Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2015 16:10:25 +0000 (UTC)
From: reiedogawa@yahoo.com
Subject: Prince of the Rogue Court 2

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Prince of the Rogue's Court 2

By: ReiEdogawa

"Evan," he said calmly. "Do you like guys?"

Shaking hard and knowing I couldn't avoid it any longer, I nodded my head
yes.

My face was bright red, and I hunched in on myself. I had never been more
insecure in my entire life. Dad had always supported me, but this might be
something he couldn't accept. He had never said any word for or against
homosexuals, but that didn't mean he had an opinion about them. I was quite
surprised when he threw his hands around me.

"Evan," he said. "Why didn't you come talk to me about this? You and I have
never had a secret between us. Why would you keep something this important
from me?"

"I was scared," I whispered.

"That much is obvious," he sighed. "You were scared of me and what I
thought of you. You built an image of what our relationship should be and
tried to follow it. Evan, you have to see the world as it really is, free
of illusions. You have to make your own path in this life and follow it to
the end."

"You aren't just saying that?"

"No, it would take something far worse than that to make me hate you." Dad
let me go at last and we went about our night. Something changed between
us. Something small and undefineable. In his acceptance of me, I accepted
myself; though at the time, I didn't realize it.

It was a week later when I met the Rogue for the first time. Dad was
talking to someone when I entered the apartment. I thought nothing of it
until I noticed the bodyguards in front of the study.

"Dad," I called out. "What's with the muscle?"

The door opened and Dad popped his head out. "Evan," he said. "Now is not
the best time. Why don't you head up and start on your homework? I know
those work tablets are piling up and you need to catch up ASAP>"

"Right now?"  I asked.

"Yes, now," he said and went back into the room. I knew that everything was
alright. If he told me to do my homework later, it meant that there was
trouble and I should sneak out the hidden passage. Dad had set up
safehouses for me and him years ago. I had access to money, new
indentities, and even a cache of weapons if it came to the worst.

I got five steps down the hall when I heard him speak for the first
time. "Dillon, bring the boy back. I wish to see this son of yours."

I had never heard that voice before, but I knew it. It was the voice of an
older man, somewhere in his fifties. It was a man that had seen a very hard
life. It was cold, cruel, and calculating. I turned around and entered the
room, the guards holding the door open for me.

Sitting behind my father's desk was a man about fifty or so years old. He
was lean and wiry with salt and pepper hair. His hazel eyes were hard and
calculating. His hands were before him, steepled together as he studied me
as I approached.

Because of school that day and their policy of at least covering the
genitals, I was only wearing a pair of shorts. Sweat dotted my skin from my
jog home and I had my backpack slung over one shoulder. I felt chills as he
looked me over from head to toe. I was scared of this man.

"So this is your son," he said. "By that skank whore. Well, it could be
said that she did one good thing before she left. Your son is turning into
a fine young man. I'm hoping before my abdication that we will see more of
him at the Court."

"Sir," my father said. "My son will be coming to the celebrations next
month. But i have to ask. You have made your decision then? To abdicate?"

"Yes," he replied. "You and every other young buck know that I am getting
too old to maintain my throne. I'd rather not die on the end of someone's
dagger. That last duel nearly did me in. I will choose my successor from
among my lieutenants. You are among them."

"Sir," my father said shocked. "I have no desire to be the Rogue. I have
made a life here for me and my son. You and I have discussed in the past
that my son will not be a part of the organization. This life has made me
happy, but I know that it is not for him. To make me Rogue would force my
son into that life."

"I am sorry about that," the Rogue replied. "However, none in the
organization would allow you to remain as you are now. Your son, at the
very, least would be taken from you. You would be cast down, if not
outright killed. With no power to protect yourself, you would watch as your
son became a cold-blooded killer.

"Furthermore, I have not made a decision yet. You are merely in the
running, Antoine. Onyx from the Factory District and Sapphire from the Red
Light District are also in the running. I am here to tell you both that
life is about to change, and you better be ready for it."

With that, the Rogue stood up and left, his guards following behind him. It
was the only time that I ever saw Rogue Hanson in my life. I didn't know it
then, but he would disappear in the next few weeks. He would take his
family, his money and leave the city forever. We knew he was alive, but
beyond that, none of us heard from him again.

My father and I stood there watching him leave. As soon as he was gone, Dad
turned to me, his eyes bleak and said, "Evan..."

I cut him off. "Dad, I am the son of a lieutenant of the Rogue's court. I
know what will happen if he chooses you. I also know that if he doesn't, it
would be better for us to disappear. Whatever happens in the future, we
must be prepared."

With that, I walked to my room and began my own work. I heard Dad on the
phone making preparations in any eventuality. We were rogues, answering to
a man who ruled the lawless. We knew that you had to be prepared for
whatever storm broke. We also knew that there wasn't any storm out there
brewing. It was a Hurricane.

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Alright, there is the second chapter. I've gotten some mail from you and I
like hearing from you. Send me your comments at reiedogawa@yahoo.com

If you like this story and want to read others that I've written, check out
Incubus and Paradise World. More chapters of all three stories are coming
in the future. Bear with me as I wait for inspiration to strike.