Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Wild Child
By : FlayraDowitcher
Category: +M to R > Ronin Warriors
Views: 1520 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own RW/YST. I'm making no money off this fic.
Chapter List
- 1
- 2
***Okay, so I've been in to Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers for over 13 years and have never written a fanfiction for the fandom until now. There are still fans out there, which pleases me, so this fic will be for them as well as for myself. This fic will have multiple pairings but the main will be SagexRowen. The fic will be focused on them. I decided to use their Ronin Warrior names because it fits better with the AU time period I chose. In most cases, I rather have the Japanese names. So, read on and enjoy! Read and Review please!

***Summary: AU. All the tribal clans have submitted to the mighty Empire except for the Ronin Clan. Rowen, a clan noblemen, is captured by the Empire and sold as a slave to the highest bidder; Lord Sage. Being the only clan member who is educated in the ways of the Empire, Rowen continuously confronts Lord Sage. But Lord Sage is a force to be reckoned with unlike his usual clan members and Rowen finds himself strangely attracted to the blonde noble. Will Rowen be able to help save his clan from extinction and escape the Empire? Or will he find that his new life and friends are a better choice?

***Pairings to see: SagexRowen (main), RyoxSai, KentoxRowen, SagexSai, KentoxSai

***Warnings: Language, humor, minor violence

***Disclaimer: I do not own RW/YST. I am making no money off of this fic.

Wild Child

Chapter 1

Rowen stood on a raised piece of earth overlooking a babbling brook, enjoying the warm breeze that snaked through his tinted blue hair. He stared at the open blue sky while searching for the approaching speck that would be the return of his falcon. He closed his eyes to the warmth of the sun's rays as they kissed his cheeks. Rowen swore he could smell the sunshine while taking it all in, relishing in the simple joys of nature. A shriek from up above made him shield his eyes from the brightness while scanning the sky for the falcon. Rowen could recognize Blue's cry anywhere. The falcon swooped down towards him, flapped her wings to slow herself, and then perched on his covered arm. He stroked her chest feathers first, and then petted down the back to soothe her.

"Welcome back, girl." He smiled while watching her head tilt. "Did you eat?" Rowen reached into his belt pouch and took out a small piece of dried meat, holding it up to her beak. The falcon cocked her head a few times, and then turned away from the morsel. "I guess you ate then." Rowen and the falcon shared a special connection, one that only a few of his clan members were able to experience. It was an ancient bond between man and beast.

Rowen turned and walked back into the woods to the spot where he had left his belongings. Blue flapped her way up to a branch, keeping her master in full view. He picked up his fox fur shawl to adorn his shoulders, and then slung the woven pouch bag on top of it. Inside his bag Rowen carried his favorite book, a thin wooden writing tablet, a quill, and a glass jar of ink. Unlike the rest of his clan, Rowen was the only person besides his father who could read and write. His father came from the Empire, having fallen in love with a Ronin Clan woman; his mother. While raising him he taught Rowen everything from reading and writing, to math and science. He even helped him explore the world of herbs and medicines. Rowen was unquestionably the oddest young male of the Ronin Clan. Due to his swift intelligence and talents of academics, Rowen often neglected such basic things as games or the hunt. He didn't care for socializing much either with the other warriors his age. He enjoyed sparring and fighting, but would much rather be reading instead.

It would be a lie for Rowen to say that he did not think himself superior to the others. The Ronin Clan was an ancient civilization of warriors living in age-old stone houses within their realm. They were considered the last clan of the Old World Order, having refused to join the Empire for decades. The Empire was a rich and cultivated vast land full of strong architecture, populated cities, businesses, and the arts. They had only managed to keep the Empire at bay by offering the Emperor use of their fertile farmland to cultivate. This small agreement of business is what kept the Ronin Clan from facing extinction at the hands of the mighty Empire. But recently, there has been a lot of activity on the Empire farmland and all of them were on high alert. Rowen would have gone with the other young warriors to check it out but it was too nice of a day to miss out on falconing. If something went wrong he would be one of the first to hear about it and would deal with it then.

"But until then, curling up under a tree with a good book is my top priority." After a few hours of reading, Rowen had fallen asleep under the tree with the book on his chest. He would fall asleep often, and stay asleep for as long as he could. However, his napping was cut short by something tickling his nose. Rowen let out a sneeze that jerked him awake, which made the book fall to the ground. "Gah! What was that?" He felt his nose for anything that might have caused him to sneeze, and then looked up when there came a snickering sound. Peeking around the tree was none other than his friend and fellow clan member, Kento. "Was that necessary?" He asked, giving Kento a look of annoyance.

"You know I hate to wake you, but I just couldn't help it this time! And I did it with your own feather!" Kento grinned, holding up one of Blue's tail feathers.

