Chapter 1

Asami, king of the underworld, sat on his throne discussing matters of the kingdom with his trusted general, Kirishima, when a photo caught his interest. He had never seen a boy so beautiful. He had hazel eyes, sandy hair, and a devilish smile. Asami asked Kirishima, "who is this boy standing with Himouji in this picture?"

Kirishima replied, "your majesty, he is Himouji's nephew and ward, Takaba Akihito."

Asami asked, "what circumstances led him to become Himouji's ward? I have not known Himouji to be very good with kids."

"I believe that Himouji is the boy's, mother's brother. He became Himouji's ward when his mother passed away 10 years ago." Kirishima always seemed to have information about everyone in Asami's kingdom.

"Why has he not been presented to me at court before, he looks to be of age?", inquired King Asami.

"He was sent to a boarding school shortly after he arrived in Himouji's care."

"That sounds more like the Himouji I know."

"I believe that he has just returned and is back residing with Himouji."

"Order Himouji to court to have the boy presented to me."

"Yes, your majesty," replied Kirishima before heading to his office to do as instructed.

Asami picked up the photo to take another look at the boy and smiled, thinking, I want him.

xxxxx

When Kirishima returned, he was reluctant to tell the king that, per Himouji, Takaba was pursuing his hobby as a photographer and currently on an apprenticeship in Fei Long's kingdom. Although things had been civil between the two kingdoms for some time now, Kirishima didn't want to take a chance riling things up if Asami decided to go after the boy. Kirishima conveyed the message of Takaba's current living situation to his king and braced himself for his king's response.

Asami, realizing that King Fei Long may discover the boy first, take his own liking to him, and have him in his bed before Asami could get the chance to taste him, ordered, "I want him sent for immediately. Send Suoh to collect Himouji until transportation to Fei Long's kingdom can be arranged. Tell Suoh to let Himouji know that it is the king's command that he comply and come quietly. If he doesn't, Suoh knows what to do. Tell Suoh I need Himouji alive, though. And Kirishima, begin making travel arrangements for me, you, and Himouji to journey to Fei Long's kingdom."

"As you command, your majesty," replied Kirishima to the orders given to him. Thinking there could be trouble ahead, he asked, "should I also arrange an extra guard detail?"

"No," replied Asami. "Bring Suoh along only, I don't want to scare the boy with a whole battalion of soldiers, plus I don't want to tip off Fei Long to our presence. I don't want to send his attention the boys way."

"Yes, your majesty, it will be handled immediately." Kirishima retrieved his phone to start his tasks before he was out of the throne room.

xxxxx

When Himouji arrived, he was a little worse for wear. He tried to get out of doing what the king commanded and Suoh, knowing that the king's commands were law or face the penalty of a slow and painful death for disobedience, roughed Himouji up a little to get him to come quietly.

Himouji bowed upon entering the throne room and asked if he could be allowed to speak directly with the king.

King Asami obliged stating, "you may speak, but know that you WILL be accompanying me to Fei Long's kingdom to collect your ward."

"Your majesty," Himouji bowed, acknowledging the command, and asked, " May I ask your interest in Akihito?"

The king replied, "no, you may not. You have nerve questioning your king. I can get rid of you, Himouji, and still claim the boy."

Rattled slightly, Himouji continued, "I-I only ask, your majesty, because Akihito is 22 years old and just started this apprenticeship a few weeks ago. He has been away from the kingdom for most of the past 10 years and may not wish to return."

Asami replied, "I care not for his wishes. Neither do I care for your concerns on this matter, it was YOU after all, who kept him away from the kingdom. He will return to my court willingly or kicking and screaming, it matters not to me, but he WILL return." That Himouji questioned him about his interest in the boy was unheard of. It made Asami wonder what Himouji had done to the boy to make him want to stay away from his own kingdom when he left school. The thought of it made Asami's countenance grow dark, and Himouji, noticing the change in the king's mood, began to shake with fear at what the king may be thinking about him. Himouji knew he did not want to be on the king's bad side.

Asami decided to save the questions for their return, as he was sure that the answers would anger him, and he still wanted Himouji to be the one to convince the boy to come willingly, despite the earlier threat. Though, once Takaba was back in his kingdom, Asami would have his answers and Himouji better watch out if he didn't like them. He thought, he will have Kirishima look into the mother's death and the few days the boy was in Himouji's care.

Asami ordered Himouji to contact his ward and let him know he was coming to get him. Asmai told him, "do not mention I am accompanying you, nor why the sudden need for him to return. Tell him to expect you in the next few hours and to be ready to leave immediately."

"Y-yes, your majesty," Himouji stuttered, as he pulled out his phone to make the call.

xxxxx

Akihito had just returned to the room he was using over the photo shop, when he heard his cell phone ringing. He checked the caller id and saw that it was his uncle on the other end. Opting to ignore the call, Akihito went to the kitchen first to warm up something to eat, then to the bathroom to start a very hot bath to soak his tired muscles in. He had spent the day lugging around heavy lighting equipment for the photo shoot he and his mentor had earlier, all the while wondering, who takes pictures in dark tunnels, but he chalked the day up to experience learned. He couldn't wait to soak in the bath and get some sleep.

