10. Auslin

Chapter 10

Auslin

A uslin awoke in a cocoon of warmth. He snuggled into the comforts of a luxurious bed and the softest of furs. His mind was blissfully adrift until a noise of shifting sheets drew Auslin's attention into a more wakeful state. The sight of Kitaro sprawled out, his hair pooled around him, caused Auslin to suddenly bolt upright. Memories flooded back to him. He was stuck in a time that was not his own. The reality of his situation hit him hard. All traces of comfort were gone.

"Do you always wake up this fearful?" Kitaro murmured.

"Sorry." Auslin fell back down onto the bed with a groan as he buried his face in the pillow to hide his shame. He tried to get his emotions under control.

"Am I still the source of your fear this morning?"

The question made Auslin turn his head so he could look at Kitaro, who was entirely too handsome for someone who had awoken a moment ago. It wasn't fair that the shifter prince woke up looking so good.

Auslin immediately felt guilty. "No, I got overwhelmed when I realized where I was. Sorry."

"It is far too early for the tang of fear in the morning." Kitaro hid a yawn behind his hand.

Realizing that Kitaro's powerful shifter sense of smell sensed his emotional fluctuations, Auslin apologized again. "I'm so sorry. Wait, what time is it?"

"I have no clue," Kitaro admitted as his eyes slid close, "but I am certain it is too early."

The only hint at the hour was sunlight brightening the room through the darkly tinted windows. When had they grown darker?

"Are we supposed to be up at any specific time?" Auslin asked.

"Whenever I feel hungry enough to bother getting out of bed." Kitaro's voice grew distant as he drifted back into sleep.

The answer made Auslin smile slightly despite his situation. He never would have expected someone like Kitaro to be so indulgent, but apparently, there were far fewer demands on the youngest son of the Ariake clan. The handsome shifter prince made Auslin's predicament even more surreal. He was an impossibly beautiful creature who also was unbelievably kind. Surely, Auslin had to be dreaming.

The memory of how Kitaro had looked at him while wiping away his tears made Auslin's heart pound for a different reason. No one had ever treated him so tenderly. It made Auslin ache to feel that way again, albeit without the sadness that precipitated the treatment. Not once had Kio acted as if Auslin and his feelings mattered. Kio had defended Auslin from harm on numerous occasions during their travels, but never once did that thought make his heart beat as quickly as it did when Kitaro swore to protect him. Auslin didn't understand his own reactions.

With the rush of adrenaline receding, Auslin allowed sleep to reclaim him once more.

W hen Auslin awoke later in the day, it was to the sight of Kitaro sitting up with the sheets dangerously low on his hips. He gazed down at Auslin with curiosity. "It appears you can wake up without overwhelming fear."

Auslin blushed at the comment. "I'm really sorry about that."

"You apologize a lot."

Another apology was on the tip of his tongue, but Auslin clamped down on the urge to do so. Unfortunately, that left him uncertain of what else he could say in response.

"I suppose it is fortunate for me that as often as you feel embarrassed, it is a surprisingly pleasing scent," Kitaro teased, which only increased Auslin's current state of feeling that way.

Auslin's curiosity got the better of him. "What does my embarrassment smell like?"

"Like ripe Alsarian cherries in the summer." Kitaro's amusement caused Auslin's embarrassment to deepen further. "Humans tend to smell awful, but you seem to be an exception."

"I don't know how you can say that after yesterday. I must have smelled awful after my travels, being rained on, and…" Auslin trailed off, too embarrassed to mention Kio's scent being on him in such an intimate place.

Kitaro shook his head. "Even Mitsuki, with his strong dislike of humans, could not be offended by your scent."

"What exactly do I smell like?"

"Like sunlight filtering through the trees on a perfect spring day," Kitaro said. His nostrils flared a little as he breathed deeply. "It is a most pleasant experience."

"That's unusually specific." Auslin felt oddly flattered by something he had no way of influencing. "I can't even fathom what sunlight smells like."

Kitaro thought about it for a moment. "It is too abstract to describe, but rest assured, you do not need to worry about such things while you are here."

"Good to know." Auslin was grateful he wasn't offending sensitive shifter senses with his foul human odor. Maybe that was one less thing he had to worry about during his stay.

"Since you are awake, perhaps you would like to get lunch?"

