Mairi Prompts

The Assassin and Prince

A young teen sat in a moving carriage, glowering at the older man across from him, he was small in his stature. His clothing only being pajamas that were oversized on him and bound hands resting uselessly in his lap. It was early morning barely the break of dawn. The carriage ride thick with tension.

Mattia drawled, "Couldn't you have kidnapped me later today? It's still early."

"Prince Mattia, please know your situation. You make no demands here. I must speak with your father for negations. Children these days shouldn't even be making such—"

"Oh!" Mattia made a clicking sound with the top of his tongue smacking the roof of his mouth, "I've got it. You're just mad that a thirteen year old has more power than you! Makes sense."

As soon as those words left his mouth Mattia felt a powerful force smack into his cheek; the sound echoed in the carriage and Mattia let out a hiss of pain.

"Oh, you're so dead," the young Prince snickered, brown eyes gleaming with malice, "He will definitely have your head for that."

As soon as the Prince finished his sentence a loud thud could be heard on the roof of the carriage. It shook as the figure moved, the horses whinnied as a commotion outside broke out, Mattia took notice of how he wasn't only with one man but probably a small handful as screaming filled the air outside before it broke into an eerie silence.

Mattia snickered at the horrified expression on the grown man's face.

The carriage door slammed open as a hand shot into the carriage and grabbed the man by his shirt with such force, dragging him out and throwing him onto his back, a hooded figure kneeled down and with practiced ease a dagger was dragged across the captor's throat.

Gurgling sounds could be heard before absolute silence.

"Told you he'd have your head." Mattia muttered, "Kairi! Untie me, please."

The black cloaked figured moved back into the carriage—swiftly, he crouched in front of the boy and undid the ropes.

"Tch, honestly. I leave you alone for a day with someone else and they kidnap you." Kairi snarked, moving the black fox mask away from his face to stare into Mattia's eyes, "and, you, didn't even bother to let out a noise for help?"

"Ehhh, I wasn't too worried! You were on your way back anyways plus aren't you supposed to be at my sides at all times?"

"Yes, I am. However, may I mention who requested for me to leave and grab them something in the first place?"

"Huh, strange. I don't recall."

Kairi let out a sound of annoyance before flicking the young Prince on his forehead which earned him a whine of protest.

"Come, we must be at the castle before the King has my head."

"As if, I'd fight him if he tried anything!"

Kairi snickered and retied the fox mask back onto his face, scooping the younger boy up, he moved with ease. He left the carriage and took one of the horses, letting the other one trot away, he sat the Prince on the saddle before hopping onto it. Kairi left behind an abandoned carriage—bodies to be found scattered on the road—and a prince to return home.

It was funny how Kairi became the Prince's personal protector. He didn't mean to, if he was being honest. Kairi had been sold to a man at the age of six where he was raised to do "dirty work", he was taught how to be nimble, precise and quick. He had learned how to wield any weapon; however in the end, he was apprehended by a knight because of a foolish mistake. The King, however, offered him a deal to protect his son over being executed.

Kairi was many things but one of them wasn't a fool.

Kairi met Mattia when the boy was at the age of eight, only three years younger than he was, it was quite funny how quick Mattia warmed up to a literal assassin.

Kairi let out an annoyed puff of air before hoping off the horse and carrying the young boy inside.

"How long til everyone's awake?" Mattia mumbled, curling into Kairi's chest.

"Hmm, give them about an hour or two? You're not hurt, right?"

"I like how you ask me now. I could've been bleeding to death and you wouldn't have known."

"Please, I'm always on time and on top of that you would've been whining the whole trip back to the castle."

Mattia scoffed before closing his eyes and letting the exhaustion take hold, "Mhm, you know I'm fine. I have you, of course."

Kairi smiled underneath the mask, "Of course, my prince."

Yeah, Kairi was an assassin who protected a young Prince. He never once regretted taking the King's offer to protect such a fragile thing.