Almost (Anastasius De Alger Obelia)

Two

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness the crown prince and your holiness the saintess. I am (First name)(Lastname) the newly appointed maid of his highness prince Claude."

Anastasius is no stranger to attractions of one beauty of ones physical appearance. He have studied that along side his carefree of a young Saintess. But this, this strange feeling in his chest as you gave the two of them as smile. What is this?

"I was told by his nanny he would often play with his highness and her holiness by this hour. To avoid getting in the way of-"

"No, no no no no! Join us! It's quite boring to play all by ourselves. Also, you seems to be on the same age as I and Anastasius so let's drop the honorific, at least when were alone, okay?"

"How could I possibly do such disrespe-"

"I agree."

This time all eyes were on him.

"How about we drop the honorific titles when it was just the four of us? I think it could be nice."

Usually, he would throw a fit when someone were to call him by his name. After all, who would dare do such disrespectful act of calling the prince, the crown prince by his first name? And yet when it comes to you. He wanted to heard it so badly. The way his name would roll of on your tongue, he wanted to hear it.

"Father? We have arrived..."

Feeling the light tap on his shoulder, Anastasius open his eyes inside the carriage.

It's been a long journey and to think that the two of them have finally made it to the northern part of the empire. He look outside the window of the carriage, witnessing the live within the city capital north. Come to think of it, the north was your hometown, was it?

"Why don't we find somewhere to stay for the day?"

Anastasius asked, with a little bit of magic, his jewel like eyes quickly turned into a grayish black ones and upon placing his hands over Jeanette eyes, as soon as he pull away his hands, it was no longer jewel like eyes but a brown eyes.

"I think I've seen one within the road side."

"Let's pay a visit then."

He chuckles.

Maybe it was the memories that have lift up his mood. So as soon as the pair of good looking father and daughter went out of the carriage with smiles on their faces. It caught the interest of the locals as well as those who was currently paying a visit and venturing in the area.

Not too far away from the scene was two hooded figure who just happened to passed by the city on their way home.

"Mother?"

The taller man with a hood called his mother who seems to be on a daze looking at the direction of the foreign looking people have gone to.

"Mother."

This time he tugged the hem of her hood, snapping her out of her daze, blinking before her (eye color) iris look away from the scene, forehead slightly throbbing.

"Are you okay mo-"

"I told you not to call me that in front of other people, let alone the public."

She groan, pushing away the hand that he offered to her to lean on into.

"You're turning twenty next year, when will you ever listen to me?"

"I'm sorry... My Lord."

As her (eye color) iris met with a pair of jewel like ones filled with shame and sadness, her heart was immediately with guilt just like any other day. Taking the younger man's hand underneath the hood. She sigh.

"Forget about it. Let's go home."

This time her voice was gentle and softer than her tone before earning a smile and a nod from her son.

At the same time, as the pair of mother and son passed by the still yet to make it to the near-by inn pair of father and daughter. Anastasius look back and just happened to caught the attention on the young man underneath the hood and for a moment, for a split second. His grayish black eyes met with a pair of jewel like ones underneath the hood that seems to have widen, after all, this was the first time someone have seen him under the hood laced with a little bit of magic.

"Huh?"

As soon as Anastasius blink, the hooded figure was gone making him halt before looking around.

There was no one, was that just his imagination?

"Father? Is there something that matter?"

"... No... Let's head inside."

Was that just his imagination? Or did he just see a younger version of himself? Nevertheless, this left a bitter taste on his mouth as his heart throbbed unease.

The hooded figure on the other hand have safely arrived on the remote village mansion, sweat rolling down his chin as he hold his unconscious mother on his arms.

"Call the doctor! Mo-! My Lord have collapse!"