"Did we sleep through breakfast?" Auslin grinned. He couldn't remember the last time he had done that.

Kitaro chuckled. "I usually do."

"I would think a prince would have a really regimented day with all kinds of demands on his time." Auslin sat up and ran his fingers through his hair.

"It is true for my oldest brother, but as the youngest, I have significantly more freedom with my time," Kitaro explained. "As your guardian, my day starts when yours does. Should you wish to get a late start to the day, you will get no objection from me."

"Which translates to, ‘Please sleep in so I can,' right?" Auslin asked with a laugh, easily able to read between the lines.

Kitaro shrugged, his hair falling over his shoulder. "I find little reason to wake early."

It was a luxury Auslin was rarely afforded. "I always had to be up at dawn at the temple and when I traveled, so that may be a challenge."

"Did you ever wish to return to sleep when doing so?" Kitaro asked .

"All the time." Auslin laughed, having always slept until the last possible moment before an elder dragged him out of bed.

"Well, now is your chance to do so. Perhaps you will come to find the longer nights offer you more than longer mornings."

Auslin heard a whisper of a naughty thought, but he shoved it aside before he could process it. "Maybe. Is it okay if I use the bathroom?"

"Of course. You never have to ask for permission."

With a word of thanks, Auslin went to get ready for the start of the day.

A uslin felt ridiculously flashy in black breeches with silver piping and a loose-fitting blue satin shirt that felt divine against his skin despite his complaints. "This is really too much," Auslin said as he gestured at what he was wearing.

"Members of our clan are held to a higher standard, which means our clothes are as well," Kitaro explained for the second time that morning. "I know you were raised in an austere environment, but you are living amongst shifter royalty now."

Auslin understood he needed to be respectful of the shifter customs that he was now governed by, but it was hard to indulge in such luxury when he had always lived under meager means. As much as he wanted to resist, Auslin also didn't want to appear ungrateful. "I will try to overcome my training," Auslin promised, knowing it was important. "I don't know if I'll ever get to where I can wear a gold shirt that costs more than everything I've ever owned in my entire life, though."

The comment made Kitaro laugh, which caused Auslin to smile reflexively. "If nothing else, you should at least try it once in your life."

"I'll never look half as good as you do in this stuff." Auslin glanced at Kitaro, who looked regal in his dark burgundy shirt with a high collar. "Honestly, I'm amazed I fit in anything that once belonged to you."

"Even I was young and small once," Kitaro teased, his tone playful enough that Auslin didn't feel insulted.

"I can't even imagine it." Auslin shook his head.

Auslin's good humor evaporated when they arrived at the dining hall. Tatsuki sat at the head of the table with a fierce-looking dragon shifter, who was currently glaring daggers at Auslin. Although he was sitting, Auslin could tell he was even taller than Kitaro. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail. Dressed all in black, he would have been handsome if he didn't look like he wanted to murder Auslin where he stood. What parts of his shifter markings Auslin could see looked like black ink swirling on his skin. The human would have been fascinated if he wasn't receiving such a harsh glare.

Gesturing to where Auslin should take a seat at his side, Kitaro greeted them. "Good afternoon, Father, brother."

Auslin bowed to them before he self-consciously sat where Kitaro had directed. He tried not to fidget in nervousness as the oldest brother continued staring him down.

"Vanra, how did you find your first night here at the castle?" Tatsuki asked. His polite tone was a sharp contrast to the king Auslin had met the day before.

"Most comfortable. Thank you, Father." Auslin respectfully bowed his head. "I am most grateful."

" Father ?" Mitsuki spit the word out as if it was the foulest.

Tatsuki gave his eldest son a warning glare. "As he is clan, he may address us as such."

"So, this is the stray you dragged home?" Mitsuki asked with a sneer. "I was expecting something more… impressive ."

"Are you questioning our judgment?" There was a dark rumble in Tatsuki's voice that made Auslin nervous.

"The only thing I question is why my little brother thinks he has to lower himself to a human plaything." Mitsuki's dark eyes flicked over Auslin's form with disdain. "I know you are inexperienced, little brother, but you must know you can do far better than a worthless human ."

Kitaro narrowed his eyes at his older brother. "He is no plaything, Mitsuki."

"He is not even worth that much?" Mitsuki made a sarcastic tutting noise. "Why bother bringing him here at all, then? What other use could you possibly have for him?"

