Chapter 3: His Word
High gasping and strangling chokes startle the prince awake midmorning. A single name comes to his mind when he hears the familiarity of the voice.
"Leon." The prince rises from his covers and drops to his pet's bedside. He touches a cold hand against the boy's forehead and finds it beading with cold sweat. "Oh, Leon…"
The boy whimpers in his sleep. Like a frightened dog, he kicks at his covers, tosses and turns, and curls his body in towards his gut like an unborn child. The sounds he makes are anything but comforting; from his lips pour moaning and suffocating fits, the sources lost to the prince's imagination as something unspeakably awful. The prince's heart goes out to his pet. He remembers the feeling of isolation and seclusion; only, where he at least has his brother, the prince's pet has no one else. He is the sole person in the world he has now.
"It's alright, Leon," he coos in a soft voice. "Everything's fine." He places a hand onto his pet's shoulder and rubs it the way his brother did many years ago. His pet's episode does not pass over immediately. He shivers and jolts in his sleep long after the prince strokes him and reassures him in whispers.
"Leon, nothing bad is going to happen to you. I promise," he tells him. The boy finally falls back into a still slumber in time, and the prince moves his fingers to his cheek. With his pet's figure frozen in the rising sun's light, he can see the warm glowing complexion on the boy's face. He likes the color of the Altorienese boy's skin, a milky almond that reminds him of the rich nuts brought from Dotriba's ports. He loves how his pet has full lips that part in a small gap like two petals, and he wonders how they must feel on his hand. His thoughts wander to his brother and the king. Though it is royal policy for subjects to kiss the king's hand, the prince's brother has the privilege of being kissed by the king, himself. It is as justified as being kissed by the lips of the gods, themselves. He will not admit it aloud, but the prince wishes for this kind of comfort and privilege. He has desired intimacy of his own, too, and he wonders if his pet will give that to him.
Leaning quietly over his pet until he can smell his flowery scent, the prince brushes the boy's hair from his forehead and kisses the smooth skin beneath. The taste of sweet soaps and oils lingers even as he moves away and traces his tongue on the groove of his lips. Several times in his life, his brother kissed him to sleep and eased his loneliness. At that time, he and his brother were the only ones in their world. With the king taking him away, the prince cannot help but feel a need to fill that void, and his pet is the perfect crutch.
"I'm here, Leon." The prince's voice is faint on his ears, yet he still remains by the boy's side until he, too, feels peace come over him. His eyelids droop and his head hangs until he no longer has the strength to stay awake.
It is already well into the afternoon when the prince wakes to the sound of his pet stretching his legs and groaning. His eyes peer open, and he finds himself on the floor next to his pet who is just waking up alongside him. Careful not to disturb him, he rises first and stretches his back out. After going through just a few hours of sleeping on the ground, he cannot understand how peasants or even his pet can handle such conditions; his pet even has cushions and sheets for bedding and yet his back still aches, although he believes laboring with the dishes contributed to his pains.
"Leon," he calls to his pet and rocks him back and forth. "Leon, you need to wake up. We've overslept. Everyone will wonder what happened to us."
He stops as his pet makes a tired sound and shuts his eyes against the bright light. Again, the prince persists and rocks him even harder than before. This scene feels somewhat nostalgic as he thinks back to the time his king used to do this to him and his brother as children.
"Wakey wakey! Rise and shine!" he would say to his future husband. Those mornings would always end in a torn pillow and an enlarged bruise on the prospective king's forehead. But the prince is no king, and he certainly is not the cheery and spirited Mathias; he is thoughtful and considerate, so he waits for his pet to finish stretching before trying to wake him again; however, he does not need to, because shortly after stretching his arms, the Altorienese boy throws his eyes open and stares straight at the prince.
"Good morning, Leon," the prince attempts to greet him. He watches his pet with an innate fascination at just how bright his golden eyes look in the sunlight and hovers over him like a curious child.
The boy blinks and rubs his eyes at his master before uttering a shaky, "Good mor'ing."
"Good morning," Leon," he corrects his pronunciation. "It's 'Good morning.' You can say it, can't you? Good morning."
His pet tries again, and to the prince's delight, his pronunciation is far better than the first time. "Good morning."
