Two days pass by quickly when you're preoccupied with trying to sleep through the sounds of clothes being shuffled, bags being shoved, and Sophia's loud shouts for you to wake up. Groaning, Seungmin rolled in his bed and tiredly covered his ears with his pillows. It led to no success, though, because Sophia swiftly whisked away the pillow from his clutch.
"My Prince, you must get ready for the trip. I'm almost done packing your things, but I left your clothes on the ottoman!"
Drowsily, Seungmin rose from the bed, squinting through his long eyelashes and trying to get a grasp of reality, the reality where he was returning to the Imperial Castle he didn't want to go back to. Not only was Cambriage much calmer politically and socially, but the cold weather allowed for thicker, fluffier blankets and warm fireplaces, and that was something Seungmin enjoyed more than the progressively warming climate back at the capital. And the younger siblings...although he missed the daily interactions with Henry, he was not fully sure if he could face the twins again.
"Prince Sion!" Sophia wailed as she ran through the room, hauling a large bag. "Please get ready, I beg of you!"
Ignoring her pleas and obvious urgency to pack up, Seungmin looked down at Shin in his lap and asked in his husky, morning voice, "What is the best present for little girls?"
Sophia paused and tilted her head to look past the bag in her arms.
"Do you mean for the twins? I heard that you were in the gardens with Prince Henry and the two youngest Princesses one day. I didn't realize you had grown so close!"
Yawning, Seungmin gave a motion akin to a nod as he slid off the bed, making sure to slip his feet into his warm slippers. His silky night shirt slinked down, exposing his collarbone until he pulled it up languidly after a shudder from the cold air. He wanted to crawl back into the warmth of his blanket, but he knew it would be best to start getting ready for the day. If he got ready quickly, maybe the sleepiness would last until he made his way into the carriage where he could continue his nap.
And thus, he shuffled through the room to the private bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. His eyes remained closed as he did the latter, but he reopened them once he felt the familiar hair of Shin as it pressed against his ankles. It stretched and smacked its lips before circling his leg and finally deciding to sit to his left.
"If you want to give a gift for the younger Imperial children," Sophia suddenly shouted from the bedroom, "we could go shopping at the markets in Kyre since we're staying there for the night anyways...we should arrive an hour before the sun sets."
The Second Prince continued to wash his face with no verbal response, but Sophia, knowing that he had heard her, left the room to deliver the luggage to the carriage. Out in the hall, Yeong-Su was walking toward the bedroom for the shift change with the current knight. When he saw two stumbling legs beneath piles of luggage, he hurried over and took the top two bags, exposing the sweating, blonde maid hiding beneath. She gave a sloppy grin as she thanked him.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" the golden-eyed male sighed, disapproving her risky behavior. Regardless of whether the carriages were ready or not, it wouldn't take hours for the workers to load their things into the vehicles, and Kyre was not so far to take a whole day of traveling.
"To be honest, I just have a feeling," Sophia reluctantly admitted. "Maybe there will be a big storm, or maybe there's some big event happening in Kyre. Either way, I feel like we need to go quickly, and a woman's intuition is almost always right."
"You just want to drink that smoothie again, don't you," Yeong-Su commented, his eyes rolling as he began walking to the entrance of the manor where the carriages were waiting.
Sophia pursed her lips but remained humorously silent, knowing that she couldn't dispute him. She definitely wanted to eat some of the sweet treats there, but she was being honest when she claimed she felt some intuition, not that she could a finger on what exactly it was.
Once she and Yeong-Su put the bags in the storage carriage, they began to go back to the Prince's room. On cue, Seungmin was walking out as he adjusted his sleeves, his elegant fingers unbuttoning the golden circles on the wrist of the blouse. He looked up with half-lidded eyes when hearing the synchronized footsteps of his personal aids while he leaned down to pick up his mana beast.
"Good morning, Prince Sion," Yeong-Su greeted, putting a hand to his chest and bowing. Using his free hand, Seungmin flicked his hand to signal for him to stop his formalities.
