The Clover Prince

Chapter Ten

Word Count: 6,073

Rating/Warnings/ Summary: Same as prologue

Author's Note: I think I threw out and rewrote this section three times. It was hard to get it right. Waka has some answers that the story needs, but Waka being Waka doesn't share that sort of thing, so any revelations felt off even if I'd been planning on them at this point.

One made it in. Others are still waiting..

Ten

"Oh. King Raijin," the queen of the south said, making Shin glance at her, since her voice had a strange tone to it—not that she didn't have her own accent—all the southerners did, it went along with their pompous intelligence. "You came back alone."

He had. Shin looked at him, taking in his uniform. The king no longer looked as pressed and imposing as he had when the event started, though Shin wouldn't say he was disheveled, either, though one of his medals did seem to be missing. Not that it should matter. Shin knew the king hadn't earned any of them.

"Ah," Raijin smiled in that way of his that almost everyone knew was insincere. "I'm afraid that he's overdone things again. As I've told you before, many times, his health is poor. He lacks the stamina for these sort of functions. I've sent him on to his rooms."

"Oh." The queen's crestfallen expression made Shin uncomfortable, and her daughter started pouting again. She was such an irritating girl. "I see."

Shin caught Toma's frown and nodded. He was just as bothered by Raijin's statement as Toma was. Kent didn't have poor health. He'd never been sickly, not once before in all these years Shin had been stuck coming along to these negotiations, and even if they wouldn't have heard about it—which they would have because Toma's mother kept her spies in the land constantly—Ikki's stories were enough to disprove that. He teased Kent all the time about experiments and avoiding horseback riding and all sorts of stupid things they did. Never once about being sick. Kent could drink any of them under the table if he was willing to drink with them. The king's words didn't fit at all.

Shin didn't like this. He had a bad feeling about what Raijin meant by that.

"It is unfortunate he lacks stamina," Raijin went on, taking a glass of wine and drinking from it. "Such a frail constitution is unfortunate for anyone, but in his position, that kind of weakness could lead to the entire alliance being perceived as vulnerable. Let us discuss other matters."

He took her by the arm and led her away, with her husband glaring at Raijin before following after them. Shin shook his head. He shouldn't expect Raijin to be any less rude to them, any of them, and he would pay more attention to the queen and ignore the king to spite him, but that didn't make it less annoying.

"Since when is Kent 'frail' or sickly?"

"Never." Shin folded his arms over his chest. "You think Raijin had Kent sent back to his rooms again? I know he did when he said that stuff to your mother, but why do it now? He actually got the southerners to like him."

"He had them eating out of his hands," Toma agreed. He shook his head. "I don't like this. And I don't see Waka or Ikki now, either."

Shin went for the door, making his way past the irritating nobles and servants, not waiting for Toma though he knew his brother well enough to know that Toma was not far behind him. He remembered this part of the castle rather well, since it was one of the few parts they let guests see. Ikki had given them other tours before, but he'd never had a chance to get far on his own.

"Wait up, would you? If you're not careful, they'll assume you're a spy or something stupid."

"Waka knows better."

"Waka is not Raijin, and Raijin is a paranoid bastard who happens to hate you." Toma caught up to him and fell in step with him. "I know you don't want to acknowledge it, but seeing as it was his wife and she betrayed him to create you—"

"Not now, Toma," Shin snapped. He knew who his parents were, and he didn't want it to matter, but it did. He couldn't forget where he'd spent the first few years of his life, and he couldn't forgive the mother who put him there, queen or not. Maybe she couldn't have passed him off as Raijin's—though if he got him to believe Kent was his, that didn't seem impossible—but that didn't make it better that she dumped him in an orphanage.

He sometimes wished the king had never figured it out, never found him there and dragged him back with him to become a prince. Toma was the only decent person in that new life, and Shin hated it in the castle.

He still thought sometimes he'd prefer being an orphan.

"Damn it. I don't even remember where Kent's room is."

Shin shook his head, pushing on one of the other doors and opening it. Going in here wasn't the smartest thing they could do—Toma wasn't wrong about them being considered spies if they were caught here in Raijin's antechamber—but he figured this was close enough to the ballroom that Raijin would have brought Kent here to lecture him.

Only there was no way that much blood had come from a lecture.

"We need to go in there."

Waka shook his head, aware of the anxiety of the man beside him. Ikki was never calm when it came to the people he cared for, but this must be handled carefully, or they would make the situation far worse. Though they believed that Raijin intended to have Kent killed and blame the west for it, they could not be certain.