"Very good," he softly smiles and pats his pet's head for positive reinforcement yet again. "Now come. We need to dress so we may eat. We've slept far too long, I'm afraid." As he rises, he helps his pet to his feet and picks out a select choice of attire for his pet. Today, he chooses a dark brown blouse with black leggings for his pet, and for him, an ordinary gray tunic with matching leggings and a pair of black boots. He checks himself in the looking glass before focusing his attention on his pet who, at this point, has no trouble figuring out how to dress into Crodinian clothing. When his pet is completely dressed, the prince takes his hand and instructs him to follow him to the kitchen for something quick to eat.
"I've already checked the time, and its past lunchtime," he tells the boy despite knowing he cannot understand all of his Crodinian. "We really slept for a long time, but you know what? I think we deserved the rest—you most of all, Leon." Halfway through the hall, he suddenly stops and gives out a little gasp when his pet lightly bumps into him from behind.
"Oh! Sorry, Leon. I didn't mean to stop like that without warning." He looks around the hall and then, finding it empty, moves to his pet and squeezes his hand. "Leon…are you well today?"
Though his Crodinian is still considerably limited, the Altorienese boy understands enough to grasp the concept of his question. It takes a moment for him to register the words and translate the meaning, and when he does, he replies only with a simple nod, as if speaking out will cause disturbance.
"Truly you are?" the prince asks; his hand still clutches onto his pet like a precious toy he refuses to let go. He cannot feel safe until he knows everything is well with his pet. He remembers the events after his pet finished his tasks. Exhausted and soaked with the vilest stenches imaginable, the prince ordered his guards to assist the boy to the bathhouse and dismissed them so that they could bathe in peace. Thrice he had to scrub his pet free of the blood and dirt smudges and whatever unholy entrails clung to his skin. A great amount of oils and soaps were used that night until the entire bathhouse smelled sickly sweet of flowers and precious spices. When they finally finished, the bath waters had turned gray and oily from trying to clean the boy, and even after that, the prince had to soak him with fresh water to free him of the strong smells and soaps still clinging to his body. Both the prince and his pet went to sleep exhausted that morning; during that time, the prince could not help but feel a sense of unease and dread at what his brother's punishment might have done to Leon. As far as he knew, the aftermath started to show in the morning when the poor boy began to violently shake and tremble in the darkness. How can he be a prince to his people if he cannot be a decent master to his own pet, he wonders? His pet says nothing is wrong, but he thinks otherwise. There has to be more to the events of this morning and yet he wonders if he can even properly communicate with him.
For now, however, Leon nods again. His face bears no expressions, making it impossible for the prince to detect any lies. He wants his pet to tell him the truth, but more importantly, he wants to gain his trust. He cannot do so if he cannot understand or protect him, the way his brother has done so many times in his life.
"Leon, if something ever happens or if something goes wrong, please tell me about it." His hand still remains clinging to his pet when he looks straight into his eyes and nods without a word. The prince takes this as his understanding and leads him to the kitchen for a quick snack; with them waking up far later than the rest of the castle, the prince needs to catch up in his own personal studies before finding the time to spend with his new companion.
One step at a time, he thinks and moves swiftly through the hall, giving a short greeting to those he encounters and shying his pet away from peering eyes.
For a late breakfast, the prince requests some bread, cheeses, and meats to be wrapped in a cloth so that he may take it to the study halls for quick portability. Along the way, he feeds his pet the limited items, and while he notices how well he eats the meats and bread, the boy is more reluctant to stomach the cheeses; the prince is then to assume there is no such thing as cheese in the old Altorienese Empire and is more than happy to take them for himself.
The pair arrives at the castle's study hall shortly after finishing half of their snacks. The study hall is a separate section of the castle that was built by Mathias' great grandfather after believing knowledge also stands in the same power as brute strength. He believed a king should have both strength in wisdom as well as muscles in order to rule Crodinia, and so, construction started in his reign and finally finished in his son's later years. The result was a grand extension of the castle filled with elegant columns and rooms dedicated towards research and collective exploration of the unknown. Here, scholars, scribes, and researchers come together to share their curiosity of the world and how to better it. Only the finest and brightest of minds gain privilege to live within the castle's study halls, and as far as all the kings and the people have been concerned, they truly are the best their kingdom has to offer.
As soon as the prince and his pet set foot into the study hall's grounds, they can feel a different aura than the rest of the castle. It is the same with the dungeon, dining halls, and courtyard: each houses a different type of atmosphere, and if there was one mood the prince felt the study halls gave off, it was intimidation. He never thought himself to have a dense mind, but he knows he cannot compare to the minds that have gathered at the castle. It is only understandable; those who reside here are given a comfortable life included with housing, food, and traveling privileges to go to different kingdoms to study different aspects, policies, and terrain. For such privileges to be granted to them, of course, the crown expects nothing but the best.
