Chapter Text
Prince Langa stared up at his ceiling for what seemed like hours on end yet again. He had been doing this for months, ever since the day he had gone down for breakfast, only a few weeks after his father's funeral, only for his mother to come out of the blue and inform him he could not leave the castle for a little bit. The prince's mood had already been terrible, but that on top had broken him. It had been months since then and all Langa could really feel now was indifference to such a thing.
But even then, Langa was bored out of his mind. He had basically read every single book in the library, explored every nook and cranny of the palace he called home, and painted till his fingers were tired and paint was splattered around his room. Speaking of his room, the usually neat and tidy place now littered with dirty clothes and plates and cups. Maybe Langa should clean up, but the boy had no motivation to do so.
If his mother saw this she would be upset. Of course in her words, not angry, just upset.
Would she feel the same way if Langa were just to go outside with no supervision? It would be so easy for the prince to just open his window and scale the wall, sneaking off into the village and doing whatever, like buying bread or paints, watching shows and sitting by the river and watching the fish beneath the clear water, seeing his reflection amongst them.
But of course he could never, he would probably terrify his mother, who was already worried about losing Langa after the death of the king. His mother was always horrified that one day Langa would go out and never come back, considering he was the prince and all, but that was especially so now, always telling him a sharp no when Langa asked to leave the castle. Of course, Langa would always question his mother, asking why she felt the need to keep him hidden away, to which his mother would shrug off the question and change the subject.
As much as Langa loved his mother, he hated this. It made him somewhat angry, he wanted to leave. Sure he didn't talk to people much and sure his social skills weren't the greatest, but he wanted to leave the palace so badly. He didn't want to be stuck in only the castle and the gardens any longer, he wanted to be out there.
He wanted it so, so badly.
So naturally, he asked the person closest to his mother, the chef.
"Kojiro, why won't mom let me leave the castle?" Langa asked as he opened the door to the kitchen.
The cook turned around, raising an eyebrow. He was the most trustworthy person in the castle, according to Langa's mother, so surely he knew why the queen was so hesitant to allow Langa to leave. Maybe he was trustworthy because of his clear strength, muscles rippling beneath his shirt and maybe he was an ex-knight for all Langa knew, but Langa trusted him as well. Kojiro leaned against the table and began to speak.
"Kid, as much as I'd love to tell you, the queen told me not to and she trusts me, so I've gotta keep the promise." He said.
Of course. Kojiro would obviously stay loyal to the queen and would never tell Langa. Maybe the prince had been too hopeful, like he always was.
Langa looked away, "Okay."
"Look, I'm sorry. But it's for the best." Kojiro replied.
Yep, like always. For the best. Being locked away in your own home was 'for the best'. His mom said it, Kojiro said it, his assistants said it. He might as well believe it at this point.
"Okay." Langa repeated.
Kojiro turned back to whatever he was making, grabbing his mixing spoon, "Believe me kid, I'm real sorry. I'd tell you if I could."
"Yeah…" Langa mumbled.
"Hey, what if you helped me cook? Would that make you feel better?" Kojiro asked as he gestured for the prince to come over and help.
Langa walked over, eyeing what the cook was making in curiosity. It looked like ham, a ham that Kojiro was heavily seasoning. He was also making a salad and Langa's mouth started to water, he was ready to eat right then and there, since he had skipped breakfast, and god was he ready for lunch. Kojiro laughed as he saw the prince staring down the meal and handed Langa some seasoning.
"Go ahead," Kojiro said, "Season it up."
Langa took it and started helping. He switched between several different seasonings with Kojiro telling him which ones to use. Langa really didn't need the help, he knew what he was doing, but he wasn't going to tell Kojiro, the man looked like he was having fun. Kojiro smiled as he mixed the salad with his hands. After a bit, Langa asked a question.
"Hey, why does Mom trust you so much?"
Kojiro looked at Langa, "Hm?"
Langa dusted his hands off on his pants, "Mom trusts you so much, what'd you do to gain her trust so easily?"
Kojiro looked up at the ceiling, "Dunno, maybe it was my cooking." He said, then he smirked, "Or maybe I seduced her."
"Oh my God." Langa said.
Kojiro laughed and patted the prince on the back, "I'm just screwing with you, I have no clue why she trusts me."
Langa wasn't good at picking up on people's feelings, but when it came to intentions, he was pretty good at it, "You're lying."
Kojiro smiled again, "How's the ham going?"
And there it was again, the changing of subject, the brushing off of Langa's questions. The prince looked away, staring at the ham he had been working on. It was good, he knew it, he was a good cook and it smelled like heaven. Kojiro leaned over and took a huge whiff, sighing in joy.
