So this is chapter 12 of the historical story. Enjoy it :)

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The confinement of the Crown Prince was finally lifted and from today on, he was allowed to leave his chamber again. But since this morning he didn't even set foot outside because of his new royal guard Kongpob and his new maid Thura. He waited for them in the Crown Prince's east wings, feeling restless while walking from to and fro in his chamber, the tension almost killing him.

As he couldn't wait anymore, he wanted to leave for outside to search for them but Kongpob suddenly entered the room, almost bumping into his Highness. They were standing close to each other, the shorter man widened his eyes as he noticed there were only a few inches apart Kongpobs's lips and his lips. When Arthit realized Ko Thiha's schoked expression, he blinked his eyes many times, stuttered before stepping back to leave some space between them.

Meanwhile the taller man remained in front of him, crossing his arms around his back to show him his respect. His Highness mustered him from head to toes, feeling lost for words for the first time in his entire life. Kongpob wore a darkblue-colored royal guard's uniform, the black sword holder around his hips. Surely he stood out the most out of his imperial guards who were working for him for a longer time now. Not only did he look more handsome but his pale skin and the dark colour of the uniform were a contrast to each other, it matched perfectly. Arthit's eyes shone, reflecting the amazement he was feeling for him right now, it was even obvious to his guards who were keeping watch outside his chamber.

Kongpob would never admit it but he liked the look in the Crown prince's eyes, was secretely enjoying it but made an expressionless face as if he wasn't enjoying this moment, hiding the joy he was feeling while looking in his Highness. The eunuch Thiha shook Arthit his head, showing him to make a serious face again or else rumors would fly soon in the entire palace that the Crown Prince was fond on his new imperial soldier. Like it was said in the law, the royal family shouldn't show any emotion but right now, he was showing too much emotions as if he was an open book anyone could decipher. Beside, admiring Kongpob in front of the other soldiers, would bring disadvantage for the taller man since he would face jealousy, also hate from his colleagues if they knew he was prefered by the sweet Highness more than them. His Highness coughed quietly, using the chance to change his expression from adoration to seriousness.

Thura approached them too but as soon as the soldiers recognized her, they were surprised from her sudden transformation. Instead of her shabby manly clothes, she wore the maid uniform, a long purple-coloured rob, her short hairs were straightned and combed aside. Now she looked like a young woman, beautiful but still brave. There was a kind and innocent aura surrounding her. Appreciation reflected in the soldiers eyes as soon as she passed before them to stand next to Kongpob. She wanted to bow down to the Crown Prince, showing him her respect but Arthit refused to accept a bow from her. It was against the law but he let her stand in front of him, looking up at him as if they were equally.

Arthit smiled at her, feeling satisfied but also surprised about her sudden transformation. He wouldn't recognize her again if they didn't tell him that she was Thura. „She's beautiful but don't look too much at her or you'll regret it being an eunuch", he said to his eunuch who was astonished about her beauty.

The not so brave Thura feared for his life, begging his Highness to not tease him like that or everyone would take it wrong and suggest he was really in love with her. An eunuch being in love was an abomination that was punished with death. He didn't want to die yet because he had many plans he made for the future. He wanted to stay alive, accompany his Highness till to his conoration as the Emperor. It was his biggest wish.

Arthit smiled again at her, admiring her strong will to fight her cruel destiny, proverty and sufferings. She even gave up her gender to disguise as a man, just to see him again. But today, he promised himself that he would give her a better life, a magnificient future.

Although he smiled to her, something he didn't do as Kongpob came, everyone noticed the difference between the way he looked at her and at Kongpob. As the taller man came to him, he was flabbergasted, couldn't find the right word to describe his emotions. It was more like he was suddenly shy and scared to say something wrong. It was the first time the soldiers saw their brave Prince being shy in front of a man, something they didn't knew he was capable of. But when Thura came, he just smiled a her, complimenting her for her look. They noticed something was going on between the two men but they didn't dare to speak out their doubt.

The young eunuch pulled the curtain to close the view of the guards into his Highness's chamber before sighing in relief. Now Arthit could admire his Kongpob wihtout being afraid of being watched.

