sic semper tyrannis

transire benefaciendo

Once again, they didn't talk about the incident. Even though, once again, Alhaitham pressed for it. Kaveh would simply smile at him, tell him it didn't matter, it was behind them, they didn't have to think about it, and that was that. The only thing Alhaitham really managed to wrench out of him was that it didn't change his worldview. He still wanted to fix everything no matter what it took.

Other than that, they didn't need to speak about it.

It wouldn't matter for too long anyway, soon it was Kaveh's birthday again and with it, came the experience he'd been waiting for. His parents had finally tired of him and he was given the chance to leave the castle for what was supposed to be the first time in his life.

Although it was in the form of a guarded trip to the desert kingdom, Kaveh was ecstatic. Perhaps it was the acknowledgment he was growing up or perhaps it was the opportunity to finally prove he could handle responsibilities (or, as Alhaitham thought, an opportunity to get him out of his parents' hair), but either way, it had Kaveh smiling to himself as he sat at the desk, tapping his pen against the side of his cheek as his brain produced thoughts faster than he could draw them out.

On top of the desk, he'd stacked as many books on the desert as he could find, all open to random pages (though most displayed a picture of some sort), and he hummed softly to himself as he glanced up from the drawing to take in the contents of the books and then back to the page of paper he was working on.

Just watching him like this, watching the excitement flash behind ruby eyes, it was more fun than Alhaitham would like to admit.

He closed the book he was reading, standing up from his place on the edge of Kaveh's bed. It wasn't as if he had been paying attention anyway, his gaze preferring to stay fixated on the prince. He just drew people in with flashy smiles and golden hair and bright optimism. It was hard to ever look away.

Alhaitham made his way over to the desk, placing one hand down on the side and leaning slightly over to see the drawings Kaveh had been working on. By now, they littered the pages, leaving almost no place untouched. There were buildings, clearly made for the desert, and sparkling oases and small sandy-colored foxes. It all looked so real, if he didn't know any better Alhaitham was sure he could reach out and touch them.

Kaveh's head rose when he approached, flashing him that silly smile, and he picked up one drawing of what he supposed was meant to be a house, but it was flashy and made for show and much too elaborate for Alhaitham's taste.

Still, Kaveh tilted his head to the side and asked away. "Do you like this one? I know it'll just be a festival and everything when we go, but I want to show them. I want to do so much when I'm king, I might as well start working now."

There was that dazzling optimism of his, glinting in the shine of the light on his eyes and hidden somewhere in the softness of his skin. Everything about Kaveh reflected it, practically screamed out how innocent he was, and Alhaitham would be damned if he defied it.

He gave a nonchalant shrug. "I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

Kaveh frowned at that, his grip on the page tightening just enough to crinkle it. "You don't have to lie," he muttered, turning his gaze away and flattening the paper back onto the desk. "Just because you don't like it doesn't mean Princess Candace won't. I have so many ideas, I'm sure she'll love them."

"You've never met her," Alhaitham objected. "How could you know anything about her ideals?"

"I don't need to! The desert is falling apart under my parents, you said it so yourself," Kaveh crossed his arms over his chest, this time firmly turning his head away from Alhaitham. He faced the opposite direction, though Alhaitham was sure he was still pouting and if his eyes weren't closed, they were narrowed. Kaveh huffed, continuing, "I want to fix it."