"'Morning," he mumbled as he walked down the hall. Shin chirped in his arms, burrowing closer to the warm coat fur on his chest, still half asleep, and the two personal aids followed behind. Sophia updated the Prince on the extent of packing done and guessed out loud that everyone should be ready to depart by the time he finished his breakfast.
Seungmin drowned out her voice describing what the chefs were preparing as he stood at the doorway of the dining hall. Zara and Asil were coming from the other side, and they promptly bowed upon seeing the mint-haired boy.
Sophia's words trailed off before her expression brightened and she trotted toward the Indarian duo, greeting, "Good morning, guys! Are you also here for breakfast?"
"Yes," Zara smiled. "It seems we came at the right time. I suppose this is the last we will see each other for a while?"
"We're leaving after breakfast," Sophia answered as she opened the door to the dining hall. Her tone was slightly wistful but knowing that they would keep in contact frequently for the umbrella project, she wasn't upset enough to cause a huge ruckus (thankfully).
Everyone trailed into the room and sat in their respective seats—Seungmin at the head, with Zara and Asil sitting at the side. The chef came in soon after from a side door connected directly to the kitchen. He and two other maids pushed clean, metal carts with plates of food and began placing the appetizers first on the table. There was a warm, creamy soup and honey-roasted vegetables plated around it, a variety of bread also offered by the side to dip. The Second Prince brought his bowl of soup closer to him and began stirring the seasoning on top with his spoon.
"My Prince," the violet-haired female suddenly called out, prompting Seungmin's impassive gaze to fall upon her, "you said you were gifting the first umbrella to someone...May I ask to whom?"
The Prince paused. What was he to call Alexander Maximillion? A project collaborator? A school acquaintance? Someone he would rather use as an advertisement for the umbrella more than as a friend?
After sipping some of the soup and feeling the warmth run down his body, he decided to say, "Duke Maximillion's Heir. He lives in Kyre where many nobles visit, so he could catch the attention of many there."
Zara tilted her head, expecting more of an introduction of this gift receiver. They must have been in good standing with the quiet Prince to receive the first-ever umbrella for free, right? But she chose against pressing on and instead enjoyed the last first-class meal she would have for a while.
She and Asil were planning on leaving a few hours after the Prince to their new home on the market street, which by no means had a personal chef or any maids but was plenty enough for the two of them. The house was two floors tall with the first being the shop itself and the second housing their actual living space.
Asil had already decorated the shop with their merchandise, leaving a window empty for when the umbrellas would be introduced more frequently, while Zara furnished the second floor. It was all thanks to the Second Prince that they were able to afford such a house, and it was quite saddening to both the Indarians that he was leaving so soon.
"I," Asil began to mutter, "will always send letters."
Zara giggled as Asil sank into their seat, a slight blush on their cheeks. As traveling merchants, the duo never stayed in one town for long, meaning Asil never bothered to socialize because it "would be wasted energy." Thus, it was the first since they left home that Asil held such long conversations with another, and that person just happened to be someone who could understand all of their innovations, as peculiar as they could be. Every day without fail, Asil would run out of their room with some trinket in hand and visit Seungmin's office; the Prince would, in turn, always let them in despite the amount of work. For the younger sibling, it must have been such sad news to hear of the Second Prince's departure.
"...I looked forward to it," Seungmin replied as he closed his eyes, content with the soup.
Soon, the main breakfast course was brought out, and Seungmin began to eat quietly, still drowsy from waking up half an hour prior. The younger Indarian happily filled the silence with babbles of their inventions, to which Zara would chime in with questions and Seungmin would nod. It reminded him of his interactions with Henry who would also babble in such a way, making the Prince miss the younger one more.
What would Henry like as a toy?
Seungmin's thoughts digressed to when Sophia offered shopping in Kyre for the twins. Maybe he should also look around for a gift for Henry there...
"Alexander should have gotten the letter and umbrella by now," he thought. "I hope he'll advertise well."
If the Duke's Heir was doing his role properly, many should begin looking into where he got the new innovation and quickly turn it into a trend for its rarity. Asil already had the second umbrella prepared, which Seungmin would gift to Christopher upon returning. The Crowned Prince and the Duke Heir duo using the device would surely garner a lot of attention in the noble world, and soon umbrellas would become a staple item for their usefulness. The money would roll in. Seungmin could continue to busy his mind with the business of a harmless invention. All would be well.
