Enjoy~

Editing completed 31/07/2017

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I escorted Ms Ral to the afternoon tea hall, passing under the arch and keeping close to the walls - careful not to disturb any rich individuals who happened to be enjoying slices of cake and luxury teas.

Upon arriving at the Prince's table he'd been resting his chin upon his palm - looking rather bored.

"Sorry I'm late Levi... I ran into some trouble."

Petra smiled brightly as the Prince looked rather shocked once he'd seen my once white, ruffled shirt, stained red as several droplets of blood trickled down my chin.

"What the fuck happened? Why are you bleeding?"

I briskly walked towards the Prince's side and stood in silence. Petra sat down and began to explain her troubling ordeal.

"Some nobleman wanted donations for a charity I'd never heard, when I refused to give him any money... he pulled a knife on me."

The Prince clicked his tongue and asked if Petra was injured during the incident.

"No... the foreigner did her job and came to my aid."

Prince Levi then glanced at me, flashing me look of what seemed to be... extreme concern. A face I hadn't seen him make before.

"He managed to cut your face?"

I exhaled and muttered:

"I lowered my blade... I see my mistake now."

The Prince tightly clenched his fists as a groan of frustration left his lips, he undid his chest pocket and handed me what looked like a bottle of painkillers.

"Take one of those. I assume he hasn't been caught... not that it matters, he'll be locked away soon enough."

I examined the label and raised an eyebrow suspiciously. The Prince saw my distrustful face and then ordered me to take one.

"Tch. Is that doubt I see in your eyes? Don't piss me off more than you already have."

It's not doubt, but confusion...

I pulled the cork from the top of the little bottle and tipped the neck downwards as a small white tablet landed in the palm of my hand. I've always been hesitant to take tablets. I rose the pill to my lips and tilted my head back, taking a sip from my little flask of water I kept for emergencies.

"Good."

I carefully wiped my sleeve across my face and found that hardly any blood stained my cotton shirt anymore. It hurts like hell though, damn nobleman.

"Are you stupid? Don't rub it, it'll get infected."

I glared and handed the glass bottle back to the Prince. Our fingers grazed, but only for a few seconds.

"How troublesome."

The Prince raised his tea cup, taking a sip of black tea and leaning back into his chair. All all of a sudden, Petra requested something strange.

"I'd like to speak to Levi alone."

I furrowed my brows and looked towards the Prince who sighed, lowering his tea cup.

"Very well. Listen up, peasant; I'll have guards escort you to your new room while your old one is repaired."

Now you've pissed me off. My name is (Y/N), dammit.

"As you wish..."

I glared and left the table, walking to the other side of the wall. This contract will be the death of me. Such brash and confusing orders.

   |~~~~|

Several days past, the nobleman had been arrested - and to his dismay - fined one hundred gold and sentenced to a year in prison for threatening the future Queen.

"Why in the world do you wish to visit the assassin who attempted to kill me?"

I crossed my arms. I hadn't exactly been sure myself.

"He's from Chi... I'd like him to describe what my village looks like now."

The Prince lowered his chin onto his palm and crossed his legs.

"This contributes to your mental wellbeing - a part of our contract - so I'll allow it. Discuss anything like breaking our contract in that foreign tongue of yours and I'll have you hung."

I leant forward into a half bow, smiling at the thought of learning anything new about my village.

"I appreciate it."

The Prince stood up from his golden throne and walked down three red steps whist adjusting his jewel encrusted crown with a glare.

"I have one condition..."

I tensed up; I should of know there'd be a catch, damn annoying Prince.

"I have to be present in the room while you talk to the assassin."

An odd request to make, considering he couldn't understand the language of Chi anyway...

                                  |~~~~|

Just like our previous visit to the prison, two guards blocked the entrance to the metal door, but quickly moved aside once the Prince stepped near.

"Just what exactly do you want to find out?"

I had a few questions lined up - some he may answer - others he may not, we walked down a small flight of stairs as rows upon rows of cells gleamed under the light of torches.

"What my village looks like, who lives there, who's the current emperor... things like that."

The Prince nodded his head and glanced at the several empty cells, until we reached the chained assassin - he looked drained - how long had he been in here... only two days?

"I see. Nothing of interest to me, at least."

I placed my hand onto a slightly rusty metal bar and greeted the assassin. Prince Levi stood with his back against the wall, arms crossed.

"I'd like to speak with you..."

The boy with a shaved head looked up and smiled gently, something I hadn't been expecting.

"The pretty girl from Chi... how goes it?"

