"Yes, sir."
The young prince groaned and threw his silk pillow at his guard, who angled his body in time for it to fly right past him.
"It's Iris. Stop calling me that already. It's not-" The prince's breath left him as the vampire's face was mere inches from his in seconds. He didn't flinch nor did his heart speed up or dull as his cold hand reached out and gripped his jaw and forcefully tilted his head up.
"There are only so many titles. What about master?" The vampire's voice was like a dagger, piercing with chaos sitting at the tip of his tone. His light blue eyes turned navy and rested emotionlessly onto the prince's narrowed hazel ones.
"No. Use my name." Iris pushed his guard away who respectfully backed up, otherwise, the human's shove would have been nothing but a weak pat against him. "Understand?"
"I've always understood, Iris. I believe it's my vampire blood that just has to piss you off."
"Well, I congratulate your blood," the young prince muttered under his breath and leaned to fall onto his back from sitting on his bed, but the vampire gripped his arms and pulled him to his feet.
Still locked in his sleepy daze, Iris stared at the collar around Kai's neck with heavy eyelids. Realizing his drowsiness had faded, he looked up at Kai's eyes, not moving a single inch; neither did the vampire.
"You have training this morning, Iris," Kai informed, releasing the prince's arms, which fell to his side like they were paralyzed.
"With you?"
Kai nodded his head, "As always, sir."
"Maybe it's strange I dislike being called with such formality, but don't you find it useless to address a minor like they're older than you?"
"We are only two years apart."
"Yes, two centuries!"
With a roll of his eyes, Kai watched Iris fall back down onto his bed with a huff. He raised one arm to cover his eyes and let his legs hang over the side, laying like he was a thrown rag doll.
"Iris, you can't fall back asleep."
"I'm not...I'm just going to rest my eyes."
"Iris."
"...."
"Sir?"
Iris laid still with his face expressionless, in which Kai could only see his lips form a flat line. He did doze off until he felt his ankles be gripped, then his head shot up.
He wasn't quick enough to protest or react as his guard yanked him off the bed and let him fall on the floor with a loud thump.
"Ow! Are you crazy?" Iris held the back of his head with a hiss of pain. He glared up at the smiling vampire.
"No, I'm your bodyguard who is fed up with his prince no getting up on time."
"Well, I'm annoyed with your pestering."
"It's my job, Iris."
"To hell with your job! And did you just drag me out of my bed?"
Despite his mischief heart, Kai held his hand out for Iris's aid. "I will do it again if I must. Plus, Iris, you shouldn't say such things, I might leave one day."
Iris slapped his palm into his, "Hm, please. You and I know very well you wouldn't go willingly."
"You sound confident."
"It's not a sin to be."
"No, but it's embarrassing if you're wrong in the end."
Iris nodded his head to agree, to understand. "But I am not wrong."
"Never?"
"No."
Kai backed away and crossed his arms, his build easily towering over Iris's even if they were only inches apart in height. His cold eyes smiled for the first time today.
"Alright Mr.Cocky, you have a training session to attend to in twenty. Please be ready." With that, he turned on his heels and walked out of the large room. The door shutting quietly behind him.
Iris scratched his head with a grumble. It amazed him how many things the vampire could get away with saying. He let almost everything slide, then again, he had a not very and very valid reason.
Knowing Kai would be back in to bestow his clothes, Iris simply entered his bathroom and started his shower; also knowing his father would be angered, he decided not to take a twenty-minute shower and spend ten staring at himself in the mirror.
As expected, hearing the water start running from the hall, Kai reentered to pick out suitable training clothes for the prince.
Iris was a well-built man. He wasn't comparable to the vampires, however, because they were literally brick walls, but he had the pride and honor of muscle. What fit well on him was something Kai found enjoyable to seek out for.
Though, he'd never admit that out loud.
While staring at the plain black shirt and black trousers, the belt Kai laid out always caught his eyes. Gold. Pure but not heavy.
Every kingdom had a color scheme that represented them. For theirs, they owned the colors black and gold. Flags and banners all had a black or gold print or design. Every citizen wore a black and gold band, showing their loyalty and pride of being the people of the mighty Kingdom.
Glancing at the time on the wall clock, Kai frowned at the prince's bathroom door and sighed. He would never disturb his privacy, even if his scandalous mind was destined to play dirty, he was respectful. But it did push his buttons when Iris ignored his requests to be mindful of time.
