A/N: This can technically be medieval AU as well, but I chose something else for that topic. Originally, I was going to write a dutiful Akihito who was stuck between his duty and his love for Asami, but that wasn't the case lol He ended up being more of a guy who followed everything his parents said until he realized he could fight back.
I added in an unimportant fiancée for Akihito because he would have a betrothed as a prince.
i might or might not taken inspiration from Akihito's wack ass kingdom from the Crown of Violets lmao
Sir Ryoma is Asami Ryuichi's alias while he is in the Kingdom of Wisteria.
-Lucicelo
Crown Prince Akihito's life was planned from the moment of his birth.
After multiple unstable years with no children, no heir, the king and queen of Wisteria received this blessing. The whole kingdom celebrated for days after the birth, excited to have security in the form of that newborn child.
The kingdom and queen sighed in relief.
Whispers of infertility traveled throughout the kingdom, packing on the anxiety the queen carried on her shoulders. Of course, no one thought to question the king, the problem lay on the queen. No matter what concoction she drank, nothing stayed in her womb. Without a baby, her place was easily replaceable.
Before there was talk of dissolving their marriage or for the king to bring in another wife, the queen got pregnant with their crown prince.
The peace didn't start until Akihito was born. Plump and healthy.
Akihito didn't understand his importance until he grew old enough to understand. He followed what was told to him with diligence and obedience. He knew no different than what was taught to him.
There was no room for questions or hesitation.
Every adult in his life shielded him from outside influences. The only occasions he received to see the people were during the Kingdom celebrations or the ride of a carriage through town. Otherwise, he remained in his castle, studying, training, spending time with appropriate sons of the elite, and attempting to build a semblance of family.
His connection to his parents was there, but not enough to build a semblance of comfort. Akihito couldn't trust them with his feelings. Past attempts to lessen his stress were met with condescending and well-meaning words. The crown prince would always deal with stress, even more so when he was crowned king.
Akihito also felt the immense distance between him and his siblings. The large age gaps didn't help. Living in different palaces deepened the bridge even further. Add on the apparent preferential treatment from everyone and his brother, Haruhito, build up resentment for him.
Before long, Akihito gave up trying to connect with his brother. There was no use prostrating to someone who swiped back at him. Soon enough, Akihito's gifts were returned in pieces.
As a result, his parents were harsher on his brother. Seeing his apparent tantrums as embarrassing and foolish, they ignored the evident signs of a discontent child. After all, his parents focused on their crown prince and their youngest daughter, leaving Haruhito as an afterthought.
Akihito could have felt bad, but he cut off contact after multiple rejections. At least, his sister Kimiko was simple in her desires and wants. She simply wanted an easy life and to not feel strain.
Akihito couldn't relate.
Throughout his life, Akihito tried to understand his parents' perspective. He was their oldest child, the son that survived past birth. The one they poured all their hopes and dreams on.
He was the next ruler of Wisteria, but he didn't want to be king.
Far from it, Akihito wanted to spent endless hours in his studio, painting imaginative landscapes of beautiful proportions. Akihito's spare time was reduced throughout the years. He couldn't even enjoy this one hobby without someone droning on and on about his duties.
He was sick of it.
If he could, he would reject the throne and have his brother take it. Haruhito certainly grumbled about not being given a chance, but did nothing to prove his claim.
Akihito didn't know whether or not Haruhito was fit for the rule. When would he have received the chance to observe him? Haruhito only showed vitriol toward him and never gained the tenacity to show his own strengths. The kid simply laid in his insecurities, stewing on the unfair treatment he received.
Regardless, Akihito couldn't quit or run away from his duties. He was stuck . Whether or not he wanted to rule was irrelevant, he was the oldest son.
No one else could take his place unless he died.
Akihito wasn't desperate enough for such an extreme step.
To not give himself hope, Akihito kept his thoughts to himself. Complaining about his monotonous life would release the same old platitudes, brushing aside his concerns as immaturity.
So, he fell into his role as the crown prince for a semblance of purpose. Anything to fill the gaps of loneliness and boredom.
His life got even more complicated after the king informed him of his engagement.
Attempting to appear invested through sipping his tea and eating the pastries, Akihito listened to his parents talk to his fiancée's parents.
His fiancée, Lady Sakura Momochi, sat across from him, smiling in silence. She had not touched her tea or pastries. Before Akihito thought to ask, Lady Sakura's mother commented on keeping a strict diet between the both of them. The thought of gaining weight was unfathomable to them.
Akihito bit his cheek to keep himself from commenting. He found it ridiculous for them to not enjoy a simple fruit tart. Fruit tarts were healthy.
The queen giggled behind her fan. "Lady Sakura has grown into such a lovely young lady. Don't you agree, my king?"
The king agreed. "Absolutely! I have heard no salacious rumors from Lady Sakura. Her attendance to social events have only circulated nothing but positive reactions."
Lady Sakura's father guffawed. "A fine queen in the making."
The king nodded. "Crown Prince Akihito and Lady Sakura will rule the lands well. I can rest easy once I abdicate the throne to them."
