Anyone who follows me on tumblr will know how much I love the phrase 'Atobe, King of the Vampires' lol. So, here is Atobe's first of many appearances. I love writing him so much, he's so much fun! Especially when he's bickering with Ryoma~

Ryoma was pounced on the next morning by Kikumaru and Momo, both determined to make sure that he was completely okay.

"I'm fine," Ryoma grumbled, trying to get out of Momo's headlock, "you're hurting me!"

"We were so worried, Shorty!" Kikumaru said, "Tezuka wouldn't let us see you till you were awake!"

Ryoma was very glad of that, his bed had been warm and he'd had a wonderful nights sleep, one that Kikumaru and Momo would have inevitably ruined had they been allowed in.

"It's so lucky you got to Tezuka," Momo said.

"It's lucky Karupin jumped on my face and woke me up," Ryoma said, "I'm just very lucky."

He escaped Momo's clutches, only to fall into Kikumaru's bone breaking hug. "You should put 'escaping assassination' as your special skill," Kikumaru joked, then looked sad and squeezed Ryoma again, "I'm really happy you're still alive!"

"So am I," Ryoma said, letting himself be hugged.

Kikumaru and Momo took it upon themselves to be by Ryoma's side for the rest of the day. He couldn't do anything without one of them appearing. He understood that they were concerned, but it was annoying to be shadowed by them. Around lunchtime, Ryoma had got so sick of them that he gave them the slip and went to read in the library.

He hadn't read a lot back in his old life, but it was something that he enjoyed doing. He picked a book out at random and sat down on the sofa.

He was so engrossed in the book that he didn't even notice it get dark and, by the time he surfaced from the book, he realised just how cold he was.

A fire had been lit in his room and Ryoma dragged a chair up in front of it and curled back up with his book. Tezuka checked on him a few hours later and brought him some dinner, but didn't say anything more than asking him how he was.

The next day, Momo dragged Ryoma out into the garden to collect up sticks for kindling.

"The castle must be really cold for you," Momo said as they picked up sticks and snapped them to more fireplace friendly sizes.

"It is," Ryoma replied.

"The nights are getting colder too."

"I should steal Tezuka's bed, it's much warmer and comfier than mine," Ryoma said and Momo just laughed.

In the end, their stick finding turned into a competition. Momo's better speed and strength meant he collected more that double what Ryoma had managed to find. Not wanting to admit defeat, Ryoma dragged the competition out till it started to get dark. The pile of sticks grew larger and larger and was almost Ryoma's height by the time Ryoma's hands were so cold he couldn't carry on.

"Maybe we should go back in," Momo suggested as Ryoma blew on his hands for the hundredth time and rubbed them together.

Ryoma looked at the pile of sticks they'd made and scowled, he knew he'd lost this one. "Fine," He shrugged, "what are we gonna do with all these?"

"They should go in the woodshed," Momo said, "but I'll do it."

Ryoma made a non committal noise and helped Momo clear up. He'd helped make the mess after all and he wanted to shake off his spoilt prince image.

It didn't take them too long to get the sticks into the woodshed, Momo did most of the work, but Ryoma carried as many as he could.

The castle felt a lot warmer inside than it normally did, Ryoma supposed that was because it was so cold outside. He warmed his hands on the fire in the entrance hall and wished the vampires would install central heating. Even after warming himself by the fire he was still cold and, after dinner, he went back to his room to curl up in bed with Karupin.

He woke the next morning feeling horrendous. His body ached all over and he felt hot and clammy. He groaned and pulled the covers over his head. It didn't make him feel any better.

He supposed it was better to be feeling ill now, rather than back when he had work, but that thought hardly made him feel better. He buried his face in the pillow and tried to fall back asleep.

When he didn't appear for breakfast, Kikumaru came to check on him.

"It must be all the stress catching up with you," he said after he'd hugged Ryoma to death.