There was a knock on the door and Loidger sauntered in, hands folded neatly in front of him.
"Everything is ready for your departure, My Prince."
It was perfect timing, as Seungmin had just finished wiping his mouth with his napkin, satisfied with the food and his plan. He glanced at the two Indarians who also were finishing up their breakfast, and, understanding, they stood from their seats and waited for the Prince to guide the way. Shin chirped as it trotted by Seungmin's side.
They all walked outside to where the carriages were standing, and while Seungmin continued to walk towards the carriage, the merchants stood by the gateway. Sophia was already bidding them farewell with dramatic hugs and wishes to stay (probably influenced by her lessened workload with Loidger around in that particular estate), and Yeong-Su was bringing his horse from the stable.
Once Sophia parted from the merchants, Seungmin nodded his head curtly at the two. "Zara, Asil. I will see you again." A short goodbye suitable for his personality. Zara giggled as she bowed with Asil, both gratified with the thought that they would meet again.
Seungmin lowered his gaze to the steps leading into the vehicle and walked inside into the familiar velvet landscape. Yeong-Su folded the stairs and closed the door.
"We'll send a letter once we arrive back at the castle!" Sophia shouted from the servants' carriage, her hands cupped around her mouth.
Asil and Zara waved goodbye as the carriages slowly began moving towards the opened gates, their purple hair rustling in the wind. The sound of horses' footsteps gradually stabilized as they reached a consistent pace, and Seungmin pulled on the curtains, dimming the inside of the luxurious carriage, and closed his eyes.
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The trip to Kyre was quite short considering how Seungmin slept for most of the ride.
Knocks on the door followed by the constant pawing of Shin against Seungmin's face awoke the Prince from his pleasant nap. Furrowing his eyebrows, he sighed and reached for the curtain, brushing it out of the way to see Yeong-Su's dutiful expression.
"We've arrived at the inn," the knight announced, moving out of the way for Seungmin to open the carriage door. It was the inn, the boy realized, that they had stayed in when they were first passing through Kyre; except, there seemed to be more carriages and luggage and fancily dressed people than before.
Those people quickly made a path when seeing the undeniable, glamorous Imperial family crest on the carriage door, and once Seungmin walked out, his mint-colored hair glistening in the sunlight, there were two responses: people would either look away, unwilling to deal with the brunt of Prince Sion's attitude, or people would try to make small conversations as the boy moved past. Regardless, both types of people were met with silence as Seungmin walked (as quickly as his languid self would allow) into the room while Sophia ran to get the keys from the inn owner and open the door for him.
"There's a lot of people today, huh?" Sophia exhaled as she shut the door and watched as Seungmin stretched in the middle of the room. His mana beast seemed to agree with the maid, rubbing its head against her leg to which Sophia cooed. Her low ponytail slid forward as she knelt down to pet Shin's stomach.
"Bring Yeong-Su and tell the guards to never enter the room until I say so," muttered the Prince. He closed his eyes, conjuring water into his hands and enveloping him and Shin to change their appearances.
Sophia watched in awe as Shin's image morphed within the cage of water before finally settling into the black cat illusion. Being the excited teen she was, the blue-eyed maid then clapped her hands happily and jerked up to run out the door looking for Yeong-Su. She always seemed enlivened when being a part of Seungmin's magic, evident by how she reacted when he would cue the start of their undercover departure.
By the time Seungmin finished tying the strings of his robe by his neck, there were three knocks on the door and in walked Sophia and Yeong-Su. The knight announced that the other guards were taking a break at the moment and that the coast was clear to leave.
The Second Prince teleported them to an alleyway not far from the inn because it takes more energy to teleport further, and the still-sleepy boy wanted to conserve as much energy as possible to walk around looking for a good toy for the little ones. Amends had to be made, after all.
"Sorry," whispered one of the fairies surrounding him. Everyone looked guilty for the storm they created, but Seungmin never held them accountable for it. Even Shin, who was in his arms, had its ears pointing downward guiltily.