"We have to be quiet here, Leon," the prince tells his pet as they make their way into his personal study room. There is a place reserved for royalty such as himself and the visiting kings when they require somewhere to study in private. The prince visits this place when he has to exercise his mind in politics and foreign policies, areas his brother has always deemed important for ruling. The pair moves quietly down the corridors of scholars chattering softly among themselves or gathering in collective circles. Behind some of the larger doors, they can hear scholars discussing larger topics or researchers sharing their newest discoveries and debates of varying and colliding opinions.
Far in the middle of the study halls, the prince leads his pet to his designated room and opens the door. Normally he finds it empty, but today, he is surprised to find a familiar face lost in his books.
"Brother," he breathes and quickly gestures for his pet to bow. After he sees him do so, he inquires of his reasons for being here. "Why are you here? I thought you would be with Mathias at this time."
His brother turns and stands with an intimidating grace flowing about him. In contrast to his fair complexion and wavy light-blonde hair, he dons a large cape with a shade of blue as dark as midnight. The words that whisper through the kingdom and to the other alliances speak with truth: Lukas is the darkness to Mathias' light. Even without his king and husband accompanying him, he holds a definite sense of authority that can send even the most headstrong of subjects quivering in their place.
"How nice to see you, little brother," he smiles and takes the prince's face into his hands. While his hands are pale and cold, the warmth and affection he expresses towards his brother shows with how gentle he handles the prince. He kisses his brother and rubs his shoulders as though knowing exactly where his brother's aches lie. "How is your body? Not too sore from last night, are you?"
"It will take a few days to recover, I think," the prince responds and allows his brother to touch him. It feels different with someone else watching over him as his brother smothers him with affection, but he must remember that Leon is nothing more than a pet; like with the way he bathes him, he would not get embarrassed if a dog were to watch him and his brother express affection.
"And your pet…" His brother takes his eyes away from him and looks straight at the Altorienese boy's face, whose eyes are lowered to the floor and his hair concealing his face. "How is he faring?"
The prince moistens his lower lip. "…We had some difficulties this morning." He then notices how his brother's eyes perk up and harden their gaze.
"Difficulties, you say? Is it anything I can take care of?" He speaks with a thin edge in his voice like a dagger sharpening its point on the edge of a sharpening stone. If given the opportunity, he will not hesitate to strike out at those who threaten his younger brother.
Sensing his brother's overprotective nature, the prince quickly tells him of the details. "He just had some trouble sleeping last night, Brother. But…with the way he had to carry out his punishment, I wouldn't be surprised if he had some kind of reaction afterwards."
"And your pet…" The king's husband looks down at him with unrelenting eyes. He scowls at how indirectly he views him, and while not an animal, he does not treat him with the same formalities as his subjects. "…he hasn't hurt you in any way, has he?"
"No, brother." The prince can be confident in his answer to that question.
Hearing this, the prince sighs and touches his brother's head. His voice softens, and his gaze dulls its dagger-like stare. "Very well, little brother. If anything is to happen to you, you know what to do."
"Tell you immediately." The prince has gone through this song and dance several times, even over the most trivial of things. "You still haven't answered my question, brother."
"Ah, you're correct. Forgive me. It was looking for your geography book on Tabrini."
"Tabrini?" the prince blinks.
"Yes. Seeing as how you keep some books in accessible range, I came here first."
"And did you find it?"
"Indeed, I did," the king's husband smiles, waving his hand to the open book behind him. Open in a double-paged display is a large map of Tabrini's center-most province where the capital lies. The prince does not bother asking his brother of his research reasons, as most turn out to be unrelated to his life or simply uninteresting. Thus, he leaves his brother to indulge in his Tabrinish map while he searches for his books on politics. However, before resuming his studies, his brother converses with him one last time before heading out.
The king's husband closes his book and leaves it unattended when he stops to look back at the Altorienese boy with an air of suspicion. Sensing something is not right, the prince looks up from his book towards his brother. "Is there something else you need, brother?"
"No exactly." He stares upon the boy with a stern face and thin lips. Then, without any warning, he moves in on the boy and brings himself so close to his face that their noses can practically touch.