"Mitsuki, that is enough." Tatsuki's angry growl made Auslin wish he could sink into his chair and disappear. "We will not allow you to disrespect Vanra any further."

"I understand why my little brother is ignorant enough to bring home such filth, but I cannot comprehend what this waste of human existence could have done to convince you to allow him into our clan."

"You are in no position to question our decisions. It would behoove you to remember that," Tatsuki warned his eldest son. "If you cannot find it within yourself to be civil, you are dismissed."

Mitsuki shrugged. "It is no punishment when I would rather be anywhere other than in the presence of this pathetic?—"

When Tatsuki yelled Mitsuki's name to interrupt him, Auslin startled at the sound of the dark anger. He tried not to feel afraid since he knew they could smell it.

Mitsuki gracefully swept out of the room, but not before he flung one last insult at Kitaro. "Little brother, I would advise you to find better hobbies before you ruin this family with your poor judgment."

"We apologize for our eldest son's behavior, Vanra. We had thought he was mature enough to overcome his prejudices, but it appears we overestimated his capability."

"No, it's my fault. I'm the imposition." Auslin felt awful for causing problems for the family.

"Do not allow him to make you feel bad." Tatsuki's gentle tone confused Auslin when it was in such stark contrast to the harsh one used with him yesterday. "He will come around, or we will force him. You should not feel ill at ease in your own home. We will see that he learns."

Bowing his head in appreciation, the guilt continued to eat at Auslin over causing such an ordeal without even meaning to.

"He is alone in his opinions. Pay him no mind," Kitaro added.

"Thank you." Auslin was grateful for the kind words but still felt unsteady by the encounter.

Staff interrupted them by bringing in plates for Auslin and Kitaro's lunch. As the meal the day before had been, there was a wonderful array of the finest food Auslin had ever had the pleasure of eating. He waited for Kitaro to eat first before starting.

Auslin silently enjoyed his food as Kitaro and Tatsuki made small talk for the rest of lunch. They both included Auslin where they could, but he was largely silent as he carefully ate, paranoid he would drop something on his expensive clothes.

After the plates were cleared, Tatsuki once more fully turned his attention to Auslin. "Forgive us, Vanra, but we need to discuss some things privately with Kitaro."

Auslin was grateful for any excuse to leave. "I understand."

"Should you require an escort to your room, the servants will be more than happy to do so."

Auslin bowed respectfully to Tatsuki. "Thank you for a truly delicious meal." With those words, he quickly left the dining hall.

Too embarrassed to ask anyone for help, Auslin ended up hopelessly lost in the castle, with no idea where he was or if he was anywhere near his room. By the time he was ready to ask for directions, there was no one in sight he could have troubled to tell him how to get back to his room. It was only by chance he came across a door that led to the outside world.

He momentarily debated the wisdom of leaving. On the one hand, he was deeply indebted to Tatsuki and Kitaro for their kindness. But on the other, Auslin felt like a hideous imposition for causing family strife. Not being chaperoned by Kitaro would make it easier to get away to visit the temple.

Decision made, Auslin left the castle with more bravery than he felt. He took a moment once he was outside the walls to orient himself. Although centuries had passed between then and the era he was from, he could still figure out where he was and which direction would take him to the temple.

It didn't dawn on Auslin until he was halfway there that showing up dressed up in such fine clothing would give him some credibility issues with whoever would listen to his tale. Humans couldn't scent emotions like shifters could, so it would be harder to convince them about the truth when he was wearing something as luxurious as blue satin in a world where few people could afford such a thing.

But would it even make a difference? Auslin was pessimistic about whether anyone in the temple would know anything about how to return him to his own time. But he had to do something besides wait around for almost a year before he had the chance to go home.

Although Auslin was lost in his thoughts, he sensed a shifter rapidly approaching him. It took a moment before he realized it was Kitaro. His guilt came back with full force, filling him with dread about a confrontation.

Kitaro suddenly appeared at his side, falling into step with Auslin. "It appears you have taken several wrong turns trying to find our room."

Auslin wasn't sure what response he had been expecting, but humored was not the reaction he would have imagined he would receive for leaving the castle unchaperoned. "You're not mad? "

"The only one I hold any anger toward at this moment is Mitsuki for upsetting you."

