AN: Well. I was going to update The Promise on 9/14/2014 at 5:00 am but my internet had other plans and decided to make you all wait even longer! How nice of it -_- I am so terribly sorry... It been over four months since I updated! I shall start listing my reasoning now, you may skip over this if you like *excuses start now* Well the reason I stopped updating in the first place was because I was losing interest in this story, then I started writing another story on another website and was in love with it. Then I started another story on here and am still in love with it. Then I got addicted to some bad things and wasn't able to do really anything for an amount of time until my loving father set back on the right tracks (I love you, Daddy!). THEN I injured my arm (still injured) and could move it at all, making it very hard to type. It's a little healed up now but they think I need surgery, So I'm going to try and update as much as possible before then!During this time that my arm has felt not overly painful (the past two weeks) I have been working o this years Yullen themes. In Mid December you may go check them out on my profile! *excuses end* I'm sorry T_T Please forgive me.
I honestly really hate this story. I love my idea for it but I feel like I'm butchering it. So I want y'all's feedback for this chapter on whether I should give it up, re-write it after thinking it out WAY more thoroughly (that will take me forever xD I'm a procrastinator, big time), or if I should just continue it.
Chapter 9: Prodigy
Allen's POV
13 years Old
7:00 am
I sneakily ran around the hallways, still searching for any secret passages I might have missed. It's been two years since they were all sealed. I was starting to lose hope. Letting out a sigh I slumped against the wall. Across the hallway I noticed a hairline fracture in the wall and crept towards it, unbelieving of what it could possibly be.
"Prince Allen?" I jumped at the voice of Mark. It was stone cold and hollow. We had all been affected by the death of his wife Clair two months ago, but no one as much as him. I turned my empathetic eyes towards him.
"Yes, Mark?"
"Cross wishes to see you." He said monotonously.
"Alright, Mark. I wish you well." I said nodding my head towards him. His eyes teared up slightly as a little bit of light entered his eyes for the first time since the chandelier incident before one of the castle's balls.
"Thank you. It has been a pleasure serving you these past eight years. You've grown into quite the young man." I frowned at his words as he walked away. They seemed like a farewell. Deciding I would send Goz after him to make sure he was okay I headed towards the meeting room, where Cross said he'd be today. Upon entering I see him sitting with a man dressed in beige robes, his face wrapped in clean white bandages with brown hair sticking out of his beige hood. He was holding a stack of books in his hands.
"Your majesty." He bowed slightly, due to the books keeping him from fully bowing. His expression was nervous and fearful towards me.
"Hello, sir. Cross, may I ask as to why I've been summoned?" I said as politely as possible to Cross but took on a more casual tone with the other man.
"You may." He said smirking. My eyebrow twitched but my fake smile never faded.
"Why have I been summoned?" I say behind a clenched jaw.
"To meet a man." He said, enjoying the fact that he was getting under my skin.
"And who is this man?" I say turning my attention towards the man, calming down a bit. Cross nodded at the man. He set down the books and bowed.
"I am Toma, your tutor. I hope I will be of good use." He said. You could tell by the uncovered facial features that this man had spent a lot of his days smiling. The smile lines on his face and the cheerful twinkle in his eyes gave it away.
"Great." I say truly happy about getting to learn. "When do we start?" A bit taken aback the man stammered.
"Did his royal highness not inform you?" He looked over to Cross.
"It slipped my mind. Allen, Toma here will be teaching you all day everyday from the moment he arrives. You will have a breakfast, then report to your new personal study immediately afterwards. Then you will have session A with Toma until lunch time in which you'll get a thirty minute lunch break. After you begin session B and you reach dinner time you will be dismissed from your daily lessons. You will be excused from your lessons on Sundays and holidays. You will continue with these lessons until you know everything Toma has to teach you." He grinned evilly at me after finishing what I thought was the longest list of bull crap I'd ever heard.
"So what your saying, I'll never see the light of day until I become king?" Cross simply grinned.
"It appears so." Well at least I was getting something out of it.
"Very well." I said returning the grin. In response I received to shocked looks. "Let's get started."
*Le TIME SKIP to 11:30 am*
"A-Allen?" Toma said, long having been instructed to lose the 'Prince' title.
"Yes, Toma?" I replied, still writing furiously.
"You do realize that for the past two minutes you've been scribbling down gibberish, right?" He said somewhat fearsome of how I might react. I simply froze and looked at what I had been writing. Huh. He was right.
