crown prince || izana kurokawa x reader || royalty au

chapter 06: 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

If lack thereof, then she would have no apparent reason to hide the reason why she was lurking in Shinichiro's bedroom.

"Certainly.'' She grits her teeth. "I'll be making my way back to my quarters. Be sure to be on your best behaviour." She stormed off without another word.

Although her remark seemed to be directed at one person rather than the both of you.

A wave of whispers and concerns overruns the entire palace staff over the coming days as they grew entirely weary of the king's condition. As two years of sitting on the throne passed by, the people could discern an unmistakable shift in his health.

Oddly enough, he experienced the same symptoms as his father but he is experiencing them in odd intervals of time and intensity.

On rare occasions, he would go into violent coughing fits in the middle of a meeting wherein he would be escorted away due to spitting out blood and feeling lightheaded.

His Majesty Shinichiro is quite young and healthy, the upper-ups have speculated that it was the cause of genetics or a pesky infection. With the former in mind, no royals have ever experienced such sickness besides the two kings.

While Shinichiro was battling his health for the sake of his kingdom, he did not fail to assess the current problems. He made a lot of progress and relations over the past year as king.

He insisted his treatment would be kept silent from the watchful eye of the people to not alarm them.

Besides that, nothing else seemed to be causing any further worry. Izana has been given more work, studies, and classes now that he's older. His mother had insisted, saying that it would only benefit him once he was older.

That didn't exclude you either. Whatever studies Izana completes, you must read the same books and experience the same classes.

Although tiring, you had Izana by your side. On occasions when he was in a decent mood, he'd assist you but inaudibly sigh when you were at your wit's end. Regardless, he was willing to help you complete your studies and grow together.

Your days were never too dull, you've noticed. Even with the abundance of pressure from both sides and lack of enjoyment, it seemed that the two of you always found something to look forward to every day.

Perhaps, it was the small things that mattered to the two of you. The silence of the library where the sun would kiss you every afternoon, always spent with your noses under the book and filling out papers.

Repetitive, yes. But the two of you regard it as a routine of sorts. In that way, the two of you meet every day at the same hour and part in the late afternoon when Izana would escort you to your carriage. On special occasions, you would stick to Izana's side or sneak out into the open grass field.

In those days when the future was unclear, you were the only thing clear to Izana.

Those days he spends with you in the library, glancing at you every so often and smiling to himself when you appeared upset with a certain question or even the times when you would doze off beside him, he wouldn't trade it for the world.

Izana is a boy who values familiarity. That doesn't necessarily mean he hated new things but he grew fond of the small routines you two unknowingly set.

"(Name).'' Izana gently shakes your shoulder, attempting to wake you from your slumber. When you opened your eyes, you almost fell from your seat when you realized that it was dark outside.

There was only a single candle illuminating the library where barely any moonlight seeps through the large window. Izana was leaning over you as you began to pack your things. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier your highness?!"