King of Pawns

Before: An Unexpected Fall

1 summer before

Izanagi smiled at the woman before him, she seemed happy in his company. Izanagi nodded charmingly. He smiled "Nat it is then." 

Nat took his elbow as Izanagi led her around the Castle. It was obviously going well.  Izanagi's face though remained slightly sullen. He had known that this day would come, someday his father would give Izanagi's hand in marriage to someone. Maybe it would be Nat. Izanagi's heart would never be involved in the process. Marriage was only for power, not love. That came after.

Nat's eyes darted quickly as the pair paced slowly through the castle. She could see that Izanagi was uncomfortable. Her lips pursed slightly. Izanagi glimpsed down at the woman beside him, he couldn't imagine loving her, he'd try though. "Nat, are you feeling ok? I hope I am not boring you, with this..to be honest" he paused and took a breath "nonsense of a tour" he waved his hand down at her and smiled broadly "I would much rather being doing something else." he chuckled slightly. Nat glance at Izanagi's eyes. The man flashed a brief grin. He turned away. 

"Tell me about yourself." The man paused  We may as well introduce ourselves. Nat smiled letting her face soften. "Right." Nat looked away. "what is there to tell?" 

"everything" The prince insisted glancing down at the smaller woman "please"

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The stone wall was cold as the boy pressed his back against it. He thought he would've gotten used to the feeling by now. He hadn't yet. He was waiting for them. It was the same time, the same place.  Everything the same as usual. A slight shiver ran down his spine. They would be here soon.  The whole phase relied on it The boy rubbed his fingers together. His dark eyes glimpsed into the corner of the rather secluded room. The figure was there. Finally. The boy stepped forward towards the figure in the corner. The figure remained in a hazy shadow, barely able to make out the outline of him. The boy knew who it was. Him. The man chuckled "So glad you could make it" he paused slightly before holding out his hands in a welcoming manner "Alon"

                                                                         *

"Well, actually not. He came on his own wishes, not mine. Besides he's my cousin, I wouldn't do that to him"

"He's your cousin?" Izanagi spoke quite amused, a swirl of bewilderment twisting his voice. Nat nodded. She smiled once more. Izanagi was amusing. All afternoon she had not once stopped smiling. And for Nat having a person, let alone a prince make her smile. Was this one different? Surely not. But there he stood. Prince and all. She had to admire though, he was quite handsome. It was almost as if he was on the verge of more pretty than handsome. Strange. 

"Yes, Castiel is my cousin. My mother is his father's sister. Or something like that" She scratched her head slightly. Izanagi nodded "Right, so is he the only one who came with you here?" Nat replied "Yeah. But I don't mind really. Honestly, I couldn't care less for whoever followed me" Izanagi frowned at the comment. "Do you not really care about leaving?"

"No," Nat said sharply. She then clarified "I'm not a particularly important person. My father merely inherited his father's lordship. So then when he had me all he had to do was send me off to be married to a foreign prince. I didn't care about who would follow me and who would stay behind." The prince stopped walking. "Is that how you really feel about this whole thing?"

"yes," Nat replied "Well no," She shrugged slightly. Izanagi looked down at the marble floor. The pattern distracted him for a moment. The prince had a habit of doing this. He didn't know why, but staring was so peaceful. So painless. So empty...

"I mean, yes I don't care because it's a new life. But I'm terrified of what this life will bring for me."

Izanagi looked up. She was scared, like him.  She seemed so confident. She held her head high. She smiled as though there was no tomorrow. She laughed freely. She was human.  Everyone had flaws. Even him.