Chapter Text
life as a prince was easy. At least for Rin. He barely had to do anything yet, until he became the sultan, but that wasn't until his mother either had died, or stepped down her throne. And from what he'd seen, tat wasn't happening anytime soon.
He was currently sitting on a comfy sofa, or a sort, just trailing his hands in the bowl of water in front of him. Water relaxed him, and for living in a desert, it wasn't easy t gain access to. But that was one good thing about living life as a royalty.
You got your own source of water, and only the royal family had permission to it. And that was him, his mother and sister. He of course allowed all his servants to drink and bathe in it too, he wasn't cruel, and even if his mother felt he shouldn't waste such luxury on the slaves and others, Rin paid no attention to it.
The door suddenly sounded, and Rin looked up, his hair gently moving with the movement as his crimson eyes went to the servant who walked in. The man was tall, and had short dark brown hair, it almost looked black in the room, and teal colored eyes as shiny as a gem.
"Sousuke." The maroon-haired prince smirked at the other, who gently bowed before walking over to him, eyes dull, and formal. Rin was very good friends with his personal bodyguard, but there were rules that around others, they had to be formal, and Rin figured he wasn't there to just chat over the bowl because he felt like it.
"What brings you in here, is there any business I need to attend to?" Rin questioned, sitting up straight to obey the formal rules. Sousuke nodded, and started speaking, his tone very serious.
"There is a couple of traders here, and your mother agreed to see them, and she wants you and the princess to get dressed and prepared. I am here to escort you."
Rin smirked slightly. The topic had intrigued him, and he wanted to now about these traders his mother had allowed to speak. She rarely allowed it, finding trade boring, and a waste of time and resources. He did obey, going into his chambers, Sousuke following him to help him get dressed, and put on the headpiece that was mandatory. Oh how Rin hated it.
Heading into the royal Audience room, his mother already sitting on the comfy cushions, and his sister, both wearing similar clothes and headwear. Rin took his seat the opposite side of his mother than Gou was sitting on, and looked down onto the man in front of him. He wasn't very old, but he was in his good 40's or so, Rin thought, as he felt Sousuke walk over and stand behind him.
Rin's mother sat up a bit straighter, and looked over at the man, his orange-tinted hair matching the two boys next to him, both seemingly around Rin's age.
They were definitely brothers, The taller with his hair slicked back, a green bandanna of a sort as a headband, with only a orange vest and white loose pants on, while the younger was more colorful. He wore similar orange vest, but his hair was in every direction possible, and instead of white, bright green pants, with lots of belts of gold, leather and even simple rope around his waste, and a couple of pieced of fabric tied around it as well.
The man, Rin assumed was their father, started speaking up. "My great queen, I am a man with great things to offer you, but I did not come here only for a request to trade with you." he started off, and the woman didn't seem interested at all. Rin looked over at his sister, and sighed.
She was staring at the boys, at their chests, both very muscly, and the oldest was clearly handsome, even in Rin's eyes. Bright golden eyes looking straight forward at their mother, all formal-looking, and Rin couldn't deny he wasn't bad. He had class, he was polite clearly, and he obviously knew o take this seriously.
His brother, on the other hand, noticed the girl staring, and grinned. He started to try and move as carefully as possible, pretending to stretch and yawn, to reveal his body to the princess, who obviously was fully taken by the show.
Unfortunately, their mother noticed, and glared darkly at the boy, who stopped immediately. But it was too late. The woman was mad that the boy seemed to distract her daughter, and Rin worried now. His mother took these things very seriously, so slicing, or getting distracted was unacceptable.
"What do you think you're doing, boy!?" she barked out, the man who was talking stopped, and stared horrified at the younger brother, who now paled. Rin was about to say something to calm her down, but she continued.
"Is he trying to seduce my daughter? Suck behavior is unacceptable!" she glared at the boy, who was getting a worried look from both his father and brother. The older quickly tried to plead forgiveness, but to no avail, the queen was insulted.