Turning his attention back to Lady Sakura, Akihito observed her. When she took notice, she blushed prettily and averted her eyes to her lap. Her long black hair was pinned back in an intricate style to accentuate her heart shaped face. She wore little makeup to show a fresh face.
Nothing stirred inside of him.
Nothing.
His father warned him of his duties as if no one else said the same words. Akihito could recite the blabber every adult told him through memory alone. They were not creative.
Every reassurance of his reign was nothing in comparison to their comments over his inevitable marriage.
How it was normal to not feel anything for his wife in the beginning. Even if he felt no love for his wife, she would be the mother figure of their kingdom and his children. He would build affection for her overtime. Maybe, even grow to love her after she gave him children.
The whole idea sounded miserable .
What else was there to do but tolerate this existence.
Akihito lived well. He worried for very little. His whole life's purpose was the throne. He didn't have to do anything more than study and marry well. But, the idea of his life didn't build excitement inside of him like when he was a child.
Akihito stuffed more pastries in his mouth and ignored the inhabitants of the entertainment room. Anytime he was asked a question, he responded and ate more food.
Life moved on.
Akihito went through the motions of his daily activities with a practiced smile. No one noticed his discontent or lack of interest.
During the planned preparations for his wedding, Akihito hid inside of his private studio at any open opportunity. He cared little about what happened to his wedding. No one called for him to arrive and inspect the components of the event. The queen, Lady Sakura's mother, and Lady Sakura were the ones in control of everything.
Akihito just had to show up to the fittings and pretend that he was happy to marry this stranger.
He couldn't soothe himself with the thought of cake. His own wedding cake was decided by someone else. All he wanted was chocolate or even simple vanilla. He knew this wouldn't happen.
From the manner Lady Sakura and her mother hated sugar, they would pick a lackluster cake to placate their own palette. Akihito predicted a string of complaints from his family members. He couldn't even complain alongside them.
Oh well.
His only solace was painting inside of his private studio. A place no one other than his servants stepped into. They knew to sweep and mop the floors but not to rearrange his painting supplies. Akihito kept a certain managed chaos where he knew where everything was despite being buried under pieces of paper.
None of his family members stepped foot in this place. Finding his hobby, a waste of time, unlike sword fighting. Of course, Akihito knew how to handle a sword, but he preferred a paintbrush than exercising outside.
As Akihito focused on the developing image of a waterfall landscape, someone knocked on his door.
Akihito yelled out. "Come in!"
The sound of jingling keys only meant the person was the butler of his palace. "My prince, there is an invitation to the main palace." His butler stood beside him with an envelope in his gloved hands.
Akihito held back the urge to groan out loud. The sudden rise in invitations was a ruse to get him in the same room as his betrothed. His mother, the queen, chastised him for not entertaining his fiancée properly. Of course, he got reprimanded when Lady Sakura did her best impression of a statue. She smiled and did nothing to add onto their conversation.
Akihito could keep blaming Lady Sakura on their lack of connection, but Akihito never extended his own hand. For all he knew, she could be shy, but after multiple forced parties he saw a different side to this woman. Akihito saw her mingling throughout the aristocrats with the ease of a seasoned lady.
Multiple nobles walked up to her, eager to speak to her. The future aristocrats who could have been Akihito's friends, spoke to his fiancée without restraint. Lady Sakura handled everyone with the grace of a queen. As if, she was already in the position of queen. Her posture and etiquette was flawless.
It was apparent that she enjoyed the outside world while Akihito was more or less imprisoned in his castle.
This wasn't fair .
Akihito paused before painting another line. He needed to calm himself down. Painting while feeling nothing less than tranquil would bring discord on his canvas. He decompressed his bottled-up feelings as he painted. This was not the time for him to make himself angry.
"Reject it." Akihito waved off his butler. Barely managing to hide his grimace, he turned his focus on the canvas and painted another stroke of paint.
"As you wish." The butler said before he left the room.
His rejection did nothing more than increase the invitations to his castle. Akihito grew frustrated enough to attend a few out of the many invitations sent to him. As expected, he tuned himself out of the situation, not caring that he was rude to his own betrothed.
"Akihito!" The queen cornered Akihito before he managed to leave the main palace. "How could you behave in such a way? Your fiancée is not a decoration to not be spoken to."
Akihito turned to his mother, controlling himself before he snapped at her. After all the badgering of their invitations, Akihito did as they asked. He arrived, was present, and stayed long enough before he was bored out of his mind.
Narrowing his eyes, Akihito breathed through his nose. "I am doing what you asked me to. I answered your invitation to tea, you never said I had to speak to her."
The queen harrumphed. "I have to spell it out for you? Akihito, you won't have a good married life if you don't get along with her."
"Mother," Akihito interjected. "I did what you asked me to do. What else do you want from me?"
Noticing a neutral face, the queen flinched. She had never seen her son behave in such a way. He was always courteous and never lacked a smile even while being reprimanded. Akihito listened to everything his council always told him and never did anything to contradict them.
Careful to not show her fear over his change of attitude, the queen inquired. "Akihito, are you unsatisfied with our choice? You never commented against us when we presented her to you."
"You wouldn't have let me choose or reject your choice?" Akihito retorted back to her. "I never had a choice in anything in my life. No one listened to what I have to say."
