The Prince and His Knight [Kaito and Koe-chan]

[海翔]

Aridon was about done talking through the door, what could they possibly do anyway? This was a highly influenced thought by the fact that Aridon really wanted to hug his friend again, he really did and he believed nothing could stop him. That was until his hand started shaking as he reached for the handle and he couldn't press it forwards. why...?! he though irritably as he tried harder to tell his hand to open the door so the King could hug him as if he was some farmers wife whose husband came back from the war(as girly as the action sounds); but he couldn't do it. after a bit more force he managed to get the door nob but a memory surfaced from earlier that night.

 

Aridon couldn't believe it as he watched his friend kill this man, his friend Killed this man without a second thought. He was scared, he would admit it; and the fear was coming fast and fierce. The blood that had sprayed onto Lysanders clothes was wet and running down it, as well as his face. It was frightening to him, especially with his fear of blood, Surly this couldn't be the same man he had just been talking to maybe 30 minutes to an hour before. Aridon caught a glimpse of him as he ran after the traitor, the one who tried to have him killed, and his eyes were clouded in shock.

 

After that, Lysander looked okay and Aridon told him good job before being helped up to his room in order to be cared for. Although Aridon was still slightly off put by the others actions and it took him awhile to put it out of his mind. He'd have to ask about it later. He closed his eyes to try to sleep. Although it failed.

 

Aridon removed his hand from the doorknob and wanted to scream. Was this what was stopping him from doing this, this stupid memory that's ingrained in his head? Damn it! ugh, well, I've gotta keep this from Lysander... he thought to himself as he held his hand quietly. He happened to over hear the others finishing words as he was close to the door and iit spurred him forwards to at least open the door. His eyes filled with disbelief. "What's that supposed to me? Of course I would accept you no matter what! Don't spit words of doubt like that, you're going to depress yourself Lysander. seri- fuuushk-" he tried to censor himself as he held his injured shoulder seeing as when he opened the door it clipped it.

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[BlaqueCatt]

The whitette let out a grunt when the door pushed his weight forward, setting him off balance. He had heard the knob turn, but hadn't expected the prince to burst out of the room so forcefully. After his initial staggering, he steadied himself and turned to look at the shorter man. He gave the prince a gentle smile, but there was no way he could hide the pain--and self-loathing--in his eyes when it came to his best friend. Aridon knew him inside and out, even after all this time. I'm supposed to protect him, but it seems that he is still helping me. The smile became a bit more real when the other man started ranting, as Lysander thought he was cute when he was angry, but the amusement that had mixed with the despair in his eyes was quickly chased out by concern when the other tried to muffle his exclamation.

 

"Your H--Aridon! Are you all right?" His long legs had carried him to the prince's side in a single stride, and he was supporting the smaller man with his left arm while his right hand carefully checked over the injury. He sighed in relief when he saw that there was no blood, and he was tempted to pull the other man to his chest and bury his face in his hair, something that Aridon had done to him when they were young. However, he was distracted by the memory of the assassin stabbing his blade into the prince, and his gray eyes narrowed.

 

"That bastard," he snarled, his 'non-Lysander' expression from earlier that night returning. "He deserved what he got." Lysander never swore, and he was the gentlest man alive; he loved animals and children, and even the silliest things managed to make him cry. He fussed over the smallest things, and he was always worried about the people around him. Not to mention the fact that he had a huge sweet tooth and was very physically affectionate... This alternate personality was nothing like the real Lysander. His mind had created it to shield him from the horrors of war, yet he still had it, and would until he felt safe again. He may be away from the battlefield, but the memories of what he and others had done still haunted him.

 

The knight froze when he realized what he had said, and he abruptly pulled away from Aridon, putting about two feet of space between them. He clenched his fists by his sides and grit his teeth, refusing to look at his friend. Oh, how badly he wanted to curl up with him again and forget the rest of the world... "I apologize, Your Highness," he muttered, and the bright light in his eyes--the thing that Lysander had been known for throughout his life--was gone, and only self-hatred showed. His second shield--the proper knight, second only to the aloof gentleman, his third line of defense--came forward. The true Lysander was hidden behind three well-developed, fake masks. "You should not have to witness such a..." He struggled with his words. A monstrosity. "...with someone such as myself."

[海翔]

As the other rushed to check his wound over and then looked at him, Aridon let out a relieved sigh, what was he worried about? It was the same Lysander that Aridon had always known; and he felt dumb for having that fear. Or he did, until the others words continued and he fought the urge to recoil as it would off put the knight, so he stood firm. He listened to the other talk and the events replayed again, making his breath still for awhile. After the other suddenly seemed to switch tones...or for a better word, persona again; he talked like the knight he now was, but this was still not quite his friend. Aridons' memory of the earlier events ceased for the time being although the new king was trying to lift his eyes from their position on the floor.

 

What happened next, shocked Aridon; and it might as well should have stunned Lysander. The wounded king, he trembled, and couldn't stop himself from trembling. his breathing hitched as it flew in and out of his mouth and he sank to the floor, finally unable to maintain composure. Despite him wholeheartedly accepting Lysander no matter what, as he vowed when they were kids with his heart, and his soul, his mind could not handle it. He was mentally incapable of handling the earlier events, and now seeing these seemingly split second personality switches or masks or whatever the other wanted to call them, he was strained.

