13一 and the road towards the north was filled with snow
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ATHAN WOULD THINK OF HIMSELF as someone that had a tight reign over his emotions, but一alas, as it was natural for humans, things managed to slip from his grasp in the most of inopportune moments.
Athanasia calling him 'big brother' was one such moment.
When he first heard it, his mind reeled back in shock, because why would this child that he spent virtually no time with call him such an endearing minutive?
He always made sure that his interactions with her were minimal at best, most in the company of their father, but having been called as such two times already...
He didn't like it.
A pit of slowly growing disgust reared its ugly head from the crevices of his mind, twinkling blue eyes darkening, his hair casting a shadow over his face that had the knights surrounding him shooting wary glances in his way.
He faintly registered the displeased growling of Biyakko, no doubt fueled by his negative emotions, as Hector and Kassian exchanged worried looks, but he had no mind to pay to such frivolous distractions.
Athanasia was labeled in his mind as 'little princess' because that's what she was. Labels as this one were given not out of care and love, but out of necessity to maintain his image.
Athan liked to think that, as of how things were now, the little princess will not be on the receiving end of his good will for a little while longer一and he was content to leave it at that.
Because she was an annoyance in his plans and would be better off without her, but he ignored that nasty part of his brain whispering dark ideas.
("Aish, oppa! Don't be such a stick in the mud!")
It definitely had nothing to do with Ju-Hee.
(He knew he was lying to himself.)
The displeasure he felt towards the situation managed to hold its steady burn, ambers of not quite kindled flames lighting up his thoughts.
Athan was, for the lack of a better word, apathetic 一 and he acknowledged that. Fully, wholly and without regrets, because that is the person he grew to become. Not involving himself with Athanasia and maintaining the pleasant relationship between the two of them was the best course of action, but it would seem that the little lovely princess had different plans.
The blue of the sky slowly bled away into a palette of pinks, oranges and purples, signalling the falling of nighttime.
Releasing a sigh filled with pent-up frustrations一relieving none of said frustrations一the youth's eyes drew themselves towards the puff of cold air that formed itself with his action.
It was getting colder. Good. They were making ground.
Pulling his horse to a stop the moment the company reached a clearing, thus signalling to his guard to copy the movement, the prince ordered, "We shall set camp here for the night." His slurred words were easily registered, as well as the palpable irritation of the young liege.
Wisely, they spoke naught of his fluctuating moods.
After an entire twenty-four hours of constant horseback travel with little to no time reserved for breaks, one was prone to being a bit worse for wear and subtly cranky.
Dismounting his horse, Athan waited with the patience that would make a saint weep for his soldiers to set up his tent and for a squire to place his trunk of things from the carriages packed with supplies and possessions.
For all his displeasure at differing factors, Athan was damn proud of his meticulous planning and organising. At times, it paid to be thoroughly paranoid about everything that may jump in your path.
Handing off the reigns of his horse to a knight, the crown heir made his way towards the large blue tent with golden details, his ever-loyal pet close at his heels.
Throwing himself onto the impromptu bed in the far corner of the tent, vaguely registering Biyakko placing himself between him and the only exit from his lodgings, Athan pulled his furred cloak closer to his body and curled in its warmth, relishing in the feeling of home and warmth that surrounded him. It was strange, but the garment made to shield from the more health-deteriorating elements felt like the rare embraces his father would give.
He chalked it up to the protection charms taking effect and the distinctly stormy feel of his sire's mana.
As he lay there in bed, relishing in the privacy of his temporary pseudo-home, the fourteen year old allowed his mind to go over the list of things that he had to prepare for this journey, from mundane travel supplies such as food and water to the number of tents besides his own that were needed, all based on the headcount of people that were to accompany him towards the Ice Temple一a whopping thirty-two, not counting himself; all the way to the route they were to follow and the possibility of being attacked by the occasional (though rare) magical beast or by the more foolish and ballsy bandits.
He was nothing if not prepared for anything.
That he had made the decision of choosing Hector as his secondary personal escort spoke volumes in of itself, given that he and Kassian got along like a house on fire and both males loved plotting ways of creating problems for their charge, but with the finesse and craftiness often missing from their day-to-day responsibilities.
Such a pity.
The way that Hector will later on interact with the prince will determine whether or not he will remain on personal guard duty and awarded the same position as Kassian.
There was a grogginess seeping into his being and Athan buried himself deeper into the fur pelts and soft blankets of his bed.
He hated long-distance travel.
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HECTOR COULDN'T HELP BUT STARE as the Prince entered his tent with nothing so much as a 'by your leave', scowl firmly in place at the back of the royal.
"What crawled up his ass and died?" His mutters went unheard by the other knights一which, for the sanctity of his own health, was great一all but one.
Standing by his side, the green haired man that has been the Imperial Prince's guard for years, gave him an indecipherable side look and shook his head, motioning with his hand to follow his lead.
"You ought to loose that attitude Hector." The senior knight forewarned with a glance thrown over a shoulder. "It'll be the death of you otherwise."
The younger of the two drew his lips into a taught line, pensive, as he mulled over the words given.
