The wind howled and torn apart, as if the cries of the past inhabitants of the castle were still mourning. The air around the castle, it was different than what was around the village not far from it. As if the weather had chosen to keep itself in a winter like state of storm. The castle was big, it looked mortifying and what inhabited it, was either good or evil.

People enjoyed Ahmon, for he was a good and kindhearted lad, other than what possessed him. Great fear was casted over Jiang, keeping the villagers from having a really warm talk with Ahmon.

However the boy wasn't lonely, he had servants, he liked his library with the only person who had taken care of him since birth, could talk about his mother without hiding things.
Yet, he lacked someone that would bring something new, something to keep him busy once again.
Slowly walking around his sleeping chambers to sit down and write in his journal of what had happened the other day, he waited for his new slave. Praying he would not cause too much trouble for his other self.

The carriage rolled over the rocky path towards its destination, Lorn could hear the howling wind battering its walls, and the creaking of wheels as they trundled over the rough ground. His ears turned slightly as the man beside him shifted, the long earrings in his left ear jingling with the movement.

"Almost there, you be good now, 397." The voice was gruff, but familiar. Lorn chose to remain silent, settling into the cushioned seat as the carriage went over another bump. The blindfold was tight and made his brow itch, but it was a minor discomfort compared to the chain around his throat. That was a humiliation he could never get used to.

"The chain is so you get used to the idea of a collar, you feline types are so obsessed with your freedom." Another voice came from opposite him, this one was his trainer, and the touch that followed it made him flinch involuntarily. The next words were spoken through a smirk, he could tell from the tone. "Not long now."

The hand remained on his knee a moment longer than necessary, then suddenly the carriage rolled to a stop. Lorn fell forward slightly and was caught smoothly by the first speaker. Then he was led carefully out of the carriage, his bare feet feeling cold stone.

The wind danced wildly around them as he was directed to a place where the cold only came in one direction, then he heard heavy knocking on some kind of thick door. His tail swished irritably as his hands were put into heavy cuffs and linked behind his back.

The small group waited, the wind continuing to howl.

A young looking butler opened the door, skin eerily pale as well as his eyes. 'You rang?' He asked, looking over everybody but his gaze rested on Lorn. 'Master will be pleased to know you have arrived safely.' He let out, his hand shooting out and in the blink of an eye, the door was closed and Lorn inside.
Various servants and maids walked around, all busy with their own work. 'Would you be so kind as to wait for Master?' The butler inquired to know, until he looked over the stairs where Ahmon sat.

'Could you, remove his blindfold?' He asked, his voice very soft as if afraid to hear it, yet the butler nodded and removed Lorn's blindfold. Stepping back and bowed, excusing himself.

Ahmon just gave a faint smile 'Welcome to castle Rose. Was your journey pleasant?' He asked, a hand slowly running through his hair to keep the bangs out of his eyes.

Lorn couldn't help but smile as affronted noises came from outside the door, soon they were muffled and lost in the whirling wind. His ears shifted left and right as they picked up sounds of activity. People were bustling about in a businesslike manner, their footsteps sounded purposeful.

He turned to the one who had answered the door, giving a curt nod at the question. He was dressed in a soft linen shirt, and a long sarong-like garment covered his lower half. It left little to the imagination, but Lorn was comfortable with semi-nakedness, it was practically the national dress in his home.

The Kahin's ears flicked again at the soft voice. His golden eyes narrowed in the sudden light as the blindfold was removed, his pupils narrowing to slits. He focused on the figure seated on the stairs and gave a disdainful sniff, his tail swishing angrily just once.


"It was long," Lorn replied, his voice taking on the edge of a growl. The youth before him seemed frail. If this boy were to own him, he may be able to turn the situation to his advantage. It was worth a try.

He let his tail fall in a relaxed manner, his ears pointing forward to show he was content. He spoke again, his voice containing a slight accent that was musical and exotic. "The cuffs are uncomfortable."

Ahmon nodded slightly as he stood up. Every movement of his was silent, almost as if sound didn't know how to work with him. He walked past Lorn and looked the cuffs over 'They do look uncomfortable.' He spoke again, not louder than a whisper.
He had the cuffs off in a blink of the eye and stepped back, his head lightly tilted.

'Does that feel better?'

Lorn watched the moving youth, his gaze following every movement. Even so, he was surprised by the utter silence with which his new owner moved, as well as his speed. The Kahin rubbed his wrists slowly as he was released.

"Much better," he said, then fast as lightning, he reached out one hand to grab the young man's throat. "Thank you, Master."

Ahmon was surprised by the sudden assault on his throat. He held onto one arm of Lorn and closed his eyes. '... Run... Now...' He muttered as the rest of the servants hurriedly ran away, all whispering he was coming.

