The Little Snow Prince

[youkohiei_fan]

Title: The Little Snow Prince
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: KuroFai
Warnings: none
Summary: Kurogane's father is the ambassador to Celes and decides to take his wife and son along with him to see King Ashura and Prince Fai.
Notes: co-written with the wonderful
zelinxia


The city was something out of a fairytale.

The capital of Celes rested in a deep valley with high jagged mountains surrounding her. A jewel that rested at the throat of the world. As the party rode underneath the gates they saw the city's people standing by the main street. Nearly every house held banners displaying the country's coat of armor. Inside the walls everything was green and bright, a contrast to the thin grass and few trees they had seen when they had gone far into the mountains. There was even music in the towns square. Nihon was Celes' greatest ally and a visit from the country's ambassador was something to celebrate as few had ever come to the capital, fewer still from the plains and rolling hills of Nihon. There had been talks on days end within the Noble House of Suwa about the upcoming conference that King Ashura, ruler of Luval and the greater of Celes, would be hosting, the country was known for the magic that ran deep within its mountains and its people.

While Nihon was not short of powerful magic, they relied on strength instead. The two countries melded together well and it was Lord Suwa's job to see that it stayed as such. His visits were usually short as his province lied on the border of their respective countries. It was expected to be longer than usual, and so preparations were made for the long trip away from home. At first the lord and the lady had planned to go by themselves and leave their son in Suwa, but at his request to come along they had relented. Kurogane had recently turned twelve and although he still sported a youthful personality, he was deemed mature enough to travel. With that said, Kurogane was excited to explore the fine capital during his stay with his parents.

Eventually they made it to the back of the city. Their party was made up of Suwa's lord at the front with his wife and son in a small carriage surrounded by warriors who carried their banner. Above was Luval Castle, and it was a sight that many traveled to see. It floated high above the ground with massive pairs of wing-like structures encircling it. Long bridges connected it in several directions to the street below. Suwa's lord took pause, impressed, but he kept his face neutral as a guard approached and explained how they would be using magic now to travel to the castle courtyard. Other court attendants and magicians tended to the noble guests' horses and luggage while the Suwa Family followed another mage.

They stood on top of a large rune etched into the stone at the end of the path that ran off into a deep crevasse. The patterns were intricate, bearing ancient Celesian that crisscrossed over images of the earth and the great sky. All of these were fascinating enough for the boy who marveled in the beauty of the portal. The magician then mounted his staff, writing out sigils above the words carved on the runes. The circle turned bright blue and purple, swirls of magic surrounding the party. As if they had turned lighter, the group started levitating and the magician guided them all in a safe sphere towards the castle.

Eventually when they landed they were taken across a vast courtyard, overflowing with vegetation as people went about their work. There was still snow on the ground; however the worst of the cold spell had ended recently. Residing far up in the northern mountains, the Celesians were accustomed to such weather year round, and as such the crops and their lifestyle adapted to it. It was natural that they carefully abided to use all of their resources carefully. Many of the workers quickly bowed and curtsied upon noticing the noble guests entering the area. At last, they had arrived in the main hall.

King Ashura, who was both capable in magic and weaponry, was revered as the strongest in Celes and possibly many other countries. He smiled and stepped down from his throne to welcome them. It was hard to believe such a man carried such stories of battling foes and monsters alike with his gentle eyes and soft voice.

"Welcome! I hope your journey wasn't too hard?"

"There were some rough bumps Your Majesty, but I must say it was pleasant overall." Toriho, Lord of Suwa, said with a warm smile.

"I'm glad." Ashura smiled as they exchanged formalities. Eventually he bowed to Tsumebe. "And welcome, Lady of Suwa. I hope you will enjoy your stay here."

Tsumebe did a quick curtsy. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Already your staff have been of most kind to us."

The king laughed good-naturedly before a thought struck him. "Ah, where are my manners? All of you must be tired from your trip. Perhaps I should have you shown your rooms?"

"That would be wonderful," Toriho said, chuckling as well.

Kurogane was relieved. Although Luval Castle was a magnificent sight to behold, he was thoroughly exhausted from the trip. Right now settling down on a nice bed and curling up near a warm fireplace was very inviting.

"And it seems I have overlooked Suwa's young lord," Ashura said with a smile as he spotted Kurogane. "Your father tells me you like to climb trees. I have a son of my own who likes to get into mischief. Perhaps you two could meet."

Kurogane flushed at the mention of his father boasting about his habit of climbing trees. He always got embarrassed whenever that was brought up. "That would be nice," he said.

Nodding, Ashura straightened. "I'll let him know." He then called for servants to escort the family to their rooms and bid them goodbye.

While his parents were to stay in a grand guest master bedroom, Kurogane's own room was still cozy and reasonable. A healthy fire greeted him when he entered, and to his surprise his luggage was already neatly tucked away in the corner. The empty wardrobe was open for him and it was bigger than the one he had at home. Frost covered the windows but at least he could warm up again after spending hours traveling in the cold winds. He sighed and took off his traveling boots, choosing to lie down on his four poster bed. A nap was much needed before they were all summoned to supper and he dozed off for what seemed like a good hour or so, until he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in."

He had expected a servant, but instead a kid came in. He stood lanky with long blond hair where a ribbon twisted through it. His eyes were bright and blue as he shuffled into the room.

"My father said I should come and get you."

In truth, Kurogane was surprised to find that this small boy happened to be the king's son and heir to the throne. "…Oh," he managed to say at last. "So you are the - um - prince?"

The prince blushed and shied away. Usually he was the only child in the palace so he spent most of his time with people that were far older than him. "I am."

Red eyes widened. Suddenly Suwa's young lord didn't feel too embarrassed being caught waking up from a nap. He got up from where he was and approached the timid blond. At home he had friends from the village he would play with, but at times he was often lonely. Anytime Kurogane met another kid, he was delighted, and so eager he was to be friends with this boy he nearly grabbed small hands to shake them. He stopped though, remembering that this boy was the prince and that even though he was the young lord of a province from the neighboring ally, this boy held a higher station above him.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Kurogane, the young lord of Suwa from Nihon. I'm glad we could spend time with each other."