"Your mother won't be very pleased with you, young prince," Kai muttered by the door, knocking on it a few times with his knuckles. "Or with me."
"She loves you," Iris stated in a matter-of-fact voice from the other side of the door.
"Was that sarcasm? She loathes me if not wishes death upon my already dead body." The vampire could have sworn he heard a chuckle within the bathroom but he pushed it aside when a chain of knocks erupted from the main door. Kai stalked over and opened it.
"Yes?" He looked down at one of the maids-human maids-and raised an eyebrow.
"O-oh..u-um, the-the Queen sent asking for y-your arrival.."
"Oh, we'll be down right away, the prince was just more reluctant to get up this morning. Tell her she has our apologies and we'll be down shortly, will you?"
"O-of course! Thank you.." The maid bowed her head and her hands immediately found the bow at the end of her braid. She fidgeted with it while walking down the corridor.
"You're going to be the death of me, Iris." Kai shut the door and whipped his head to stare at Iris, who was brushing down his shirt and staring back.
"So you've said. Who was that?" Iris's breath got caught in his throat when Kai moved at an inhuman speed to appear right in front of him. Even after all these years the element of his fast movements always shied his breath. He kept his hands at his side while the vampire fixed his shirt then took hold of his wrist.
"Our warning call."
Iris struggled against Kai's grip as they rushed to the door. "Iris, I'm going to kill you if she shocks me."
On queue, the prince glanced up at his collar. He couldn't fathom how excruciating the pain might be. He didn't even want to ponder on the pain.
"I won't let her."
"You could bargain her with coins and men, but she'd never give up on inflicting pain on us vampires, haven't you learned this?"
The two flew down the curving flight of stairs, mimicking each other's fast pace and quick steps.
"Just fight back verbally-"
"That's even worse, prince."
"Then phy-"
"You're telling me to do something that could get me killed, or if I'm lucky, thrown out into the city which is equivalent to being tossed in a ring with a hungry lion. If you want me to leave, please just tell me."
Iris scoffed, "I don't want you to leave. I just-you're vampires. You can easily overthrow us."
He watched Kai twist his lips as if really pondering on the question.
"You really are stupid." He made sure to say it just above a whisper in case any maids overheard.
Iris didn't get the chance to talk as Kai opened the doors that lead outside, where Iris's parents were waiting with inpatients and with a tap of annoyance in their feet against the concrete.
The two turned to watch them walk up. Kai bowed with his head angled to ignore the fierce stare of the Queen in front of him. The King's gaze was much more mellow.
"My apology for making you wait, sir." Then he glanced at the Queen, "Ma'am."
She opened her mouth but was interrupted when the King walked past them both to get to his son. To both Kai's and the Queen's surprise, he whacked Iris on the side of the head in the kindest way.
"Son, you better stop making Kai do all this work for you! You're perfectly capable of waking up and making it to your appointments on time. This is getting sad, Iris."
"You smacked the wrong man.." The Queen muttered, glaring at Kai when he glanced at her. The King turned back with raised eyebrows.
"Kai did no such wrongdoing to deserve a discipline."
Iris's mother shook her head and flicked her fan open as she walked away with her heels teasing their ears with their violent clicks. "Since when did they need one?"
"Amilea," The King, King Arlo, called after her with a sigh.
"Well," Iris grumbled, rubbing his head, "I told you she wouldn't do anything." The two glanced at each other with frowns. Iris stayed quiet when the disapproval on Kai's face was lucid and didn't intend to mellow.
"An hour of extra training, sir?" Kai asked the King.
In the training hall, a stadium reaching over a hundred yards and over fifty in width, Kai stood next to the King with a casual smile.
King Arlo was humored, "Make it two."
"Ah, I love your thinking, sir."
"I don't," Iris protested.
"Oh cry a river, son. This is life and you're going to live it whether you like it or not."
With his famous glare and silent nodding, Iris pulled a wooden pole from a rack by the doors and cleared his throat.
He walked past his dad and Kai but grabbed Kai's shirt in the process, forcing him to follow.
Kai raised his eyebrows while Iris glanced over his shoulder.
"I don't like it," he said. "But I might get used to it knowing I can drag you down with me."
Kai gulped but didn't say anything. How could he when the look in the prince's eyes made his heart do a flip?
††
Tempered one he is..
Anyway...welcome to my new story!! Note: confusing at first, a little random, but it alllll comes together in the end!
*CURRENTLY IN HEAVY EDITING*