Warning: AU, Ran/Ken, Sudo-Historical Romance.
Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter Three, onto Chapter Four!
Disclaimer: Weiss belongs to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss, I'm just playing.
Tell Him That it Wasn't Love
Chapter Four
Ken entered the house quietly through the kitchen. Rosie was at the fireplace spooning stew into a tureen and Old Shoop was at the table. The family dinner had not yet concluded, but once it did Mrs. Hudson and Molly would be down.
"Ah, here you are, hey? And how were them nobles in the wilderness?" Rosie asked turning from the hanging pot.
Ken smiled broadly.
"They were nice. Really nice, and we had fun!" he exclaimed. He realized he sounded like an excited child, but he didn't care. It had been the first day of leisure he'd had in eight years and he'd spent it with new people. People he'd never met before and they considered him a friend. Well, at least two of them did. He wasn't sure about Lord Ran. It was hard to know what was going on beneath his emotionless surface. But there had been that tiny smile, and Ken had caught Ran watching him a few times, which caused his face to heat up and his pulse to quicken. He pushed thoughts of the stoic red-head away as he felt his cheeks begin to burn.
At that moment Mrs. Hudson and Molly entered the kitchen and descended the stairs with large trays of dirty dishes. Ken rushed over to take Mrs. Hudson's. He smiled brightly and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Why, Master Ken, I don't believe you've kissed me like that since you were a babe on my knee," she giggled. "I take it you had a good day?"
"I had a great day, Mrs. Hudson. How did things go here?" Ken set the tray near the wash basin and turned to face her, his eyes now anxious.
"Fine, Master Ken. You can be away one day without the manor collapsing."
"What about...two?" he asked sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
Molly set her tray down with a loud crash.
"Another day?! They're comin' back then, Master Ken?!" she cried.
"Molly, shouting is unladylike," Mrs. Hudson said gently.
"Sorry, Mam."
Everyone looked at Ken expectantly and he smiled.
* * *
Dinner at the inn had been excellent. The mistress had prepared a wonderful stew. She had been thrilled with the trout, promising to bake it immediately. Lord Ran however had insisted that she prepare it for herself and her family.
He was now seated before the fire in his room, a book open on his lap. He absently scanned the pages without seeing them. Images of sparkling brown eyes and a sweet smile danced before his mind's eye. The sound of a soft voice and a rich laugh echoed in his ears. He sighed deeply. A sudden knock at his door caused Ran to jump and broke him from his reverie. He shut the book.
"Come in, Yohji."
The Prince sauntered in with a roguish grin and sat down opposite his cousin. Ran met his eyes almost wearily.
"So, what we have here is a young man employed, or indentured, to a wealthy land holder who has never been trained to ride, or taught even rudimentary deportment. What can we conclude from this?" the Prince asked loudly.
"Ken is not expected to serve in any capacity where he would come into contact with anyone besides the family," Ran answered quietly. "Its hardly unusual."
"Still, something bothers me."
"And me as well," Ran sighed.
"Tomorrow, with your permission, I'd like to employ Omi in a little information gathering. I suspect he'll prove rather good at it," the Prince smirked.
Ran arched an eyebrow.
"Just what is it that you hope to accomplish?" he asked. "Whether we like it or not in a few days we leave and Ken stays."
Had he just sounded bitter? He glanced quickly at Yohji to judge his reaction. The Prince was lounging in the chair studying the intricately carved mantle piece. Ran heaved an inward sigh of relief.
"To be honest, Cousin, I'm not sure that I want to accomplish anything," Yohji said fixing Ran with his eyes. "One of the flaws in my brilliant idea to get you from Court was the lack of intellectual stimulation and distraction. Now that seems to have been provided."
Ran blinked. Was that it? Was that all this fascination was? He felt instantly relieved. Of course, Yohji was right. Ran was an intellectual person and Ken was a puzzle.
"Just look at the change that's occurred in you in two days time. We should've come here seven months ago."
Ran smiled gently at his cousin. "I doubt I would've found this mystery as appealing last October."