"I'm Fai." Fai offered a small smile, not used to someone being so energetic. "I hope you like your stay here." He bowed slightly, having remembered the greetings he'd been taught.

Kurogane bowed too quickly. "Prince Fai, nice to make acquaintances. I really like it here so far. The way magic works and everything - wow!"

Fai fidgeted in front of Kurogane. He wasn't unfamiliar with praises, but hearing it from someone his own age was different. "I'm actually training to be a wizard."

"Really?" Kurogane said in fascination. Although his mother practiced some magic to maintain stability and peace amongst the borders, Kurogane didn't have an ounce of magical talent. "I'm training to be a strong swordsman with my father. I still have a lot to learn but Father said I'm improving a lot in such a short time? Are you good at magic? I bet you are, since you're of royalty and your father is boasted to be the best magician." He couldn't help but babble - Kurogane was too excited meeting the young prince of his neighboring country.

"He says I'm already stronger than most of the kingdom," Fai explained, although he really should be taking Kurogane to the dining hall in the first place.

"Wow, that's impressive."

"I guess…" Fai couldn't help himself as he smiled. "We should head to dinner now though…"

"…Oh." And then Kurogane realized. "Oh! That's why you came in. I didn't - ah, Mother always did say I get carried away too easily. My bad, Prince Fai. Ah, let me put on my shoes first…" Suddenly embarrassed and alarmed, he went around looking for his boots that he had kicked off earlier. As soon as he did, he put them on as fast as he could and fastened the buckles.

"We don't have to worry," Fai said but by the time he finished, Kurogane was already ready.

"Mother said I should never leave the cooks and maids waiting at the manor table." What he didn't feel like mentioning was how scary his mother could get when she got angry. If anything, Kurogane got his moments of temper from her.

Fai giggled, before he caught himself and blushed. "Well, we don't have to rush, but being there soon would be best."

Together, they hurried down the halls to the grand dining hall where the king and Kurogane's parents were waiting. All three were chatting while sipping on their goblets. As soon as Ashura saw the boys he put his drink down.

"Ah, good evening. We are delighted you have come at last."

Fai nodded as he took his seat by his father's side. "We tried to hurry."

Dinner ended up being a quiet affair for the boys. The adults immediately discussed about ongoing politics and such as were the case for important figures. By the time dessert was served most of the candle wax had been burned. Ashura eyed Fai and the prince nodded, politely dismissing himself and Kurogane away from the small party. With that said, the two boys walked down the corridors.

It was dark and the cold wind picked up. Kurogane was not as used to the cold at this time and he wasn't prepared with a warmer coat on him. He shivered. Seeing this, Fai grabbed his hand and led Kurogane to his room. It was spacious with a large hearth in front of the canopy bed that looked too big for an adult, let alone a wisp of a child like Fai. Lanterns had been lit in his room during dinner, illuminating the entire room.

"I have some coats that could fit you."

Kurogane watched as Fai sorted through the many clothing in his wardrobe. There were white cloaks, dark blue cloaks, fur cloaks, wool cloaks, and it seemed never ending to the young lord from Suwa. It looked rather amusing that his new friend could easily get swallowed among his possession of cloaks, and those were just the beginning of the articles of clothing that the prince owned.

Finally, Fai settled on a dark green one with white fur trimmings and brown buckles. He helped Kurogane put it on and immediately he felt warmer. The material was thick and soft. The only problem was that the sleeves were a bit too short and it felt a bit tight around his stomach that was full from too much food at the feast.

"I could try looking for another one?" Fai asked, not wanting the boy to be uncomfortable.

"I think if I loosen up the buckles a bit…there we go, much better." Kurogane grinned, hoping to assure the shy prince that all was well. He was grateful for the warm coat. It was pretty late and he knew bedtime was soon. Besides, he was still exhausted, but even so, he very much wanted to do something with Fai.

"We can stay here if you want or go exploring," Fai said.

The idea of exploring the castle sounded more interesting to Kurogane. "How about exploring? I'd love to see your place. It's so huge."

Fai smiled wide as he nodded. "Okay." Tugging Kurogane to the door they left. It seemed that servants were lighting the halls as well, and a few mages were even going through casting glowing balls of light that floated near the ceiling.

Their small tour around the castle was actually fun. Fai showed Kurogane the library and how the books floated about. Some even had pictures that leapt out of them. They snuck into the kitchens as well, grabbing a few tarts to snack on as they traveled. Fai grew more relaxed as well, talking with Kurogane openly instead of just letting the other boy talk. It was intriguing, yet wonderful, how quickly Prince Fai and Kurogane became good friends. They conversed about their lives, how they had duties and expectations to owe up as noble heirs, and how hard it was for them to maintain close friendships with other children their age. For Fai especially, he welcomed this friendship, for he was glad that he had someone like Kurogane in his company for the next few days.

Eventually, though, Kurogane's parents went to fetch their missing son, and so they had to part ways. Fai blushed at seeing how late it was, but he had had fun with Kurogane, which he didn't expect. He then felt a familiar touch on his shoulders and looked up to see his father. Ashura looked worn out.

"I am surprised you're still up. It is past your bedtime."

"Sorry. I wanted to show Kuro-gane the castle." He still had trouble pronouncing the others name, it seemed. He was still excited about their little adventure as he hung up his coat and slipped into nightclothes as soon as they entered his room.

Ashura sighed, but then smiled. Fai knew that his father tried his best to be there for him and be a good parent, but at the same time, being the king meant a lot of responsibilities and therefore time away from him. But Fai didn't hold much grudges against him.

"Well, from what I heard from the librarian and the chef's account on mysterious missing tarts, I gather that you had a good time with our young guest."