"But I left without you." Why was Auslin trying to get himself in trouble by pointing that out?

"You were upset and not thinking clearly. Although I have known you for a short time, you seem to be the type of person who would rather leave than continue being a source of confrontation. I assumed you would go to Fate's Gate once more out of desperation because my brother's words affected you. And here you are."

It shouldn't have made Auslin feel warm and good that Kitaro already knew him so well. "Are you here to stop me?"

"You are not our prisoner," Kitaro said. "If you wished to go to the temple, all you needed to do was ask. I would have gladly escorted you."

"But it makes me look so ungrateful." Auslin's guilt flared again. "You've already done so much for me, but I have nothing to offer you in return."

"If it were me, I could not sit and passively wait for almost a year because one person told me that was my only option," Kitaro told Auslin, causing the mage to look up at him in surprise. "I would do anything I thought would get me home, no matter how unlikely it was. It is a natural instinct, Vanra. You should not feel guilty for wanting to do such a thing."

It made Auslin feel much better about his decision. "Why are you so understanding?"

"Because what you are doing is an understandable thing." Kitaro gave him a sympathetic look. "I am not unfeeling."

"If anything, you're too feeling," Auslin said. "Why do you have so much sympathy for a human when your father and brother obviously hate us?"

"Because you are unlike any human I have ever met." Kitaro chuckled at Auslin's surprised reaction. "Your first instinct was to help me because you thought I might be hurt. You showed bravery, loyalty, and consideration for a creature you had only just stumbled across, then worried about offending my honor by protecting me."

"I know a lot of shifters who would have seen my behavior as disrespectful."

Kitaro chuckled again. "Luckily, I am not one of them. It amazes me that although you have strong powers, you are not arrogant. You are willing to apologize instead of stubbornly refusing to admit a mistake. You fascinate me, and not only because you travel with a half-dragon shifter and stepped back in time. I see no reason to judge you by my father and brother's prejudices when you so clearly hold yourself to a higher standard."

Auslin flushed at the praise. "I assumed you're this way to everyone."

"Mitsuki is the only one of us siblings who is so disagreeable," Kitaro said. "Perhaps it is a result of his burdens of being the eldest and heir to our father's position. However, my suspicion is even if he was the youngest, he would still be as arrogant and foul-tempered."

"I thought it was just me."

"Even on his best behavior, Mitsuki is unpleasant. I know it is a challenge, but try not to let his attitude get to you. He will intentionally say things to get a rise out of you, to prove you are as awful as he says humans are."

Auslin's nervousness returned when they approached the clearing. "I will keep it in mind." It would be easier said than done.

"You will always have an ally in me, Vanra," Kitaro said. "As surprising as it may seem, the same is true of my father. Once he has decided, nothing in this realm can make him change his mind. He has declared you as clan, and you will be treated as such. It may take Mitsuki more time to come around to Father's decision, but he will have no choice but to acknowledge you as such."

Standing at the top of the stairs that led down to Fate's Gate, Auslin looked up at Kitaro. "I truly appreciate your kindness more than I can express. Please don't take this as a rejection of it."

"Before you go, I suspect you might want to change." Kitaro produced the clothes Auslin had arrived wearing, handing them to him in a neatly folded pile. "They may be less inclined to believe your story dressed as you are. "

"I don't know how you did that, but thank you." Auslin gratefully accepted them.

"Am I supposed to turn around to give you the illusion of privacy?" Kitaro asked in amusement.

"It would help." Auslin's cheeks flushed at the thought of having to get naked again in front of the dragon shifter.

Kitaro chuckled. "Very well. I shall allow you to preserve your modesty." He turned his back to him.

Mumbling his thanks, Auslin changed as quickly as he could. When he finished, he asked, "What should I do with these?"

"Am I allowed to turn around now?"

"Yes, thank you." Auslin gestured with the folded pile of clothes in his hand. He already felt better wearing his old outfit. It helped him feel more like himself.

Accepting the proffered clothing, Kitaro used the magic gifted to him by his dragon shifter heritage to surround them with curling silver smoke before making them disappear before Auslin's eyes.

Auslin stared in awe. "That's amazing!"

"It is rather useful."

"Where did it go?"

"The armoire in our room. It is enchanted, so I can summon anything from it I can picture."

