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Chapter 1

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Renge kicked, and screamed, and cried, and flailed wildly. But, alas, it was all to no avail. "Let me go, you fucking bastards!" he screamed, as two strong, tall soldiers dragged him out of his cage and up a ramp.

Renge was being sold. Of all the things the bastards could have done after dragging him from his land of birth and taking him to some faraway land, they had decided to sell him as a slave to some other bastard.

"Oh, just shut up, already, kid!" One of the soldiers said, angrily. He shoved Renge onto the auction stage, and stepped on him, pinning him to the splintered wooded floor. Franticly scratching at the decaying wood, Renge grabbed for anything to free him, but only managed to lodge splinters in his skin and make his fingers bleed.

He didn't even care that the people in the audience were probably appalled at his behavior, because if anyone should be appalled, it should have been him. These people... These bastards, where here to buy other people, and make them work for them! Of all the preposterous things Renge had ever heard.

"How much shall we start the bid at for this fine young specimen?" The auctioneer called out to the audience.

"I'm nobody's fucking specimen!" Renge cried out from under the soldier's foot. "You bastards had better let me go or I'll-" Renge's words were rewarded by a swift, hard kick to the ribs. He gasped helplessly at the stabbing pain in his side.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! In case you can't already tell, this one is young and absolutely full of vigor! He's from the far away and exotic country of Tsuchi, and he's in need of a great deal of disciplining, if you know what I mean!" As the audience began to laugh, Renge's face flushed crimson at the auctioneer's words.

"What the hell is this!? You're trying to sell me as somebody's fucking sex toy!" The auctioneer glared down at Renge, then nodded to the soldier. The soldier stepped off of Renge and picked him up by the back of the neck. He punched Renge hard in the stomach, and Renge collapsed grasping in his grip.

"50 gold pieces!" Came a familiar voice in the audience. In all of his pain, Renge looked out into the audience to see a head of familiar shining gold hair. Out of all the people he hated most in the world it was...

"Kurei, you ass!" Renge yelled, though not as loudly as before, as his stomach and ribs still hurt like hell. "You DID this, didn't you!? I'll kill you, you little fucker!"

Kurei pushed his way through the crowd, all the time a malicious smile upon his face. "Tsk, tsk, Renge! What a way to talk to your impending master!" Renge spat in Kurei's face, but he only laughed and wiped it away.

"Sir?" The auctioneer asked nervously. "Are you sure you want to pay that much for him? We have better slaves... Not that we don't appreciate your contributions to our company-"

"Fool," Kurei shot, vehemenously. "You DARE question the motives of your superior?"

"Uh..." The auctioneer gulped. "N-no, sir!" He turned back to the audience nervously. "50 gold pieces! Going once! The crowd was utterly silent. Going twice! Renge looked out among the crowd, desperate for anyone to take him. Anyone but that bastard, Kurei. Sold to the golden haired gentlemen for 50 gold pieces! The auctioneer called. No one had dared bid on Renge. His attitude just seemed like it would cause too much trouble.

Thank you very much, sir. You can pick up your buy in the back. Thank you for your business. As the auctioneer spoke, the Soldier holding Renge dragged him kicking and screaming back down the ramp and into the cage.

I'll kill you for this, Kurei, you bastard! Kurei only smiled.

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Renge was so dead set desperate and determined on getting himself out of the cage, that he even considered gnawing his way out. But, as any attempt such as that would obviously be futile and ultimately fruitless, he decided on a new approach.

You bastards had better let me out of here! Renge fumed, banging and shaking the iron bars.

I'm pleased to see that you're so eager to get out of this filthy cage and into my bed, Renge. Renge glared daggers at the approaching form of Kurei. He said nothing, but instead concentrated all his efforts on trying to blow Kurei's head up with his glare of doom'... It didn't work.

When Kurei reached the cage, one of the soldiers unlocked the door, and Renge considered making a run for it. He decided against it, however, as the soldiers guarding his cage were brawnier than the previous ones, and he was still sore all over.

Kurei pulled Renge into his arms, and smelled his hair, and ran his fingers through the waist length, light blue locks. Renge was disgusted, but still, said nothing. Hmm, Renge, you know how long I've been waiting for this moment, don't you?

Renge did, in fact, know how long Kurei had been waiting for this moment'. Or, at least, he had a reasonably accurate estimate of how long. He had considered Kurei a friend, until one day, Kurei had tried to get him to do something that Renge did not want to do.

I just couldn't help myself, Renge. You just looked so good. I swear to the gods, that it was like you were taunting me, running around as scantly clad as you always did. The soldiers near the cage shifted around nervously.

He held Renge back in his arms, and looked him over. Renge only glared up at him. For so long, I've wanted to touch you... To taste you... There's so many things I plan on doing to you, Renge. I don't even know where to begin.

Kurei laughed at Renge's silence. Nothing to say, little Renge? Renge hated being referred to as little'. It wasn't his fault he was so short... Really, it wasn't!