Fai blushed at that. "I did." But it was still lonely sometimes not having his father around, so he had to spend his time studying or finding something else to entertain himself. "Can we go into the city tomorrow?" He hadn't asked Kurogane yet, but he thought it would be fun and that the boy would like to.

Ashura frowned. "Are you sure about this, Fai? If you insist, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you children off on your own without some of our fine escorts. I think Lord and Lady Suwa would feel safer with that option, too."

"I know. You always have guards come with me."

"Of course," Ashura said, miffed. "Any good parent would make sure their child is followed carefully at all times and at all places." He patted Fai. "Come, my child, it is very late. You need to get some rest if you want to keep up with that energetic child, wouldn't you agree?"

Fai laughed as he darted to his bed and climbed under the heavy blankets. "Do you think he'll like going out?" He never really had a friend, and he didn't want to ruin it after only one day.

"If his father said he loves climbing trees, then I suppose to," his father said. Ashura tucked Fai in and blew off the candle on the nightstand. "Now go to sleep and have pleasant dreams."

Fai wasn't sure he could go to sleep, but he would try. "Goodnight."

Ashura left his room, leaving the prince to lie wide awake in the dark. He couldn't wait to take Kurogane out into the city tomorrow. He just knew the young lord would love it.

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Fai woke up bright and early the next morning, and to his delight at breakfast Kurogane blurted out how he wished to go out into the city to explore since they had covered the most interesting parts of the castle last night. It took a few minutes of Ashura fussing over him and then asking Kurogane's parents if they would let their son go until they were finally in the city, with bodyguards of course.

The main streets were still decked with colorful decorations in celebration of the annual visit from the ambassadors from Nihon, providing a festive mood. This time Kurogane wore a warmer coat in anticipation of the chilly weather. He followed Fai around the place with the castle's guards walking by their sides.

"Where are we going?"

"There's shops and bakeries and stuff, and there's a garden and stables and everything else. If you see anything we can stop," Fai said, blushing at his rambling.

"Oh man, all of them sound so great that it's hard to choose."

Fai tried to keep his laughter in check as he watched Kurogane look around with wide eyes at everything and anything. He especially took interest in a passing carriage pulled by two long legged stag-like creatures that bore long spiral horns instead of antlers. Much like how Celes and Nihon had different climates and strengths, they also had different animals. While oxen and horses were used to pull carts in Nihon, specially bred deer helped till the land here in Celes. There were plenty of flying creatures as well that soared through the air; some with colorful plumes that radiated in the sunlight. It shed rainbow light on the icicles that dangled off of the roof, and Fai had to follow Kurogane who had run to inspect the wondrous sight. The guards followed as well.

Fai tugged him away as it was dangerous under the ice. "We should get something warm to drink. It's getting a little cold, don't you think?"

"I'm f-fine," Kurogane said, despite stuttering and pockets of cold air coming out of his mouth. "B-but if you wa-want to, sure."

Fai smiled knowingly as they went straight to one of his favorite places. Duklyon Bakery was famous and always drew in customers with the scent of fresh bread and chocolate that wafted from its door. "Have you tried hot chocolate? We get it from the south."

"No, I never have," Kurogane said. It sounded interesting, however, and he would love to try something new while he could during his stay in Celes.

Nodding, Fai dug a few brass coins from his pocket and timidly ordered a drink for Kurogane to try. When the baker, a petite woman who smiled gently, handed it to him, he gave it to the slightly taller boy and smiled.

"Careful, it might be very hot," he cautioned.

Kurogane nodded and blew off some of the steam before taking a small sip. He never had this type of delicacy known as chocolate before, but it was creamy and warm and certainly decadent. It left some strong aftertaste on his taste buds, leaving him thirsting for some more. Kurogane noticed Fai watching him. "Are you going to drink yours?" he asked.

Fai hadn't noticed that he had been too caught up making sure his friend liked it. "Oh!" He flushed. "Yeah, I will."

"It's good," Kurogane said. He drank some more, savoring the taste. "A bit strange at first, but it's good."

Smiling, Fai took a sip of his own. "I'm glad. We can have more later."

He then asked their escorts if they would like drinks as well. They went to order whatever they liked, leaving the two boys alone. Kurogane was about to say something back, but then a loud gasp interrupted him.

"Takepon, look! It's His Royal Highness!"

Fai blinked and looked over to the older boy pointing at him excitedly. He was wearing an apron with flour smeared over the blue cloth. One of the guards was already alerted by this youth's sudden interest in the prince. He carefully put his hand near his weapon just in case.

Meanwhile, another older boy next to him stepped lightly on his foot. "Kentarou, that is not nice! You can't just point at the prince like that!"

It seemed they were just workers, but it was still embarrassing to have all this attention on him.

Fai started to shrink back, not knowing what to do with this sudden spotlight. His new friend, however, had already noticed. Kurogane frowned, set his cup down, and got up.

"No, it's okay. I have to get used to it if I'm going to be the king," Fai said, trying to stop his new friend, but it was too late.

"Excuse me, do you think you could listen to your friend and top pointing at the prince?"

Suddenly, the area around them got quiet. The ecstatic boy blushed, and his companion said a quick, "Told you so!"

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness," the man named Kentarou said, bowing with an apologetic smile. "It's just that we do not get to see the great prince and magician in training that often, and I'm admiring how much of a good time you are having on your date with that other boy - yow!"

"I think Kentarou had apologized enough. Good day, Your Highness," the other man named Takeshi said. He bowed and quickly dragged his interesting companion away, leaving Fai and Kurogane in the wake of a very awkward state.

Fai looked as they went into the kitchens in the back. He wasn't sure what 'date' meant and would have to ask his father later. "Want to go out again? There's other places to see."

"Uh, sure…" Kurogane said. He was too flabbergasted by the weird ordeal that had just happened. The young lord wasn't sure what to make of what that older boy had just say about them, but something about it made him rather embarrassed. Their guards relaxed then and ushered both boys outside. The nerve of some citizens to make such claims!

