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Zas sat at the desk in his room; staring at a game of solitaire laid out before him. It was the sixth game he had played and each time, the cards had been against him. Gods damn this game. The young general thought to himself as he wiped the cards from the table. Lately his mind was focused only on the past and the game had been a futile attempt to make the memories leave him alone. The general knew that ruling the way he did was going to come back to haunt him in the end, but he didn't care. All he wanted was Girin back. The rat stood up from his chair slowly; feeling the joints in his legs pop as he finally stretched them after several hours of immobility.

Zas was young, barely into his late twenties, but he felt like an old rodent. He rarely had the energy to do normal things anymore, let alone rule a kingdom. Fighting gave him strength, though. He relished combat and sought it out as if it were his only passion. Lately however, the general's passion for weapons training had waned. His blood lust hungered for real combat. It was the beast inside of him; telling him to go to war when he knew it was suicide. Ever since Girin left him, Zas's thirst for blood and vengeance had been there. He knew he was a hypocrite, but that didn't matter. The sapphire would give Girin back to him and then they could run away from the kingdom together and let the place rot on its own. Zas was standing next to his bed now on the verge of tears. The general's room suddenly twisted around him and he felt dizzy. His head hit the pillows softly before he collapsed into a troubled sleep.

***

Zas's head spun. Maybe that last drink hadn't been such a good idea. The young rat wore a bright red tunic with purple trim, a black leather belt strapped itself around his waist and his underclothes were made of blue silk. He was sitting on a stool in a bar; his fist clenched around the handle of a large mug which he had just clapped down on the wood after downing its contents in a single gulp. The bartender was looking at him curiously, seeming to ask the rat if he was alright with only his eyes. Behind him, Zas heard the hazy sounds of hearty laughter and faint musical notes as the other patrons of the tavern seemed to not notice the rat in his heightened state of unawareness. Zas's head pivoted lazily on his neck and he saw the image of the tavern begin to spin. Straight beams in the ceiling warped in the rat's eyes and the wooden columns holding up the beams seemed to threaten to fall over on him. Deciding that enough was enough, the rat slowly dropped out of his seat at the bar and wobbled towards the door.

The streets of Kathsera were shrouded in haze as a plume of fog swept in from the ocean; covering the streets in the dark blue mist. Zas cursed under his breath as he looked left and right down the street trying to remember which direction led him back to the palace and his bed. Nothing looked familiar to him so he picked left and started walking. He kept a hand on the walls of the buildings to steady himself as he walked; keeping his eyes firmly fixed to the cobblestone road. The young prince could feel the alcohol in his gut trying to come back up, but he forced it down; trying to think of something more pleasant. Zas stopped walking as a shadow fell over him. Looking up, his eyes met with three larger rats all brandishing knives and grinning.

"Looks like we found us a pretty prize." The one in the center said. He was wearing what looked like a burlap sack over his fat torso and he wore pants that were clearly too small. The other two were dressed in similar fashion, though they were significantly thinner, and Zas wasn't sure, but they all resembled each other in facial structure as well.

"You'd better hand over all of your money, kid. And those nice clothes too." The rat on the left leered at him.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to stain that blue shirt, would you?"

Zas felt his stomach churn and he couldn't hold back the tide any longer. He suddenly retched and doubled over; emptying the contents of his stomach onto the cobblestones. Some of the initial splash landed on the larger rats' feet in the process. The rats shrieked in disgust.

"You little fucking prick!" The middle rat's face contorted in anger. "I'll kill you!"

He grabbed Zas by the throat; the young rat's bile and vomit flowing down his chin and onto the larger rat's arm. The fat rat pulled back with the knife, readying a killing blow; but he couldn't pull forward.

"What the fu-?"

A fist collided with the right side of his jaw as he turned to look behind him; forcing him to drop Zas to the wet street. The fat rat sputtered; trying to get to his feet quickly, but failing.

"Who the fuck hit me?"

"I did."