 

When the knights eyes seemed to widen at the reaction, Aridon kept his head down even though he still reached out towards Lysander, probably trying to get a hold of the man anyway he could. "L-Ly..s sander-" the king could feel tears forming in his eyes although he refused to shame himself even more than he already had.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander, with his head down and eyes averted, did not notice the prince sink to the floor. He was battling with himself mentally again, trying not to crumble under the weight of his emotions. Thoughts such as, He hates me, I hate me, He hates me, ran through his head in a loop. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and there was a slight tremble in his shoulders. However, he was snapped out of when he heard his friend let out soft, barely stifled sob. Immediately he turned to face the other, his gray eyes wide and his pale face full of shock. He stared at the prince on the floor in front of him, unable to react as tears slipped from amber eyes and slid down his cheeks. He was frozen, uncomprehending, as if he no longer had the ability to think. Then, when the prince said his name and reached out for him, he too fell.

 

"Aridon," he murmured, dropping to his knees in front of the prince, his sword clattering against the cold stone floor. He reached forward and brought the prince to his chest, holding him as tightly as he could without upsetting the injury. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in the others' bright red hair, taking a deep breath. Unfortunately, he had also lost his composure, and after a moment of simple breathing, his entire body began to shake. The gentle flow of tears from his eyes became a stream, one powerful enough to wet the prince's hair thoroughly. "I-I'm s-so sorry," he stuttered, gasping for air through the ragged sobs that now rocked his body and soul. "I-I didn't w-want to h-hurt them...I didn't want to...to..." His voice was bordering on hysterical as all of his masks were burnt away by Aridon's touch.

 

"C-can't...I can't wash away the blood," he choked out, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe. This was worse than any panic attack he had had during the war. "What I did...I can't forgive myself...I'm a monster..." At this point, both of them were too drained to support each other, and Lysander had his back against the wall with Aridon clinging to his chest and halfway in his lap. "I n-never wanted to hurt them...I hate it...I hate it..."

[海翔]

Aridon could feel himself grasping around a bit helplessly before there was the sound of steel hitting the floor and he was pulled towards the knights chest. Aridon was stunned silent as the other held him as if he could break at any moment due to his injury, and berried his face into the princes' hair. Sadly this was followed by the taller males lack of composure and soon the trembling kings hair was a good amount of wet from the others tears. Still stunned silent with his trembling, he listened to the boy open up to him, talking in...in short spurts almost, of what he experienced.

 

He was scared, probably more scared than Aridon when he watched the windows for Lysanders returning face. Aridon couldn't bring himself to say anything to him as he sat there, half way pulled into the others lap and loosely locked into the others arms. He too was emotionally drained, as well as physically given the situation of his shoulder; he managed to pull himself completely into the others lap before adjusting so he sat sideways and leaning his head on Lysanders chest. This was an attempt at some comforting despite his inability to talk, although he wasn't sure it would work any.

 

He wondered how exactly it came to this, wondered why he and Lysander were unable to live a trouble free life like they once had before. Aridon closed his eyes, a sense of tiredness washing over him although he didnt want to fall asleep and leave his friend awake and in distress. "I'm sorry..." He said as he tried to get as close as possible to his friend, his trembling had stilled some before he finally drifted off into sleep. loosely hugging himself with his good arm, His hair which had been drenched from the others faded tears, fell into his face as his breath came out so softly you'd have to be really listening to hear it.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander wept until his eyes were dry and he no longer had a voice. He had repetitively murmured apologies as the prince in his arms drifted off to sleep, but now his throat was so raw from the near-hysterical sobs and gasps of agony that he was unable to say another word. Oddly enough, though, as he finally managed to calm down and steady his breathing, his chest felt considerably lighter. It was a relief to share all of his fears and doubts with another person, especially the one he cared for most, and his mind, which had been so troubled, was much more peaceful. In the presence of Aridon, the masks had slipped away and revealed the gentle, vulnerable man that Lysander had always been, and who he wanted to remain. He was not completely healed, but it was a start; if things continued this way, the time may come when he no longer needed the masks to function.

 

The knight glanced down at the man in his arms, and a tired smile stretched across his pale, tear-stained face. He gently ran his long fingers through the prince's hair, the touch soft and affectionate. It seems that I got your hair wet. I hope you forgive me. He would have laughed if he had had the energy. Instead, he carefully removed Aridon from his lap and stood up with a sigh, rolling his shoulders briefly before bending over and lifting the smaller man into his arms. He nudged open the door to the chambers with his foot, and silently he made his way over to the large bed. He laid the prince down onto the mattress and pulled the two blankets over him. After a few moments of staring down at the prince with a thoughtful expression, he turned and made his way back to the door.

 

Once the door was closed behind him, he ran his hands over his face, taking in a deep breath. Then, staying true to his word, he sat down outside of the room with his arms crossed over his chest, unable to move until Aridon told him otherwise. He soon fell asleep in that position, his gray eyes closing and his breathing becoming steady. That was until the nightmares came, of course. He dreamed of the blood, the screams, the pain--but most of all, he dreamed of the emotions in the eyes of the men he killed. Barely minutes after he drifted off, he was shifting uneasily against the wall, letting out quiet groans, his face contorting in pain and fear. This was why he always slept alone and why he had been determined to never fall asleep in the presence of the prince. Hopefully, he was too far asleep to be disturbed by it.