Yohji smiled sadly in return. "I'm sorry I put you through that. I thought life at Court, even off season, would divert you. Omi was frantic to get you away from Richard's family. He was afraid you would do yourself harm."
"I might have," Ran admitted, looking into the fire.
The Prince released a long sigh. "Thank God for Omi. Your mother and sister would never forgive me if I allowed anything to happen to you."
Yohji stood, stretched and moved toward the door.
"Yohji."
The Prince stopped and turned toward his cousin.
"What happened at Court was not your fault. I'm sorry that you are the one paying for it," Ran said looking earnestly at his cousin.
Yohji snorted. "I disagree, but I won't argue the point. A year away will be rather good for me I think. Perhaps I'll take two," he winked jauntily and left, bidding his cousin good night as he did.
Ran turned back towards the fire and thoughts of the brown haired youth he'd known for only a day.
* * *
Caroline smiled as Ken quietly entered her room. When she held out her arms he threw himself into them before settling on the floor before her.
"How can I ever thank you? You're my guardian angel," he said, his eyes bright and suspiciously moist.
Caroline laughed softly and brushed his bangs out of his face. "I take it you had fun?"
Ken nodded enthusiastically and launched into a detailed description of the day's events. Caroline smiled through it. She was delighted. Ken had never shown this level of excitement or been this animated over anything before. Of course, his life held little to be excited about. Caroline often found herself wondering how he remained so cheerful and optimistic, but then his mother had been that way.
Caroline and her sisters had not known their stepmother very long, but she had instantly endeared herself to the three young girls. They had truly grieved for her at her passing. Perhaps her sisters' animosity toward Ken sprang from the fact that he reminded them everyday of the mother they'd never had, and the second mother they'd lost.
"So, they're returning tomorrow and I agreed to be their guide again," Ken finished with a sigh. "I know I shouldn't have agreed, Caroline, but I couldn't help it. I want to see them again."
Ken's eyes pleaded for understanding. Caroline smiled gently into them.
"Of course you did. There's nothing wrong with that, Ken. You should see them again. I'm sure I can come up with something to keep Pa-pa occupied. He'll never notice your absence. Molly and I shall discuss it tomorrow before breakfast."
Caroline nodded to herself. When she became determined about something there wasn't much that could stop her.
Ken smirked then frowned. "Please, be careful," he said.
She petted his head as if he were a dog. "Do not worry, little brother. I shall handle everything."
Ken could see she had her teeth in it now and would not let go. He rose and bid her good night. As he left he noticed the calculating look in her eyes. He hoped he would never be on the receiving end of one of her schemes. They usually worked out exactly as she intended.
* * *
By the time the family gathered for breakfast Ken, Omi and the two nobles were off to visit some of the sights Ken had pointed out the day before. Caroline quietly ate her porridge and bided her time while her sisters chatted about who they could get to visit over the summer.
"Prince Yohji and Lord Ran were very fine. Perhaps we could convince them to return," Justine said.
"Yes, pa-pa. Why did you send them away?" April asked.
"Because the prince is Ken's cousin, and it is far too dangerous to us for them to stay," Sir Sneller answered, sipping his tea.
"Why? What could he do, Pa-pa? According to Ma-ma 's will Ken doesn't inherit until he's twenty-one. You've kept a roof over his head and managed the estate well."
"That is very true, Justine. But I doubt he would appreciate Ken's position in the household. I do not believe the Prince would see the benefit in Ken's education," Sir Sneller explained. "I think he would see it as servitude and not what it is."
"I've always thought teaching the boy how the estate is run by having him work on it was rather brilliant," put in April.
"Thank you, my Dear."
Caroline swallowed her ire, and put on her best smile.
"In fact, I'd better call the boy," Sir Sneller said suddenly. "I want him to-"
"Ken isn't here, Pa-pa," she spoke up quickly. Sir Sneller fixed her with a surprised look. "Molly told me this morning that he's gone to cut thatch for a hole in the barn roof. He intended to do it yesterday, but had to assist in the cleaning of the sun room."
"Ah, well, its good to see the boy showing initiative," Sir Sneller nodded his approval. "There is nothing like hard work for building character."
