The Sato settlement wasn't far from the capital, about a days walk and only half a day by carriage or horse.  Aza scowled as he saw the fortress like settlement that they called their home. The tall stone walls surrounding the ever changing city that his people resided in.  Unlike the Junirki who loved luxury over function.  The Sato really only kept what was useful or necessary when it came to material possessions and instead focused more on their personal advancement.  Aza pulled the reins of the mare to a stop, waiting for the large iron and wood gates to open.  He didn't understand why he needed to rush home so urgently, though he assumed it had to do with the assassination and rushed plans for the upcoming bonding ceremony.  The gate opened to reveal a slim Sato,his long white hair hung in a loose braid.  The simple blue tunic and dark brown breeches accenting just how pale the Sato really was.  His expressionless jade eyes betrayed nothing as he spoke, "Hello Aza I'm glad that you could come so quickly", Jinja replied in a monotone voice.

"Father you are looking well," Aza replied in a soft voice.  Jinja didn’t reply to his son’s polite remark and swiftly turned to begin walking into the city.  Aza groaned to himself, feeling like the much undesired child that had to return home in shame. Though if he dwelled on those dark thoughts he would be consumed by the bitterness and loneliness that he tried to keep at a distance.  He urged his horse onward, falling in step beside his father.  He tried not to stare at the stone and mudbrick buildings that most of his people opted to dwell in.  Aza knew that the Sato’s they passed where whispering harsh words about him, whispering how he should just have stayed away.  He was really of no use to his people since he couldn’t bear any children like all the ancestors that came before him.  In Sato society it was the bearer of the children that held the most power since they were the ones whose lineage could  be easily traced. So not only was Aza disgraced as a mutated freak, but he was a royal mutated freak, he thought with a scowl. How easy it was for him to forget he was a mistake, a diseased being who had been nothing more than a  bad omen on what was to come.  So lost in bitter thought, Aza didn’t notice that his father had reached up and pulled the horse to a stop.  Aza looked down to his father, making sure his face didn’t display the sadness that he felt.  Jinja turned his gaze to his son, “Aza your tsuki is waiting for you in the main hall,” Jinja said.  The silver haired Sato dismounted from the mare and nodded to his father. Before he could turn Aza felt a hand clamp onto his wrist, his father’s impassive eyes burning with life as he spoke, “There have been a few changes since we last saw each other.  An after this meeting I want you to go back to the Junirki palace. Your horse will be ready for you to depart as soon as you are dismissed.”  The prince looked to his father with curiosity, his father had never really been so direct with him.  Cold and distant,  never had he expressed any sort of urgency like how he was expressing.  He was usually ignored by his father, while his tsuki flung insults like they were punchs.  A feeling of dread swept over him as they continued on to the stone dwelling that was the palace, thankful for the simplicity of the Sato design they soon reached the main hall where his tsuki waited slumped on his throne with a look of distaste on his face at the sight of his son.  

“Aza it is good to see you,” Lajin sneered, sitting up to glare at his son.  Aza stepped slowly into the throne room.  The throne room had a large red carpet, that led from the door to the oversized golden throne.  Golden drapes hanging from the ceiling spaced evenly apart helped to add a touch of warmth and balance.  Though not as grand as the Junirki’s, it’s minimalistic design still showcased the beauty that less is more.  The silver haired Sato stopped a respectful distance away, and bowed low at the waist.  Jinja walked past his son, and stopped beside the throne. He didn’t say anything as he positioned himself behind the throne, a stoic look on his face.  “So your bonding is going to be in two weeks time.  Pushing the date forward seems questionable? I mean your soon to be mate is grieving is he not.  His father was killed, and the culprit has yet to be caught.  Or maybe he is seeking power?  Yes that could be it, maybe he killed his father and now is trying to speed up your bond so that he can control the whole planet. Though in all honesty he would be doing me a favor to be taking such a troublesome brat off my hands,” Lajin sneered.  Aza gave a blank stare to the regal emperor that sat before him. His body draped in a black cloak with silver trim.  The emperor’s long silver hair was up in a ponytail, icy silver eyes glaring darkly at him.  “I do not trust the reasoning behind speeding up your ceremony to that prince. To me it seems suspicious. However I wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter,” the Sato Emperor said with mild interest.  Aza looked to the emperor with suspicion in his eyes.  Something was up, he could tell.  The emperor hardly ever wanted to see him, especially since he left home to join the invasion two and a half years ago. Still however the emperor never asked for his opinion on anything ever.  He learned that many years ago when he told his tsuki of the first time Vita had raped him, his thoughts or feelings did not matter.

