Eclipse

Chapter 4

Eclipse's POV
"Eclipse, I really don't-"

"Grant, I'll be fine. But I have to talk to this prince who, is my own family!" I said, marching off towards the palace gates. Grant huffed and followed me as I stood in front of a pair of royal guards.

"Halt. Who are you."

"I request an audience with the prince." I said sternly, the guards looking at each other when a boy walked over.

"An audience with me, huh? Strange, usually it's people marching up here demanding for my parents. Let her through. Not him though." The, I'm assuming prince, said while looking at Grant. Grant looked at me worried as I smiled faintly at him and promised I'd be okay. The guards moved aside and let me walk through the gates. The prince led me away from the gates and towards the gardens.

"So. You're the prince. Right."

"At your service! So, why have you asked for me? Who are you for that matter, you don't look like anyone important." He said, making me furrow my brows at him.

"Ahem. I've asked to see you, because I want to talk."

"How informal."

"Wasn't it informal when you let in a complete stranger?"

"Mm. Fair enough."

"Well, I'm a visitor to, your, kingdom. It's an, honor.. that the prince is letting me talk to him."

"But of course. You being a guest makes it all the better." He said with a smile. I narrowed my eyes at him. He wasn't very princely..

"So, what's your name, your highness.."

"Please, just call me Akihiko."

"...Alright.. Akihiko.. Can I ask you some questions about this, this fine kingdom?"

"Of course, I'll answer them the best I can."

"Are you the only child of your mother and father?"

"Uh, I think so."

"You think so?"

"Well I mean they've never told me otherwise."

"..Right. You know. No offense or whatever, but you don't really act like a prince." I said, the prince awkwardly smiling with a shrug.

"Well.. I uh, I don't like being to formal or anything." He said with a smile. I slowly nodded before kindly asking if I'd be allowed to go inside the palace, with his escort of course. Akihiko seemed hesitant but walked with me inside. Now. Suga and Daichi told me that they used to work here with a bunch of other people who knew my parents too. Suga said something about after he and Daichi left, the new head butler is named-

"Hey Asahi!" Akihiko called out, a tall man with longer brown hair neatly tied back walking over.

"Yes your highness??"

"Would you please take care of my guest? I need to go speak to my mother and father about something."

"Of course, your highness."

"Thank you. I'll be right back." Akihiko said to me before rushing off. I watched him go before shrugging and looking up at Asahi. He really was kinda a giant wasn't he.

"Is there anything I can get you miss?"

"No, but I do have a question."

"Of course."

"Do you know my dads? Their names are Tobio Kageyama and Shoyo Hinata." I said, Asahi looking at me just as shocked as Suga and Daichi looked at me at first.

"Tobio and Hinata are your dads?"

"Mhm."

"...What-" He started to speak when the prince came back. He smiled and told me to follow him for a little tour. I glanced at Asahi who really couldn't say anything about it before following Akihiko. Inside the palace was certainly grand and really impressive. But I was more excited by the gardens. Both my dads loved nature, and I guess I grew a deep lover for it too. The flowers were always so pretty and vibrantly colored, and by contrast, the stars were incredibly bright with just white.

"So, what do you think of the kingdom??"

"Huh? Oh. It seems nice."

"I think so too." Akihiko said while looking at his reflection in the water of the fountain. I tilted my head with a small laugh.

"Well I'd hope so. I mean. I'd think the prince should like his own kingdom."

"Oh, yeah of course of course I was just, agreeing with you." He said quickly. I smiled slightly at him. I guess that he wasn't that bad. Honestly, I imagined a lot worse. I imagined some kinda really stuck up prince who was really fancy. This guy was, well, he acted more like me. But then again, he looked young like me. Maybe he'd grow into the snobby role when he became king.

"So. What're your parents like, you know, them being a king and queen."

"Oh, well, they're busy. A lot. But I mean, it takes a lot of work to run an entire kingdom and stuff."

"Yeah, I'd guess so. What about you, think you're ready to take the throne?"

"Hah, not at all." He mumbled with a sigh. I watched him quietly, shaking my head before just examining him. He did kind of look like my dad. Except of course younger. He didn't act like my dad though. I know I know my dad is what, in his 30's, but still. It was just weird, even my dad who was a blacksmith now acted more royal than this guy.

Akihiko and I stayed quiet in the gardens. I just kneeled to the ground, enjoying looking at all these new kinds of flowers. I've only seen pictures and illustrations of them in my dad's books or notes, it was great getting to see them in real life. After a while, Akihiko slowly sat down next to me and cleared his throat.

"Hey.. um... I could, I could get in a lot of trouble telling you this, but, can I tell you a secret..?"

"Huh? I, I guess so?"

"You can't tell anyone else..!"

"If you're so worried about me telling someone, why are you telling me?"

"Because I can't keep this stupid secret to myself any longer and I don't want to talk to the servants about it.. and you aren't from here so. So you might not care?"

"Alright..? What's the secret?"

"I'm not actually the prince."