Hector, for all his foul mouth and short temper, could see how the warning of the Imperial Guard could come into fruition一 if was no secret that the Prince was the darling of the empire, given how involved he was in the matters that improved life for the people living in the lower parts of society.
But for all the facts that pointed towards the goodness of the heir, Hector was no fool. He had seen the eyes of the Prince一 eyes of someone who had killed before, who knew that no small amount of water would wash away the blood that coated his hands.
He knew the rumours circling around the palace, by word of the maids and the attendants. Hector had learned from his first week during his stay in knighthood that Prince Athanasius always wore gloves. Most believed that this was because the heir had a passion for instruments that required a delicate hand, others theorised that the Prince had an accident during his younger years that scarred his hands.
None of those theories were confirmed as true and were nothing more than just rumours, therefore Hector dismissed them in passing.
It wasn't until he was brought to the Prince's study that he understood the reason behind the gloves.
("Word of advice," Sir Claes spoke as his hands rested over the handles of the doors leading to the Obelian Heir's office, "act as you normally do. The Prince doesn't like dualist attitudes."
Hector took those words to heart as they were his only warning to what was to follow.
Opening the door, the golden eyed knight bowed in its step. "Your Highness, I have brought him."
"Good." A youthful voice echoed towards the entrance, a sense of amusement present in its tone. "You may leave us Kassian."
Having not risen from his position, said man dipped his head once more and turned around to leave, a whispered "Good luck," passing by the young knight's ears.
As he entered the room, Hector's eyes found the figure of the young royal sat on the soft carpet with his back leaned on a couple of pillows as his gloved hands petted the massive furred head that lay in his lap.
Coming back to his senses, Hector bowed and gave the formal imperial greeting taught to all citizens from a young age.
With his head tilted down, cerulean eyes searched around the office, skimming over the large bookcases and cabinets most probably filled with important paperwork and spelled to high heaven against theft, resting finally over the large portrait of the previous empress that hung besides the window.
He had never seen the Empress, wife of Emperor Claude and mother of the heir, but he could honestly say that the portrait was doing a poor job at conveying her beauty.
A warm chuckle forcefully drew him out of his thoughts, his head snapping back down to the ground.
When had he risen his eyes?
"Be at ease." The voice of the Prince assured him, "I do not blame you for being enraptured by mother. She is, after all, a beauty without parallel."
There was a short pause, before shuffling of clothes was heard as the Prince presumably rose to his feet.
"Please, raise your head. I wish to look you in the eye."
Not one to willingly go against his superiors, Hector's cerulean blue met the prince's own glowing gems.
'Oh...' His thoughts were betraying him. Those eyes, so beautiful as if given upon the world by the most skilled craftsmen, zeroed in on his face, made him come to a sudden realisation.
Behind that glowing mirth and youth hid a darkness deep and rooted to the soul, a wariness upon the world so far beyond the years of the fourteen year old royal.
Athanasius offered him a warm smile, gesturing to his hand beyond the form of his tiger, towards the sofa opposite to the one he previously reclined on, "Shall we be seated?")
Those were the eyes of someone who had seen death, who has been the cause of it and a prime instigator. The eyes of a person who was barely clinging to their last strands of sanity and was stubborn with an attitude.
But all of that was hidden behind a pretty smile and warm words.
The royal was someone who had been embraced by death and nearly claimed by the afterlife.
He supposed, given the tumultuous time in which the Prince was born, it was to be expected.
There was a sigh a few steps away from him and Hector turned his gaze towards the prince's knight一loyalcheerfulcynical一and wondered how many of said royal's secrets did this person know.
"You were chosen to accompany the Prince, out of the hundreds of knights-in-training, upon my recommendation and the Emperor's concerns over his heir's safety." The words were followed by a scathing glare and the young knight felt like he had been struck my an arrow. "The Prince relented to the Emperor's request and chose you as his second escort."
So his addition to the trip was merely a stroke of luck? Well wasn't that currently doing wonders to his pride.
As if reading his thoughts, Kassian ran a hand through his long green hair. "Don't make that face brat. Take this as an opportunity." He offered after his younger counterpart had shaken himself from his stupor. "Do good and you may remain in the Sapphire Palace under my tutelage."
With that Sir Claes picked up his satchel and headed towards their own tent, golden eyes briefly noting the snowstorm clouds in the sky. "The Prince only ever demands loyalty, keep that in mind Delver."
'Huh... Loyalty...'
Hector was unsure of himself as his eyes fell upon the young prince's tent.
For a boy almost half his own age, Hector was sure that Prince Athanasius would be quite terrifying when betrayed.
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sweet goddess of inspiration, thank you for taking mercy upon me!
managed to finish this up, finally. took me forever to think of what to write.
i've been hit by a sudden need to put my ideas into practice, because up until now i was like:
but i digress.
i'm slowly getting back into my rithm, though i've decided to down my updates to sovereignty to once a month because of, well, life一 this not including the intermissions my brain comes up with.
speaking of intermissions, the last one, he who sees beyond the veil, was mostly written because i love astrology, greek mythology and i was feeling up to writing something cryptic that may or may not be tied in to the story later on.
i'm still debating on that one.
anyway, i'm just glad that i have my drive to write back.
i hope you enjoyed this chapter!