"Heh heh. I didn't realize!" I laugh scratching the back of my head. "I should probably start over, eh?" I chuckled before restarting to the basic sentences I was given.
"Are you sure you're related to the king? You don't act very similar." He said almost hesitantly.
"Oh trust me, he is anything but family to me. He is just my crazy uncle who kidnapped me from my home." I state simply brushing the hair out of my face continuing to write.
My name is Allen Walker. I am the Prince of England. Grass is green. Etc.
"You're doing well this time. You're handwriting isn't to bad for someone who has never written. And plus I've never seen someone learn to read as fast as you did. We've been at it for almost six hours and you're already working on writing." He said thoughtfully.
"Oh I wrote a lot. I just couldn't read." I say as if it made the most sense in the world.
"What? What do you mean?" He said confused.
"Someone wrote a letter to me for my birthday a few years back. I practice writing that letter over and over again. I recognized some of the letters here. Since you taught me to read I can't wait to go back to my room and read the letter." I said, eyes shining with happiness."I've always wanted to read it myself." Toma smiled at me.
"Those with a purpose do tend to finish faster." He said. "Well, it's almost lunch time. It's already past 11:30. Maybe you should.. go to your room and get ready for lunch?" He said with a wry smile. Excited, my head snapped up to him.
"Really? Are you sure?" I said practically shivering from excitement. He chuckled and nodded. I immediately shot up and ran straight to my room, which was right across the hall from my study. Closing the door quietly behind me I shuffled over to the nightstand by my bed. I slip the drawer open and pull open the secret compartment containing Kanda's gifts. I pull out the letter and picture and hugged them. I begin to read it with tears of happiness in my eyes.
Happy Birthday Allen. I hope you haven't forgotten me or our promise.
-Kanda
I slip the letter under my pillow and close the drawer. I headed over to the wardrobe and put on some dining clothes.
After reaching the dining room I sat down at the long table to Cross's left.
"How are your studies going?" He asked with a hint of amusement. But not even his teasing ways could put a damper in my day.
"They're going great! I can already read better then some middle class people!" I say happily. He frowns.
"You should know better than to lie to me." He said, anger in his tone.
"He isn't lying your majesty. Allen is quite the excellent learner. He's already learned to write a few basic phrases." We both turned to see Toma enter and sit across from me on Cross's right. Cross eyed the two of us.
"Is that so?" He grumbled before digging into his food. I quickly scarfed down my food before leaving the room swiftly and returning to my room. In there stood Tyki. He was holding a shirt of mine.
"Tyki, what are you doing?" I asked my butler who had been somewhat distant as of late.
"I-" He paused looking at me shocked, "I found this shirt a believed it be to be yours and was bringing it back. Am I wrong?" He asked holding out the shirt. I looked at it. It was the shirt that I had slept in the night before. It shouldn't have been outside my room.
"Yes, it's mine." I say raising an eyebrow towards him. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I only have about fifteen minutes of break time today. On Sunday we can spend time together, okay?" He had told me that he considered me a friend and like to spend time with me. It was a little odd but I told him that since that was the case I'd set out time for him every week to have a friend day.
"Of course, boy." He said before exiting. He had acted different lately. Ignoring this I plopped down on my bed thinking about everyone I missed so dearly. Clair, Mina, Narain, Tiedoll, Mana, and Moa. But most of all Kanda. I sighed before rolling out of bed and heading towards the study to prepare for the next lesson
*3 days later, Saturday*
"Yes, he is excellent in math. He can already do double digit multiplication. Yesterday he memorized half of this country's history, remembering even more than I do about that time. I was even able to help a little bit in science yesterday and today. Though it took a little longer, we finished up reading and writing within the first day and a half. The Prince is a prodigy in academics." Toma said amazed. Cross just glared, annoyed at him.
"Alright, now how are his skills in foreign language, fighting, running a kingdom?"
"Well sir, actually, during the history lesson he proved he'd be quite the leader for a cou-"
"That's enough." Cross cut him off grumpily. Truth was I'd spent even the nights studying so I could wiz through these lessons. Not because I wanted Toma gone, but because I loved knocking that smug look off Cross's face. Was I exhausted from the constant studying? Yes. Was it paying off. Definitely.
"Qu'en est-il une langue etrangere?" I said to him only earning a glare for myself. Suddenly Goz busted into the room, eyes widened.
"Something has happened to Mark." His voice was grief stricken. I shot out of my seat and rushed out the door towards Goz. Toma just sat at the table with a confused expression as Cross just sat there emotionless, sipping on his wine. Goz led me to the hallway, frantically explaining the situation.