"Yes, Pa-pa," Caroline smiled into her tea cup.
* * *
The four men were stopped for lunch under an apple tree in the orchard. Ken had shown them several of the sights he deemed worthy of interest, and the noblemen and their servant seemed to have enjoyed each. The orchard itself, though hardly maintained, was quite extensive and boasted several types of apples as well as four cherry trees at the end closest to the manor. All would be in full bloom in a few weeks time, but for now sported pale green leaves.
"You should see it in May," Ken said rather dreamily. "Its beautiful then. That's when I wish I were an artist so I could capture all its colors. There's a painting in the manor of a field of lilies, but I think I'd rather have the pinks and whites of the apple trees."
He gazed thoughtfully up into the clear blue sky. So far the day had gone as well, if not better, than the previous one. Except for Omi's questions. The young servant had asked several during the morning, each proceeded by some information about his own life. It had taken Ken a while to figure out what he was doing, and then he wasn't sure what to do about it. He couldn't not answer and he was well aware of his inability to lie effectively. Ken knew he wore everything on his face and in his eyes. He'd finally decided on direct answers that were mostly the truth.
Omi had three older brothers and a younger half sister. Did Ken have any siblings? Yes, he had three older sisters. Omi's brothers were in the navy. What about Ken's sisters? Were they married? No, they were all still at home. Omi's father had served in the royal navy like his brothers. Had Ken's father worked on the estate before his death? That had been the hardest to answer. Ken couldn't very well say that the estate had been his father's, his grand father's before that, and had been gifted to his great-grand father by the former King himself. He'd settled for a simple "Yes, he had" and walked away as quickly as possible to point out some interesting plants to Lord Ran. Ken had wanted to forget about his life at the manor and pretend that he belonged with these three men, but Omi had made that impossible. He sighed. Oh well, he supposed he should happily take what he could get.
Ken felt something poking him in the shin and looked to see what. It was Prince Yohji's toe. The Prince was sprawled out under an apple tree and looking half asleep.
"Where to now, Ken? I think we should move on before we all lose ourselves to sleep. My cousin is already napping."
Lord Ran's purple eyes snapped open and fixed the Prince with a glare. "I was merely resting my eyes," he stated.
"Well, look at Omi then."
All eyes turned to take in the blond headed youth who was lying in the grass near Ken. His eyes were shut and he was beginning to snore through his open mouth. Ken snickered and shook his friend's shoulder. Omi snorted loudly and looked around blinking.
"I wasn't asleep," he said.
The others laughed. Even Ran, Yohji noticed.
"What next, Ken?" the stoic red-head asked softly.
"On the far side of the orchard are the ruins of an old church," he said turning away quickly to hide his sudden blush. "It burned when I was five or six from a lightning strike. There isn't much left. But there is a beautiful stained glass window that survived intact. I go there to explore whenever I can get away."
"Sounds like fun," chirped Omi rising and stretching. "Shall we go?"
It didn't take long to cross the orchard. On the far side a little wood had grown up and just inside was the skeleton of the old church. It looked as though part of the church had been constructed of stone and that was what remained. Several walls rose up among the trees. One of them held a beautiful, large, round stained glass window. Around its edge were twisting vines and flowers which encircled a picture of an ocean over which flew a dove with a twig clutched in its jaw. The colors were vivid. The small group stopped before it, admiring silently.
"Its truly magnificent, Ken," Yohji whispered in awe.
"My favorite time to come here is the winter. The sun rises right behind the window and casts the colors onto the snow. Its like a painting that's made with light. When I was little I'd sit in the center and imagine I was part of the painting." Ken smiled at the memory and laughed softly at himself.
Ran was struck by a clear vision of the sweet boy sitting in the snow surrounded by a rainbow of colors. he felt his heart pound in his chest. Absently he placed a hand over it.
"Its a shame the woods will grow up around this. In a few years it won't be visible," commented Yohji.
"No, I keep them cut back," Ken said.
"Sir Sneller must appreciate that," the Prince said absently.
