The Runaway Paladin and the Half Fae Duke

It was considered treason to eavesdrop on a private meeting with the Emperor. One could be subjected to a life in prison, or even immediately killed, if they were found to be doing it. Sien was the only one exempt to this rule, however, purely because there was no way for him to ever be caught doing it. Should he wish it, the wind that loved him so would allow him to hear the drifting conversations from multiple rooms away, or the quietly echoing steps of animals and humans alike from across the length of his forest.

 

Listening in on the Emperor’s conversation with Ritt was child’s play for him.

 

At first, Sien had been outraged at the Emperor’s offer to separate him from Ritt, but all of Ritt’s subsequent sweet words, his confirmation that he wished to stay with him, and Ritt’s listing of the things he liked about him, made Sien’s heart overflow with happiness. He was a bit confused about when and where his ‘strength’ came into the picture, but if it was something that Ritt liked, then he would gladly accept it.

 

When the throne room’s doors opened, Sien was too happy to control himself, and practically flung himself at Ritt in a tight hug. Ritt, being as augmented as he was, was able to catch and steady himself without getting rocketed to the floor, but he could feel the dull pain of his muscles and bones screaming from the tightness of Sien’s embrace. He was confused by the sudden attack, but he had no qualms with hugging Sien, and easily returned the gesture without a single complaint or question.

 

Their sweet reunion was soon broken up by the Emperor loudly clearing his throat, however.

 

Embarrassed, Ritt quickly extracted himself from Sien’s arms, blushing slightly in dismay at having shown such things to someone so important, although Sien just pouted at having his touching moment with Ritt interrupted. Still, even if he had things he would much rather be doing right now, Sien knew better than to act impertinently towards the Emperor. He sighed, giving one last longing look towards Ritt, and then crossed his arms and began slowly backing away so that he wouldn’t be tempted again.

 

“Agh… Okay Ritt, go back to the room and stay safe! I’ll be there in a little while.”

 

Ritt nodded, giving one last look between the Sien and the Emperor as the door began to close.

