Chapter Text
One servant took care of Taiga's clothes, the other one of his hair. The hair that had to be cut again soon, but only in the front as he liked the long stands in the back, which were now curly through the help of the skilled servant.
“You're dismissed,” Taiga said as he looked into the mirror with a nod. He liked his clothes, a lot actually. High leather boots, a tail coat in gray and a white shirt with a little bit too much going on around his neck area. Being able to choose what to wear every single day wasn't something commoners could do, he was aware of that. But as he was a nobility, he had everything he needed. Well, almost everything. With a sigh he moved to the door, two knights already waiting to escort him to the great hall.
Their steps echoed in the empty corridors of the castle, paintings and torches to their left and right. At the last moment Taiga gulped down a sigh. The moment he would show even a little bit of discomfort, the knights would let his father know. It wasn't like he wasn't feeling well, he was feeling overprotected.
Just a few years ago he rode on his horse alone to the villas of his family members and acquaintances all over the city and even outside of it and then war fell upon the countries around them, before they had to fight for their own border protection.
One greedy country was trying to force its leadership over the others. Old borders and fallen kingdoms driving their mad king into the mindset of needing it all back.
Something that wouldn't happen, not under the leadership of Taiga's father at least. Who knew when Taiga needed to take over. He was aware and ready for his responsibilities, but he couldn't deny that he wasn't afraid, as he had stood in the presence of death once already.
Since then his family had put him under house arrest, to his own protection of course. But exactly that lonely time inside the castle was driving him crazy, after two years of the same empty corridors.
The great hall was empty, one of the knights telling him that his father was speaking to the council. A meeting Taiga had been present at before. While he had already started his combat training as well. He hadn't been the best at sword fighting and he had disliked the heavy armor immediately, but now he wasn't even training anymore. In his own castle he felt like a puppet, being put up as decoration, until it was time to be taken out of the glass cabinet. Until that day, Taiga had nothing better to do than walk the castle and at least the inner yard was also something he was allowed.
The sunlight felt great after a full week of rain, making Taiga's time inside the castle even worse. But now more movement was inside the walls of the castle again. Knights, servants and carriages filling the inner yard.
How much Taiga wanted to talk to them, hear the news from the frontline and engage in normal daily activities. He couldn't even walk up to the servants who were bringing in the harvest, because the knights with him would immediately make them feel taken aback. As if they were all assassins they were treated as a threat to Taiga, making everyone eye him from afar, not a single person daring to walk up to him. Until one person actually did. Another knight, he had just arrived with others, after the escort of a carriage.
“Hey,” the young and tall knight said, directly facing Taiga who gave him a questioning look, especially because the other one didn't seem to feel threatened by the other knights immediately stepping almost in front of Taiga.
“Hey?” Taiga replied, not really knowing what to say to such an unusual greeting.
“You seem like someone from this castle, do you know where, ehm, I can find a privy in these walls?”
“A…what?” Taiga asked so confused that he made the other one look back at him in the same confusion. He looked up to his own knights, one of them leaning over to whisper in his ear.
“Oh,” Taiga said on the other one's explanation. “You can find one next to the stables I think.”
“Thank you so much!” The knight took off his helmet and smiled at Taiga before he leaned closer to him, making the other two knights eye him carefully once more. “It's not easy to find breaks to pee when on such a long ride, you know? And I thought inside your walls just using a corner is definitely not the norm.”
The knight let out a laugh on his own words as he backed off, but Taiga still kept looking at him. The young man was definitely younger than him, but his tall build made him look older while wearing his helmet.
“Knight,” Taiga called out for him before he had completely turned away. The one in question turned back to him with a questioning yet soft smile. “Tell me your name.”
The knight turned back to Taiga and his smile immediately turned wider, when he remembered his manners in front of the nobility and bowed. “Jesse.”
Taiga only nodded, while Jesse eyed the stables, Taiga following his look before he waved his hand. “You're dismissed.”
