He sat, in a rather spoiled fashion on a throne beside an empty one, his usual sly smirk on his face as he slept peacefully.
You see, Queen Victoria was out at the moment, so her dear 'step son,' well, 'adopted son' as he liked to put it, Mukuro 'Victoria' was substituting for her.
Of course, he knew what his mother was doing - out there, plotting with the servants how to celebrate his birthday. Well, it wasn't his actual birthday - he didn't think so at least -, since it was really the day his mother had found (ahem, indirectly crushed) Mukuro.
Every year, she and the servants would create a large display of confections, teas, foods, and best of all, presents. Of course, being the adoptive son of the Queen meant that several nobles, aristocrats, people of that sort, came to visit the palace and celebrate it.
He could hear the horses' hooves from the throne room.
Though, there was always one man, well boy from what he had heard, who never attended. The boy's name was Ciel Phantomhive, and he fascinated Mukuro. Because, according to his mother, he was a boy who destroyed everything that opposed him.
He wondered if this boy could beat him - Prince Mukuro, leader of the Royal Guard and the Queen's Mist, user of a 'power bestowed upon him by God' - and still hold his position. Oh, how Mukuro wanted to meet this boy.
But, alas, the boy would most likely not attend this year's party either.
Mukuro cracked his blue eye open, hearing the window open, before closing his eye again, feigning sleep. He heard feet softly stepping towards, and he waited until the feet stopped just before him. He heard the clicking of a gun.
Mukuro's eyes suddenly snapped open, and the man let out a shout of surprise, shooting the gun. Mukuro ducked swiftly, kicking the man's feet from under him and knocking his face with the side of his trident. The prince jumped forward, pouncing on the man before he could regain his composure, splitting his trident into two halves. With each end, he stabbed the man's hands, and he let out a scream of pain. The man's hands were stuck to the ground.
Mukuro sat on him, grinning.
"Did you really think you could defeat me?" Under his eye patch, Mukuro's red eye's symbol switched to that of three horizontal lines. The prince lifted the eye patch and the man's eyes widened in fear.
"P-Please! No! Spare me!" He begged, and Mukuro smirked.
"Kufufufufufu~! Why should I?" He asked coldly, and an enraged bear appeared. Mukuro calmly stood, taking the halves of his trident back before walking away, leaving the man for the bear to kill and eat.
The doors of the throne room opened, and a few guards stood, before easing, seeing the bear eating the assassin. "Thank goodness you're all right, Prince Mukuro! We heard a sound and-"
"I'm fine, as you can see. Go out, see if my Mother needs anything," he smiled, and the guards nodded, before leaving, closing the door.
The bear licked the bloody ground clean, and Mukuro frowned.
"Coming to kill me on my birthday? Rather rude, no?"
"Mukuro, dear! I heard you were attacked!" Queen Victoria burst into the throne room, and saw her 14-year-old son twirling his trident.
"Ah, yes," he said calmly. "But I dealt with it. I'm sorry to worry you."
"You need to stop seeming so vulnerable, Mukuro!" His mother scolded, pulling on his cheeks. His eyes sparkled with amusement until they turned their usual calm.
"Ah, it's my birthday, isn't it?" Mukuro 'wondered aloud.' "I wonder...what will I get this year?"
"Oh my! That's right! Close your eyes, dearest." Mukuro chuckled and complied, letting his (much shorter) mother lead him off to, of course, the ball room. He could already smell the sweet pastry coatings from where he was.
Mukuro heard doors opening, and his mother said: "Open your eyes..."
As he did so, clapping and cheers filled the room. Nobles from all over the world were here, smiling at him. Some whole-hearted, some only there for appearance. Nonetheless, Mukuro was pleased with this and smiled the best he could.
He looked around, seeing the tables full of food, the main table with a dark chocolate structure.
It looked like a...a shrine?
Then he noticed something, with the food on the tables.
"This...is this onigiri?" He questioned, noticing a rice ball.
"Yes, it is." He looked up to see Regina smiling at him. "You told me about them once, remember? Sushi rice, fresh ingredients inside, usually fish, with a bit of nori on the bottom."
Mukuro stared at her, bewildered for a moment, before cracking a smile. "Yes, you got it perfectly right." He was so glad, glad someone had listened to his ramblings of his old home, and the culture. Mukuro took one and took a small bit, looking at the center, seeing salmon.
A rare fish indeed.
Then again, he was in the household of the Queen. He could get nearly anything he wanted.
Mukuro looked up and smiled, nodding in approval. Regina let out a small squeak of excitement - excitement that she had got it right, and made it well.
He chuckled, before turning when his shoulder was tapped.
"P-Prince Mukuro..." The blue haired boy looked down to see a familiar blonde.
"Ah, hello Elizabeth," he greeted. He was glad Regina and his mother had taught him etiquette and manners, or he would have stared her down.
"Happy Birthday, Your Highness," she stammered, blushing slightly. He smiled slyly, lifted her chin up.
"Oh~? Is the little doll nervous? But why?" He asked in a teasing tone and her blush darkened.