"You're good at this Your Highness." He said.
Langa cringed at the formality, "I've cooked before."
"Oh really?" Kojiro asked, "What have you made?"
"Just some stew, ya know." Langa replied.
Kojiro shrugged and went back to his salad. Langa helped him the rest of the time, the smell making him want to eat the food the second his fingertips touched them, but Langa knew better. Soon, the meal was done and Kojiro ordered him to leave and head to the dining room. Langa did so with a long sigh or more like a huff. He was having fun for the first time in months and he didn't want it to end.
But all good things came to an end and that was something Langa personally knew.
He climbed several staircases and wandered the halls, making eye contact with every portrait in the room then quickly looking away. It was weird and felt like all these generations of kings, queens, and past princes were looking down on him, watching his every move. He was the crown prince after all and soon he would become king, because it was clear the stress of ruling alone was already getting to his mother, making her features older and her eyes more tired.
As Langa passed the last portrait, he couldn't help but look up into the deceased king's eyes. It was so odd, looking into his father's kind eyes but only through a painting. The eyes would never change or be exactly right, because it wasn't real. Those eyes would never be as comforting to Langa when he was having trouble like the real ones. Langa looked away, ignoring the painting. He couldn't keep missing his father like this, he was gone and Langa had to accept that. That was life, life wasn't fair.
Just as he reached the doors to the dining room, Langa thought of something. Maybe, just maybe, with enough convincing, he could get his mom to let him go out. He was good at cooking, he knew basic self-defense, and he wasn't that weak. If Kojiro was there serving the food, maybe he could get him to join his side and tell his mom about his cooking skills. Then maybe he could leave.
At least that's what he hoped.
He entered the dining room, his mother sat at the end, smiling softly at him. She gestured for him to sit and he did, placing himself beside her. His eyes lingered over to the other end of the table, where his dad used to sit, laughing loudly and keeping Langa smiling and involved in the conversation. Now, Langa was silent the whole time, never speaking unless he answered a question.
Kojiro appeared and started setting out the food, just Langa's luck! If he could stop the cook and get his mom's attention then his dream could come true. The prince grabbed Kojiro's wrist and the green haired man looked back at him, confused. Langa looked at his mom, who was paying attention now that he had stopped the chef.
"Mom, I want to leave." Langa said.
The queen sighed, "Langa, I know you want to. But understand, it's for the better."
Langa squeezed Kojiro's wrist, "You always say that. But I can protect myself and care for myself." He looked at Kojiro, "Tell her, how I helped prepare the meal."
Kojiro gently took his hand from Langa's grip, "He was very helpful, he is a wonderful cook, Your Highness."
"And," Langa said, shaking the table a bit as he stood, "I know the basics in self-defense! I'll be okay."
"Langa, it's not…" His mother trailed off, noticing the determined look in her son's eyes.
"Please, I wanna leave, for one day. Please." Langa begged.
The queen sighed, looked off in thought for a moment, then turned back to her son, "Okay, you may leave. Tomorrow I'll send you out to the village. But with conditions."
Langa leaned forward a bit, "What conditions?"
"Well, first of all, you have to go out in disguise." His mother said, "And use a fake name."
"But-"
"Langa."
"...Okay."
Langa had never had to wear disguises or use a fake name before, this was certainly new. What was his mother so scared of?
"You'll go with undercover guards as well as Kojiro." His mother added.
Langa cocked his head, "Why Kojiro?"
"Don't question me." His mother said.
She had never acted this way before, Langa's mother was incredibly kind and not very strict, but apparently whatever she was hiding Langa from was bad enough to make her this way. Langa swallowed, wondering what it was, because if it was after him…
Or maybe she was just scared of losing her son after her husband. Maybe she was just worried and overreacting a little. Langa took that possibility and calmed a little as well.
"Okay." He said.
His mother smiled and rubbed his shoulder, "I'm sorry Langa, I must be worrying you sick."
"No." Langa lied, "I'm… fine."
His mother stood up and walked over, kissing him on the top of the head in his light blue hair. She then wrapped her arms around him. "Langa, I'm just so scared for you… especially without Oliver."
"What does dad have anything to do with this?" Langa asked.
The queen released him, a small look of fear crossing her face like she had said too much before it softened again, "It's nothing. Just trust me Langa and follow my rules, okay?"
Langa nodded.
"I love you."
"I love you too Mom."
