A/N

Inspired by Seventeen's debut song: "Adore U".

This song really spoke out to me and gave me the idea of a fantasy realm with knights, princes, and a whole lot of romance, and thus, this work was born~

The rating will go up as the story progresses, so please keep that in mind

Disclaimer: I do not own Ace of Diamond

On These Days, I Have Many Thoughts

An ideal world for a prince, could contain many things that will suit his most wanted desires. Such as sleeping in late, having a gourmet meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, getting to visit the village past his curfew for a late night adventure, and last of all, the freedom to make decisions on his own without having his higher ranking officials telling him 'no'.

How this life would've been more worth living than his own. He had none of this, and it kept him at bay from unleashing his inner boredom from this dull, wretched place.

Fourth prince to the kingdom of Seido, Sawamura Eijun, had always had a good heart and one that will always stand for what he believes in as well as his duty to do what's right. He had a mind that seeked adventure; to explore the unknown and discover surprises that lay just beyond his reach. If only he had the will and freedom to stretch even further to grasp on to that dream for excitement.

But when will that day come, and will he truly be ready to enter this new realm?

Honestly, the boy only had these thoughts when he's by himself; confined within the walls of his room in the west-wing tower, and contemplating whether or not he should just climb out the one window by his bed, and pray that the leap down won't give him two broken limbs, and a sprained back. All of this, just to at least stretch his legs out instead of gaining back the weight he had lost miraculously from losing his dinner privilege from his commanding officer.

He sighed in utter boredom, his face was planted atop his small desk in the room as he tapped his foot against the concrete flooring. Today wasn't any different as he waited for another one of his teachers to arrive and start on his daily lessons, it was a real drag.

Sawamura sat up and began to straighten out his attire which consisted of, a white button up tunic, a blue vest slung over his shoulder and grey pants. Although it wasn't the "appropriate" clothing for a prince, as his first-in-command Yuki would call it, Sawamura had managed to convince him that since lessons don't involve him doing kingdom work, that he can just wear his normal clothing on his off days.

Or at least, if listening to a boring instructor would be called that, but what would he know?

A frown appeared on his face as he tugged on the sleeve of his tunic and noticed that there was a small tear down the cuff, he would have to have it mended later.

He flinched as he heard something hit his window with a clunk. Narrowing his eyes, he got up from his chair and cautiously walked over to it. As he peered out the thick glass, he saw the one person that he did not want to see this early in the morning: his all too knowing bodyguard Miyuki Kazuya. Great, what now?

Sawamura pushed open the window aside and stared down at him, "What do you want?"

"Wow, good morning to you too, your majesty. It's nice seeing your wondrous smile at the break of dawn, oh how lucky I am." Miyuki grinned and did a small bow. He then picked up a small stone and began fiddling with it between his fingers. "You know, a stone can make a great sound when you hit it against something. The vibrations from this stone can change the pitch it can create once it hits upon different surfaces."

The prince scoffed, "I hardly care about a tiny stone. And who are you to give me a lesson on mere rocks anyways? If I wanted to become a petrologist* than I would've ditched this place the second that opportunity came to me! At least they get to explore unknown rocky territories instead of being stuck in one." And they have more freedom than I do in everyday life.

Miyuki laughed and tossed the stone away. "What's gotten into you today? You seem more moody than usual and that's when you're in your "happy" mode. Or wait let me guess," The prince's bodyguard walked a bit closer to the stone tower and stared up at his majesty with a smile on his face, "You're having those thoughts again."

Sawamura sighed internally and rested his head on his hand, of course he would know. That guy is more observant than a preying hawk on a rodent.

"So what if I am? It's not a bad thing is it? This place is way too small for my bubbly personality, I'll burst one day, Miyuki!"

The older boy chuckled and waved his hand freely, "Hey I wouldn't say that if I were you, you already have way too much free time as it is. Besides, the amounts of escape tactics that you've already managed to screw up is already your own ticket to Tetsu-san's hell." It was true, the boy had tried numerous attempts at leaving the castle unnoticed, but in the end, he would always be sniffed out by Seido's guard dogs and hauled back into his room.

