Title: The Lucky Unlucky Situation
Summary: Of all the things life could throw at you I'd say being slave to Prince Kheel himself is of the worst found luck. Mello/Matt
Merry Christmas here's two Chapters one today and one on Christmas Eve and this is the second to last chapter before POV switch.
Chapter Five: A Cook Named Lawliet
Another day, another set of chores that will leave me smelling like the foul stench of the market beggars ass. Well not that bad, but quite close. My eyes met the golden handled door and I knocked twice.
"You may enter farm boy." The royal purple carpet ended at the Prince's door continuing on its design in bold beige that complemented the royal blue covers and pale yellow sheets. Every time I walk into this room there's something new I discover that I hadn't noticed the day before.
"I see you didn't need me to wake you up. What could the occasion be?" Mihael was already out of his chamber robes and dressed in a fine cream colored set of robes that had a tie at the waist and earth brown bottoms.
"I have a royal meeting to attend…" He hurried past me and gestured for me to follow. I sauntered behind and sighed. I hope to God that I don't have to sit through a boring shitty meeting. We stopped in front of the kitchen. A familiar head of inky black hair arose from the kitchen and made his way towards us.
"Matt, you got lucky today." My face perked up as the blonde's pink lips upturned into a frown.
"Your highness what is it?" Blue eyes rolled before making a reply.
"Accompany this cook to the market place and carry all the items he needs for my supper." I get to go to the market place! I did an internal happy dance. Despite my efforts I couldn't help the goofy smile that crossed my features.
"Don't be out too long you still have chores to do!" I laughed and slung an arm around his shoulders causing the great Mihael to visibly tense.
"Then why let me go hmm?" Aloe and jasmine was too much of an attractive scent for such an asshole.
"You've worked on a farm. You can distinguish the best." He shoved me away harshly a barely there blush staining his cheeks. Fuck I forgot how strong he was…
"I'd say see you around supper, but you won't be done in time." A smile fastened on the blondes face as he left me alone with the cook.
I turned toward the brunet to catch him snacking absently on a piece of sugar cane. He took his fingers one by one into his mouth, giving each a satisfying suck before shifting his attention back to me. I raised a red brow and glanced from his face to his hands.
He was on his way towards the castle entrance when my voice stopped him in his tracks.
"You need to wash those things before handling food!" Or anything for that matter…
"You enjoyed dinner yes?" My face went pale as he wiggled his spindly fingers in front of himself and smiled.
"These are the hands that prepared that delightful meal." With that he turned on his heel and continued walking. Sick fuck…
I was about to readdress the issue before I bounded the corner and caught sight of the odd cook rinsing his hands in a small bowl of sudsy water being held up by Fran.
"Mail was it?" I nodded.
"I take food quite seriously…" With that he shook the water off of his pale fingers and headed outside of the main corridor towards the gates. Well now I feel stupid… Fran giggled and walked away.
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The crate was already heavy without any contents in it, and today really must be my lucky day since the sun decided against roasting my ass cheeks like a pig. I smiled as I breathed in the smell of the thugs, liars, cheaters and of course the good old hard working commoners. Ok I've already been around Mihael way too long. When did I start referring to my own people as commoners?
There was a show today at the market place. Two women in short dresses—that went all the way up to their calves—were dancing around in circles on a wooden platform. Men drunk silly with ale were leering at her ankles and exposed legs, cat calling out to them with great earnest and promises of good bedding.
Lawliet's dark grey eyes were on a mission as we walked. His money satchel was being held tightly to his torso as a thumb was placed between his lips. Those grey eyes bounced back and forth between produce vendors like his life depended on it.
After a few moments of silence and mindless walking I decided to speak.
"How'd you come to work for Kheel castle?" Lawliet stopped at a small potato peddler and handed me a potato. I sized up the weight in my hand and checked for bruising and an off smell.
"It's starting to rot slightly in the middle it's no good." I tossed the potato back to the angry peddler and walked to the next potato vender. Freshest crops my ass…
"King Lukas is a very forgiving man." He handed me the new stand's potato as he talked.
"I used to be a spy listening in on the royal meetings and selling the acquired information for a high pound of gold." I checked the brown mound and gave him a nod. Yup Lawliet and I will get along just fine. I like people who tell the truth and are straight forward. I'm smart sure, but do I honestly want to spend my time analyzing people's words for truth or lie. Fuck. That.
He gathered several potatoes into the crate and moved over towards a broccoli stand.
"I was caught in the act, your age at the time, and King Lukas gave me an alternative to the dungeon. I could become his son's, who was ten at the time, personal cook." Does King Lukas have a thing for helping teenage boys, or is it just me? I imagined his long gold locks blowing in the wind as he hugged me and Lawliet to his chest with tear filled eyes. I frowned and shuddered.
"How'd he know you could cook?" His eyes looked down cast for a minute.
"My Father worked as a main cook in the kitchen…" My eyes widened the old guy with the grey hair! His teeth nibbled harder at his thumb.
"How long did he sentence you?" I surveyed the green vegetables closely pinching the stalks for firmness and checking their bushes for mold. They didn't smell funny either so they should be ok…
"Four years."
"And how old are you?"
"Twenty Four…" I blinked one then twice and ran my hands through my red locks to regain composure. Are you kidding me? Are YOU kidding me!
