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Anastasius had retreated to the privacy of the royal gardens to nurse his wounded pride and stinging palms. His ears still burned with embarrassment of his failure, and the scolding from his arcana tutor.
It wasn’t fair
He tried.
He worked so hard, and still, it wasn’t enough.
“Your Royal Father will be so disappointed,” his tutor had tutted, after the caning. Had Anastasius been younger, he might have begged for a second punishment, rather than his father being informed. It wouldn’t be pleasant, when he found out.
The wisteria trees were in full bloom, and the garden a riot of color and scent. He was sure that the gardeners were following some sort of plan set forth by the Empress, a theme, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. The foliage made for good cover, though, and that was enough for him.
Of course, the guards might be around, but he didn’t care. They were supposed to protect him, but they weren’t much more than shadows, might as well be. They wouldn’t talk to him, or play with him, or help him study or practice his magic.
The sound of giggling and chatter from the Ruby Palace was on the wind, and a spike of hate burned in him. In the Ruby Palace were the Emperor’s whores and his jewel eyed bastard daughters, assuming he didn’t have them drowned at birth.
Pigs, all of them. He thought, gripping his knees.
His nanny would panic at the state of his trousers- grass stains and dirt from where he’d scuttled under the hedge into his secret hiding place. Well, secret was the operative term. Anastasius was sure that they knew, they just let him have the illusion of a secret.
Outside his hedge hiding place, he heard the light tramp of footsteps. It must be Nanny, come to drag him before Father.
Funny, though. The footsteps sounded lighter.
“Is anyone there?” A strange voice called, and Anastasius perked up with curiosity. Someone new wasn’t a rare thing- the palace went through servants rather quickly. But a new person in the royal gardens?
Carefully he wriggled his way out and folded his arms, pasting on the familiar scowl of his father.
“Peasants don’t belong in the garden.” He said imperiously. She jumped, and whirled around, but Anastasius held his ground as he glared up at her. “Now give me one reason not to summon the guards to come and cut your head off.”
She blinked at him and looked him up and down. Anastasius knew he didn’t look like much even when he wasn’t dirty and some random peasant hadn’t found him in a bush, but he was still the crown prince and only Heir to the Empire. Whoever she was, she looked funny- hardly dressed and not wearing makeup- her hair was mussed, probably from scuttling around like a rat.
“I got lost. And who might you be?” She asked curiously, cocking her head.
Anastasius drew himself up.
“I am Prince Anastasius de Alger Obelia of the Obelian Empire, Crown Prince and Heir to the Throne.” He’d practiced saying it in the mirror for days, but instead of making her fall to her knees in apology and recognition she nodded.
“I see. A pleasure to meet you, Prince Anastasius de Alger Obelia of the Obelian Empire, Crown Prince and Heir to the Throne,” he snarled at the mocking bow she gave, before she finally offered her name. It was underwhelming, just like her.
“Now how did you get in here?” He demanded again. He was getting quite tired of her.
She smiled and examined the wisteria. “I appeared.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Oh no, it does.” She began to walk, giving Anastasius no choice but to follow her. “This is quite normal for me. Something magical pulled me away from home, and I appeared here, there and everywhere.” She smiled like it was a joke.
“But why?”
“Well,” she folded her hands behind her. “It was explained to me that I don’t have mana, so your world keeps rejecting my place in it. But I’m stuck here, so I just…wind up elsewhere.”
But how could you not have mana and live? Where was home? Where had she been?
Anastasius asked all those questions and more, but the woman only shrugged again and again or said “I don’t know.” It was very frustrating, but it lit a fire of curiosity in him.
“What were you doing out here, Anastasius?” She asked, and although royalty didn’t owe anyone anything, Anastasius found himself pressed to answer her.
“I came to be alone.”
“Oh,” a flash of guilt in her eyes. “Would you like me to leave?”
“No.” He admitted. She wasn’t a shadow like the others.
“Hm.” She smiled. “Want to play a game?”
And that was how Anastasius found himself playing hide and seek with a delusional peasant woman. It was…nice.
It was nice, to play with her, to have her treat him like anyone else.
But then…then she was gone.
Anastasius had seen her round a corner, peeking through his fingers, but she wasn’t there.
He had the guards search for her.
And yet…
“Your world rejects me, and so I end up elsewhere”
When he was emperor, he would make the world bow to his whims.