Rowen just stretched with a yawn, rubbing his lower back. "So you guys are back already? Any news?"

"Nah, nothin' worth goin' on about. They are moving in a little closer than normal, though."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know really, but I think it's something you should look at with all your smarts. You know a lot about buildings."

Rowen raised a blue brow. "Buildings? So they are expanding further out? Or are they expanding closer to us?"

Kento scratched his head. "I think both…but I think more on the lines of coming into OUR territory."

"Okay." Rowen just waved his hand in dismissal at Kento. He wasn't going to get anything useful out of the bigger man and would have to see this 'structure' for himself. "I'll head over there once I put all my stuff away." He stood up and packed the bag to sling over his shoulder. Kento was smiling stupidly at him suddenly and Rowen gave a lopsided smirk back. "What?"

"I'm just surprised you like that shawl so much! When I first gave it to you…you snuffed it."

Rowen blinked a few times and then tilted his gaze to his left shoulder where part of the shawl lay. Kento had given this to him as a courting gift. He saw Kento as a best friend more than a possible lover. Two years ago, when he had just turned sixteen summers, Rowen was promised to the High Priestess' daughter, Kayura. After many embarrassing failed attempts to produce an heir, the marriage was annulled on the grounds of him not being 'able'. Rowen thought he was free to continue on with his studies after that, but his parents had other ideas. Since they were one of the Ronin Clan's leading families, Rowen still had to marry, as was his public duty. This left his eligible hand open to the public, from other leading families to simple warriors, so long as the parents approved. So he was surprised when his best friend Kento had shown up at his door with a stag's head, a pelt, a new bow, and a jug of monkey wine all in an offer of courtship. He had actually slammed the door in Kento's face, being in utter shock, but quickly opened it again once the image had settled in his head. Kento was better than some of the other suitors he had received, having denied all of them immediately. Rowen knew they just wanted a spot in a leading family and nothing more from him. But Kento was his friend; and Rowen knew without a doubt that the dangerous, yet softhearted man would always be true. So as a token of permission for Kento to court him, Rowen handed over one of Blue's tail feathers. It pained Rowen to keep stringing his friend along like this, allowing himself to keep accepting the courting gifts when he did not want Kento as an actual lover or husband. Rowen's desire for the man was only a strong bond of friendship, one that he did not want to lose. Kento was one of the only warriors in the clan who treated him with respect and devotion when all the others were scoffing at him. Even though he was socially awkward, Kento had always looked past that and helped Rowen to socialize more. He would do anything for Kento, and knew in his heart the man would do the same for him.

"I did snuff it. But I told you before that I was shocked by what you offered me. I never expected you to want to court me."

Kento held up the feather with a foolish grin. "But you accepted."

"I rather you than some other guy, by far." Rowen lifted his arm and whistled so Blue could comfortably perch.

"You never cease to amaze me with what you can do with that bird!" Kento walked beside him. "Hey, did you know that together you and I make the perfect person? Me with my awesome muscle and strength; and you with all your smarts and knowledge!"

Rowen laughed. "Hey, don't forget that I can spar, fight, and hunt just as good as the rest of you. Okay, so I'm not all brawn and little brain like you-"

"Hey!"

"-and I can't do half of the things that you can with that monstrous strength. But I can hold my own in any physical situation." He gave his friend a smug smile, and Kento reached out to tweak his nose. "Ow!"

"Well, you're not all that perfect, you know! How many times have you fallen asleep while waiting for your turn in training?"

The blue haired man couldn't answer that, so he changed the subject. "Why don't you stay for dinner tonight?" He saw the larger man's eyes light up. "We'll go and check out that structure you spoke of, and then we'll return to my place and chow down!"

"Alright! Sounds like a plan! Wooo! I'm there!"

Rowen just laughed to himself and continued on with his friend.

/

Their arrival at the Empire farmland had Rowen's blue eyes constantly narrowed and squinted in inspection. The Empire was indeed building another large structure but part of it was heading towards the Ronin's side of the territory. Mentally calculating the diameters and form, Rowen concluded that the structure was only halfway done and would cross over into their land. The trees he and Kento were hiding behind would have to be cut down if this structure was to be continued, which violated their treaty. Rowen clenched his jaw in annoyance, and his fists went on his hips.

"Well, this is annoying. They're building straight into our land when they promised not to."

Kento looked at him. "What should we do? Tell the head chief?"

"We can do that," Rowen tapped his chin, "but I need to find out more before we tell him. He's hot-headed and I don't want this to turn in to some crazy brawl." He leapt over a fallen tree. "I'm going to go talk to the head guy."

"Hey, wait for me! I'll come with you!" Kento slung Rowen's bow over his shoulder.

Rowen looked back at him. "Fine, but you have to let ME do the talking! You just stand there and pretend that you don't understand."

