There was a knock on his door. He struggled to stand, swaying at first. He opened the front door finding a lady standing there, dressed smartly. She wore a skirt and vested outfit dropped with browns and tans, her plaid skirt going to her ankles and her hair mousy brown hair was tied up in a bun. She was the epitome of a "teacher". She assured her glasses looking down at him, "You are the new one, yes?" He stared at her blankly unsure of how to ensure that, and glad that she didn't seem to notice any of the blossoming bruises on his skin; most were hidden under his clothes, others only left invisible marks, the kind only to be seen if you knew where to look.
"Right, well come along. We don't want to be late. Your Royal Highness, the prince is waiting for us." She turned, glancing back over her shoulder signaling for him to follow. Begrudgingly, he did.
Passing through the castle he couldn't help but marvel at the luxuriousness of it all. She led them through the grand doors and through various halls, he noticed the quiet way the workers held their heads down and flitted around the place, slaving away. She led him to a room with various workers and shelves lined with fabrics of clothes and sheets. She picked up a neatly folded bundle of fabric and handed them to him to carry. Of course, he was here to work, but he couldn't help wondering where they were going throughout the grandeur place and if he would be forced to do anything...unsavory while he was there.
She led up one of the various staircases, across a hallway with stained glass windows, curtains draped the edges. She stopped at the end of the hallway and knocked on a door. It opened and there was the boy from the shop. Akihiko tried to hide his surprise by feigning indifference. It was odd, but for some reason, the boy gave him a calming sensation...he seemed too innocent to really do anything to him, (physically Akihiko figured he could take him, but knew, in reality, the power he actually held).
Akihiko got to work cleaning and making sure to look busy, even if he really wasn't-which proved to be a bit of a challenge since there really wasn't much for him to do at the time being. He tried to blend into the background while eavesdropping on the conversation, learning what he could while the information was being provided.
When the tutor left, he stood there awkwardly-unsure if he should follow; but he had overheard what she had said when they first arrived, that he was assigned to him. Something not uncommon, usually those of higher statuses had someone assigned to tend to their every whim, and need-sometimes they even had more than one assignee. He wondered to himself who, if anyone, he might be sharing tasks with when it came to tending to this boy-this prince , which, if he was a prince he was sure to have multiple people tending to him most likely every minute of the day. The thought of sharing him caused a slight pang on his chest as if he wanted him all to himself. What an absurd thought, he chided to himself. The boy was staring at him, and he stared right back.
"You still never told me your name," this puzzled Akihiko. No one had asked for his name since...he couldn't remember. Sometimes he almost forgot it himself-until he pulled hard enough at the thread and it came back to him out of the foggy haze. And of course, he had a name but he didn't know why the boy wanted to know so badly.
Now the boy was asking him to write...as if he didn't know that there was no way someone in his position would ever be trusted enough to be taught something as powerful as reading, or writing. The dangers that would come of that, and the repercussions for anyone that was found out that they contained the knowledge to do either.
"I know how to read and write, I can teach you! Then you can write your name!" Akihiko gaped at him. Is he an idiot? He thought to himself. Then it occurred to him, how sheltered this privileged young prince must be from the world. From all the things he himself had been forced to experience. Still, the offer was...intriguing, regardless of the consequences. If he could learn skills like that…the things he could do...His thoughts were interrupted as the boy sat on the edge of the bed, and started pointing to symbols on a page. The decision had been made for him, it seemed.
Akihiko followed Misaki out of the castle, Misaki had offered to walk him back, though Akihiko wasn't entirely sure why, He hated to admit it, but deep down he liked the company. Plus, he wasn't fond of the thought of being followed by one of the immoral guards. Misaki stopped, looking around like a lost dog, Akihiko pointed in the direction they should be headed, indicating to Misaki while wondering if the prince ever got out very much, sheltered as he was.
They approached the place he had been showing before being forced to head to the castle. It wasn't much, and it wasn't as if Akihiko was the one who had chosen to stay here, really. But he couldn't help but look at it through the prince's eyes, figuring this was probably the first time he had ever ventured out here if the guards' quick glances had anything to say about it as they stood warily a ways away.
Akihiko stopped outside the door, turning to the prince, waiting for him to leave. There was no way he would let him see the dreary inside, not after comparing it to the immaculate room they had just left. Plus, there was an instinctual part of him that screamed danger-he didn't know who was inside if any of those guards had come back to continue the job from before...and he didn't want to be responsible for traumatizing the poor boy, or worse-being looked down and pitied by him-he hadn't shown such feelings so far, and he wanted to keep it that way.
"It's, uh-getting late...I should...head back now..." the boy stammered, Akihiko nodded in agreement hoping he would just hurry up and leave already. Of course, as the boy turned to go, Akihiko witnessed him trip over a log, wincing as he fell. Sighing and slightly cursing himself for not going inside, he ran over to help the poor boy instead. He stooped down to see if he was hurt anywhere, noticing the boy's face turning a flushed shade of red.
"I'm fine, haha. Just tripped, is all…" Misaki ran a hand through the back of his head as he grinned up at him. Akihiko helped him stand-the boy's warm palms seeped into his shoulders...and lingered there. Akihiko felt his heart stammer slightly as he noticed the lingering touch. The boy dropped his arms quickly, and the cold air washed over where his touch had once been-leaving behind a burning sensation. Immediately, Akihiko missed the feel of the boy's touch. Before he could do anything else, the boy stammered something, turned, and ran back towards the castle. Akihiko watched him go, until he lost sight of him, wishing he would look back.