Not knowing how to react to his brother's actions, the prince can only stare in bewilderment as he looks on the unsettling image. The entire time, he notices how his pet conceals his eyes and hides behind his untrimmed bangs, never looking directly at the king's husband. It is not until his brother does not move away that he thinks to finally speak out to him.
"Brother, you're making him nervous," he tells him from his desk.
"Apologies, little brother," he spaciously says as if not entirely meaning it. "I just thought your pet smells and looks rather nice today."
The prince blushes a light pink as he takes this as a form of praise from his brother. It is not often when his brother directly praises him, so he takes it upon himself to find ways of accepting it in his own style. "That is…I bathed him three times to wash away the smell from his—his punishment."
"Hmm." The prince's brother licks his lips and moves away from the boy. "You did a good job, little brother. I don't smell any Altorienese scum on him." The prince winces at the way he refers to his pet's kind. Even though they have lost the war, he does not understand why others must treat them with such lowly regard. If anything, Leon has not done any wrong; he is just inexperienced and lacks the knowledge necessary to adapt to Crodinian customs. The prince will have to train his pet hard if he is to impress the royals one day.
"Thank you, brother," he says for now and lightly bows his head to him when he takes his leave. When his brother shuts the door behind him, he cannot help but feel as though a storm has just passed. He lets out a heavy sigh and signals for his pet to come to him. The boy obediently does so and moves to his side, just close enough for him to stroke his smooth dark brown hair.
"I'm sorry for that, Leon." He pauses when his pet looks up at him with his large golden eyes now revealed only for him.
"Sorry?" he repeats like a curious bird.
The prince smiles and pats his pet's head. "It means to feel strongly about someone else's misfortunes, sometimes to even feel guilt." He chuckles and brings his forehead to rest atop his pet's head. "I'm acting ahead of myself right now, Leon. You don't know what those words mean, but I'll teach you right after I finish studying. Does that sound nice?"
"Yes," his pet verbally consents and nods.
"Very good," he smiles and pats his pet's head once again. "Oh, and Leon, try not to look away when someone's speaking to you."
Having been taught those basic words, the Altorienese boy is able to grasp just enough to make out his order. "Why?" This is the first time he has voluntarily asked a question outside of their studying environment. The prince stares, fascinated at his pet's intelligence and looks upon him with a keen sense of pride, believing he has taught his pet well.
"Why? Well, because people will think you're being suspicious. They won't be able to trust you. I want you to be able to trust me, Leon."
"Trust?" he repeats.
The prince nods. "To trust someone means being able to put pieces of your life into someone else's hands and letting him take charge. Sometimes it can be your entire life that you trust someone with. For example, I trust my brother. I hope that one day, you will be able to trust me."
Though he does not know how well his pet's Crodinian has been coming along, something amazing happens. The prince's pet takes the words and their contexts, pieces them together, and forms a sentence with simple words—simple but powerful, and the prince does not think he will forget them anytime soon.
"I hope so, too."
The prince smiles.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
"It a pleasure to meet, Highness."
The prince shakes his head and retries with a few words at a time. "It is…"
"It is," his pet repeats.
"…a pleasure…"
"A pleasure."
"…to meet you…"
"T'meet you."
"No. To meet you."
"To meet you."
"Yes. And then, we say, 'Your Highness.'"
"Your Highness?"
"Very good, Leon. Now put it all together. It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."
The boy struggles on his lips as he attempts to form the words without an accent. Try as he does, there is still a noticeable hint of Altorienese in his Crodinian as he smoothly recites the greeting.
"It is nice to meet you, Your Highness."
"Yes, that's it, Leon," the prince beams. "Very good."
"Thank you," his pet has been taught to say, and he says just that.
"You're welcome, Leon," is the prince's proper response. He makes sure he uses the correct responses to ensure he stays a positive influence for his pet, just like his brother did for him growing up his entire life. "Right, now do you remember who my brother is?"
His Altorienese pet's lips twitch and begin forming Crodinian words until they form a title. "Lukas Bondevik, second-in-command to the Kingdom of Crodinia. The Shadow." The prince then asks of his brother's husband to which his pet responds, "Mathias Køhler, king of the Kingdom of Crodinia. The Sun King." While there are several other titles to go by, the prince decided to only teach him of these two titles as a starter. Very rarely are their other titles used, and when they are, he has noticed how bored his brother and his king become of them.
"That's right, Leon. You're learning very fast. And what about me?"