„Isn't Thura a man's name? Shouldn't we call her by her true name?", Thiha remembered.

„Right... You used a male's name, Thura, to participate in the tournament but I want to know your real name", Arthit asked her.

Instead of giving him an answer, she looked at the ground, feeling ashamed for her past. Kongpob noticed from her sudden silence that she didn't have any name, she wasn't even given one ever since her birth.

„His Highness, I beg for your forgiveness for not giving you the right answer but my parents didn't give me any name since my birth."

Ko Thiha regretted remembering her about a painfaul past she tried to forget. Arthit felt sorry for her, decided to leave that matter for the time being.

„If it's not too much, I hope you can call me whatever you want, your Highness", she said, making everyone surprised about her decision.

„I want you to have a name you want to be called", was Arthit's reply. and Ko Thiha

„Maprang... How about this name?", Kongpob interruped, finally breaking his long silence.

Arthit smiled when hearing his soft voice, he liked the name since it was suggested from kongpob but he didn't want to force the new name on her. He let her choose for herself.

„What does it mean?", Ko Thiha wanted to know the meaning before letting her deciding for herself.

„A person who's creative, strong, mentally quick and intuitive in recognizing the thoughts and feelings of others", Kongpob answered him. Maprang meant a woman who lacked in nonverbal commucation, a woman who is shy and calm but suffered from nervous tension too. But he didn't want her to know about the negative aspect of her new name because it would remind her of her cruel past. He was being considerated towards her, something he rarely did.

„Maprang...", she repeated the name, smiling at Kongpob then at his Highness. Apparantly she liked it, finally accepting it as her new name. She was gratefull, almost in tears since it was the first time she was giving a name too. It was the first time she was seen as a human being and not as an object for money nor a slave for lust.

Arthit glanced from the corner of his eyes to the taller man, feeling grateful towards him for giving her a meaningful name. But before he could express his thougth about their new works, the announcer demanded for the Crown Prinse's audience. The shorter man gave his eunuch permission to allow thte man to enter his chamber, the latter announced about an emergency meeting being held in the court soon. His Highness should be there in twenty minutes. It was the message he read them from the imperial seal before leaving.

Arthit fell deep in thought, trying to figure out the reason why an emergency meeting was called out of the blue. According to himself, everything was going smoothly and he behaved well like his father demanded from him. But even if he didn't break the law since yesterday, he knew this meeting must be about him or about something the royal family did that. Because whenever an emergency meeting was called, it was only about power demonstration between the court officials and the imperial family. He was curious to know what problem they discovered about him this time.

Kongpob and Maprang left the room, returning to their position that was given to them. She blended amoung the maids waiting for his Highness while he remained behind the imperial guards, both of them were the last in the queue. With the eunuch's help, Arthit quickly wore his Crown Prince robe since casual clothes were prohibited for the court. He left his chamber, threw Kongpob a last glance before leaving his east wings, wishing the latter could walk behind him like the other soldiers did. But since he was the new soldier, he needed to remain there, doing the not important works like guarding the chamber. The same went for Maprang.

Arthit walked over to the meeting hall, he met the court officials waiting outside for the Emperor. As soon as they saw him approaching them, they bowed their head to him, smiling respectfully at him but he recognized their real thougth they tried to hide behind their smiling mask. Deep in them they were cursing him, wishing him to die a painful death.

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Arthit clenched his hands into fists, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to remain calm. A wrong words from him and he could risk to raise the anger of the court officials towards him. Angry ministers would result in more petitions against him, demanding restrictment from the Emperor. The shorter man suffered much this week, he needed some quiet moment for himself so he maintained his composure for now.

„We can't let children with lowly birth guard his Highness, Emperor", an official said.

„We, the minister demand to abolish the position of this young man named Ko Chan Tha", the premier minister, the most powerful amoung the court officials interrupted. He also was the mastermind behind all the petitions against him. The latter was mocking Kongpob, didn't even to hide the mockery in his voice. Clearly he looked down on the taller man, didn't see him as someone worth his respect.