“You said that I was to bond with the prince. Has that changed?” he asked in an uncertain tone. Lajin’s scowl deepened at his heir’s words, though he was careful to hide his aversion of the situation.

“No. You are to still become his mate.  I just want to know your thoughts on the ceremony being pushed up.  Do you think he killed his father?” the Sato asked with a hard gleam.  The prince paused for a moment, seeming to be taken aback from being asked the very question he had been wondering.  Did the prince kill his father or better yet was he capable of doing such a feat, he asked himself.  Maybe, but the prince was not one to give into whims, he usually had a reason.  His mind drifting back to the first time he had met the prince.

Aza had just had his seventeenth birthday, not that his father or tsuki had noticed.  He was after all their little accident and his tsuki never hesitated to tell him how his life was spared. When asked why it was spared the emperor would just shrug and say ‘I spared it on a whim and as a favor.’  Aza snorted as his booted feet shuffled around the dirt on the makeshift road that led to the capital city.  He lifted his gaze back towards the heart of the makeshift city that both people had settled in.  Parts had been taken from both transporter ships to help make the large apartment like buildings that everyone resided in.  Excluding the two rulers and the civilians they deemed worthy were able to stay on what was left of the transport ships, until their separate palaces were built.  The Sato prince sighed, turning to head out into the forest that had been cleared, to be a part of the perimeter of the city.  His mind blank as he slowly made his way to his favorite spot near a small lake, in the middle of the forest perimeter.  He laid down near the edge of the lake and closed his eyes.  Letting his mind drift off to what he hoped was better dreams. “Hey! Hey are you alright?” a voiced asked.  Aza murmured softly his eyes opening to meet two golden orbs, peering down at him.  His face a blank expression as he spoke.

“Who are you?”  The figure stood so I could see him better, his eyes narrowing at the question.  A lean body wrapped in a light blue tunic and breeches were tucked into sturdy looking dark brown boots. A white sash tied loosely around his waist.  His arms crossed over his chest, his frown deepening.

“You do not recognize me?” the stranger asked in a clipped voice.  The silver haired Sato didn’t say anything but merely continued to stare at the stranger waiting for his next words. Should he know him, he wondered.  He recognized him to be a Junirki but other then that he couldn’t really recall who the stranger could be.

“Should I know you?” Aza asked in a monotone voice, his face remained impassive as he spoke.  The stranger gave an irritated grunt before he pulled out what appeared to be a small book with a bow on it.

“You just had a birthday am I right?”   Aza nodded his head, but said nothing as he eyed him and the package suspiciously. “Okay. Here catch,” he said as he threw Aza the book.  Aza caught it and examined it, his brows quirked in confusion.  “It’s from earth, its a book called manga.  By the way my name is Vita,” the dark blue haired Junirki said before he turned to walk back towards the city.  He flipped open the book to the front, only to discover it was the back. Silver eyes looked curiously for a moment, before he turned to the actual front and began to read.

“Are you listening to me you insolent child!” Lajin yelled.  Aza shook his head, snapping out of his memories.

“I am sorry my emperor.  Do you wish for me to answer now?” he replied in a respectful tone.  Silver eyes averting from the same hue that bore down in judgement upon him.

“Speak”, Lajin ordered.