To this, his pet says, "Emil Steilsson, prince of Crodinia or…Master?"
"Master is more suitable," the prince says, though he has not gotten used to it. Since he is officially Leon's master more so than his prince, he feels it only formal to have his pet address him as such. They are not entirely master and servant but form an odd relationship between companion and property. Still, the prince believes this is the best approach if he wants to draw a line between royalty and an Altorienese prisoner of war.
"Master, then," his pet settles on.
"Yes, Leon. You are to address me as 'Master.' Only royalty has the privilege of addressing me informally unless I say so, understood?"
"Understood," he says, trying to adapt to more verbal responses than mere gestures. With their lessons in greetings and courtesy coming along, the prince decides to stop here. He looks at the nearest clock and reads the time to be progressing into the evening. The royal hearings should have passed by now, and the dining halls are expected to be filled with newly washed dishes and plates upon plates of food. Today, they have made good progress, and the prince is confident enough with his pet that he uses few gestures and more words.
"Let's pick up these books and give them to the librarian," he tells his pet, and his pet begins to pick up the books.
"What do you feel like eating today?" he asks, and his pet replies with a list of odd foods listed in names that can only be pronounced in Altorienese. The prince warns him not to speak Altorienese in these halls, as some residents are still shaky with the aftermath of the war, and even the slightest hint of Altorienese presence might set them off. His pet soon apologizes and promises not to use Altorienese in public.
Music and festive voices fill the air as the prince and his pet approach the dining halls. Even after the visiting royals have left, there is still much merrymaking to be had in the land of Crodinia. In the center of it all is the kingdom's beloved ruler, Mathias Køhler, himself. His charisma and smile are infectious, spreading to even the most solemn of characters and sending them into a tipsy faze of drinking and joke-telling. The prince looks around and sees that his brother is nowhere to be found. For now, he takes a seat at his designated spot far from the rest of the chaos. His pet sits behind him on a stool and waits to be fed.
Since it has barely been two days since the prince has claimed ownership for his pet, he is unsure of what he enjoys eating. He grabs a sample of everything from the tables, stacks them on a large metal platter, and presents it to his pet in hopes that one of the foods will entice him.
"Just tell me which one tastes the best, and I'll bring you more of it," he says and returns to his seat. The prince, himself, does not eat very much and instead watches over the scene as the king laughs his worries away in the middle of his subjects.
"He's doing that again."
The prince almost jumps out of his skin at the sudden arrival of that voice. As soon as he turns his head, he sees his brother sitting next to him with a small plate of food in front of him. He is already snacking on a piece of grilled fish as if treating this entire scene as a normal everyday occurrence, but it might as be with Mathias being his husband.
"Brother, I-I didn't see you," the prince stammers and straightens his posture out.
"I was in the kitchen," he casually says. "It's too noisy here. Mathias makes too many friends sometimes."
The prince scoffs and looks at his brother with a raised eyebrow. "Where would the Kingdom of Crodinia be without him?"
"Trying to fend off Altorienese troops, no doubt," the king's husband wearily sighs and takes another piece of fish. He bites off the head and chews on its cloudy eyeballs until the entire piece is disfigured and unrecognizable flesh. "I just wish the idiot were more serious every now and then."
The prince cannot argue with him there. A majority of his life revolves around living in the castle with Mathias and his brother. He has still not adjusted to all of the king's erratic behaviors no matter how many days pass them by, whether it is his never-ending urge to travel and hunt or making up quirky jokes and laughing around new faces. At the very least, his brother will never tire of his excitable behavior however dull and bored he appears to be; the prince only wishes he can find someone of that caliber in his later years, too.
Mathias and the rest of his subjects chatter in the center of the dining hall until their plates are emptied and their bellies are full. The prince's pet has since cleared three plates of a select assortment of sausages and meats, and his brother has since sipped an entire bottle of wine. With his nerves loosened, the prince finds it easier to approach him with more dutiful matters than if he lacked alcohol in his system.
"So, brother, when will it be my time to attend the hearings?" he asks over a goblet of spicy cider.
Being loose in spirits and judgment, his brother presses onto his hair and ruffles it the way his husband does to the young prince. Then, he chuckles and kisses his little brother's cheek, leaving a faint waft of wine in his wake. "Little brother, you're supposed to attend them every day since turning of age. It's time for you to be an adult, and hearings are part of becoming one." He pauses to contain a spell of nausea passing through his system before continuing. "I'll give you a pass today since I know you were tired from last night. It's just understandable, little brother. I would find an excuse to skip if I were in your position. No harm done, right?"
