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“Wh- who are you people? Get out of here! Leave me alone!”
Akechi could hear Prince Akira's screeching and so he picked up the pace, hurrying towards the source of the noise which happened to be in the prince's personal quarters. As captain of his elite guard, being Akira's sworn protector – and lover - Akechi had been briefed by none other than the King himself as to the reasoning behind his son's confused state.
According to the royal medic, his beverage had been laced with a powder that triggers amnesia within a person – and yes, the royal tasters had all been punished! - and only a specific mixture can cure this particular ailment. If untreated, the mind will become more and more damaged until there is no chance of any memories being restored so extreme haste was necessary.
Fortunately, he knew exactly where to look for the ingredients for such a concoction. Unfortunately, it was a lengthy journey. Into enemy territory. But Akechi was willing to go through any ordeal in order to keep his precious prince safe. Safe in both body and mind.
Akechi paused, freezing in place with one hand on the ornately decorated door handle. Alongside the screeching noises escaping the prince's perfect lips, he could also hear a smashing sound. As though furniture was being flung around the room. And when he eventually did turn the handle in question, revealing the room, he was greeted by a display of pure chaos. Servants were huddling in corners, arms raised in order to protect themselves from the prince's wrath and the objects being tossed about hither and thither.
Prince Akira himself was sat up in his four poster bed, clinging on to the velvet covers, his face warped with both confusion and rage. He was breathing extremely heavily, trying to regain his breath after his marathon of a screaming session no doubt. Akechi took this reprieve as his opportunity to approach the poor prince, hoping to comfort him somehow.
But this turned out to be pure foolishness on his part. As soon as Akechi was within touching distance of the prince, instead of flashing him his trademark cheeky grin, his face contorted into a snarl and lashed out, sending a flurry of punches in Akechi's direction.
Akechi, of course, had been trained to avoid such attacks – he was not so highly ranking for nought, after all – but Akira's actions hurt him, nonetheless. Mentally if not physically. The look of hatred and wariness in his prince's eyes almost reduced him to tears. Almost. Yes, this situation was heart breaking but he would rectify it, even if it was the last thing that he ever did.
Because of time constraints, Akira would have to accompany Akechi on this quest – the medic too! - so he could be treated as swiftly as possible. There was no time to lose. Even so, travelling with a civilian that was untrained in combat and a prince that could not remember how to protect himself even if he had the knowledge, Akechi was rather burdened. Not that he considered the latter to be a burden in any sense of the word. Yet it did sadden him that this quest would not be as fun as their last.
Prince Akira was usually a vibrant, kind character but now he was glaring at both Akechi and the medic with unconcealed disgust. Why they triggered such revulsion within him, Akechi did not know but it upset him, regardless. Another emotion flickering in his eyes was completely alien to him – fear. No matter what behemoth of a challenge that they happened to face, Akira was not easily frightened, not when alongside his beloved. But now, underneath the bubbling anger, terror was plainly present.
“Who are you? Where are we going? What is this gaudy place?”
“This is your home, your highness.” Akechi replied, resisting the temptation to plant a kiss on his prince's knuckles. In his current state of mind, Akechi would end up getting punched if he even dared to do so. “And we are going on a quest. One of utmost importance.”
“But why do I need to accompany you?” He asked, sounding petulant almost.
“Because the entirety of the quest revolves around you, your highness.” Akechi replied, donning his most polite tone.
“And...well....who am I? You keep referring to me as 'your highness' but I am completely lost as to my own identity as well as yours. In all honesty, I am scared.” He confessed, voice wobbling.
“There is no need to be scared.” Akechi tried to be comforting, using words instead of physical gestures. “I swear on my life and all of those I hold dear that I will, for want of a better word, fix you.”
“But what if I cannot be fixed? What if I am stuck in this state forever, confused and alone?” The trembling of his lower lip intensified.
“You will never be alone, my prince. Not as long as I have breath in my body. I will always be beside you.”
“But why?” He questioned, the wariness in his eyes dissipating to be replaced by something else entirely – fondness. “Why would someone like you--” He paused, looking Akechi up and down. “--want to help someone like...me?”
“Because you are my prince and I live to serve you. In every sense of the word.” Akechi spoke the latter sentence in a breathy whisper which caused Akira to tingle all over.
“I...I see. Well, the sooner my memory returns, the better.” Akira said, blushing furiously.
The medic looked between them, utterly oblivious to the undercurrents of the conversation but not particularly caring. He was appointed to do a job, after all. The mundane details did not matter. And he was not of high enough status to be privy to much of the prince's personal life, even if he wanted to be.
Amnesia aside, there was a pecking order and out of the trio, the medic was at the bottom, despite being the most useful of the three. Being the one with the knowledge rattling around his big brain.
“I am glad we are in agreement, my prince.” Akechi lowered his head in respect.
“Cheers to that!” The medic announced, feeling something in the air and mistaking it for good spirit. “Let us have a drink before we depart!”
Akechi shot him a distasteful look; one that said that such an occurrence was how they had been flung into this situation in the first place. “Drinking, really? That is how you want to spend the rest of our prince's time? Frittering it away with boozy beverages?”
“I...well....uhhhhhh....” The medic began to squirm, realising the grave error that he had made.
“Let's just go, shall we?” Akechi asked coldly. A definite rhetorical question. “When we mount Lilith, I advise you both to hold on tight.”
“Who is Lilith?” Akira asked, confusion returning.
“An old friend of ours.” Akechi said, extremely fond of his dragon companion. “Believe me, she is difficult to forget.”
“I see.” Akira said, mulling over Akechi's words, as they reached the courtyard. “Oh wow! Who is that beauty?” He gasped once in sight of the lovely lady herself.
Akechi chuckled as Lilith shot the group a puzzled glance. “Don't worry, my dear.” He told her, noticing her confusion. “I will explain on the way. Everyone, get up here!” He added as he swung himself onto his beloved's back.
Maybe this quest would not be so bad, after all, Akechi thought to himself as he helped both of them mount her.
“And now it is time for you to experience dragon flight!” He announced brightly, recalling the last occasion he had introduced the prince to this process.
“Dragon flight?” The medic practically squeaked out the words.
“Yes. We are not sat up here for fun, you know.” Akechi replied, trying not to roll his eyes. He did not want to aggravate the man who was going to help his lover, after all.
“I have never ridden a dragon before.” The medic gasped, his whole body beginning to shudder.
“You will love it. As will you.” Akechi said, addressing both parties, trying to keep everyone calm. It would not do to have them shaking all over the place and accidentally falling off mid-flight. “Lilith, dearie, let's go!”
“Gladly!” She responded, sheer amusement resonant in her tone. “Hold on tight, humanoids!” She added gleefully before taking flight.