 

{We can either continue from here or time-skip to the next morning?}

[海翔]

The next morning proceeded as any other, Derin woke him and got him ready for the day after Maya treated the others wound. Advised to take it easy by Derin, Maya and Lysander, he thought about just taking time to himself for the day. He tried his very best to forget the night before since it would only bring him down, and surly Lysander would get even more depressed should he know he was troubled by it. So he took them up on the offer of a break, maybe he could get away with going into town or something. It's not like Derin will be there to stop him, but first, he wanted to take a walk through the gardens.

 

"Alright, I'll take you up on the offer. Derin, please handle everything as the trusted Head adviser. " Aridon stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "Lysander will take good care of me,so do not worry." The prince hummed as he walked towards the door and opened it. "As you say, my lord. I will take care of everything" with that, Aridon left the room followed by Lysander who was going to be accompanying him. As his heeled shoes clicked along the ground he began to hum a friendly tune that he had learned from his mother. "I'm very sorry for keeping you out in the hall Lysander, From now on, if I fall asleep, please return to your own chambers in order to be rested for the next day." The prince stated this knowing that it was his fault the other hadn't gotten much rest, with both of them breaking down like that, he didn't even know how he could have managed to tell the other to sleep.

 

The garden looked as lovely as ever thanks to his gardener, Ryan. The boy always took good care of the garden, Aridon decided he would have to give the boy a reward. Maybe a new book? He liked reading things, better yet, maybe he could invite all the servants to dinner tonight. They've been the ones to raise him just as well as his parents had. Aridon walked into the grassy path and paused to look at his favorite rose which always shone a brilliant red, the prince marked it with a piece of yellow string so he wouldn't forget it. "hm, Lysander, do you remember which flower you liked the most? it seems i've forgotten." He said with a small smile.

 

"It looks bad on me, not remembering my best friends favorite flower, doesn't it?" He chuckled to himself. It was true, he had forgotten a few things about his friend. It had been many long years after all, and once the king died, he had a lot more on his plate. The boy didn't have time to dwell on the fact that his friend wasn't around, which is why he slowly began to get immersed in the work, so he wouldn't have to think about it. His mind drifted back to the night before. had his mind always been that weak...? he wondered, although only to himself.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander had abruptly woken around three o'clock in the morning, his shoulders trembling and his pale skin covered with a sheen of sweat. Because he was too afraid to return to the world of his nightmares, he had forced himself to stay awake. Derin had greeted him at the door and dismissed him to get changed while the prince was woken. The whitette had returned to his room, used the washbasin on the side table to clean his face and wipe away the sweat, before putting on a fresh white shirt and his black boots and trousers. He took a few moments to calm himself, then exited his room just as he prince emerged from his chambers.

 

"Good morning, Your Highness," he greeted, hoping his smile distracted the prince from the dark shadows under his eyes. Despite the happenings of last night, his smile was genuine and his gray eyes seemed brighter than they had. He had a feeling that Aridon was disturbed by his other personas, but he wasn't as bothered as he would have been had last night not gone the way it had. Releasing all of his fears and pent-up emotions had lifted a great burden from his shoulders, and now he was determined to shed his masks and become his normal self again so he could be there for Aridon as often as necessary. I will not hide anymore. No matter how hard it is, I will heal for you. He knew he was mentally unbalanced after the war, but he would try to get better no matter what.

 

After thanking the prince for allowing him to retire at night and following him out of the castle, Lysander walked a few steps behind the prince as they traversed the garden, admiring the bright flowers and the pleasant smells. It was a nice change from the battlefield and the dusty road he had traveled on while making his way home. "My favorite flower?" He tilted his head slightly as he considered the question. It's been a while... "I like lavender," he replied after a few moments, now side-by-side with the prince. "The light purple and the scent." The smile was still there, and he seemed relaxed as they toured the garden, much more like his old self.

[海翔]

Aridon Knelt down next to the roses in order to pick one up, It seemed to have been uprooted by the storm for a few days ago. He felt bad for it, seeing as it hadn't completely grown yet. "poor thing...not even full grown." He sighed before tucking it into his jacket so that he could dispose of it later when he returned to the palace. He then turned to look at Lysander and tilted his head in response. "Lavender you say?" Aridon put his index finger to his chin in thought. He might have some planted in the back part of the garden. Shortly after it seemed as if a light bulb went off and he hurried through the garden as fast as he could go without messing up his arm more than it already was.

 

He wasn't sure if there was lavender in the main part of the garden, but he was almost completely sure there was some in his moms small garden that was in the back. He walked until he found about 10x10 square garden that had many different flowers growing in it that wern't in the main garden. Thats where he found it, the patch of Lavender sitting next to the patch of Lily's. "Hehe, found some~" He mused.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander stood behind the prince, watching silently as he knelt next to the patch of roses. The gentle way that the prince spoke, as if the flower that had been uprooted were a person, made the knight's chest twinge with an unknown feeling. This man...he is not like any ruler I have met before. Aridon, who was the king of a great country, was also the type of person who would feel regret and sadness over the destruction of a simple flower. If his sympathy and empathy were strong enough to do such things, then there was no telling how much the people would adore him when he finally was able to leave the castle and do the more hands-on work of a ruler, a job that had belonged to Derin for the past few years.

 

My memories of his kindness are what kept me alive, the knight mused with a quiet sigh, the small smile still lingering on his lips. Just now did he realize how much the two relied on each other, as children and as adults. Especially after all that has transpired in the past eleven years. Lysander was startled out of his thoughts when Aridon suddenly stood up and took off running through the garden. The whitette jerked back in surprise, then jogged after the prince, his long legs carrying him across a greater distance so he did not have to exert as much energy.

