The Runaway Prince

Chapter Two: His castle with no princess

Mikhail is quickly growing frustrated with each move Alexander makes. First, the boy gets himself stuck in a damned animal trap; a raccoon trap to be specific. Second, he pissed off one of the venders in town by claiming what he sold was not a potato but a 'lump of death'; apparently he has never seen a potato before it was mashed. Third is his incessant talking of what great friends they would be. In all honesty he's not sure what exactly pisses him off the most.

"Hey, Mikhail…what is this?" Alexander asks, pulling the man out of his thoughts to see the prince holding a broken beer bottle curiously.

"You idiot! Don't pick that up!" Mikhail yells, smacking his hand so he drops it. "That's a beer bottle, a broken one at that. Broken glass is a no, and beer for your age is definitely a no; you drive me crazy enough sober."

"Ahh…it is a broken alcohol bottle…" Alexander says, looking to the glass at his feet. "But…then….someone's littering…our streets. That's horrible!" He gasps. "How could someone do such a thing?"

"God you're so annoyingly naïve…" Mikhail groans. "No one in this part of the country cares about cleanliness, just surviving."

"Ah…yes…where exactly is 'this part' of our country?" Alexander asks and Mikhail smirks.

"You don't know, huh?" Mikhail's voice grows dark. "This is the most dangerous part of the kingdom, the home of sinners."

"Ohh…so it's filled with lecherous people." Alexander says, looking around to the men. "Is that why it is only men?"

"Women can be lecherous too, you know…" Mikhail grumbles. "And sinners aren't always associated with sex. There are things such as thievery, murder, and pure violence. These men are unsavory."

"But…if you are one of them…then they can't be all bad." Alexander mumbles.

"You're a fool for believing in me." Mikhail states. "People die here for trusting others."

"What did you do to get here? Steal?" Alexander asks. "I'm sure it wasn't anything too horr-"

"I'm a murderer, Alexander." Mikhail says coldly. "Still think I'm amazing?"

"A…murderer…?" Alexander goes pale. "Why…did you…murder someone?"

"I'm paid to murder." Mikhail answers, leading the now nervous prince to a large building. "It's what got me this place." He says, gesturing to the building. "It's one of the nicest buildings here. Like the castle of this area."

Alexander frowns. "So it is blood money…"

"It is."

"And you can just kill a human being for nothing….?"

"I can." Mikhail responds, looking to Alexander. "Still want to be around me, prince?"

"Are you going to kill me…?" Alexander questions and Mikhail scoffs.

"If I were to kill you, I would have done it by now. I assure you."

"I'm not sure how reassuring that really is…" The blonde mumbles. "But, it's alright!" He says, smiling at Mikhail. "I trust you won't hurt me!"

"And why is that?" Mikhail asks, not really caring about the idiotic prince's reasoning.

"I'm more useful to you alive." Alexander answers with an almost mischievous look in his eyes. "My kingdom would have your head if you killed me, but alive you can hold me for ransom."

Mikhail rolls his eyes and scoffs at the idea. "Like I would be foolish enough to hold you for any sort of reward."

"That's comforting! I would not want to be stuck with an idiot." Alexander laughs a little.

"Yeah, two idiots together would be dangerous." Mikhail mumbles, making Alexander pout.

"I'm not an idiot, Mikhail."

"That is up for debate."

Alexander huffs. "You're a rude man, Mikhail."

"What is this? Mikhail is with a buddy?" A man with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail asks as he enters Mikhail's house.

"Daniel, go away." Mikhail groans as Daniel comes up to Alexander.

"Leave? While you are alone with this cutie here?" Daniel teases. "I've never seen you so eager to have a person all to yourself~!"

"That is not funny."

"It is a little bit." Alexander says and Daniel laughs.

"I like this kid! You gonna keep him?" Daniel asks, making Alexander look to Mikhail hopefully.

"Not forever. Just until he gets his fill and goes running back home." Mikhail answers, walking past Alexander and Daniel to go to his couch. "Where is your little friend Liu? Isn't he always around?"

Daniel smiles at him. "Liu is off buying food. My little Liu is so good it makes me wonder why he stays here with me!"

"Oh! Is Liu another man?" Alexander asks and Daniel nods.

"Yes! He is my man!"

"How wonderful! The two of you are in love? I've often wondered what that is like!" Alexander says and Daniel smirks.

"Perhaps Mikhail will teach you."

"Perhaps Mikhail will shove Daniel's face into the wall." Mikhail grumbles. "If you two are going to talk like idiots, do it somewhere else."

"Poor Alexander! Stuck with such a cold guy!" Daniel exclaims and Alexander shrugs.

"He's nice enough. As long as he isn't a girl I'm good." The prince says, smiling to Daniel. "I've had enough of being surrounded by girls."

"Ohh? And just where are you from that is surrounded with girls?" The brunette asks curiously.

"Oh! From the pa-!" Alexander is quickly cut off by a hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him onto the couch.

"Part of town where women actually live, obviously. Alexander has many sisters." Mikhail lies, squeezing Alexander's wrist until the boy agrees.

"Yes! So many sisters! And they all seem to like other women! So my house was filled to the brim with estrogen." Alexander says and Daniel looks at the two curiously.

"Why did you pull him onto the couch?" Daniel asks.

"He's been walking all day on those small legs, I figured he needed rest."

"Nobody believes that." The brunette narrows his eyes at Mikhail suspiciously. "You are even still holding his wrist…" He observes, making Mikhail quickly remove his hand. "And I have been wondering for a while what that is on top of his head…it almost looks like a crown…"

"Don't be stupid. Crowns are bigger." Mikhail argues.

"He's even wearing red. Any color but the simple browns, black, whites and grays are highly expensive and hard to come by."

"My family worked very hard to afford one outfit of colors for each child." Alexander lies. "That is why I wore this today when I left; it means a lot to me."

Mikhail nods, stretching his arms out on the back of the couch's head rest and leaning back in his seat. "There you go, now would you just go home? Liu should be back soon."

"I suppose I can leave you two alone…" Daniel says, looking Alexander over one more time before smiling and waving. "I will be back later with Liu, so don't do anything too naughty~!" He teases before leaving the building.

"Well that was close!" Alexander says relieved before he notices the glare Mikhail is giving him. "U-um…Mikhail…?"

"Are you fucking retarded? No one can know who you are. The crown is tiny so no one would believe it is real alone, but with your outfit of reds, greens, and blues you were almost done in. Tomorrow we will get you some clothes suitable for here, and in the meantime take off that damned red cape and put on one of my coats to cover the rest of your clothes." Mikhail orders and Alexander nods, smiling a little. "What the hell is that smile for?"

"You care enough about my safety to yell at me. It makes me happy." Alexander explains, making Mikhail blush a little.

"I don't give a shit about you. If you were caught in my house I would get in trouble with those around here for letting 'the enemy' in and I would get in trouble with the palace."

Alexander nods. "That is true…I wonder if they have noticed I am gone yet."

"I get the feeling your presence would be missed quickly." Mikhail muses and Alexander looks to him happily. "Because you're so annoying." He adds, stopping the smile on the prince's face dead in it's tracks.

A/N: Hungary makes an appearance! Taiwan is Liu, by the way. ANYWAYS for the, I think seven people watching this, I hope it's still keeping your attention! XD