With a soft sigh, Seungmin communicated telepathically, "Just help me find a gift for them. What's done is done, don't be sorry."
And so, the hunt for some toys began.
The bustling atmosphere of Kyre seemed even more lively than the last Seungmin visited. Even Yeong-Su, the quieter one of the two personal aids, had sparkles in his golden eyes as they darted from stand to stand. He didn't seem at all tired to hold onto Sophia's bags of her own shopping spree with money she saved and happily drank from the same smoothie cup as her. The older girl was spouting some nonsense as she pointed to another food stand, shaking Yeong-Su's sleeve up and down, but the knight was only focusing on the Prince at the moment.
"My Pr- Min," he called out, the smoothie straw still in his mouth, "Is there something there that pleases you?"
Seungmin had been staring at a particular store's stand for quite some time, skimming slowly the stuffed animals and plushies of all kinds. The store owner paid him no mind and instead was calling out for some children roaming the streets to take a lot in hopes of garnering their innocent attention.
Suddenly, there was a hand that traced the edge of the Prince's shoulder blade. The mana beast resting in Seungmin's arms looked up and chirped while the boy continued to look at the stuffed animals on display, unbothered.
"Oh!" the fairies cheered, circling around the stranger. "It's-"
"My Prince," Seungmin heard in his ear, "Fancy seeing you here."
Through his half-lidded eyes, the boy glanced over his shoulder to see the familiar silvery hair of the Northern Duke's Heir. The straight strands that used to just barely hide Alexander's obsidian eyes were now down almost to his nose, parted slightly on the left for his eye. Had his hair grown that long in the time they weren't together? But those eyes...they were all the same in their beauty, as dark and deep and mysterious as the night sky.
Without thinking any more of it, Seungmin shifted his attention to Yeong-Su. The young knight was positioned with his free hand grasping the edge of his sword by his belt, but Alexander's hand was on top of it, preventing him from unsheathing the weapon. Alexander's other hand remained on Seungmin's shoulder.
"Prince Alexander! Glory to the Duke's Heir," Sophia gasped as she bowed hastily. She only realized that Alexander was there once feeling the sudden contortion of Yeong-Su's body to reach for his sword, and she hiccupped, startled. How was he so quiet to sneak up on them like this? The Second Prince was always very sensitive to others approaching him...did he not react because he also didn't notice, or did he simply not care about Alexander?
The said boy nodded his head at Sophia with his indifferent, perfunctory smile before turning his attention back to Seungmin.
"Your knight is threatening me. Could you do something about it?" he mused.
Sighing, Seungmin ordered his personal knight to stand down and step back. In response, the knight narrowed his eyes and did as such. He recognized the white-haired boy as someone who helped the Second Prince at the auction, but other than this he had no additional information. The Prince never once mentioned Alexander, but here he was, acting close enough to wrap an arm around Seungmin's shoulder so casually. But Yeong-Su could never find it in himself to doubt his savior's words; he begrudgingly stood to the side obediently with Sophia as Prince Sion continued to look at the store display.
"How did you find me?" Seungmin finally muttered to the Duke's Heir.
"I've told you before that we will meet again, didn't I?" There was a small, playful smile on Alexander's face that was much different from the one he gave just seconds ago. "And I remembered clearly that you said in the letter you would come through today. It's a shame that I didn't bring your gift on this outing. Truthfully, I had doubts that I would be able to find you."
Scowling, the disguised Prince removed Alexander's hand on his shoulder and replied, "I'd prefer you didn't use something that brings attention when I'm hiding my identity. I still don't understand how you see through it."
Humming, Alexander leaned forward over Seungmin's back, holding one of his arms for balance, to pick up a particular stuffed animal. It was a hazel-colored teddy bear with an emerald-colored ribbon as a bow around its neck. He held up the toy's paws to the Prince's face.
"Alex never lies...it's fate!" the white-haired boy uttered in a higher-pitched voice to impersonate the teddy bear.
Seungmin's face scrunched as he pushed the stuffed animal away, but with Alexander's arm around him, it was hard to move any further than he already was. Shin's tail swished from side to side and tickled Seungmin's abdomen as it chittered, eying the teddy bear.
