It was rare to see other children in the Spire—all of his brothers were old enough to have begun apprenticeships and he was still young enough to be kept isolated save for tutors and gaurds in the name of safety—so Kael nearly didn't believe it when he saw the stony-faced, dark-haired boy who seemed to be about his own age standing at his father's side.
"Kael'thas, this is Rommath," he said, "he'll be your companion." And from then on he was. They ate together, had the same tutors, shared the same books; but for all that he tried, Kael could not seem to get his new companion to become a friend. Rommath was quiet and inscrutable, he was exactingly polite to Kael and seemed not to mind following him wherever he went. It unnerved Kael, and he began to wonder if Rommath simply was someone sent grudgingly to give him the impression that he wasn't alone in the crowd of servants and guards which usually surrounded him.
Still he tried, endlessly reaching out to the other boy. In the time since Rommath had become his companion Kael felt as though he'd made progress. Every once in awhile it seemed as though Rommath would be on the very edge of smiling or replying to one of his questions with more than simply formal deference. But always, at the very last moment, something would come into his eyes and he would draw back.
Kael had theories as to why, wondering if perhaps Rommath had been warned not to be to familiar with his Prince or if the boy was simply nervous about being at court. It wasn't until the incident that he learned what Rommath was really there for, and then he understood everything.
The incident—as Kael thought of it, and would always think of it—was a simple mistake on his part. They were studying, their teacher a brilliant but extremely temperamental Magister, when Kael accidentally knocked over an inkwell, staining his book and robes as well as everything near him. It was bad enough dealing with his own embarrassment at having been so clumsy, but when his furious teacher told him what his punishment would be and then turned to Rommath and enacted it on him instead Kael was horrified.
Afterwards, sobbing and trying to apologize to Rommath for the pain he'd caused, feeling worse for his tears when the other boy was dry-eyed.
"You really didn't know?" Rommath asked incredulously, and Kael shook his head miserably. The other boy stared at him for a few moments,slate grey eyes unblinking, before shaking his head as well, "You're an idiot," he said quietly, but he smiled at Kael for the first time since they'd been introduced.