"R-Right…" the prince reluctantly says. With how his brother can occasionally be aloof when drinking, he does not always know how truthful he is being. Just then, his doubts are washed away when his brother stands up and begins making his way down to the middle of the dining hall, carrying an empty wine bottle in his hand and dragging it down the steps like a sledgehammer. The prince watches with keen eyes and calls his pet over to see. Trying not to show too much interest, he points to his brother who is almost invisible in the crowd with how ordinary and quiet he is being.
"Look, Leon," he loudly whispers so his pet can hear him over the yelling and singing. "My brother's going to do something to Mathias. This always happens when he ignores him for too long."
His pet watches the scene unfold in complete focus as Lukas approaches Mathias, taps him on his back, get his attention—and smashes him over his stubborn head with the empty wine bottle. The hall explodes with laughter and applause as their king stumbles, regains his balance for a brief moment, and falls flat on the floor, the glass bottle shattered all around him and inflicting a protruding red gash on the side of his head. Some of the more sober diners show some concern for the king and his condition, but they soon pass over when they see how casually the rest of the diners react to this unusual event.
Lukas, too, is completely calm about striking the king over his head and bends down to pick him up. He easily does this with a single arm and shakes his husband like a limp rag before snapping his fingers at him.
"Mathias," he hisses into his ear. "King of the north. Get to your feet and wrap this feast up. This is getting ridiculous, and I'm tired."
"There's the couple we know and love!" someone shouts with a hearty laugh. "Always keeping each other in check! Ha ha ha!"
"Just like children," the prince sighs as his brother begins ordering the diners to leave the halls for the night. They have a busy day tomorrow, and with reports from the other kingdoms arriving in the morning, they need their full rest to last the entire day. The prince, too, decides it is time for them to retire and asks if his pet is finished eating.
"One more roll?" his pet asks, pointing to a single jellyroll filled with starberry jam and whipped cream.
"One more." The prince hands his pet the jellyroll and tells him to eat it as they retreat to his chambers. When they return to his chambers, there a fresh change of sleepwear is laid out on his bed for the two of them and a small mattress installed by the prince's bed just for his pet. "Here, join me, Leon." He takes a seat on his pet's new mattress and feels the cloth beneath. It is not as tall or as grand as his own bed, but it is softer and more comfortable than what his pet had before. Sure enough, his pet takes a seat beside him and feels the cushiony texture of his new sleeping area. "This is your bed from now on. I asked the head steward to arrange a better place for you to sleep. The floor, even for a pet, is no place for you."
He watches as the boy feels the coolness of the sheets and the spongy support of compressed springs and a sturdy wooden frame. Like a child bouncing on his parent's bed for the first time, he does not know how to react to such a gift and can only stare in silence.
"Well?" The prince moves to his pet and places his hand over his. "Do you like it, Leon?"
His pet is silent, and for a while, the prince wonders if he made a wrong assumption until he sees those golden eyes glowing with something he can only describe as gratifying. He does not smile when he speaks, yet the warmth in his voice is enough to melt the prince's fragile heart.
"Very much, Master. Thank you."
The prince smiles and kisses his pet's forehead. He prepares for the night, dressing into his sleepwear and turning on his snowflake lamp. Before going to sleep, he asks his pet if he wants to read a story to practice his Crodinian. Without any protest, he consents and waits for his master to join him in his bed after retrieving a book.
"This book was given to me by my mother," he tells his pet as he strokes his dark hair. "It's full of tales from all over the world, not just in Crodinia but places like the island kingdoms of Tabrini or the desert seas of Arbren. They even have stories from Altorien. Would you like to hear those?"
"No." Leon speaks with such hostility over that single word that it frightens the prince. The sudden abruptness of his rejection came out of nowhere, and he does not know how to properly react to his reply. Maybe it is because his pet has never rejected something from him before, or maybe it was not natural for his pet to answer in such a way, but he suddenly feels uncomfortable being close to him.
"I-I…Might I ask why, Leon?" he attempts to say.
His pet bitterly looks away from him and turns his head away. He is hiding again, the prince thinks. It is just like the time at the study hall when he refused to look directly at his brother.
"Leon, look at me." He speaks with a firm voice that commands respect and authority. He is not just a prince; he is this boy's master. It feels unnatural speaking like this, but he can find no other way for his pet to listen to him. He needs to ingrain in his pet's mind that he is still his property if nothing else, not a friend, not even a human being.
