Empire 《Mikayuu/YuuMika》

⥈ Chapter Nine ⥈

The prince sat in his chair, flipping through the book he was trying to concentrate upon, but to no avail. He read every word, but none had made sense to him, as if it was written in a language he could not understand. He could not comprehend a single idea that was written on that page. He reread the entire page, trying to pursue his racing mind and train it on the book he was attempting to read.

He sighed, closing the book and shaking his blond head. His mind would not let him. He set the book aside, closing his eyes and trying to relax, as if that would soothe his racing thoughts. It frustrated him that he could not have control of his own mind. It had behaved as such for almost a week, and Mikaela was even losing sleep over it. He tried blaming the strange behavior on stress or frustration, but he knew neither of those were the cause.

The recent lessons his mother had taught him did not subside in his mind. No, it merely travelled into one ear and out the other. His mother already had scolded him for his distracted behavior. He tried his hardest to focus on what was in front of him, but it was to no avail. It was as if he was eight years old again, when he decadently wanted to escape into fantastical worlds where he could be who he wanted, uninterested in his studies, but trying his best to understand what was being instructed to him.

However, one of his desires had been fulfilled: he had a friend. He had someone who he could talk to about anything he pleased. Yuuichirou was a knight, as he dreamed of so fondly. He was eager to make his friend's dream come true with an upmost enthusiasm. A precipitous slope it had been for Yuuichirou to be knighted, and it steepened even more so keeping the fact Yuuichirou was not related to any conquered royal family a secret, especially with the overbearing royal advisor's skepticism threatening his friend's happiness.

Could his desires not be satiated there? Why did he always want more? His greed was relentless, as he could not be content with just a friend. Of course, he had to dwell on the thoughts of Yuuichirou's charming smile or clever and determined demeanor. He looked forward to their meeting they scheduled later that night, where he would sneak out of his window and climb down his balcony to see him. The other told Mikaela to meet him in the woods, and he was curious to what the other was planning.

He shook his head to relinquish his thoughts. His inclinations to daydream had caught him once again, he scolded himself. He stood from his chair and decided to begin his duties as a prince. He could tend to his horse and remain busy in the castle. Perhaps that would bring his mind from his endless daydreams.

Once the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and the world began to darken, the prince climbed down his balcony and snuck away. Cloaked in darkness, he fled to the wooded area nearby. His only aid was the moon, which painted the world with its silvery light.

"Hello, Tsuki-san," Mikaela whispered as he reached the woods he had missed, the noises from crickets and the gentle breeze accompanying the sounds of his footsteps on the forest floor. The forest looked different at night. The sounds of the birds chirping had ceased, but the wind rustling the leaves remained, filling him with an unfamiliar feeling of nostalgia.

The prince looked around the area to find the boy he was supposed to meet, only to see a golden light shining through the sea of trees. He grinned and followed the light, now running through the woods enthusiastically. He avoided rocks and stray branches, foliage crunching beneath his feet until he reached the source of the light.

A lantern was lit inside a structure that was composed of branches, some yarn, and a raggedy piece of cloth that was draped over it. He saw the shadow of the other male inside, who crawled out of the opening to behold the boy who stood outside in a daze. He grinned at the blond.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"What is it?" was Mikaela's response.

"It's a fort," Yuuichirou told him. "I used to make these all the time when I was little. It was nice to sleep outside and look at the stars and fireflies."