Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Life’s Tragedies, Midnight Capture ❯ Life’s Tragedies, Midnight Capture ( Chapter 1 )

Bound Together

Life's Tragedies, Midnight Capture

 

“You can have anyone of these women yet you still choose…this boy?” A loud angered voice shouted.

 

“Yes, Father.” A stern yet fearful voice returned.

 

There was a long pause before the other voice spoke again.

 

“Why this boy? Why not a woman to mother a child?” He asked a little more calmly.

 

“Those women do exactly as they are told because they owe us their life! I want someone to say no to me…yet can not help that they can not make me listen.” The other explained.

 

“Is that really what you want Rei?” The other voice sighed.

 

“Yes, it…I mean he is what I want. It has to be him.” Rei said slowly.

 

“Fine! I see that your heart and mind is set, but I will only allow this arrangement if you have a heir to lead on our bloodline.” His father thought allowed.

 

“Yes, Father. When that time comes, I will find a strong woman who could bear my children.” Rei smiled to himself, happy about getting his way.

 

“Tell me…who is this boy and how will you bring him here?”

 

“That boy…no…Tai-Shi is beyond words. He's a gentle boy who looks as though with the slightest touch he would break. You can never fully comprehend him unless your see him.” Rei trailed off with a wide smile. He couldn't' help it; Rei was completely infatuated with Tai-Shi. He would grin ear to ear whenever something reminded him of the small blonde. Though, at times he was filled with a blind rage when he would remember the painful scars upon that fragile body. When his mind wandered to that, his face reddened and he clenched his teeth.

 

“Rei?” his father asked, slightly worried with the change of expressions that quickly changed upon Rei's face.

 

“Why does he have to endure that? That…abuse! His soft skin ruined by lashes and scars or whips and who else knows…His right eye…never will he ever see out of it due to a harsh burn that travels up to the temple of this skull. You'd never see it if you didn't remove his patch and push aside is filthy blonde hair.” Rei paused and clenched his fists. “It pains me to know I can never harm the ones who have ruined his body…I will never forgive those Kays…” Rei went on but was interrupted.

 

“Kays? What do they have to do with this?” His father asked.

 

“They have everything to do with it. Tai-Shi is the second born son of Eliot and Siren Kay.” Rei growled.

 

“Second son?” Rei's father questioned. “There has never been a second son in the Kay estate.”

 

“That is what Eliot wishes for everyone to think.” Rei paused, “Do you know of the trade for the nurse of the Kays for the kitchen maid of ours?”

 

“I do remember…” Rei's father replied.

 

“I sought her out and had her tell me as much as she could about the second son.” Rei paused, “Tai-Shi was born the night Siren Kay died. The nurse we traded for was Siren Kay's personal nurse. She helped raised the Kay children. She was the personal care giver to Tai-Shi when he was born. She raised him until he could speak, walk, and know better then to go near his father. After that, Tai-Li secretly took care of him.” Rei sighed.

 

“Secretly?” Maith asked.

 

“Yes, Eliot forbade any interactions between the two sons, and if the two were caught together, Tai-Shi would be beaten and bruised for having done nothing wrong. It is Tai-Li's fault for many of Tai-Shi's scars and for the burn that robs Tai-Shi of his right eye!” Rei growled.

 

Maith sighed and thought about everything his son had told him. He looked up and examined his son, the being from his loins. He was proud that Rei had a strong sense of justice, for not only wanting to take Tai-Shi for his love, but he wanted to save Tai-Shi from the cruelty of his home.

 

“Rei, if you take Tai-Shi from his home, and Eliot hears about it, war will start between our homes.” Master Berth contemplated.

 

“No, for even Sei and Allen have seen Tai-Shi, and know what has been done to him. The Moris and Paths will not stand on a side that will place Tai-Shi into a home that clearly does not want him.” Rei smiled, already knowing all the scenarios that could happen. “Eliot Kay will disown Tai-Shi and he will be under our care.” Rei grinned.

 

“An when you take this Tai-Shi…what if you are caught?” His father asked.

 

“I wont be caught.” Rei assured.

 

“How do you know?” Master Berth asked.

 

“Because I am a Berth, a master thief, and I will not be caught.”

 

“And if you are” Maith asked with an emotionless expression.

 

“I will not—”

 

“And if you are caught?” Maith interrupted.