If only a lecture was interrupted now, Kent would suffer more later, and if it was an actual beating, it would only be worse for the prince if he was forced to stop. Waka knew it was best to let Raijin decide when he ended any punishments. If not, they became more severe when he inevitably resumed them.

"I don't know how you can stand back. If he's doing what we think he's doing—"

"Patience," Waka said. "You will do more harm than good by entering in before Raijin leaves. Wait. As soon as he is gone, then we enter."

"And if Ken dies before then?"

That was a risk, and Waka did not want that to be the outcome, but if Raijin intended to blame someone else, he would not let the prince die when it was clear who was behind that death. Waka had to trust that Raijin would restrain himself enough for them to reach Kent when it was over.

The door to the antechamber opened, hitting the wall when it did. Raijin stepped out and slammed it behind him. He shook his head as he straightened his uniform, walking away. Waka held Ikki back until the king was out of earshot and then moved forward, opening the door.

Ikki pushed past him and rushed to Kent's side as the prince attempted against any sense to move himself. He faltered and spat out some blood, his whole body shaking as he did. Ikki swore, lowering his voice before trying to keep his friend still.

"Damn it, Ken. Don't move."

"Have… to… can't… stay..."

"No, that is true, it is a risk, but that does not mean you should move, either," Waka said as he knelt down beside him, reaching into his coat for some of the same herbs from before. Taking out a leaf, he held it to the prince's lips. "Chew this."

Kent did, shuddering at the taste. That plant was bitter and unforgiving, for all that it was of such help in healing. "Don't… under… stand..."

"What's to understand? Your father's evil. That's all there is to it," Ikki said, looking a bit desperate again. He needed a task, something to keep him from being foolish, and yet very little would persuade him from Kent's side right now.

"Talking… not… work… too… weak… couldn't… stop… him… couldn't fight..."

Waka shook his head. "I never trained you to fight him. Only to endure him. That is my error, not yours."

Kent's eyes closed as he trembled again, mumbling incoherently. Waka knew that one leaf was not enough, not to cure him, not even necessarily to give him the mercy of unconsciousness. Kent was strong, always had been, but that strength could be his undoing when he was too stubborn.

"Rest. I need to see to your wounds, and you will make them worse by insisting on moving."

Ikki balled a fist, furious. "I knew we should have come in sooner and stopped this."

Kent shook his head. "No. That… learned… would only… hurt… when… tried… spare… Ukyo… He… is worse… if you... stop him… if you… deter him..."

Ikki winced. That was the other reason Waka had held Ikki back. Raijin could well have killed him for his intervention, and that was not something Waka would allow, either.

He turned behind him to face the two men who had just entered. Ikki was unaware of their presence, all his focus on his friend. Waka studied them, trying to assess their intentions. Would they use this to the west's advantage? And yet… even if they exposed Raijin's actions, it would not aid them. Perhaps it would break the alliance with the south, but if it did, that still meant war.

"Damn it."

"I need a distraction," Waka said, and everyone looked at him then. "I need to remove Kent from this castle without anyone noticing. He is not safe here, was not before but even less so in his current condition. If you value peace at all, you will do this and speak nothing of what you've seen."

Shin's curled fist went whiter. "You want us to pretend this is nothing? Raijin did this, didn't he? He beat the hell out of his own son, and you want silence?"

"Don't for one minute think that I don't want Raijin to suffer for what he did," Ikki said, matching fury for fury. "I have my own reasons for wanting that man dead, and I swear I—"

"If you confront Raijin now, all you will do is get yourselves executed." Waka faced each of them in turn, wanting them to understand the gravity of the situation. "Shin and Toma were here, therefore he can now blame either of you for the attack. Even you, Ikki. If he wants, he can eliminate any one or all of you as threats and get away with what he has done. Then he will have his war, and everyone will suffer. The best path for having and holding peace is Kent's survival, which is why he must be moved, quickly, before the king knows of his departure or has any idea where to look for him. Every one of you should make your presence known so that you are not seen to be a part of what I am about to do."

Ikki flinched. "Waka, you did not serve all this time to throw that away now. You can't take all the blame on yourself."

"If your distraction is enough, I may not have to, but do not mistake me, Lord Ikki. I am prepared to accept any consequences of these actions."

"We'll make the distraction," Toma said. His brother frowned at him, but Waka did not believe Toma would accept anything else. "Come on, Ikki."

"I..."