Well, not to worry, he smirked, stroking Renge's hair. I'll have you moaning and screaming soon enough. And, if I wanted you to talk... I'd make you, and you'd have to. You know what the penalty is for slaves who don't obey their masters is, don't you Renge?

You what? Renge asked sarcastically, breaking his silence. You'll kill me? I'd rather be dead than yours any day, you bastard! I never wanted you, and I never will!

Kurei slapped Renge so hard across the face, that Renge fell to the floor. You little idiot. To think you'd be so unfamiliar with the slavery laws... If you disobey me again, Renge, I have the right to order your entire family, your entire village, to be

Renge stared up at Kurei, in a wide-eyed disbelief. Purified', was just the priests' and priestesses' euphemism for saying, burned to a smoldering cinder'. If there was one thing Renge valued more than anything, It was his family.

White hot tears stung his eyes, and Kurei, the bastard that he was, laughed at his sorrow. That's right, Renge. I'll purify them all, and you'll be left alone forever, knowing full well that it was all your fault.

Renge rose shakily to his feet. You did this, didn't you? You told them to ravage our town... You told them to take me, and then you came here, all the way here, to Shippou, just so you could buy me legally...

Well, well, Renge. Not only are you hot, you're smart, as well. Kurei grabbed a fistful of Renge's hair, and pulled him towards him. I'm going to have so much fun with you, my little Renge. He whispered huskily into Renge's ear.

Over Kurei's shoulder, Renge saw a messenger boy run franticly up to one of the soldiers and whisper something to him. The soldier shrugged, and turned to face them.

Excuse me, sir, but that slave is no longer yours. Renge stared at the soldier, eyes wide. What was going on..? Kurei turned on the soldier, red with fury.

What the hell are you talking about!? he fumed. I bought this slave. He's mine by law, and there's no way I'm giving him up that easily.

Someone else offered more, the soldier shrugged. You wanted to pay 50 gold pieces, the other wanted to pay 1,000. Don't shoot the messenger. Renge was thoroughly astounded. Who would pay 1,000 gold pieces, just for him? Besides, he's-

I don't give a damn who he is! Kurei yelled, enraged. I want to talk to whoever this person thinks he is, and I want to talk to him now!

Speak, then. Renge looked around for who had spoken. He hadn't seen or heard anyone walk up. This guy, who ever he was, had to be Renge's new master'. Renge looked over to him, and he was... He was... He.. Uh...

Renge just stared. The man that stood before him was absolutely gorgeous. What, with his cascading white hair, and his deep, violet eyes. Renge just stared and... Well, he just stared.

Kurei stared too, but not exactly in the same way or for the same reason that Renge did. And, who in the hell might you be?

I might be, Renge nearly melted at his voice. It was so smooth and elegant... The new master to this slave.

Renge stared... More. He walked over to Renge, pulled him forward and looked him over. You'll do nicely, he smiled. Renge might have been a puddle of mush when he smiled, but he was mad at the fact that he was being rescued from one bastard, only to be put into the hands of another.

Wait just a damn minute! Kurei spat. Who the hell do you think you are, just taking my property like this? I sure as hell wont let you, he sneered, grabbing Renge's wrist and pulling him back. Renge is mine!

Renge winced as Kurei twisted his wrist a little too hard. He wanted to yell, and scream, and protest, but the thought of his town's purification was just too much.

Is that your name? the white haired man asked, gently. How beautiful, yet, ironic, that you should be named after a Lotus flower, and belong to me.

I don't fucking see how that's ironic, and, for the last time, he's not yours.

Oh, but he is. I've already paid him, and if you like, I can double, or even triple what you paid for him. Either way, he's mine. If you keep him from me much longer, I wont pay you anything.

I still don't know who you are, and Renge is mine. Isn't that right, Renge? He grabbed a fistful of Renge's hair, and pulled him closer. Right, Renge? he asked again, pulling on his hair, harder than Renge would have liked. He was now holding Renge by his hair, and the heels of Renge's bare feet had left the ground.

Renge nodded, tears stinging his eyes. If either he, or Kurei had bothered to take notice, they would have seen that both of the guards, and the messenger boy, were on the ground, bowing to the man, and had been since he had spoken.

We'll, I didn't want to have to use this... But you asked who I am, and I do suppose it was rude of me not to tell you. I... Am Kanakuri, Crown Prince of Shippou.

Kurei suddenly let go of Renge, and fell to his knees bowing to the prince. He had let go of Renge a little too quickly, and Renge lost his footing. The last thing he remembered was thinking, Holy shit, a prince!', and then a sharp stabbing pain as his head hit one of the iron bars of the cage, and he blacked out.

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:) Renge is meant to be pronounced, Ren-gay. Kurei is Kur-ee. Kanakuri is kana-kur-ee. ^^
:P Please review!

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