"What? That's not fair, Rowen!"

"I don't need you getting all angry and doing something drastic! If I want your input, I'll ask for it. Now let's go." He could hear Kento muttering and grumbling behind him.

Rowen crossed through the heavy construction site with Kento close behind him. Some of the Empire workers paused to look at them, mainly at their different style of dress. Rowen paid them no mind, for his concerns lie with whoever was inside the large tent. Due to the tent's size, bright colors, and ribbons it housed the overseer of this work site. That was the person Rowen had to speak with about the contract. However, both men froze when the sound of baritone horns echoed along the breeze. Kento pointed to a large golden carriage coming their way pulled by a team of pure white horses, each one lavishly decorated. Large plumes of colored feathers adorned their heads and bells of gold jingled as they moved. The carriage they pulled was covered and open save for the slightly sheer curtains that surrounded it. A man on horseback pranced beside the carriage, a sword hanging off both sides of his hips. Beside him walked a large white tiger with black stripes. The two clan members just stared at the large moving vessel as it came nearer.

"Should we stop the carriage?" Kento asked his friend, eyeing the white tiger.

"No, because I'm not sure who is riding in it. We don't want to get in trouble." Rowen's eyes met with the dark haired horseman's. The horseman's blue eyes stared back at him, and the horse was pulled to a halt before them. Rowen narrowed his gaze at the man who was peering at them with suspicion.

"Are you two supposed to be here on Empire land?" Asked the horseman, and shouted for the carriage to halt. The white tiger growled low.

Rowen answered plainly. "Sorry, but we're just here to speak with whoever is in charge of this building operation."

"For what purpose?"

"We have a concern that we would like to clear up."

Another voice joined in the conversation. "Ryo, why have we stopped?" The curtains pushed aside and a young blonde man stuck his head out to see.

Rowen stared at the blonde man's unique style of hair and light purple eye gazing back at him. The blonde hair covered the left side of the man's face. Upon his head was a golden crown encrusted with various gemstones and draped with silken scarves of green and purple. A long gold necklace of spider web with various sized emerald pendants hung low, and there were thick golden bands around his wrists. Rowen knew that he was staring in to the face of Empire royalty, or if not royalty, then nobility. He was momentarily struck dumb by the sight of such a beautiful and stunning man, even if he was from the Empire. He only regained his composure when Kento gave him a nudge.

"These two men ask to speak with the Chief Architect about a building project." Answered Ryo, the man on horseback.

"Is that so?" The blonde man looked back at the two. "Whatever for?"

Rowen straightened his posture. "It has to do with that building over there." He pointed to the structure.

The blonde man gave a sniff and retreated back into his golden wagon. "Allow them entrance, Ryo."

"Yes, Lord Sage." Ryo walked his horse up to them. "After Lord Sage enters then you will be allowed in." He gave a whistle and the carriage continued on for the tent. "State your names."

"I'm Rowen. And this is my clan member, Kento."

Kento punched his fist into his palm. "We're from the Ronin Clan and we got some business to take care of!" Rowen shot him a sharp glare.

Ryo raised a black brow. "The Ronin Clan?" He smiled. "Oh yeah, I've heard about you guys. This is the land your leader offered us, right?"

Rowen nodded. "Yes, that's correct. That's what we want to talk about."

"Fair enough. Follow me then. And don't' mind White Blaze, he won't hurt you." He said, referring to the tiger.

They followed Ryo on foot to the tent where they patiently awaited to be called in for an audience. Kento gave a loud yawn and cracked his neck, forcing Rowen to mumble a low curse of annoyance. He lightly scolded Kento for being too uncivilized and barbaric for something as important as this. The larger man just rolled his eyes, choosing to remain quiet and crossed his arms. The man called Ryo came out from the flap and held it open for them, ushering the two inside. When they entered the lavish tent, Rowen couldn't believe the amount of decoration for something as simple as a tent. The inside walls were a completely different color and there were drapes of shimmering gold fabric pouring from the center ceiling. In the middle of the tent was a large oak table, its legs and trim designed with a skilled craftsman's art. The nobleman from before, Lord Sage, sat at one end of the table while the Chief Architect sat in the center. Behind the blonde stood an auburn haired man who was dressed as a servant. The table was covered in papers, most likely blueprints and maps. Lord Sage took notice of Rowen and let his violet eye linger on the man. Rowen stared back, but only for a moment before turning his attention to the Chief Architect. The older man lifted his head to acknowledge the two of them.

"How may I help you boys?"

"I am Rowen-"

"Chief Rowen." Kento corrected him, reminding Rowen of his own title as a clan nobleman.

Rowen cleared his throat. "I am Chief Rowen of the Ronin Clan, and this is one of our warriors, Kento."