Zas looked up from his dazed state on the ground and saw a soldier wearing a Kathseran tabard standing over the fat rat's two unconscious brothers.

"I suggest you leave him alone or you'll regret it for the rest of your miserable life."

"Ha! Big words coming from a guy who has to sneak up on us." The fat rat finally stood. "Why don't you try your luck when I'm not caught off guard?"

"You don't want me to do that." The soldier smiled as he glanced down at the two unconscious rats at his feet.

"I'm not afraid of you. Come on, tough guy."

The soldier sighed and unbuckled his sword from his hip; leaning it up against the building to his right. "Fine, if I must teach you a lesson, I will."

The fat rat snarled and quickly charged at the soldier with his knife at the ready, but the soldier stepped swiftly to the side. He moved so fast that Zas had to think for a moment to realize what had happened, but by then the soldier had planted an elbow directly in between the fat rat's shoulder blades. Zas heard a loud crack as the elbow connected and winced as the larger rat hit the ground heavily; not moving. The soldier wiped off his paws and picked up his sword once more; fastening it around his waste. Next, he removed some rope and tied the three brothers' hands and feet.

"You alright, kid?" He asked as he approached the dazed Zas. "You look like you've had a few too many."

Zas grunted incoherently and, realizing that the stranger wouldn't be able to understand him, nodded. He felt a pair of hands lifting him from the cobblestones and the young rat tried his best to stand on his own.

"Where are you from, boy?" The soldier asked.

Zas couldn't answer right away and the soldier chuckled.

"You need to learn your limits. Come on, I'll take you somewhere else so you can tell me how to get you home."

The soldier lifted the younger rat upright and supported him; Zas having little say in the matter; as the two slowly walked away from the unconscious rats in the street. The soldier led the drunken Zas through the twisting streets of the mist-laden city. The young rat's vision warped and spun in front of him and he cringed at menacing shadows that only disappeared when the two got close to them. The stone buildings curved away upwards from the sickly rodent like ominous sentinels; their tall bodies vanishing into the fog above the two wandering creatures. If Zas' mind could think clearly, he would have been wondering why this complete stranger was helping him for no reason. He also would have wondered where the rat soldier was taking him as well, but Zas' mind wasn't clear and he tried desperately to hold back the contents of his stomach that threatened to push its way back up his esophagus once again. After they had stopped to tell a patrolling guard about the attempted mugging, Zas thought he should say at least something.

"Someday, I'll be the ruler of this shithole of a city." He said, mentally smacking himself for not thinking of something better to say.

"Is that so?" The soldier replied, "Well, your lordship, if you do become the ruler here; make sure to raise our wages, would you? I can barely afford two drinks a night on my salary."

He laughed heartily as Zas gave him a confused look and the soldier steered them down a small alley. He stopped at the door to a single floored, shabby, old building.

"We're here." The soldier said. "It's not much, but I call it home."

Zas suddenly doubled over once again; retching onto the cobblestones. The soldier was silent and he gave the younger rat an arm to cling to as the spasms wracked Zas's swaying body. When Zas's stomach was emptied, he shakily stood; wiping tears from his eyes and bile from his lips.

"You alright?" The soldier asked.

Zas nodded. "Sorry for messing up your doorstep." He then looked at the soldier quizzically. "Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Captain Girin of his majesty's Kathseran Guard." The soldier said with a kind smile.

Zas nodded as Girin opened the door to his house.

"You'd better come in so we can get you sobered up." The rat soldier entered the house and gestured for Zas to follow.

Not sure of what else to do, and the alcohol fogging his mind like the misty streets, the younger rat could do nothing but follow as his curiosity got the best of him.

The inside of the small house was nothing new to Zas; he had seen plenty of them on his father's frequent raids of the town to stamp out would be "revolutionaries." Zas thought his father was an idiot for ruling the city the way he did. The prince told himself over and over that a ruler who doesn't know the people he rules is a doomed ruler from the start. That was the reason he spent so much time outside of the palace walls; to get to know the populace he would soon come to inherit, provided his father didn't get the entire royal family lynched beforehand. Zas wanted to be a better ruler than his father. He couldn't stand his old man forcing the populace to live in fear of him. Zas would make the best king Kathsera could ever hope for.