Each time he tried to escape, each time he was so close to reaching freedom, he would always come back and was even more determined to say the least, that he will triumph.

And the wait for that continues on.

"The Captain is always on to me so it's kinda impossible to slip by unnoticed, and even if I did manage to bypass him, then it would be his teammates who would spot me instead." Sawamura shook his head in vain, "Honestly I don't see why they bother keeping me here in the first place. I mean I get that I'm to be the next ruler or whatever to this place, but that doesn't mean keeping me locked up like some princess." He spat out the last phrase angrily.

Miyuki shifted his weight to his left foot and sighed, "Did you perhaps, think of why they're keeping you confined to this place? Maybe to -I don't know-, keep you safe from danger? Lately we've been getting reports of spies and bandits from different districts that were lurking around the village the other day, and it seems to me that they're most likely from Inashiro." He then narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"So before you go saying idiotic things that you might regret one day, I think you should see things from their perspectives first, then make your decision."

Sawamura felt his ears burn as he turned his gaze away from Miyuki and let out a stubborn 'harumph'. "E-even if that were the case, I can take care of myself, I'm a grown man now! And why are you talking to me as if we're buddies?!" He will always see his bodyguard as an annoying guy, who always butts into his business even when it's not needed.

The older brunette smirked, "A 'man', you say? Sawamura, you're only seventeen years old, and can hardly make it to the bathroom on your own without asking someone to go with you." Miyuki laughed, "And would you rather I call myself a 'knight' instead? I'm your personal bodyguard, which means that I have to guard your body."

"G-goddamn you and your stupid puns!" Sawamura fumed in embarrassment, this is exactly why he was always bugging Yuki to trade in for a new better partner, and to not be stuck with this self-assertive, hoax gorilla!

Miyuki grinned successfully at his attempt, "Why thank you very much! Your majesty sure does a have a thing with comical jokes, yes?"

"I do not!"

The prince rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. "But really, what are you doing outside my room this early in the morning? If you're here to wake me up for my daily lessons then you don't have to bother seeing that I'm already awake." If you dare say that you were just checking up on me I'm gonna seriously lose it.

The other boy laughed and gave his prince a thumbs up, "I just wanted to see if you were up yet, and to check up on you!" Miyuki stared up at Sawamura with a cocky smile as the prince started to babble nonsense, catching "What the hell?!" and "You pompous jerk!" coming out from the boy's mouth.

"Hey now, a prince shouldn't use such profanity with his subjects ya know, it'll leave a bad impression on the public."

Sawamura fell silent and pursed his lips.

Miyuki raised a brow at his sudden quietness, "What's wrong?"

"... You," He started off slowly, "Miyuki, you aren't my 'subject'. I told you not to call people that." The boy's eyes lowered and he placed his hands on the edge of the windowsill, gripping it tightly. Sawamura was always bothered by how many people have told him countless of times to treat his "subjects" or "his citizens" with respect and kindness. Although he never had a problem with doing so, he didn't like calling them as "his own". It felt wrong.

His eyes glanced up as he heard laughter coming from below, and he leaned out a bit further to see his bodyguard smirking. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you." Miyuki's smile softened and he patted the side of the brick tower, "You're such a stubborn prince, Sawamura."

The boy's eyes twitched as he mumbled something incoherent, "You're always teasing me, jerk."

Sawamura glanced back down at Miyuki who was beginning to walk away. "H-hey! Where are you going?" He called out.

The other brunette looked over his shoulder at his prince and smiled softly, "I have morning practice with the other knights, and I think I'm kinda running late." His smile then turned into a cocky smirk as he grinned.

"What? Would your majesty like me to accompany you some more? If you told me that, then I would have an excuse for Tetsu-san why I couldn't make it~"

Sawamura flushed and waved his hand stubbornly, avoiding his gaze. "Who wants whose company?! I don't need you right now, go to your training!"