“I do not know.  I believe his grief to be genuine and that he would not kill his father.  He is many things, but if he did murder his father I believe there would have to be a just reason.”  

“You foolish child there can be no reason to have your father assassinated other than selfish ones if he truly killed his father it was to assure his ascendance to the throne and cement his power.  Now I need to know with certainty that you were not involved in this coup because the political implications would be dire possibly even starting another war between our races.”  Aza didn’t respond for a second, before he shook his head.

“No.  I had nothing to do with such an act.  You told me that I was to obey his every whim and order.  Thus he had not given me any orders nor has he told me anything other than what you already know.  His behavior has remained the same from what I can see,” the prince said in a deadpan tone. He was trying to keep as emotionless as he could, for fear of his mask slipping and his true feelings coming through.  Though his tsuki probably already knew that he didn’t care for one thing or the other.  This ruler or that ruler, it matter not to him what was happening so long as he was left alone.  Lajin growled low, and before Aza could even react the emperor had backhanded him across the face.  No sound was uttered as the prince felt the blow, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“Such an impudent, miserable brat I have had.  If only your older brothers still lived. I do not desire another war, but still I show allegiance to my people and emperor.  However you were never such a respectful child, if only the gods haven’t cursed me with such a son as you.”  The emperor paused, a cruel smile upon his lips.  “Maybe that is why prince Vita had to teach you some manners.  Teach you to obey like a good dog, I know beatings hardly ever worked, but what did the prince do to secure your obedience.”  Lajin, strolled over to the throne and took a seat.  His fingers started rhythmically tapping, as he pretended to be lost in thought. “Oh yes now I remember. You said he forced you did he not.  You came crying to me and said he forced you to mate with him.”  Lajin stopped once more, his silver eyes gleaming as he said his sentence slowly.  “But you did deserve it, did you not?”  Aza clenched his fist, the carefully constructed mask slipping.  “You begged for me to not have you bond with him, but as you learned your feelings mean nothing.  Do you even remember?  You were always a distracted child, so maybe you don’t even recall as to why you begged,” a glee echoing in his tone.  Oh yes Aza remembered, he thought of it constantly.  The day his life was changed, and the day he found that he really was nothing more than a mistake.

After the incident where they had first met, Aza had been seeing the Junirki prince all over the capital settlement.  The prince would even come and request his presence, and without fail the prince would bring him a new manga to read with a smile.  That smile would quickly turn to a frown at the Sato’s lack of response.  Then came the same question that he asked every time they saw one another.  “Do you remember me?”, and when Aza would simply shrug the smile would turn to a look of rage.  Which would quickly be replaced with a forced grin, as he would hand the manga over to the Sato.  Aza would take the manga out of his own desire to read it, and reply with a simple thank you.  Other than that the Sato wouldn’t really say anything.  Aza glanced up to the back of the taller Junirki, who led him down the dirt road toward where they first met.  He looked down at his intertwined fingers with a curious glance.  Aza was confused as to why they would openly display such a statement when he couldn’t bear children.  He understood the alliance that would be cemented with their bonding, but still the silver haired Sato was unsure of all the unnecessary touching.  

So lost was he in those thoughts, that he ran into Vita’ s back with a loud umph escaping into the air.  “Hey Aza. Have you remembered yet?” Vita asked without turning to glance at him.  Aza didn’t reply, for in all honesty he had none to give.  Vita snorted, the hand he held tightening as he turned to face Aza.  “I take it your silence means a no,” Vita snapped bitterly.  Resentment and pain showing on as clear as day on his face.  The prince started muttering, before he growled and squeezed the smaller prince’s hand with all his might.  Aza winced but tried to ignore the pain he felt coming from his hand, opting to keep staring blankly at Vita.  “Since your having so much trouble remembering me I think i’ll have to do something to make a lasting impression!”  Grabbing Aza’s hair he pushed him down onto the damp ground and fell on top of him pinning his arms to the ground as he undid his pants.  “You have no idea what you have done to me, the lust I have felt for you since I saw you for the very first time.”   Grabbing Aza’s hand he forced it against his crotch to feel the increasing tension growing there.  “ I’m finally going to have you whether you care for me or not, I had hoped that you could come to at least appreciate me before this.”   Standing up over Aza’s still form as he removed his penis and caressed it slowly before flipping him on his back and ripping Aza’s pants down around his ankles.