Girin's living quarters were made up of a single room. A cot lay on the far wall and a small lamp hung from the ceiling; which the soldier lit as Zas looked around the small space. A table rested in the left-hand corner and there were several cabinets mounted on the walls around the home. On the cot rested a pillow and a large book titled: "Fantastic Treasures and Wondrous Creatures." A tiny stove sat on the wall to his left next to the table with a black pot leaning against it. The floor of the room was dirt and Zas felt the soft earth on his pampered feet pleasant. The room smelled earthy; a peculiar scent for royalty to smell and Zas liked it.

"You hungry?" Girin asked him. "You look a bit famished after that mess outside."

Zas shook his head. "No thank you." He felt a little less tipsy after emptying his stomach and he found it easier to speak clearly. "I feel like I may be sick again if I eat anything."

Girin nodded. "Well I'm going to make some broth for myself in case you're interested."

The soldier walked the two steps it took over to the stove; lighting it and lifting the pot onto the flame. Zas watched in a daze as Girin added water and a yellowish powder to the liquid. The room was suddenly filled with the smell of chicken broth and Zas found his mouth watering at the scent. Girin turned to the younger rat; smiling and Zas suddenly realized just how attractive Girin was. The older rat was impeccably well built for his age. Zas guessed he was around forty years old. His blue eyes had a sparkle to them that pulled Zas into his gaze each time Girin looked at him. The soldier was also more kind to the young prince than anyone had ever been before. Zas was at a loss for words for the first time that he could remember.

"Care to take a seat? Make yourself at home." He gestured to the wooden stools around the table and Zas slid into one of them; trying to make his head stop rotating the room around him. Girin stirred the contents of the pot with a wooden spoon in his right hand while he pulled two bowls from one of the small cabinets with his left; setting them down on the table. As he went back to his stove, the soldier started to whistle a tune that Zas found strangely familiar.

"So where are you from, kid?" Girin asked after a few moments as he stirred the broth casually.

Zas lifted his eyes from the bowl the soldier had plunked down on the table in front of him and slowly moved his gaze to the older rat.

"I'm-" Girin would probably change his attitude toward him if he told the soldier the truth. "I'm from the east end."

"Oh near Drazil's Bridge or down by the wharfs?" Girin stuck a finger in the pot and brought it to his muzzle.

"Er, I live near the bridge." Zas said without thinking. In truth, he had never seen the bridge or any bridges for that matter, the city was too large for him to do that and his father kept him inside the palace as much as possible.

Girin shook his head at the taste of the broth and added more powder.

"I used to patrol down there; it's a pretty high class area." The rat soldier reached under the stove and stoked the fire with a free paw. Zas just nodded silently even though he knew the soldier couldn't see him; not sure of what to say. Girin resumed his whistling.

"Do you have any parents?" The soldier asked after a while.

"Only my father." Zas said. "My mother dies when I was very young."

"Well you must be a pretty wealthy family to get the kinds of clothes you're wearing." Girin was eying Zas's wardrobe casually.

The young rat mentally smacked himself for forgetting about his clothes. They were by no means the clothes of a commoner and they were very different from Girin's. The soldier's tunic was tattered and a dull brown. The cord belt around his waist was hardly a belt and it barely kept up the sword he wore at his hip. The only thing about Girin's clothing that looked pristine was the Kathseran tabard..

"W-well my father is a pretty wealthy man." Zas stammered.

Girin stirred the soup as it simmered on the stove.

"Why are you out here in the central city?" The soldier asked. "It's pretty far away from your home."

Zas didn't know how to respond at first; the alcohol still clouding his mind.

