2

Ianto was packing as quickly as he could. Not only was he in a hurry as his essence was needed to save another, but he knew that elsewhere in the palace his mother was raging. As much as she disliked Ianto's appearance and visibly recoiled from him at times… she did not want her child handed over like a sacrificial lamb.

Ianto had to get away.

He was prepared for a loveless life… already had one of those. He was prepared to not fit in with others around him… already had that too. He might at least have a chance for some quiet. The grads smothered him here… the elders and advisors did too, all wanting to watch and imbibe the old blood. He was pretty after all, his rare throwback to the original Elvish line made him so …. Silent.

Yes.

Ianto stopped pacing as he found the word for himself.

He was silent. He had no voice, no one heard him. He spoke to the wind and the birds in the trees… no one cared. He might find a place for himself, if only as an advisor if he was lucky… at worst he would be at least a partner to this man. This man who would likely not be fond of him either but would allow him near… had to for his own life. Right? Ianto would see things… travel … experience the outside world. That would be enough.

Yes.

Ianto turned to find his old teacher in the doorway watching him, a bundle in his old hands.

"Master" Ianto rushed to him "I am escaping. Finally… I am finding a loophole that might let the sun on my face."

"She fights it. She fights tooth and nail though I do not know why. She is relieved as well" he croaked, shoving the bindle at him "Here… for your journey. Remember all I have tought you little one.. and… remember… the moon goddess sees all. She is with you."

"Thank you Gunther."

Ianto leaned in and kissed an old cheek so gently that it was as if butterfly's wings brushed against him but the power in the touch was there. The old man taking a sharp intake of beneath with delight as he felt the rush of affection from the boy. He knew his hands would ache a little less today.

He hoped this young prince knew how lucky he was to get this creature to bond to. That he would be grateful and respectful of the sacrifice offered.

He knew his heart would break letting him go.

His little mouse.

.

.

Myfanwy was saddled and she stood in the middle of the courtyard with the large Boeshanninan horses eyeing her up, their fear evident as she raised her head to stare down at them, her eyes seeming to glow. A true Fire Horse. She was like a demon.

The Boeshanninan contingent were staring at her with matching alarm, then one noticed a man leading another hose to stand by her. A slightly smaller one of a dark red colour, like polished wood. This horse was dainty compared to her, pretty and chiselled from a great artist's hand.

"Now that is a pretty horse" someone called out.

"She's mine" Rhys relied with a grin, lifting his bag "My things. Where do I stow them?"

They stared at him.

"I am Rhys. The prince's man. I go where he goes. I am part of the deal. Where do I put my things?"

"I am Owen. Ah… right. Hello, here in the carriage, under the seat. I guess his highness will have enough bags to fill a second carriage" Owen snarked "Might have to strap some to the…."

Ianto emerged from the castle's back door, moving fast as he had heard his mother's tempo change. She was winning the war in there and his father was on the verge of caving. He had hoped to say goodbye, get blessings and go with a clear heart but his mother… she was shrill in her anger.

Why keep a caged bird whose song disturbs you?

Ianto hefted a single kit bag at Rhys "That's it Rhysey Bear. Let's get out of here before she orders my arrest or some shit to stop me."

"She seems… animated" Rhys said and turned to the others to flick the bag at them to add to the carriage, further shocking everyone by getting on the pretty little one like he had said. IT was his. The young prince walked to the huge behemoth and to their immense curiosity, he reached up high to grip the saddle's pommel and simply… swung… into the seat.

He looked down on them and canted his head "Well? Shall we?"

No one came to say goodbye. His siblings all married and gone, his nieces and nephews mostly older than him too… he had always been alone. He would have liked his mother's blessing though. But knew he would never get it.

Even a touch form her rare.

He turned in the saddle to look back on his ancestral home one more time and was surprised to find no sorrow in the leaving of it. It was not his true home anyway. The Old Blood came from another place and this one had always felt… foreign to him. He had been treated like an outsider all his life for the strange stormy eyes. Pale skin and melodic voce so rarely used … he was used to it. He had no illusions that this would be a loveless bond, but he also revelled in the hope that he might gain some power here. Even if a little power over his own life… he might have those long walks in the sunlight he wished for without fear of people shying away.

Gods… he might even forego the hooded robes and look people in the eye without seeing them flinch as the shock of seeing Old Blood lookng back.

Who knows.

This man might even be likeable in some way.

Right?