The way Jesse lifted his hand and voiced out a silent thank you, before he sprinted to the stables, had Taiga finally form a smile as well. In all these years inside the castle, not a single person had approached him this boldly. It was an encounter that had Taiga remain in the inner yard for longer, finding himself watching the knights and servants as they prepared the carriage for the night as those who had arrived were staying at the castle for a few days. Dukes and Barons from all over the country were arriving to give updates about the war.
***
Long talks over the next few days had Taiga remain in his room more than he liked, but while he was allowed to be part of diplomatic councils if he requested, he just didn’t feel like getting updated about a war, he himself could do absolutely nothing about while being stuck in the castle in the first place.
It would take a few more days until everyone was going to leave the castle, but all these people gathered finally gave Taiga a glimpse of freedom as the focus of the knights lay on the surroundings of the castle now, instead of the inside. So late at night Taiga finally left his room, roaming the corridors without people watching his every step.
The cool night air made Taiga take a deep breath inside the inner yard, yet he had to be careful, because this was where the knights were on patrol as well. Instead of trying to walk around in the open too much, Taiga tried his luck with some of the upper walkways between the balconies, knowing that as they had no connection to the outside wall, no knights would usually patrol them.
From their castle they couldn’t spot any fights or any borders. They were protected from all sides and while Taiga wasn’t in any way trained to be at the frontline, he had slowly lost his respect for his father and nobility in the first place.
“You’re all sitting in these walls, drinking wine, having talks and changing absolutely nothing,” Taiga said before letting out a sigh towards the moonlit night sky. “Yet I am the same hypocrite, sitting here with you, not able to make any changes either.”
“Unwilling to make changes is the better word,” a voice from the doorframe at the end of the corridor was heard and Taiga swirled around on the unknown voice and in an instant his eyes grew wide and he had barely a second to move when an arrow got shot at him.
“GUARDS!” Taiga shouted down into the inner yard while dashing around the corner, trying to get some stone pillars into the other one’s aim. Yet he went down just seconds later, an arrow hitting him into the back of his shoulder and he stumbled, turning around with a hiss when the archer rushed after him, ready to draw another arrow.
Taiga cursed in his mind, cursing the wrong people and the wrong reasons. He wasn’t the one to blame for the war or any decision in it. Yet he also didn’t wish for the death of anyone else inside these walls, but if a revolution was what the people wanted then he was the wrong aim. Killing him would just fuel the hate and rage of the older leaders, giving them all right and reason to hunt those down, trying to bring their system to fall.
Unfortunately Taiga had no time to argue as he needed to get back up if he wanted to live. There was shouting and running inside the yard and the first arrows made it up towards them, but the archer stood too hidden and no one was going to be fast enough to make it up the stairs in time.
Without any weapons, Taiga tried to get back on his feet, but the moment another arrow got released towards him, he only fell back, pulling up his arms in front of his face like a coward. But then silence followed and with a pained expression after his own movement had caused his shoulder a huge amount of pain, Taiga opened his eyes again, flinching to the back when someone held the arrow in his hand, right in front of his face.
The knight’s hand was slightly bleeding as he had caught the arrow with his bare hand, but now he was getting up, stepping protectively in front of Taiga while the archer immediately drew another arrow, yet he couldn’t even put it in place as the knight drew a knife from his belt and precisely threw it at the other one. The assassin got hit, but avoided a deadly wound, yet the knight dashed after him when he tried to flee.
Taiga remained on the ground, watching everything from afar when the tall knight caught up to the other one and didn’t even have to unsheathe his sword, to bring the other one to fall. Instead of killing him, he just took away his weapons until other knights finally made it up to them and helped hold the intruder down.
Some of them immediately helped Taiga, a healer already getting called to assist with Taiga’s injury, but he ignored all their worried questions as his look was still on the tall knight who had saved his life. The same knight who had just arrived at the castle two days ago.