"You are still the best hope for your own people," Waka reminded him as he took his own cloak off and wrapped it around Kent. "Go. Survive for another night. You, of anyone, would know where to look for us, though remember—Raijin will also know that you know."

Ikki lowered his head. "You really don't make this easy."

Waka might have, if he knew any way to do so, but this was the only option he had at present. He knew he had to get Kent out of the castle, had to do so without anyone seeing them go, and he could not let them be seen on their journey, either. None of that would be simple.

Yet it must be done.

"Go… Ikkyu…" Kent said, still awake despite the pain and what little Waka had been able to do for him. That should not be true. "If… I… die..."

"Don't even start with that," Ikki said, shaking his head. "That's not happening. Waka, go. We'll take care of this end."

Waka nodded, lifting the injured prince and carrying him out of the room.

"Shouldn't there be more people now?" Sawa asked, leaning against the counter and sighing. "The western delegation is here, I know that, but the south is, too, and that should make them feel a bit different, shouldn't it?"

Kokoa shook her head. She didn't think they were reassured, since the king and queen had come this year—that had never happened before to her knowledge—and after what she'd seen and heard last night, she couldn't help being worried.

"I guess we could close early again. Or just keep doing what we're doing until closing time."

"We washed all the dishes. And all of our laundry. I'm running out of things to clean." Sawa sighed. "I know the owner has never been the sort of man to demand we make up the difference when it's slow or threaten our jobs, either, but… I can't help being concerned. Between the delegations and the whole fuss over the prince where no one was in… We could be in real trouble."

Kokoa knew that, and she couldn't think of any good way to reassure her friend, though she was glad that Orion had taken one of the tables out front to do his homework at—a rare treat since they were this empty—and couldn't hear them discussing their fears back here.

The back door opened, and she jumped, startled. Sawa bumped the counter doing the same.

Waka stepped inside, looking at both of them in turn. "Is it as empty here as it usually is during this time of year?"

Sawa nodded despite her trembling. "Yes. It is. It… We don't have any customers right now, actually."

"Good," he said, walking back out how he'd come in, and Kokoa blinked in disbelief. The nerve of that man was endless. He just did as he pleased, didn't he? And yet… why would he say that was good? They should be serving customers, not looking at an empty tavern.

"He is so scary," Sawa whispered. "Do you think this is about last night? Are we in trouble over that? I didn't… I hadn't thought we did anything wrong."

Kokoa didn't know. She hadn't thought so. Maybe she had, with Shin, but Sawa?

Waka came back in, this time carrying something very large wrapped up in a dark piece of fabric. She frowned, but he did not stop, not once, just walked right past them and into the other room. She thought she heard Orion call out, so she ran to the door to see Waka heading up the stairs with his burden. What did he think he was doing?

She ran up after him, ignoring Orion even if she should tell him not to worry, pausing at the top of the stairs when Waka went to the locked one at the end of the hall.

"Come unlock this door."

She shook her head. "Why would I do that for you? You know better than to ask me for a favor, and I've none to give you. That room is kept locked according to the owner's wishes. I'm not about to lose my job and home for you."

Waka shook his head, shifting his load and digging into his pocket. He took out a ring that jingled with the sound of many keys knocking against each other, selecting one and inserting it into the slot. Kokoa stared in disbelief as it opened.

He… hadn't lied about knowing the owner? The owner gave him that key?

She rushed down to the end of the hall as Waka entered the room, hearing footsteps on the stairs behind her. She stood in the doorway, frowning again as Waka set the bundle on the bed.

"I need hot water and all the clean rags you have," Waka said, not looking at her as he adjusted the fabric on the bed. "Do not argue with me. This is not a situation where I can afford to have your pride delay matters. They have already been delayed too much."

"You may need the water, and you may own the water, but you haven't explained anything to me, and don't think just because Kent was more or less kind to me that I have forgiven you because I haven't. I still remember—"

"You remember a flawed version of events intended to save your young and foolish life." Waka pushed back the fabric, and she heard herself gasp.

Kent. That was Kent. He was so pale he looked dead, and she could see blood staining his skin. She was going to be sick. How had this happened? Who would have done this?

"The water and the rags. Now. And prepare additional water for tea, but do not put any tea in the pot or you will ruin it."

"He said you were very demanding about tea," she heard herself whisper. She took a step back and then stopped. "I… What… Not again. I don't… I can't do this again. You—why would you bring him here if you only let people die?"

"That is not what I do. You'd be the one allowing him to die if you continue like this."