 

Rei paused and gritted his teeth.

 

“And if I am caught, I would be disowned and erased from the Berth family by either exile or death.” Rei quoted the all-familiar code of their family. It was the only code they followed.

 

“Alright, you are dismissed.” Master Berth sighed.

 

Rei nodded and bowed. He rose swiftly and turned on his heel to leave the room. He shut the door to his father's quarters with a soft click and proceeded quietly and quickly down the hall. He did not stop until he reached his room on the other side of his father's estate. He quietly shut the door and grabbed paper, ink, and a small pointed tip to write with. He sat at his desk near the window and prepared to write.

 

Rei was born into the Berth family at a wrong time. He grew up with constant death threats from the “slave” children who would repeat words and things their parents would say with out knowing any better. At times, Rei would go hungry. It wasn't because there wasn't any food; it was just that he was afraid someone had poisoned it.

 

Rei also learned to never trust anyone. He learned this the hard way. One of his father's closest friends had invited him out for a ride. He was happy to gin any chance of visiting the outside world. On the ride through, his father's friend threw him into a river. Rei wasn't big enough to fight the current and keep his head above water. He ended up washed up on shore down stream. He hardly remembered what happened after that. He did remembered waking up in his room near the man who threw him into the water. He would have yelled but his throat and vocal cords were swollen from screaming and coughing up the water in his lungs. That man had planned this all out. He would make it seem Rei feel in and he rescued him from the water. Of course, he would be punished for taking Rei off the property; the punishment was for him to nurse Rei back to health. This was all leading up tot his main plan to hurt the Berth family; he would deflower Rei, a pure child.

 

Rei learned to hate everyone and trust no one. He did everything by himself. He learned how to prepare basic meals when he was five and dove deep into his studies to prevent any further interaction with anyone besides his father. Rei did anything to make his studying last. He ever read dictionaries and written encyclopedias. He knew that after he left the room he studied in, nothing could protect him from anyone. It was then when he feared of running into his father's friend.

 

He was hopelessly stuck in a situation; he could not get out of. He couldn't call for help or tell anyone in fear he would be killed. All he could do was listen to his father's friend and keep himself quiet. Rei was happy when the day came when he had learned how to make simple poisons. He studied long and hard to be able to fully take that poison to it's fullest potential. Everything his father showed him, he'd surpass and move on. Everyone was in awe about his skill. No one feared it until one night his father friend died. Everyone knew he was poisoned because he had been fine up until after he had eaten. Rei sat back and laughed as he slowly watched him die. Before the point took the man's life, Rei listed out all the ingredients and what effect they had on him.

 

Rei's father had confined him and focused on figuring out why Rei had killed his friend. All that Rei would say was, “He was caught.” It took Maith several years to finally get Rei to tell him why. When Maith found out, he was enraged by ultimately didn't know what to do. His son had killed the man that was betraying him and violating his son for so many years. He decided to let it go and watch Rei from then on.

 

Rei still didn't trust anyone. Hardly anyone hung around with him either. He learned basic martial arts and focused on his studies. He was always trying to get better. In his late teens, through, he grew restless. He was a normal teen after all. It was also in his late teens that he first met in person the children of the other family. They were so different from him. This was the first time he had also had a reaction to someone else. There was a small, meek boy Rei could get him to do anything with minor resistance. Rei had never experienced having anyone reluctantly do anything. The tall light blonde did what ever Rei said also, but he really didn't care either way, except when he got to do anything with the small, meek boy. Though, Rei favored the one closest to his height. He was strong looking, gentle yet curdle, and resistant. He wouldn't do anything Rei told or asked him to do. He was something Rei had never encountered before, and he learned that one's name first, Tai-Li.

 

Rei wanted to be able to control Tai-Li by any means necessary, but Tai-Li never let down his guard. Rei had once challenged him to a brawl but lost horribly to Tai-Li's skill and speed in close range combat.

 

Rei was obsessed. He grew angry which made other fear and avoid him. On a ride through the woods on day, Rei ad spotted the meek boy, Allen. He had cornered the boy and took advantage of him. Rei realized that was exactly how his attacker had been with him. It disgusted him that he had turned into what he had despised, but he had to admit, it felt good. It gave him a sense of power, what he had been seeking for so long. After a while, he wanted someone different then Allen. He then approached Sei, who knew what he had done to Allen, and proposed a deal. Rei said that he would leave Allen alone if Sei could take his place. Sei, of course, wanted nothing to do with Rei, but he did not want Rei to touch Allen anymore, so he agreed.

