Hikaru quietly placed one piece on the gameboard. He had also been taught games like Gomoku impelled to learn strategy. However, the entertaining aspect of the game had always surpassed its bellic ends, as far as he was concerned.

"I am not a killer. I have never enjoyed war. But I learned to follow the way of the warrior with precision and stealth. I could never imagine I would use my skills to avenge my people later on..."

Hikaru shuddered involuntarily as he said that. A sudden coldness started inside him, spreading all over his body; the coldness of melancholy. Yomi smiled to the youko. He knew the saddest moments of their tales would come soon. Maybe Hikaru needed to be given some time...

Yomi made one move in return. The deppressive impression he received from Hikaru was reaching him, filling him as well.

"I can continue my story. Please, try to distract yourself a while. You seem overstressed."

The youko widened his eyes, and stared back at Yomi.

"No. Let me go on."

"But..."

"Yes, It hurts, but now I feel I must speak it all out. It's like being purged."

Hikaru grabbed one game-piece, and tried to make his move, but Yomi detained him. His fingers clutched around the grey fox's smaller hand, and hold it halfway.They struggled for a moment, pushing and pulling, like in a peculiar arm-wrestling, neither one letting go. But then, Yomi aplied the master stroke. His other hand covered Hikaru's and he enveloped it with a warm, slow caress...

"Don't hurt yourself further..."

Hikaru agreed. He stopped the struggle, and only then, as he quietened, Yomi let his hands slip off the youko's clutching fist.

"I can still handle it. Please, allow me to continue."

Yomi agreed. Then Hikaru quietly added another piece to the game. Again, Yomi's advance had been detained by a red piece blocking two diagonal rows at the same time. Interesting... Hikaru was really am excellent contender...

The youko smiled back to Yomi then. It was a slight, anguished smile, but at least it seemed he had been able to control the chill growing in his fox-heart again.

They were supposed to comfort and warm one another anyway... It was what that evening was all about...

"I had been living the best days of my life. But nothing is forever..."
 

He had been called before the King, so had his brother.

Hikaru had not the slightest idea why he had been formally summoned to come before his father. He must confess his slave had been distracting him too much from his duties.

He followed straight to his father's private rooms. That meeting was not to be held in The Throne Room, or in any of the Council halls. But he had a hunch it would not be related to family affairs, as it looked, but to the Kingdom.

Hikaru met his brother right at the entrance. A dry, short tilting of his head had been the only gesture he made to his brother, who was forced by convention to bow deeply as he arrived. They exchanged not a word though.

He entered the ante-chamber, and as Seiji followed him, Hikaru noticed for the first time how unpleasant it felt to have his brother at his back like that... He felt totally vulnerable...

The grey youko quickly looked over his shoulder. He was tense, and Seiji noticed it, for he smiled at him cynically.

"Don't worry, my brother; It's only me here. You seem startled these days..."

Hikaru took a deep breath. Happily one of the King's servants appeared, opening them the door to Yousai-sama's quarters, making a deep reverence before the princes as they stepped in,

The servant closed the door as the siblings met the King, leaving the Noble family on their own.

They walked to the King, who was sitting by a large, translucid crystal table near the balcony's arched gateways. Hikaru could not avoid letting his eyes skip towards the beautiful scenery outside - The crystal walls, the high cliffs and the mountains which surrounded theis large valley.

"We have problems." Yousai sama announced, inviting his sons to come nearer. "The stealthy siege we have suffered has not been solved yet. But now I do intend to act forcefully so as to put an end to the menace."

Hikaru started to feel tension grow on his shoulders. The muscles along his back became strained with nervousness.

All he thought was about Hayashi...

"Have the enemies returned, my father?"

The black-haired King nodded his head very solemnly. He stood up them, also tense, clutching his large fists. His manly, vigorous expression showed a deep frown of determination.

"I should have heard you when you proposed to organize a hunt to kill these infidels, Hikaru. They have returned, and now they are not merely observing, but attacking us."

Hikaru assented then, ready to organize another incursion, the sooner possible.

"A patrol was attacked two days ago. No track of the enemies was found. When back-up forces arrived was nothing else to do but watch the soldiers die."

Seiji kept silent, expecting that his father continued the narration of the facts. He had been there; he had seen what was left behind after the attack. The soldiers had faced an ugly, slow, rottening death.

"They were stricken by a strange bane. It was like a mortal plague. We did not allowed their corpses into the city for fear such disgrace might spread among us."

Hikaru felt a chill in his heart. A sudden sickenss started to grow in his stomach when  he heard that. He knew what it meant - It was Hayashi's brother.