Right now Arthit wished to leave the meeting, to relaxe somewhere where he could forget his problems and just admire the blue sky above him. But unfortunately he would never live in peace for his entire life because he had too many enemies watching his every steps. Either the ministers would critisize his bad behaviour or find something bad on him to critisze, showing that even if he was the Crown Prince, the future ruler of this Nation, they, the courts officials had altogether more power than him. Today's reason for this emergency meeting was Arthit's decision to make Kongpob his royal guard. According to the ministers, this position should be only given to sons of rich households but not to lowlifes like Kongpob.

A sharp pain shoot throught the Prince's entire body whenever they put shame on Kongpob's name but he couldn't mutter a word for his own sake. However his father noticed frustration reflecting in his son's eyes. He regretted it to put so much restrictment on him but on the other hand, he liked how much his son restrained himself to not lose his calmness, just like he wanted him to be.

„Why did you choose him as your royal guards, his Highness?", the Emperor asked him, eagerly waiting for his answer.

Arthit was mentally absent, shut himself off to not hear any more words from them but he was taken back from surprise when he heard the Emepror speaking to him. It surprised him because he never expected his father to ask for his opinion after threatening him the moment he released Kongpob and Maprang from the dungeon. The Emperor's question replayed in his head. Why did he choose Kongpob to be his royal guard instead of letting him go? He couldn't answer it to himself. He just knew he felt secure by his side. Or maybe he wanted him to remain by his side  because the latter managed to bring a genuile smile on his lips? Maybe because he could understand him more than anyone? Maybe because he gave him the feelings they were meant for each other? According to himself, Kongpob was someone he seeked for his entire life. Someone who he needed beside him.

He didn't knew why his father changed his mind to ask for his opinion about that matter but it was his chance to help Kongpob.

„He's strong, has amazing fighting skills and horsemanship and was even splending in archery. I fought against him and didn't even had a chance against him although he didn't fight me seriously. If he gave his best, I wouldn't be a match against him", the words just flew out of his mouth as if he prepared for this moment but it was the opposite. Arthit never had dealt with this topic untill now but his conscience took over him, answering to the question for him. He continued, „Everyone saw him in the tournament. He was more capable than any imperial guards I met till now... And no one can deny his skills as a fighter", he said with a serious voice, managed to make everyone listening to him. Even his biggest enemy, the premier minister U Khaing, had no other choise as to listen to him. They detested him but they admitted, he convinced them with his speech. Chan Tha was strong, even stronger as any imperial guards. Arthit's showed them a calm expression, „I feel secure by his side. He gives me the feeling nobody could hurt me if he's beside me."

His speech made the court officials speechless, they couldn't defend the reason for opposing to the Crown Prince's decision to name Kongpob his soldier. Since they ran out of arguments, they greeted their their teeth at his Highness, cursing his ability for wining favour just by his artilley.

„Even if he's strong, there's still the problem about his birth", the premier minster retaliated.

The Emperor scratched at his goatee as if he was thinking about the decision he should make. But he sighed, seemed inconsistence, „I heard about everyone's arguments but it's up to me to make the final decision."

„But Emperor...", the minister of the left began but the Emperor looking fiercely at him, shut him up immediately.

„I'll think with my consultant about it and convey my dicision later. Everyone should await a meeting in five days... Untill then the Crown Prince can use Ko Chan Tha as suited him. Now everyone's dimissed", was his final words for them.

Finally the emergency meeting ended. After the ruler of burma left the court, closely followed by his guards, Arthit exited the large room and returned with his guards to the east wings. As he passed by his east wings of the palace, he noticed Maprang kneeling down while wipping the dust from the ground with some wet towel.

It hurted him to see her working so hard since he didn't want her to serve him as a real servant but wanted to give her an easy life by living with him in the palace. He wanted to call her but Ko Thiha whispered to him, he should look closely at her. A normal maid would complain doing such heavy labour but there was something he didn't expect to see in her face. A smile! She was smiling, feeling satisfied about her new duty as a maid. According to his eunuch, she must feel grateful for being needed by his Highness so he shouldn't interrupt her.