Or staying out in the cold all afternoon, Ryoma thought.

"It's raining, so you can stay in bed all day," Kikumaru said, "I'll make sure your fire is stoked up all day!"

"Can you get me into Tezuka's bed?" Ryoma asked.

"By yourself or with him in it?" Kikumaru asked mischievously.

"By myself! His bed is really nice. Why does he have it? It's not like he sleeps in it!"

"He'd trade with you if you asked."

"I'm not going to ask," Ryoma muttered.

"Do you want some breakfast?" Kikumaru asked.

Ryoma considered it for a bit, he didn't feel very hungry, but eating would probably be a good idea. "Sure."

Kikumaru returned with some toast and Oishi.

Ryoma sighed and tucked into his toast whilst Oishi gave him an examination.

"You've got a cold," he concluded, "just get some rest and you'll be fine."

Ryoma nodded, glad for an excuse to stay in bed.

"Is there anything you want, Shorty?" Kikumaru asked, looking at him like he was on the verge of death.

"A book," Ryoma said.

"Okay, which one?"

"I don't know, one that looks good."

He had expected Kikumaru to come back with a book picked at random, but he was taking so long to return that Ryoma was starting to think he's gotten lost, or was actually trying to pick a good book out. When he did come back, he had a whole stack of books.

"I asked Tezuka for recommendations and he gave me these," Kikumaru said, putting the books down on the bedside table, "your mate takes good care of you."

"Not enough to actually come and see if I'm okay," Ryoma muttered, picking the first book off the top and opening it.

Kikumaru took this as a cue to leave, "there's a bell pull somewhere in here, if you need anything then pull it and I'll come running."

The rain picked up a few minutes after Kikumaru left, the wind blowing the rain against the window. Ryoma wondered vaguely if he'd deliberately been given the room that always had the rain splashing against the window. The book Tezuka had given him was good. It was a murder mystery set in ancient Ensinkil and was complicated enough to keep him interested, but not so much that his cold-addled brain couldn't keep up.

Around lunchtime some sandwiches appeared with Momo and Ryoma gladly took them, his appetite returning.

"Tezuka's got a guest coming later," Momo said, watching Ryoma eat.

"Like a girlfriend or something?"

Momo burst out laughing, "Tezuka? Have a girlfriend?"

"What? It's not that ridiculous," Ryoma muttered.

"I've been here for a couple of hundred years and you're the closest thing Tezuka's come to having a 'girlfriend'!"

"So, who is it then?"

"Who?"

Ryoma rolled his eyes, "the guest!"

"Dunno, probably someone from Koori."

"So a politician or something? Koori's the capital city, right?"

"Yeah, probably. Tezuka's got a lot of friends from there."

Ryoma hummed contemplatively. "By the way, what do you know about the vampire assassins?" He'd been meaning to ask someone for ages, none of the books he'd looked at had any information about them in, but he thought he should wait till the right time.

"They live on the edge of the country," Momo replied, "I don't know much about them really, other than they're really good and expensive. Tezuka knows them, I have no idea how though. So does Fuji, actually."

"Right," Ryoma said, making a note to ask one of them. Preferably Tezuka, although he would have to seek him out.

He was rather interested in who his guest was, even if he had no idea why.

"I'm going to get some sleep," Ryoma said.

"Alright, sleep well," Momo said as he left.

Ryoma settled down and picked up his book again. It wouldn't hurt to read for a little before going to sleep.

A couple of hours later he heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. He didn't have a good view of the front of the castle from his room, but leaning out of it he could see the front wheels of a very expensive looking car.

He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a jumper over the top of his pyjamas and hurried out of the room. He was good at hiding in the shadows and watching guests be welcomed, having perfected the technique as a child. Of course, as he'd grown up he'd been expected to participate in the welcomes.