Seiji took a sideways glance at his brother, and Hikaru became so pale, that the younger youko showed a genuine surprise. He nudged the Heir's arm, calling his attention.

His slant blue eyes were wide, shocked. For a moment he seemed truly at a loss. He parted his lips, very slowly and said something, but it was so soft, so feeble, neither the King nor Seiji had noticed it.

The King stepped closer to his first born son. His large hand cupped his shoulder, and he shook him, trying to bring him back to the real world.

"Prince Hikaru. Are you feeling fine?" The King asked dryly. His brow showed a furrow of discontentment. A prince, a future King should never allow himself to be stricken by emotion in such a fashion. "Hikaru! Take heed!"

He breathed in, lenghitily. He was very aware all colour had left his face, but it was hard to keep his control after such appalling news.

Seiji made one slow gesture to his father, requesting permission to speak, and turned his attention to Hikaru.

"When I arrived there one of the sentinels was still alive. He told me they had been attacked by a golden-eyed youko; one with brown fur. He had used his power to inflict such disease upon them."

Hikaru's eyes rolled from his brother to his father, and he was still struck dumb. His hands trembled, and the sickness he felt turned into a deep, dull pain right at his solar plexus.

"Has your slave told you something about such an evil creature, Hikaru?"

Hikaru shook his head; his lips quivered and he was afraid his voice might fail if he tried to say something. But he swallowed again, trying to dissolve the lump in his throat.

He hesitated, but when those fierce blue eyes fell upon him he knew he must say something. When his lips moved all he cared about was Hayashi. He could not tell the truth, or Hayashi would be taken from him, and probably tortured...

"N-never, m-my father... I know nothing about it..."

Seiji gave his brother a twisted, cynical smile.

"Are you sure, Hikaru? You seem so close to that slave... Everyone is making comments about how..." Seiji made an evil pause at this point "...intimate you two have become..."

Hikaru stared not at his brother, but at his father, nervous to have Seiji pushing him into such difficult and dubious situation. He had just started to think on what he could say, an excuse he could give, when suddenly it all became unnecessary.

There was nothing he could do after he had heard his father declare:

"This is not the main issue. What matters is that the barbarian shall be executed tomorrow morning."

The King turned his attention to the table, where many maps of the surrounding territories and a detailed architectural plan of the whole citadel were spread. He pointed a particular spot onone of them, ready to start giving ou orders about attacks and strategies, when Hikaru dared to interrupt him.

"Why?" He asked,with a frail, hesitating voice.

The sovereign stared back at his older son, not quite understanding his question.

"What do you want me to clarify, Hikaru?"

He struggled against the fear his father had always inspired on him and managed to repeat his question, this time with a firm voice.

"Why do we need to kill the Barbarian?"

"Are you opposing my orders, Hikaru?"

The turquoise, but intense eyes of the King searched Seiji's darker ones. They stared one at the other for a moment, and Hikaru knew then they knew... Somehow they had been informed, they had found how affectionate he had become to Hayashi...

"Father, why should we sacrifice the Barbarian? He has been so obedient and..."

"We must set an example."

"But..."

It was then the King glared at his son with ferocity. So much that Hikaru shuddered in response. His father, the great King, the warrior, the Barbarian-slayer... How could he oppose him?

Hikaru felt like a kit... He always felt like a small, defenseless puppy when his father aimed at him such energetic eyes...

"Hikaru. Do you have any objections?"

The prince just shook his head. He had never felt so impotent, so useless... It felt like his father was trampling him under his foot, squishing him into less than nothing...

But Hikaru also knew that he loved Hayashi; he could not lose him.

The King left the maps for a moment. He walked to Hikaru, till he stood right before his son, large and imposing like a wall. The older, stronger youko focused his eyes right into Hikaru's with imperious determination. His virile, almost savage countenance locked at his son's hesitating expression, commanding him with his devouring presence.

Hikaru lowered his head in total submission. Then he sensed his father's hot breath be blown onto his face as he adressed him in a commanding tone. 

"I was to give such attribution to Seiji, but now, observing your  hesitation I feel the task of disposing of the Barbarian might fit you as a lesson. It will harden and compose your character. You must prepare and take the prisoner to execution. I want him to be beheaded; then stick his head atop a pole before the Main Gates of the Citadel. It will serve as a warning to any invaders-to-be."

Hikaru lowered his eyes. His sight became blurry. He felt dizzy, and he made a brave effort in order not to let it show. His heart throbbed. His chest was so tight he could barely breathe, and he needed to press his hand to his mouth and try to resist his urge to heave up...