"A-Ah, it's nothing, I'm sorry!" Mukuro chuckled, letting go of her chin and looking around.
"Try a few of the foods - they are of my native country to the far East." Elizabeth nodded, frowning.
"China?"
"Oh, heavens no! Another country, off the coast of China - Nippon," he explained.
"That sounds marvelous!" She squealed, and Mukuro could swear his eardrums almost shattered.
"I suggest the wagashi - they aren't as sweet as you may be accustomed to, but they are washoku, a food from my country." Elizabeth nodded eagerly, before rushing off to the table Mukuro had pointed her to.
"Ah, Mukuro my boy!" The prince stiffened at the voice and turned around slightly to see Lau. "Happy Birthday, how's the last year been?"
"Good, but a bit boring. Nothing really happens here in the palace, and since I'm the prince, I get somewhat locked up here," Mukuro said to the Chinese man. "But, in a year Mother says that I'll be able to stretch my limbs a little bit outside the palace gates."
"Oh, that must be exciting!" Lau said, smiling a genuine smile. Mukuro nodded, strapping his trident to his back.
"I'll be off now," Mukuro said, waving to the man, who waved back, calling a farewell. The prince walked about the room, smiling at the familiar foods and themes that surrounded him.
"Your Majesty..."
Mukuro turned around, to see Baroness Angelina Dalles-Burnett. ' Or as he called her, 'Rosso.'
"Good evening, Rosso," he greeted, trying his best to keep a straight face. She was a rather...ahem... vulgar woman, patting a man's behind and all that.
"Happy Birthday, it's amazing that you've already reached the age of 14!" Angelina exclaimed. "It feels like yesterday you were 12, just like Ciel!"
Mukuro listened to the woman's rambling before smiling. "Well, the cake-"
"If I may have your attention!" The group of nobles settled down, turning to Queen Victoria, who smiled. "As we all know, this is the celebration of my darling son, Mukuro's, fourteenth birthday. Mukuro, dear, could you come here?" The blue haired boy walked to his mother's side, the nobles making way for him.
"Kufufufufu~..." He chuckled, his blue eye scanning over them. Usual guests, usual looks of excitement, wanting to eat the cake. "Thank you all for coming~ I'm sure this party would be much more boring than last year's without all of you here~! I hope you all have a splendid time." Mukuro turned to his mother. "Shall we?"
Queen Victoria smiled.
Mukuro cut himself a piece of cake (a small piece, since he was never one for large amounts of sugar), and, per usual, made a small pray to 'God,' before eating the slice. Slowly.
He never believed in God, and he never would.
Sorry to all the people out there who do.
Chatter was heard around him, and he sat down at a table, simply wanting to enjoy his time here. Mukuro took a good look at everyone in the room - all stuck up. He scowled slightly, stabbing his cake and ripping off another bit. 'Bastards.'
After two dreadfully long hours, he could open his heap of gifts. There were plenty, probably enough to give to a full orphanage with ten presents per child.
"A full house," he said amusedly, before stepping forward. The adults began to talk amongst themselves, the other children his age, or around his age, or much younger crowding around to see what he got.
A china tea set. Fair enough.
A small vial of Chinese alcohol. 'Won't drink that...definitely from Lau,' he mused.
A new eye patch, a few diamonds and other gems encrusted on the gold and silver lining. The fiber base itself was white, with a black string. He closed his red eye, removing his older eye patch and placing on the new one. Mukuro opened his covered eye and looked around before smirking.
'I see, I see...they added some sort of spell so I can look through it~ Interesting~'
"It looks marvelous!" One noble gushed. A few others voiced their agreements, but Mukuro ignored them and turned to his mother, who smiled and nodded. A ghost of a smile graced his lips before he turned back to the presents.
A golden buckle. No.
And such.
He eventually grew bored, mostly finding mundane items, such as books, grand globes, and such. Occasionally, he would find something interesting, like the history of wars and battles, a weapon, a necklace...only interesting because it was simple, which was out of character for a noble.
Eventually, he had opened all of them, except for three.
He reached for the one given by Regina, and he heard a sound of disgust from behind him. Mukuro turned and glared at the small blond teenager, who stiffened at his smoldering gaze. The blue haired prince, satisfied with this response, turned back to the table and took the small present in his hand, carefully opening it.
It was a ring.
A silver ring, a signet ring, with the Victoria Family's emblem. He glanced up at Regina, who smiled, before slipping it on his left, center finger. Mukuro flexed his fingers before placing the box down. "Thank you." Was all he said before moving onto his mother's present.
He hesitantly lifted the rather large present, and almost dropped it. 'Heavy...' he noted, leaning it on the ground as he undid the ribbon and opened the lid.
A trident, earrings, rather fancy gloves, and a small crown.
Very small; it could fit in his cupped palm.
There was also a large box, lined with silver, gold and gems. 'That must have been what weighed so much,' he sighed to himself, kneeling down to open the chest.
"A keyhole," he noted, before taking the top half of his trident and picking it. A few gasps resonated as it clicked open. A dirty trick, they would think, but it came in handy when he had escaped the confined rooms of the lab. Mukuro shivered slightly, remembering the dreadful place before he lifted the lid.