When he came out of the bathroom from getting the bath ready, he noticed that he had received a text from said uncle. He decided to check the message in case it was important, seeing as his uncle NEVER contacted him. The message read, 'I will be arriving in a few hours to bring you home.' Akihito thought, that's it. Then he wondered why now? He decided to put his soothing bath on hold to find out what was going on and what was his uncle talking about bringing him home. Akihito was just getting started with his apprenticeship, he had barely been there 3 weeks.

He dialed his uncle's number. When the man answered, all Akihito could say was, "WHAT!?"

Himouji spoke into his phone, "you got the message, be prepared for my arrival in a few hours."

"I just got started with the apprenticeship, I can't come back now. What is this about, anyway? Why the sudden interest to bring me back, you never wanted me there in the first place?"

Remembering what the king said about not telling the boy the reason for the visit, Himouji lied and said, "your aunt is ill and would like to see you."

With concern in his voice now, Akihito asked, "is she alright? What happened to her?" Then his voice grew suspicious when he next asked, "what did you do to her?"

Himouji, not one to be questioned by his ward, replied brusquely, "nothing, why would I do anything to her, she is my wife! She is just ill and wants you to come home for a while. I'm sure you can return to your hobby once the visit is over and she is assured that you are okay."

"This is not a HOBBY," Akihito yelled, a little upset that his uncle still referred to his wanting to be a photographer as a 'hobby'. "This is what I want to do for a living, become a photo journalist, hunting down scoops in the kingdom and catching the truth on film. Why do you always refer to it as a hobby?"

"A grown man should have a real job with a set work environment, not be off traipsing around looking for things to take pictures of. Take the wrong picture and your 'living' might get you killed," Himouji replied. Not wanting this to go any further, he continued, "as the message said, I will be there in a few hours time, be ready, I have real work to do and need to get back."

"I'll come for Aunt Keiko, but once I know she is okay, I will be returning to complete my training. You can't stop me."

"What did you say, you ungrateful brat?" Himouji bellowed, but Akihito had already hung up the phone.

Akihito climbed into the bath, not only with heavy muscles, but now also with a heavy heart. He was genuinely worried for his aunt, being a yakuza's wife could be dangerous. He got out of the bath earlier than he intended, hoping to get some rest before his uncle arrived to take him back to visit his aunt.

xxxxx

The constant knocking, woke Akihito. He sat up with a curse and yelled, "alright, already. Don't break it down, I'm coming." Akihito slipped on a clean pair of boxers and went to open the door.

He was surprised to see not only his uncle at the door, but 3 other well dressed and handsome men at the door with his uncle.

"I thought you would be alone, what is the meaning of this? Who are these men?" Akihito asked, embarrassed to be standing at the door in only his underwear.

Himouji and the men entered the small room, chiding Akihito for speaking so rudely in front of his king.

"King? Who? What are you talking about? I thought you were coming to get me to take me to visit Aunt Keiko."

Himouji admitted that his aunt was fine and that he had lied about her being ill. He then introduced Akihito to King Asami. Himouji said, "it was King Asami's request that you return to the kingdom," to which Asami gave Himouji a menacing look. Himouji cowered, then shouted for the boy to get ready to leave, time was of the essence.

Akihito replied, angry at being lied to, "no. If Auntie is okay, there is no reason for me to return now. My apprenticeship is up in 1 year, I will return to the kingdom then."

Asami looked at the boy standing in his underwear, fascinated. No one said no to a request knowing that the king commanded it. The yakuzas beneath him knew the king's wrath meant death, so they scrambled to do what they could to stay in his good graces. This boy, not having been to the kingdom for any extended period of time since Asami took over the throne from his father 8 years ago, was not afraid of him. He did not flinch at the sound of his voice or the look in his golden eyes.

Asami asked, "so you will not return because it is your king's will?"

Akihito boldly looked up at the man and replied, "You are not MY king, I did not chose you, nor have I resided in your kingdom long enough for you to think you have any power over me. I am here to complete a task and before I leave here, that task will be completed. I'm sorry that you came all this way just to go back empty handed, but I must decline."

King Asami actually laughed at the statement that had just come out of the boy's mouth and thought, yes, he's the one. He will be mine no matter what. The king had not wanted anything or anyone as much as he wanted the boy right now. He didn't need to see anymore, he ordered Kirishima and Suoh, "grab him, wrap him in a blanket and put him in the trunk of the car. He's coming whether he wants to or not."

The boys eyes bulged from his head at the comment and he immediately started looking around the small room for a way to escape, but he was to late. The 2 men moved lightening fast. They had him secured and wrapped in the blanket before he could put his plan in motion. Akihito struggled for only a minute, when he felt a needle go in his arm. The drug he was injected with had him unconscious in seconds. King Asami took the bundled boy from Kirishima's hands and carried him to the trunk of the car, himself.