roan earlier falling against the heated skin, added a cool bite to the smooth expanse of skin.

"God, you're beautiful...."

"S-Stop..."

"No, I can't. Ever since I saw you naked the other night. I had to jerk off when I peeled off your clothes."

"Y-You what? Y-You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm not. Hardest I ever came taking care of myself. And then, when you sucked me off. Fuuuck. So good."

"A-Albel..."

"Just relax. I'm gonna take care of you." He lay Roan down on the deck, the moan reflecting off his damp skin. Roan's face was a cute shade of red, his lips parted in steady breathing. To Albel, it was all more intoxicating the strongest liquor, and more arousing that any aphrodisiac. He captured the boy's lips again, probing his mouth until he again whimpered with need. He raked his hands down the feather soft skin, tweaking the nipples, and running them down the sides to explore every curve and hollow. Roan gasped, Albel breaking the kiss as the boy desperately tried to draw back the air Albel had stolen.

Pulling at lip of Roan's britches, his effort to pull them down was met with resistance, Roan's legs crossing and his own fingers latching on. "N-No...I-I..."

"I've already seen it once. Don't be shy. It's nothing to be ashamed of. C'mon...I promise to take care of it."

His fingers still unsteady, Roan relaxed his body, fingers unclenching the hem of his britches, and allowing his legs to be parted as they were tugged down, and off his ankles. His body, bare for the eyes of Albel and the moon, shivered as it caught the chill of the night wind.

"Y-You should go get the oil..."

"Already got it. I brought it with me."

"B-Bastard! You planned this?"

"Of course." Albel stripped, exposing his lean sculpted upper torso, and britches, his own large need throbbing as hard as Roans.

"That's not gonna fit in me."

"Just shut up already. We're gonna make it fit." He captured Roan's lips again in an attempt to silence the nervous prince. He hungrily ate into the kiss, seeking more of the sweet warmth that invaded his mouth. While their lips tried to devour the other, Albel applied a healthy coat of the oil to his fingers, the slick fluid drizzling down his arm from the copious downpour. He wedged himself between Roan's sleek thighs, and lifted his legs over his shoulders. He pushed a slick finger deep into Roan, invading the prince's inner most depths.

"How's it feel?" He cooed, kissing along Roan's jaw to his ear, where he tongue fucked the clamshell shaped opening while his finger probed Roan's inside.

"I-I feel weird..."

"How about..." He found a small bead on the inside of Roan's cavity, pressing the small bundle of nerves with a light touch. Roan screamed, his heated body arching and his scream dying down to soft moans as Albel tortured the sensitive spot. "...Now?"

"A-Again! P-Please, again!"

"With pleasure, your highness." He teased. A second finger slipped in, and Albel pushed it again, and relished in the moans that spewed from Roan's lips. Almost slutty in their innocence. A third finger, and stretching Roan with scissor like motions of his fingers, all the while teasing his spot that reduced the proud noble to a bundle of whimpering and begging.

While he continued to stretch Roan's ass, and kiss every clean inch of Roan's milky body, he coated his throbbing cock in the oil from the small, sea though jar, pouring the yellow oil like syrup over his length. Giving it a few jerks, making sure it was good and slick, he pulled his fingers from Roan's heat, and pushed inside of Roan, making sure to keep a tight grip on his slim thighs.

Roan whimpered, but spared objections. He was too far gone, and wanted it as much, or more so, than Albel did. Want, such a lack luster term, the lust building between their bodies may have burned them alive without consumation. It was a need, now no different than the need for air.

Once the entire length of his cock was buried inside of Roan, he waited. "It's a little rough, you okay?"

"It...feels...different. But not bad. Definitely not bad." He blushed.

"I'm gonna start moving now. You ready?"

A nod, and Albel began to move his hips. He thrust deep into Roan', kissing the crooned neck of his lover, admiring the creamy skin as he withdrew, and pushed back in, the velvety heat wrapping around his throbbing sex so completely. He wrapped his hand around Roan's neglected sex, and stroked it in time with his own.

As their hips joined, the lips crushed, bruised each other, and their bodies electrified the damp, oceanic air around them, they thought only of each other. How the other felt, how right it felt, how perfect. Roan's first time, and Albel enraptured on every detail of the sex.

"I can't hold out much longer..." Albel breathed, his arms wrapped tightly around Roan.

"Me neither.."

With one final push of his hips, sinking deep within Roan, Albel came, thick spurts of hot semen splashing against his constricting walls, bringing Roan to his own eye shattering completion.

Albel rolled to the side, wrapping a muscled arm around Roan's slim neck, pulling the younger boy close and placing his lips to the top of Roan's head.

The calm of the night, the sweet serenity of the now slumbering boy in his arms, and the smell of the flowers that exuded from his new blond lover. His one night stand.

So why did he hate thinking of Roan as that?

All it was, all it was supposed to be, was guiltless sex, a one time thing. But, as he stared down at Roan, the most adorable being the world over as he slept, he already wondered what the next time would be like. The time after that. And, how pleasant it was just to watch the boy sleep, fingers tenderly stroking his hair.

Albel realized he'd broken his own rule. He'd become emotionally involved, and now it would cripple him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

TBC!

Erm, any errors in this chapter I apologize for. I may have missed something, this is like my five thousandth draft *groans* TIRED! Anyways, next chapter should be up soon.