"He doesn't know," Ken stated quietly. Three sets of startled eyes turned from the window to him. His tone contained the first hint of anger they'd heard. It had also suggested that he didn't care whether Sir Sneller found out or not. "I'm the only one who comes here."
Ken looked at his feet and dug his toe into the soft soil of the woods. Yohji, Omi and Ran exchanged glances. The Prince, sensing Ken needed a moment alone to re-order his feelings, moved away to explore further. Omi followed him. He'd sensed his earlier questioning had been worrying to Ken and Omi didn't want to alienate him. Ran remained where he was, silently observing the young man.
Ken inwardly chastised himself while he dug up the earth with his toe. The more time he spent with these men the more time he wanted to spend with them, but knew he couldn't. The more he thought about it the more his anger and resentment grew toward his stepfather. It had always been there, he realized. Safely tucked away inside him where it wouldn't cause him trouble. But this time with the Prince and his friends had given Ken a taste of the life that he could be living. It made him hungry for more. Before now he hadn't been so dissatisfied with his life. Of course, he'd wanted the love and affection of his stepfather, and to feel truly accepted by his family. But that hadn't been meant to be and there'd been no use dwelling on it. Better to accept life as it was and live it. But now...now he longed for more. He raised his eyes to the colorful window and thought something he'd never thought before, "Why me?"
A movement slightly behind him startled Ken out of his thoughts. He turned to find Lord Ran standing there also observing the window. Although Ran didn't take his eyes from the stained glass Ken still felt his face heat up and his heart quicken its pace. Flustered, he turned back to the window.
"However did you find this place?" Ran asked quietly.
Ken shrugged and shook his head. "I can't remember," he answered, trying to collect his scattered thoughts. "I think my mother brought me here when I was very young. I think she might've been married here."
They looked at the window in silence for a moment. Ken peeked sideways at the red-headed man beside him. Ran was once again dressed all in black. Ken set his jaw and screwed up his courage.
"Those black clothes'll be pretty hot in the summer time," he stated.
Ran's eyes widened and swung around to meet Ken's. The young man turned away quickly, but then looked back.
"I - I'm sorry about your friend Richard," he said meekly. "I hope you feel better soon."
Ken felt his face burn, but he couldn't turn away from those violet eyes. To his astonishment Ran's face softened and he smiled a bit.
"Thank you, Ken."
"You - you're welcome," Ken said quickly and then turned away. His heart was racing and he couldn't think straight. He was infinitely relieved when Yohji and Omi appeared a moment later. Ken hurriedly suggested they move along to a pond he wanted them to see, and they readily agreed.
* * *
"How did all the fish get in there? Does Sir Sneller have it stocked?" Omi asked looking down the embankment at the pond.
It was of an impressive size. seeming more like a small lake than a large pond.
Ken chuckled. "No, I doubt he even knows its here," he laughed. "Every April and October the river floods. Some of the fish get caught here, some escape, all of them breed. The pond itself is spring fed, so the water stays pretty fresh for them."
"I think there are more fish here than at the lake," Omi stated.
"No, just a smaller area to fill," Ken laughed again.
"We should come fishing here," suggested Omi. He turned to the Prince to get his opinion. Ken stopped laughing.
"I think that's a fine idea, Omi. How about it, Ken? Can you join us?"
The brown haired youth turned startled eyes on the Prince and began to stutter. "I - I - I - I..."
"Its okay if you can't, Ken," Yohji smiled. "We understand that you have responsibilities. Don't worry. But we enjoy your company and would like it if you could join us."
Ken blinked. He dropped his head and stared hard at the ground, frowning. After a moment he lifted his chin, his mouth set in a determined line.
"Th-thank you," he said. "It will be my pleasure to join you tomorrow."
One more day, he told himself. One more day, and then he would happily resign himself to his fate once again.
Author's Note: Well, not much to talk about in this chapter. Just the second day out. The story of Cinderella that I grew up with had her going to the ball three nights in a row, which always made more sence to me as it would give her a better chance to get to know the prince. So I used that version. Although, after the third day my story and Cinderella part company. Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Please R & R!
Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter Three, onto Chapter Four!
Disclaimer: Weiss belongs to Takehito Koyasu and Project Weiss, I'm just playing.
Tell Him That it Wasn't Love
Chapter Four
Ken entered the house quietly through the kitchen. Rosie was at the fireplace spooning stew into a tureen and Old Shoop was at the table. The family dinner had not yet concluded, but once it did Mrs. Hudson and Molly would be down.
"Ah, here you are, hey? And how were them nobles in the wilderness?" Rosie asked turning from the hanging pot.
Ken smiled broadly.
"They were nice. Really nice, and we had fun!" he exclaimed. He realized he sounded like an excited child, but he didn't care. It had been the first day of leisure he'd had in eight years and he'd spent it with new people. People he'd never met before and they considered him a friend. Well, at least two of them did. He wasn't sure about Lord Ran. It was hard to know what was going on beneath his emotionless surface. But there had been that tiny smile, and Ken had caught Ran watching him a few times, which caused his face to heat up and his pulse to quicken. He pushed thoughts of the stoic red-head away as he felt his cheeks begin to burn.
At that moment Mrs. Hudson and Molly entered the kitchen and descended the stairs with large trays of dirty dishes. Ken rushed over to take Mrs. Hudson's. He smiled brightly and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Why, Master Ken, I don't believe you've kissed me like that since you were a babe on my knee," she giggled. "I take it you had a good day?"
"I had a great day, Mrs. Hudson. How did things go here?" Ken set the tray near the wash basin and turned to face her, his eyes now anxious.
"Fine, Master Ken. You can be away one day without the manor collapsing."
"What about...two?" he asked sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
Molly set her tray down with a loud crash.
"Another day?! They're comin' back then, Master Ken?!" she cried.
"Molly, shouting is unladylike," Mrs. Hudson said gently.
"Sorry, Mam."
Everyone looked at Ken expectantly and he smiled.
* * *
Dinner at the inn had been excellent. The mistress had prepared a wonderful stew. She had been thrilled with the trout, promising to bake it immediately. Lord Ran however had insisted that she prepare it for herself and her family.
He was now seated before the fire in his room, a book open on his lap. He absently scanned the pages without seeing them. Images of sparkling brown eyes and a sweet smile danced before his mind's eye. The sound of a soft voice and a rich laugh echoed in his ears. He sighed deeply. A sudden knock at his door caused Ran to jump and broke him from his reverie. He shut the book.
"Come in, Yohji."
The Prince sauntered in with a roguish grin and sat down opposite his cousin. Ran met his eyes almost wearily.
"So, what we have here is a young man employed, or indentured, to a wealthy land holder who has never been trained to ride, or taught even rudimentary deportment. What can we conclude from this?" the Prince asked loudly.
"Ken is not expected to serve in any capacity where he would come into contact with anyone besides the family," Ran answered quietly. "Its hardly unusual."
"Still, something bothers me."
"And me as well," Ran sighed.
"Tomorrow, with your permission, I'd like to employ Omi in a little information gathering. I suspect he'll prove rather good at it," the Prince smirked.
Ran arched an eyebrow.
"Just what is it that you hope to accomplish?" he asked. "Whether we like it or not in a few days we leave and Ken stays."
Had he just sounded bitter? He glanced quickly at Yohji to judge his reaction. The Prince was lounging in the chair studying the intricately carved mantle piece. Ran heaved an inward sigh of relief.
"To be honest, Cousin, I'm not sure that I want to accomplish anything," Yohji said fixing Ran with his eyes. "One of the flaws in my brilliant idea to get you from Court was the lack of intellectual stimulation and distraction. Now that seems to have been provided."
Ran blinked. Was that it? Was that all this fascination was? He felt instantly relieved. Of course, Yohji was right. Ran was an intellectual person and Ken was a puzzle.
"Just look at the change that's occurred in you in two days time. We should've come here seven months ago."
Ran smiled gently at his cousin. "I doubt I would've found this mystery as appealing last October."
