Chapter Text
The Katsuki family had ruled Japan for decades. They were loved greatly by their subjects for they were goodhearted and fair. The children were especially loved- little Yuuki and his older sister Mari. They were happy children, playful and close to their parents. Yuuki was especially close to his mother, Hiroko. They would spend their summers together, Yuuki running around the gardens with his mother keeping a keen eye on him.
Unfortunately, not everyone loved the Katsuki family. A power hungry group of men were lurking in the shadows, waiting to move their first pawn and ruin them. They saw their chance on the fiftieth anniversary of their rule when a grand party was to be held. People from all over Japan were travelling to their palace to attend. It was the perfect opportunity to cause some chaos.
Yuuri and his mother danced the night away, the twelve year old constantly tripping over her feet but her not minding. Yuuki was giddy with happiness and Hiroko found it adorable. She twirled him one final time before guiding him to her throne.
"I have something for you." She whispered, making Yuuki's brown eyes widen in excitement. She reached behind a cushion and pulled out a round trinket box. It was the same shade of the ocean on a summer's day and had gold engraved around the sides. Little Yuuki grinned toothily and took it into his hands.
"It's a trinket box, you can put all of your favourite things inside of it." Hiroko said gently.
"How does it open?" Yuuki asked curiously. His mother smiled softly and pulled out a small necklace. Dangling from the golden chain was a small, spherical charm shaped like a flower. Hiroko placed it onto of the trinket box where there was a small dip and slowly the box opened. Inside was padded with cream coloured velvet and a mirror on the roof. Yuuki giggled gleefully and clutched the music box to his chest. Hiroko then pulled out a matching necklace and draped it around his neck. He fiddled with the charm on the necklace, reading the engraved words on it, 'Together in Russia'. Hiroko knew how much her son wanted to visit Russia, and someday they would.
"Now we match." She laughed.
A few hours later when Yuuki had to be put to bed, Hiroko smelled something burning. It smelled stronger than the fireplace. She didn't mention it to her son, not wanting to frighten him, and put him to bed. By the time he was in his pyjamas and ready to be tucked in, it had been fifteen minutes since her suspicions were aroused.
"Sleep well, Yuuki." She whispered before gently kissing his forehead and going to the door. Before she can open it, she hears the servant's door to the room burst open and heavy breathing. Standing in the hidden doorframe is a scrawny boy with snow white skin and flowing silver hair. He was clearly a foreigner.
"Fire." He heaved out through his coughs. Hiroko gasped and immediately scooped Yuuki into her arms. The trinket box fell from his hands and onto the floor.
"This way, it's quicker." The servant boy instructed them, holding the door to the servants' passage to the back of the castle. Hiroko rushed out with Yuuki clutched to her chest, panicking and whining. The servant boy quickly scooped the trinket box up and stuffed it into his pocket before running after them.
The rest of the night was a blur. Hiroko and Yuuki heard word that the rest of their family was catching a train so they desperately found their way to the train station. People were pushing and yelling for them to get to the train but it slowly began to move. Yuuki had been set onto the ground so they could move faster but it wasn't enough.
Their subjects were desperately trying to push them onto the train but it just kept on gaining speed. Eventually a burly man picked up Hiroko and ran with her until she was dumped onto the stairs of the train. Yuuki, however, had let his tiredness get to him and fell to the train tracks.
He was left in Japan, rumoured to be dead.