“Jesse,” Taiga immediately remembered his name as he wasn’t introduced to many new people over the years. But he didn’t get the chance to talk to the other one as his focus went back to the pain in his shoulder where the arrow was still stuck and the knights urged him to get to a healer.
***
Now Taiga's life had turned to an even tighter cage as the knights weren't just placed in the corridor anymore, but were also placed inside his room.
It was a ridiculous picture having two knights stand at his door, who could tell if they weren't assassins too? Right now no one could be trusted anymore. Taiga had gotten the update that the assassin had been a knight of one of the nobility members entering the castle.
The arrow wound wasn't too bad, Taiga could still move his arm, even though he had to watch out with big movements as the wound had been sewed and bandaged, but the arrowhead had hit his shoulder blade so the bone would need some time to heal again.
His father had of course been furious, yet no one had come to talk to Taiga over the entire day. But in the morning of the second day he was called to the great hall, finding Jesse inside the hall together with the king and some council members.
Taiga felt excited to see the knight again, wanting to thank him for his selfless act, but when Taiga walked up to them, Jesse looked up to him with a kind of annoyed expression, but of course he immediately fixed it to a softer expression and turned around to bow at him.
“How are you feeling?” Taiga's father asked, making Taiga turn away from Jesse.
“Better, thank you. The wound is not too bad. Without Jesse the outcome would have been different.”
Jesse looked up on the mention of his name, obviously surprised that Taiga remembered his name.
“He indeed proved his loyalty to the kingdom,” the king spoke, but once more Jesse had to fight with his expression on that mention. “Which is why I ordered him to stay at your side.”
“As my guard in the castle?” Taiga asked, suddenly feeling excited, because he would finally have a knight at his side who seemed a lot easier to talk to than the king’s guard.
“You will not remain in the castle.”
“What?” Taiga asked in confusion.
“I have decided to send you away from the castle and the main city. Until this war has been settled, I want you to hide at a safer location.”
“But…what place could be safer than the castle?” Taiga tried to argue.
“Too many people still come and go, traitors unfortunately amongst us more than I hoped. So I need you to stay invisible for the time being.”
“Am I going to any of the villas?” Taiga asked curiously.
“All official places are out of question. You will live as a commoner outside of any big city for now, Jesse will accompany you on that task.”
“A commoner…what?” Taiga asked, turning towards Jesse once more, but the other one just remained neutral this time.
“It's for your own safety-”
“How is it safe to be out in the open with all those people?” Taiga asked, his voice showing irritation now. “There are thousands of people out there who could just kill me. One knight won't make a difference at that time. You didn't even let me keep training over the last two years, I can't even defend myself.”
“There will be no need for that as no one will know who you are. Jesse will make sure that you both travel as commoners, after discussing with the council I decided it was best to strip you completely of your identity for now.”
“I won't do that,” Taiga said sternly, shaking his head. “It was already tough enough to be left out of every official meeting and be treated like a prisoner in my own home. I won't run away from my responsibilities now.”
“You don't have any responsibilities yet, except the one to stay alive until it is your time to rule.”
“How am I supposed to know when that time has arrived if you send me out towards who knows where? How am I supposed to know how to rule if no one lets me learn? How-”
“Taiga, enough,” his father cut him harshly as Taiga was almost yelling by now. “This decision is final. You will get two weeks to heal your shoulder and in the meanwhile Jesse will prepare you for your departure. No discussion!”
Taiga bit his lip in anger, before he just turned around and walked out of the great hall with big steps.
“You stay outside here!” Taiga warned the knights who kept following him around and while he was sure that the king had ordered them to not listen to Taiga's outbursts, they actually let him enter his room alone for now. He just needed a few minutes. Just a bit of time to comprehend what was going to await him.
With a shaking breath Taiga closed his eyes for a moment, stopping in the middle of his room. When he looked through his room he almost felt like laughing.