"I was keeping an eye on him just as you instructed me. I walked by his room to check up on him and heard him crying. I tried the door but it was locked. Then he started screaming. That's when I ran to you." We reached his doors and heard his sobs, now faint. I kicked at the door and with the help of Goz busted it open. Mark lay there with a knife in his chest barely conscious. Screaming his name I rushed over to him.
"Oh my God, Mark, what have you done?" Tears leaked from my eyes onto him.
"At least I-i'll get t-to reunite with m-my beloved C-clair." He said smiling. More tears slipped from my eyes.
"You're so stupid! Do you think she wanted this?" I say, now unable to see. I could hear Goz crying as well.
"I suppose she wouldn't have. But I couldn't stop h-" He voice was an un-stuttering whisper, slowly fading out. His body fell limp.
"Mark?" I choked on his name. I stood up and ran to my room, throwing myself under the covers. Memories of Mana, Clair, and Mark's dead bodies. I heard a knock at my door. "I-I wish to be alone right now." I say trying unsuccessfully to keep my voice steady. I heard the door click open. I turned to repeat myself and saw that it was Tyki. He shut and locked the door behind him.
"It's not good to be alone in times like this." He said before sitting on the edge of my bed. He scooted towards me. His whole manner seemed extremely off. He scooted closer to me and I eyed him wearily.
"I won't do anything stupid I just wish to spend the rest of my lunch break in solitude." His eyes looked at me full of concern but it seemed somewhat fake. He put a hand on my shoulder. It slightly moved downwards towards my chest before I pulled away from his touch.
"Will you please inform Cross that I probably won't get a lick of work done today?" I say quickly, heart pounding with fear. I don't know why, but he was scaring me at the moment. He stood.
"Of course, boy." He said with a hint of something I'd never heard in his voice. At that I laid down again thinking about the secret passage I may have found. Deciding that I'd go to Narain first thing tomorrow morning, I slowly drifted off to sleep.
I woke up to the feeling of a hand on my hip. I shot up and met eyes with a man. I stared into them for a moment, gold against silver.
"Tyki, what are you doing?" It seems as if I'd been asking him this question a lot as of late.
"I was shaking you awake. It's almost noon, Allen." The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine. Narain popped into my head.
"Crap." I said under my breath. Tyki you are dismissed. I need to get ready." I say hopping up.
"But, sir. You said we'd-"
"Yes, I'm aware of what I said, but something has come up. I apologize." I say quickly, ushering him out of the room. I barely caught his angry, hate filled eyes before slamming the door shut. Holy crap. He was kinda freaky.
Shrugging it off I dressed in normal town clothes. It had been a while so the didn't fit well but whatever's fine. I snooped over to where the passage was and inspected it, pulling it out from the wall I quietly step in shutting it behind me. I run through the hallway until I come out an unfamiliar exit. I realize that I'm now in front of the castle and quickly duck behind the bushes before I could be seen by the guards. I run over to the hedges knowing there was a door somewhere over in that direction. Finding the small opening I squeeze through it and run as fast as I can towards Narain's. There were people murmuring all around.
"Why would he do such a thing! He's caused such a disturbance! My children will have nightmares!" Came from one out enraged lady. I made my way through the crowd to see what was going on. I looked at the ground the seed red splattered across it. My eyes trail farther into the bloody mess. I see a familiar face lying on the ground. A little older but the same one none the less.
"Narain!" I push the rest of the people out of the way and lift his mangled body into my arms, not caring about the blood or the looks I would get. I buried my face into his hair, sobbing rivers. I'd cried more in the past two days than I had in eight years. you'd think I'd run out of tears and sobs but I didn't. I turned to the crowd now angry about their scrutinizing murmurs.
"Why did he do this? Why are you all just standing their criticizing him in death! You're all pathetic!" I yell at them. The woman from earlier looked a bit ashamed. A man dressed in nice clothing burst through the crowd.
"What the hell? Narain!" He was down beside me in an instant. "Shit , I knew we should have paid closer attention to him." The man looked extremely upset. He turned to me, "Who are you?"
"I'm his best friend." I say through tears.
"Sure you are. Narain doesn't have friends! He made it clear when his sister died yesterday that he wanted nothing to do with anyone. If you were really his friend wouldn't you have been there for him?" I once again was frozen to my spot. Mina was gone, too? Dammit! If only I hadn't slept in I could've gotten here before he did this! I could have stopped him, and helped him. To think I called myself his friend. Tears slipped out of my eyes.