"Oh, we have woodsmen nobility in our presence!" The Chief Architect hid his snicker behind his bandaged hand. "How honorable."

"Hey, that's not-" Kento was ready to snap back but Rowen's arm shot out in front to stop him. "Rowen!"

Rowen wasn't fazed by the simple insult from the old man. "We are only here to speak of business and nothing more. Chief Architect," he could feel Lord Sage's icy purple gaze upon him "we are concerned about your latest structure nearing the forest on the south side. I calculated the measurements in my head, and judging from them, this structure will have to enter our territory. Surely you are aware of the treaty signed by my Head Chief and your Emperor? Stating that you will be allowed to use this part of the land only without fear of war or attack? We're hoping it was a mistake in design and won't go any further." The elderly man seemed amused by Rowen's words.

"I am well aware of the treaty and what it states. To answer your question, yes, the structure will have to enter the forest. However, it will only be about half an acre or two with a few trees having to be removed. It's not a big deal, right Lord Sage?"

Lord Sage sipped at his gold goblet of wine. "It doesn't matter to me."

"It violates the agreement!" Rowen could hear the rising anger in his own voice. "There is plenty more land for you to build on in the west. There is no need for these structures to come down our way."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll have to bring this news back to my Head Chief and then he will decide what can be done."

Lord Sage spoke next. "Chief Rowen, you're being very stingy with this small issue of land. A few acres will not damage any plant life or make all the animals run away."

Rowen narrowed his blue eyes. "Are you mocking my way of life?"

"Yeah, you better not be!" Kento chimed in. "Rowen's dad is from the Empire! He knows a lot about what's going on!" Rowen slapped his hand to his face.

'Kento!'

"Is that so?" Lord Sage folded his hands. "And why would your father leave the Empire to live the life of a Ronin Clan member?"

Rowen's brow twitched. "He's told me that he liked the lifestyle of our clan and he fell in love with my mother, so he chose to stay." It was out in the open now thanks to Kento, so Rowen figured he may as well say more about himself. "He taught me how to read and write, along with herbal studies and astrology. Aside from my father, I am the only Ronin member who can read and write."

"He's smart, too!" Kento added in proudly.

"Then perhaps his skills and intelligence are wasted in that clan." Said Lord Sage. "There is more for him in the Empire."

"Sorry, but I'll pass. Just because my father is part of the Empire doesn't mean I have to be." He crossed his arms. "I'll never leave my Ronin Clan. My clan needs someone with the knowledge of the Empire to help them fight back against any little tricks, like this one with the treaty." He looked to Sage. "It may seem like a 'little' problem to you, but should we allow this it will only be a matter of time before your kind asks to do it again."

"Aren't you a bright little brat?" Smirked the Chief Architect. "Lord Sage? What is your ruling on this matter?"

The blonde sighed. "Allow him time to speak with his chief. We're in no real rush." He sipped his wine again and looked to Rowen. "You both can go now. Sai, show them out."

The auburn haired servant named Sai smiled at them both while kindly escorting them from the tent. Once outside, he spoke to them. "I hope things turn out well for you and your clan."

"My buddy Rowen here will take care of it!" Kento slapped the other on the back.

Ryo came up to stand beside Sai. "So, how'd it go?"

"Expect to see us back soon." Rowen told the dark haired man. "This isn't over yet. You can tell your smug little ice prince in there that he hasn't seen the last of me!"

"Lord Sage gave you a hard time?" Ryo just chuckled nervously. "He's like that but isn't too bad once you get to know him."

"In other words, he's a jerk until you learn to deal with him." Kento answered, which earned a little giggle from Sai.

"Well, have a safe trip back and we hope everything works out for you." Ryo gave them a wave. After the two walked far enough way, Ryo turned to Sai and put his arm around the other's shoulders. "What has you looking so concerned?"

Sea-green eyes turned to look into blue. "Lord Sage kept staring at him. At Rowen."

"So?"

"Well…you know how Lord Sage is with people and things that interest him."

"Oh, well don't worry. I doubt anything will come of it." White Blaze came up beside him and nuzzled his leg. "You'd best get back to Sage before he needs a refill on wine. I'll see you later tonight."

Sai smiled. "When Sage is asleep."

"Yes." He kissed the pale cheek before holding the flap open for Sai to go back inside.

/

Rowen sat at his table lazily poking at the cooked piece of meat on the plate before him. He mixed in the fresh vegetables with this morning's porridge. Both of his parents were absent when he came back, and as promised, he allowed Kento to stay for dinner. Rowen couldn't cook that well, but what he made was decently edible. Kento had no issue with it, scoffing the food down loudly with an untamable appetite. The man ate like the meat was going to turn back into its animal form and run away. But Kento's eating habits were not the only thing on his mind right now. His biggest concern was the expansion of that building into their land. When he had told the Head Chief about it, the man did not appear concerned or angry. Instead, he waved Rowen off with a scoff as if they were bothering him.

