Travel The Distance

Chapter 21

A week or so passed. The castle went about business as usual and everything was working as it should have been. Shoto and his companions settled into their jobs well, the guards which I ordered keep an eye on them reported that they did as they were asked to and caused no trouble. Shoto and his friends seemed to keep to a strict routine which made it all the easier to anticipate their next move and make sure they weren't causing trouble.

Every morning, Shoto and his friends emerged from their respective rooms between 7 am and 7:30. They all went to the kitchen to eat their breakfast before going to their posts. When it was time for their lunch, they always sat on the table closest to the left window in the servant's dining quarters before they returned to work. When their day was finished at 6 pm, they all went their separate ways. Princess Money Bags went to visit Kyoka. Round Cheeks either hung out with some of my advisors or went to the library to read about parenthood, pregnancy and recipes. Deku either stuck with his wife (going to the library or making friends) or went out into the training yard where he would spar with Four Eyes under the vigilant eye of my guards and occasionally Eyebags. Four Eyes always practised swordwork or ran laps. On the odd occasion, he would visit the library, but he mainly stuck to the training yard. Shoto always, no matter how secluded of a place I was in, managed to find me and interact with me. It was annoying at first, but I grew to like the time I spent with Shoto. It might have been my traitorous heart speaking for me, but I couldn't help but love the time Shoto and I spent together.

Evening light filtered through the branches of the apple trees which surrounded me. My head was tilted back and my eyes were closed as I allowed the few rays of sunlight which managed to evade the foliage to wash over me like liquid gold. The presence of Shoto at my side was constant. My heart fluttered every time I felt his heterochromatic eyes on me. I hated having stupid fucking feelings. If having a simple man at my side made my heart stutter and stammer in my chest than I dreaded to think what would happen when I let him in fully. Opening my heart to him seemed like a huge fucking mistake, and yet with every second, we spent together, the key to my heart got ever closer to being in Shoto's possession.

"You have a beautiful Kingdom, Katsuki," Shoto whispered into the silence which encompassed us. I wanted to snap at him for breaking the tranquillity that the silent orchard around us had created, but I couldn't find it within myself. Shoto was making me soft.

"Tch. Yeah, it's better than Endeavour." I huffed. I reluctantly opened my eyes and let my gaze flicker over to Shoto. His eyes were closed as strands of white and red hair fell across his face. I took a moment to just sit and admire the man next to me. Shoto's face was somehow chiselled and soft simultaneously. It was an intriguing blend which made my stomach do something shitty. It felt like a million butterflies were fluttering around inside of me. I wasn't a fucking idiot like my shitheads, I knew what that feeling was, but I wasn't going to accept the feelings which made my heart swoop every time our eyes connected. I wouldn't let these feelings of love consume me.

" I didn't even mention Endeavour." Shoto chuckled slightly.

"Tch. Well, I could tell that was what you were saying. I mean full offence by this, but your Kingdom looks shitty. It's too grey and drab. If you want to find somewhere truly beautiful, you have to go looking for it. Decent plants only grow in magically dense areas or places which are completely untouched by humans. Here, everywhere you look you can see something beautiful. The mountains. The sky. The water. The flowers. The trees. Nature here is just better than in Endeavour." I tutted before falling for the trap Shoto had set out for me. He had gotten me to show genuine passion and emotion other than anger whilst talking about my Kingdom. The dickhead.

"Is that so? Well, I must say that I'm inclined to believe you. My father's Kingdom is rather dreary, it would be much better if you were King. Maybe then people wouldn't have to be scared of the people who are supposed to protect and speak for them. Plus, I think that maybe with all the nature spirits from your Kingdom, Endeavour could become a lot more beautiful." Shoto sighed gently, his eyes left my face and strayed up to the foliage above our heads.