The air seemed to grow even colder as Ahmon's appearance changed, his skin freezing over and becoming paler. His hair turned whiter until it was as white as snow. Cold eye stared at Lorn, freezing the arm that held onto his throat. 'Bow for me pet.' Jiang growled, releasing himself from the man's grip and circled around him, his hand touched numerous places of Lorn and froze those spots. 'Now, what is your name, pet?' He sneered, having frozen half of Lorn's body with the intend to kill him in the end.

The Kahin's ears folded back and a snarl rose in his throat as his fingers pressed into soft flesh. Then the youth took his arm and for some reason, the servants were scattering like frightened mice at merely two words from his Master.

Lorn felt the cold rising into his flesh for barely a moment before he was realized he could no longer feel or move his limb. He glared at the changed man, this was different from his dealings with humans and the like, this one had power of his own, not relying on numbers and man-made enhancements.

"Go to hell," he spat through clenched teeth as various parts of his body were frozen, rooting him to the spot. It was surprisingly unpleasant, the numbness tingled, it felt like he was being burned, but it was the opposite.

Golden eyes raised to meet his Master's icy gaze. Lorn was torn, his instincts told him to obey for now, since his life was hanging in the balance, but his stubborn pride held him back. He settled for telling the youth his true name instead, he did not feel like dying as a number.

"Stop calling me pet, I'm not a cat," he muttered under his breath, still holding the stare, flinching a little as his attempts to move bring jolting complaints from his muscles. "My name is Lorn."

Jiang looked displeased with the way Lorn looked at him, it was. Un-respectful. H held his hand up to freeze the rest of him in and stared at the ice-statue. 'A perfect display. Should I carve your name in, before I break you to pieces?' He sneered, but then staggered backwards, the frozen blood running through his veins, started to slowly pump around again as he shifted back to Ahmon.

Ahmon stumbled and landed on his knees, wheezing loudly then looked up at the statue. 'Oh dear...' He mumbled, opening a door and started pushing Lorn through it to let him warm up next to the fireplace. As soon as every bit of ice had melted, did Ahmon's own body respond normally, though he kept coughing 'I apologize...' He whispered, dropping himself into a chair and closed his eyes shortly 'I did not mean to change that quickly, you had startled me...' He explained, opening his warm amber eyes again and rested his eyes on the male. 'I believe, you are older than me. So I must treat you with the respect an older person acquires to have.'He stood up and offered him the chair.

Lorn barely had a moment to react before his senses blurred. He sensed more than heard whatever the strange youth had said, and felt the change when the atmosphere around him changed. He was drowsy when he was finally thawed from the ice, stumbling to one knee as his muscles returned to normal temperature.

He stared at the coughing figure, making no movement as the boy went through a few moments of hesitant speech. His golden eyes widened slightly when he was offered the chair, his owners actions spoke louder than words, but there was obviously something very amiss with him.

"I'm wet," he answered lamely, staying just within the range of firelight but far enough away from the youth so he could not be reached easily. Water dripped slowly down his crimson hair, trickling along his spine. His tail swished slowly from side to side, and the tip flicked up occasionally. Lorn was nervous.

"How should I address you?" He asked, more for something to say, it was obvious he cannot threaten this one, but perhaps he will find a chance for escape in the night. Though he disliked his chances of getting very far, from the sounds he picked up in the carriage, this castle was fairly secluded.

"That is," he continued, not missing a beat despite the wool in his brain. "How should I address both of you?"

Ahmon leaned next to the fireplace, you could see his chest rise and fall very deeply as his breathing still denied him to return back to normal. 'Ahmon... My brother... Jiang... Ahmon Jiang Meng.' He shouted, though it came out as only a normal volumed tone of voice.
A young maid came in and started to tend after Ahmon, offering him a cup of coffee, another one came in with a towel for Lorn.
'What is your name, sir?' Ahmon asked, sipping from his coffee and took in a deep breath. He smiled warmly this time, though it was hesitant as his eyes looked a bit fearful. He was expecting to get Lorn to become feared of him, run away after throwing every insult at him. Others had done it before him, though, he never knew what had been done to them.

Lorn rose to his feet slowly, taking the towel from the maid without much comment and began to dry himself. Though his ears were pricked up and he seemed currently in a less violent mood. He was a General after all, and where force failed him, he was methodical and a logical thinker.

The wind still battered the walls, so it was unlikely he'd have much luck outside, at least not better prepared. He glanced around the room as Ahmon sipped his coffee, taking note of both names though he does not make any sign of having heard the answer other than the flick of a ear.

His owner's smile caught his attention more than his words, and Lorn smirked in return, one corner of his full lips curled in a strange echo of humor. "Lorn Maenadis, third General of Kahin."