"Are you gonna eat that?" Kento asked, looking at Rowen's plate. Rowen said nothing and pushed it over to him. "You're not gonna eat ANY of it?"

"I'm not hungry. I'm more pissed than anything right now." He sat back in the wooden woven chair and crossed his arms, blue brow twitching. "I can't get the smug look of that Lord Sage out of my head! I just want to grab that flop of blonde hair and tug it away from his other eye! Who the hell does he think he is, anyway?"

"Ro, you've got to calm down, buddy. We'll figure out a way to take care of it. I'll lead the other guys in a battle to win back that land."

"Kento, let's stay away from war as much as we can. That won't solve anything. We may be strong but we don't have nearly the numbers of men as the Empire does. Our whole village will be crushed."

Kento chugged down the cup filled with goat's milk. "Then we'll give them a battle to remember! It's better to go down fighting than roll over onto our backs in submission!"

Rowen rolled his eyes at his friend. "You're always so quick to rush in to a fight! Learn some self-control, Kento."

The larger man snuffed at him like a boar ready to charge. "Hey, I can help protect you with my extreme fighting skills! I'm not the strongest warrior in this clan for nothing!"

"I don't need protecting, Kento! I can take care of myself!"

He swallowed a big piece of meat. "You'd sleep through an entire war if you could! And you're sick fairly often too!"

"I'm not sick! I'm just…I'm overly tired!" Rowen knew he had a health problem with his lack of energy. Sometimes it would hit him like a sack of rocks and he'd be down for a day or two.

"Yeah, well, during that time anyone could just walk up, slit your throat, and leave. You wouldn't know a thing!"

Rowen stood up from the chair. "And if you were out on a hunt or the like it could still happen! Your argument is invalid."

"Ugh! You're more stubborn than a jackass!"

"And you have a hard head! Just like a rock!" Rowen stormed away from the table.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed!"

He climbed the ladder that led to his room. It was a small room but just big enough for what he needed. His bed was a large square mattress stuffed with feathers, wool, and straw. Three sewn animal pelts served as his blankets, and he needed each one. He tended to get cold at night, even when the world was at its warmest. Rowen buried his face in the rabbit fur pillow stuffed with downy feathers. It wasn't his favorite but it helped to keep his head warm. From his spot on the mattress he had a clear look of the night sky, tinted a dark purple and littered with millions of tiny stars. For a long while he stared at them, imagining what it would be like to fly up there and touch one. His studies have hypothesized that stars could not be touched yet he still allowed himself the childish wonder of the impossible. Flying through the stars would be a pleasurable experience for him, and Rowen wished it would come true before the upcoming days of trouble that lay ahead. This matter with the expansion was weighing on his mind, and all he could foresee was danger. The Empire could wipe them all out within a few days even if everyone was at their bravest and strongest. Someone like Kento would continue to fight even if the odds were against him. The Warrior of Stone, as the other clan warriors dubbed him, would be the last man standing against a massive army. It was honorable and noble, but Rowen knew it was stupid. Alive you can change things, but when you're dead, you're nothing more than a memory; a character for a campfire tale. Strong men like Kento couldn't make a difference with such odds against him; but someone like Lord Sage could change the world with just one powerful signature or vote. Their kind is dying out, and in the months to come they may just be washed away from this earth in a sea of blood.

'Something has to be done before there is bloodshed.' He stared up at the night sky again. 'But why did our Head Chief dismiss me so easily like that? He knows how important it is to keep our village safe from the Empire. Or maybe he just won't believe me because I am young.' He closed his eyes and an image of Lord Sage appeared, which forced Rowen to open his eyes again. 'What was that just now?' A creaking from the ladder startled him from his thoughts. "Kento?" He turned to look over his shoulder at the large man climbing up.

"Hey Ro, just thought you might be cold." Kento gave him a nervous smile.

"I'm fine. Why don't you go home and rest there? I'm thinking."

"You're always thinking. Go out and kill something for a change."

That earned a laugh. "I'm not as easily entertained as you, Kento. But go ahead and climb in. I can take a hint." Rowen moved over to make room for Kento who wasted no time crawling under the covers but insisted he be by the window. He pulled Rowen against him so they could spoon, a large hand resting firmly on his belly. Rowen closed his eyes to Kento's warmth and pressed back further into him. While Kento's body was laced heavily with muscle they were all concealed under thick skin, which gave the illusion that he was chubby. Anyone who had Kento pressed against them like this would know the truth. Rowen had to quickly put a stop to Kento's hand, which began to slip up under his linen tunic. The rough texture of Kento's hand was sharp against his softer skin. Normally when Kento touched him like this he didn't mind the rough skin that was hardened by years of intense fighting. He would have to disappoint his friend once again this night. "No Kento."