“This is my rightful place,” Taiga hissed under his breath before he caught his own reflection in the big mirror in his room. How was he supposed to leave everything behind? He didn't know how to live a life outside these walls. He was ready to learn about his responsibilities as the heir to the kingdom, he was eager to fight and show the civilians that he could become a great king. It was laughable to think he could do so if he was forced to walk in their midst. Lower himself to those who should look up to him.
When Taiga made a step towards the mirror, the door opened and with an annoyed expression Taiga turned around. “Didn't I tell you to wait outside?”
“Unfortunately my orders lay with the king and not with you,” Jesse said as he entered alone, closing the door behind him and standing at the door without another word.
Taiga eyed him closely. He was in his armor, a sword and knife at his belt and while he had seemed irritated earlier, he was looking neutral now.
“Are you okay with my father's order?” Taiga asked straightforwardly.
“It's the king's order, I cannot refuse it.”
“Would you, if you could?”
“There is no meaning in answering what if questions. The decision has been made. I will make sure to have new clothes delivered to you soon and then I will teach you about the rules of our travel.”
“Rules?” Taiga asked, not being amused by Jesse's serious attitude. He liked him more when he was carefree and a bit too bold. “A knight teaching a prince. Laughable.”
Jesse’s look changed a bit on Taiga's outraged behavior and the step he made away from the door made Taiga step to the back a bit.
“If my presence annoys you that much, then please ask the king for another companion for your travels,” Jesse said before he bowed and opened the door. “If you change your mind, I will be back in the evening to prepare you for this challenge.”
Taiga just watched when the door fell shut and then he let out an annoyed sound, stomping his foot on the ground.
He hated the way no one was open and honest with him. He wanted someone to take his anger, to yell together with him or even at him. Everyone handling him with kit gloves wasn't helping his mood at all.
Another wave of anger made him snatch his brush from the table and lift it up, aiming for the mirror, but at the last moment he stopped himself from throwing it.
“This is ridiculous,” Taiga growled before he threw the brush to the ground instead and walked over to his bed, throwing himself into the sheets, letting out a muffled scream into the pillows.
“A challenge, right,” Taiga repeated Jesse's words. It sounded ridiculous at first, but the more he calmed down, the more he felt like seeing it as a challenge was maybe the only way for him to go through with this, because no matter his status, the king's order was final, even for him.
***
Jesse seemed more than surprised to see Taiga waiting for him sitting on the carpet of his room in the evening.
“I see you have already adjusted to your role,” Taiga said on Jesse's change of appearance. He wasn't in armor anymore. Normal cotton clothes made him look a lot thinner now.
“My life hadn't been much different from that of a commoner until I became a knight,” Jesse said as he casually sat down in front of Taiga on the carpet and put another change of clothes in between them. “Yet I wonder why we’re having this conversation on the carpet?”
“I need to adjust as well, right?”
“Do you think commoners do not own chairs and tables?” Jesse asked with a raised eyebrow.
Taiga pouted on the other one’s words, before he looked back at the cotton clothes the other one was wearing.
“Interesting, a knight is usually born into nobility. Are you telling me that you are not nobility?” Taiga changed the topic.
“I am indeed not,” Jesse replied. “At least I wasn't born into nobility. It wasn't easy to become a knight and yet I prefer a fierce battle over this.”
Something changed on Jesse's face at his own words, before he fixed his expression to something more positive as he pushed the clothes over to Taiga.
“Commoners do not wear silk or embroidery on their clothes. Leather and cotton are what will give you a low profile.”
Taiga touched the clothes and lifted up the shirt, giving it a scanning look. Just touching the rough fabric made him form a grimace and to his surprise he heard Jesse chuckle and when he moved the shirt down to look at the other one, Jesse tried hard to hide a smile.
Instead of reacting to the other one, Taiga moved on to touch the trousers and the belt. The boots weren't too bad, but after he put everything back down he let out a sigh.