"I want your Son to stay here, as a slave, for bringing such shameful acts into my palace!" she glared, and The boy got even more terrified, the elder trying to help think of something to help the situation, while Gou was trying to plead with her mother that he hadn't done it if she hadn't stared.
"Please, My queen, no-- I cannot lose him, he's my youngest child!" The tradesman begged, The older glaring at his brother, and up at the queen, before stepping up.
" My queen, if you really do take my brother, take me as well." He stared at her, seriousness in his yellow eyes, and Rin was amazed how determined he looked. He sure was loyal to his brother. True elderly brother loyalty. Rin knew that was rare. He had seen brother selling their sisters or food, or worse, allowed them to be sexually used just for whatever needs they had.
He looked over at his mother, and nodded, her looking back at him. "Very well. Both your boys will stay here and work, as punishment for your son's disrespectful behavior." she declared, and demanded the guards o escort the boys' father out, him crying and begging them to not stay. The eldest brother looked apologizingly after him, but Gou stepped up suddenly.
"wait! I want them to have a chance to say goodbye to their family first." she asked. Rin looked at her with a curious look. "Why, sister?"
"If we could have had a chance to say goodbye to father before he died, you would have wanted to" she declared, and gave him a serious look. Rin agreed, and nodded to her. "Very well. Let them leave With heir father for now, but tomorrow, they are to come here and start working as my sister's bodyguard and roomservant."
Chapter Text
He sighed, feeling his brother's eyes on him, glaring with such a dark face, as Momotarou begging him to run away. Momo did feel guilty for whart had happened, but it's not like he knew the rules! he and his family came from so far away there was no way to know, dammit!
"Stop looking so bored, this is all your fault." His brother told him, amnd he looked over, cringing when his cold eyes were staring right at him. "Stop it, nii-chan, I couldn't have known she'd take us!"
Their sister kept hugging him, sniffling. The oldest frowned and looked over at her with a pitying look. He wished he could have made them let them go, or at least allowed their entire family to be together. but he knew that if that was the case, the girl would end up as the prince's woman most likely. His sister wasn't ugly, he knew she had beauty, similar orange tint to her long hair, freckled face, and really, the only difference between her and the rest of her family was her eyes, which instead of a bright yellow were a deep blue, that looked like midnight-color. It was almost as if they were black, but you could see the blue tint if it was bright outside.
"Maruha, we promise one day we'll see you again." the brother tried, but she sobbed even harder, and went to hug him.
"Sei, sweetie, please be good now.... Don't get yourself executed..... J-just be respectful, and follow every order, th-then maybe one day, they'll let you go!" she cried. Seijuro, the oldest brother, sighed, and nodded, hugging her back, playing with her hair. He really did not know if he could promise that.
"I'll do my best..."
It seemed to be enough for Maruha, as she nodded, and let him go, smiling weakly. Seijuro sighed, and kissed her forehead. "Please behave for father, okay...? You're all he's got left."
-
Rin groaned slightly, handing his sister another piece of fabric so she could wipe her face off. She had been crying for over two hours now, screaming of how she should be killed for making others suffer for her disability to look away from a boy. Sousuke stood guard at the door, but Rin could see even he wanted to tell her to stop crying, but he was nice enough not to.
"Gou, please, you're gonna get a rash on your cheeks soon...." he sighed, but his sister just glared at him, so he sighed and handed her yet another piece of fabric. She took it and wiped her cheeks again.
"You've never ruined someone's life before, so shut up Rin!" she glared and took a deep breath, trying her best to calm down. The prince glared at her, but didn't say anything. It's not like he could do anything about this. Their mother made the decision, and not even her own children had the power to change her mind.
"I just feel like I ruined their lives forever." he heard her cry, and nodded at her. Moving closer, he brought her into a hug, which she gladly accepted, clinging to him, digging her nails into his shirt. He was good at hiding that she most likely was making him bleed right now.
After crying for a good while, Gou finally seemed to have dried up her last tears, and was now just hiccupping, and Rin ordered Sousuke to get her some water, which he left to do, so now the siblings were alone. Rin made her look at him, rubbing her cheeks, which were reddened and wet still.