Yohji smiled sadly in return. "I'm sorry I put you through that. I thought life at Court, even off season, would divert you. Omi was frantic to get you away from Richard's family. He was afraid you would do yourself harm."
"I might have," Ran admitted, looking into the fire.
The Prince released a long sigh. "Thank God for Omi. Your mother and sister would never forgive me if I allowed anything to happen to you."
Yohji stood, stretched and moved toward the door.
"Yohji."
The Prince stopped and turned toward his cousin.
"What happened at Court was not your fault. I'm sorry that you are the one paying for it," Ran said looking earnestly at his cousin.
Yohji snorted. "I disagree, but I won't argue the point. A year away will be rather good for me I think. Perhaps I'll take two," he winked jauntily and left, bidding his cousin good night as he did.
Ran turned back towards the fire and thoughts of the brown haired youth he'd known for only a day.
* * *
Caroline smiled as Ken quietly entered her room. When she held out her arms he threw himself into them before settling on the floor before her.
"How can I ever thank you? You're my guardian angel," he said, his eyes bright and suspiciously moist.
Caroline laughed softly and brushed his bangs out of his face. "I take it you had fun?"
Ken nodded enthusiastically and launched into a detailed description of the day's events. Caroline smiled through it. She was delighted. Ken had never shown this level of excitement or been this animated over anything before. Of course, his life held little to be excited about. Caroline often found herself wondering how he remained so cheerful and optimistic, but then his mother had been that way.
Caroline and her sisters had not known their stepmother very long, but she had instantly endeared herself to the three young girls. They had truly grieved for her at her passing. Perhaps her sisters' animosity toward Ken sprang from the fact that he reminded them everyday of the mother they'd never had, and the second mother they'd lost.
"So, they're returning tomorrow and I agreed to be their guide again," Ken finished with a sigh. "I know I shouldn't have agreed, Caroline, but I couldn't help it. I want to see them again."
Ken's eyes pleaded for understanding. Caroline smiled gently into them.
"Of course you did. There's nothing wrong with that, Ken. You should see them again. I'm sure I can come up with something to keep Pa-pa occupied. He'll never notice your absence. Molly and I shall discuss it tomorrow before breakfast."
Caroline nodded to herself. When she became determined about something there wasn't much that could stop her.
Ken smirked then frowned. "Please, be careful," he said.
She petted his head as if he were a dog. "Do not worry, little brother. I shall handle everything."
Ken could see she had her teeth in it now and would not let go. He rose and bid her good night. As he left he noticed the calculating look in her eyes. He hoped he would never be on the receiving end of one of her schemes. They usually worked out exactly as she intended.
* * *
By the time the family gathered for breakfast Ken, Omi and the two nobles were off to visit some of the sights Ken had pointed out the day before. Caroline quietly ate her porridge and bided her time while her sisters chatted about who they could get to visit over the summer.
"Prince Yohji and Lord Ran were very fine. Perhaps we could convince them to return," Justine said.
"Yes, pa-pa. Why did you send them away?" April asked.
"Because the prince is Ken's cousin, and it is far too dangerous to us for them to stay," Sir Sneller answered, sipping his tea.
"Why? What could he do, Pa-pa? According to Ma-ma 's will Ken doesn't inherit until he's twenty-one. You've kept a roof over his head and managed the estate well."
"That is very true, Justine. But I doubt he would appreciate Ken's position in the household. I do not believe the Prince would see the benefit in Ken's education," Sir Sneller explained. "I think he would see it as servitude and not what it is."
"I've always thought teaching the boy how the estate is run by having him work on it was rather brilliant," put in April.
"Thank you, my Dear."
Caroline swallowed her ire, and put on her best smile.
"In fact, I'd better call the boy," Sir Sneller said suddenly. "I want him to-"
"Ken isn't here, Pa-pa," she spoke up quickly. Sir Sneller fixed her with a surprised look. "Molly told me this morning that he's gone to cut thatch for a hole in the barn roof. He intended to do it yesterday, but had to assist in the cleaning of the sun room."
"Ah, well, its good to see the boy showing initiative," Sir Sneller nodded his approval. "There is nothing like hard work for building character."