He hurried along the corridors to the top of the door onto the balcony overlooking the sweeping staircase and peered out. Down below was Tezuka with Atobe Keigo, the King of the Vampire Kingdom of (name). He hadn't changed at all since Ryoma had seen him when he'd been very little, other that he wasn't dressed in military uniform.

"When you called me I realised that I haven't met your new mate," Atobe was saying, "and I was my way to see Yukimura, so I dropped in."

"Thank you for giving me some warning," Tezuka said, the words 'for once' were pretty evident in his tone.

"So, where is the prince? I was expecting him to greet me here with you."

"He's not feeling very well," Tezuka replied, "I will see if he's well enough to come and see you, but if he isn't I hope you understand."

"He's not on the verge of death is he?" Atobe didn't sound at all concerned.

"Of course not," Tezuka said.

"Then he won't mind me dropping in to see him."

They were now walking up the stairs towards him now and Ryoma scrambled back into the shadows.

"He will," Tezuka said and Ryoma smiled, "We should go to the library, I'll send someone to get Echizen."

"Not on first name terms with him then?"

Tezuka didn't reply and Ryoma chose that moment to escape back to his room. He'd learnt a few short cuts recently.

He dived under the covers and picked up his book just as there was a knock on the door. Atobe didn't wait for a reply before barging in, an exasperated Tezuka behind him.

Ryoma glared at Atobe, "who are you?"

"You know exactly who I am," Atobe replied, a nasty smirk on his lips.

"I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"Echizen," Tezuka said sternly.

"What? I haven't!"

"I think you were about five, you were spying on my welcome party in your old palace," Atobe said.

Ryoma shrugged, "don't remember. I was five."

Atobe chuckled and looked at Ryoma like he was a particularly interesting toy. "This is why you shouldn't date children, Tezuka. They lie."

"We're not dating," Tezuka said. "Echizen, this is King Atobe Keigo. Atobe, this is Prince Echizen Ryoma."

"Nice to meet you," Atobe said, "again."

"I still don't remember you," Ryoma lied.

"Would you leave us a while, Tezuka," Atobe said, "I want to get to know your mate."

Ryoma gulped, without Tezuka there, he doubted that he could get away with baiting Atobe. Tezuka gave them both a look and then left the room.

"Remember he's ill," he told Atobe as he left.

"He didn't see you spying on us," Atobe said once the door was shut, "or thinks he just imagined it."

"He doesn't know me well," Ryoma said, "we've only know each other a few weeks."

"That's true," Atobe said.

"Are you here to tell me that if I hurt him you'll kill me?" Ryoma asked, "that's rather cliche."

"I came to remind you that your life is connected to Tezuka's," Atobe said, his voice suddenly serious, "if you die then so does Tezuka, who is one of my closest friends. I will not permit him to die because of you."

"I'm not sure how you could stop that."

"I'm telling you not to put yourself in stupid situations," Atobe said, "If I could, I would lock you up in this room, but Tezuka won't let me."

"Assassins can still get in through the window," Ryoma pointed out.

"Then I would lock you in a windowless room."

They glared at each other.

"Why would I deliberately put myself in danger?" Ryoma asked.

"Because you are nineteen," Atobe replied, "and therefore you are an idiot."

Ryoma huffed, "I've managed to survive so far."

"Through sheer luck. If magic hadn't disappeared centuries ago I would put it down to that."

Ryoma knew what he had said was completely true, but there was something about Atobe that rubbed him up the wrong way. He had no idea why Tezuka liked him!

"I have to talk to Tezuka now," Atobe said, "try not to be killed whilst we're away."

He left, leaving a fuming Ryoma in his wake. How dare he say something like that! As if Ryoma wanted to get killed! It wasn't his fault all of this had happened! If it had been up to him, he'd be back in his own palace with his parents. But it wasn't up to him and nothing that had happened was his fault. He hadn't asked to be shipped off to Taranis or to be assassinated or to be bitten and turned into Tezuka's mate! But it had happened and now he was trying to deal with it.