"Gou, It'll be alright. They'll be your bodyguards. Well, possibly only one of them, but they're yours to do as you please, so you can be nice to them, let them see their family, anything, but let them go completely." he explained, and his sister nodded, looking down. She seemed to have calmed down and finally gotten better now, because when she looked up, she was smiling again at him.
"That older brother had nice muscles... he must be strong." she giggled, making her brother sigh and shake his head at her. "You really see too few men with muscles to be this obsessed, but It's not like you don't stare at Sousuke everyday." he smirked, the girl squeaked and blushed darkly.
"I-I don't stare at him! He's your bodygard!" she tried to explain, but Rin just laughed and brought her closer to kiss her forehead. He moved away when the door opened up, Sousuke standing there with a urn which contained water. Rin stood up to bring a small alter which he told Sousuke to pour some of it, and another into a glass so she could drink. Gou gladly took it, and drank, while Rin soaked the cloth from earlier into the plate, and started to wipe her cheeks and face with it.
"It will be alright, You just wait and see." He whispered, while Gou nodded, and took the cloth away from him to wipe her eyes herself. Rin made a motion to Sousuke to leave, but he knew he was gonna just stay outside the door.
"i just-- Are you sure there's no way to make mother change her mind...?" she sighed, trying to smile, but it seemed as if she just couldn't anymore. Rin simply shook his head. "If it was father, he would just let it go, but Mother's.... I can't really say crueler, but she's.... I can't really find a good word, but she's not as forgiving as him." he sighed, cursing his wn inability to speak bad of their mother. he truly did love her, but ever since their father's assasination, she had turned cold, angered too easily by anything, and if Rin dared say it, cruel.
Gou sighedm, seeming to finally calm down again, and laid down on her bed. Rin stood up, to leave her alone for a while, but stopped when he felt her grab the hem of his shirt. "Rin.... thank you for trying. I promise I'll e kind to them." she smiled, and he smiled and nodded at her. "I know you will."
Both siblings looked at the door when Sousuke looked in, clearing his throat. His way of warning them that formalities were needed. Which meant that either their mother or a guest was right by him.
"Princess, My prince, Your mother's come to collct you. Princess Gou's new bodyguard and his brother has arrived."
-
Seijuro looked at the three in front of him. The princess, who couldn't be much younger than him, max a couple of years, her brother, the prince, who, as well, could only be a year younger, or possibly the same age, and another man, who according to him, looked like he was alot older than all of them.
Momotarou was frowning, looking down, and Sei realized he should do it as well, but he wanted to show he wasn't afraid. He wanted to seem strong, brave, daring. After all, he was going to be a bodyguard now. He couldn't seem weak or serious.
The doors to the right of them opened up, and two bodyguards walked in, followed by the queen, whose face was just as stoic as earlier. She walked up to her children, standing in the middle, glaring at the two brothers in front of her. Seijuro felt nervous, but unlike his brother, refused to show it.
"So. I hope you both are ready to start your new lives." The woman spoke, her voice strong, no kindness in her tone, and her daughter gave her a nervous look before looking at the boys again, smiling gently. Seijuro felt like he could get sucked into her eyes. They were so beautiful, he realized.
Blinking, he noticed no one else spoke, and Momo looked at him, and he figured he was expected to speak. He looked at the four peiople, and nodded. "Yes, we are. Our lives now belong to you." he said out loud, his tone cold. The princess made a sad face, he figured she felt bad for causing this, but he couldn't blame her. he considered this Momo's fault, yet not, as they didn't know.
"Good. I want to know your names. Especially you, the older one. After all, you'll be protecting my daughter from now on." he heard the woman's voice, and stared at her. Show no nervousity, show no weakness, he thought to himself.
"My name's Seijuro. Our family name is MIkoshiba." he spoke, then gave momo a look as to tell him it was his turn. Momo blinked as he realized it was his turn, and quickly looked down, his face showing everything he felt; Fear. Helplessness, anxious.