"Yes, Pa-pa," Caroline smiled into her tea cup.
* * *
The four men were stopped for lunch under an apple tree in the orchard. Ken had shown them several of the sights he deemed worthy of interest, and the noblemen and their servant seemed to have enjoyed each. The orchard itself, though hardly maintained, was quite extensive and boasted several types of apples as well as four cherry trees at the end closest to the manor. All would be in full bloom in a few weeks time, but for now sported pale green leaves.
"You should see it in May," Ken said rather dreamily. "Its beautiful then. That's when I wish I were an artist so I could capture all its colors. There's a painting in the manor of a field of lilies, but I think I'd rather have the pinks and whites of the apple trees."
He gazed thoughtfully up into the clear blue sky. So far the day had gone as well, if not better, than the previous one. Except for Omi's questions. The young servant had asked several during the morning, each proceeded by some information about his own life. It had taken Ken a while to figure out what he was doing, and then he wasn't sure what to do about it. He couldn't not answer and he was well aware of his inability to lie effectively. Ken knew he wore everything on his face and in his eyes. He'd finally decided on direct answers that were mostly the truth.
Omi had three older brothers and a younger half sister. Did Ken have any siblings? Yes, he had three older sisters. Omi's brothers were in the navy. What about Ken's sisters? Were they married? No, they were all still at home. Omi's father had served in the royal navy like his brothers. Had Ken's father worked on the estate before his death? That had been the hardest to answer. Ken couldn't very well say that the estate had been his father's, his grand father's before that, and had been gifted to his great-grand father by the former King himself. He'd settled for a simple "Yes, he had" and walked away as quickly as possible to point out some interesting plants to Lord Ran. Ken had wanted to forget about his life at the manor and pretend that he belonged with these three men, but Omi had made that impossible. He sighed. Oh well, he supposed he should happily take what he could get.
Ken felt something poking him in the shin and looked to see what. It was Prince Yohji's toe. The Prince was sprawled out under an apple tree and looking half asleep.
"Where to now, Ken? I think we should move on before we all lose ourselves to sleep. My cousin is already napping."
Lord Ran's purple eyes snapped open and fixed the Prince with a glare. "I was merely resting my eyes," he stated.
"Well, look at Omi then."
All eyes turned to take in the blond headed youth who was lying in the grass near Ken. His eyes were shut and he was beginning to snore through his open mouth. Ken snickered and shook his friend's shoulder. Omi snorted loudly and looked around blinking.
"I wasn't asleep," he said.
The others laughed. Even Ran, Yohji noticed.
"What next, Ken?" the stoic red-head asked softly.
"On the far side of the orchard are the ruins of an old church," he said turning away quickly to hide his sudden blush. "It burned when I was five or six from a lightning strike. There isn't much left. But there is a beautiful stained glass window that survived intact. I go there to explore whenever I can get away."
"Sounds like fun," chirped Omi rising and stretching. "Shall we go?"
It didn't take long to cross the orchard. On the far side a little wood had grown up and just inside was the skeleton of the old church. It looked as though part of the church had been constructed of stone and that was what remained. Several walls rose up among the trees. One of them held a beautiful, large, round stained glass window. Around its edge were twisting vines and flowers which encircled a picture of an ocean over which flew a dove with a twig clutched in its jaw. The colors were vivid. The small group stopped before it, admiring silently.
"Its truly magnificent, Ken," Yohji whispered in awe.
"My favorite time to come here is the winter. The sun rises right behind the window and casts the colors onto the snow. Its like a painting that's made with light. When I was little I'd sit in the center and imagine I was part of the painting." Ken smiled at the memory and laughed softly at himself.
Ran was struck by a clear vision of the sweet boy sitting in the snow surrounded by a rainbow of colors. he felt his heart pound in his chest. Absently he placed a hand over it.
"Its a shame the woods will grow up around this. In a few years it won't be visible," commented Yohji.
"No, I keep them cut back," Ken said.
"Sir Sneller must appreciate that," the Prince said absently.