Wanting to calm him down, the queen told him. "We did all of this to make your life easier. Far easier than when your father ascended the throne. You won't have to suffer if you follow the plan. You just have to put in your part-"
Realizing his mother wouldn't listen to him, again, Akihito dismissed himself. "I shall take my leave," Bowing low, Akihito turned around and resumed walking toward the main entrance.
He ignored his mother's frantic cries of his name and the curious glances of the main palace servants.
The king's screaming did nothing more than shove more resentment in Akihito's heart.
Giving his father a blank look, Akihito tolerated the harsh words and apparent disappointment over his behavior. Considering Prince Haruhito lashed out against everyone and received no corrective lectures, Akihito listened to none of the king's words. His words were meaningless.
The queen sat beside the king, clenching her handkerchief with a sad expression on her face. Using her watery eyes to plead to Akihito to forgive her for informing the king about what happened after that tea party.
Akihito was worried about his lack of care for her feelings. He used everything in his power to bring a smile to his parents' faces. All he had to do was study hard and not cause trouble. He loved the warmness of pride that developed in his chest when his parents commented on his good behavior.
"We will get rid of that damned studio of yours and see-"
"You do that, and I will not stop myself from ruining our ties with the Momochi family." Akihito snapped. He was sick and tired of everything . "You dare threaten me with the only thing I care about when you let Haruhito run out servants every week? Are you listening to yourself?"
Without thinking, the king slapped Akihito.
The queen gasped.
Stunned at the reaction, Akihito let himself fall to his knees. Holding onto his cheek, he gritted his teeth as his face pulsated from the strength of the slap. His father had never slapped him before.
The king sounded flabbergasted when he said. "I-I didn't-"
Akihito stared down at his boots, unable to fathom his father's reaction. No matter what Haruhito did, his father never laid a hand on him. His little brother could do no wrong. He overheard his servants comment their gratitude over being in Akihito's castle. Their friends who were in Haruhiko's castle ended up quitting after being unable to tolerate his attitude.
Akihito couldn't even think or do anything off their planned life plan before he was reprimanded for not following orders.
Haruhito might complain over his position as second heir, but he was free. He didn't have to take care of his own actions or go beyond his capabilities to keep a good face. Akihito's own studio was threatened because he couldn't behave.
Then, it dawned on Akihito.
His parents weren't preparing him to be a king.
This was a molding for a figure head.
A true king didn't follow orders blindly. A king took suggestions from his advisors to make the right decision for his people. He was involved in all facets of his kingdom to understand what went wrong during a catastrophe. A king who knew his kingdom would prevent discomfort to the citizens of his kingdom. Akihito didn't know a thing about the smaller towns that surrounded Wisteria.
His knowledge of the outer kingdom was through old booklets. There were no current updates on the state farmlands, trading, the public assistance for the poor, or even talk of building alliances with other kingdoms. Akihito was given the accolades of their kingdom without teaching him their failures. He was ignorant of the country he was supposed to rule over.
Akihito read through books that retold his ancestors' reigns. Many of the old kings were controversial while others ruled over Wisteria without controversies. Akihito thought he would become the one who could rule well. But, from what he realized so far, he could become controversial if he submitted and did nothing.
The queen tried to touch his arm to comfort him but Akihito yanked his arm back.
Akihito stared right into her eyes and said. " Satisfied ?"
The tears in the queen's eyes trickled down her face. "Akihito-"
Akihito got up on his feet and informed the king. "You don't have to worry, my liege . I won't embarrass you."
The king physically flinched at the distant address. He struggled in finding the right words to justify his actions.
"May I be excused?"
The bond between Akihito and his parents was fractured beyond repair.
Mind opened to his reality; Akihito continued on playing the role of the crown prince. But he started denying visitations and invitations from his family. He needed time to think for himself. Away from the influence of adults who saw him as nothing more than a future idiot to control. Akihito wasn't fooled by the gifts his parents sent him. They were going to take back their control and tighten their hold onto him.
Akihito was tired of going along with what everyone else wanted. If he was to rule, he couldn't appear weak willed and submissive. This was the time for him to assert himself and make it known that he would make his own decisions.
Inside of his studio, his current paintings showed his discontent and chaos through the images. The colors were dark and depressing. His brushstrokes were rough, careless in his rage as he let out his emotions on his paintings. Akihito couldn't even meditate and find enjoyment in painting. His mind was in chaos.
Akihito had to meditate away from his canvas. He picked an empty area of his castle and spent hours upon hours in a meditative pose. Due to his conflicting emotions, he couldn't find peace in himself.
As he ate his hearty lunch, Akihito savored the rich fatty meat of his sandwich. The chef seemed to have taken more care into his food. Not that his chef was horrible, the man was exceptional. In recent weeks, Akihito's food was tastier than ever. He tended to ask for seconds when the maid entered to collect his food.
There were two meat sandwiches with homemade aioli, a side of pickled vegetables, tomato soup, caramel brulee, and a large jug of freshly squeezed orange juice. Akihito happily ate every single morsel and downed his orange juice.
Before he managed to dig into his caramel brulee, there was a knock on the door.
Akihito yelled. "Come in!"
The butler made his appearance, apprehension clear on his face.