"This is the first time I've met a human who wanted to call me 'sir'," he commented, letting the towel dangle over the chair he was offered earlier as he padded across to where Ahmon stood. He let one clawed hand lift carefully, slowly enough not to be taken as a threat, and ran it through the boy's soft hair. There was fear in those eyes, and something beautiful about him that made the feline side of Lorn want to purr.

He settled for teasing, he had good instincts, and they told him if he pushed this boy too far, he will have to deal with the other one. That should wait. "And the first time I've met a Master who's afraid of me."

Ahmon looked up more, seeing as he was making his way over. One eye closed as Lorn ruffled through his hair.
'My mother... told me to give respect according to age, sir.' He replied, looking down as he mentioned about his fear.
'It is not fear for you, it is fear for what I might end up hearing while I am not here.'
He stepped past him and twirled his ring, the small waiting room gotten onto Ahmon's nerves. 'Butler Yi, will take you to your sleeping chambers. I ask of you, not to venture to the side with the frozen doors.' He had not yet finished his sentence or the butler came back in again, bowing shortly infront of Ahmon, before asking Lorn to follow him to his chambers.

Which they were all on Ahmon's side, made sure to be kept warm and cozy, a lot of wood was used in the furniture and it seemed Ahmon had a liking to roses, seeing as they came back in everything.

(<_< fill in the rooms on your own xD)

(Ok Thanks.)

The Kahin raised an eyebrow again at the 'sir', not that he minded, it was refreshing to hear the word again, even if it was the human equivalent. He nodded as Ahmon explained, it's fitting to listen to what one's parents say, Lorn himself had a mother back home, having inherited his father's position when he died in battle.

"You're asking?" Lorn shook his head, a little incredulous at the difference in the two personalities, not to mention the complete change in appearance. He let his hand fall back to his side as the butler appeared, and the half-smile faded from his features. He looked back at Ahmon as they left the room, showing just a hint of uncertainty at leaving the boy.

Lorn squared his shoulders and followed the butler. His clothes had mostly dried as he stood near the flames, but the slightly damp linen still hugged his form, and the chain about his throat felt cold.

He dithered for a moment on whether or not to check the rooms he had been instructed not to go into, but decided that would be a task for later. He couldn't help being curious, it was in his nature. That, and information was the key to survival, and the ice must be connected to the other one, 'Jiang'.

The rooms surprised him, they were not overly extravagant, rather, they were decorated with elegance, taste and a lot of heavy looking wooden furniture. The other thing he noticed were the flowers. Lorn had never seen 'roses' for himself before, though he had a vague idea these were what they were. He sniffed at the nearest bloom and allowed himself a soft purr.

The windows were long and set high into the wall, something that seems classical of castle designs, and Lorn approved, it was a defensible position. He let his fingers trail over every surface as he explored the chambers. He lingered over rugs and the like, enjoying the feel of soft fur under his feet.

After a while of this, he settled on the large wooden bed, sinking into the bedding slightly as he pondered his position. He did not hear the butler, but he could still be wandering around in one of the other rooms. It seemed he might have a good life here, but...

Lorn growled. Ahmon looked human, and there was the matter of Jiang. It was not hard to keep himself in check with the calmer, more sickly boy, so it would be easy to influence Ahmon as long as Jiang's appearance only depended on the body being in danger, but then having two sets of rooms wouldn't make sense...

He looked up, golden eyes glinting in the semi-gloom he had left the room in, preferring darkness to torchlight. Then he crept across the floor on silent feet. If the butler was out of sight, he will take a small look in the other rooms. After all Ahmon only asked. He was free to refuse, as long as he was careful.

Ahmon sat silently in his study, pondering over what he had done. 'It will only be a matter of time.' He muttered to himself, writing in his journal that he kept, in case the battle for his body was lost to turn into that of his brother's.

He closed his eyes as he leaned back into the chair, his head hurting more and more. He knew he would suffer from another illness it was custom he would. Yet, every illness brought him closer to not wanting to recover anymore. He didn't want to die, but he missed his mother so dearly, that he only dreamt of her warm words and smiles whenever he was sick. It was to get crazy from. At other times, his sole purpose in dreaming was to try and remember who was the real owner of this body.

The butler had left the chambers and resorted to do his duty again, several maids coming out of the sides that were frozen.

Aeon slipped around the door frame slowly, his movements as smooth and powerful as a large cat. He was feeling a little bit more like himself again, his confidence returning after months of abusive training. He was never meek by nature, and it made his face flush to think of things he admitted to under his trainer's artful attention.

He shook the thought away and folded his ears flat against his hair, muffling the noise of his earrings. He had not relinquished them, and his owners had thought them pretty enough. They were a last tie to his home, where ever that may be.