"Oh wow, I can't believe it's snowing again," Kurogane remarked. Sure enough it was. In the early morning the sky was mostly clear; but now the cloud was darker, and snowflakes fell from above.

"We can go back inside if you want to." Fai didn't know if Kurogane wanted to be out in the snow, and he didn't want to force him.

"No, it's fine. Besides, I like being outdoors, you know?"

Yes, he understood completely. "Okay!" Fai caught himself, however, and blushed sheepishly. "You can lead."

"Wha?" Kurogane scratched his head. "Why me? You know this place better than me."

"But I don't know what you like." The prince also didn't go out to too many places in the city either besides the bakery and maybe a clothing shop.

"Well…" Kurogane looked around. Duklyon Bakery was situated near the main circle of the city. There was still plenty of snow on the ground from yesterday, not to mention the fresh one that was falling from the sky. There were several children running around, laughing. Some held snowballs in their mittens and threw them at each other. Kurogane grinned.

"Hey, maybe we could just play in the snow?"

Fai had never really done that, at least not with others, so it could be fun. "Okay."

"Yeah, that way it doesn't look like a date," one of the guards muttered. It caused Fai to wonder what a date meant. Maybe it was a very bad thing.

On the other hand, Kurogane flushed again. He grabbed Fai's hand and together they went to the big pile of snow where the other children were, all carefree and happy playing. Looking around Fai watched how the others made snowballs and made his own lumpy and half-formed. He sneaked a glance at Kurogane who seemed to be having a good time and he supposed that's what mattered.

"Pssst," said one of the guards. Fai responded to him and saw that he also had a snowball at the ready. "Here you go, Your Highness."

Fai smiled up at him and accepted it. "Thank you."

The guard winked and stepped aside, joining the other one. They started whispering to each other, and by the time Fai and Kurogane both had snowballs at their disposal they were smirking. They walked casually in a circle around them just as Kurogane yelled, "Now!"

All of the children gathered in the street began pelting snowballs at each other, creating an uproar of laughter and noise. Fai was a little intimidated by it, but he grabbed one by his feet and began throwing it as well. At first he hesitated to aim it at Kurogane, but when he saw that nobody was really being upset from getting pelted, he didn't feel uncomfortable anymore.

He aimed for the young lord, but he missed. Kurogane laughed and taunted back, which ruffled Fai's feathers. He saw his friend throwing one his way at a fast rate towards his face, and he wasn't sure if he could dodge it in time. Then out of nowhere, a spear swung at the snowball and hit it.

The guard lowered it and said, "Halt! How dare you attack His Highness?"

Kurogane sputtered bright red. "Wh-what? You're really not being serious, are you?"

Fai looked up at the guard with wide eyes as few of the other children stopped as well to see what would happen. "N-no, it's okay."

There was still a sharp glint from the guard's eye before something twinkled in it. He lowered his spear and let out a laugh. "Ha, I was just messing with you, young lord."

Kurogane's face was still scarlet, embarrassed at his gullibility. Little did he know that the second guard had provided Fai another perfect snowball. The prince had been surprised when it was deposited in his small hand, but when the guard winked and smiled he'd quickly understood and threw it, socking Kurogane in the leg.

Shocked by the teamwork going on with the three others, Kurogane fell and landed in the snow. "That's not fair!" he hollered.

Fai covered his mouth with both hands and tried not to laugh. As the other children started playing again, more enthused than before, Fai gathered up a few more and ran towards Kurogane, throwing them at his friend. This time, Kurogane was prepared. He dodged each and every one of Fai's snowballs, although he didn't have any new ones at the ready. Instead, he flicked his foot in the snow and sent some bits of it flying in the prince's direction. Fai shook it off and laughed as he tossed another one, forgetting for once his shyness and actually having fun. Kurogane was defeated once again, sprays of snow falling off from his messy hair. He brushed it off anyways and scooped a big pile up, smirking, and threw it at Fai. Once again, the guard intervened and prevented Fai from getting hit, which got Kurogane's nerves even more. However, when Fai rounded a tree, his foot snagged on an unseen branch and the prince tumbled into a snow pile. He continued to smile, face flushed from the cold, but he didn't care as he scrambled to pick up his snowballs as a few flew over him from other kids.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kurogane had caught up to Fai and tried to help him up.

Fai threw one at the other boy, smiling brightly. "Kuro-snow is too slow!"

"It's Kurogane!" he yelled back from humiliation. He fired another one, but missing alas.

Fai managed to get up and threw another clump of snow. He laughed again as he chased after the taller boy.

Their shenanigans continued long into the day until it was nearing sunset. By then the guards intervened and reported that it was time they all made their way back to the castle before the magic gates closed. Both Fai and Kurogane were sorely disappointed for they were enjoying their time and playing in the snow. With sore limbs (mostly on Kurogane's end) and tufts of snow clinging to their hair (here on Fai's) they made their way back to the pathway where a magician escorted them back to Luval Castle.

The maids fussed over both of them like mother hens as they made them take hot baths and change into dry clothes. By the time he was done, Fai was still full of energy. There was a series of knocks on his door. Fai called the person to come in, and it was his father. Ashura had spent the day tending to Kurogane's parents and running the start of the week-long conference. "Good evening, my child. What brings you to be so alert and lively?"

Fai ran up and hugged his father. "I had fun in the city!"

"Oh?" Ashura mused. "What did you do with the young lord?"

"We went to the bakery and had some chocolate. He's never had any before and then we left and played with some other kids. Everyone was throwing snowballs at each other." He smiled, and wished that they hadn't had to leave.

"Snowballs?" his father reacted in alarm. He immediately started patting Fai, inspecting for any injuries. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt? Did the young lord injure you at all? Did the guards do their jobs of protecting you?"

Fai giggled. "I fell in a pile of snow, but I'm not hurt. The guards helped me."

"Good." Ashura smiled, although it was pretty sly even on the king's end. "Did you manage to score some at the young lord?"

