Looking for his \Rose\ {Meghan}

He never had a chance to sit upon his throne, the king. With Chato gone, the king had to be on foot day in and day out wondering where the prince had gone off to. As long as the other was alive and running about, Fuchou's dynasty would be in danger. Chato was the only one who could dethrone him now. And knowing Chato, he would succeed one day. The brother had always been growing into newer habits and becoming stronger each passing day. Fuchou was just growing older and losing his power with the coming age. The last king barely lived ten years passed his own time, maybe even just fifteen. And if father's time was anything like my own, then I would soon lose my place here. He had to find Chato, wherever the boy had wandered off to. Fuchou had to find the second prince.

The search, however, was a never-ending, question-filled kingdom. The subjects never knew where the prince was, and some said they had seen him once or twice, but that was so long ago. It was almost as though the prince had turned into a ghost, vanishing from the eye in an instant. Or maybe the peasants enjoyed lying to a king, keeping secrets from the ruler of the Haplidon family. As though anyone could lie to a king. subjects knew the punishment for lying to such hierarchy. It would mean a visit from the knights, those who carried the swords and shields, and soon enough the answers would be tortured out of those innocent faces. And what then would these people gain from lying to me? None knew his intentions for Chato, and if they had, surely they had agreed with him. His friends knew that the prince did not deserve a chance at the throne. The brother had to be put in his place, not hiding in wait.

But each night Fuchou would return home without sight or sound of his brother. The prince was most likely long gone, away from the possibilities that Fuchou had in mind for him. All the preparations, after the first king had died, and now the second wasn't able to wage his war. How fair was it that the first could and the second couldn't? I wanted to find Chato, bring him home and show him his place. The boy had to know where he sat in the Haplidon household now though with Fuchou being the only one left. Chato could never expect kindness from his older brother, could he? He tossed in the sheets thinking about it, not knowing what to do. Chato was lost forever from Fuchou. The two princes would never again be able to meet, would they?

“Where the hell are you Chato?”

No sleep would be had tonight again, Fuchou knew, which meant that he would eventually just go back out onto the streets to find his brother. Another fruitless search through the city streets, hoping some subjects had seen the boy. There was no chance that the answers would be any different tonight. Chato most likely just ran away from the district after what happened to the first king. The two knew one another so well. Their father had always treated the second prince with more respect. Fuchou was sure that Chato knew that too, and now with the father gone, there was nothing stopping Fuchou from leading the family. If the father had still been around, then Chato would have had a chance. Fuchou would never have become a king. I would just be a lowly servant of the new lord in these lands.

Now Fuchou was back under the street lights showing the photo of Chato to people. To each he would hear the same responses:

“Nope, haven't seen him.”
“Have you tried asking the Peacekeepers?”
“Look kid, give up, he's gone.”

Chat wasn't allowed to leave though, not under Fuchou's eyes. He never would believe it, even though the thought would consistently linger in the back of his head. What could the prince even accomplish on his own. Chato was no where near the strength that Fuchou had possessed. The boy was too young and naïve to surpass the king. To leave now would just mean certain death. And Chato wasn't that stupid. The prince knew what battles he could and couldn't face, thanks to Fuchou, and was only going to do what was sane. Both the princes, in their kingdom, would know not to try and escape. Escape was stupid, something an imbecile would think of. Fuchou was content with life in District Two. People were treated highly there. The prospect of nothingness outside doesn't really interest me. Why leave these lands of promise?

“Well then Chato...” Fuchou chuckled to himself, leaning on a nearby lampost. He held his brother picture up to look at it under the light. “Tell me, where did you go?”