Lorn shifted slightly, letting the shadows swallow him as he watched the bustling maids. As the gauntlet cleared for a moment, with maids exiting rooms and entering others, he made a dash across the hall to one of the frost-covered doors, his lean form hidden surprisingly well against the backdrop of shadows and tapestries. He was more animal than man now in movement, padding across the wood carefully on all fours as he scanned the hall. Some of the other doors further along looked too frozen to budge, he considered his options.

Footsteps approached from his left. Lorn pressed his shoulder against one of the iced door, his skin crawling at the cold contact. The Kahin slipped into the room and let the door swing to behind him gently. Then he stood and moved to a corner where he would not be immediately seen and allowed his vision to adjust.

A young servant walked in, making sure the room was cold enough by planting more iceblocks here and there.

The room itself, seemed to be very dark lit, a contrast with the side Ahmon ventured mostly. It was clear, what Jiang did with his statues, some were planted around as adorning the room, others were half broken and they all ranged from being very old, to being only a baby. Jiang didn't care about age, if it gotten in his way, it would be swiftly taken. A small girl's eyes were wide open, holding a rose in her hands. She looked almost similar to a porcelain doll. Situated on a (forgot the name of that thing, statues stand on xD). Under it was carved "Ahmon's first and last friend, Rosa."

It was almost clear Jiang didn't want anybody to make Ahmon feel even slightly appreciated. He wanted to have him dead, enraged by being trapped in the body he claimed his own.

Other than the statues, the only thing that seemed to have been kept in a good and normal condition was a panting, almost as big as the wall. Containing a male and a female. They were their parents, the woman looked lively and smiled warmly off of the painting, her eyes were of an amber color, deep and spoke nothing of happiness as her hand was held by the male. She resembled Ahmon a lot, were it not that he was more afraid to be even present. She was human, like him and again, a rose was present, in her hair.
The male was a close resemblance to Jiang, snow white hair, cold eyes, yet his hand held onto the female's with something of pride and love. The held hands both were adorned with a plain golden wedding ring, but with a small red crimson diamond. Whoever made the painting, must've been putting his very own life into it.

The servant had left, closing the door behind him. Not having noticed Lorn for the slightest bit.

Lorn tensed as he heard footsteps, and melted further into the shadows as the servant entered, but relaxed again once the man left the cold room. He shivered slightly, but bit his lip and bore it well. From the look of things, his situation was a bit worse than he had first imagined. A lot worse perhaps. He had not counted on this Jiang creature being so... for lack of a better word, possessive. They shared the same body, he reasoned, it did make sense.

He slipped out from his hiding place and wandered between the statues slowly. He had spotted the doll-like human girl encased in perpetual ice, she was obviously special, the pedestal had her name and, Lorn noted with morbid fascination, the reason she was here.

"First and last," he muttered to himself, his breath steamed up in the dark room, puffing out as blue-white clouds that dissipated in the darkness. His plans to get closer to Ahmon would have to be altered, first he had to separate the two Masters and make sure Ahmon remained in control.

Lorn thought back over Ahmon's behavior when he regained the body. Perhaps he could help train the youth to be stronger physically. Mental and physical strengths were believed to be linked, and he was taught from a young age that his prowess with the sword was only as good as he understood it. The weapon was a part of him, and he must be willful enough to control it.

He stood in the dark room, lost in his own thoughts for a moment, the ice crackled dryly around him, making his ears flick now and then. He relied on his good hearing to warn him of anymore intruders as he stared at 'Rosa', the cogs and wheels of his mind turning.

Ahmon himself was walking down to check up on Lorn. Coughing every now and then as his eyes lingered on the frozen side for a while. He entered Lorn's chambers, letting out a sigh 'Pardon me for my silent intrusion. I wanted to check up on how you were doing. All is well I hope?' He asked, pacing from left to right in the room, not turning to the place he thought Lorn ought to be.

(slightly smaller since I am leaving it open xD )

(That's all right, thanks XD)

The coughing was Lorn's first hint that his owner had made his way up the stairs. He checked quickly that he left the room the way he found it, and frowned when he realized his feet had left imprints in the frosty floor.

He stepped back carefully, treading for the most part where the servants had left footprints, already being swallowed by small patches of frost that glittered like silver dust underfoot. Then the Kahin turned and opened the door a small crack. Ahmon had already moved off into the other wing, and the hallway looked clear.

Lorn took a deep breath and slid onto all fours as he dashed across the intervening space, moving smoothly into his chambers behind the pacing Ahmon. He was only slightly out of breath when he spoke, though a slight sheen of condensation gathered on his skin, making him want to shake himself.

"I'm fine," he answered, thankful for the youth's coughing fits. He moved too silently, even his feline hearing had trouble picking it up.

"Though," he added after a moment's thought. "I could use some food. And by the looks of you, you could do with some too. Ahmon."