Chapter 2

It had been a near two months since the murders of two families within King Richard's high court. He tried to remain hopeful, however. The new lords that stepped in their parent's place were beginning to mold into fine young leaders. But, he still worried about the Rosenkruez family most of all.

He knew the two brothers were very much unprepared to take the roles of their parents at such a young age. The jolly old king could only hope that keeping the two busy with odd and end errands and simple gatherings such as this would ease their burden.

"Christian my boy! Take your brother's heed and eat! There is much food to be shared." He gave his solemn second in command a warm smile, motioning for a maid to bring the teenager more food.

"Many thanks, your majesty, but I fear I am not -"

"Now, now, Christian. Don't give me that." The King's kindly voice remained steady and ever joyous. "You have hardly touched any of your meal. How do you expect to work under Lord Crawford let alone myself with no nutrition? You are skin and skeleton as it is!"

"Finally someone tells him…." Mokuba muttered between bites of food, grinning playfully against his brother's glare.

"Your majesty, I assure you, I am perfectly fine." He stated, politely folding his arms over his chest. "I would be better, though, if we could get on with your reasoning for calling us here."

Richard sighed, nodding. "Always ready to move on with life, eh Christian? Well, my son had brought a rather interesting note to my attention a few days past when we were traveling from London… I had heard that your governess took leave after your parent's deaths?"

"Her contract became void with their murders." Christian respectfully corrected. Why everyone tried to mellow down his parent's passing was beyond him. It wasn't death... it was a massacre.

"Ah, I see…" The king remained silent a moment, but when he went to speak once more, a voice from the door cut him off. "Well, then it seems all our hard work was not wasted, father."

Seto narrowed his gaze towards the lithe prince as he leaned against the doorframe. "What do you mean?" His gaze turned to the king once more, questioning him more so than the prince. Even though the two had grown up together and were even friends in their younger days, he couldn't help this feeling of change in Atem. He just didn't know the prince any more and the less that he confronted him, the better he felt.

"Well, my son thought it would be wise to find you another governess. Not to care for you any longer, of course, Christian, but for your brother when you are off on errand or in court." Richard stood, making his way around to where the two brothers sat side by side.

"Beg your pardon, sire, but I can take care of myself as well." Mokuba stated, annoyed for being seen as an incompetent child.

Atem waved a hand to silence the boy. "Nonsense! You brother is far too busy to spend all his time watching over you, young Rosenkruez."

Seto rested a gentle hand on Mokuba's shoulder, giving him a small squeeze. "I'm sorry to say that they have a point… I would feel a little better knowing you had someone there to care for you."

"But, I have the maids! The guardsmen around the estate!" The ebony tresses of the sprite swayed as he stood, facing all three of them. His eyes searched frantically among the three, looking for any sign that they might be joking. His eyes finally fell on his brother once more. "Seto… I'm not a child anymore!"

Atem fell into laughter. "You're barely, what, twelve as of last summer? No longer a child, ha!"

"Henry!" King Richard glared at his son, silencing him. "Do not judge the boy nor mock him." He made for the door, turning to the two once more. "Let us know of your decision, Christian?" Without waiting for an answer, he brushed past his son, grasping his arm and leading him away from the room.

Seto sighed, kneeling before his little brother. "Mokuba, listen to me…"

"You said that we would be taking care of each other now, Seto! You promised!" Tears began to sting at the back of the child's eyes, but he fought them back. He had to keep strong, strong like his brother was, strong like his father had been. Besides, tears over this would only prove Atem's accusations of him being a child. He couldn't have that now.

"Listen to me… I know I promised, but Mokuba… We still have yet to find who sent that assassin after mother and father as well as several others inside the King's court. I would feel much safer if you had someone there to specifically watch you and only you." He held his brother tight then, hugging him protectively. "I'll always be here to protect you, but there are times when the extra security would ease my mind…"

The child nodded, squeezing his brother's broad shoulders as tightly as he could, a few tears escaping as he pressed his eyes tightly closed. He hated it when his brother made a good point. "I know, Seto… I know…"

Pulling back, Seto smirked at him. "How about this… If you don't like the governess that they've appointed for us, then I'll fire her and you can choose one that you like."

"Sounds fair, I suppose…" He wrinkled up his nose a little, wiping his face clean. "But, what if I don't like any of them?"

Seto chuckled, patting his shoulder as he stood. "You'll find one, I am sure." He turned towards the door, opening it slowly. "Now, lets go meet this mystery governess and get home. Cookie will be worried about us if we're gone too long."

She mentally sighed, already bored with waiting and the King's idle jokes. Now she remembered why she hated working for royalty: the upper class numb skulls and their brainless social chatter. Oh how it sickened her to no end. Why couldn't they just get to the point and move on with life?

'The payment for this had better be well worth it.' She thought sourly, glancing irritably at the regal prince as he leaned against the foyer's grand stair before the sound of a lock falling open caught all their ears. Thank goodness. Other wise, the King might have literally chattered her senseless.

"Ah, here they are!" The king's grin was contagious as it made every other face in the room perk with a smile.

"I take it this is the governess you spoke so well of, my lord?" Seto asked, resting his hands on Mokuba's shoulders as he stood behind the child, making sure he stayed in place. He wasn't about to let him back out after their little chat.

King Richard nodded at the two brothers, leading her closer to them. She could feel the elder of the two studying her, his gaze roaming over her in slight approval. She studied him right back, but kept a smile on her face. "Milady, I'd like to introduce you to Lord Christian Rosenkruez and his brother Mokuba. Boys, this is Miss Nephtyri Salea."

He studied her closer as she bowed her head, curtseying lowly to the two. Her long black hair had been pulled elegantly back into a simple braid, a few stray strands of onyx silk falling into her face. Her golden eyes contrasted perfectly with her olive toned skin, both complimented by the simple blue hues of her middle class attire. Seto narrowed his eyes at her.

She was barely his age, maybe a little younger than that. He dared not question the Prince's judgment of her until he had time to make one of his own, though. He would have to wait. Maybe her youth would prove helpful in caring for the young sprite between them.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, my lords. I have been told much about you by Prince Henry." She shuddered at the sugariness of her own voice, but she had to attempt to fit the role of a high society governess. Her contract, and possibly her life, depended on it. Not to mention the rest of her payment.

The young ebon haired Rosenkruez blinked at her a moment as she recomposed her almost regal posture. "Aren't you a little young to be a governess?"

"Mokuba!" Seto hissed, ridiculing him slightly. But, her soft, hushed laughter stopped him.

"All the better to keep up with you, Sprite." She smiled, patting the child on the head. "That is, if you'll have me."

"Of course they will!" King Richard smiled, clasping a hand over her shoulder as well as Seto's, a broad grin covering his face yet again.

Seto nodded, bowing to the King a moment later. "I wish we could stay longer, my lord. But, we best embark for home so that Miss Salea will have time to settle in."

"Oh, Christian! Before you go, may I speak to you in my study a moment?" The King asked, stopping them short from exiting the regal country house.

Nodding, Seto instructed Mokuba to lead his new governess on to their waiting carriage. Something in the King's voice told him that the return home would be a very, very short stay.