Angrily, he got out of bed and pulled on his jumper again. He was going to eavesdrop on Tezuka and Atobe's conversation and nothing was going to stop him. He had no idea where they would be though. He knew Tezuka had an office, but where it was he had no idea. He went to the library first and was surprised when he heard voices from inside. He pressed his ear up against the door and heard Tezuka and Atobe inside.

"You know what Sanada's like, I doubt Yukimura was able to get in contact with him once he found out," Atobe said.

There was a pause in which Ryoma could only assume Tezuka was giving Atobe a look. "If he decided to tell him at all. They would have known he was under my care from the start. There must have been a lot of money involved from them to risk our wrath."

"I will talk to him about it," Atobe promised.

"Find out who sent them as well."

"He won't tell me that," Atobe grumbled, "he never tells me anything like that."

He heard Tezuka sigh, "have you found out anything?"

"Other than there are plenty of people who want your little prince dead, no," Atobe replied, "Should we let him in, or let him continue eavesdropping?"

"Come in, Echizen," Tezuka said, "we heard you coming along the corridor."

Bloody vampires.

Ryoma opened the door and defiantly walked in, "you were talking about me."

"We were," Tezuka agreed, placing a hand on Ryoma's back and guiding him to a chair, "you should be in bed, you're ill."

"I have a cold, not the plague," Ryoma told him, then threw a glare at Atobe, who was watching them with a smirk.

"Such a nice scene of domesticity," Atobe said.

"Atobe," Tezuka said, using the same stern tone of voice he'd used on Ryoma earlier.

"You said that there were lots of people wanting me dead, who?" Ryoma asked.

"Well, first off the republicans who wanted the monarchy completely abolished. If they kill you then there are no more heirs and the monarchy may as well be abolished," Atobe said in a bored tone. "Then there's the people who don't want your country to be allied with Taranis. There are a lot of powerful and very rich people who do not want that to happen. Including myself, of course, but I wouldn't send assassins after you. If I wanted you dead, I'd do it myself."

"That's comforting to know," Ryoma grumbled and Tezuka came to sit down next to him.

"There are a lot of people in those groups who don't want you dead," Tezuka told him, "we've just got to find the ones that do."

"And that's easier said than done."

"Indeed," Tezuka agreed.

"There's also the people who want you dead now that you're Tezuka's mate," Atobe continued, not happy with being interrupted.

"But who knows I'm here?"

"A few people, along with anyone who saw you in town," Tezuka explained, "it won't be long before we can't keep your presence here a secret."

"That's a pain," Ryoma had been enjoying his anonymity, he knew once the press found out then he would be hounded by them.

Tezuka nodded in agreement, "Atobe is keeping the press silent at the moment, but he can only do that within this country, once it leaves here then we will have problems."

"Believe me, it's not easy," Atobe said, "I've put you under Royal Protection as well-"

"I know," Ryoma interrupted him.

"Yes, well, telling people that you are protected whilst not telling them where you are or why I have done so is very hard. I've made quite a few enemies because of it."

"I'm sorry that you've gone through so much trouble," Tezuka said and Atobe looked taken aback, as if he hadn't said that to get an apology.

"It's fine," Atobe waved it off, "I owe you a lot, Tezuka."

"Is there anyone else that could be after me?" Ryoma asked.

"Not that we can think of," Tezuka said, "although we shouldn't let our guard down."

"You shouldn't leave the castle for a while," Atobe told Ryoma firmly, "you were lucky this time. I doubt you'll be so lucky again."

"So, what should I do?"

"There are plenty of books in the library," Atobe said, motioning to the books around them, "read something."

"How long for?"

"Until we can be sure no one's going to try and kill you," Atobe said with a theatrical sigh, "your life isn't the only one on the line here."

"Would you like to stay here tonight?" Tezuka asked.

"No, I have to get going," Atobe replied, getting to his feet.

"I'll see you out," Tezuka said.