Chapter Text
“Her majesty wonders how you’ve been, Prince.” The ginger teased under a facade of respect, though everything about the way he just barged into the bedroom unannounced shows anything but respect.
“Cut that crap, Ajax. You and I both know she doesn’t give two shits about me.” The fair skinned boy mumbles under his breath, a hard edge to his voice, but Ajax doesn't miss the forlorn undertone. He sighs deeply, placing the tray of food on the Prince’s small table. The usual silence was his cue to leave.
That was the last Kunikuzushi had seen of his loyal friend. He refused to consider Ajax his servant, the only one Her Almightiness has deemed him worthy of. Even though it’s been years since he last saw the ginger, he never forgot his friend who always seemed to have a smile on his face. One of the few people who made life in the palace tolerable with his constant annoying presence.
Then, one day, his only friend disappeared without a trace. A new servant began taking over the duties of sending his food, arriving with only a knock and leaving silently after placing the tray in its usual spot on the table. A new servant, a wordless, faceless servant, just like so many others in the palace, roaming around the grounds aimlessly, trying their best to not anger the Queen or Princess.
His mood soured at the thought of his… family. He pushed his meagre meal around in distaste, this was undoubtedly leftovers from the night before. The chef didn’t even bother heating it up, leaving it lukewarm in its pathetic looking wooden bowl. He was bored out of his mind, without Ajax around to keep him entertained with his outrageous tales that Kunikuzushi was sure he made up by himself, he was practically left with nothing to do.
The new servant only stared blankly in return when he asked about the whereabouts of his friend, resulting in him giving up after the first month. He noticed that the servants changed every few months, and could only conclude that Her Majesty did not want to risk him getting attached and befriending any of these new servants like he had done so with Ajax. She probably sent Ajax away for having the audacity to befriend the bastard Prince.
He wasn’t allowed out of his room (read: cell), so as to ensure no prying eyes even notice his existence. He wasn’t allowed to have any friends whatsoever, so as to ensure no one outside of the palace knows about him. He wasn’t allowed to even visit some of the most secluded gardens for a breath of fresh air. Kunikuzushi felt suffocated within the walls of Tenshukaku. He knew the only reason Her Majesty kept him here was so that he wouldn’t go around Inazuma babbling about how he was a bastard child.
His gaze wandered to the one window he had in his room, up high enough so that he wouldn’t try escaping. A thin, almost translucent, curtain veiled the window just enough that outsiders won’t be able to look in, but he was still able to make out the outside world just fine. A genius idea of Ajax, the first and only gift his friend could give him. Kunikuzushi’s mind wondered about the outside world and what bliss waited outside.