 

"Your H--Aridon! Be careful, you are still injured!" he called, only slowing when he saw that the prince had stopped and was unharmed. He huffed a bit over-dramatically and approached the other young man.

 

"Aridon!" he whined, giving the other a childish pout; both of which he did without even realizing it. "At least give me a warning before you take off like that!" His gray eyes widened when he saw the smug smile on the prince's face and the purple flower before him. He blinked, a bit stunned, before chuckling softly.

 

"You almost injured yourself again just for this?" The knight bent down beside the prince and trailed his pale fingers across the tip of the lavender. In this position, their faces were extremely close together. "They're beautiful," he murmured.

[海翔]

Aridon let out a small laugh at the others words. "Of course I'd injure myself for this. I know it's not the greatest reason, but I gotta show you at least one thing you want to see." His laughter died off as he tilted his head downwards slightly. "Well, and i'm hopping it'll make of for my shabby comforting last night." He gave a flat chuckled as he thought about last night again, they were both completely in shambles when they both needed someone to provide comfort. The royal wouldn't lie either, he felt pretty damn bad for losing his composure when his friend was the one who braved a war for 4 years and then ended up going through turmoil for 7 more.

 

He wished he could provide the person his friend needs, he could call upon their greatest health doctor but he wasn't sure lysander would accept that. he wasn't sure what his friend would accept, the man admitted it last night, he was scared. he didn't want to do it, to partake in the war, yet because of his kingdoms law, it had to be done. He still hated that, but even now, it wasn't as if he could do much at all to change it. "I wish i could change that draft law...even if only a few years older improvement. It would be nice..." He sighed out. he wasn't sure the other knew what he meant. but that was okay with him.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander had shifted so that instead of crouching, he was kneeling on the ground beside the prince, putting some of his weight onto his heels. In this position, he was only about a head taller than Aridon, and their shoulders brushed due to how close they were. "I've already seen what I wanted," he murmured, his gray eyes focused on the small light purple buds of the lavender flower, watching as it bobbed lightly in the passing breeze. "What I've been yearning for, for eleven years." He blushed slightly after the words left his mouth, and it was blatantly obvious that he had not known he had said his thoughts out loud. He coughed in an attempt to clear away the awkwardness, but despite his embarrassment he could not bring himself to put distance between himself and the prince.

 

Just being able to be close to Aridon after all the time they spent apart was enough to make him feel elated. They were barely touching, but it was as if they were hugging and clinging to each other as they had when they were children. It seems that neither of us can let go of the past. If only he knew exactly what what meant. Most people did not spent eleven years searching for a friend that may not even remember them. There was something more there, but they were not yet able to see it; undoubtedly, however, others certainly had noticed by this point.

 

The knight turned to look at Aridon when he spoke about the previous night, and he smiled, gently moving so they were partially facing each other. "Don't apologize," he said, reaching out and placing his hand over the prince's in a subconscious gesture of comfort, a thing he had often done when they were young. "We both needed to recognize our true feelings. It would only hurt us more if we had kept them hidden." There was a pause, and then, much more quietly, "Especially from each other." His gaze was now focused on their hands. "If not for you...I would have lost myself to that war. You have nothing to be sorry for."

[海翔]

Aridon had already been fighting down the embarrassment he had been feeling since the other had crouched down next to him to look at the flowers, but when the other said that he had already seen what he wanted, Aridon couldn't help but resist the urge to smack his face on his hand in order to stop the embarrassment. He had hoped that the other wasn't talking about what he thought he was talking about, but at the same time he had the feeling that it was exactly that and it made him feel very fluttery inside. Not that he would ever admit that of course, since who would want to admit that being a guy? Gah, and he thought his uncomfortable feelings would have disappeared before now. Damn, but he wasn't completely angry at himself.

 

After mentioning the other night, Lysander had moved and placed his hand over Aridons and spoke about how he shouldn't apologize for it because it might have been worse should they hadn't. His face was beyond red now and he really hoped that the other wouldn't look up right now. Aridon didn't know if he'd be able to live that down, he never remembered it being this embarrassing to have Lysander Practically holding his hand. Although, its been a long time, and Aridon was now aware of what these things meant 85% of the time. He let out a silent groan before covering his face with his hand.

 

"I know...I know...if I had lost you to that war, I'm not sure what I would have done." he chuckled weakly. "I'm not sure I would be here right now." He said before removing his hand from under Lysanders to save his heart from making him choke and used it to lightly massage his temples. "I certainly would have looked all over for you before even thinking of returning home."

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander chuckled softly when the prince covered his face with his hand. The blush on the others' face was adorable, and the knight was not afraid to admit that to himself. He had always been the type of person who was very physically affectionate, and it made him feel lighter knowing that he had made his friend react in such a way. Making the young king flush in embarrassment was a sign that he wasn't suffering from negative feelings, and that was enough to put the whitette's heart at ease. Such a gentle heart, he thought fondly, not at all offended when Aridon removed his hand, and he did the same, resting both of his hands in his lap.

 

The knight's light gray eyes, which had been focused on Aridon's pink-dusted face, teared up slightly without him knowing when the other said that he would have looked for him. Is he really that dedicated to me? He blinked, surprised at the wetness on his cheeks, and quickly wiped it away with the back of his right hand before smiling at the prince, his expression fraught with adoration. "It seems that even after all this time we still worry about each other." His weak tone was enough to convey how touched he was, and he carefully reached forward and removed Aridon's hands from his eyes, turning his head so that they were facing each other.