Akihito readied himself to feel annoyed. There he was, eating a fantastic meal, and he was being disturbed.
The butler hesitantly held out another letter for Akihito to receive. "My prince-"
Akihito grabbed the letter, got up on his feet, walked to his fireplace, and threw the letter into the fire. Sparks of flames burst out as the letter was consumed by the fire. "Tell them to stop sending me invitations. I am not feeling well."
The butler bowed. "Yes, my prince."
Soon enough, word arrived that Akihito's betrothal was broken by the king.
The gesture was appreciated by Akihito, but he wasn't responding back to his parents just yet.
Receiving a black lined invitation, Akihito informed the butler to call a tailor.
The butler knew better than to smile at his sudden concession to this particular invite. Prince Akihito's demeanor during the last month continued to unfold. The easygoing prince was now a solemn and defiant young man who didn't smile at everything.
As much as the butler would like Prince Akihito to return to normal, the young man needed to think for himself. He was to be king. He needed to take charge and assert his authority over the citizens of his kingdom.
The butler left the room as Akihito tossed the envelope onto the table.
The anniversary of the Kingdom of Wisteria was an event Akihito couldn't deny. As the crown prince, he was obligated to attend. Even if he claimed illness, his family would place him in a different area with servants who tended to his every need to speed up his recovery.
There was no way out of this event.
Sighing, Akihito waited for his butler to return with his tailor.
The trajectory of Akihito's life changed when he locked eyes with The Shadow Knight .
During the kingdom's anniversary tourney, Sir Ryoma* made himself known through winning every single event. The audience cheered him on, throwing flowers and tokens of blushing maidens for him to pick up. Instead of picking anything up, Sir Ryoma walked past them, refreshing himself with water and stretching out his aching limbs.
Nearby knights fought their hardest to knock this seemingly unbeatable knight off of his pedestal. None of them managed to draw blood or cause Sir Ryoma to drop his sword. He seemed unphased as the announcer called him the winner.
By the end of the tourney, The Shadow Knight, was the overall winner.
As the tourney came to a close, Sir Ryoma presented himself in front of the royal family. He removed his helmet, exposing the handsome features to the surrounding people. His coloring was far different from the pale features of the Kingdom of Wisteria. Dark hair and tanned skin. His eyes were the only light feature on his person. They were amber in color, almost glowing underneath the sunlight.
No one had ever seen this up-and-coming knight without his helmet before.
The surrounding whispers rose from the maidens who had attempted to give him favors. Those who were not confident to stop him before were also in awe of his foreign features. The women muttered in excitement behind their open fans as the knights grew more incensed by the minute.
Once the king asked Sir Ryoma what he desired, his answer brought silence throughout the area for a brief moment.
The shadow knight sheathed his sword and got down on one knee. "I, Sir Ryoma, wish to tie my life to the Crown Prince, Takaba Akihito."
Whispers spread throughout the area. No one expected the lone knight to wish for a place in Crown Prince Akihito's guards. This was a smart move to gain favor. Most knights asked for land or monetary compensation. He thought ahead for his future.
The Kingdom of Wisteria would hear of this knight's wish by the end of the afternoon.
The king muttered. "Sir Ryoma has the guts to bypass all the training guards in our arsenal to ask for this position. I have to give him credit for the gumption."
The queen laid her hand on her husband's arm. "Think of it, a high-ranking knight who defeated all of our knights, shielding our son from harm. Our heir needs the best protection. Make him the head of the guards if you have to."
"Not the head of guards, I do approve of him being near our son." The king told his wife. "Our son has to agree to this arrangement.'
Beside Akihito, he heard Haruhito grumble in fury. "He gets The Shadow Knight, too ?"
His sister, Kimiko, gossiped with her maid over Sir Ryoma's appearance.
The king rubbed his beard, before he addressed Akihito. "Prince Akihito? Your answer?"
Heart hammering inside of his chest, Akihito forced his voice to even out. "Please, rise, Sir Ryoma."
Asami looked up at him through his long black lashes. His golden eyes sparkled underneath the sunlight. Hitting them just right to reveal the orange and honey hues. His jawline was strong, firm. The bulky and heavy armor did nothing to obscure the broadness of his shoulders and his chest. When he stood upright, he appeared taller than all the knights who once graced the stage.
Akihito felt his face flush. His face became warmer and warmer the more Sir Ryuichi stared at him. The knight was unafraid of giving him direct eye contact. As if ordering him to accept his offer through his piercing gaze.
Had Akihito wanted to do so, he could order the knight to never look him in the eyes again. His parents made it a rule for their servants to never give them eye contact. Akihito set no such a rule in his own castle. He disliked not seeing the true intent in someone's eyes whenever they spoke to him.
Yet, the words were stuck in his throat. His stomach fluttered at the thought of those eyes looking at him constantly.
After all, knights were never supposed to linger far from the ones they swore their lives to.
"I accept your wish."
The first time Asami Ryuichi laid eyes on Takaba Akihito was during one of his explorations of the Kingdom of Wisteria.