 

~~~

 

“Hah… Alright Emperor, I’m here like you wanted. What is it that you want to say?”

 

The Emperor frowned regretfully at the aggressive way that Sien was talking to him. He looked almost fragile, showing a bit of his age in his saddened and weathered face.

 

“You won’t call me uncle like you used to anymore?”

 

“I haven’t done that in 45 years; Why would I suddenly start doing it now, Emperor?”

 

Sien’s blandly spoken statement made the Emperor look even more downtrodden. It was true, Sien hadn’t called him uncle even once, ever since the day the Emperor first used his true name to give him an order. From that day on, Sien had absolutely refused to treat the Emperor like family anymore, and had instead seemed to label him as some sort of captor.

 

“Yes, that’s certainly correct…”

 

The Emperor sighed deeply, full of anguish, and then straightened himself up, regaining some of his authoritative look, while still seeming a bit melancholy.

 

“There will be a meeting tomorrow morning, Sien. I’m sure you’ve already been informed what it will be about… My son seems to think you have some intel to add. Is this true?”

 

Sien’s eyes flashed dangerously for a moment, but in the end he simply shrugged like a naughty child and looked away.

 

“Nope, I don’t know anything for sure, I just have a few guesses about some things.”

 

The Emperor huffed at the non-committal answer, but knowing Sien, he didn’t press the issue further. He wasn’t willing to use Sien’s true name for something as simple as this and risk him hating him even more.

 

“...I see. Well, until then, you and that well-mannered boy Ritter are welcome to stay in the palace. I’ll have a room prepared for him near yours, and-”

 

“Ah, nope! No can do! Ritt can just stay in my room with me.”

 

The Emperor’s eyebrows raised uncomfortably, and he was quiet for a few moments for a couple of reasons, but soon he just sighed and lowered his head slightly, the anguish and age showing on his countenance once again.

 

“...Are you really sure about this, Sien? Are you sure about what you’re doing with him? We all know you’re part Fae, but this is quite concerning behavior. You know how Freylan and I feel about-”

 

“Yeah yeah yeah, I know. I’ve already heard enough about it already. I’m a horrible monster doing horrible monster things, blah blah blah. Can I go now? Or do you need to talk to me more about business, Emperor?”

 

“Urgk…!”

 

The Emperor’s head bowed down, and he clasped his hands together desperately, holding back his emotions. He was sure he’d been speaking out of concern, but he was also deeply aware of how much his words must have been harmful to Sien. He had no clue how to communicate his worries to his nephew without digging into his wounds further. And so, he was forced to let it go. At least he’d gotten a chance to meet with the young man that Sien had captured. At least he was able to see that this all wasn’t the one-sided twisted interest that the capricious Fae loved to show.

 

After taking a few breaths and letting himself calm down, the Emperor straightened himself out once again. In his old age, he was getting too emotional. It was a flaw he was becoming more and more aware of lately.

 

“Ahem… Yes, now that you mention it, there actually is something I’d like to request you take care of.”

 

“Yeah? And what’s that?”

 

The Emperor let out a little cough, and spoke a bit more softly into his fist.

 

“I’ve been hearing some disappointing things about Count Klein lately; I’m starting to find him quite disagreeable actually.”

 

Sien boredly looked at the meaningful expression on the Emperor’s face, and then a cruel, wide smile blossomed on his own for a moment, before quickly fading away and returning back to his regular uncaring look.

 

“Good enough for me! I never really liked that stupid Count aaanyway! So what is it exactly that you want me to do?”

 

***

 

After Sien disappeared into the throne room, Ritt was left to his own devices. He stared at the door for a little while more, but just when Ritt was about to give up and quietly go back to the room like Sien had told him to, a voice called out to him from down the hall.

 

“Ooooh, you’re finally done with your meeting with my father are you? Good! Then that means you can come with me!”

 

The Prince appeared around the corner as if he’d been waiting there for the perfect moment to strike, and quickly came over to Ritt. Ritt stayed still, studying the Prince distrustingly, still not sure how to feel about the man. Although a distraction had occurred in the middle of it all, Ritt still hadn’t forgotten the antagonistic way that the Prince had spoken to Sien only a short while before he’d had to go meet with the Emperor. Combining that with the fact that he still didn’t trust royalty very much in the first place, and the issue with Sien’s real name, Ritt had plenty to feel wary about with this Prince.

 

But no matter how distrusting Ritt might have looked, the Prince paid it very little mind.

 

“Come now, I have somewhere I simply must take you!”

 

“Hmm… But Sien told me to go back to his room and-”

 

“Oh, that dreary place…? No, I think you’ll enjoy where I plan to take you much better! There will be music, art, the finest of people to converse with-”

 

Ritt was already frowning, trying to judge if it would be too rude for him to just march off and follow Sien’s orders as he’d planned, or if that might bring down the Prince’s fury upon him. But the Prince's next words managed to rapidly recapture Ritt's attention.

 

“-And of course, there’ll be all kinds of delicious hors d'oeuvres and wines!”

 

When Ritt’s gaze, which had drifted away from the Prince as he’d been speaking, suddenly snapped back towards him, the Prince smirked with a surprised yet pleased look. Yes, it was obvious that he’d managed to pique Ritt’s interest, and he would do anything to capitalize off of that fact.

 

“Food? Drinks? Yes, I’m sure you simply must be hungry right about now, aren’t you? My cousin who eats like a bird would have forgotten all about such basic human needs, wouldn’t he? How silly of him to not take proper care of you.”

 

The Prince sidled up next to Ritt, reaching his arm out as if to wrap it friendlily around Ritt’s shoulder, but Ritt was much too fast and easily managed to avoid it, never losing his wary gaze, much to the Prince’s chagrin.

 

“...Sien takes plenty of good care of me… It’s just that today has been a busy day.”

 

“Ah… Ha ha, yes, well… That doesn’t mean that you should have to go hungry, now does it? After all, we don’t know how long it will take for cousin Sien to finish his meeting with my father, now do we?”

 

Ritt looked back towards the throne room’s doors anxiously, and fisted the hem of his shirt as his mind churned over what to do. In the end, his stomach was much more convincing than his thoughts however, and even if he didn’t trust the Prince, he was sure that there was nothing the man could possibly do to him that would be able to cause him any harm. In the very worst case scenario, Ritt was confident that he could at least last long enough in whatever situation he was thrown into for Sien to rescue him. And Sien would rescue him, just as Ritt would do the same for him. Because Sien was his family now.

 

Deciding this might just be an opportunity to observe the Prince and better understand what the man was like, Ritt slightly bowed, watching him from beneath his eyelashes.

 

“...Then please, guide me there, Your Highness.”