"My father-" he began, but the truth began spilling out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"He keeps me inside all of the time. He says I wouldn't like the world outside his house. I used to think he was a stuck up old goat for thinking that, but now that I've been outside, I see that a lot of what he said is true."

Girin frowned. "I hope he wasn't talking about the city guard in anything he said to you. We try to do everything in our power to keep this city safe, you know."

Zas shook his head. "No. My father never mentioned anyone in particular. He just wanted to scare me away from the city proper so I wouldn't go seek it."

The young rat's eyes fell to the table in embarrassment and he frowned. Girin walked over to him with the pot of soup in hand; filling Zas's bowl with the steaming and fragrant mixture. The young prince looked up at Girin in surprise.

"Go ahead, and eat something. It will help you feel better." The soldier returned to the stove briefly to turn it off and pour the remainder of the soup into his own bowl. "Fathers often think they know what's best for their children without knowing their children at all. I'm guessing your father is an important man for him to treat you that way, but at the same time he probably thinks it's for the better. Let me guess, you hate him for restricting you, and in turn, he probably hates you for hating him. He may not even know why you feel this way because, in his mind, he's done nothing wrong."

Girin pulled the tabard over his head; folding it neatly and placing it on a shelf over the small cot before sitting at the small table across from the younger rat.

"You're probably right." Zas poked at the bowl of liquid with the wooden spoon Girin had given him.

"So why don't you run away?"

"I couldn't do that. He would have the whole city looking for me in an instant. There's no where I could go."

"I know of a place." Girin was stirring the broth in his bowl when Zas looked up at him quizzically. "It's a small island called Taldoor. The last time I checked, not even the king of Kathsera could find anyone there. I feel like a fool asking you this since we just met, but would you; that is I won't take offense if you say no, but would you want to go there with me?"

Girin held his breath as if expecting Zas to strike him. Instead the young rat just stared at him. What did he mean by that? The younger rat asked himself. Does he feel the same way about me as I do about him? Eventually his eyes darted to the right and, noticing the door, he made his legs stand.

"I- I'm sorry, but I need to get going. My father will be worried sick about me." Zas was quickly moving towards the door as he spoke. "Thank you for taking care of me when I was drunk."

"Wait! What's your name?"

The younger rat hesitated.

"My name's- Jerim."

"Will we see each other again?" Girin asked.

"I'm sure we will." Zas said hurriedly as he practically leaped out of the small house and into the darkened street. The young prince flew through the streets as he rushed back to the palace with a clearer head. His father was going to kill him.

It was a several weeks before Zas had the freedom to escape the palace again. King Merith had given him the worst beating of his life for going out after dark for so long. After that, Zas knew he had to leave the city. He had to find Girin again. The young prince waited until after dark on the twelfth of the month. The wall below his window was easy to climb down and up so he had no trouble escaping to the castle grounds. He was thankful that his father had neglected to repair it in all these years. Once there, Zas threw the black cloak he had stolen from one of the servants over his head and scaled the wall with a toy grapple that still managed to hold his weight. On the other side of the wall, the young prince started making his way back to Girin's house, but he had been drunk that night and his memory was clouded. Was it right, left, left, right or left, right, right, left? He asked himself as he came to the same cross street for the second time. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and looked to his right where a guard was walking down the street towards him. Zas pulled the hood further over his face and decided to risk asking directions.

"Excuse me," Zas asked. "Do you know where I might find Captain Girin's home?"

The guard looked him over before answering making Zas pull his hood still further down his face.

"Yeah I know where it is. Why do you want to know?"

"I was supposed to meet him there several hours ago, but I seem to have lost track of time and my way."

The guard snorted.

"Oh your one of his- never mind. Go down this street and take a left at the fountain, and then follow that road until you come to the end. Go right and follow the street until you come to a row of small houses. Girin's is the third house on the left."

"Thank you very much, sir." Zas said as he turned to leave.

"Yeah, just don't make too much noise this time."

Zas was confused by the guard's statement, but he nodded anyway and followed the instructions until he found himself standing in front of Girin's door. He nervously knocked on the wood and was surprised when Girin actually opened it.

