Sunshine and a Blue Castle Prince

Chapter 1: Welcome to Blue Castle

 The wheels of the carriage crunch over rough roads of rural Hina Kingdom. The sound is the only thing that breaks the silence between Hinata Yuki and her son.

"Are you still ok with this, Shou-kun?" she says after several hours spent watching the trees on the side of the road pass by,

Shouyou shrugs, keeping his eyes firmly on the side of the road. "I have to be. I've heard bad things happen to people who don't follow a Fae pact to the letter. I don't understand why I have to wear a dress, though."

"They don't. Just remember," Yuki says, smoothing her son's fire-hued hair. "declare yourself the oldest child of Sugawara Koushi and Hinata Yuki. You can do that, right?"

Shouyou raises his eyes to look at Queen Yuki. It never ceases to amaze her just how much like his demi-fae grandfather he looks. Even under the makeup smoothing his masculine features, her father's demi-fae features are too prominent to ignore. And she's not the only one to have noticed it. Since Shouyou's Coming of Age ceremony and his pseudo-debut at her clan's campfire, Yuki's councilors have put her under increasing pressure to send "the half-breed cousin to the south, where they tolerate such abominations."

"Queen-Mother?"

"It's nothing, Shou-kun. Just keep taking deep breaths. We don't want you puking in the lap of one of the princes of Aoba Johsai."

The young man makes a face at the gentle reminder of his nervous nature. "But I already did that before I left."

"Then you'll be fine. Remember, you have nothing to worry about. You'll be welcome there."

The carriage rolls to a halt next to a bridge that crosses a rushing river.

"My queen, young master, we are here."

The guards help the two royals , flanking the pair closely as they approach the bridge.

Yuki stops and draws Shouyou close. "As soon as you step onto Fae ground the pact is complete" She whispers in his ear. "Good luck my sunshine crow."

The young man wraps her in a hug. "Give Natsu and Nyoko hugs for me."

Shouyou pulls away, taking the first step onto the bridge.

Oikawa watches a short, skinny redhead cross the bridge on trembling legs.

"What do you think, Iwa-chan?"

"Of the crow's daughter?"

"Who else?"

Iwaizumi, Oikawa's best friend and cousin, eyes the kid with a frown. "The dragon children said we'd be waiting for a young woman. Dress or no dress, that's no woman. "

"Is that so?"

The boy finally reaches the Fae side, indulging in a brief, relieved grin. As soon as he sees the two fae men, however, the grin fades and the color drains from his face.

"Yoo hoo, Chibi-chan. Who might you be?"

Shouyou looks Oikawa in the eye, not quite able to keep the terror out of his eyes. "I am the s- oldest child of Sugawara Koushi and Hinata Yuki. P-pleasure to meet you."

Oikawa smirks, closing the distance between them. "You don't make a very good girl, Chibi-chan. Did your mother really think makeup and a dress would hide your gender from the Fae."

Shouyou scrubs at his makeup, revealing features that are easily more Fae than human. "I'm the eldest child. The pact is complete."

"But-"