"My name's Momotarou, Highness! A-and I apologize for my beha--"
"silence." The queen's voice echoed, and Momo queted down. " I do not want to hear any Meaningless excuses." she glared at him, and he gulped. The prince gave her a nervous glance, but kept silent. JHe stepped up though, his turn to speak.
"Seijuro, You'll be training with sousuke, my personal bodyguard, on how to act in case you're needed. You will not only be a bodyguard, but her servant, her friend" he looked at his mother, who gave him a cold look. "well, not friend, but you'll be someone she relies on." he finished, nodding, waiting for Seijuro's response. Nodding, the older Mikoshiba brother looked at the bodyguard of the prince, short, brown hair, green-blue eyes, and a body that looked like he had been working hard since he was a child.
"Understood. I will protect the princess by all means," he spoke, and made a bow at the family and bodyguard. Momo looked nervously at him, and he had to keep his mouth shut to not tell him to stop shaking. He needed to look strong, ir he'd not be trusted, and possibly could land them both in trouble.
The princess smiled at them both, and walked forward a bit, her brother stepping back. "I want your rother to practice as well, but in his current state, I'd like him to be a servant for me, not a bodyguard ust yet, but he will also practice with my brother's servant, Aiichiro." she spoke gently, her voice so kind Seijuro smiled at her. Momo seemed to calm down by her voice as well.
Their mother glared at her, and Gou stopped smiling, looking down as she stepped back, for her mother to walk forward. "I hope you two don't expect any kind treatment. You are still not allowed many luxurities as the other servants get, and you are not trusted at all." she looked at her son, who frowned at her a bit. "No matter what my son says you can do, You only respond to the princess, myself, and the other servants and bodyguards." she spoke, and the prince's bodyguard seemed to tense up at that.
Seijuro nodded, giving Momo a look before bowing, the younger following his move. "Unerstood, your majesty. We will not dissapoint you."
His words seemed to annoy the queen, as she frowned even deeper at him, and started walking away, not speaking a word. before reaching the doors, whom her guards opened for her, she looked back, giving a glare at them both. " I hope for your own sakes that you are right. One step wrong and I shall not be as kind as I have been." she looked over at the brown-haired bodyguard and spoke. "Sousuke, take them both to their rooms." she spoke, then walked out, her bodyguards slamming the doors after her.
As soon as she left, Momo broke down. He fell to the floor on his knees, and started crying. Seijuro was trying hard not to follow him, but right now, it was hard. He didn't even notice the princess had ran over to them, hugging Momo. This was gonna be a hard life.
Chapter Text
Sousuke wasn't sure for how long the new kid had been crying for, but late into the night, you could still hear him from the servants' sleeping chambers. Sousuke was with Rin in his room, preparing a bowl of water for the prince so he could wash himself for the night. Only Sousuke was allowed into the room during that time. While the princess had servants that washed her, Rin did it himself.
"Seems like He's gonna go on all night.." The maroon-haired male sighed, rubbing at his arm to get clean, and Sousuke just stood close by, sighing. "I guess the queen terrified him that much..."
"My mother is intimidating, I agree, but this much crying is gonna make him sick, and knowing her, she won't allow him to rest if he does..." Rin sighed and finished up, lying down on the cushions that were spread on the floor at his favorite spot, close to the window. he waved Sousuke over, and the taller male walked over and sat by him, starting to wrap off the clothes that Rin had that covered his head.
"I believe she doesn't expect anything from him, hoping he dies soon.... She won't allow you to give him water either..." Sousuke nodded to himself, talking, and Rin sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.
"I will do it anyway." he said, and they both tensed up when the door sounded, and Sousuke immediately stood up, the calmed expression cold again, as he walked over and opened the door, only to see Gou standing there, her long hair out of its ponytail, and her eyes swollen a bit. Rin stood up quickly and walked over to her. She leaned on him immediately, sighing, and trying to relax, but Rin felt her tenseness.
"Gou, you should sleep..." he whispered, and her hair moved when she shook her head no. "I don't want to. That guy's supposed to stand guard, but he got so tired after hearing his brother cry that he passed out on a chair... I don't want to bother him." she spoke, and Rin sighed, and gave Sousuke a look as if to help.