A job was placed in Sion, a mercenary organization disguised as a town. The king from the Kingdom of Calla, wanted to get rid of the Kingdom of Wisteria's heirs. Killing or kidnapping, it didn't matter to the man. The plan was a means to weaken the kingdom enough for their second son to marry Princess Kimiko. Without the crown prince or second prince, the kingdom would need a prince consort for Princess Kimiko to marry. Of course, the aristocrats would attempt their own barter, but the Kingdom of Calla was ready to jump in when the period of mourning was over. They wouldn't lose their chance to discreetly take over a rival kingdom.
Asami accepted after receiving a majority of the money from a discreet messenger from the Calla kingdom. This was far more than his usual jobs, but royals were always willing to get their plans in motion through throwing money.
The plan was simple enough. Go in, kill two snot nosed princes' and leave. Almost laughably simple.
Asami Ryuichi handled far more intricate assassinations throughout his career. There were instances where he rejected jobs through miniscule reasons. He made more than enough to be picky, or he sent his own men to the handle the mission. Of course, he collected a portion of it as the leader.
Although, this new plan needed him to do reconnaissance for a certain amount of time.
Disguising himself as a transferring knight of a different kingdom, Asami integrated into the ranks through limited issues. He wore his helmet to keep himself somewhat anonymous in the sea of knights under the kingdom's control. His patience was tested through the heckling of these insecure men who assumed his face was far too scarred to be seen. Good thing he kept a grip on his self control.
Money and his reputation were on the line.
Asami was astonished at the ease it took him to rise up the ranks. He thought he would spend years before he got close enough to the royal family. It took him a few months to rise up enough to make small patrols near the main palace. His reputation as, The Shadow Knight, due to the fact he never took off his mask, catapulted his access. Wisteria was either ignorant of their enemies or were willing to parade the best knights in their arsenal.
It wasn't surprising when Asami received an invitation of the Kingdom of Wisteria's anniversary tourney. The lead of the knights gave him a harsh slap on the shoulder for working hard to enter the tourney.
Asami walked out the room with the invitation scrunched in his hands.
Asami almost felt bad for these people. They were so stupid. None of them thought to look through their knights with a keen eye. There was no interrogation over the men who signed up for a position of a knight. If a knight worked hard enough, they would have access to the royal family.
But he needed to get the job done.
During his reconnaissance, Asami looked into Crown Prince Akihito and Prince Haruhito.
According to the people he talked to, the princes' made no public appearances. Well, Crown Prince Akihito tended to stay inside of his palace unless there was a royal event. No one noticed any discourse between the royals. This wasn't surprising. The royal family wouldn't let anyone outside of their own personal servants know of any issues. Wisteria would lose face if there were issues between their family members.
Most princes Asami witnessed throughout his infiltrations were haughty and arrogant. None of them saw nothing wrong with their lavish lifestyles. Seeing it as a birthright while their citizens starved to death under their rule. These men used their position to gain women, sex, money, anything their hearts desired.
Servants of Prince Akihito's castle loved him. None of them had a bad word to say about him. Throughout their time working the crown prince's castle, the servants and butler found nothing to complain about. He was a model prince.
But, in recent months, Prince Akihito rebelled behind closed doors. No one outside of the crown prince's castle or main palace knew about Prince Akihito's behavior. Asami only managed to find out about this developing situation after subtle flirting with one of the maids. She spilled everything with a willingness that disgusted Asami. Her loyalty was lackluster to her own prince.
All in all, Prince Akihito wasn't a bad person.
So far.
In contrast, the second heir was a spoiled, annoying brat.
Asami's claim of wanting to put in an application for transfer was met with extensive warnings. Ex servants and transferred knights spoke of Prince Haruhito's privileged behavior. No one was safe when he went into one of his tantrums. As old as he was, Prince Haruhito had not grown out of his childish behavior. It didn't help that the royal parents ignored his very existence for their own interests.
On the day of the tourney, Asami observed the royal family in between fights. He noted the closeness of the royal parents. The queen consistently kept a hand on the king's arm while the king spoke to her or the lead of his guards. The royal children, on the other hand, ignored one another. Princess Kimiko chattered with her maids while the second prince appeared miserable, alone in his seat. Crown Prince Akihito kept his attention onto the tourney with a lost look in his eyes.
The royal parents noticed none of the discontent between the siblings.
Interesting.
Through winning the tourney, Asami had the chance to be in front of the royal family. He kept his ears open as he bent over, bowing to them as if he had loyalty for them. After the king asked him his request, Asami took the plunge and asked to become Prince Akihito's knight.
The idea of becoming Crown Prince Akihito's knight was through a whim. A means for him to gain access to the inner castles. Without this boon, Asami would remain in the outskirts of the palace. He could always teleport his way inside, but Asami liked to get a feel to his targets. Prince Akihito was one of his targets, one he would have to kidnap or dispose of by a certain date.
After getting a good look at Prince Akihito, Asami hesitated in wanting to dispose of him. Like the royal parents, Akihito was a handsome young man. With blond hair, hazel eyes, and a heart shaped face, Akihito was the very picture of a prince. The pure green suit helped to emphasize the green in Akihito's hazel eyes.
All of a sudden, there was an obvious blush on the Crown Prince's face. No one seemed to take notice. This wasn't a blush from the beaming sun. It was already close to sunset; the weather had cooled down. There was no reason for Prince Akihito to blush.
