His tiny hostage [G/T]

VII - Hide And Seek

Ezra

"Brother, brother, come play! Hide and seek!" Ezra's voice burst with unbridled enthusiasm, reverberating through the ornate hallways of the palace.

"I'm engrossed in my work," Otis replied, his tone heavy with the weight of responsibility. He was absorbed in the labyrinthine details of paperwork for the critical meeting in Asgardia. The gathering of princes—Kudo, Elias, Zeik, Ash, Jaxx, and others—loomed large on his mind. The matter at hand was Zeik's troubling conduct towards a particular human kingdom, and Otis fretted over how they might untangle this diplomatic mess.

"Please!" Ezra's pleas took on a note of heartfelt desperation, his exuberance undiminished.

Otis sighed, the edges of his irritation blurring under Ezra's relentless imploring. "Alright, alright."

"Wonderful! I'll be the seeker. You four, go hide!" Ezra declared with boundless excitement, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He ushered Otis to the door, clearly buzzing with anticipation. Four? Otis's gaze shifted to the side, where he noticed the princess, sitting on the floor, her small face aglow with eager anticipation. Her involvement seemed incongruous—wasn't she too young for such games? Yet, her unrestrained joy was palpable, sparking a reluctant curiosity in Otis. Perhaps she had a hidden talent for this.

"Three-two..." Ezra began his countdown, each number pronounced with dramatic flair. Otis, steeped in the seriousness of his duties, found the distraction both annoying and oddly endearing.

"One is next," Otis and the princess spoke simultaneously. Otis could feel her gaze, intense and full of innocent excitement, but he steadfastly avoided meeting her eyes.

"Three, two, one, go," Ezra finished the countdown, his voice a crescendo of anticipation. As Otis moved at a deliberate pace in search of a hiding place, he heard a sudden thump behind him. Turning, he saw the princess on the floor, breathless and clearly overwhelmed. The ticking clock and her exposed position made it clear she would be found immediately. With a mixture of exasperation and compassion, Otis scooped her up and dashed with newfound urgency. He sprinted to a nearby cleaning cupboard, cramming both of them into the tight space.

"Ready or not, here I come!" Ezra's muffled voice called out from outside. The cramped space of the cupboard pressed in on Otis, and he held the princess close, feeling her tremors of fear against his chest.

"It's alright. Don't cry," Otis murmured, his voice gentle and reassuring. He drew her closer, instinctively wrapping her in a protective embrace. He felt her tiny fists clutching at his clothing, her distress palpable, and his cheeks flushed with a mixture of warmth and embarrassment.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine," Otis replied, though he felt his own pulse quickening under the pressure of her closeness.

"You're red. Are you sick?" she asked, her concern evident.

"I'm fine, thank you," Otis responded, trying to steady his voice.

"Huh?"

"Thank you for making my brothers smile," she said softly, her voice tinged with gratitude.

"It's no trouble," Otis said, though his own heart softened at her words. "I don't have younger brothers at home—just sisters, and I'm the youngest." Her next words struck him deeply: "But I have to thank you as well, Otis. My father had arranged for me to become a concubine in another kingdom. I was supposed to leave the morning after you took me."

Otis's heart ached with an unexpected pang of empathy. "I see."

Before he could respond further, the door to the cupboard burst open with a crash.

"Scoundrel! Taking our princess to commit vile deeds!" One of the brothers stormed in, seizing the princess from Otis's grasp. They then huddled around her, rubbing her head affectionately.

"What the hell is this?" Otis demanded, his frustration evident.

"Don't worry, he won't harm you now," they assured her.

"What do you mean, 'now'? I wasn't doing anything before!" Otis protested, his voice rising in indignation.

"Be silent, you miscreant!" they commanded.

"Whatever. I'm going back to work," Otis muttered, turning to leave.

"Otis," the princess called softly. He turned back to see her smiling at him, a smile that warmed his heart despite his irritation. Feeling his cheeks redden once more, he spun around abruptly, muttering to himself about the inscrutable nature of this human girl.