It amazed Auslin. He reflexively smoothed his shirt. "Okay, I think I'm ready. "

"I shall take the scenic route," Kitaro joked, making Auslin laugh despite his nerves.

Kitaro disappeared before Auslin's eyes, leaving him to marvel at shifter speed once more. Taking a steadying breath, he walked down the stairs and tried not to get too disappointed when Fate's Gate once again failed to let him return to his time.

The dragon shifter waited for Auslin on the other side of Fate's Gate. They headed toward the main temple area. It came as a surprise that Kitaro seemed so at ease on the holy grounds when Kio had always been so uncomfortable.

They drew closer to the temple, passing several acolytes, who stared at Kitaro with disbelief as they stopped what they were working on when the dragon prince walked by them.

The two of them waited in the temple's entryway until a young mage approached them. He stared fearfully at the shifter before dropping to his knee to bow to Kitaro. His voice shook with nervousness. "Your Highness, we are honored that you have blessed us with your presence on this day. My name is Roltan. I am at your service."

"I have brought with me a friend who seeks an audience with an elder who is knowledgeable about Fate's Gate," Kitaro informed the mage. "We would be most appreciative if you could assist us with this matter."

Roltan bowed even lower. "It would be an honor to serve you, Your Highness. I will make arrangements at once."

After Kitaro thanked him, the acolyte wasted no time in scrambling away to find someone to talk with Auslin.

"He was terrified of you," Auslin whispered once the man was out of earshot.

"Yes, I noticed," Kitaro replied in amusement. "In his defense, my presence here is a bit unorthodox."

Thinking back to his own time, Auslin couldn't think of a single time Kitsuki or any shifter had ever come onto the temple property before. Kio was the sole exception, but even he had never dared enter a building on the sacred grounds. He had claimed it was too uncomfortable because of the Divine energy. But had that been an excuse? Kitaro certainly seemed to have no problems with being there.

"Meaning you're probably the first shifter in centuries who has entered one of our buildings?" Auslin guessed.

"Precisely. Although this temple is in Tiora, my father leaves them undisturbed in return for them keeping their congregation from causing any troubles for shifters."

"You being here won't cause a problem, will it?"

Kitaro shrugged. "I cannot see how this will do anything other than bring our kind closer. Do not trouble yourself with such worries."

Before Auslin could say something else, Roltan reappeared with another formal bow. "Elder Varski will see you now."

"Elder Varski?" Auslin repeated in surprise as they followed him deeper into the temple. He was a famous mage who had been a prolific writer and one of the first to preach about the wisdom of humans and shifters strengthening their bonds through mutual respect instead of fear. His philosophies had been deeply influential for Auslin in his younger years, and his mindset of being so accepting of shifters had largely originated from coming across Varski's teachings so early in his training. But he had been dead for centuries in Auslin's era.

"Yes, he is the wisest mage of our temple." Roltan led them through the hallways, which filled Auslin with pangs of homesickness. He kept expecting to see Sephen, which made his heart hurt at the realization that it would be a long time before he saw his brother again.

Roltan stopped in front of a door. "Elder Varski awaits you inside."

When Kitaro thanked their guide, Roltan flushed scarlet. "It was my pleasure."

Conveying his gratitude as well, Auslin took a deep breath before opening the door to where the elder mage was waiting for them. The meeting room was almost completely unchanged from his time. It was sparsely decorated, with only a low table in the center.

Kitaro softly nudged Auslin's back to refocus his attention. After they entered the room, the young mage shut the door to give them privacy.

Elder Varski sat on the floor at the low table. He was not the imposing figure that Auslin had always imagined. The older mage was balding with white hair and was surprisingly robust for someone of his advanced years. He had a kindly look to him and a welcoming smile, which was reassuring after the young acolyte's trepidation about being in Kitaro's presence. "You must forgive this old man for not rising to greet you properly," Varski said. "My knees are not what they once were."

"It is unnecessary," Kitaro assured him as he and Auslin took seats across the table from the old mage. "I appreciate you agreeing to meet with us."

"It is not every day that a shifter prince comes to our temple seeking an audience." Varski chuckled. "I must confess, I am endlessly curious about what brought you here today with a human in attendance, Your Highness."

"My friend needs assistance my clan cannot provide," Kitaro explained. "It was my hope you may possess the expertise to help him. As he is under the protection of our clan, we would be most appreciative of any efforts made on his behalf."