He remained crossed legged as the chains rattled ever so slightly at his movements. I quickly gathered he'd been meditating. Shit, did I break his concentration?

"Did I interrupt your meditation?"

The boy raised his hand to the back of his neck and scratched nervously, standing up with a sigh.

"No. I can't focus properly... usually I'd meditate with monks from my shrine, but I can't do it when I'm by myself."

I lowered my knees to the cold stone floor, forming a small triangle shape with my fingers and offering the boy a meditation partner.

"I haven't meditated for awhile... feel free to join me if you'd like."

"Just what the hell are you doing?"

I'd almost forgotten the Prince had been standing nearby. I quickly told him of our meditation session, usually this would take up to an hour.

"We're going to meditate... it might take awhile... I won't force you to stay."

The Prince slowly removed his crown from his head and held it against his chest, he also loosened his cravat with a sigh.

"My condition is to be present the entire time - I'll wait."

I met eyes with the boy, who held his fingers into a triangle position against his lower chest. We inhaled and after a few seconds - exhaled loudly. Our meditation had begun.

|~~~~|

The girl spoke in her foreign tongue to the damn bold assassin - a sense of uneasiness swirled within my stomach. Their language had been strange yet oddly alluring at the same time. The pair had been meditating in pure silence, eyes closed.

I'd gotten a good side view of the female foreigners face - she looked so calm - almost relieved to be mediating... with so many assassination attempts, maybe she hadn't had the time to do this?

I stood in silence and reflected to what Petra had informed me at the afternoon tea when she requested my presence alone.

'Tell the girl to keep that handkerchief... it's one of my old ones anyways. I'd just like to say: I hope you'll dance with me at the ball."

|~~~~|

The brightness of the prison wall torches caused the shaved haired assassin and I to open our eyes. I felt far more relaxed as he stood up with a sigh, stretching his arms above his head.

"Ah... I appreciate you doing that with me."

I smiled brightly and stood to my feet, dusting mud and leaves that stuck to my clothes. Must be from the guards boots...

"It's no problem... say, I'd been wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

The boy stretched his arm across his chest and sighed loudly.

"If this is about Chi, there isn't much to tell... the village has been mostly rebuilt and people are starting again... it isn't perfect, but it's home."

I lowered my head lower towards my curved sword. This was his after all. I'd pretty much just claimed it as my own, maybe if he's released, I'll give it back.

"Sorry for taking your weapon...if it helps - this sword has been very useful to me."

The boy smiled warmly and glanced at the inscription carved along the silver side of the blade.

"I'm glad it's helped you out... the inscription is a bit ironic... considering you're guarding that guy."

The assassin glanced in the Prince's direction, his steel eyes met with the boy as he raised his crown above his head with sigh.

"Tch. If you're looking at me, I must be being discussed..."

I crossed my arms with a smile.

"Don't assume you're always the topic of conversation."

The Prince glared and ordered me to shut my: 'shitty brat mouth.' I turned to face the boy and asked him a personal question.

"If you don't mind me asking...what's your name?"

The assassin froze up for a second and then smiled widely, he looked pleasantly surprised and extended his hand out through the bars.

"I'd wish you'd asked me ages ago... it's Connie."

We quickly shook hands, his sleeve rose up his arm just a little, and exposed a large black ink tattoo of ocean waves. A beautiful design...

"My name is (Y/N)... its nice to meet someone from Chi."

Connie shook my hand and pressed his forehead against the bars of his cell with a frustrated sigh.

"It's strange. We lived in Chi yet never met each other."

This thought had also occurred to me. Chi was a large village, but surely our paths must of crossed at least once.

"I do believe that's time up, brat."

I hope the Prince doesn't sentence Connie to death... I want him to be released. Connie looked towards me with a sad smile, sliding his back down the wall.

"It was nice talking to you, (Y/N)."

It's oddly refreshing to have my name spoken like that... Why do I feel sad? Punishment for attempted murder of the Prince is most definitely death... maybe speaking to him was a bad idea after all?

"Right..."

I walked towards the Prince who pushed his weight away from the wall and began to jog up the small flight of stone stairs, the cells eventually turned dark as we stepped out into the light of the hallway.

"You look oddly disheartened..."

I have to know. I slowed my pace earning the Prince's attention as he turned to face me.

"Are you going to kill Connie for his crimes?"

I'd asked him rather forcefully as the Prince tightened his cravat with a loud sigh, stepping towards me.

"It's too risky to release him, he faces a lifetime in the cells or death..."