His Hayashi? His slave? His lover?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...

"Yes, My King and Father. I listen and obbey."  
 

"I still don't know how I managed to remain there, standing before my father, acquiescing to his orders and his commands, praising the geniality of his tactics... I behaved like an automaton; a zombie. My conscience, my heart, all of me was focused on Hayashi, and what I might do to save him." Hikaru huddled, and his right hand touched his left arm, ad he stroked himself, kneading the tense muscles as his fingers slid down along his arm. He tossed his head then, and part of his glossy hair fell over his front. His caressing hand moved down following the black stripe. "It was a test of endurance. My nervousness was so intense; I felt I might either have an arrest or lose consciousness at any instant. But for Hayashi I had to keep on. I needed to pretend I had accepted my father's orders and was resigned to them while I planned what to do instead."

Yomi assented. He kept silence though, merely sipping his sake.

Hikaru looked straight at he Makai King then. He leaned a little forward, and he whispered the other demon's name very softly, to make Yomi aim those shut, but even so, beautiful blind eyes at him.

"Yomi sama; I had to try to save my lover; It was my heart that commanded my acts at that moment. But I regret it somehow... I feel like I had betrayed my father, because if I had taken another course of action, perhaps the destruction which fell over my people could have been avoided... I feel a wretch sometimes. A pariah, a traitor, a deceiver." He sighed in then. "Do you think I could have acted otherwise?"

Yomi's pale face remained tense for a moment, while he seemed to ponder on all Hikaru had spoken.

"Hikaru... When we started this small game we had agreed on not passing judgements. I can feel how much you suffer, but the past is past. You acted as you felt it was right then. If you could have forseen the future things would have been  different, but we are mere demons, not oracles."

Yomi smiled to the youko then. He knew he could not comfront him with just that gesture of sympathy, but at least he had tried.

Hikaru lowered his head.

"I feel guilty of it all... If I..."

"It seems you were stricken by the "what if" disease. It is a terrible illness, dear Hikaru. It brings nothing but insanity and despair." The King wished he could reach out for that beautiful youko and bring him right into his arms, but there was still much distance between them; a distance the sake had not yet succeed in shortening. "Chin up, dear. You've been happy, at least for a while. You fought for your revenge, and you managed to get a great deal of it... no one can free you from guilt but yourself."

His fingers softly brushed his exquisite elongated eyes in a caress, but which was mostly a way to dry out his incoming tears.

"Yes... I know..." He murmured.
 

Hikaru bravely followed all the way back to his quarters. The cold evening, chilly by the proximity with the desert plains, had started. As his trembling hands touched the stone plates of his private chamber's door, all he had in his mind is that he had very short time... There were just a few hours till daybreak; till he needed to call in the executioner and...

He was feeling so bad... All his resistance crumbled down on him when he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

Suddendly his sight blackened, and his legs failed him. The other thing he remembered was that warm, caring arms were closed around him, and he was cuddled to the body of the one he loved.

He breathed in, delighted with his closeness...

Hayashi's fingers caressed his face, tickling the sensitive area where his long ears met his temples, and his moistened lips were pressed onto his.

"Gorgeous? What happened? You passed out..."

The grey youko nestled against the other male, delighted with his loving warmth. He could feel his healing energy inside him again. He felt better, stronger... His vibrating you-ki was revigorating.

He looked straight at his beautiful golden eyes. His fingertips caressed the wrinkles, around them, and slid down his high cheekbone to his thin, but extremely sexy lips.

Hikaru bent over him to kiss him again, briefly.

Hayashi smiled, and Hikaru smiled back.

"I love you. Nothing else matters... " He murmured. Then his left hand moved up to softly stroke his partner's charming ragged ear."We must leave the City; now."

Hayashi was very surprised. Hikaru tried to get on his feet, and the brown youko helped him, very gently, eager for an explanation. Leave the City?

"What happened, my blue-eyed baby? What's wrong?"

Hikaru left his arms. He would like to be encircled by those strong arms forever if he could, but right then he had a lot to arrange before they could leave the city safely. He crossed that room to another, and headed straight to the large stone vaults and chests alongside one wall. He picked up knives, and swords. Then he found two rich woolen black capes. They would need to cross the Desert, and temperature there dropped much during the night hours.

Boots! Yes, they needed trekking boots; two pairs each, for they needed to keep one for back-up. He could trust on his ability to find underground water streams, but he must take canteens or skins to keep an extra supply for the most arid part of the journey. And of course he could not forget provisions; they could not waste time hunting for food if they were on the run...

