It was now reaching morning and Bokuto was walking up the way to the castle. He was about to eat breakfast with the family of royals or at the least with the queen. He'd put on the nicest clothes he had, which honestly wasn't much. He'd managed to keep his white shirt clean and had on nicer looking pants too, just wanting to be decent.
Up ahead the queen had a little girl in her arms, waiting patiently. Bokuto stopped before the gate and made a small bow, not wanting to be disrespectful.
"Stand up, it's okay."
Sara giggled. "Mommy he has hair like the snow."
"He sure does love." She opened the gate and Bokuto stepped through into the garden. Akaashi's mother smiled. "You look quite nice."
"Thank you."
Sara waved. "I'm Sara." She held out her hand and Bokuto gently took it, bowing for her despite her not quite old enough to understand. "I'm Bokuto. I love your dress little miss."
Sara gasped. "Thank you!"
The queen chuckled softly and headed towards an entrance. "Keiji is sleeping currently. He's slept through the night fine and only has a small fever. He should be completely fine in two days."
Bokuto hummed.
"How was he acting when you found him?"
"Very confused."
"Ah." She opened another door, going into a hallway. "Would you like to go see him?"
"Is that really okay?"
"Well we can wait until we eat. It will be just you, me, and my daughters." She opened yet another door and Bokuto nearly gasped at the size of the table in front of him. It was full and he was sure he had never seen that much food before. "I sit across from Amaya. You will sit on her left."
"Which one is the left?" Bokuto whispered.
The queen looked back, confused. "You don't know?"
Bokuto shook his head. "I was never able to have an education."
She hummed softly, touching his left arm. "This is your left."
Bokuto's eyes widened in wonder. "Wow."
She smiled and sat down.
Bokuto took his place next to Amaya. He didn't know if she was mad at him or not so that was not making him feel better. Amaya looked to the plate on her other side and sighed. Bokuto noticed both the spot for the king and Akaashi's spot were bare.
"Is Keiji usually here for breakfast?"
Amaya looked at him and nodded. Akaashi's mother looked at her daughters. "Girls, this is Bokuto Kotarou. Last night he found your big brother and made sure he was safe from the cold and brought him home to us."
The girls thanked him, all very much not being able to keep their eyes off of him.
Emi spoke up, thoroughly embarrassing Bokuto. "I thought he was some stupid suitor dad was asking to eat with us."
Bokuto flushed. "A-ah no! I just wanted to help and your mother offered me breakfast. I don't know what any of this is though but a few things."
Amaya leaned forward and gestured to the cup in front of him. "Tea." She pointed to a plate piled with sweets. Those are cakes. Watch out though, the twins will and have bitten people over sweets." She pointed to another plate. "Ham."
The queen pointed to the bowls in front of everyone. "Soup. We have soup every morning as to keep something normal."
Bokuto nodded sheepishly. Too many smells and sights and spoons. Amaya picked up a spoon and dipped it into her bowl. Bokuto found the same one she'd picked up at his place hurriedly and also started on the soup. It was rich, which was something Bokuto wasn't used to. This was more like stew.
He glanced over at the twins. They both had three cakes on their plate. Amaya had ham and eggs. The queen currently had nothing, instructing Sara on how to grab spoons and helping her fill her plate. She looked over. "Kotarou, do eat. I know it's a bit awkward at first but the girls and I don't judge."
Bokuto nodded and pointed to another plate. "What is that?"
"Fish," Amaya replied.
Bokuto decided on that and the first bite he took was definitely something. It had pepper, which he'd only tasted a handful of times. He ate it and the queen smiled at him.
"You're a growing boy Kotarou, do eat."
Amaya perked up. "Actually mama he looks a bit older. How old are you exactly?"
"I'm told that I'm twenty one."
"Oh a year older than Keiji!" The queen exclaimed. "How fun."
Bokuto smiled. "I mean no harm but he is quite small for someone around our ages."
The table went quiet and Bokuto realized he had said something wrong.
"I'm sorry."
Amaya spoke up. "Keiji has always been small. Tall, yes. Our mother was tall. But he is very thin because he gets sick or um... won't eat. Never has he made himself not eat but it is awful to see."
"Who makes him not eat then?"
"Daddy says he can't eat when he gets in trouble," Sara whispered.
Bokuto looked to the other girls, who nodded. Bokuto grew worried. "Is he the reason Keiji is sick now?"
"No. That was his own fault. My husband is not a kind man to Keiji but we can not do anything."
"Is he violent with him?" Bokuto whispered.
"He is. But enough talk of that." She smiled. "I'm sure Keiji will want something just a bit heavier today. Amaya if you will?"
Amaya filled Akaashi's plate with ham and eggs and fish along with some fruit. Bokuto noticed the full pitcher of water on the table and became curious. "How much snow do you melt everyday?"