Varski leaned back with a hum of interest. "You have accepted a human into your clan? Is he a bondmate with anyone? I don't see any markings on him."

"He is not. While you might find it hard to believe, my father has acknowledged the veracity of Vanra's story and wishes to assist him in any way possible," Kitaro continued. "Unfortunately, it is not an easily accomplished thing. I brought Vanra here in a show of good faith that perhaps someone here can do what we cannot."

Varski leaned forward to brace his arms on the table. "Tell me your story, Vanra."

"Far in the future, I am a mage at this very temple," Auslin explained. "I foolishly went through Fate's Gate the other night, which brought me back in time to this era. No matter how many times I go through the monument now, it won't take me back home to my era."

Arching his eyebrows in shock, Varski looked at Kitaro. "King Tatsuki believed such a tale?"

"As you know, shifters have a sense of smell that is powerful enough to detect when someone lies to us," Kitaro replied. "While it sounds like an impossible tale, Vanra is indeed telling the truth. He travels with somebody from our clan in the future, which is why we have taken him in under our protection. We seek to return Vanra back to his own time, but our options are limited. It is our hope that as the guardian institution of Fate's Gate that perhaps you would know how to make this happen."

Taking a moment to think things over, Varski finally turned his attention to Auslin. "What were you doing immediately before going through Fate's Gate? "

"I was on my way to the meditation garden to clear my head when I paused in front of the gate," Auslin said. "I was seeking to get away from my extremely superstitious companion, so I changed my mind and went through Fate's Gate so he wouldn't follow me."

"Why did you pause?"

"I don't really know." Auslin shrugged. "I remembered the time my companion and I got into a fight in the meditation garden, so I wanted to avoid a repeat of that. When I was in front of the gate, it seemed like a good idea. I went through and up to the clearing, where I found Prince Kitaro."

Varski turned his attention to the shifter. "Your Highness, how did you come to be in the clearing?"

"I was resting there after some training."

The elder mage nodded to himself. "Both of you made spontaneous decisions that brought you to places you normally would have no occasion to be. It seems fate had a purpose in bringing the two of you together."

"What purpose is that?" Auslin asked.

"Who knows?" Varski's shrug made Auslin's heart sink. "But until you fulfill it, fate will never let you go back home through the gate, no matter how many times you try."

"But how can I fulfill a purpose if I don't know what it is?" Auslin asked in frustration. "That could take the rest of my life for all I know."

"Quite possibly," Varski agreed, making Auslin's hopes of ever getting home plummet. "Fate clearly wanted to bring you two together. It is up to you both to figure out why."

Auslin tried not to let despair set in. "And there's nothing I can do to speed things up?"

"Fate is a fickle mistress," Varski commented. "She does as she wishes and bends to no man."

It was not the answer Auslin had been hoping for. He stared down at the table as he struggled against his emotions.

"Is there nowhere else we can seek an answer?" Kitaro asked.

"I have heard that your library is resplendent, so perhaps you have some ancient text that may illuminate the issue. However, there is no other temple that is as familiar with Fate's Gate as ours," Varski told him. "The only solution to return someone to their time is to complete fate's task."

"I see. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with us on this matter."

"I regret I do not have a more helpful answer," Varski said with a respectful bow of his head. "Vanra, as you practice in this temple in the future, you are welcome to come here in this time."

"Thank you." Auslin was too caught up in his emotions to appreciate the offer.

"I can only imagine how disheartening this is, but fate does not act without reason," Varski said. "All is as it should be. I would encourage you to embrace whatever lesson fate is encouraging you to learn."

Unable to say anything further, Auslin could only nod.

"I appreciate your insights, Elder Varski," Kitaro said. "We shall take our leave now."

"If we may ever be of service to you or your family, we are happy to do what we can, Your Highness," Varski replied with a bow.

Kitaro stood up, then offered his hand to Auslin to help him do the same. "Thank you for your time."

Auslin automatically accepted Kitaro's offered hand to stand. "I appreciate you meeting with us, Elder Varski."

"It was my honor. You are both welcome at any time," Varski replied.

With that, Auslin and Kitaro exited the room. Roltan showed them out of the temple, where many mages had gathered to catch sight of the rare presence of the shifter prince on their property. Auslin was oblivious to it all as he tried to figure out what he was going to do now.