"Haha! Have a good day then, Prince Sawamura." Miyuki nodded his head, his smile still prominent on his face, as he walked away from the prince's sight.

"Tch, that guy is so confusing sometimes." Sawamura stared at where he was last seen for a little longer before retreating back into his room and flopping on to his bed unceremoniously. His thoughts were lingered on Miyuki, and when he was first assigned to this mysterious bodyguard who had shown up one day at the castle gates and demanded that he gets enlisted.

Sawamura thought it was kind of strange for a boy, who was only two years older than him, to work in the castle at that age, and as a guard too. When he first had laid eyes on Miyuki, it was only a couple of months before…

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"Y-your Majesty! Where are you running off too? You have a meeting to attend to with the other districts…!" A maid's voice cried out, calling to the young prince who had managed to escape her clutches and is now sprinting away at lightning speed. He always hated being tied down to a chair, it was all he was good for in this kingdom: signing papers, making speeches, and attend these boring meetings with the other princes of the district to discuss about other factors of dullness.

Yes, it was hard when you're an energetic, stubborn prince whose life strived for adventure and longing for some excitement out from these walls, it wonders him how he managed to live these sixteen years in the same castle.

Oh well, he'll just have to make do with the present day and just live life as it is, even if it means sneaking out.

Sawamura snickered as he rounded the corner, his eyes widened as something caught his attention and drew him back to where he pressed his back against the wall and peeked at the commotion near the front entrance.

I wonder what's going on over there. Was what he thought curiously.

He saw his commander, Yuki Tetsuya, with a couple of other guards standing by the entrance, and by the looks of things, it seemed like they had a visitor. Sawamura had to crane his neck to see past the group of people, and who exactly they were interrogating. The prince raised a brow as he saw a muddied boy standing across from Yuki, his hair was tousled and the glasses he had on were also dirtied, the poor white shirt he had on had definitely seen better days. In a royal's perspective: this boy was the definition of someone who lived his life by working outdoors and physical work, judging by his muscled physique and tanned skin, Sawamura could tell that this brunette had a rough living.

But according to his currently smirking expression and bright eyes, the prince could've thought otherwise.

Yuki tilted his chin up as he stared down at the newcomer and with a stern voice, asked him a surprising question, "Are you lost? If you are, then I could call upon a knight to escort you back to your residency." For a tough and serious commander, Yuki wasn't going to play any games with anyone, not even with his own colleagues, his job was set in stone: take orders, and carry them out.

The boy in question only looked back at the commander with a cheeky smile before bringing his hand up and rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, Tetsu-san, that's harsh. Can't you at least address me as if you know who I am? You haven't changed a bit." He grinned as he placed a hand on Yuki's shoulder, earning a couple of surprised gasps from the surrounding guards.

"It's been a while."

Yuki raised a brow at him before settling down with a sigh, closing his eyes as he crossed his arms across his chest, "It has, hasn't it, Miyuki Kazuya. I see that you haven't changed your snarky attitude at all either I see."

Sawamura blinked as he continued eavesdropping on the conversation, his interests now peaked. So Yuki knew who this raggy boy was? The stern, strict commander of the first-string guards, who the prince knew nothing of his background, is acquainted with this smirking individual called Miyuki?

"How mean, that isn't how you're supposed to greet someone you haven't seen in years, is it?" Miyuki laughed and brought his hand back down to his side, "So how are things lately?"

"Just get to the point already, Miyuki. Why are you here?"

Miyuki shrugged and shook his head disapprovingly, "Tch, always wanting the flat out answer. But you should know why I'm here: I want to start working here as a knight."