 

"Don't hide. As children we shared everything with each other. I see no reason for that to come to an end now." There was no mocking in his voice, and at this point they were almost sitting across from each other. "You can tell me anything," he murmured, and there was a slight tremor in his words. "I will listen to whatever you say. Even if the time comes when you no longer want me, I will stay. I owe you my life, both physically and mentally." There was a moment of silence, and then he suddenly laughed, leaning back to put some room between them.

 

"I apologize, I'm becoming sentimental." He's already embarrassed enough. I should stop. "I'm just...very grateful to be with you again." His smile widened, and he ruffled Aridon's hair before standing and stretching with an exaggerated groan. "Shall we continue our walk?" Because they were alone--and after the previous night, Lysander was once again comfortable around Aridon and utterly confident in him--the masks were gone, and he was, for the most part, himself again.

[海翔]

Aridon felt feelings that weren't too familiar to him anymore as he stood up at the others finishing words. A whole barrel of thoughts were running through his head and he wasn't sure if he should state any single one of them in this situation, for fear of making it more awkward than he already thought it was. So instead he spoke the first non emotional thing he could think of. "Lysander," Aridon said turning away from him. "We're going into town." He said as he briskly walked back through the garden an towards the palaces back doors.

 

Aridon knew that Derin would never allow the prince/king to go out to town after being attacked, so he decided that he just wouldn't tell him. He managed to make it into the palace before running into Maya. "Wonderful timing! Maya, can you get two sets of casual clothes and two cloaks? Ah, one of the clothing sets is for Sir Lysander." He added just to make sure the other understood. "Please your highness, you don't have to speak of him so formally-" The woman began although Aridon stopped her. "Clothes, Cloaks, Please." She gave a small nod and quickly walked off, leaving Aridon to walk down to his room where he had Lysander come inside.

 

"Now, I know what you're going to say Lysander- That it wouldn't be wise going out into town after last night and that if you're going out, you're going out in armor." He swiftly began unbuttoning his dress shirt with his good arm. Aridon was slightly frustrated seeing as unbuttoning it with one hand was difficult and he gave a sigh of giving up before turning to continue talking. "However, if we are to get out without Derin noticing, AND without rising suspicion, then changes must be made. You can carry a weapon or two though. I'm not totally suicidal." He grumbled.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander tilted his head slightly at the sudden stiffness in Aridon's tone, his gray eyes brightening with curiosity. Did I make him too uncomfortable? he wondered, a pensive look on his face as he obediently followed the young king back the way they had come, through the garden and towards the front gate of the castle. He's always been like this, though, the knight realized after studying the other in silence for several minutes. The red-head was walking with his back straight, head held high, and amber eyes focused on what was in front of him. When he gets embarrassed, he tries to act 'princely'. The thought had the whitette chuckling inwardly, the small smile still resting on his pale lips as the two young men approached the paved path that led up to the gate.

 

The taller man could only watch as Aridon ordered Maya to bring them inconspicuous clothing. He stayed by the king's side, hands folded behind him with a stoic expression, one that only faded once the woman was gone. It seemed that the masks were a defense mechanism, and the fact that they lowered when Lysander was alone with Aridon showed just how much faith he had in his friend. He may speak sternly to her, but there is no condemnation in his words, he observed, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his face and tucking it behind his ear as the king and his servant conversed. He really is a kind man. Even when trying to appear monotonous. His lips twitched as he tried to refrain from smiling, only allowing his lips to turn upwards once they were alone again.

 

As they walked down the corridors to the king's chambers, Lysander listened to Aridon rant with clear amusement in his eyes. His grin widened when the smaller man struggled with his buttons after closing the door behind them. "I would say no such thing, Your Highness," he replied, using the title in a teasing way as he reached forward and bent down slightly so he could swiftly undo the shirt's buttons with his long, nimble fingers. "I know by now that it is impossible to restrict you," he continued gently. "I do not have any objections to you leaving the castle grounds as long as I am by your side." Carefully, Lysander eased the shirt off of Aridon, being mindful of the injury.

[海翔]

Aridan gave a nod as the other helped him get his shirt off, afterwards he moved to put the other shirt of which thankfully wasnt a button up. Aridan didn't hate his button ups that he usually wore, it was just difficult to wear them with his arm/shoulder in such a condition. Managing to put the shirt on he turned to lysander, seeing that the male hadn't even tried to start changing. "Oh come on now Lysander! Start getting changed, you don't need to wait on me." He began. "Just because I have a minor injury, doesn't mean that I can't do anything...it was just that undoing so many buttons is difficult with one hand." He said trying to defend himself so the other could get dressed.

 

To prove his point, he took his pants off with a little dificulty but still managed to do so. "See?" he puffed before changing into the other pants and straightening up. He looked a little ridiculous doing it with one hand but he still managed to do it. Aridan let out a triumphant huff and then fixed his slightly messed up hair.