I lowered my head in disappointment. This was the answer I expected, but it feels wrong to have someone like Connie die...

"If I were to give you my word he wouldn't attempt to kill you ever again?"

The Prince crossed his arms with a loud sigh.

"I'll consider it."

What? I desperately wanted to look into his eyes to see if he'd just lied to me, but he'd already begun walking down the hallway towards the throne room. I followed behind in silence.

     |~~~~|

My visit to Connie had taken three hours and once the Prince caught sight of the old grandfather clock, he looked rather frustrated to discover he'd been late to a formal evening with a nobleman called Jean Kirschtein.

"Seems I've troubled you... I did say you were not required to stay during the meditation."

The Prince turned to me, sliding his arms through a dark red formal coat with gold chains on the shoulder.

"Take responsibility and apologise to me."

I furrowed my brows, crossing my arms and shaking my head.

"I'm not at fault."

The Prince changed his cravat to a cotton white one, the same as the one he just removed, only I'd guessed the new one was freshly washed.

"My word is law. Apologise immediately."

The Prince's words sounded strange. I leant forward and bowed my head.

"I'm sorry?"

The Prince eyed my clothes, which had been leant to me by a kind maid and sighed loudly.

"That's better. I've requested a maid to change your clothes since you're covered in blood."

Is the evening of high importance? I like these clothes...

                              |~~~~|

I stood beside the Prince in formal clothes from Chi. How the Prince even manages to get ahold of clothes like these, I will never know.

The nobleman Jean Kirschstein, had been late, 'something he regularly did on purpose just to piss me off' - the Prince's words, not mine. A sleek, black piano with a lady playing elegant sheet music let me relax a little.

"It's a pleasure as always, Levi."

A man with a two toned hairstyle sat opposite Prince Levi, pulling on both ends of his tie with a handsome yet cocky smirk. I sensed this guy would be trouble just by looking at his face.

"Seeing you is a never a pleasure, why exactly have you invited me here?"

Jean the nobleman, smiled and placed what looked like a key onto the table.

"I have your horses skin condition all healed up. She's free to ride whenever you wish, that's the key to her stable door."

The Prince took the key with a warm glow in his eyes, taking a sip of fine wine and then sighing loudly.

"You really do know your shit when it comes to horses then..."

Say 'thank you', idiot.

Jean swirled his glass of wine around with a smile, he genuinely looked rather pleased with the Prince's words even though they weren't much.

"Your welcom- oh, I didn't see you there..."

I felt my features darken at his words. I'd been standing here the entire time. Is he actually an idiot in disguise?

"Hah? A woman, Levi? I thought you hated the whole giggling and courtship scene?"

The Prince looked like he wanted to hit his head against the table several times and then slap the stupidity out of Jean's brain.

"She's my guard, you fool."

Jean leant his chin onto his palm, and once I saw the glint in his eyes, I knew he was about to make himself look dumb.

"And if she wasn't?"

The Prince remained quiet, his silence amazed me, he didn't give a harsh and berating answer like usual.

"I don't know. A foreign, shaved head assassin would of murdered me and she'd be a peasant on the streets."

Jean erupted into laughter and slammed his hand onto the table in complete amusement, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Haha! Since when did you develop a sense of humour Levi?"

The two of us wished we could laugh, but sadly we remained in complete silence. What the Prince had said, was in fact - true.

"Why do the two of you look so serious?"

The Prince took another sip of wine and sighed loudly.

"Since when do I joke about anything?"

Jean's eyes widened in complete shock as he practically choked on his own saliva, placing his hand onto his black tuxedo in surprise.

"You're not saying... that's true... are you?"

Jean shifted uncomfortably in his chair and lifted the cloth from his tuxedo front pocket.

"You saved Levi's life then."

When you put it like that...

"Not really. I just blocked an attack."

I felt myself become ever so slightly shy as I crossed my arms, averting my gaze to the side. The Prince swung his horses stable key around his finger.

"It's none of your concern, Jean. I'm pleased my horse is in good health. I do believe this concludes our conversation?"

Jean suddenly leant back in his chair with a smile and winked.

"If that's what you want, Levi."

The Prince rose form his chair and clicked his fingers for me to follow behind him. Something I disliked, it makes me look like some sort of pet.

"Oh and foreigner, good luck protecting 'Mr warmth.' "

A small smile graced my lips at Jeans very accurate nickname. Prince Levi glared fiercely and ended the conversation on a devastating blow.

"Did you know Jean is an acronym for go fuck yourself."

Seems this formal evening when rather well, the most enjoyable experience I've had for a long time...

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