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The Taurus Key:
By Lady Tempest
Prologue:
"What am I going to do with you, Prince Issai?" Tugging on his thick beard, King Shion paced in a slow circle around the young prince. " I can't bear the thought of squandering my resources on the son of my enemy. To have you eating my food, wearing my clothes, sleeping under my roof!"
The prince stood calmly, his exotic gray-green eyes staring straight ahead through delicate, black-framed glasses, his slender hands clasped loosely behind his back. Silent.
The king stopped at the prince's side, his breath brushing past his long, dark mustache to tickle the boy's smooth, bronze skin. " I could just throw you into the dungeon and leave you there...forgotten... " he sneered.
Prince Issai lifted his chin defiantly, his gaze unwavering.
"... But that would be too easy," the king continued, running a thick finger along his prisoner's softly angled jaw line. " And you would bear it with too much dignity, I think. "
He slid his pale jade eyes to glance the king's broad, dusky face. " There is no such thing as 'too much dignity', Your Majesty, especially not for an honorable man in adverse circumstances."
" Predictable!" The king stepped in front of the prince, grabbing his throat. " But you have yet to experience adverse circumstances, boy! "
Gasping for air, Issai clutched at the hand around his neck. The king's other hand roughly stroked his cheek then crushed the prince's full, rosy lips under his thumb. " I'll have to see how much adversity you can handle, Prince. I'm curious." Shion's dark eyes narrowed with malice.
He shoved the prince back several feet until the boy's knees smacked into the antique sofa behind him and he fell. The king leaned over him, his hand still on Issai's slender throat, crushing him into the cushions. The prince struggled, his blue-black hair slipping free of the clasp that had held his usually neat long tail down his back. Silky midnight strands splayed in a frenzy as the young prince thrashed, trying to break free of the husky and much stronger king.
" I'm no use to you dead." Issai gasped, still prying at the hand around his throat.
" Oh, I have no intentions of killing you, my dear prince," Shion sneered. He pressed his other hand to the squirming boy's slim stomach, attempting to hold him still. " No, I want to break you, not kill you."
Issai's eyes widened in true fear. " W...what are you meaning?!" he choked.
The king gave him a sly smile. " Afraid, boy?" He laughed while releasing his hold and standing. " Perhaps fortunate for you, my tastes don't include boys. "
Shion took a few steps away from the couch, folding his arms across his broad chest. The prince clutched his throat, his eyes wide and wary, panting and fighting to regain even a semblance of normal breathing." Though I wouldn't degrade myself with such as you, if it did. "
Issai glared at his dark captor, his chest rising and falling in rapid heaves.
" No. I'll think of something more suitable," again the grin that by now was making the young prince physically sick.
A soft tap at the door distracted Issai from the bile and disgust rising from his gut. He turned, peering through the black fall of his loose hair to the large mahogany door, his slight body hunched over and trembling.
" Enter, " King Shion said as he too turned to face the doorway.
The door opened and a tall figure, much taller than either the stocky king or slender Prince Issai, stepped elegantly into the room. He clicked together the heels of high, black-leather boots and flowed his slender body into a graceful bow.
" Your Majesty." His voice was smooth and low, a slight resonance added by the shining silver helm that hid all of his face except for a blanched chin, and flushed pale and serious lips. Wavy black hair curled from underneath the helm, teasing over slender but strong shoulders.
He straightened, smoothing his maroon and gold uniform jacket with a white gloved hand. The helm turned to face the raven-haired prince on the sofa, the visored eye slits shadowing the man's eyes, leaving a shortened breath as the only visible reaction.
" I apologize, your Majesty," he said quietly, yet not diverting his hidden gaze from the prince. " I did not know you had company."
Shion noticed with interest the slight trembling of the gloved hand and the stilted breathing as the young man stared at the royal hostage behind him. An amused smile quirked his lips. Ah, yes. Perfect.
" No need to worry about it, dear boy. " His grin widened. He had just found his answer. " We have concluded our business anyway."
tbc...