And his eyes widened.
A golden, king's sceptre. Though, it was much longer, a bit shorter than he, and was surprisingly hard, perhaps more durable than his trident. It was obviously meant to be a weapon and ruling object simultaneously. He took it in his hands, placing his trident (half) back in its strap, on his back before turning around, the sceptre in hand.
Instinctively, the nobles took a step back. Mukuro twirled the sceptre, switching hands. He threw it in the air, smiling at how light it was, catching it, and twirling it again. He swung at the empty present boxes, and they ripped. Smiling again, he slowed the golden staff and rested the bottom on the ground.
Claps slowly began to echo throughout the ballroom, and Mukuro gave a slight smirk. "Kufufufufufu~ Thank you~..."
"Mukuro, dear, you still have a present to open," Queen Victoria reminded, and the blue haired teen turned to the table, to see the one present that was spared from his swinging the sceptre about.
Mukuro strapped the sceptre beside his trident, before walking to the table, picking up the box. It was a rather agreeable size, easy to hold in his hands - not to heavy, nor light, not too large or small.
He tilted the box, looking for a seal of some sort, and eventually found a wax seal on the underside. It was an octagon, with his tridents (why his?) crossed behind it, a wreath around it, the symbol 黒in the center. "Kuro..." Mukuro muttered, frowning. He did not recognize this symbol, but he knew the package had arrived from Nippon. After all, no one else would know Nihongo yet.
Maybe...
His eyes widened, and his hands shook slightly, realization dawning upon him. Mukuro slowly opened the present, seeing a green coat, that just reached a bit past his hips, to where his wrists would be if he were to stand with his arms at his sides.
"What is that?" "Commoner clothing?" "How dare someone gift this to the Prince!"
The blue haired boy saw that the inside was red silk lined, with gold buttons down the front. With it, came two rings.
Two familiar rings.
Below the coat and small set of rings were two photos.
A photo of himself, and two familiar people, as a child, and another of just those two.
Before he had met his mother, before he was wandering, starving, hungry, just wanting somewhere to sleep.
After he was tortured in the lab. After he had killed them all. After he had rescued those two children, and several others.
"Ken to Chikusa," Mukuro whispered in Nihongo, smiling.
The ballroom was silent, before his mother stepped forward. "Mukuro dear? Is something wrong?"
"Kufufufufu~ I'm fine," he assured, smiling the brightest smile.
"What is it?" Someone asked, and Mukuro turned to them.
"A photograph of a few childhood companions of mine," he explained. "I simply haven't seen them for, maybe nine or ten years."
"Oh! Are they coming to see you?" Elizabeth asked, and Mukuro looked back at the photo of Ken and Chikusa, now 13, reading the message written on the bottom in Nihongo.
"I believe they are."
"Oh, that's wonderful, darling!" Queen Victoria congratulated. "When?"
"In about a month."
"That's marvelous! Please, play some music!"
A waltz began to play in the background. The nobles slowly melted into the mood, and found partners, dancing along. Mukuro sensed someone walking towards him, and he turned, to see a girl who looked much like himself.
Blue hair, eye patch, blue eyes, same skin tone...
"U-Um...I have no partner...Prince Mukuro, I..."
Mukuro's eyes twinkled with amusement, gazing down at the nervous, flushed girl. "Of course," he replied graciously, offering her his arm. Hesitantly, she took it and they walked to the center of the ballroom.
Mukuro placed a hand on her waist, the other clasping her hand, her other arm holding onto the one holding her fragile form. As they danced, the poor girl occasionally stumbled. The prince frowned, before a smile returned to his face. "I didn't ever catch your name, did I?"
"A-ah, my name is Nagi, Nagi Dokuro," she said timidly, as if the words would kill her if they ever slipped from her lips.
"Miss Dokuro, you don't know how to waltz, do you?" He asked, smirking when she looked down in shame. "That's perfectly fine, do not worry, just follow my lead..." He spun her once before they resumed waltzing. "And...one, two, three, one, two three."
Nagi blushed, gazing at him as he smiled sincerely, obviously enjoying himself. Mukuro was more gentle now, leading her about, making sure she did not stumble.
She was too taken in, to realize that the song had changed, and they had sped up slightly.
Nagi was snapped from her thoughts when the prince, once again, twirled her around before bringing her back to him. "You seem to be getting better at this, Miss Dokuro."
"A-Ah, yes, thank you for showing me," she said, and Mukuro nodded, taking the lead once more, no longer counting the beats of the rhythm.
And thus the two danced the night away.
"It has been a month, Mother. Ken and Chikusa will be here soon."
"Ah, this is exciting!"
"Like I told you, they are a rowdy duo with odd personalities. I apologize in advance if they do anything wrong. They have been tortured when they were merely children, and had to live on the streets until just recently, so they will be a bit rude."
"Yes, I am expecting this. Oh, they were in that dreadful lab as well. What abilities do they have?"
"It isn't my place to tell you this, Mother, I apologize."
"Oh, no that's perfec-"
SLAM
"MUKURO!"
EDITED 5/30/16