She winced, but she couldn't just obey Waka's orders. Not after she'd trusted him before and been so disappointed. "I don't know how to believe you. I don't... Why him?"

"You know why. He is the crown prince."

She shook her head. That wasn't what she meant at all. She'd been caught staring the first time, unable to look away from those eyes of Kent's that were so like that boy she'd failed when she was a child. "He has the same eyes. And every time I think about that… No. I… I can't trust you. I don't want Kent to die, too, and I can't—"

Waka crossed the room and grabbed hold of her, silencing her in an instant. "You were told a lie. Now go and get me what I asked for before it truly is too late to save him."

"Give this to your brother and the other waitress to drink," Waka said, returning the tea pot to the barmaid. She had relented enough to give him what he asked, though he knew that her obedience would not last much longer. She'd been stunned into silence, but she was not the sort to stay that way. She had questions, and she would ask them, all of them.

He would have to give some answers unless he was willing to risk Kent's survival. Having her fight him or delay because of her misconception could mean Kent's death. Either she would gather too much attention to them, or she would delay treatment too much.

"You… mean to drug them?"

"It will only make them sleep, and if we are fortunate, they will not remember any of what they saw or heard," Waka said, watching her frown. "You already know that Kent was threatened. Bringing him here does put all of you at risk, and yet I have no true alternative, even if there is some small chance that others are aware of his or my connection to this place."

"Ikki knows."

"Yes, and he may follow, though if he is smart, he will not do so any time soon. I cannot say if he will be sensible or not. My point is that the less who know of this, the better. That is how it has always been." Waka looked at her. "It is for their own safety. If they do not remember, they cannot be caught in a lie, which is very dangerous now."

She sighed, taking the pot into her hands. "You swear this will only make them sleep and will not harm them? You… Kent's safety isn't so important to you that you would… kill all of us, is it?"

Waka knew Kent needed to stay unconscious for what lay ahead of him, but he knew that the prince would have more success in convincing her of anything, so he would almost rather have Kent awake long enough to settle matters without too much discourse.

"While Kent's life is has more value than you can comprehend, he would never approve of such methods, nor would I wish to harm anyone he cares for," Waka said, and her eyes widened. "Why are you so surprised? You are his pupil, are you not?"

"I… Yes, but I… He made it clear that we weren't… friends."

"That is also for your safety. If you persist in arguing this with me, I will give you the tea instead. I do not have time to argue with you."

Waka turned his attention back to Kent, resuming his efforts to clean and examine every wound. He heard her steps departing the room and nodded to himself in some satisfaction. Not having to worry about her brother or the other woman was a help, though far from enough. If Raijin were to succeed with his plans, he needed Kent, and he would send out searches everywhere.

This place was only safe so long as the others could be ignorant of Kent's presence. Kokoa was a risk, but Kent had chosen that risk for himself. Waka could honor it. For now.

Though Raijin had not been alone with him for an extended amount of time, he'd done a lot of damage. In Kent's weakened state, he'd have stood little chance of defending himself, not that he had enough training for that. Raijin had not wanted either of the princes to be strong enough to defy him, so a few limited defense lessons were all Waka had been able to give either of them.

Kent took to it better than his brother, though that did not say much at all. Waka should have insisted on more, though it was difficult when under the constant awareness that touching any royal meant death. Waka had chosen to stay at Kent's side instead, knowing he could not protect the younger man if he were dead.

Still, this could have been avoided, and the blame for that was Waka's alone.

He looked over to see that she'd returned to the doorway, the pot in hand. "Are you expecting me to drink this as well now? You didn't force me to before, but if you insist now..."

Waka shook his head. "I know better than to think you would, and I would have your assistance."

She came into the room, setting down the tea pot. "I only know of wounds from Orion's scrapes and scuffles. That's nothing like this. I don't know how much help I can be. I certainly was none before, not to that boy..."

"You were a child yourself then."

"Would you say you weren't? You weren't that old when I first met you."

Waka closed his eyes for a moment, not wishing to remember. "My childhood had already come and gone by the time I met either of you."

She seemed uncomfortable with his words, gathering up the already dirtied rags in an attempt to be useful. "Who did this, Waka? Who hurt him?"

Waka did not think she should know that, and yet he doubted that she would keep silent if he did not answer her. "Is that the question you want answered the most?"