"Yes, I chased him around the street and some trees," Fai said, grinning as he explained his adventures to his father, so lighthearted and happy.

The king let out a hearty laugh. "If my eyes are not deceiving me, it seems like you had so much fun that you're slowly starting to come out of your shyness."

Blushing, he nodded. "I had lots of fun. I didn't think I'd like throwing snowballs, b-but it was…" Fai's chest felt tight all of a sudden as his breath hitched and his eyes shined with unshed tears. He didn't know why he was feeling this way, but then all of a sudden he felt his father embrace him, warmer than usual.

"I understand," he said.

Small hands curled into his father's shirt, face buried into his shoulder as he cried. He was confused, but it made him feel better.

"You've been alone for far too long," Ashura said, doing his best to comfort his son. "I could never be there for you as much with my duties and responsibilities, and I owe you an apology."

Fai shook his head. Although he missed his father, he knew he had duties and that despite that he was always there for him when he needed him or at meals or to tuck him at night. At least his father was still warm and receptive to him whenever he had the chance to be with him, and Fai was grateful for that. But Kurogane was different. There was something about him that made him happy and more confident, like earlier today in the snow. He wasn't sure how he could thank his friend for that, but he would think of something before the Suwa Family had to head back home. But the thought of that made him ache terribly already, so he quietly pushed that away and let his overwhelming feeling of happiness settle in. Eventually his tears dried up and Fai pulled away to smile sheepishly at his father, his eyes still red.

"Tomorrow I have to think of something even more fun to do."

Ashura smiled and flicked a finger off of Fai's forehead in a teasing, chiding manner. Fai flinched at the gentle hit. "Don't be silly, my child. I'm sure the young lord will be happy with whatever you plan to do. He is new to this place after all."

His son laughed. "Maybe the stables? I can find some berries to feed the animals."

"Hmmm. Just make sure nothing bites you hard, alright?" Ashura said. He was rather concerned, even though horses did not have sharp teeth.

Fai nodded in agreement before he was ushered off to bed where Ashura tucked him there. As he lay there, he suddenly remembered something he had been meaning to ask.

"Father, at the bakery today there was a worker there. He said something about us that I don't understand."

"What is it?" Ashura said, alarmed. He hoped it was not a threat of any sorts, or else there would be consequences!

"One of them said we were on a date." He stared up at Ashura curiously. "What does that mean? I know they didn't mean a calendar…"

For a moment, there was silence and a cold, blank stare from the king's end. Fai swore that it even got colder in the room just from how scary his father looked. He shivered, but he braved up to hear what his father had to say. Oh, he hoped it wasn't that bad!

"A date," Ashura said rather icily, "is a moment when two people who are interested in each other more than friends do something together."

He was a little afraid to speak, but his curiosity was too great. "More than friends? Does that mean we were having a date? I'm a prince and he's a young lord, so that means we're more than friends, is that it?"

"No, it is not like that, Fai." He was frowning, but there was certainly an air of grimace on his face. "Yes, while you are the prince of Celes and he is the young lord of Suwa province, you are still just friends. And I hope you remain like that for now while you can. You are too young to date, and besides, as the heir to the throne your suitors are limited."

"So a date is for suitors?" Fai was getting more and more confused as he stared up at his father.

"In your case, yes," Ashura replied, rather miffed. "The proper term is courting for our kind, but dating and courting are the same."

"Oh," Fai blushed. Gears were turning in his tiny blond head. So that's what the worker thought of them, that they were courting like in the books his father would read to him when he couldn't sleep. It was odd though as neither of them were a princess or a peasant girl, but the look Ashura had told him his father might not be too happy answering anymore questions on the matter.

"Well then, it is time for bed. You had a long day and I presume tomorrow will be another one with your…friend."

Fai stared, a bit confused still, but he smiled when he got a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, child."

The king blew out the candle and left Fai's room. The prince stared at the ceiling, still confused at this whole dating and courting matter. At the very least, he was still friends with Kurogane, and he supposed that was all that mattered. Yet someday, he would go through that process, finding someone to be his consort - and most likely that person would be chosen for political reasons. Sighing, he closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep, for tomorrow was another big day with Kurogane.

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The next few days were the best Fai had had in recent memory. Every day it seemed he and Kurogane were joined at the hip and did nearly everything together. There had been the day they'd spent at the stables. Kurogane was fascinated by the beasts within. The next day they'd walked under the frost trees with their blue-green pine needles and the flowers that were icy blue. Kurogane's mother had especially liked the bouquet her son gave her. Overall Fai had come out of his shell so much that he seemed to be a completely different person to some of the servants. Since every waking hour was spent doing something with Kurogane, Fai would then always end up completely exhausted by the end of the day, going to bed later than what he normally would. While his father always fretted about his son staying up past his non-existent curfew, Ashura was still happy for his son. Fai no longer felt as lonely, and he became more confident.

However, their time together was growing short as papers had been signed and meetings were coming to a close between their fathers. Fai didn't care much to think of it. It just left his chest aching whenever he did. The Suwa Family was leaving today shortly at noon, right after they have one last meal with the king and him. At the very least it provided a few more hours for the boys to spend time in each others company, but that still didn't feel enough for Fai. He was going to miss him terribly, and he wondered if his friend felt the same.

Fai was swinging his legs idly as they sat along a short stone wall surrounding one of the many open air halls. His mind kept thinking over how he might never get to see Kurogane again and the thought stung.

"Hmm…so I guess this is it, Fai." Kurogane said. He had his arms behind his head and was staring at the sky rather wistfully.

"You're going home today. Are you excited?" He knew Kurogane probably missed his home and it was selfish of him to want to keep his friend here longer with him.

"Well." Kurogane grinned. "I do miss home and everything, but I'm going to miss this place for sure. So either way, I'm hopeless."

Laughing, Fai shook his head. "Maybe you can visit again?"