Aza stared up at the Juniriki prince crouching over him not fully understanding what was happening, ‘why would he want to have sex with me I am unable to conceive and our bonding was suppose to be in name only.’   Fighting to control the growing horror at what was happening to him all he could do was lay there as Vita threw him onto his back and ripped his pants away.   As he felt Vita’s cold hands grasp his hips and pull him into position, his mind exploding with agony as he felt Vita’s penis force itself into him roughly pumping away furiously as Aza cried out in pain.  “Shut up, this is only what you deserve for what you’ve put me threw for the last month.”  Vita reached forward and grabbed Aza’s hair roughly pulling him up onto his hands and knees as he continued to slam himself into him.  Finally the pain was too much for him and he started to slip into unconsciousness, as his vision began to blur.  Vita yanked his head back so hard that he was forced all the way up so that his back was pressed against Vita’s chest.  Vita grabbed his chin roughly twisting his head around and kissed him hard as he climaxed inside of him, shuddering uncontrollably as the weeks of pent up tension was released in a moment.  Pulling himself out of Aza he stood up and began to dress himself as if nothing had happened.  “You better get yourself cleaned up, the Sato prince should not be seen looking so disheveled it might cause people to talk.”   Aza looked up at him tears streaming down his face, his mind numb from the pain and shock.  He was so out of his mind with confusion he let himself be dressed by the Junirki prince who was very gentle now that his lust had been sated.  After Vita finished cleaning up the disheveled Sato he simply stood and said.  “I enjoyed our little outing together I hope it was a memorable one,” as he turned and left the clearing.  

The trip back to the village was a nightmare barely able to walk he stumbled back through the small settlement towards the palace hardly recognizing any of the familiar landmarks along the way.  Finding his way back into his quarters took what seemed like hours but where only minutes he fell into the shower and turned the water to a scalding point scrubbing away the sweat, fear, and scent of his newfound tormentor who would soon be bonded to him for life.  After that incident he had gone to his tsuki who merely shrugged and said he deserved it for his insolence.  Then to add salt to his son’s wound, he was told that from that day on he was to go live with his soon to be mate since he had already begun the bonding process.

“From that look on your face, you seem to be troubled.  What is the matter my son, having a daydream.” Lajin mocked, snapping Aza out of his pain filled memory.

“Nothing is the matter my emperor.  Do you have any other questions for me?” Aza said, his voice shaky.  Lajin waved his hand in dismissal, turning away from him.  Aza bowed and turned to head out, when the large doors suddenly opened.  A small three year old child came running into the room.  Dressed in a dark blue tunic and tan pants with bare feet.  Long silver hair hung loose in waves to his legs.  The child’s jade eyes looked at Aza suspiciously.

“Talan how many times have you been told not to come in here,” Lajin barked.  Jinja sighed as he walked past Aza and toward the small Sato child.

“You need to go back to your caregivers until this meeting is over.” Jinja chided, grabbing the child’s hand to lead him out.  Talan turned his head back to look at Aza once more, his eyes narrowing to glare at him.  Aza was stunned to see the child, and glanced over to look at the emperor.  The emperor’s face gave nothing away as he narrowed his eyes in anger.

“You were dismissed,” the emperor all but yelled.  Aza quickly turned and headed towards the door.  His mind filling with a million questions, as jealousy settled into his heart.  His parents had another child and neglected to tell him.  No he knew they did no such thing, they simply didn’t want to tell him.  An now with this new development that meant that his life was little to nothing.  For the emperor had produced a new heir.