 

(Sorry if its short, im getting ready to go somewhere

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)

[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander rolled his eyes at Aridon's display of pride, but his expression conveyed nothing but fondness. "Of course, Your Highness," he responded, allowing himself a small smirk as he watched the king struggle with his lower garments. "Have I ever doubted you?" He did not, however, make any move to change his own clothes. Despite what the red-head had said earlier, the knight refused to reveal himself to the other young man. This was not because of their ranks, though, which any other person would have assumed. The reason was one that was much more personal. He has already seen what war can do to a person, but...he's still too young. I cannot let him see anything more. His kingdom needs him to have a clear head so that he can rule them properly. The two men were the same age, but Lysander's struggles had helped him to mature faster than most. Of course, Aridon had needed to mature ahead of his time as well, but the whitette disregarded this information; he didn't want to see his friend worry over a lowly knight such as himself.

 

"If you'll excuse me, Sire, I will quickly change in my own room and meet you in the hallway." The tall man bowed slightly, a small smile on his face, and took a step back towards the door. He would not leave, however, until Aridon permitted him to. Please, Aridon, overlook your stubbornness just this once...do not force me to show you the other parts of me that have been ruined...

[海翔]

Aridan fastened the cloak with the broach before looking to see the other waiting for his response to his question. The prince gave his knight a once over, making sure to look for any signs of change be it posture, expression, twitches, etc. He could find hardly any, as he expected however he figured there was something the other wasn't telling him. Aridan gave a small sigh and shook his head before opening his mouth to speak. "Fine, fine. Do what you must. Just make sure to be punctual...if we hover too much There's a chance that Derin will spot us." He waved his good hand, dismissing the other without another word.

 

After the other left, Aridan sat on the floor and leaned his head back onto the mahogany bed frame and focused his gaze on the light hanging from the arched ceiling. His boots were next to him although he made no move to put them on. Maybe he was asking too much...Aridan claimed to know what its like and how Lysander feels, but in reality...he knows that he has no idea. There's no chance of him knowing anything, unlike Lysander, Aridan had been raised in posh conditions, had rich parents, good food, a castle and subjects to soon rule over. He was exempt from the drafting, hell, he wasn't even allowed to leave the castle at all when the war started. He really knew nothing of his friends troubles, he felt like he must've been mocking his friend that night.

 

Aridan trailed his eyes to the clock on the wall, five minutes had passed already. Surly Lysander was done by now and waiting for him. 'Lysander...' His friends name crossed his mind almost depressingly as he put his boots on and left his room. "No reason to take to long and have him think something is wrong." He said and by the time he reached the staircase that lead down to the foyer and the door beyond, he had this air of a adventurous child. Like he thought, the other was waiting for him already. "You got everything?" He asked as if to double check.

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[BlaqueCatt]

As soon as the prince gave him permission, Lysander excused himself and made his way down the hall to the room adjacent to Aridon's chambers. The heels of his white boots clicked lightly against the stone floor due to his rapid pace, and when he was finally out of the hallway and away from any prying eyes, he allowed himself to release a quiet, relieved sigh. If Lysander had been younger, he would have thought that it had been a miracle for Aridon to let him off so easily. However, the whitette was no longer a child, and after experiencing the true horrors or war, he no longer believed in miracles, or in a god. If there truly was a god, he or she would never permit humans to slaughter each other in pointless battles.

 

The knight ran a gloved hand over his face and shook his head; it wouldn't do for him to start thinking like that again. He needed to keep his demons locked away, for the sake of the prince. No, Aridon was a king now. He's a king...I still cannot believe it. Eve after becoming the new king's knight, Lysander still found it nearly impossible to think of the red-head as anything but the prince. His prince. A small, reminiscent smile appeared on the man's pale face as a childhood memory briefly resurfaced. When he and Aridon had been young, and their friendship was still struggling to be accepted by the nobles, Lysander had found it necessary to refer to his best friend as 'my prince', lest he be scolded by the elite. However, Aridon had countered the lords and ladies by announcing more than once, "Well, if I'm Lysander's prince, then he's my princess!"

 

Lysander snorted softly behind his hand, which was covering his mouth, and his gray eyes sparkled with mirth. They had been very strange kids. The memory had replayed itself while the whitette was dressing, and by the time he came back to reality, he had already changed. Instead of the white dress clothes that were trimmed with silver and blue, he wore a loose gray long-sleeved shirt, black trousers, and black riding boots. His hair ribbon had been removed, and his snow-white hair now fell into his face, the tips of the sides reaching his chin. His dagger was sheathed at his left hip. He gazed at his reflection for a moment; even if he was outwardly handsome, no woman would ever find him attractive once they saw hos scarred he really was. He shook his head to clear it of depressing thoughts and exited the room, heading towards he meeting place. When Aridon arrived, he smiled instead of bowed, knowing that, for the next few hours, the prince wanted them to be traveling companions and nothing more. How I wish that were true...

[海翔]

Aridan took the smile as a sign that the other had everything he would possibly need. He didn't think they would run into any trouble, but considering the red head was nearly assassinated by a close business partner, anything could happen. Aridan decided looking at his friend for too long was unhealthy because it reminded him of his earlier small rut and pulled the cloaks hood over his head before pushing his way out the door followed by the knight. The sky was certainly bright this morning, Aridan had noticed this as his eyes scanned above him briefly. It reminded him of the times he spent at the tallest point of the castle, looking out at the sky alone, every now and then scanning the horizon looking for Lysander, and talking as if his friend was right there even though in reality he was so far away.