"Holy gods-" Girin said as he quickly ushered Zas inside and looked left and right before closing and locking the door. "What in the six hells are you doing here?"

"I had to come back." Zas said as he let his hood fall off; revealing his multiple bruises and cuts left by his father's savage beating.

"Oh gods, what happened?"

"I told you my father would be upset with me."

Zas lowered his gaze to the floor and was surprised when he felt Girin's arms around him, but the embrace was welcome.

"Did anyone follow you here?" Girin said, his voice betraying his worry.

"No. I don't think so."

"Good, then I can patch you up and we can leave this place forever." Girin looked into the young prince's eyes; blushing. "That is, if you do want to run away with me."

"I do." Zas smiled back.

The soldier hugged him one last time before retrieving some medical supplies. Zas sat down on the cot while Girin bandaged his wounds. It was a long process since many of the lacerations from the king's sword were infected. Zas was not used to many of the rough mending methods Girin's military training had taught him, but the young prince clenched his teeth against the pain and refused to shed any tears. When Girin was finished, he handed Zas a thimble of vile smelling liquid to swallow and Zas took it in his shaking paw; biting his lower lip against the throbbing pain all over his body.

"It's pain reliever. It will stop the stinging."

Girin got up to put away the equipment after Zas drank the contents of the small cup. It tasted as bad as it had smelled and Zas had fought the urge to spit it out as soon as it touched his tongue. The soldier came back with a bedroll in hand.

"You can sleep on my bed tonight if you like. I'm used to sleeping on the floor."

"We aren't leaving right now?" Zas asked.

"Do we have to? You said no one followed you. I think we're safe for at least one more night."

The younger rat just nodded in agreement as he timidly stripped off his black tunic and undershirt. As he lay down in the surprisingly comfortable cot, he watched Girin unroll the bedroll. Zas shivered as he suddenly felt very dizzy.

"What was in that medicine?" He managed to ask before the tranquility of sleep enveloped him.

Zas awoke in an unfamiliar room. His eyes snapped open and it took him a few moments to remember Girin's house. The young rat prince yawned slightly and was about to roll over when he saw his tunic and undershirt hanging from the shelf above his head. Zas' eyes widened in horror. Had Girin taken advantage of him in his drugged state? An arm swung into Zas's vision, but it came from the floor. The younger rat sighed in relief as he remembered the bedroll. The older rat looked up at Zas and smiled

"Morning." Girin whispered from the floor. "Sleep well?"

"More or less, but I have a splitting headache." Zas groaned as he lifted a hand to his throbbing head.

"That's not surprising. That medicine knocked you out pretty hard." Girin slowly got to his feet. "That headache will disappear with some breakfast and a big glass of water, my friend."

Zas blinked.

"We're friends?" He asked.

"I bandaged your wounds, and gave you my bed." Girin grinned. "That usually makes people friends."

Zas became aware that his britches were still firmly attached to his hips. That was a good sign. It was nice to feel cared for by someone for a change.

"Girin?" Zas asked softly. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome." The older rat whispered. "Now how about some breakfast?"

Zas licked his lips and nodded. "I would love some!"

Girin chuckled. "Just wait there patiently and I'll have it ready in a second."

As Girin stood and walked away to the stove on the other side of the room, Zas noticed that the older rat only wore his woolen trousers as well; leaving his muscular chest and stomach exposed to the young rat's examination. Zas found himself staring at the magnificence of the soldier's figure and smooth grace as he moved about the kitchen; something that seemed odd for one of his size. Zas's heart fluttered and he felt a feeling he had never thought he would feel since he had been very young. It was love. Girin whistled that same familiar tune that Zas had heard during his first visit as the soldier cracked a few eggs into the only pot he owned.

"Girin," Zas asked suddenly, "What song is that?"

The soldier looked back at him as he poked at the cooking eggs with the wooden spoon.