“How many changes of clothes will we carry?”
“Change of clothes?” Jesse asked with raised eyebrows.
“These clothes will stink after at least two days if we have to walk and unfortunately I am not hopeful enough for a horse and I usually change daily and take at least one bath a day to not stink like the pigs in the yard.
Jesse's stunt expression had Taiga look at him questioning, waiting for the other one to answer.
“We won't have any spare clothes. Maybe a second shirt. Commoners usually don't carry any spare clothes on travels. If needed we will buy new ones on the market or trade for some.”
“You're kidding,” Taiga let out scandalized, pointing at the cotton clothes. “I can just wear one of the bags used for the cow's food, they will smell the same after a few days.”
"If you prefer that?” Jesse asked, but couldn't keep a serious expression after a moment and while Taiga was about to pout, he also enjoyed the other one's open attitude a lot more than the way he had behaved this morning around the king.
“Fine," Taiga said as he got up, but then stopped, looking at Jesse. “Are you going to help me?”
“With what?”
“Changing into these hideous clothes.”
“You can't do so yourself?” Jesse asked in confusion.
“I-” Taiga wanted to argue, yet he actually felt a bit embarrassed for the first time. “Fine, I'll do it myself.”
How was he supposed to challenge himself with this if he couldn't leave even the simplest luxury behind.
It look him a ridiculous amount of time to get out of his tail coat and button up shirt, not to forget his laced boots and he let out a long sigh when he threw the boots into the next corner.
“Your clothes look seriously uncomfortable,” Jesse dared to say.
“The tail coat was embroidered in the far east, the golden yarn used for it cost more than your entire armor.”
“I didn't say it didn't look expensive,” Jesse said as he got up and took the trousers from the ground, holding them out towards Taiga. “Do you want me to step outside while you get changed?”
“What a weird thing to ask,” Taiga said, tilting his head. He just got out of his trousers and under shirt too before he grabbed the new trousers from Jesse.
“Aren't you used to changing in front of other knights too?” Taiga asked while he pulled the new shirt over his head, immediately hating the feeling of the rough fabric on his skin.
“We are absolutely used to it, but I wasn't sure how you feel about a stranger in the same room while changing clothes.”
“Trust me, I usually have at least four people around me while I change or take a bath. So I guess I mastered one thing about being a commoner already?”
The proud way Taiga asked made Jesse smile and finally Taiga also showed a brief smile as well, before he tucked on his own clothes. “Well then, show me how a commoner would fix this disaster of a fabric,” Taiga said with the shirt now hanging way too lose from his shoulders without the belt and the straps around the neck part not fastened.
Jesse stepped closer to help Taiga with at least that part as he wasn't at all used to the clothes. Taiga looked at the other one's hands while he fastened the straps around his wrists and collar before he put the belt around Taiga's hips, making sure that the shirt fitted the right way.
“All done,” Jesse said as he looked down at Taiga, the prince looking up at him in a curious way, making Jesse immediately step back.
Taiga walked over to the mirror and looked at his own unfamiliar appearance. “Well, I still think they will stink horribly, but they don't look as hideous as I thought.”
“I am certain that any clothes fit you well,” Jesse said. “And we can still wash them in a river or lake on the way if needed. It's not like we have the luxury of a bath every few days.”
The way Taiga looked back at Jesse through the reflection of the mirror, made Jesse bite his lip, once more trying not to laugh.
“I am certain that there are going to be dozens of unwanted news awaiting me on this travel, so I will just accept my fate for now, but I don't want to hear any complaints about any smells on this journey.”
“You will smell way worse things than yourself on this travel, that is for sure,” Jesse said and this time he failed horribly at hiding a laugh when Taiga turned back towards him with a scandalized expression.
Their journey was going to be everything but smooth, but Taiga hoped that he wasn't going to have an even worse time out there as he had in the castle over the last two years.