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The maids responsible for helping the Crown's Prince with the bath, stepped backwards with their eyes directed on the ground, they left the large bathroom one after one as wished from the Crown Prince. Arthit hated it to be watched by his maids while bathing so he dismissed them before undressing himself from his bath robe that fall on the ground. He entered in an elegant way in the round bathtube made out of white stone. As soon as his feet touched the warm water, he felt chill running down his spine, tickling his body hairs. After taking a deep breath, he sat down on the warm ground of the bathtube, spread his arms then closed his eyes. His feet floated on the water, the nice fragance of the many red roses in the water raised in his nose, calming him down, soothing him from any worries.

There was a young man behind him, leaning his back on the wall, crossing his arms around his chest while watching him sleeping in the bathtube. Kongpob! Arthit breathed slowly, his stomach went up and down while breathing, snoring faintly like a child. He was sleeping peacefully as if he didn't had to worry about any problems right now. But the taller man behind knew he had many sorrows slumbering in his mind everyday. Sorrows like the proverty of his people, the hatred from the court officials towards him, his parents restricment for him and his own life that was targeted by assassins.

Even if he was suffering, he still maintained his soft side, was worried about the poor people more than about himself. The taller man's lips curved up into a little smile, somehow his heart beat faster the more he looked at the young man sleeping peacefully. All the sudden his face dropped, he made a worried expression, took the first step forwards as the Prince's head sank down on the water. He was drowning but was too deep in sleep to realize it. Without wasting any second, Kongpob ran to him in the bathtube, laid an arm around his back then bent him up out of the water. The rough touch yanked his Highness out of his daydream, he coughed many times to free his lungs from the water.

Arthit panted but his eyes widened from shock when he realized an unkown man holding on to him. He went immediately in defense, pushed the man from him, walked over to the other side of the bathtube, thinking it must be an assassins. As he turned back to face the assassins, he recognized the young man sitting in the bathtube as Kongpob, his new royal guard.

„Kongpob?", he called in surprise.

Kongpob just stared at him, couldn't find the right words to describe how scared he was just now. Never did he fear for another man's life as his own. His fingers raked through his hairs, feeling relieved his Highness was unscathed.

„I thought you was an assassin... Don't ever do that again!", his voice raised but when he realized the latter just approached him to save him from drowning, he finally calmed down. A relieved sigh escaped his mouth, his fingers ran through his hairs.

Arthit stood up without thinking too much about it, revealing his nude body to the taller man in front of him. Kongpob still sitting in the water, froze on the spot, staring at him from head to toes, looking at his brown nipples before resting his eyes on the important part of the man's body. His Highness's eyes followed Kongpob's, resting on the sensitive area of his body too. Both of them fell in silence, a quiet minute passed by without them even noticing it.

Arthit's face slowly changed its colour from pale to red, he blushed from embarassment. He quickly sat down in the bathtube, putting his arms around his chest to cover his torso, hiding his body from the man who couldn't hold in his smile. They gazed at each other, the shorter man couldn't believe he showed his nude body to his new royal guard.

Kongpob chuckled, admitting the Prince had a flawless skin like a woman. „Not even a single scratcher, just like I expected four years ago", was the comment Kongpob left for him after expecting him thoroughly.

„You...", he hissed like a wild cat, taking a deep breath to calm down. „You're really bold for a mere servant", Arthit said, sulking about the most embarassed moment of his entire life.

Kongpob gave him a genuine smile that made him froze on the spot for a second time. This smile took him by surprise since he thought the latter wasn't capable of smiling so brigthly. His cheeck turned red like tomatoes till to his ears, he felt warm all the sudden. He adverted his gaze from him, looked aside to avoid staring at the taller man, waving airs to his face.

„Thuthump, thuthump, thuthump", his restless heart thumped hard, threatening to jump out of his chest anytime. He held on his chest to calm down his heart so the latter wouldn't notice about his too hard pondering heart. Why? Why did he had to turn shy suddenly just because he smiled at him?

The crown Prince's shy behaviour was too sweet for the always serious Kongpob, felt the lust to touch him all the sudden. This kind of thought he had for the first time in his life, scared him. He had to leave right now or else he would do a mistake he would regret latter. The taller man took the way to the entrance but before he exited the large bathroom, he placed his hand over his heart, clenching on his chest to calm his too excited heart.

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So what do you think of this chapter? It's somehow boring but the action till come later ;)