"Maybe," Kurogane agreed. "I mean, Father is bound to come by here again for future conferences so hopefully I can tag along and you won't be too busy doing your princely duties."

"I don't do anything but study," Fai explained. He remembered how just boring and complacent he had been with his life.

"Huh, but I think at some point your father would show you the ropes, wouldn't he? But come to think of it…he does come across as the very protective type."

"I'm still a kid." The prince shrugged, and it was true. Fai still had a few years before he would be expected to be a proper prince, knowing how to fight and use magic and all sorts of skills he was just beginning to learn.

"Interesting," his friend remarked. "Well, I guess heirs from different cultures are trained at different times. I still have a lot of things to learn when it comes to the sword. But wait till you see; I'm gonna be one of the best swordsman in Nihon, just like my father."

Fai nodded as he gave his friend a wide smile. "And I'll be the strongest wizard. Then you can visit me like your father does with mine."

Kurogane grinned so wide that Fai was happy. "Yeah, and when you become the king, I'll be the lord and ambassador so we'll always see each other, even though it won't be often and we'll be stuck with our diplomatic roles anyways. But better than never seeing each other again." He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I wouldn't like it if that was the case."

To think he would only see Kurogane a handful times every other year wasn't very good, but it was all they could think of and so it would have to do. "I'll try and think of some better things to do when you visit again."

"Aww, but the last few days were great. You don't have to go through that much trouble - honestly I'm not a hard person to please. Besides," he said hitting Fai on his shoulder lightly, "as long as we're with each other, that's all that matters, yeah?"

Fai giggled and held his arm. "So if I find something really good then I shouldn't show you?"

"That's not what I meant!" he said, scowling.

"If I find a dragon, I won't tell Kuro-san." Fai still had trouble pronouncing the boy's full name so instead he stuck with shortened version that were better for him to be able to say without embarrassing himself.

The young lord blew a raspberry. "Meanie! You know I like dragons."

Fai tried containing his laughter to no avail. "You said that I didn't have to try so hard."

"No I - I meant - I really do like being with you - but if, argh."

"I'm just joking, Kuro-kun." Kurogane had been even trying to teach him a few words in his own language, a few of which had stuck.

His friend suddenly turned bright red. He was pretty gullible, and Fai started to enjoy teasing Kurogane even more. "…Oh," he meekly said.

Before long they were called in to eat with their families. The maids fussed over them, making sure that they were both presentable enough to join their parents for food. When they entered the dining hall they parted ways. Fai went to sit by his father's side and Kurogane beside his mother.

Although they never spent much time in the companies of the adults for they were busy during their meeting sessions, Fai was very still fond of Kurogane's parents. The lord was cheerful and warm and the lady was sweet and kind. It was no wonder that his friend, their son, was a kind and warm person as well. And they enjoyed him as well. Seeing Kurogane so attached to someone and not focused entirely on his sword fighting was something they rarely saw, and they welcomed it. Putting business aside for the day, Ashura asked of their home and how the land and its people fared while also commenting on how it seemed their sons had become fast friends. The adults cheerfully agreed on the subject, causing both Fai and Kurogane to flush. While Fai did finally express that he was happy to have met them all, Kurogane bashfully remained silent, clutching his cloth rather tightly.

Breakfast was over far too soon for either boy's taste, and Fai had to watch in sadness as Kurogane's parents excused themselves and their son to prepare for their journey home. It was now just him and the king at the table, along with other servants coming in and out to clean the table. Ashura propped a fist under his chin and eyed his son in sympathy.

"Are you sad to see them leave, my child?"

"Yes, Suwa's lord and his family are very kind," he replied, eyes focused on his half empty plate.

"You know I don't like seeing you sad," Ashura said. "Be assured the lord at least will visit Luval again in the future and that perhaps he will bring his son as well. Does that make you feel happier?"

"A little." Fai turned his gaze to his father and gave a small smile. "Do you think I could write?"

"Absolutely," he said. "Now come, I think it's almost time to greet them and wish for their safe journey home.

He nodded and let Ashura take his hand where he was led out to the main courtyard. Already their horses as well as the warriors they had journeyed with. It really was happening. Kurogane was leaving and Fai would be alone again. All the guests had to do was wait for one of the magicians to come and escort them back down to the main streets before they could continue riding past the mountains into the Nihongo borders. Fai wondered if he should ask his father if he could travel with them down to the other portal. Even if that wouldn't increase the time to see them off significantly, a few more minutes would be nice.

As if he had sensed his child's request, a mount had been brought for the small prince as well if he chose to follow. Ashura smiled fondly as Fai blushed by his side. "Go ahead," he said, permitting his son.

"You're coming along, too?" Kurogane said, grinning.

"Just to the gate." Fai scrambled up onto his horned steed. He'd at least been taught to ride a few years ago, and his father always made sure he was given the most docile animals they had.

"Oh, okay."

"Come along, dear, the escorts say we're heading off now," his mother called out.

Kurogane was put inside the carriage with his mother as his father got up onto his horse. He smiled at Ashura and bid the king farewell, promising to send a letter when they arrived home. As Ashura said his farewells back, Fai rode up next to the lord. Although they have seen each other before here and there in the castle, he never truly noticed how much Kurogane looked like his father, even down to the same warm smile. The thought of whether Kurogane would grow up to look like his father made him blush. Toriho caught his eyes and out of nowhere he gave a rather sly smile. Fai looked away then. Even though Kurogane had helped him with his shyness it wasn't completely gone. Instead, he led the group through the city with Kurogane's father alongside him. As the prince he couldn't trail behind without protection, which was a disappointment since he had hoped to talk with Kurogane.

"So Your Highness, I heard that my son and you would like to exchange letters from time to time," the lord said, doing his best to keep a conversation going to quell the unsettling silence.

"I told him if I found anything interesting in the city I would let him know," he explained. He still felt shy as they approached the city's main gate.

The lord smirked. "Heh, knowing the boy, anything interests him. He even gets curious over a simple toy spinning on a table, so don't you worry."