 

Rei tired of Sei quickly and proceeded into fully concentrating on Tai-Li. Tai-Li began to distance himself away from the other three. He hardly wanted anything to do with them. Rei tried anything. The last party he went to, he watched Sei give his top button to Allen, said it was a toke of his love. He would try that, but again, Tai-Li shot him down. He was tired of being rejected. He was gong to steal something of value to Tai-Li and make him accept his love, but what he found was something far more worth in value then he could imagine. Rei found a boy who could smile but still looked broken. He was naïve, bashful, and resistant. He was everything Rei had wanted, and more. He didn't' want to hurt the little one. It pained Rei to look at all the scars and bruises on his small body. Rei was sure of it then. Tai-Li could never be like the boy that was chained to the ceiling. Tai-Li would never look broken nor make a smile that looked as pained as Tai-Shi's was. Rei felt a connection to the small boy. He could feel that somehow, he was meant to save him, and that's exactly what he planned to do.

 

Rei never planned on being the bad guy. He just had what someone would call tunnel vision. He only set his sites on one thing and that's all that mattered to him. He wanted Tai-Shi…and he was gong to have him. He wanted for Tai-Shi to love him. He had never felt love from anyone. Even his father didn't show him love. He showed he cared, but he never felt loved. He was never comforted by anyone. He had never shown anyone he cried because he didn't want people to think he was weak. He wanted Tai-Shi because he was the only person who had ever wanted to make him cry, even if it was because of him.

 

Rei finished his note and folded it up nicely. He shoved it into a pocket on his belt and then prepared himself to leave. He removed the log scarf from around his neck and tossed it onto his bed. He grabbed a small black cloth from a table and a small vile of liquid and shoved it into a small pouch. He grabbed a small black handkerchief from his desk and wrapped it around his nose and mouth. The last thing he grabbed was a long black cloth and tied it over him like a sash.

 

He smiled to himself and checked his clothing before leaving his room. He didn't bother to shut his door because he saw the slaves going room-to-room checking the fires. He wanted his room warm for when he brought Tai-Shi home with him.

 

Rei left the slight warmth of his home and stepped out into the cold air. He was used to the cold. Him and his father would meditate in the snow with hardly any clothing on. They'd sit out for hours bearing the cold until their bodies grew used to it. This was strength for the Berth. Since they could withstand the cold, they could escape better in the snow and ice.

 

Rei turned back at his dark home before dashing away in the peace of the night. He climbed the familiar cliff he and his father always used to reach the outside world. Hidden in the wall was a small passage where two people could fit comfortably walking side by side. At the other end was the passage out to the outside world. He stretched his arms and whistled. He waited for a moment and heard the soft gallop of a painted horse come his way.

 

“There you are Burst. Tonight you will meet my lover. Together we will ride towards a new dawn.” Rei smiled as he mounted his mare and pulled on the reigns. Burst reared up and took off running towards the direction of the Kay clan's estate.

 

Rei signed, trying to think of a way to get Tai-Shi outside without anyone seeing him. Rei stopped Burst shortly of the Kay clan's estate. He tied her up so she would stay put. He then took off on foot and hid amongst the trees, checking for the guards. Rei smiled, as he couldn't see anyone. He double-checked before taking to the steep hill.

 

Rei grabbed branch after branch to help pull him up the steep slope. He finally reached the wall and peered over it slowly before hoisting himself over. He smiled, nothing how easy this all was to get into the Kay estate. He looked around and saw a tree that led from the wall over to the roof of the estate. Rei balanced himself and leapt into the tree. He quietly made his way through the tree and onto the home. He sighed to himself as he sat on the ledge, debating how he would take Tai-Shi. There were no guards at this side of the state, which Rei thought was moronic. He almost wished there was a challenge. He stopped and froze when he heard a from below door open and heard soft footsteps on the porch below. Had he spoken too soon?

 

Rei peeped over the edge and smiled. Tai-Shi stood below him. He stared in awe as he watched the boy below shiver and trace his chest with his small hands. Rei silently pulled the cloth and vile from one of his pockets and opened it onto the rag lightly. He then jumped below and wrapped the cloth around the blonde's nose and mouth. He struggled with him slightly for a few moments before Tai-Shi fell back limply into his arms.