"It seems like your mana beast has a similar taste to me," the Duke's Heir smiled, his hand slithering off the Prince's body as he shook the plushie in front of the mana beast and watched it reach out for it.
Seungmin stepped to the side and murmured, "Let me buy it for Shin." He raised his palm, expecting Alexander to give the toy to him, but the white-haired boy held the stuffed animal closer to his chest.
"I apologize, but I was planning on buying it for myself."
Seungmin furrowed his eyebrows incredulously, slowly looking his companion up and down. Alexander, he recalled, was two months younger than him, but two months was not enough to say that the Duke's Heir was particularly young to excuse his childish behavior at the moment. He knew that the sixteen-year-old had no interest in stuffed animals from a kid's store; moreover, it seemed he was buying it only for the reason that Seungmin wanted it himself.
Before the Prince could say anything, the merchant who had been watching from the side rubbed his hands together as he said, "Gentlemen, I have copies of the toy in store if you'd like to purchase two!"
With such a quivering, wide smile on his face, it was clear that he was trying to earn the favor of the Duke's Heir who was strangely adamant about buying the specific toy. He continued to rub his clammy hands and grin from ear to ear while Alexander cocked his head coldly.
"Alright," the boy said as he finally smiled, "bring it to me."
At once, the store owner ran inside, glimpsing back twice through the display window to make sure that the boys were still there. Alexander turned back to Seungmin and smiled again.
"How long have you stayed in Kyre? You should have contacted me so that the Maximillions could host you," the boy hummed.
"I'll only be staying here for a night, and you're in a different faction," replied Seungmin as he peered into the shop. He wanted to move on to the next display, but he had to wait for the owner to come back with the toy to buy for Shin.
"We are still teenagers," Alexander remarked. "Politics shouldn't matter. And, we have quite a large bed made of the finest of goose feathers and sheep wool. And the café that is opening tomorrow...it's hosted by my family's pâtissier so we would be able to skip the line and taste fresh desserts in a VIP room. It seems you'll miss the event. Shame."
His words perked the ears of the Prince who turned to look at him. Alexander knew he hit the mark.
"There is a saying in Kyre," he continued slyly. "When the water falls from the sky, it knows not whether it will come as rain or snow. It simply falls."
"Go with the flow—it was destined to happen regardless of the outcome," he was saying.
Seungmin glanced at his personal maid and knight and then at the sky. The sun was already nearly set over the horizon, though darkness didn't quite yet consume the horizon. However, it seemed like most of the children's stores were closing nevertheless. It didn't seem like Seungmin would have time to find gifts for his younger siblings any longer for that day.
"...We're staying in the Maximillion estate," the disguised Prince caved, wondering if it was the right choice when noticing the little twitch of Alexander's lip. Well, so long as he could sleep in a place that didn't host many others and eat first-class desserts, the sacrifice of spending more time with Alexander was negligible.
Just then, the store owner scurried out just then with another, identical stuffed animal, handing it to Alexander for inspection.
The boy gave his usual uncanny smile and nodded, saying, "I'll buy them. How much would it be?"
"I'm buying one of them," Seungmin interrupted, his eyebrow furrowed.
"Relax," Alexander chuckled coyly, "I'll give you one. Consider it a return for your gift." He proceeded to pay the excited man and, as promised, handed one of the teddy bears to the listless Prince. Shin purred, its ears fluttering rapidly with happiness. Seeing this, there was no way Seungmin could refuse the stuffed animal. He reluctantly took it and held it in his arms beside the mana beast.
There was a small chuckle from Alexander, prompting Seungmin to look up with a tilt of his head.
"I must say, I never would have expected to see the Second Prince of an Empire hugging a stuffed animal."
"I'm not 'hugging' it," Seungmin muttered impassively, his eyes glancing at the maid and personal knight to step forward. "You two go get the luggage into the carriage."