 

He had talked about his day, what his mother had shown him, the things that Derin and his father had taught him. Aridan felt a slight blush come to his face as he remembered the days he would go up there and spar by himself with a practice dummy. A smile would come to his face when he nailed something perfectly and then turn to the side thinking Lysander would be there like he always was...only to realize that he wasn't and get embarrassed as well as be hit with a wave of grief. "ugh~ That was so embarrassing!" He said to himself and covered his face slightly at the memory. When he realized he said it out loud, he cursed a began to walk faster.

 

As they descended the road from the castle down to the town, Aridan made note of the different trees that were along the road, grappling for light. Most of it was a distraction so he wouldn't have to look at his friend and feel frustrated and almost foreign. He let out a sigh and slowed his pace, deciding to look at his friend to start a conversation, only to come to a pause in speech. The king took in the others appearance, looking at the knights eyes and the way his hair had fallen now that there was no ribbon in it. no matter how he looked at it, the other was stunning, surly he had scars from the battle, but Aridan didn't think that would hinder the others appearance in his eyes.

 

Aridan let out a small sound before whipping his head back the other way, what was he thinking?! For the love of all that was holy. After getting as much of the red out of his face as he could, he began to speak like he wanted to. "Have you stopped by to see your dad yet, Lysander?" The king asked out of curiosity, if he came back...he must have stopped by to see his dad right?

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[BlaqueCatt]

Lysander had been enjoying the walk, admiring the scenery and appreciating the calm that surrounded the two. He hadn't felt this peaceful in a very long time, and he welcomed the experience with open arms. His gray eyes held very little of their previous darkness, and there was a small, lingering smile on his face. Just walking with Aridon by his side, with nothing to do but relish each others' presence: he hadn't realized until that moment just how much he had missed it. Of course, he had dreamt of being with his friend throughout the course of the war, but it was now that the feelings associated with his desires caught up to him. A lump formed in his throat, but this time it didn't signify regret or sadness; instead, it was more of a joyful, relieved tightness.

 

The knight was drawn from his melancholy thoughts when he heard the prince mumble something beside him. He observed Aridon with a curious yet non-intrusive expression, wondering just what the red-head had been thinking about to make him flush red like that; he had no idea that the prince has been staring at him, as he had been too distracted (and he warned himself that doing so was dangerous, and he forced himself to become more alert). Lysander felt the urge to snicker and playfully nudge the shorter male, but he wasn't sure if they had reached that stage yet, or if they ever would. So, he opened his mouth to politely ask if the prince was okay. However, before he could say a word, Aridon spoke again, obviously trying to direct the attention away from himself.

 

"Have you stopped by to see your dad yet, Lysander?" Upon hearing his friend's words, the smile faded and a flash of raw emotion flickered across gray eyes before being hidden behind an impenetrable wall. The knight turned his gaze away from the prince and lifted his head towards the sky, mimicking what the other had done a the beginning of their little journey.

 

"I...I have not seen him," he admitted, his voice unnaturally level after his initial stutter. "While I was stranded in another kingdom, I was presumed dead by my commanding officer, and he informed my family months before I returned. As of now, only you and Derin know that I am alive." There was no way his family, living in as remote a place as possible, would ever hear the central gossip that he was still living. "And I doubt he would want to see me; I'm not the son he once knew." That bitter smile returned, as well as the self-loathing in his eyes. "He's better off if he thinks I'm dead, rather than know that his child is broken beyond repair." They were quickly approaching the town, and Lysander abruptly changed the subject. "Is there a particular place you'd like to visit first, Your High--Aridon."

[海翔]

When the other gave him such a seemingly painful answer, Aridan silenced himself and looked forwards to observe the town. Doing so, meant that he had ignored the others next question as he himself regretted asking what he did. Any other time, the king might have insisted that the knight go see his father, but he realized that doing so would only cause unneeded pain to Lysander. Aridan wanted to give up, anytime he managed to take a step forward to falling back into his friend, soon after he screwed up and felt as if he had gone backwards five more. "I just shouldn't talk at all..." He mumbled to himself.

 

The town seemed busy today, the common folk were going about their business with a sort of lightness in their aura. The children were running around playing tag, one of them ran into Aridans' legs and stumbled back before falling. Aridan crouched down slightly and held his hand out to the smaller girl who took it and gave an excited smile seeing who had helped her. "shh~" He told her as he helped her up with a smile and then pat her head. "Be careful now okay? I wouldn't want you getting hurt." He continued before walking passed her and giving the girl a small wave.

 

The king smiled to himself and offered a similar smile to Lysander who was coming up beside him. It was nice that some people liked him and what he was doing to try and improve their life. In the kingdom there were three Classes, as well as two different kinds of people. There was the common/working class, which includes Lysanders father and others who work but aren't exactly the richest people around. Then there's the Middle-class, which usually includes Aristocrats; Dukes, Dutchess', as well as the more wealthier class. Lysander would fall into this class because he is a Royal Knight. Finally there is Royalty consisting of only the Anderbell Family, as well as the Anderbells' closer circle.

 

Within those three classes are two kinds of people: Those who support the Anderbell Families son, Aridan and his efforts to improve and do what his father did not; and those who hang his fathers misdeeds and mistakes over Aridans' head and want the Anderbell family thrown out. The latter are know as the Anarchists Rebellion, There haven't been much trouble with them lately since some of what Aridan has done appeased them, however some of the firmer believers are constantly attacking shipments among other things whenever they can rally enough people. Aridan has not mentioned such things to anyone other than Derin and the specialist group they've dispatched to take care of them since those parties are smaller groups.