The prince found Asami pleasing to look at.
Holding the urge to smirk, Asami kept eye contact with the prince. The more time they looked at one another, the more the prince started expressing his panic on his face. It was flattering to have people find him handsome. It was a fact. He was a good looking man.
Once Akihito accepted his wish, Asami saw a way to save Akihito from the takeover of this kingdom.
Asami would seduce Prince Akihito and keep him for himself.
Pressed against a wall, Akihito heard the surrounding chaos of the main palace. Parts of Sir Ryoma's armor pressed against his body, but he chose to ignore it. Multiple servants and guests ran in a panic, wanting to get as far away from the source of the explosion as possible. The main palace knights rushed back to the source, wanting to see who the perpetrator was.
Akihito knew they wouldn't be able to find whoever the person was. The perpetrator would have to be a dumb individual if he or she stayed behind to watch the panic stricken crowds. Akihito would have run off after throwing whatever the explosion was and stayed on the down low.
Once the dust settled down, Sir Ryoma asked. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." Akihito curled his hands on top of Sir Ryoma's armor.
Sir Ryoma pushed himself back but kept himself in front of Akihito. The knight's large frame shielded Akihito without having to curl his body on top of him. Although, Akihito found himself not minding the contact from this man.
Akihito bit the inside of his cheek for the thought.
This was wrong.
He couldn't have such thoughts for someone else, much less a man.
His betrothal might have been broken, but his parents would find another woman to fill the place. He noticed his parents speaking to another proper family whose daughter was the right age. They might spring on the news of another betrothal before Akihito resumed proper communication with them.
Whatever feelings of guilt over having laid a hand on him would be gone in order to bring in another fiancée.
Akihito's mind blanked as Sir Ryoma plunged his tongue into his mouth.
Weeks after the destruction of the main palace's fountain, Akihito grew closer to Sir Ryoma. There was no time of day that Sir Ryoma didn't stand at his side. Whether Akihito was eating his meals or painted in his studio, Sir Ryoma provided entertaining commentary.
His hidden crush wasn't as hidden as he thought it was since Sir Ryoma gave him heated glances. Sometimes, those sharp eyes looked up and down Akihito's frame whenever he started changing his clothes. Feeling shy, Akihito ran off behind the privacy wall to prevent Sir Ryoma from looking at him.
Akihito might be ignorant of a lot of things, but he knows the look of man who was interested.
As if Sir Ryoma was testing his limits, he began pressing kisses against Akihito's knuckles. Then, he transitioned to his pulse point or another random part of his body. Akihito didn't have the voice to reject him. He wanted Sir Ryoma to bask him with kisses. For the man to corner him in a room and ravish his mouth. Yet, Sir Ryoma slowed down, causing the anticipation to rise up.
Akihito woke up wanting Sir Ryoma to kiss him. He dreamed of being pinned against his bed, kissed within an inch of his life. There were days were Sir Ryoma ceased his affections and did his job properly. The mischievous twinkle in his eye wasn't missed by Akihito. Akihito couldn't help but pout at his teasing.
At some point, Akihito grew tired enough of the games and confronted Sir Ryoma.
Well, confronted him inside of his room.
He didn't want the other servants to overhead their conversation.
Sir Ryoma was amused when he heard Akihito describe his little game. He didn't appear unrepentant of having teased his own prince. Fully admitting that he liked seeing Akihito's reactions to his actions. Although, he reassured Akihito that he was the only one he played with.
Sir Ryoma had limited to no time away from Akihito's side to show interest in someone else.
And Akihito wasn't going to admit that he felt excitement in losing his first kiss to Sir Ryoma.
"Since I am playing too much, how shall I solve this issue."
"You know how!" Akihito's gaze lingered on Sir Ryoma's lips, not wanting to verbalize what he wanted.
"Is that an order, my prince?" Sir Ryoma cooed.
Mortified, Akihito gathered his courage and told him. "I order you to kiss me!"
"As you wish." Sir Ryoma grinned as he swooped down and kissed Akihito.
Sir Ryoma's hand cradled the back of his head, keeping him in place as he deepened his kiss. Akihito gasped, giving the knight an opportunity to push his tongue inside of his mouth. Akihito tried to participate, but Sir Ryoma's expert tongue overtook his mouth. Akihito could only cling onto Sir Ryoma's armor as the man kissed the breath away from his body.
Sir Ryoma broke the kiss and looked down at Akihito's flushed face. His fingertips caressed Akihito's face, soft and gentle in their path. Akihito felt a thrill at seeing the satisfaction on Sir Ryoma's face.
"Hmm?"
Sir Ryoma chuckled as he gave him one last kiss. "Go to sleep. I will keep guard outside of your room."
"Okay..." Akihito uttered out as he stumbled on inside. Sir Ryoma left and closed the door behind him. Akihito walked over to his bed and fell down onto his bed.
In all of his years as a mercenary, Asami never thought he would get caught by someone.
He suspected his mind was riddled with thoughts of a certain prince to lower down his guard. All he thought about was taking Akihito out of the line of fire and give him the freedom of walking in anonymity in Sion. Akihito certainly talked a lot about wanting to explore the world without someone recognizing him.