Sawamura raised a brow at his statement and pursed his lips; that guy? A knight? Don't be ridiculous, the only way anyone get's permitted into the royal guards is to get approval from the first in command, and that's Yuki. But judging how they're speaking to each other with familiarity, it's safe to assume that he won't have a hard time passing the knight's exam…

Yuki grunted, "That is surprising coming from a boy who once told me that he had no interest in serving royalty. Why the sudden peak of interest?" He waited for Miyuki's reply, but all he got was a heavy sigh and a shift in footing.

"Tetsu-san, as much as I want to continue this conversation on any longer, I'd rather you give me the approval to take the exam instead of prolonging this story-telling." The two men stared at each other in silence as Sawamura held his breath in anticipation as to what Yuki's answer would be.

As if the commander read Miyuki's mind, realization lit up in his eyes for a brief moment before shifting back into his hard expression. He tilted his chin up, "Fine. But before I lead you over to the briefing room, I have but one question to ask you."

Miyuki grinned and nodded his head, "What is it?"

"If you were to "pass" the knight's exam, which rank of monarchy would you prefer to be in service to? There are many here who work hard everyday to try to improve their ranks so that they may be able to someday become the King's personal guard. I am curious to see what your standard is." Yuki asked, his tone set and serious.

The latter raised a brow amusingly, smiling he started to say, "Well, you see, Tetsu-san-"

Sawamura's eyes widened as he waited for the boy's answer, but he was cut off briefly as he suddenly felt a pair of fingers grabbing the lobe of his ear and pulling on it, hard. He cried out in astonishment as he was forced on to his feet and out on to the open, where the commotion from the front entrance turned their attention on to their rowdy prince.

"There you are! Don't think you can get away from your tardiness, your majesty!" It was the maid from earlier, and she was fuming with anger. "You have a duty to the kingdom, as to my duty to you! So please return to your room so that we may get you ready for the meeting!"

Sawamura felt his face burn in embarrassment as heads turned towards his direction, watching him get lectured by his maid like a child. He saw Yuki making a face of disapproval at the unmannered way he was acting and he shook his head at him. Beside the commander, Miyuki had to brush past some guards to see what all the yelling was about, and that was when the two locked eyes.

Miyuki's brown eyes held the prince's gaze as Sawamura was struggling to keep his balance from having the maid tugging on his ear. He gritted his teeth and was about to say something snarky as to why that guy was staring at him, when he saw Miyuki raise his finger and pointed to him, a grin lighting up his face.

"Tetsu-san, I'd like to serve him if I pass the exam."

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What an awkward day that had been for him, not only had he managed to make a fool out of himself by having a mere maid lecture him about manners and princely duties, but he also made Yuki feel embarrassed for him. He would never hear the end of it every time Yuki would bring that day up and remind him of how to act around the guards.

But what was worse was that it was also the first impression that he had made for Miyuki. To this day, he still hadn't asked the self-confident guard why he had blatantly chosen him out of the blue to serve, when they had not even spoken once before in a lifetime. Sometimes, he wished he could tell what that guy was thinking, it was already annoying enough with his constant teasing and random appearances throughout his life. Sawamura just wanted to at least know why Miyuki had picked him randomly on that day.

He sighed as the memory brushed by him as he sat up from his bed and stared at the open window. Miyuki, you're gonna be a hard puzzle to solve. But I swear, I'll make you fess up.

A knock on his door shifted his attention away from the knight as he called out with a forced, "Yes?"

"Your Majesty, the tutor will be arriving shortly, please bring out your writing materials and study books please." Was what the voice had said before he heard footsteps leading away from his room.

The prince nodded his head absentmindedly as he hopped off of his bed and stretched out his arms, feeling the stiffness in his elbows and cracking them slightly. Oh well, for now I'll just have to find some way to relieve my boredom from this place, then I'll ask that guy my questions. Sawamura smiled as he went up to the window, and closed them with a soft clunk.

Notes:

Petrologist: the branch of geology that specializes in the study of rocks and minerals

Comments:

As I stated before, as the story progresses the rating will most definitely go up, so please bear that in mind. And as usual, thank you all for the support!