Fai bit back a laugh at the image of Kurogane fascinated over a top. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. You know…I'm glad that you and Kurogane got to know each other." Fai widened his eyes in confusion, and the lord caught on. He continued. "He may not seem like it since he's always energetic around you, but back at home he's either busy training with the sword or just roaming the manor with a serious and somber expression. When he's away from people, he truly expresses his loneliness, and his mother and I have seen it many times when he would come to us. This might seem a lot to you, Prince Fai, but I just wanted to thank you for all you have done to Kurogane."

Fai's face was scarlet as he stared at the lord, nearly running his mount into a fence as he did. "I-I…it was no trouble at all! I'm glad I could do something."

He swore he heard a light snicker coming from the lord, but as soon as he eyed him, Toriho was composed. "Well, he changed you too, in a way, so I suppose everyone is well off in the end. I'm sure the brat" - Fai's jaw dropped upon hearing him refer to his friend as a 'brat' - "would whine to us how much he'll miss you when we are back at home."

Kurogane's father was an odd man, it seemed. "I guess so." He stopped when they approached the gates. The heavy wooden doors were already open for their arrival.

"It was a pleasure to meet you and your family, Lord Suwa," Fai said with a bow of his head.

"The same to you, Prince Fai," Toriho said.

Kurogane ducked out of the window. "Fai! I promise I'll write you a letter as soon as I get back home, okay?"

Fai gripped his reins tightly in surprise as he turned to look at Kurogane who smiled broadly as he stuck half way out of the carriage. His stomach did a small flip that the other would do such a thing. Moving his mount back so he could be closer to his friend, he smiled timidly.

"I'll try to write, too."

Fai suddenly remembered something. Last night he worked hard on a gift of gratitude for Kurogane. He had forgotten about it earlier, and while he had wanted to give this to Kurogane when they were alone, there really was no other option now.

"I - I meant to give this to you before, but I forgot." He blushed and reached for a decent sized pouch from his coat, handing it to the boy. There was a look of genuine surprise on Kurogane's face when he accepted it.

"You - you didn't have to…" Next to him, Fai could see his mother smiling, encouraging her son to finish. Kurogane flashed a smile. "Thanks, Fai."

"I hope you like it," he said, trying not to be embarrassed by everyone who was watching. "Go on, open it."

As he was told, Kurogane pulled on the string and the cloth loosened a bit, revealing the contents within. They were dark chocolate pieces that Fai had worked hard on secretly with the aid of the castle cooking staff. "Wow," he said.

"It's not as good as Duklyon makes, but they were edible."

Tsumebe smiled. "That is such a thoughtful gift, Prince Fai."

"It was the least I could do, really," Fai stammered. He really hoped Kurogane would enjoy it, but knowing his friend he would try eating it no matter what.

"Kurogane, you should thank him," his mother added as Fai continued to blush.

"Right, um, thanks, for the chocolate and - and everything."

"Y-you," Fai coughed to try and stop his stuttering, "don't have to thank me…We're friends after all."

"I hate to intrude my son and your last words upon departure, Prince Fai, but we must head out and return home now," Kurogane's father said.

The gates to the outer roads had started opening for the Suwa Family's entourage by then. Fai meekly smiled and lowered his hands from the carriage window, but not before Kurogane grabbed them. The young lord grinned.

"See you sometime, then."

Smiling, Fai nodded, and before he knew it Kurogane let go and he watched as his friend left the city to head home. He stayed there until he could no longer see the party far down the horizon, and with that Fai turned around and rode back home, hoping that the time they will meet again will be soon. Until then, letters will have to do.

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Ten years later

In the decade since then Fai had grown tall and lithe, from the timid boy to a near glowing man. The Prince of Celes was always bounding around the city, complimenting a pretty girl or playing with the local children. He was bright and was the country's strongest magician even than his father, and was an able warrior as well. It was strange to think of how alone he had been when he was young compared to now where he was able to be friends with everyone he met. Today he decided to drop by his favorite place, the Duklyon Bakery, for a cup of hot chocolate. The winter solstice was drawing near and so it meant daylight would be fewer and snowfall would become severe. He entered it and immediately greeted the staff, smiling at the charming elderly owner who was kneading dough behind the counter.

"Oh, welcome back, Your Highness!" said Kentarou, now a waiter.

"Hello, Kentarou," Fai said, amused at the man's antics. It was well known that the prince was a frequent customer and as a result the bakery's business soared. The small crowd inside parted for the blond even though he didn't mind waiting in line.

"Will it be the usual two hot chocolates, I'm assuming?" the cheerful man asked.

"Yes, the usual." Fai glanced down at the glass case below, debating if he should take a pastry as well. They all looked terribly good after all. "I'll have one of those too," he said, pointing to a golden brown pastry puff with glaze.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Kentarou said cheerfully.

As he went to fetch the pastry piece, the owner eyed Fai again, smiled, and asked, "My prince, are you sure you would not like to order something for him as well?"

"I plan on sharing," he said as he gave the older man a few coins before gathering his order and headed out.

He went to greet his horse, a rare purebred of its kind with fur soft and as black as the night sky. Larg snorted and pawed his hooves, sniffing at the contents Fai had with him. He laughed and petted Larg anyways, gently chiding that it wasn't for him, but that once they were back at the castle he could drink as much of the special mix of water and whiskey as he wanted.

Suddenly, the two of them heard another horse and a 'hyaah' approaching them. Larg neighed in anticipation as he greeted his close companion Soel, whose fur was as white as crisp, fresh snow. The two horses tilted their heads towards each other, muzzles touching in greeting.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Fai teased as he balanced his drinks on one hand, bag tucked away in one of Larg's saddlebags.

Kurogane looked away, crossed his arms, and scowled. "She's the one that insisted we hurry along to catch up," he said. His ears, however, betrayed him as they turned bright red, which was a dead giveaway.