"Ro…please?"

Rowen pushed the hand out of his tunic. "No. I'm sorry, Kento. I'm still not ready." He heard a heavy sigh behind him.

"You're never going to be ready."

It's not that Rowen WASN'T ready but more like he felt guilty for continuously stringing his friend along like this. It never felt right when Kento tried to be intimate with him. "I'm sorry." He repeated.

"It's fine. I never want you to feel forced or obligated before we're united in a partnership."

Rowen smiled at Kento's softhearted forgiveness. If Kento ever got tired of being told 'no' Rowen wouldn't stand a chance. The larger man could easily overpower him and take him if he wanted to. But Kento wasn't that kind of person and would never even allow the thought to cross his mind. That's how well Rowen knew his friend. To make it up to the large man, Rowen rolled over to snuggle against him, something he rarely did. He stuck his head under Kento's strong chin and rests his ear against the other's heart.

Kento wrapped his arm around the narrow waist and held him close, sticking his other arm behind his head. "This is a rare occasion on your end."

"If it bothers you then I'll move."

"No! I like it. It's hard to get you to cuddle like this." Kento gave a yawn that sounded more like a roar. "Man, I'm beat."

Rowen's eyelids were growing heavy yet they still remained focused on the starry sky. "I bet I'll fall asleep faster than you."

"I'm sure you will. Goodnight, Ro."

"Night." With the gentle rhythm of Kento's breathing beneath his cheek and the strong arm around his waist, Rowen let himself fall in to a blissful sleep.

'Mmm…Kento, I said no already.' Yet the hands stroking his bare chest and belly were not the rough ones he was used to. 'What? Who are you?' Rowen turned to gaze in to a single violet orb. He gasped. 'Sage!'

'I saw you staring at me today in the tent' He smiled. 'I guess you saw something that you liked?' He asked with a purr.

Rowen noticed that he was completely naked and lying on a plush bed, encased in the same curtains he saw on the carriage. Sage was naked as well, his hard and well-sculptured body pressing against his own. Had they done something? Rowen flushed hotly. 'This can't be real! This is a dream! If anyone is next to me it should be Kento!' Warm, soft lips pressed against the back of his neck and he went rigid.

'Don't be so cold, my blue-haired beauty. The way you were looking at me in the tent suggests-'

'Quiet! You were an arrogant man that I wanted to give a solid swing to the jaw!'

'Nonsense.' Cooed the young lord. 'Secretly you were wanting me.'

Rowen sneered but his blush came back. 'I did not want you!' Yet he was dreaming about him.

'So feisty!' He chuckled. "You just need to be tamed.' Those same soft, silken hands glided along his belly and chest, making Rowen melt under the touch.

'Stop!' He wanted to push the man away but was powerless to do so. This was his dream so he should be able to control the outcomes. This couldn't be what he wanted. 'Stop this!' Another hand slipped between his legs to lightly grasp his semi-hard erection. He moaned. 'I don't want this! But it feels so good!'

'Come away with me to the Empire. Your talents are wasted here in the woods. You can be so much more than you are now.'

'No…I belong here…'

Rowen jerked awake, his eyes flying open and a quick gasp escaped his throat. He checked immediately to see if Sage was with him but the earthly smell and heavy snoring of Kento was all the clarification he needed. Kento, in his sleep, had loosened his hold so Rowen could sit up. He rubbed his face, pulling his cheeks down and letting them bounce back up. 'What the hell was that about?' It was still night and he wondered if his parents were home yet. Slipping out of bed he descended the ladder and tiptoed to his parent's room. The door was slightly ajar, so Rowen peeked in to find them both sleeping soundly. They must have known Kento was with him but didn't bother to wake them up and throw Kento out. The memory of Sage in his dream brought forth a shudder and Rowen knew he would not be getting back to sleep any time soon. Usually when his mind was heavily laden with thoughts he would take a walk to help clear his mind. Blue would often come with him, but she could not fly in the dark to accompany him. Instead, Rowen took an apple from the fruit bowl on the table as a snack since he didn't have enough for dinner. He felt bad leaving Kento to sleep soundly in the bed but he needed to be alone and collect his thoughts. Quietly leaving the house, Rowen picked up his bow and quiver of arrows to take with him just in case he ran in to trouble. He was a fine archer, if not the finest archer in the whole clan. He wasn't just book smart!

