I
The warm air carried the sweet scent of chocolate as the bell chimed above him. Pausing at the doorway, his ruby gaze greeted a familiar set of eyes that twinkled at him as brightly as his smile.
"Good evening Teach! We are pleased to see you again," the slender waiter greeted, leading him to his favourite booth.
"Take a seat and I will return with your usual," the blonde continued, his long hair moving gently with his slight movements
"Thank you," he replied simply as Licht moved past him, his sharp eye catching the knowing smile that stayed on the young prince's lips.
Heine slid onto the long fabric seat with practised ease, sidling swiftly towards the mauve coloured sky that stared at him from the window pane.
Charming.
He allowed his thoughts to drift with the wispy clouds that dressed the dusky sky. It had been a little over a year since he resumed his position as the Royal Tutor. Much had happened in that time, a lot of which he would have never predicted when he first assumed the post, and yet in hindsight, the events did not seem to surprise him.
First, Kai was able to continue his military education, and as he sat there in the bustling cafe, the second prince was out in active duty to the south of the country. Bruno was currently studying as an apprentice under Dr. Dmitri, a position he has only been in for 6 months but if his letters were anything to go by, he would probably end up staying there longer than the year he initially planned. Licht recently moved out of the palace some mere months earlier, preferring "the real world" as he had termed it, to his royal upbringing. Thus, this left only Leonard at the palace, and so most of his days were spent with the fourth prince, young Adele and Shadow.
The slight thud before him drew him out of his reverie as Licht reappeared.
"Your usual melangé, and a slice of our newest torte just for you," he greeted with a wink, his voice bright.
"Rich!"
An older patron called from behind him, and with a nod the young prince disappeared.
Heine looked down at the table before him. The cream of his hot drink gleamed beneath the cacao sprinkle. His dessert also looked tempting, the dark brown brimming with decadence against the stark white plate it was presented on.
As he went to pick up his cup, the clang of the bell called his attention to the front door again, more out of force of habit than curiosity. The female figure stood at the door, and Heine felt his body stiffen, as though it recognized her outline much quicker than his mind could register. The tanned female engaged cordially with the waitress that greeted her, yet something about her golden gaze, and the way her glossy black hair cascaded in waves across her shoulders disturbed his peace and composure.
It all hit him when her golden eyes locked with his, and as he stared, he found himself being pulled into memories he had long since forgotten.
25 years earlier
Heine watched from his perch on the over bridge, the high moon illuminating the river that flowed effortlessly beneath. The orphans slept on both sides of the river, the grey cobblestones broken with groups of small bodies huddled together for warmth. The leader grimaced at the sight, conflicted by the innocence of the sleeping children against the cold reality of their shared poverty. Glancing up at the dark sky, he swore again for the umpteenth time that one day he would ensure no child, orphan or the like, would ever have to sleep outdoors.
Shuffling below shifted his attention to the shadows walking amongst the sleeping children. Instinctively, Heine jumped onto the railing, propelling his small frame into the cool evening air to land squarely before the perpetrators. The two taller shadows jumped at the sudden action before one came forward and launched a soft object into his face.
"How many times have I told you not to do that Heine!" the female hissed, as the thick material fell from his face into his arms.
The two figures stepped into the moonlight and instant relief flooded his person. The blonde male grinned from behind the pile of blankets he carried, while the brown female seared him with her auburn gaze, before allowing her features to soften with a sigh.
"As we were," she commanded as she deftly retrieved another blanket from Viktor's arms.
Heine locked eyes with Viktor who shot him an apologetic grin, before wordlessly following suit. The trio moved along the stone path soundlessly, both Heine and the female unfurling the blankets quietly, before gently easing them onto the children huddled in twos and threes. Moving from one side of the river to the other, the friends continued their work until finally, they were left with two blankets.
"Viktor, you should know better than to be coming out here again like this, especially after everything-"
The prince placed a hand on his shoulder with a serious look on his face.