"Hmm…while they do prefer being together, Soel usually doesn't gallop through the city on her own accord," Fai said, smirking knowingly. "I got Kuro-sama his favorite."

Kurogane grinned. "Thanks," he said, helping himself to the cup of hot chocolate.

Magic in Celes had advanced in the last ten years to create materials that could break down into sources that would be reused to nourish the soul, thus several shops were able to cater orders that the folks called 'to go.' It was really ingenious. Usually they used simple thin boxes or wooden cups, but now they had developed ways of making things easier. Even the containers had small runes drawn on them by the shop owners to keep their goods warm or cold for a few hours. Ever since Duklyon Bakery had started using those, Fai dropped by frequently; and sometimes it was on Kurogane's request as well.

They rode to the pathway. With one hand Fai began writing the signs in the air around them to take them to the castle above. There the guards welcomed them. Fai and Kurogane then returned Soel and Larg to the stables, where just as promised, Fai provided water and whiskey to his horse. Soel tried to steal some for herself, which Larg happily allowed. Kurogane still could not understand how rare Celesian bred horses are able to tolerate alcohol, so he kept chiding Fai for pampering them too much.

"It's only once in a while," Fai argued. He grabbed the paper bag from Larg's saddle before the stablemen began taking them off. "Now I don't know about you, but I'm a little chilly so I'm heading inside."

Kurogane promptly followed him and grabbed Fai's hand. All of the stablemen were away for the moment, so they were truly alone, at least. "Maybe we should warm up together?"

"Ooh~ ?" Fai's eyes narrowed as he smirked. "I'd like that."

Kurogane had a matching devilish smile as well. "Your father can't complain about it anymore, not ever since we - since we…"

"Got married, Kuro-consort? Really, it's not like we were wedded yesterday," Fai corrected and tugged his husband into the castle.

To be precise, they had been married for nearly a year. It was Fai who had proposed to Kurogane in private, asking him for his hand to be his consort and companion until the very day he died. Kurogane, who had become increasingly shyer and bashful over the years, had reacted in the most typical manner of his. He'd stepped backward in shock, caught his foot on the rug, and slipped and fell on his back. He thought he would have died in embarrassment and happiness at the same time, what with Fai bursting into laughter. But he said yes. It turned out Fai would have asked earlier, even a few years back, but it took a lot of time before he knew his father would be minimally comfortable with the knowledge that his precious baby would actually be married and eventually rule Celes with a consort by his side. Kurogane's parents, on the other hand, were overjoyed. Not that it hadn't stopped them from sneaking around when they would visit each other, kissing and hands roaming in privacy, but Ashura wouldn't need to know about just how much went on before their marriage for at least another decade or two. Speaking of Ashura, Fai's father had fretted over the ceremony for weeks, and he was sure his father had gotten a gray hair or two from the ordeal.

Ever since Kurogane went back home when they were twelve years old they wrote letters to each other non-stop. Soon they realized they started to miss each other more than they had thought they would, and when Kurogane was able to visit Luval with his father for the second time two years later, the teenagers had never looked as happy as before. Ashura had noticed immediately and started watching out for them whenever he was not tending to his responsibilities. Soon everyone in the castle caught on about the king's snooping, except for the two of them, who were blissfully in their own world together. As conventional fairy tales went they fell in love. The third time Kurogane came to see Fai they were outside on the rooftop observing the clear, starlit sky. By then Fai had finally mustered the confidence to kiss his friend on the cheek, but at that moment Kurogane turned to look at his friend and their lips touched. The young lord was extremely flabbergasted - but secretly happy beyond words - and from then on he never acted quite the same again.

While Ashura had watched them like a hawk and tried denying that his precious child was growing up, he didn't try to keep them apart. Plus he knew the match was a smart one. Even though it had taken several years before they had finally decided to marry and for Kurogane to come and live with him permanently as was to be expected for a prince-consort, they still traveled to Suwa on occasion. Fai couldn't have been happier with the decision. They complimented each other, and he did love figuring out ways to make Kurogane blush.

"And by the way Kuro-heart, I bought a pastry for us to share," Fai cooed as they headed upstairs towards the wing of the castle where their rooms were.

As usual, Kurogane flushed and grumpily said that there was no need for Fai to pamper him as well, but proceeded to share it with Fai once they were inside. Fai snickered, pointed out that there were still crumbs on his beloved's mouth, and proceeded to wipe them off with his fingers. Being as they were childhood sweethearts and still considered newlyweds by most, Fai was overtly affectionate. Neither minded too much.

"Kuro-prince is so cute." He grinned as he leaned up to kiss the already rosy cheek.

Kurogane hummed in content and ran his fingers through Fai's hair. The crown prince's hair was long and overflowing at this point, for it was custom that the ruler, and his heir, grew out his hair until the day he stepped down from the throne, from which point he cuts it off. It was laborious to have long hair and it was a miracle Kurogane could work around it when they were in bed together late in the night, warm and pressed against each other. But they managed, even if their first few times together had been not as near perfect; yet it was good and they were both happy and that was all that mattered.

"You know, I really do think you have a long hair fetish. You're always brushing my hair," Fai said. Kurogane had even learned to tie it up properly with long ribbons for more formal occasions.

"It's nice," the prince-consort said. No matter what he always enjoyed playing with his lover's hair affectionately. He then locked his hands around Fai's jaws and pressed their noses together. "But even if it's short, I'm happy with you right here."

It never ceased to amaze him just how affectionate and warm Kurogane was when it was just the two of them. Really, it almost made him a little nauseous. Almost, but in the good way. Though he really did like it, and he wouldn't have the man any other way as he gave him a short, chaste kiss.

"Hmm, I like every part of Kuro-sama, too."

Throughout the afternoon in the comfort of privacy in their bedchamber, Fai and Kurogane remained in bed, lips and bodies pressed warmly together, hands roaming everywhere with Fai's long hair expertly out of the way. Long afterwards they wove their fingers together and drifted off into a light nap, content and happy as always.