The blanket of stars gave off enough light as he walked through the village, taking a shorter path to enter the forest. He knew these woods so well that he didn't need any heavy light, only the light of the stars. Rowen knew where he was going. His sandaled feet were already taking him there, to a high cliff where he could see the stars and the lights of the Empire. The worn path to the cliff came in to sight and Rowen ran up its length, leaping over the raised roots and age-old rocks. He knew where each one was on memory alone. Faintly he could hear something scurrying off to his right, and judging by the swift sounds it was a four-legged animal. Nothing to worry about. He entered the clearing and stopped for a moment, bending down to remove his sandals. To him, this spot was magical, almost holy in a way. He loved to feel the soft, spongy moss beneath his feet as he walked to the edge. Far out in the distance he could see the tiny specs of light from the Empire. It was far enough away where the lights from the cities would not interfere with the night sky's natural light. Rowen looked up at the thick stream of white stars, all which twinkled as if to acknowledge his presence. They greeted him as an old friend and now he finally felt as ease. He closed his eyes to feel the gentle wind upon his face.

'It was only a dream and nothing more than that.' He dropped his bow and quiver to the ground to sit and gaze up at the stars. 'Why would I dream about Sage in…THAT way? I've never dreamt of anyone like that, not even Kento.' He felt the flush come back to his cheeks, as he thought about Sage, still able to feel the ghost-like fingers upon his skin. 'Stop thinking like that, Rowen!' He tapped himself on the head. 'He's an arrogant prick who mocked your way of life and snuffed your concerns!' Rowen looked up at the stars again. "I could never like a man such as him! So why was I thinking about him?" Rowen had to admit the man was handsome to look at, with such golden blonde hair and unique eyes. He wondered if both of Sage's eyes were violet, and why he chose to hide half of his face. "Maybe it's deformed?" That brought a smirk to his lips. "I bet that's it! Or else he's blind in that eye and it's an ugly gray!" Rowen pushed a large strand of his blue hair from his face. "Blue is better than blonde anyway."

The faint smell of smoke caught in the night breeze and Rowen jumped to his feet, looking out in the distance for any sign of a fire. Squinting slightly to the direction of the east he noticed a large fire in a clearing. It was too large to be a campfire, which meant it had to be a bonfire. The question was, who had made it and why was it there? And why out in the open so conspicuously? Rowen turned to put on his sandals, gathered his bow, and ran as quickly as he could back to his house. He did not want to alert the entire village so waking Kento to come with him would be best. Quietly he entered the house so not to wake up his parents. Climbing the ladder he rushed to Kento and shook him violently. "Kento!" He whispered. "Kento! Wake up!"

Kento snorted awake and batted at the air. "Huh? Wha? Rowen?" He rubbed his eyes. "What is it?"

"I need you to come with me! I noticed a large bonfire out on the plains!"

Smokey blue eyes looked at him. "What are you doing out in the middle of the night?"

Rowen turned his face away to hide the faint blush he knew was there. "Just clearing my head. Now come on! We need to investigate, and who better to help me than my own best bud with the strength of ten bears?"

Kento flexed his muscles proudly. "Twenty bears!"

"Whatever! Just be quiet and follow me!"

/

Rowen led him to the cliff and used his bow to point out the bonfire. "Look."

Kento had to squint. "I don't see much…just a fire. What do you think it is?"

"I'm not sure. That's why you and I are going to go check it out." Rowen smirked. "You up for the task? Or are you scared?"

"HA! I'll race ya' to the bottom!"

Rowen grinned, eagerly accepting the challenge. Kento wasn't nearly as agile as he was so naturally Rowen hopped his way down the rocks with the skill of a deer. Kento slipped a few times, letting out startled yelps and tiny gasps. Rowen just chuckled all the way down and boasted about his success when his friend finally joined him. "I was growing a beard waiting for you!"

Kento stuck his tongue out. "I let you win!"

Rowen just waved him on with his bow as they rushed in the direction of the bonfire. The closer they came upon it the more stealth like they became. The plains were littered with tall grass and open spots of land, making it easy to crawl around and hide. Together they stalked closer to the area, taking refuge behind a cluster of large boulders. They could hear men laughing and the sounds of horses stomping their hooves. Rowen peeked around the rocks first, carefully scanning the crowded area of men around the fire. He swiftly counted thirty-two in the whole party, and he knew they were all from the Empire. He recognized the style of white dress robes and colored red armor. To the far end of the group there was a barred wagon, and inside Rowen could see a few huddled bodies. His eyes widened when he realized they were of his clan. There wasn't a word of anyone missing in the clan! If there had been then Rowen would be one of the first ones to hear about it. These men were no friends of theirs.

"Rowen," Kento whispered, "Who are these guys?"

"I gather they're slave traders." He narrowed blue eyes at the wagon. "They have OUR people in that wagon, Kento!"

"Ours?" Kento had to get a look for himself, and growled when he recognized the style of dress. "How dare they! Let's knock them all out and save our clan members!"

Rowen glared at him. "We can't just run out and unleash a full attack! We're only two people. We need a game plan first."

