Ivory was jolted awake by the carriage stopping. He raised his head and got a good look at his surroundings while he remembered what had happened. They had stayed in the restaurant for a while, but Arsenic had eventually woken him up. Ivory had chosen to go to the market since they still had quite a bit of time left. They had wandered around and stopped by a few shops, all of which were excited to have a customer who could afford to spend a little more. A few tried to con him out of a little more than they should have asked for, but Arsenic 'gently reminded' them of their original prices. He had bought some spices, a few gifts, and something he refused to show Arsenic. Arsenic had gotten him an exquisitely made silver snake earring studded with various cold-colored gems, which he immediately put in. Once they had gotten in the carriage, Ivory showed Arsenic what he had gotten. A bar earring that had a small heart on one end. As Ivory looked around, he saw Arsenic looking down at the earring he had given him. He seemed lost in thought, his face somber and beautiful blue eyes clouded with exhaustion and sadness. Ivory yawned, pretending he had only just woken up. Arsenic startled slightly, then turned and watched as he mimed waking up. "Morning princy, we just arrived at your home." Ivory shook his head and saw his parents getting out of their carriage. The coachman opened the door, seeming slightly intimidated simply by how much of the carriage Arsenic took up. Ivory stepped out, politely thanking the man who gave him a shaky nod. Arsenic followed soon after, giving the poor man a small, soft smile and looking around at the people scurrying around. The king and queen waited patiently for the pair, both as regal as ever but seemingly more relaxed now that they were out of the slums. As Arsenic approached, he bowed to them. He jolted slightly when he felt an incredibly soft hand on his cheek. The queen had her hand gently resting on his face, and she raised his head. "There's no need to bow, Arsenic. You are family after all." She smiled happily, and Arsenic seemed at a loss for words. The king stepped up and placed a hand on his shoulder. " As she said, you are family now and you don't need to worry about following protocol exactly as your father must have taught you. You may also call us simply mother and father, if that would please you." Arsenic stared before he got over his shock, stuttering slightly. "I-I would be glad to call you mother and father." Ivory watched the exchange and wondered. He seemed so awkward around his parents, but he knew that he didn't care much for titles. The care they gave him seemed to fluster and confuse him, especially his father. When he put a hand on his shoulder or tried to get him to relax, he always tensed up or reacted strangely.
They walked into the castle and were greeted by fanfare. A beautiful man with a neat white beard and similar long hair done up in a half-bun greeted them halfway. He was dressed royally and had an air of calm around him. He was accompanied by a beautiful woman with golden hair and a long, mossy green dress that seemed to twist around her. She had long and elegant deer antlers draped with delicate strings of gold and silver that spiraled into the air. They met in the middle of the long red carpet, the pair bowing slightly to the king and queen. King Sanguine turned to Arsenic and introduced them. "This is the crown prince and princess, Jasper and Vern Sanguine." Jasper smiled warmly at him, giving him a firm handshake while saying, "It's lovely to finally meet you Arsenic Baz. The rumors I've heard of your beauty stand truer than many would believe. I would like to see if the same holds true for your fighting prowess later, if that would be ok with you." Arsenic looked confused and slightly embarrassed but responded to him calmly. "I... wasn't aware I had any good rumors besides my fighting skill. I would be glad to showcase my abilities later at your call, Crown Prince Sanguine." Vern Sanguine giggled and spoke up. "Most of the rumors are of your battle skill, but there are a few who can appreciate the handsome hybrid who wields the blade that's feared. Your eyes are truly beautiful, like the deepest of ocean blues." Arsenic looked even more embarrassed at her comment, glancing away and curling in the tip of his tail. Ivory laughed and leaned against him, nuzzling into his shoulder. The king smiled gently, then urged them on to the end of the room. There, a few of Ivory's older siblings introduced themselves to Arsenic. Some of them were basically glaring at him until they spoke, when they found him to be respectful, well mannered, and even a little shy. The queen personally placed a golden necklace around his neck which bore the Sanguine family crest, officially labeling him as part of the royal family.