"Tell me why you don't want to read about the Altorienese stories. That's an order. And look at me when your master is speaking to you."
With some waiting, his pet looks back in his direction with a meek expression. Though he is roughly the same height as the prince, his pitiful state makes him appear so much smaller than what he truly is.
"I'm sorry," he apologizes, and this is the first time he does so.
Feeling guilty for using such a tone on a trivial matter, the prince easily forgives his pet and strokes his face. "It's fine, Leon. I shouldn't have ordered you like that. But I really do want to know why you don't want to hear about your own empire's stories." He can feel his pet hesitating even as he brings himself to speak.
"My empire was weak," he says in rough Crodinian. "I was weak. It's a time I don't want to…" He struggles to find the correct word. "…know about."
"Forget?" the prince whispers. "Altorien is a place you'd rather forget?"
The boy is confused. "What is forget?"
"To forget," the prince explains, "is to discard your memories of something, as if you didn't know it happened or existed. Some things are easy to forget. Others…not so much." He strokes the binding on his book. The grooves along the spine that make up the floral pattern are still etched in good condition. He remembers feeling the spine as a child and enjoying how the flowers popped out of the binding like they were real. At that time, his mother was with him, too, smiling and holding him close to read him stories told from all around the world, a world that he still hopes he can one day see for himself.
For now, however, the prince dismisses these thoughts and instead chooses to pick a different story. He starts with the first one, a story from Tabrini about two beings from two different worlds. "Here, read as much as you can, and I'll help you along the way, Leon." He sits and reads alongside him with great patience, explaining any new definitions or words proving difficult to pronounce.
The story consists of a woman and a man from different planes of existence, a man from Tabrini and a woman from the Deep Earth, where the Tabrinish believe all life originates from. Having never seen a living human before, the woman grew curious of the world of the living and ventured out to gaze at its wonders. The first living creature she saw was a man, and, being surprised that he bore similar traits to her own kind, instantly fell in love with him. However, she knew she could not leave her world permanently and so easily, so she began to communicate with him through his dreams, hoping that one day her wishes would reach him, and they could spend a brief moment together.
When he slept, the man would hear the whispers of a beautiful voice, calling him to a place. He soon found that the voice was calling him to a cliff where no man dared venture. The rocks below were sharp, and one little mistake could send someone tumbling down into the rocks or the unrelenting sea below. But it was here that the woman's presence was the strongest, and it was here that the man was determined to meet the owner of the voice in his dreams and set out to find her. When he came to the edge of the cliff, the voice spoke to him from behind. Excited to finally meet the woman, he looked behind him to find not a beautiful woman to match her voice, but a mangled figure with the arms, legs, and face of a human but also woody flesh, hollow eyes, and hair that fell in tangled vines and dying leaves. Frightened by her undead appearance, the man tripped on his own two feet and tumbled head-first into the rocks below. He was killed instantly, and the remains of his body migrated to Far Skies, where the Tabrinish believe all life travels to when it passes on.
Unfortunately for the woman, she could never go to Far Skies to meet the one she had led to his death. Stricken with grief, she began to weep until her tears turned into a river that flowed down the cliffs and transformed into a waterfall. As for the woman, herself, she remained frozen in the same spot for such a long period of time that she had rooted herself to the land of the living and took on the physical form of a tree. The Tabrinish say that the tree still stands there today, and at the base of its roots, waters as clear as the purest alcohol but as salty as the most bitter tears runs down the cliff and into the sea.
When the prince and his pet finish the story, the prince looks to his pet and tilts his head. "Well? What did you think?"
His pet blinks his eyes a few times before speaking, a common ritual by now as he tries to process his thoughts into Crodinian. "I thought they were both…foolish is the word?"
The prince stares. "Why do you say that? Why do you think they were foolish, Leon?"
"Because…" His pet's voice trails off as he attempts to carry his thoughts out. "I think…the woman should not have told him to come to such a dangerous place. The man was foolish to follow a voice so blindly. And he should not have been so—I don't know the word—easy? Soft-headed, maybe?"
After some deduction, the prince believes the word his pet is looking for is "shallow."
"You think he's shallow because he only had an interest in her voice, Leon, and not her character?"
"Yes," his pet replies. "And it's better that two people of different worlds stay apart in their own worlds. That way…" He lets out a short sigh. "…those who come out of that bond will not be shunned by both worlds."