She winced. "I… No. I… It isn't. I… don't… I have a hard time knowing where to begin. I'd ask you about what you just said, but I don't think you'll answer. And I do want to know the whole truth of why you brought Kent here and how you had that key and how you know the owner. I also need to know a lot more about… Kent. I... The lie you spoke of before, the one I had to believe to stay alive…"

Waka set aside another rag. Some of the wounds had lost far more blood than Waka wanted to think about. None of that was a good sign. "I need a bowl and another pot for tea."

"You won't answer me, will you?"

"If you persist in delaying his treatment for your answers, no. If you are of assistance, perhaps it will not be too much to ask questions." Waka lifted up the bowl of water as he rose. He needed fresh water or cleaning more wounds would be pointless.

"I'll go," she said, holding her hands out for the bowl. "And I'll start water for the tea. You shouldn't leave him. He… he needs you."

Kokoa returned to the room with a fresh bowl of water, averting her eyes when she saw Waka was treating wounds on the lower half of Kent's body. She had seen men without their shirts before—this was a tavern, after all—but not that, and she felt almost sure that Kent would not want her seeing any of it, either. This whole situation was strange, but worse was the awkwardness because of their genders and social status.

And Waka.

She was trying to ignore her doubts and help him so that Kent would live, but she was struggling all the same. She knew she was being stupid when Kent's life was in danger. Waka seemed determined to care for Kent, as he had been that night when Kent fell asleep in the tavern and Waka watched over him, and she wanted to believe that Waka would not do anything to harm Kent now, but she was still conflicted.

She darted back out of the room and hurried back for the second tea pot. She wanted to keep herself useful, and she had to help Kent like she hadn't been able to before. She felt guilty about the tea she'd shared with Sawa and Orion, but if Waka was right and they'd be in danger if they remembered Kent was here, she'd rather they didn't.

She carried the pot up on a tray, grateful to see that Waka had covered Kent's legs again. He must not have been hurt as much down there as the rest of him. That was good, wasn't it? Or was it actually bad? She didn't know much about medicine, so she couldn't say.

"Set that here," Waka said, taking another pouch of herbs from his pocket. This one was different, and by their color alone, she knew they were special.

"I thought those went extinct when the eastern kingdom was destroyed."

"As I told Kent before, I have my sources," Waka said, crushing the leaves up into the pot. "It is, however, quite limited. This tea is only for him, and he will need to drink it all. You have the bowl I requested?"

She gave it to him, and he ground up more of the leaves in it. She looked back at Kent, sighing. "It is him, isn't it? All this time, I believed he was dead and hated you for it, but you lied to me. He wasn't dead. He… The first time I saw Kent's eyes, I thought they were the same… I couldn't stop staring, but I still thought he was dead."

Even now, Kent looked very close to death, like before, in that shed. She almost reached out to touch his cheek and only barely stopped herself.

"Why doesn't everyone know that he was missing? He was kidnapped, wasn't he?"

Waka took some of the paste and applied it to one of the wounds on Kent's shoulder. "You believed he was dead, and who else was to know?"

"The man who took him, for one."

Waka shook his head. "Executed long ago."

She grimaced, though for what he'd done to Kent, that man did deserve some punishment. If Kent had died, then that man would have murdered him, so… maybe he should be dead. "Still, shouldn't the whole castle know? That's where he lived, and he's a prince, so how did they not know?"

"Because they were not allowed to, just as you could not be allowed to speak of it." Waka probed the older bruise on Kent's side with care, and she tried not to gag, worried by the color. "Even those closest to Kent are unaware that he was ever missing."

"How is that possible? Ikki seemed to care so much he didn't think about what might happen to me or Sawa last night. And though Kent hasn't said a lot about Ukyo, what he did say showed his affection for him even if they didn't always agree. They had to know."

Waka moved onto a mark near an older scar, and she had more proof that it was Kent back then because that boy in the shed had that same mark, though now it had faded some from what she'd seen before. "The princes had gone riding together that day. Kent has never been a natural horseman, but Ukyo was. Someone had set a trap ahead of them, thinking to catch Ukyo as he was the more confident rider and would pass by first, but he was distracted by nature, allowing Kent to get ahead of him. When the horse reached the trap, Kent was thrown from his horse and knocked unconscious. Panicked, Ukyo rode back to get help, and by the time anyone reached the horse, Kent was gone. Everyone except a small few were told that Kent was bedridden and unable to be seen due to his injuries."

She winced. "And Kent never said anything?"

Waka shook his head. "What happened to Kent is something he has never been willing to discuss, not even with me. He did not correct the lie even if he finds it irritating that people assume he's afraid of horses due to the incident."