"You should leave now. He wont't have a funeral seeing as you're the only person who claims to know him or his sister.
"You bastard." I say standing up wiping the tears from my face until running as fast as I could towards the castle. His blood on my skin itched as if it was eating me alive along with my guilt. I faintly heard a familiar voice calling my name but I couldn't stop running. Momentarily I almost paused because I though I heard someone calling out 'Moyashi', Kanda's nickname for me. I was going to turn around and see. That is until I collided with a tall dark figure.
"Woah! Allen, what happened? Are you hurt?" I looked up at my protective uncle I hadn't seen in ages. I just threw my arms around him and sobbed. Shocked his arms came around me in a comforting hug. "I didn't think I'd see you again. What's going on?" He said worriedly.
"All the people I love are dying." Was all I could say. He led me into and alley away from the town's eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Mana, Clair, Mark, Mina, and now Narain! Mark and Narain are all my fault! If I had just been there for them they wouldn't have died!" I felt like hitting myself in the face over and over again.
"Hey! I know my brother wouldn't like it very much if he heard you talking like that." He said petting my hair.
"He also wouldn't like it very much if he knew his son was a murderer." I say dryly.
"I'm not sure what has happened but I have no doubt that it wasn't your fault. You're a good don't I run you back up to the castle?" He said reassuringly. I nodded and we headed back to my "home."
Neah's POV
Sometimes I don't understand kids these days. MY nephew went out of his way to sneak into the secret garden, instructing me to stay behind until he returned. When he finally did come back he came with four flowers. Each had a paper in them containing a name.
Clair. Mark. Mina. Narain.
You could see tear stains on the last one, his puffy face explaining why.
"Please, when you get the chance, throw these in the river. It'll be like a little memorial service for them." He voice was raw from crying but I nodded.
"Of course. Now you get in there before getting caught." I say urging him forward. I carefully slip the flowers into my pocket watching him sneak back into the castle.
"Now, onto my original purpose for returning to this town." I say smirking before heading to the front gate to pay my obsessed half brother a little visit. I'd already gotten my anti-molestation mode on.
"Dear brother, here I come!~"
KANDA'S POV OMG GUYS GUESS WHO RUNS INTO ALLEN
16 years old
Sunday
"V-very good Kanda. How long did you say you'd been practicing again?" A man said with a dangerous looking blade merely centimeters from his face.
"Eight years" I stated, sheathing my sword (I know it's a katana but, in this Kanda IS A KNIGHT, I had to make adjustments T_T I'm sorry!), Mugen.
"I've been training in the art of being a knight for thirty and you nearly took off my head! You must be a prodigy of some sort!" the man said astounded.
"Did you have someone you wanted to protect?" I asked. He looked taken aback.
"No. I just always looked up to the knights and wanted to be like them, why?"
"That's why I'm able to beat you. I have a goal." I say before walking away, nearly ready to become a knight. I'd challenged all of the towns local trainers that hadn't quite made it and every retired knight that was able and or willing. They were the tough ones. I walk through the town ignoring the curious murmurs. Whatever they were fussing about wasn't my concern. In the distance I heard a cry.
"Narain!" The voice sounded so familiar and set butterflies all in me. It couldn't be. I turned on my heels searching for where the voice was coming from. I heard his voice yelling again, in anger at the people. I finally saw a head of white hair bust through the crowd and run. My eyes widened and as he ran right past me I was still frozen to the spot. Finally coming to my senses I turn around and run after him, barely able to see the white head of hair weaving through the crowds and bumping into people.
"Allen! Allen wait!" I yell after him, he must have not heard me because he ran faster. Shit. Now was a time I wish I was as small as him so I could push through faster. Knocking over several people I search for for him.
"Moyashi!" I yell out in frustration, hoping he'd remember the childhood nickname. The snowy locks were now out of sight. I searched the crowd frantically, as I did for the remainder of the whole day. Never did I find him in that crowd.
AN: So yeah, Neah's tone had a flirty tone at the end. WHERE I LIVE INCEST IS BEST! xD MY state really is made fun of for cousins dating and stuff even they we don't date our cousins O.O But I figured, Meh what the heck, someone requested it and WE ARE ALL OKAY with the Hitachin twins who are FULL brothers. Also this was kinda sad! I will now start writing another chapter for The Promise hopefully, If not One Month for those of you who are reading it! I hope you liked it! Please leave your opinion in the comments below!