The prince does not understand the context of the boy's words. At first he thinks it is his limited vocabulary that prevents him from properly carrying out his thoughts, but something tells him there is more to his pet than what he is telling him right now. He nearly inquires about it when his pet begins to yawn.
"Ah. You're tired, aren't you?" His pet nods and rubs his eyes. "Then perhaps we can stop here. You did a good job reading, Leon. I'm proud of you for learning so much so quickly."
"Proud?" his pet repeats.
The prince smiles and closes his mother's book, taking care to tuck it carefully back in its place. "To feel proud is to be happy after accomplishing something. I am proud of you because you were able to grasp so much Crodinian in such a short amount of time. It's been, what? Two days of lessons? And yet you can understand what I'm saying."
"I try," his pet humbly bows. "Thank you, Master."
"You're welcome, Leon," he responds. "But before I get ahead of myself, your interpretation was incorrect. The story is one of persistence. There are different versions of this story, and some are told in full romances. The lesson to be learned from this version is that even when there are those from completely different backgrounds, their impacts may leave an everlasting impression with dedication and perseverance."
His pet, however, still appears confused. His thick brow furrows with confusion as he listens to his master, and it seems as though he is still in disagreement. It could be that he does not wish to go against his master or because he lacks the vocabulary to state his rebuttal, but he does not say anymore and decides to go to sleep.
"I'm tired, Master," he says.
"So am I, Leon," the prince smiles and preens his pet's bangs. "Since I'm sixteen years old, I have to attend the royal hearings tomorrow. It's going to be a long day for me, so let's both try to get some rest. Does that sound nice?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good." When the prince tucks his pet in his new covers, he goes to dim all the lights, capping the candles and lamps one by one. However, before he goes to dim his uncle's present, he hears a small sound coming from his bedside.
"A-Ah…"
The prince looks over his shoulder to see his pet sitting up from his covers and looking at the lamp with wide eyes.
"Something wrong, Leon?" the prince asks. He notices how reluctant the Altorienese boy is for leaving the chambers in complete darkness; he clings onto his blanket and begins to fidget with slight impatience—or perhaps it is fear.
"The light…" he says. "Don't take it away."
"This?" The prince places his hand on the lamp; even after having turned it on for an hour, its surface is decently cool due to his uncle's fine craftsmanship. "Would you like me to keep it burning for the night, Leon?"
"Yes," he immediately nods and adds on "please."
"Alright then." He leaves his uncle's lamp on and returns to his own bed. He settles in for the night and peeks over the edge to stare at his pet who is more than content with the lights being lit now. "Are you comfortable, Leon?"
"Yes, Master." His voice has since died down to a slur, and it only makes sense with the day drawing out with waiting and studying. Tomorrow might not be any different for both the prince and his pet, and it makes him ponder his role and the purpose of having him as a gift. His thoughts beginning to preoccupy his mind, he turns away from his pet and stares out his glass balcony to the vast valleys and river in the distance. The Kingdom of Crodinia is at a peaceful time, hard-earned and well-deserved because of Mathias' undying leadership and Lukas' cunning tactics. With things being the way they are, little will change: the prince will attend hearings, socialize with the royals and residents in the castle, converse with his brother and brother-in-law, and repeat. The only thing that has truly changed is Leon.
Rolling his head on his pillow, the prince stares at the ceiling at the lights. He has barely been sixteen for three days now, yet the lights floating and spinning in snowflake patterns gives off a nostalgic feeling that lulls him closer to sleep. Before his consciousness fades away, he turns back to Leon who already has his eyes closed. He calls to his pet in a soft whisper, wondering if the boy is already asleep.
"Leon…? Are you awake?"
His pet winks open an eye and moves his attention towards the bed beside him. Against the light of the lamp, his golden orbs look like two spheres of starlight peering through the darkness. "I'm awake, Master."
"Then can you tell me something? Are you happy here with me?"
"Happy?" his pet blinks.
"Yes. You know the word. I've taught you it."
"Happy…" his pet repeats. He closes his eyes and buries his face into his blankets, appearing as though he is meditating on the question. When he finally comes up with his answer, the prince's eyes have grown heavy and weak. He barely catches his pet smiling in the darkness before drifting off to sleep and hearing his final words.
"Yes, Master. I'm happy being here with you."
Arbren: Anagram of "Barren"