As he conversed with his right-hand man, Kirishima, he kept an ear out for the servants. Using an obscure area of the palace, he kept himself out of sight. He knew there was a slim chance of someone coming around to investigate the noise. The winds of the trees were loud enough to obscure his voice from being picked up.
Although, there were always those servants who stayed up late in case Prince Akihito woke up needing service. This was a rare occurrence, but there was a chance for Akihito to ring his bell and a night maid would run to attend to him. Throughout these stressful months, Akihito drank a cup of chamomile tea to relax his mind enough to fall to sleep. In other times, Asami was the one who fetched him snacks for them to eat in the privacy of his room.
Which was why, Asami should have expected someone to find out, but he was too confident of his stealth.
Kirishima got up from his kneeling position. "When shall I collect the men to complete the plan?"
"By the end of this week."
"Alright. I will make sure Suoh leads his own team when they retrieve the second prince." Kirishima pushed up his glasses. "I don't think the second prince shall be the issue, but the crown prince..."
"Uh..."
Asami and Kirishima turned to the sound of the noise.
He was stunned to see Akihito's half-asleep form.
Akihito rubbed his eyes in confusion. "Uh...what's going on Sir Ryo-"
Before Kirishima jumped in to knock out Akihito, Asami intercepted him and pulled Akihito into his arms. Shielding him with his body, he picked up Akihito and carried him toward an abandoned shed he found during his inspections. Throughout their whole run, Akihito didn't make a ruckus. He remained compliant in Asami's arms.
Asami thought he would have to convince Akihito to go along with them. Whether through threats or seducing him into bed, Asami readied himself to use everything in his arsenal to gain his compliance. He didn't want to have to hurt Akihito because the prince discovered his secret.
Yet, Akihito surprised him with his reaction.
"Count me in!" Akihito exclaimed. "I want to get out of here."
Asami and Kirishima shared an incredulous stare. Asami knew that Akihito was miserable in this palace. After exchanging life stories, Asami censored his own, the reality of Akihito's life wasn't sunshine and rainbows. But to abandon everything without a fight was something he didn't expect.
Asami informed him. "You do know that you will never return-"
"I don't care!" Akihito insisted, wanting to convince the men to take him. "I have no interest in the throne. Honestly, I never thought of ideas on how to escape the kingdom, but this is a perfect opportunity. I just have to comply, right?"
Kirishima said. "Yes. Just follow what we have to say, and you will not have a bruise on your body."
"Alright."
Asami's shoulders slumped in relief. "Good."
Akihito turned to Asami, there was no indication of betrayal on his face. There were no tears or even a frown on his face. In fact, Akihito appeared giddy in having the chance to make his escape.
Thinking Akihito wasn't aware of the reality of his situation, Asami described their plan. Of course, he left out the plans of initially killing the first and second prince. Akihito might hold feelings for him, but he wouldn't feel safe with him if he found out about his almost murder.
Akihito still reacted the same.
He wanted to leave whenever they were ready to run away from Wisteria.
Kirishima coughed into his hand. "I shall take my leave."
"Of course."
Kirishima disappeared in a flash.
Akihito's jaw dropped in awe. "So cool!"
Asami concealed the urge to show off in front of Akihito, but he put that thought aside for another time.
The plan to kidnap the princes' was going to happen soon.
In the darkness of the night, Akihito dumped bags of clothes riddled with money onto the soft grass. He aimed at the bushes or near the shadows of the trees. Best not to leave them right in the open for the knights to look through. The knights would patrol this area of his castle in ten minutes. He had a limited amount of time before he was caught trying to escape.
Looking back at his room, Akihito contemplated making a mess of the place, but Sir Ryoma told him not to touch a thing. Apparently, the people Sir Ryoma was in contact with would be able to make it seem like he was kidnapped. Akihito should have felt concerned over his lover's connections, but he justified it as his means of escape. There was a spare heir that Wisteria could use for their throne. Akihito wouldn't be chased around for long.
He could live in Sion without issue.
Tightening his cloak around himself, Akihito hooked his legs over the balcony and climbed his way down. Even during the night, Akihito knew where to place his foot. He maneuvered himself down the building and made it onto the ground without noise. Backing away toward the location of his bags, Akihito jumped when he felt a pair of arms grab onto him.
"Akihito."
"Sir Ryoma-"
"Ryuichi."
Akihito turned to Sir Ryoma, no, Ryuichi with a stunned look. "Excuse me?"
Pulling the hood over the top of his head, Asami informed Akihito. "If we're going to run away together, you're going to have to start calling me by my actual name."
Taken aback, Akihito inquired. "Ryuichi is your name?"
"Yes." Asami kissed the top of Akihito's head. "It would have been foolish of me to use my real name during my time here in Wisteria."
"Oh." Akihito uttered out. "Y-Yeah...that was smart."
Akihito should have known better. An assassin coming in disguise wouldn't be stupid enough to use his own name. At least, he didn't use the fake name when they started fooling around. He suspected Ryuichi would punish him for using a name that he used to address himself.
Asami turned his head and addressed Kirishima. "Go on with the plan, make sure to create a mess in both bedrooms. Akihito's room will be more of a mess; we can't have them thinking he willingly left."
