“Come here my pet.” My Lord waves me over form the corner of the room. We were in the study that is in My Lord’s quarters here in MBLAQ’s palace. “Come, come now.” My feet walk across the lavish rugs covering the marble around couches and desks.

     In the center of the room is where My Lord sits, gazing into the fire every now and then. As I approach, My Lord turns to the Captain on his own chair, “Have you gathered the information that I asked?”

     “Yes sire,” pulling out a leather folder form the folds of his cape and setting it on the table, “I’ve explored this place and their barracks of soldiers. They are two thousand soldiers shorter than ours. Not all of them are here or in the nearby area to aid, I would say that only a half are readily available.”

     “Excellent, and we have a new class of recruits joining us in less than a month,” My Lord stands and paces as he calculates his advantage.

     “Though my lord.... what they lack in bodies, they make up in armory.”

     “What do you mean?”

     “King Thunder is a mastermind with forging shields and weapons, some of which he invented himself. Lighter and stronger than any of ours.”

     “That may make fighting a hassle, but once a unit is over run our fighters will gain their advancement.” My Lord brushes aside the Captain’s comment.

     “And then King Mir? I couldn’t find what he does, but I do know he has a strategy for every type of battle. He might even have a sorcerer curse the blades to attack anyone other than their rightful owner or even explode in our hands.”

     My Lord pauses as he considers this. His face contorts as he tires to see the outcome if My Lord fights the five kings. He sighs and turns to me with a smile.

     “What do you think will happen in battle, my dangerous pet?” He walks over to my position at the side of the couch and wraps his hand around the collar. My mind floods with his thoughts as his is with my own. As I take in account his thoughts and knowledge of his army and the five kings, a vision blurs in my mind.

Blood shed on both sides as they become blindly stubborn in admitting defeat. I will come to every soldier to fight; young and old, male and female. The land destroyed in fire with every village and civilian. The five kings will not sit and watch as the battle unfold before them, they will lead in the front lines with their fighters as My Lord sits on his throne. There would be no winners, as the victorious kingdom will fall within a fortnight of the loser, having succumbed to the wasteland that is now theirs as the weakness of there bloodied or dead hands draws kingdoms from afar to attack. If these two vast kingdoms battle in war, they will both fall in fire and blood.

     -slap-

     My head and body turns with the force of My Lord’s hand on my cheek. I knew that My Lord would be angry with what I thought and foresaw, even as my cheek stings. I stand straight again as My Lord hits my other cheek, this hand with rings that split open my skin. Still, my mouth is shut and I stay standing straight. I will not receive the agonizing torture that I would receive from the collar if I do.

     I see his hand raise again, still I don’t move.

     “Sire! It would not be wise to hit her when she is performing for everyone tonight...” The Captain stands, but still heeds his distance.

     “I SHALL DO WHAT I WISH TO HER! WISE OR NOT!” My Lord roars back, forcing the Captain to fall back in his chair, his eyes wide as he looks back and forth between My Lord and me.

     My Lord takes his cane and hits my legs with it making me fall to the ground. My hands do nothing to catch me as the rug and marble come up to meet me. My Lord hits my arms, torso and legs repeatedly until he is out of breath.

     “Stand.” His rage not exhausted as his body. I push myself up from the ground, little blood stains dot the rug. “Go to the medical wing, while you’re there try and rethink that future.”

     Go? Away from My Lord and leaves him vulnerable? Well... I can’t deny an order....

     I walk to the door, opening it just enough for my body and slip out. So freaking weird, I’m not following My Lord.... what do I do? The medical wing, even if My Lord isn’t with me I still need to follow his orders. But where is it?

     . Umm right? Sure...

     Slowly I make my way down the hallway, taking in for once how it was decorated. This is my first time in all my memory that I was able to actually appreciate this people put in their home, why do you need so many chairs? And the point of the vases and other things on top of the tables? Its like the decorator was an .

     I still wonder down the hallway, taking random twits and turns as I go. There should be signs for this stuff.... though I can’t read... so picture signs and arrows.

     As I go I open doors, hoping I don’t pass the medical room, most of them are empty with no light other than the lights form windows or the opened door. There were a few that had maids and other servants in them. They try to talk to me, as I am known as a servant as well, though obviously I can’t respond other than to walk away.