Langa pulled the cloak on over his clothes, which was normal streetwear, at least for the citizens of the village: A dirty button up with a vest, long pants causing him to stumble in his boots. Langa pulled his hair back into a tiny ponytail and tossed the hood on over his head. He looked into his mirror, examining his disguise. It didn't look too bad, he might just fit in. But now he needed a fake name.
Just then, Kojiro walked in. He was dressed pretty much the same, which was typical considering he was still just a normal chef. He smiled and walked over, tugging Langa's clothes a little more loosely.
"There, you look more carefree, more like a normal citizen." He said.
Langa looked down at his outfit, "Ah, thanks."
"have you chosen a name yet?" Kojiro asked.
Langa shook his head.
Kojiro examined the boy in the mirror and then, he grinned, "I know! How about Snow?"
Langa looked in the mirror, "Snow…."
It made sense, his hair was super light blue, leaning on white and he had always loved the snow, especially when he was able to play in it with his father. Snow. It was just perfect.
"Snow is good." Langa said.
Kojiro patted Langa on the back and Langa cringed as his strength made him shudder. The big man ruffled Langa's hair from under the hood and then turned to walk out the door as Langa messed with his hair, trying to at least look a little presentable.
"You'll thank me, Snow." Kojiro said, "Because trust me…" His voice went dark and Langa turned as he spoke, "You don't want to be found."
"Found…." Langa replied, "Found by who?"
But Kojiro was already gone.
Langa was in town now, surrounded by his disguised guards. They had all been made up to look like a random family walking around town, discussing something with the local cook. All around them, people were having fun and Langa wanted to join. He wanted to find the lake and splash in it despite his already freezing cold skin. He wanted to meet someone his own age and talk to them and have a great time. Langa wanted to have fun too.
But he had promised his mother he would stay with the guards and they were much stricter than her. Maybe this was all for nothing and Langa would get nothing out of leaving his castle. Great.
"Hey, stop it!" Some woman shouted and all the guards' heads turned towards her.
The woman was struggling against a random man, who was grabbing at her bag of groceries. In his other hand, he held a knife up to her face and the young woman gasped, releasing her bag. One of the guards raced after the thief and the others followed suit. Kojiro tried to stick close to Langa but the crowd overwhelmed him, separating the prince from the chef. Langa was now panicking a bit, because he was supposed to stay with the guards, for his safety from whatever was out there and now he was lost in a large crowd. He pulled his hood ever farther over his head and raced through the crowd, pushing past people.
He needed to get somewhere safe, somewhere with little to no people where he could hide until the guards or Kojiro found him. Langa felt so weak then, so stupid and so weak but he couldn't defy his mother, the queen, especially since he didn't want to meet what she was hiding him from. Just then, as he was lost in thought, he crashed into someone and they fell to the ground.
"Ah, I'm so sorry." Langa said as he pushed himself up, rubbing his head.
"Ow, ow ow!" The boy beneath him said as he sat up, rubbing his back.
Langa finally took in all the boy's details: He had red messy hair pulled back by a blue cloth, amber eyes, and tanned skin. Langa felt horrible for hurting the boy and leaned back, sitting on his butt as he pulled his hood back on.
"Again, I'm sorry." He said.
The boy looked at Langa and laughed, "No man, it's okay. I've been hurt worse, in fact your light compared to the things I've been hit with before."
"Oh?" Langa said.
The boy nodded and stood up, holding his hand out to Langa and the prince blushed in embarrassment. He was the one who had ran into this boy, why was he being the one helped up?
"What's your name?" The boy asked.
Langa was taken aback, "My name is… Snow."
"Huh, Snow? That's a first, what a unique name! My name is Reki! Nice to meet you Snow!" The boy, Reki, held his hand out for Langa to shake.
Langa hesitated before he shook Reki's hand and smiled softly. The redhead's hand was warm and rough, almost the exact opposite of his own. Langa could feel Reki's hand retract a little beneath his as he felt the cold of his hands.
"Jeez, are you a vampire?" Reki asked jokingly.
"Perhaps." Langa replied and Reki laughed.
Reki's laugh was nice and Langa liked it. Was this what it was like to talk to someone your own age, someone normal and not royal. Reki was so… fun. And carefree and… everything Langa wasn't and he had just met him, but he could already see the differences.
Langa loved it.
"Are you new here? I've never seen you." Reki said.
"I guess you could say so." Langa replied, "Would you mind showing me around?"
Reki smiled widely, grabbing Langa's hand, "Of course! C'mon, lemme show you!"
And Langa let him, Langa let Reki pull him through the crowd and into the village. He was going to have fun.
Maybe Langa could live life on the edge for once.