Within the kingdom of Chamberg and beyond, the legend of swan princess was still told as a fable to younger generations. Word of mouth was how the stories of old were told before written down. From parent to child was how the old tales of the royal family were passed down. One of them being the great- granddaughter of former Queen Uberta and King Maximillian. Who had her grandmother's beauty from her Sunlight length hair to her Sky Blue eyes. Inherited musical talent of her great- grandmother and her mother. Everything else about her was her own person for a girl of 16 years.
Visited the very lake her grandmother was said to have stood in when she turned into a swan. When she decided to visit it was so late at night that the moon was at its highest point. Full and clearly seen without a single cloud in the clear sky above.
Just this night wasn't going to be a typical one like many for her.
Since up in a tree, on the highest branch that could hold a young man's full weight. Slept her great- grandmother's newest charge without a much of care. His attire was made up of a corset style waistcoat and tailored trousers. Puff tie with a gemstone encrusted tieclip in the center. White, button up shirt with long sleeves and boots he wore held a stranger embroidered designs. Hair placed in a neat ponytail that curled at the end.
"Excuse me." She called to him, not caring if her voice caught the passing guard's attention.
She watched him stir while he sat up with his blue slit-like black pupils eyes opened up. Searching for the source of the voice that woke him up. Had him looking down to see Uberta's great- granddaughter looking at him. She wore a frontal laced up cover the length of maxi gown underneath. Matching sleeves were a flare/ bell style that covered the sleeves and her arms. Her hair was in a braided bun held in place with hair accessories from Cathay Empire.
"Don't you want to sleep in a more comfortable place then up a tree?" She asked him.
"Your Duchess Celeste I presume?" He asked groggily in a deep baritone tone.
"Celeste is fine and I never caught your name?" She stepped closer to the tree.
"Tawu Domingos Bloodworth," He answered, "Taw for short."
"Then …Sir Taw," She addressed him further, "Can you please come down? Since there must be someone worried about your absence."
"Please don't remind me of Lord Rogers." He sighed recalling him.
From night he was found in an allergy way behind the opera house that Uberta performed in one night. Hollowed shell of himself with check wound that needed treatment and heavily injured. Clothes tatters and his unconscious body is surrounded in shards of glass. Where Uberta took him in and had Roger's care for him until he got stronger. Which was how Uberta ended up adopting him as her charge with Roger's educating him.
"Today he went over advanced mathematics and laws of physics," He could feel how fried his brain was, "Then another fencing lesson."
"Not like he can go over anything with you," She reminds him, "From what great- grandfather says about your intellect and body composition. You're not very human and weird magic just like The Forbidden Arts, that scares grandfather."
"As I keep telling him," Tawu dislikes how Derek always treats him, "I have no intention to cause trouble and I don't know the name Rothbart."
Bring up how Derek had been treating him since he was brought here with Uberta and Rogers. A form of mini vacation between touring and traveling until they return home for an overdue rest. Just the way Tawu was being questioned by Derek every chance he got.
"You must know why?" Celeste asked Tawu.
"By heart." He recalled Rogers' form of lessons in history.
"You must understand why my grandfather is paranoid." She looked at the tree over.
Tawu could answer her with a yawn on his lips and words slipping from his mind with sleep taking over. He was shocked awake by Celeste beginning to climb the tree one branch at a time. He ended up helping her to the branch he rested on by reaching down and offering a hand. Making sure not a single rip appeared on her clothes as they moved.
"Are you joining me?" He asked her.
Barely any room on the branch for two people to fit was how he shifted her into his lap with arm around her slender waist. She laughed to herself while resting on his chest to take in the view. Closing her eyes when she ended up yawning herself when sleep overtook her.
8*8
Tawu returned Celeste to her room when he came in through a balcony window upon avoiding the guards. Not very impressed with their presence while patrolling the grounds. Since he was able to slip past most of them, undetected with a royal in his arms.
"You're not nothing like I thought." He whispered.
He had been avoiding her since told there was someone around his predicted age to interact with. No thanks to Derek's judgements when told by Rogers of his remarkable talents. He was watched like a hawk by these guards from sun up till his time in a tree.
"Please don't attach yourself to me," He warned her, "I fear I am not worth it."
He was pulled beside her with her like a stuffed animal with those small hands holding him in place. He didn't fight back when he watched her place her head on his shoulder. Smile on her face when she snuggled was enough to convince him to stay the night. He just removed his boots to lay side by side as he reached single arm to fluff his pillow. Yawning just enough to drift back asleep without a care about the next day. Since the light of the sun broke through the opened window he forgot to close. Wake him and have him disconnect from her to get back the guest room assigned to him.
Just this time around he traveled through a castle when climbing the outside walls with a girl in his arms. Each corner of the structure has high ceilings with ornate chandeliers every few feet. To tiled floors under his boot clad feet with parts covered in hand woven carpets. Paintings and sculptures laid beside flower arrangements around every corner. Stopped from time to time when he hid from a guard passing by or a servant. Rarely he bumped into one that was nice enough to actually say hello to him. Which made him feel less like an outsider among people that Uberta wanted him to see as family. Which left him to enter his room for a moment's peace and find gifts. One was another college level, advanced textbook from Rogers and another lapel pin from Uberta.
"I wish she stopped spoiling me," He looked it over, "Most had this one custom made."
He ended up wearing it after completely changing his clothes and washing up before meeting Uberta. She gushed over him like a second son from clothes she picked for him. To small gifts she came by whenever she visited a town or a city.
"Today I am showing you off to my friends," Uberta had a high tea scheduled, "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces."
"Not a match making scheme?" He asked her.
"I only did that once," She was done since she got a granddaughter and great- granddaughter, "You're the son I am going to spoil and have to travel with me, but first …"
Among the people that were invited to this tea was her great-granddaughter in a rice, off white and green velvet gown, featuring a sweetheart neckline and draped- off- the- shoulder sleeves, embodied with gold and gemstones. Matching emerald and gold earrings gaming off her ears with the hair curled and worn on a single shoulder. She wore wedge style, QiaoTouXie shoes with matching embodied gold and gemstones.
"Honored to meet you," She curtsied to him, "Duchess Celeste of Chamberg."
He tried to not sideways smirk at how sly she was acting like they never met. Left him to return her pleasantries among the other faces watching him. Knowing he would be giving the name Roger gave him. Before the lessons in manners from Rogers were put to use with these people. When he came to face just Celeste after she made her rounds.
"You never told me," He looked at her, "You would be attending this."
"I tell every admirer where I am," She calmly addressed him while keeping her composure, "I wouldn't be able to freely move as I please."
"I am going to need to keep a better eye on you?" He asked her.
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch." She advised him.
He was approached by Uberta from the side with her proudly watching Celeste step away from him. As he gave her his arm to take hold was when he learned about a bit of Celeste.
"Youngest in her class to graduate and earned her title after a year and half of hard work," Uberta nostalgically stated, "Now she climbed the ladder."
"Interesting." Tawu allowed a single eyebrow to lift.