Sousuke gave a sigh as well and stepped forward. "Sleep in your brother's chamber for today, and tomorrow have the new boy work hard to make up for it." he said, and if he guessed on Rin look of disapproval, it was the wrong thing to say. The elder brother turned his attention back to Gou, and gave a sigh.
"I'll go down and get you something so you can sleep easier.." he felt her nod, and took it as a sign so he could let go, and leave, but as soon as he loosened his hold on her she clung onto him even more.
"Gou, If you want me to help, You'll have to let go.."
"I don't want you to go.." she whispered, and Rin sighed. "Go lie down on my bed then."
Gou listened, but she was out before Rin even had time to leave the room, so there was no need to get her anything. He gently put the covers, which was just a silk piece of fabric, and then sat next to her, playing with her hair to get her to relax in her sleep.
"Tomorrow, you'll have to start training her bodyguard. he needs to protect her." He said over to Sousuke, who sighed and nodded. "If he wants to protect the princess, he can't start yet. I had to go through training for years before I was your bodyguard..."
"But you had the privilege to get trained since you were young.... You were meant to guard me, since we were boys."
Sousuke nodded, and sighed. "Hopefully I can make the boy train as well, so he's not just there to anger the Queen." Rin nodded at it, and moved Gou to the side a bit, lying down, Sousuke gave him a nod, then left the room, to let the two sleep while he silently stood guard all through the night.
-
Seijuro woke up in a panic the next morning, first thing he did was fall off of the chair he had slept in, and quickly scrambled up, staring over at the big bed the princess was supposed. The panic grew worse when he noticed she wasn't there. His mind raced with scenarios of what could have happened, and if any of those fantasies had happened, what'd happen to him and Momo?
"is something wrong...?" he heard a female voice, and spun around to, in his relief, see the princess standing by the door, smiling gently at him.
"P-princess-- I thought-- Oh my god, I messed up, I'm sorry--" he started, but she quickly silenced him with a laugh.
"You've been stressed after this whole thing, so I let you sleep. It's okay." she spoke, and when he looked at her unsurely she continued. "really, it's alright. I slept with my brother anyway, so I was guarded by his own bodyguard."
Seijuro sighed a bit, and bowed at her. "I'm sorry for failing you, Princess...." he was stopped at her laughing again. Looking up, he noticed just how beautiful she was. Hair as fire, eyes as rubies, she was simply stunning. She had the most perfect body, her face was that of a goddess, and Seijuro just was speechless.
Gou blinked when she noticed him staring, and smiled gently at him, before remembering why she had walked into the room at all. "Oh right, Sousuke asked for you."
He blinked out of the trance, and looked at her. "Um..... who?" he asked, He couldn't remember who she talked about. The princess just smiled at him. "My brother's bodyguard. Taker your brother with you, he wants you both to train."
Seijuro nodded, and headed for the door, and was about to close it when he saw her standing just behind him, so he let it be open, and noticed she followed him. 'she probably wants to make sure I don't get lost' he thought, then stopped, realizing he really didn't know his way around the palace.
Gou laughed gently and started walking ahead of him, to show him the correct way, and before long, they were in front of a door that led to the servants' sleeping chamber. Sousuke stood outside, face cold as he stared up at the redhead. because he was surprisingly taller than Sousuke.
The dark-haired boy opened the door, and Seijuro walked in, and seeing Momo immediately, walked over to him, at the far corner of the room, and bent down to him.
"Hey, little brother.... You alright?" he asked carefully, and frowned when he had no answer, but just Momo looking down, his eyes dark as he really looked soulless. A servant girl walked up, and sighed.
"he wouldn't stop crying all night, until one of the stronger men knocked him out." she explained. Seijuro widened his eyes at her.
"knock him out!?"
Gou sighed where she stood, and walked over, to inspect Momo. He didn't even react when she started to move his hair to look for any kind of bump. "he's fine, just tired." Seijuro sighed in relief and stood up, pulling his brother up along with him.
"let's go, and get this over with... Today's gonna be a hard day."