"This is important, and besides it was Ria's idea-"
"It's a thank you, of sorts," she interrupted, her figure appearing before the two of them. Standing a couple of inches shorter than Viktor, the lightly tanned female regarded them both, before centering her gaze on Heine.
Flashes of the year since she had been with them blurred through his mind, and her gaze holding his gave him the sense that they were reliving the same thoughts simultaneously.
Her sudden appearance, with her broken German and foreign clothing made of plaited mats - she became just another that Heine had taken under his wing, though to be fair he did not initially want to. She did not trust him to begin with, but having nowhere else to go, he knew she had given him the last ounce of trust she could muster when she chose to take his extended hand that fateful day by the river.
"Heine, I want to say thank you, for taking me in, for teaching me your ways, and for accepting me for who I am..." the crack in her voice caused his red eyes to widen as he realised for the first time since they had known one another, silent tears slid down her face.
"You and the orphans, these moments from this past year, they are my most precious memories, and even though I know I'm still a child yet, I know they will always remain such for me. And you Heine, you will always remain one of my most precious people," she continued, her face shining in the moonlight.
Heine stared at her blankly, taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere. Though his heart willed his mind to be silenced, the resounding thought of this being a farewell overwhelmed him.
Viktor cleared his throat, to which Ria giggled, wiping her eyes.
"And of course, you are also one of my precious people Viktor," she added with a laugh, said with as much truth as her previous confession.
"Anyway, enough with all this emotional talk, we all know Heine isn't very good at responding in these situations, especially with him at the centre of it all," Ria concluded, her bright eyes smiling at the two boys.
"Yes, I better return to the palace quickly before anyone notices," Viktor remarked soberly as a pensive expression settled on his handsome features.
"You both go ahead, I'll keep watch over the children," Ria suggested as she threw a blanket across her shoulders.
Heine nodded as Viktor raised a hand to her in a slight wave.
"Goodnight Ria," he called as they both turned to walk away from the lone figure standing, the pair feeling her eyes on them as they went to turn the corner.
"Uh, Viktor, Heine!" she called suddenly.
The pair paused, turning back to glance at the female shrouded in grey. If it weren't for the distance, Heine could have sworn she was crying again.
She forced a grin as she threw up her hands.
"Sorry, never mind... see you later," she replied before turning away from them.
Heine continued on, though Viktor's eyes remained on her a tad longer, noting her trembling shoulders as she walked away.
The pair did not say a word as they advanced into the city, Heine's heart sinking with every step he took. The silence between the pair was heavy, and though he dared not think it, his heart had already betrayed him before they had even left her presence.
He would not see her again.
Present
Being stunned was not an expression Heine was often acquainted with, yet as he sat rigid in his booth, his body remained frozen in apparent shock. The condition was not at all aided by the fact that the female was now seated directly opposite him, her long lashes lowered.
Her navy-blue dress accentuated the light brown hue of her skin, while her long hair was pulled up in an artful ponytail that rested on her shoulders, dressed with plaits and jeweled pins that glittered in the lamplight. Though physically he recognized her traits, in all other accounts, she was a stranger.
Heine became keenly aware of the gaze of a particular waiter who peeked at their booth from around the corner. The realization caused his body to relax as he released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"Pardon my intrusion, I did not mean to discomfort you. Perhaps I have come at an inopportune time-"
The female went to stand, her cheeks aflame as she cast him a sidelong glance.
"You may stay if you wish. I apologise, I almost mistook you for someone I once knew," he responded coolly, though he felt his body's temperature rise as she paused mid-air to consider the phrase. She stood up straight, her eyes glistening as she regarded him with a pained smile.
"I must apologise too for the same mistake, and for being presumptuous enough to believe otherwise, excuse me," she replied, her last phrase a hurried whisper as she disappeared towards the door.
Heine watched her depart, unsure of how to respond to the situation.
"Tsk tsk Teach, I would have never thought you to be the heartbreaker type," Licht cooed as he appeared suddenly at his side.
Heine ignored the remark, his eyes following the figure out of the café. Though something deep inside him urged him to follow, his common sense, and pride, left him rooted in his seat.
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