"It's something I picked up during my days in the militia." Girin said. "Our sergeant used to sing it when the unit was low on morale."

Zas nodded; dismissing the familiarity as just a coincidence.

"Were you happy?" Zas asked. "In the Militia, I mean."

Girin flipped the eggs.

"It wasn't the best of times, but it kept me busy. It certainly paid better than guard duty."

Zas nodded and rolled out of the soldier's bed; slowly walking up behind the older rat.

"The song is very beautiful."

The young rat stood behind Girin as the soldier cooked their breakfast. He was compelled to throw his arms around Girin and hug him, but he wasn't sure how the older rat would take the sign of affection. The soldier turned around and gasped as Zas hugged him.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Girin asked.

Zas let go of him and blushed. "I'm sorry. I was just- I didn't mean to-"

The older rat held a finger to Zas' lips. "Shh." He lifted the younger rat's head with a hand and looked into his eyes. "What are you feeling right now?"

Zas gulped and looked back at Girin. "I'm feeling nervous, love-"

Girin needed no other words as his lips pressed against the smaller rat's cheek. "Me too."

Zas hugged Girin and the two rats stood in each other's arms until the eggs began to burn and they had to throw them away. After they had eaten their breakfast, Girin kissed Zas again; this time on the lips and led the young prince back to his bed.

Zas jumped at a loud knocking on Girin's door.

"Captain Girin, this is the Kathseran City Guard! Open this door immediately!"

The young rat turned to say something to the soldier, but Girin was already leaping out of bed and throwing his clothes over his head. The door burst open as Girin pulled his tabard over his shoulders and stood in front of Zas; facing the six soldiers that piled into the small room.

"Captain Girin; you are hereby under arrest by royal decree." One of the soldiers said.

Girin grimaced. "For what exactly, Razzick?" The older soldier's eyes were lidded.

"Kidnapping a personage of the royal family; namely the crown prince, Zas." All six rats drew their weapons. "If you resist, sir, we will be forced to take you by force."

"The crown prince-?" Girin looked back at the startled Zas, a tear sliding down his cheek.

"Girin, I didn't mean- I thought you wouldn't like me, please understand-"

The older rat just closed his eyes as he hung his head and the six soldiers moved to surround him.

"Wait!" Zas shouted. "Don't take him away, please! It was my fault! I left on purpose!"

"Sire, be silent." Razzick told him forcefully. "I will use my blade to silence you if you leave me no other choice. I have your father's authority to do so."

Zas watched in horror as the guards started to escort Girin towards the door. He couldn't just stand by and watch the one he loved be taken away. They could still escape. Girin was a good fighter. Maybe if Zas could just get Girin's sword to him.

"Let him go!" Zas shouted as he launched himself from the cot. His hand grasped the hilt of Girin's sword leaning against the wall and it slid from the sheath effortlessly. Zas tossed the blade into the air as two of the guards tackled his already battered body to the floor.

"Girin, catch!"

Razzick turned his deathly gaze towards the young rat; his blade sliding from the scabbard.

"This is your fault, young prince." He said as the metal left the wood of the sheath.

Girin dove for his sword.

Time froze as Razzick's blade buried itself in Girin's chest.

Zas screamed in horrified silence as the only person who had ever genuinely loved him bled onto the floor.

***

The young general awoke in a cold sweat. That dream had haunted him for as long as he could remember and it was always the same. Zas rubbed his eyes and lay his head back onto his bed; tears flowing down his cheeks. Without Girin, Zas had been a nervous wreck. He had blamed his father for everything and eventually plotted and executed the king's murder. Blood was blood, and Girin's blood had been avenged in the king's death. Yet, Zas felt no release from his sorrow after the deed had been done. Even after killing Razzick, Zas felt no relief. He needed Girin back to make the sadness end. Zas sighed and rolled over; the image of Girin's dying face cemented in his brain. Love was a fleeting thing and all Zas wanted was to feel it again, no matter what the cost to those around him. He would feel it again, everyone else be damned.

END?