Yeong-Su began to protest, but he paused and stood down, knowing that the Prince had made up his mind. Prince Sion was also in his disguise with magic that didn't seem possible until the blackette witnessed it firsthand, so his identity was greatly concealed; his safety wasn't in jeopardy. Not to mention, Alexander was standing so close to Seungmin side with that secretive smile that it gave no opening for Yeong-Su to openly defy. Grumbling, the knight finally went away when Sophia pulled on his arm and dragged him through the crowd (with a wink, for some reason Seungmin could only assume was another quirky antic of hers).
Seungmin, too, began walking in the direction of the inn—albeit at a much slower pace than his personal aids—looking into the store windows absentmindedly. Beside him, the white-haired boy sauntered along as he watched the Prince with an enigmatic gaze.
"So, where did this "umbrella" come from?" he finally asked, breaking the silence. "I've never heard of such a device that could protect itself and its user from water."
For a brief moment, Seungmin's cloudy eyes flickered to Alexander before returning his attention to the store windows.
"I just like it."
The Duke's Heir leaned his head slightly closer, angling it to look at Seungmin's face as they continued to walk, but the Prince simply hoisted his mana beast closer to his chest. There was no indication that he would explain any further. The bangs of Alexander's hair shuffled as his eyes creased, his lips curving ever so slightly. With such a short answer, how could he not be more curious about the Prince's little gift?
"Is there anything else you're looking to buy?" Alexander asked, smiling when Seungmin finally looked at him eye to eye. It seemed like the languid Prince was contemplating whether or not to tell the truth with his eyebrows quirked slightly in thought.
After a few seconds, he glanced at the setting sun and confessed, "Presents for my younger siblings."
Now, this was an answer that surprised Alexander. He didn't think that the refurbished Prince would go out of his way to buy things for his siblings. In the past, Prince Sion never once acknowledged the presence of other Imperial members other than the Emperor and the Crowned Prince, the two that were above him in ranking (although the eldest Princess could have been higher, she rejected the crown and thus was deemed irrelevant by Sion). The three younger siblings were not an obstacle and thus were nothing to him. Since when did he ever think about getting gifts for them?
Seungmin, oblivious of the chain of thoughts he sparked in his white-haired companion, smoothly maneuvered him and Alexander into an alleyway. He lowered Shin to the ground and removed the veil of water around them, effectively reverting them to their original appearances. The Duke's Heir propped himself against the wall and watched silently as the color in the Second Prince's hair and eyes returned to its muted emerald hue. His arms crossed while Seungmin leaned down to pick up the mana beast that chirped.
"Are you tired?" Seungmin muttered ever so quietly. And yet, even with such a quiet voice, Alexander could feel the tenderness in his words. Had he ever witnessed such a thing from Prince Sion?
Even if it wasn't directed at him...could he feel more of it?
There was a bittersweet sensation aching in Alexander's heart.
"Alexander, let's go," the Prince said, bringing the boy out of his thoughts. With a smile he nodded and followed Seungmin's lead to the inn only a block away from the alley, letting the crowds ripple apart to let them through. The carriages were ready for departure, and Sophia and Yeong-Su were waiting eagerly by the gate.
"Prince Sion, we've prepared the carriage per your wishes," the blonde maid said as soon as the two Princes were at a suitable distance. She had her hands folded in front of her like she was impersonating Loidger's maturity, causing a small smile to crack on Seungmin's face. Did she want to look professional in front of all these other nobles? Truly, Sophia was such a funny person.
Seungmin's thoughts faded when he saw Alexander step to the side and motion gracefully for the carriage.
"May I ride the same carriage as you, My Prince?" the Duke's Heir asked, cocking his head to the side. "The estate is a bit of a long walk from here, you see."
"...You were already walking around this area before we met. Do you not have business to attend to there?" Seungmin replied.
"Well, I was looking for you."
There was a silence after those words left Alexander's lips, and the mint-haired Prince pinched the bridge of his nose. Why did he have to deal with such a bothersome person even during his break?
Finally, groaning under his breath, Seungmin muttered, "Do as you wish," before stepping into the carriage and sitting in the corner.
"I appreciate your kindness," Alexander smiled, ducking into the carriage and sitting on the other side.
The listless Prince ignored Alexander and flicked his wrist at the knights outside the window, signaling that it was alright to mount the horses now.
And so, the silent ride to the Maximillion estate began.