"Blue Eyes! Answer me, will ya?"

Hikaru, who had crossed the room back, dropped a pile of baggage onto his bed. He looked up at his lover then, with startled, wide eyes.

"My father ordered your execution..."

Hayashi's face lost its beautiful bronze-like tone. He stood there, startled for a moment. The understanding of it all only came to him when his eyes followed Hikaru's pale hands as he nervously piled the stuff he had got onto the bed. He had added lots of maps, placed atop the pile.

It meant his refuge of love and peace had come to an end... Well, good things did not last much anyway...

"Why?"

Hikaru walked from one side to the other, collecting a few changes of clothing. All of them plain and resistant, suitable for long travels, differently from the refined, embroidered and hand-painted stuff worn in the palace. He was so busy he did not  even look back at Hayashi.

"There were new casualties; guards were attacked outside the walls during a patrol, and the King wants you beheaded as an example of what we do to Golden-Eyed Infidels." Hikaru sighed in then. "Not to mention he wants to set me free of your wicked influence."

"How did it happen?"

Hikaru decided he could not skip the information.

"They were infected by a sudden plague."

Hayashi lowered his eyes.  Oh... He should know... The Walking Pestilence... The Bane... Mr. Slow Death... The Self-aclaimmed Surrogate God of Death... The Foxy Reaper...The Psycho... Doctor of Destruction... The Terminator... The nicknames his brother had collected through the centuries came to his mind, in a frightening succession...

If he ran away Hiroshi's attention would be deviated from the city and its Blue-eyed inhabitants. Then, Hikaru could be safe.

The brown youko looked up at his lover them. He became puzzled when Hikaru tossed two large knapsacks onto the bed, and started to stuff everything in...

"No, baby... Not two; I need only one... I don't need two capes, and two bags is too much for me to carry..."

Hikaru froze. He fixed a very determined stare at Hayashi, and frowned in a slight, sweet reproof.

"Hush now... I'm going with you, don't you see?"

They exchanged a long, silent gaze. But silence did not mean they said nothing one to the other. Their eyes, the fearful paleness of their faces, the sorrow shown in the downward curve of their lips, their nervous quivering... It all spoke much more than words.

Hayashi walked around the bed towards Hikaru. Then, not saying anything, he just opened his arms, and the grey youko slipped into his embrace.

"Oh... No, Gorgeous... You don't have to..."

Hikaru  did not want to listen to that. He pulled himself closer to the other dog-fox, clutching fervently to the embrace and he leaned onto him for a fierce, deep kiss. They breathed and drunk one from the other for a while, making their mouths delve into the delicious, sensual caress of their kiss. They held their hands in an intense clasp, and pressed their torsos closer, and rubbed their thighs.

They kissed till they went out of air.

The youko's tattooed arms closed tightly around Hikaru's chest then. He squeezed the smaller youko's body in a sweet clinch, and nuzzled his cheek, slipping his tongue up to lick, and then nibble the rim of one of his furry ears.

"I love you, my blue-eyes... I love you more than anything, I cannot ask that of you."

Hikaru gripped Hayashi's back. His nails dug his shoulders, and he stretched up, getting on his tip-toes to whisper back into the other's tattered ear.

"I will go wherever you go."

Hayashi shook his head, vehemently.

"No; never. This is your city, your people... I cannot let you forsake your family, and your wealth for a fox like me..."

"Why?"

"I'm a drifter; a soldier of fortune. I've got nothing good to offer you..."

"Shut up... I don't need anything..."

"Gorgeous... My life outside these walls will be very risky..."

"Then you'll need my help."

"Don't you understand? My brother must be lurking by..."

"No one will take you from me. Don't worry."

The brown fox did tot retort. His semblance gave away all its color, and his eyes lost much of their golden luster. His spirits were low,  his shoulders were bent, and he sighed in, hopelessly...

Hikaru continued his hurried arrangements.

"I must get to the treasure vault; I need to take gems and jewels enough to alow us starting anew somewhere. We'll leave the city through the secret passages; no one will intercept us then."

Hayashi still tried to detain the grey youko. He held him back by one arm, and their eyes met again. Hikaru's determination had made him lose all reason...

"Hikaru...Please..."

The prince shook his head in a firm, inflexible denial.

"Hayashi, I know what I'm doing..."
 
 

"My Lord Yomi... I was so naive..."

"Why, dear Hikaru?"

"I didn't have the slightest idea of what I was doing back then..."