He growled. "I thought they weren't supposed to do us any harm after we gave them that land! Why are they taking our people?"

"I knew something was amiss the moment I saw that building structure. Something's going on…and it's bound to have dire consequences." He quickly crouched low as one of the men got up with a riding whip and headed over to the wagon.

"Be quiet in there!" He shouted at the captives. "Stop your useless sniffling!" The man swiftly ran the whip along the bars, making the captives in the wagon cry out in fear.

Kento snorted. "I can't take it!"

"Kento! Don't-" but Kento had already rushed out with a battle cry. "Damn it, Kento!"

The surrounding men prepared to fight as Kento came after them, blocking all their swords, clubs, and spears. He picked up one of the fallen swords to use for a weapon, although knowing that hand to hand combat with this many men would be impossible. Rowen hissed through his teeth as he grabbed an arrow, leapt up onto the rocks, and aimed. His first arrow hit its mark, taking down one of the armored men. With immense speed Rowen was able to aim and fire, taking down the men one by one. But when he had run out of arrows he was forced to retreat from the top of the stones. Some of the men came after him with their weapons and it took all of his swift speed to dodge and block. He fought his way through in hopes of reaching Kento where, back-to-back, they may actually stand a chance. He really wanted to bash his friend on the head right now for causing this attack.

"KENTO!" Rowen called to him just as his friend tossed a man over his shoulder. "KENTO!"

"ROWEN!" He turned around at the sound of his friend's voice and gasped. "ROWEN! WATCH OUT!"

Rowen turned in time to block a blow from a club with his bow, but the force of the blunt object snapped it in half. He dashed around the man and kicked him in the back, sending the large brute toppling forward. The man didn't go down, though, and the armored men surrounded Kento. The man with the club came back at Rowen, swinging it wildly. All Rowen could do was jump and dodge while his eyes darted around for a weapon to use. Something hit the back of his heels and fell to the ground. He had tripped over a dead body, and when he glanced up the club was coming down. Luckily, he rolled out of the way but a sudden weight landed on top of him, knocking the air from his lungs. One of the armored men had tackled him, using his weighted mass to hold Rowen down.

"I GOT ONE!" The man shouted.

"PUT HIM IN THE WAGON WITH THE OTHERS! WE ALMOST GOT THE OTHER ONE NOW!"

Rowen gasped for air when the man rolled off of him but the abuse was just about to begin. The man with the club kicked him in gut, directly below the ribs. He let out a gasp of pain and felt his whole body go numb. While holding his aching middle someone else knelt on his back, forcing his face in to the dirt. They pulled his hands behind his back, crossed them, and knotted a rope around his wrists. The rough texture of the rope cut through his skin as he was lifted by his bound wrists. One of the men threaded his arms through Rowen's to lift him up while another grabbed his ankles in a firm, tight hold. He was still trying to catch his breath while being carried, just enough to struggle in hopes of falling out of the hold. But he was bound and it was unlikely that he would get far before being captured again. He heard Kento shouting his name but couldn't turn his head to see.

'Go back, Kento! Go back and get help. Please, don't follow me!' Rowen felt himself tossed onto a hard surface covered with moldy straw. He finally caught his breath enough to see that he was thrown in to the wagon with the others. Looking through the bars he could see Kento still fighting with the strength of 'twenty' bears, but there were just too many men for him to take on alone. Kento pushed through the men and ran towards the wagon, calling Rowen's name in a desperate attempt to save him. Rowen tried to shake his head and tell him 'no', but like a rabid bull Kento plowed through the men. But Kento was so focused on trying to get to him that he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. Rowen tried to warn him of the armed soldier coming near with a club. The club was swung and it landed Kento in the stomach, forcing the large man to double over. And that's when the rest of the men seized the opportunity to swarm Kento.

'Damn it all, Kento! You were supposed to go back and warn everybody!'

Now they were both captured, and no one knew that they were missing or what had happened to them! Kento was completely bound from head to foot in ropes yet still struggled with all his might. It took at least seven men to lift and carry him out of sight. Rowen strained his neck trying to see where they were taking his friend but the wagon gave a sudden jerk as it kicked into motion. 'They're taking us to the Empire!' Rowen knew what would become of him and Kento. He would be auctioned off as a slave or servant, while Kento most likely will become a member of the fighting realm. The Empire enjoyed their vicious and dangerous sports of fighting, hunting, and organized game. Public fighting and gambling were the most popular. Rowen wasn't entirely sure what his full job description would be but it couldn't be respectable. It was all too much for him at once and with a defeated sigh of exhaustion, Rowen let himself pass out on the straw.

End Chapter 1
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Wild Child	By : FlayraDowitcher Category: +M to R > Ronin Warriors Views: 1520 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own RW/YST. I'm making no money off this fic.

Wild Child