"I suppose I can see why Kent wouldn't want to talk about it. He was in so much pain and so scared when I knew him…" She sighed, remembering how hard it was to leave him behind, how terrible he'd looked, and how easy it had been to believe Waka when he told her he was dead. "And yet… why would that mean my life to speak of? I didn't even know who he was. You let me think he was dead. I couldn't have told anyone anything. None of the adults believed me."

"The politics of the situation are delicate."

"That's not an answer. Kent wasn't even the crown prince back then. It would have scared people if it had been Ukyo who was taken, but Kent… I don't know that anyone cared about him until now, when he's been made heir. It's not right, but we didn't even remember what the second prince's name was before that announcement went out."

"That was how it was intended to be. You have done no wrong."

She frowned. "What do you mean, how it was intended? Kent doesn't seem like—now that I know who he is, I don't think he really is as removed from people as he seemed, and I don't believe he hates commoners like I did before, like the rumors suggest. He is more than books and knowledge—he's very smart, too, and I think he likes books better than people, but he's not cruel or heartless. He would not have gone about spreading those lies about himself. He wouldn't have spread anything at all."

"That is true."

"Then, what, Raijin wanted him seen this way? As a heartless scholar?"

"Raijin did not want him seen at all."

"What? Why?"

Waka shook his head. "Knowing that would mean your life if Raijin were to become aware you knew. Even Kent does not know for his own safety."

She shook her head. "He's not safe, isn't that what this proves? He could still die. And if you care as much about him as you seem to, how can you keep something like this from him? He needs to know, doesn't he? Ignorance didn't protect him from this. From… the king. He did this, didn't he?"

Waka nodded to the first tea pot. "It is time for you to drink that and return to your own room."

"No. Not when Kent still needs help. Don't you understand? I failed before, and I can't now. I won't. I… I have to do everything I can."

"At this point, there is little more that can be done. With rest and Kent's stubbornness, he may make it. He may not. We will not know until later."

"And if he dies, he dies not knowing why this happened? We all know Raijin's a cruel man, and I suppose it would be foolish to think he never hurt Kent or his brother before, so he must have."

"Do not start weeping now. You have other matters to attend to."

"I'm not drinking that tea and forgetting. You can forget that."

"These rags need to be cleaned again and put away. If anyone sees the blood, they will have questions, but you will need to go about your life as though there is no one in this room. You must make it seem like none of this has happened and answer truthfully if guards come to search—you do not have the key to this room, you do not know where the owner keeps it, but it is always locked."

She swallowed. She didn't want this to be true, and yet she felt almost certain that it must be the more she thought about it. "You're the owner, aren't you?"

"You think so?"

"We never see him, but the worst of customers stays away without us having a protector. Sawa and I were both hired and given a home not long after the orphanage closed and we were on our own. And you… you would have kept an eye on me to make sure I didn't tell anyone about the boy I believed was dead."

Waka nodded. "All of that is true."

"You are the owner, aren't you? That's why Kent felt safe coming here, but Ikki thought he would have avoided its 'obvious connection.'"

"Kent is also unaware of that fact. He simply enjoys this tavern for what it is and what he does not have to be when he is here."

"Why lie to him? Why keep that from him? That other thing you said would cost him his life, but this? Why hide it? Kent wouldn't go telling everyone, would he?"

Waka shook his head. "No. He would not, though that is not why I refrained from mentioning it. I did not want him believing that I was the only refuge he had. That would have trapped him, and given the self-destructive behavior Ikki shows and how little care Kent took towards his own health in general, that seemed unwise."

"You mean how he never sleeps and doesn't eat enough?"

"Yes."

"Why not make him more of that tea for sleeping and forgetting? He's fond of the way you make tea. He didn't want anyone else to make it—even my skill is only passable in his eyes, though his tea tasted fine when he made it the other night. Oh. He wasn't kidding about how the kitchen staff would be afraid if he went in there."

"No, he was not joking. They would not wish him present as it adds too much stress. He can be critical of the food and the methods used to prepare it, and in general, having a prince around does make them all nervous."

She nodded. That made sense and fit with what she knew of Kent. "I… You should probably go."

Waka frowned. "And why would I do that?"

"You said it wasn't safe for Kent, that people would be looking for him. And Raijin's going to expect you to be that person who's doing the looking, isn't he? So… you have to go back and start the search before he realizes you're gone."

"It is too late for that."

"What?"

"My position—and likely my life—is forfeit now. I knew that when I took Kent from the castle."