 

“You're mine.” Rei whispered happily as he gently laid Tai-Shi on the cold deck. He removed the cloth from around his body and wrapped it around Tai-Shi to keep him arm. He got Ti-Shi all ready to transport and dropped the note on the deck. Rei smiled s he lifted Tai-Shi up onto his left shoulder and quietly headed towards the wall. He hoisted himself and Tai-Shi over the wall and then over.

 

He walked slowly down the cliff so not to fall and drop Tai-Shi. They boy was light and heavy at the same time. He had picked up children heavier then Tai-Shi. Tai-Shi was heavy thought when walking down a steep slope. Rei sighed with relief as he reached the flat ground, but he still couldn't rest. He could only rest once he was inside the passages to his home. He repositioned Tai-Shi before walking again. He held him as if he were a child. Tai-Shi was so small and child like as it was.

 

“Burst…” Rei called quietly, but still audible. He listened and heard the low snort then a quiet whine. Rei followed the general area where he heard Burst reply. He heard the soft padding of her hooves on the ground as she waited to be freed from her restraint.

 

“She…you'll be free in a moment girl.” Rei placed Tai-Shi on the back of the horse before trying to untie Burst. Something rustled in the bushes beside Rei and sent Burst into a fight. Rei had just finished untying the knot as Burst began to rear up from the surprise. Rei held her reigns tightly, trying to keep her from rising and throwing Tai-Shi off.

 

“Shh…Burst, it's okay. It was nothing.” Rei soothed her. Burst was still on edge but she was better when she finally calmed down. Rei mounted her and positioned Tai-Shi in front of him. He reared back on Burst and nudged his heels into her sides. She took off in a flash and all that anyone could hear were the hard thuds against the ground.

 

“Burst, tomorrow I'll bring Tai-Shi out to meet you. He cannot touch your nose like I do until then and feed you sugar.” Rei smiled as he felt the wind in his hair and looked down at the blonde leaning against him.

 

Rei constantly looked back to check to see if anyone was coming, but no one followed him. He had made it out of the estate Scott free. No one had seen him. He laughed allowed because of how easy it could be to steal from the Kays, but he would leave that to another day.

 

Once Rei had reached the passages. He slipped off Burst and pulled Tai-Shi into his arms. He cradled him once more and walked into the passage. He yawned softly, noticing the sun was beginning to come up.

 

It took Rei some time to get Tai-Shi into his estate. The cliffs and the climb down was a more troubling one, but it was all worth it. Rei smiled as he laid Tai-Shi in his warm bed and left the room. He returned shortly with a basin of water and a small cloth. He sat on the bed and dipped the cloth into the warm water and then squeezed the cloth until only a little water was left on the rag. He set it aside for a moment and then removed Tai-Shi's old warn pants.

 

“Tomorrow, you will have a real bath, and you will be treated as you should be, but wiping off the sweat will not wait. Don't think I didn't notice love…you were covered in it when I saw you. Tai-Li will never touch you again.” Rei smiled as he took the cloth and wiped down Tai-Shi's small body. When he was done. He placed Tai-Shi under the blankets and lightly kissed his lips. He smiled when Tai-Shi finally began to stir and he rose from the bed. “I'll see you in a few love.”

 

Rei smiled as he left the room and closed the door. He came a crossed three women in the hallway and smiled.

 

“Will you please see to it that the blonde, Tai-Shi, in my room is dressed and readied for breakfast?” Rei asked politely.

 

The three giggled and nodded and hurried towards the room. Rei smiled as he heard Tai-Shi's voice and he went to the cook to ask him to prepare another place at the table for Tai-Shi.

 

~ * ~

 

Author's Note: Well finally! I knew I'd get this out quickly if I finished 11…11 was my writers block…and I really despised the ending XD. Here…I was able to portray Rei…Rei's my second favorite character behind Tai-Shi. My gosh…he seems so evil as a small kid. I don't know the age I want him to be at that time…so just think young…as in…8ish? Ya…Rei's a genius. Though…I don't portray him as one…Let's say he has book smarts…not street smarts?

 

I don't have chapter 12 set up yet…so I'll have to plan around that one during school next week…it's time for a short break XD. Well until then…