"Snow? Why would we need snow Kotarou?"
Bokuto went quiet, trying to think. No snow? How was the water there? In the summer they used the well but this castle was huge, there was no way they used the well.
"When we finish here I'll show you where the water comes from."
Bokuto nodded. He finished eating, full. The girls started to walk away and the servants brought in cans. There was no way they were about to waste that much food. His heart broke as the first plate of sweets was tossed out. The queen stopped everyone in the room. "Hold on! Get containers, I want the food to be sent to everyone in the field and Kotarou needs three reserved containers. Put them in my room."
Bokuto smiled gratefully. He followed the queen to another room, only this was much smaller. She pointed to a bowl with a sort of well faucet over it.
"Turn it."
Bokuto hesitantly did so and shouted in surprise as water gushed from the opening. "No way!"
"That is running water. I wasn't aware you have never seen it."
"Is it hot?"
"No. Our water is cold. We heat it over fires."
"Wow..."
"This is a very, very new creation and breaks often but it works. If we do use snow we boil it," She explained.
"Why boil it?"
"To get rid of the bacteria."
"What is bacteria?"
The queen stared, genuinely concerned. "Kotarou, who that you know is educated?"
"Just the royals and some people living closer to the castle." Bokuto pointed to the tub. "Does that have running water?"
"No, it doesn't."
"Hm."
Akaashi's mother took Bokuto's hand and led him out of the bathroom to a staircase. Amaya met up with them, a servant holding the plate behind her. "Where are we going now?"
"We're going to Keiji's room."
Bokuto nodded. They had to walk a while to get to Akaashi's room and when they did the room was dark. Akaashi's mother opened the curtains so they could see and sat behind Akaashi on his bed. She gently eased him up and held him to her chest, noting the lack of a fever.
"Keiji, wake up sweetheart. You need to eat."
Akaashi whined softly, clinging to her.
"Oh I know, I know." She kissed his hair and rocked slightly. "Amaya got you ham. I know how much you love ham."
Akaashi hummed softly. He opened his eyes and stretched a bit before hugging his mother and just holding on. "Mama..."
"What is it honey? Does something hurt?"
"Who are those people?"
"Oh! It's Amaya and Kotarou."
"Kotarou?" Akaashi questioned.
"Ah you must have been delirious when you were brought back. Kotarou made sure you had gotten home safe and got you out of the snow."
Akaashi hummed. "Thank you."
"Of course sir." Bokuto bowed slightly.
Akaashi eased away from his mother and yawned softly. He rubbed his eyes before smiling at Amaya. "Morning."
Amaya handed him the plate and fork, gentle as ever. "I'm going to open the curtains more, okay?"
"Mhmm."
Amaya opened the curtains the rest of the way and led Bokuto to sit with them on Akaashi's bed. Akaashi made his way through a very tired conversation of how he was feeling and upcoming plans for the spring. "Keiji you're starting to fall asleep."
Akaashi's eyes shot open. "No."
Amaya laughed and laid down her younger brother. "Yeah? Then what are you doing?"
"Resting." Akaashi felt for his favorite pillow, confused. Bokuto nudged one pillow closer and Akaashi held it to his chest. He huffed softly.
"Are you alright?"
Akaashi nodded. He pat Bokuto's hand. "I just need to sleep."
Bokuto smiled at the soft taps and looked up at Amaya. Amaya chuckled softly. "He's very sweet when he's tired."
"Only when he's tired?"
"He has a tiny temper," Akaashi's mother explained softly. She covered Akaashi up and kissed his hair. "I'll see you at dinner."
Akaashi sighed.
"I love you." She got off the bed and Bokuto followed her out the door. It was probably time to go home...
Amaya looked over and nudged Bokuto. Sara ran up with a cloth bag. "This is for you!"
"For me?" Bokuto questioned.
"It has food in it!"
"Oh thank you. I appreciate it." Bokuto gently took the bag from her and she hugged his legs. He didn't dare touch her hair, scared his fingers would mess up the perfect black curls flowing down her back.
"Sara, let go honey."
Sara let go and backed up. She smiled wide at Bokuto. "I like your hair."
Bokuto ran a hand through his once perfectly black hair. It was striped with white now from the plants in his soap. It hadn't damaged his hair but had definitely turned it very light. "Thank you."
"How is it sticking up?"
"I use a gel in it."
"Woah."
"Yep!"
Sara grabbed onto her mother's hand. "What now mommy?"
"We take him home now."
Bokuto felt his heart lower in his chest. This had been an amazing morning. He was walked to the gate and from there he walked home and handed over the food he'd been gifted. His parents gave him hugs and cried a bit, never have seen food like this. He just smiled and laughed with them, recounting the amazing scenes in the castle.