 

By the time Aridan had realized where his feet had taken him, he stood in front of an abandoned church that was run down and nearly destroyed by the war. The Young king found his gaze transfixed on the big stain glass window that was above where the alter used to be. It was a picture of a vague woman, seemingly in bridal wear and holding a rose between her hands. It was a fainter memory...but he remembered his mother taking him here when he was younger, and she told him that this was where she and his father had gotten married. Tears had begun to make a small, thin stream down his face without him noticing and he continued to be transfixed with the window.

 

"You know Lysander...this used to be a church, before the war started." He began as he lightly rubbed his eyes and shooed off the fleeting memories. "Mother told me that this was where she and my father had been married. She told me that even though she wouldn't get to see my wedding day when it came, she would still be watching and give her blessing to whomever it is." He started to laugh lightly to cover up for the tears wanting to continue. he forced the tears away and began talking again although his voice cracked. "It's funny y'know? I don't even know if i'm going to get married." He said before turning around to face his knight. "How about you? Found a girl you fancied on you journey home?" He asked with a smile.

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[BlaqueCatt]

Aridon's silence was abnormal, and it alerted to Lysander that something was wrong with the young king. His gray eyes immediately focused on the red-head, and when the knight saw the pained expression on the others' face, he inwardly berated himself. I shouldn't have answered like that. Idiot! Now I've upset him... Why was it so hard for the whitette to put on his masks when he was around the shorter male? Because you don't want to hide from him, a traitorous voice whispered in the back of Lysander's mind. You want him to see the real you. You want to know what his reaction will be. Can you trust him? Can you believe in him after all these years? The knight's eyes narrowed at his own thoughts, and he forcefully pushed them out of the way. His job was to protect and care for Aridon, and he had no time to deal with his own problems.

 

"Your Highness...?" Lysander asked tentatively, unsure of how to respond to the others' odd behavior. He had no time to dwell on it, however, as they had already reached the village. The knight felt rather uncomfortable with all the normalcy taking place around him, as he had been away from it for so long, but the sight of Aridon smiling and interacting with children - with the subjects he had vowed to rule justly with his life - was enough to calm the soldier's nerves. he returned the prince's smile with a sort of gentle affection in his eyes that he was unafraid to show, as he did not know what it meant, and followed close behind him as they made their way down the dirt roads. His curiosity piqued when he realized where they were going, and he stood beside Aridon as the red-head gazed up at the windows of the church. For several moments, he took was entranced by its beauty. But then he saw the tears, and his eyes widened in alarm.

 

"Aridon, are you all right?" The answer came in the form of a story, and as Lysander listened, he too was drawn to memories of the Queen, who had been like his second mother, and he had to avert his gaze to keep from getting emotional. The prince's statement, however, once again threw him off guard, and he stared at the other man in shock. Of course you'll get married, was the reassurance that popped into his head, but before he could say it, a bizarre question followed. He gaped for a few moments, and then, as comprehension set in, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking anywhere but at the prince. "There was...a woman..."

 

While Lysander had been living with the old woman who brought him back from the brink of death, he had spent time with the woman's granddaughter, a girl who was a year younger than himself. She had long, wavy chocolate brown hair and expressive sea-green eyes. She had been timid around him at first - perhaps in awe at being in the presence of a foreigner, and a soldier no less - but eventually she warmed up to him, and they had a semblance of friendship. Back when Lysander's hair was still short and he had no bangs, she had shown him her kingdom and helped him learn the chores he would be doing in order to repay the woman. She was a nice girl, very quiet and kind, and Lysander had taken a liking to her. However, he had not taken a fancy to her. Despite this, one night she entered his room late at night, and before he was fully awake she had crawled over him. Her long hair brushed against his face, and he stared up at her with wide eyes as he partially removed her gown, exposing her chest. "I love you," she had whispered to him, and she kissed him deeply. He was momentarily stunned, and then he gently pushed her away. "I can't," he had said softly, his heart lurching at the pain in her eyes. "I cannot stay with you. I am needed elsewhere."

"But I need you!"

"You don't. You just think you do."

He had left the very next day.

 

The knight had a faint blush on his cheeks as he finished the story. "She had feelings for me, but I didn't return them. All I wanted was to return home."

[海翔]

Aridan was taken aback for a few moments, and then he left out a 'pifft' sound from his mouth and started laughing quietly although you could tell he was really laughing by the way his shoulders were shaking. "Yeah," He began, trying to compose himself again. "That sounds like you, you really do only have one goal on your mind at a time." He stopped laughing shortly after and dipped his head down slightly. "Shame for the Miss though, sounds like she was really Beautiful." He acknowledged.

 

Aridan felt sort of bad for laughing, but it was true to a point. Ever since he had known the knight, he would make one goal and that would be what he worked towards. Aridan found it to be a wonderful trait, although it was slightly hindering when it came to wanting the other to do something else. "Well, now that you've made it back...Have you thought about going back for her?" He asked, genuinely curious. Sure he had turned the lady down, but he had completed his goal to come home. He must have something else in his mind now.

 

Secretly, he was glad the other had turned the woman down. Aridan wan't normally a jealous person and he knew that such feelings happen to everyone at some point, but he was different when it came to Lysander. He believed that it was just because the other had finally returned to him after all these years, that he felt jealous over such trivial things. The young king didn't want to have to worry about losing someone he had just gotten back, especially someone he believed was dead from 10 or so years.

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