Falling Kindom

Prince

"Kakeru, what's with the get-up?" asked Hajime, scanning him from head to toe from where he stood next to the palace throne. Kakeru was wearing a monk's hat with a white dress, which seemed to have gathered dirt in his short time outside. Well, considering how much energy he had, that wasn't very surprising. His blond hair was hidden entirely from view, as were his eyes.

"It's a disguise," said Kakeru, flashing a smile at him from underneath the hat.

"You look like a monk," said Hajime, returning his smile.

Kakeru looked proud. "And hence, no one will give me a second glance. Being invisible isn't about being seen—"

"—It's about not being noticed," advisor Haru finished with a smile.

Kakeru nodded, before slipping on his business mask. As head of the Lunox Kingdom's Intelligence Unit—which was actually just a kinder word for 'spy'—he had gathered information for this audience.

"Your Majesty, there's been a band of thieves wreaking havoc in the city."

That caught Hajime's attention. He had purged the city of thieves and vagrants earlier, not even a week ago, and he had full trust in the guards' ability to handle the city. Had more thieves appeared to replace them so soon?

A breeze flew in as the doors opened, and footsteps alerted them to three guards bringing in a child, bound with chains. The woman in front had her hair tied up in a ponytail, the standard for female guards, because long hair not tied back gets in the way of swordplay. She was the head of her unit, and she had the skills to prove it. Hajime remembered her briefly from his trips into the city; they called her Rin. All knights had the kingdom's emblem embroidered onto their uniforms—a black crescent moon with swords crossed in the background.

Kakeru stepped aside, his eyes widening, either from surprise or recognition, Hajime wasn't sure. Hajime took a closer look at the child they brought in; he seemed to be around 16 years old. A little young, but then again, he, the king, was a mere 20.

"Why have you brought a child here?" he asked the guards, walking down the stairs to stand below the throne.

The guards forced the boy to his knees, before bowing themselves.

Hajime could feel his advisor bristling beside him. Haru never liked seeing prisoners taken, which was why Hajime usually preferred to be informed about these situations in advance, so he could send Haru off to fetch something and spare him the sight.

"Your Majesty, we saw this boy spying on our soldiers near the border. We think he's a spy sent from another kingdom," said Rin, looking up.

"I said I didn't," said the boy. He sounded more exhausted and exasperated than outraged. "I was just passing by!"

Hajime's cloak billowed around him. "But no one except the guards and the merchants have any business on the border of the Kingdom Lunox," Hajime said kindly. "Why were you there?"

The boy looked down and refused to answer. Hajime noticed his leg was bleeding, likely from an arrow shot. His clothes were torn and tattered, but made of fine material, and far too dirty for someone who claimed not to be doing anything suspicious.

"Did you attack him?" he asked his guards, his voice sounding angry even to his own ears.

"He tried to run from us, Your Majesty," said the second guard, blatantly avoiding an honest answer.

"I wasn't," muttered the boy, seeming rather close to giving up.

"Then who were you running from?" asked Haru, his eyes on the boy's leg as if he wanted nothing more than to patch it up.

The boy looked up at them, meeting their eyes with his own piercing blue ones for the first time. A flash of recognition shot through Hajime's mind, before he smothered it down. "A band of thieves, who had just burnt down my house with my mother in it." His voice dripped with grief. Kakeru stepped back, guilt visible on his face.

The guards looked at each other, as Hajime issued an order, despite thinking it was too early in the morning for this. "Find the band of thieves. I want them in the prison by this evening."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" said Rin, as she stood up.

"Also, your pay is cut for this month," said Hajime with a dark smile. "I'm sure you know better than to attack people on an assumption."

Rin gave her guards a pointed look, as one sheepishly ran a hand through his hair. They nodded. "We apologize. It won't happen again."

"I hope not."

They bowed again and took their leave, leaving the boy there. Hajime knelt before him, and Haru stepped forward. Kakeru was apparently trying to be part of the wall.

"What's your name?" asked Haru, ruffling his blond hair.

"Aoi. Aoi Satsuki," he said, as sunlight finally streamed in through the open windows.

"You have no family now?" asked Hajime.

Aoi shook his head, as Kakeru silently stepped forward and untied the chain with deft fingers, the way only a former assassin would be able to do.

"Then, would you like to be the kingdom's prince?"

Kakeru let out a low whistle of amusement that was interrupted with an 'ow'. He rubbed his head ruefully as Hajime retracted his hand.

"I apologize. I think I'm too old to be your son," said Aoi, his eyes narrowing.

Haru shook his head. "Prince is just a title. While it normally is traced by bloodline, there's no law stating you can't be one."

"Why would you want me?" asked Aoi, sounding skeptical. Hajime wondered if he was thinking the palace might be a scam.

"Because I feel responsible for this," said Hajime, running a hand through his hair and feeling slightly bad for lying. "Haru, call a healer and get him patched up, will you? The Head of Healers has gone down to the city, but someone else will do just fine."

Haru nodded and threw Aoi's arm over his shoulder, as they walked away. Kakeru had pulled a vanishing act. Hajime walked the familiar palace halls, letting his feet take him back to his room. He didn't absorb any of the sights: not the paintings, not the garden, not even the maids and servants scrambling out of the way and watching as he walked past them.

Satsuki. The name was awfully familiar, and he finally let the smothered-down memory return. He smiled as he remembered the gossip brought to him by the knights, and a very brief meeting as children. The Satsuki family was well-known in the area for being beautiful. His smile vanished as he remembered Aoi was the only one left; his father had died a few years prior.

Arata, the captain of the guards, came to Hajime with the report that evening, speaking in detail about the destruction caused by the group.

Hajime sentenced them to a lifetime in the prisons, and worked with Haru to make plans to compensate the affected. It was a very long list, and Hajime wondered how they had gone on for so long, with no word reaching the castle's ears.

"There's not much else we can do, is there?" he asked his advisor.

Haru shook his head. "A life once lost is lost forever."

Aoi nodded from behind Hajime, eyes dark and leg bandaged. Arata caught his eye and winked, as Aoi tilted his head.

Hajime dismissed everyone before heading to his room. A locket on the desk caught his attention as he moved to it. He could've sworn it was glowing just a second ago.

Spinning it in his hand, he remembered a white-haired boy giving it to him long ago, telling him they'd meet again someday. Hajime, a mere child at the time, had simply nodded. But he couldn't remember anything else about the boy. He shrugged and headed to bed. If it had been important, there was no way he would've forgotten.

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A/N: This is a kingdom crossover between Tsukiuta and Uta no Prince Sama, but honestly: Most of the characters play minor roles.