"He doesn't know," Ken stated quietly. Three sets of startled eyes turned from the window to him. His tone contained the first hint of anger they'd heard. It had also suggested that he didn't care whether Sir Sneller found out or not. "I'm the only one who comes here."
Ken looked at his feet and dug his toe into the soft soil of the woods. Yohji, Omi and Ran exchanged glances. The Prince, sensing Ken needed a moment alone to re-order his feelings, moved away to explore further. Omi followed him. He'd sensed his earlier questioning had been worrying to Ken and Omi didn't want to alienate him. Ran remained where he was, silently observing the young man.
Ken inwardly chastised himself while he dug up the earth with his toe. The more time he spent with these men the more time he wanted to spend with them, but knew he couldn't. The more he thought about it the more his anger and resentment grew toward his stepfather. It had always been there, he realized. Safely tucked away inside him where it wouldn't cause him trouble. But this time with the Prince and his friends had given Ken a taste of the life that he could be living. It made him hungry for more. Before now he hadn't been so dissatisfied with his life. Of course, he'd wanted the love and affection of his stepfather, and to feel truly accepted by his family. But that hadn't been meant to be and there'd been no use dwelling on it. Better to accept life as it was and live it. But now...now he longed for more. He raised his eyes to the colorful window and thought something he'd never thought before, "Why me?"
A movement slightly behind him startled Ken out of his thoughts. He turned to find Lord Ran standing there also observing the window. Although Ran didn't take his eyes from the stained glass Ken still felt his face heat up and his heart quicken its pace. Flustered, he turned back to the window.
"However did you find this place?" Ran asked quietly.
Ken shrugged and shook his head. "I can't remember," he answered, trying to collect his scattered thoughts. "I think my mother brought me here when I was very young. I think she might've been married here."
They looked at the window in silence for a moment. Ken peeked sideways at the red-headed man beside him. Ran was once again dressed all in black. Ken set his jaw and screwed up his courage.
"Those black clothes'll be pretty hot in the summer time," he stated.
Ran's eyes widened and swung around to meet Ken's. The young man turned away quickly, but then looked back.
"I - I'm sorry about your friend Richard," he said meekly. "I hope you feel better soon."
Ken felt his face burn, but he couldn't turn away from those violet eyes. To his astonishment Ran's face softened and he smiled a bit.
"Thank you, Ken."
"You - you're welcome," Ken said quickly and then turned away. His heart was racing and he couldn't think straight. He was infinitely relieved when Yohji and Omi appeared a moment later. Ken hurriedly suggested they move along to a pond he wanted them to see, and they readily agreed.
* * *
"How did all the fish get in there? Does Sir Sneller have it stocked?" Omi asked looking down the embankment at the pond.
It was of an impressive size. seeming more like a small lake than a large pond.
Ken chuckled. "No, I doubt he even knows its here," he laughed. "Every April and October the river floods. Some of the fish get caught here, some escape, all of them breed. The pond itself is spring fed, so the water stays pretty fresh for them."
"I think there are more fish here than at the lake," Omi stated.
"No, just a smaller area to fill," Ken laughed again.
"We should come fishing here," suggested Omi. He turned to the Prince to get his opinion. Ken stopped laughing.
"I think that's a fine idea, Omi. How about it, Ken? Can you join us?"
The brown haired youth turned startled eyes on the Prince and began to stutter. "I - I - I - I..."
"Its okay if you can't, Ken," Yohji smiled. "We understand that you have responsibilities. Don't worry. But we enjoy your company and would like it if you could join us."
Ken blinked. He dropped his head and stared hard at the ground, frowning. After a moment he lifted his chin, his mouth set in a determined line.
"Th-thank you," he said. "It will be my pleasure to join you tomorrow."
One more day, he told himself. One more day, and then he would happily resign himself to his fate once again.
Author's Note: Well, not much to talk about in this chapter. Just the second day out. The story of Cinderella that I grew up with had her going to the ball three nights in a row, which always made more sence to me as it would give her a better chance to get to know the prince. So I used that version. Although, after the third day my story and Cinderella part company. Well, I hope you enjoyed it! Please R & R!