"You stayed an extra three whole years!" My voice was louder than I thought it'd be and everybody at the square stopped and turned towards me.
"Carry on!" The chatter and movement slowly began to start again as the pale cook chewed on his thumb harder than ever. I smacked his hand away from his mouth and glared.
"Why on earth are you still here?" He blushed and looked down starting towards a cart of cheese.
"You see my last year here something happened yes." That something better be amazing. Who in their right mind stays and works for that whiny, sarcastic, pompous, lazy, foul mouthed, insulting joke of a prince.
"You see I met someone." Of course the totally clichéd love interest… I crossed my arms and nodded disinterestedly.
"He is not from our country. He travels here once a year due to the far distance between here and Japan." Well this is interesting, he's gay. I was expecting him to fall cock over heels for some curvy chamber maid.
"He is a Prince himself and one of Mihael's oldest friends; though he wouldn't amount as much seeing as how he is seen only once a years' time." Those grey orbs were already brightening with just the thought of this mysterious Asian prince. I chuckled slightly as he tossed a small morsel of cheese into the basket and smiled.
It wasn't odd for older men to fall for younger people. My dad is eleven years older than my mom after all, even though he doesn't look it. The more he thought about it the more his face seemed to look pained.
"What're you making anyway?" Let's just stray from this subject before he's brought down to tears. I'm awful at comforting people…
"Butter lemon roasted chicken with a side of a broccoli, potato and cheese mix, along with a cup of chocolate for desert. Oh, and freshly squeezed green grapes for his goblet chilled to the temperature of course, of his liking…" Oh sweet Jesus what I would do to eat like that asshole every night! I grinned stupidly as my mouth began to salivate just at the mere thought of eating that for din.
"So Lawli what are you preparing for this young lad to eat?" I waggled my eyebrows and pointed to thumbs towards my chest. Please say the same, please say the same, please say the same…
"That's easy, left over ham and bread morsel with a side of sliced apples and a refill of water to your flask." I deflated entirely and shakily carried the heavy crate silently. I have no choice since I'll be missing the servant's supper time do to my insane amount chores…
"So that really delicious meal you cooked for me was solely because of me cleaning for you?" The cook applauded me and let out a soft chuckle before placing his thumb back between his teeth.
"You're learning Mail, you're learning…"
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Moans littered the room insistently as the fork disappeared yet again into those irritably pink lips. The royal meeting was still going on when we had returned from the market and Near had already taken care of half of my day's chores. I felt kind of bad for the kid. I hope he doesn't spoil every lad who sends a few encouraging phrases his way. Nether the less I thanked him and finished up the rest while wondering how in God's name he managed to do all that in that amount of time. He must have read my expression and giggled quietly to himself.
"Servitude is all I've known…" his tone was almost pensive as he walked away. Another moan rippled through the air as the prince took in a bite of the sweet juicy chicken and ran an even pinker tongue across his bottom lip. My heart started beating and I turned away. Whelp this is going to be a low blow. I imagined King Lukas's over enthusiastic hug and I visibly shuttered once again. After several seemingly endless moments of moans, slurps and dramatic eye closes the tormenter was finally satisfied with his meal and we were on our way towards his bed room chambers. I then proceeded to mentally scold myself. Alright Mail, train your eyes to the fucking carpet. You are not allowed to look him in the eye after perversely leering at his stupid mouth for the whole supper. Speaking of supper after this I'm going straight to din, Fran then bed.
We entered the room and he proceeded to the ceremony of stripping himself down to his britches. I quickly made my way to the huge wardrobe and began peering into the ridiculous expanse of chamber robes.
"What kind of chamber robes do you wish for tonight your highness?" I glanced over my shoulder quickly.
"A light blue silk if you will Matt." Alright let's get this prince dressed and stuffed away—I mean tucked in! In my rush of putting on his chamber robes, I lifted his pants faster than his thigh could come down causing him to stumble slightly resulting in his head catching at my shoulder. Mmm why does aloe mixed with jasmine smell so fucking good? How could this have possibly upset my stomach I mean-
"Are you going to finish dressing me for bed or sniff me all day you creep…"He shoved me away harshly again, finished getting into his chamber clothes and tucked himself into bed.
"If you touch me without permission again I'll see to it you receive a punishment so severe you'll flinch every time you even look at me." I grinned and cocked a brow.
"So you're saying you'd consider giving me permission." He rolled onto his side.
"Take your leave." As the door was closing I could've sworn I heard a slight groan followed by a small chuckle.
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"Mail wake up! Mail wake up!" Near was urgently shaking me as I awoke from another dream about my family. His tired eyes looked panicked and he seemed even paler than usual.
"It's begun!" I looked at him confused until the whistle of several bows releasing arrows and the screech of drawn silver filled my ears from the small window.
"What do we do!" I've never actually been in the middle of a war before.
"For now get dressed and we'll meet up with the palace soldiers who are directing the castle workers and the pe-" A loud crash of breaking glass cut off the white haired boy as chainmail and the familiar clank of knight armor resounded through the corridor. My heart stopped breathing and for a moment it was disturbingly quiet before a hoarse voice bellowed through the hall.
"Bring me… the head… of Lukas!"
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The next chapter is going to be a little more serious than my normally mildly humorous writing but more engaging because of that factor.
Read and Review if you deem it worthy.