Kirishima walked out of the darkness, "Bloody or extra bloody."
Akihito piped up. "Mine should be extra bloody. I am the one the kingdom would be looking for the most. Oh! Make them think I died."
Kirishima looked down at Akihito with a stunned expression on his face. "Are...you certain?"
Even Asami was surprised at the lengths Akihito wanted to go through to be free.
Akihito nodded his head. "I want them to give up on me. I don't want to have to live in fear of them discovering me for the rest of my life."
"As you wish," Kirishima confirmed.
Asami shared eye contact with Kirishima. "We shall meet you at Sion."
Kirishima nodded his head, "Of course, Asami-sama." He disappeared into thin air alongside the group of men who accompanied him.
Still impressed, Akihito whistled. "I am still not used to his ninja skills." He asked Asami. "Can you do the same thing?"
Asami chuckled into Akihito's hair to muffle the noise. "Yes." He helped Akihito onto the horse Kirishima acquired for him. "But, the distance is too far for me to use the ability. We will go a third of the way on horse before I teleport us to Sion."
Eyes sparkling, Akihito nodded his head. "Alright!"
The next morning, Akihito's head maid, Yume, went through her usual morning chores. Simple chores to perk her up before she descended up the stairs to Prince Akihito's room. Usually, Prince Akihito was awake, doodling on a piece of parchment or reading a book. She didn't need to wake up, but he liked having someone inform him on the status of breakfast.
Yume found herself not minding doing this for him. Her prince was a simple soul who worked hard to learn everything about his future role. She would have liked for him to wander around his own kingdom, the royal parents were not lenient on their son.
Prince Akihito was stuck in his palace.
Almost like a gilded cage.
Shaking her head, Yume rushed toward Akihito's room and knocked on his door. "Prince Akihito? It is time for breakfast? My prince?"
Opening the door, Yume wandered inside and closed the door. Her prince was possibly still asleep. Tuckered out by the festivities of Princess Kimiko's birthday. This didn't surprise her. During the king's birthday, which lasted multiple days, Prince Akihito returned with wobbly steps, unable to walk up his own stairs toward his room.
Passing Prince Akihito's desk, she saw a broken chair, lying on the floor. This was strange. The prince would have called them to come clean up the chair and bring in another one. Although, these chairs were reinforced with extra support to keep them from breaking from excess weight.
Trying not to panic, she walked on forward and saw more broken items.
"Guards!" Yume screamed, panic clear in her words as she resumed searching the room for any sign of their prince. "Guards!"
Her heart sped rapidly as she rushed throughout the room. The sight of the broken items made her anxious to find Prince Akihito.
Upon another inspection, there was a broken lantern, a glass water jug, Prince Akihito's favorite chair, multiple frames, ripped up pillows, and a large rip in the middle of the bed. Careful on where she stepped, she turned to the window and saw more splatters of red, broken glass, and broken potted plants.
Yume let out a fearful gasp and held her hand to her chest. There was no other way to explain what happened. Prince Akihito was kidnapped, and he fought hard before he was taken away.
In the second prince's castle, the same urge of panic broke through the halls. Prince Haruhito was also missing. Although his room was less of a mess, indicating he might have been half asleep when he was taken.
Once word spread to the King and Queen, all of the palace guards were dispatched to look for the heir and the spare.
Panic ensnared the rulers hearts at the thought of losing both of their sons. The couple was too old to create more children. Having managed to make their three children was a miracle in itself. Other kingdoms were stunned at their low count of children and the age gaps in between them. Many of the other kingdoms boasted higher numbers just in case of sudden deaths or murders. Especially if they had multiple sons.
The Kingdom of Wisteria lost two sons in one go.
Princess Kimiko was safe in the Kingdom's main castle. Held tight in the Queen's arms as the woman sobbed into her daughter's hair. The King yelled at the head of his guard to hurry up their search. Princess Kimiko sat in astonishment at the thought of someone kidnapping her elder brothers.
Wisteria was supposed to be safe .
As the Kingdom of Wisteria searched for their kidnapped princes, Akihito clutched onto Ryuichi's back as the horse they rode on galloped to Sion. They traveled throughout the night in order to bring further distance between the couple and the Kingdom of Wisteria.
So far, they saw no knights from Wisteria coming after them.
Ryuichi reassured Akihito that the second prince was a bit bloody but alive. He would be found fairly quickly due to being left unconscious in a barn in the outskirts of the kingdom. Whoever owned the farm would find him in his tool shed and alert the authorities to his location.
Akihito let the pressure leave his body. Although he felt no bond with his brother, he didn't want him to be hurt.
Akihito looked over his shoulder and saw no sign of the massive castle he grew up in. He found himself not missing a single aspect of his old life. Having wished for a means of escape, he was liking the freedom he now experienced.
Maybe that wouldn't be the case once he settled in his new home. For as much as Akihito grew to dislike Wisteria, he would miss the home he grew up in.
There was the possibility of regret.
Turning to face Ryuichi's back, Akihito burrowed his nose into his coat and squeezed Ryuichi's middle.
He made his choice, and he was sticking to it.
The end.