     After many doors, I open a plain one. It is painted but not in gold like the others, more like for it to blend into the walls. Why would they make the door harder to see? Is this the medical wing entrance? That is cruel and unusual for the ill.

     Pushing the door open slowly I see that there is nothing in the room but another two doors and a rack of weapons hanging on the opposite wall. Walking in on the light wood floors, one of the other doors opens. . Not more servants.

     I spin on my heel and go back to the door, that again blends in mostly with the wall, thinking I could get out before they seem me.

     Almost... there...

     “W-Wait! Please, you don’t have to leave.” a male voice, too familiar, calls out. Its not My Lord so do I stay or continue? Apparently my hesitation gives him permission to approach me. I peek over my shoulder to see King Joon two meters away from me. . ing . Every curse available . And his shirt front was open to reveal his muscular chest. The gods damn it! Too awkward!

     Wait, why do I care? Why am I concerned with how I look compared to him? Oh gods, my face is still bloodied... and why do I care?? Ugh, I hate this king that makes me think weird.

     “I’m sorry Angel. I didn’t mean to shock you.... you can stay here, if you want to.” He speaks with hesitation as a small smile plays on the corners of his lips. The shock my name gave me has worn out with how often it’s used.

     As he coughs to clear his throat and looks to the floor, I turn more to him to watch his body language more. Catching my movement, his eyes dart back up to me by instinct, but shock replaces the smile on his face.

     “A-angel... what happened to you?” Looking over my cut up face and blood stained white dress. I don’t feel any of the cuts anymore and I can’t tell how much blood, most likely a little, I have lost. The white doesn’t help that though, making the red stand out.

     No! I don’t care what I look like to him. He is the enemy and I don’t think like this!

     “Angel, who did this to you?” King Joon’s voice turns serious.

     Do you expect me to answer you? I just stare at him, unsure of what to do. I don’t think that walking away will work now...

     “Angel? Tell me who did this to you.”

     He really doesn’t get it..... Pabo! I don’t know how to talk, figure it out already!

     “Angel.... King Asar isn’t near here, you can talk.... you can talk to me...”

     King Joon steps towards me and raises a hand. Thats my cue to leave.

     Turning back to the door I speed walk away, not looking back.

     Please don’t follow, please... I beg to myself as I enter the hallway, going back to my search for the medical wing. He jogs up to me and stops me with a hand on my arm. It hurts, he’s gripping where I was hit. If I didn’t have the stupid collar on I would shake him off. Since I do, I remain still.

     “Angel, don’t walk away from m-” King Joon’s start to his rant is cut off by two of King Asar’s soldiers rounding a corner.

     “Ahh, here you are, Angel.” one of them speaks as they near. “Our sire is looking for you.” They aren’t My Lord. I don’t listen to them, or King Joon, though I think I want to...

      Spinning in Joon’s grip I walk away from the trio, making it almost to the next hallway when the soldier calls out,

     “Angel, My Lord wants you to catch the clouds.” All I can think is ! before blackness covers my mind.

~Joon’s POV~

     What just happened? Angel froze in mid-step. Asar’s soldiers ignored me and attach poles to her necklace, making that necklace more like a collar now as they force her to walk with them.

     There is something seriously wrong. And I think that Angel is in the middle of it. First the injuries, then the no talking and walking away, the lack of any reaction other than her eyes -which are so deep and beautiful-, and lastly what just went down. I need to talk to my brothers before tonight.

     I go back into my practice room and finish getting dressed, stopping to think of my luck to come out of the changing room when she came in. And how I screwed up everything from the first word.

     But still, I am king. She is a servant. How dare she ignore me and give me the silent treatment. I need to fix that... along with whoever the hell dared to touch her and harm her.

     Now completely furious I storm out of the rooms, all the way to my brother’s chamber, telling ever servant I see to gather them all up.

     No more questions. No more secrets. I am finished with all this bull. I want answers and I need a plan.

     Tonight we will find the Sword, stop Asar in his tracks and I will save Angel from this dangerous world she is trapped in.

To be continued...