Later, Ivory showed him around the castle and eventually led him to his room. Arsenic was a little dizzy with just how large the castle was. He hadn't even seen the two other wings, only the one with bedrooms and the most important rooms, like the throne room. As they traveled down yet another nearly identical pristine hallway, Ivory turned into a short hall. He stopped in front of a door that was slightly different from the others. This one had a carefully carved snake, each scale cut into high quality wood to make something that almost seemed real. "This is your room, mine is right across from yours. He turned and glanced at Ivory's door, noting the symbol. A goose wearing a crown, with the roman numeral 4 underneath. Arsenic carefully opened the oiled door and entered his room. He stared in awe at the beautiful scene. They had constructed a similar bed to his own in the corner, but it was significantly bigger and nicer. Silk pillows with the finest blankets one can get were carefully arranged inside the 3 foot deep hole. A simple lantern was next to the bed, presumably for any kind of night time reading. Thick curtains were drawn back and held by thick golden rope with tassels on the ends. A large couch with plush cushions was to the right, a few blankets neatly folded and layed on the edge. On the left of the room was an open archway leading into a large bathroom that had been carefully designed with a naga in mind. The bathtub was circular and had a rack with materials made for nagas Arsenic had only ever heard of, much less dreamt of using. A door on the right next to the couch had a walk-in closet which made Arsenic roll his eyes. "I don't see why you need so much, a simple closet with a few shirts is more than enough." In the main room, there were two large doors made mostly of glass which led onto the porch. Detailed rails lined the edges, though were mostly impractical. A squishy couch was on the right side, which almost seemed to deflate when you sat in it. There was a stone slab on the left side which made Arsenic's whole face light up with joy. Ivory looked at him in confusion and watched him slither over and coil onto the large flat stone. He let out a sigh of bliss and fully relaxed his body, crossing his arms and resting his head on them. Ivory watched him in confusion, then went over and touched the rock. It was very hot, and he realized it was made to absorb heat. He smiled softly, remembering seeing Jasper and his father doing research and talking to various nagas to find out some things they enjoyed. The main answer of almost all desert nagas? Sun. He smiled at the comfortable naga, then settled down in the soft chair and gradually drifted off.
He was woken up by a messenger boy who seemed downright terrified. He stretched and yawned, asking him why he was here. The boy flinched at his voice, then whispered so quietly that he almost didn't hear him. "C-Crown Prince Jasper Sanguine has requested the naga join him at the training grounds." Ivory raised an eyebrow, then laughed and realized why he was scared. He got up and walked over to the sleeping naga, nudging him awake. The boy turned an entire shade lighter when he stirred. "C'mon, you remember my brother wanted to see you fight?" Arsenic grumbled and hid his face in his arm. Ivory rolled his eyes and started trying to pull him off. He was surprisingly heavy, and Arsenic was annoyingly unbothered by his attempts to wake him up. Eventually, he went inside and grabbed a cup of water, promptly splashing it on his face. He got up spluttering and glared at him. He sat up and messed up his hair, shaking his head to get rid of the water. Ivory went inside and got a brush, sitting down and brushing out his hair while the sun quickly dried him off. Once he finished, Arsenic grabbed a simple shirt with a fern pattern on it and motioned to the messenger to lead him there. The poor boy nearly fainted and stiffly led him through the halls. They arrived at the training grounds and Arsenic took the scenery in. The ground was made of firm but solid dirt, providing a soft landing and good footing. There was a large group of about 30 people practicing sword motions, and a few scattered groups sparring in pairs. There were a few people with bows and quivers walking off to a separate area, which he assumed was the shooting range. A few small groups had one person with a flail and others with a sword dueling. The messenger led him through the groups along the main path, and took him into a separate area which was hidden from view of the main training grounds. As they traveled, Arsenic could feel the stares of the fighters on him. They were either sizing him up or watching in fear as he made his way through the grounds. No one made a move to stop him, but it was evident that they thought less of him. Entering the private grounds, he saw the crown prince and a few rough looking guards chatting together. The guards went silent the moment he entered, but the prince greeted him with a happy smile. "I apologize for being late, I- '' Before Arsenic could finish his sentence, the messenger interrupted him. "It was my fault sir! I was too scared to approach him when he was resting and Prince Ivory was the one who woke him!" Arsenic stared at him, seeming slightly impressed. Jasper seemed surprised, then smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. "It's ok, thank you for toughing it out and bringing him here." The messenger boy was shocked, then grinned widely. He bowed to him and eagerly thanked him while he left. Jasper then turned his attention back to Arsenic, his eyes softening slightly. "Well brother, you will spar against my knights, starting with one and increasing." Arsenic sized up the knights, than turned and retrieved his glaive among his weapons which had been brought out. He then turned and slithered to the middle of the room facing the knights, taking up his stance. One knight stepped forward and drew his sword. Jasper raised an eyebrow, but continued nonetheless. "The Captain of the Guard, Hunter Raster. I will count you from 5." The air was tense as he counted down, and when he reached one, Arsenic struck. He had been trained from youth to 'strike first and strike once.' Fast as a snake, he was in range immediately. His muscles bunched as he swung the glaive with his right arm faster then any human, his left out to balance and generating even more speed. The captain barely managed to block it with his sword, getting thrown back into the rock wall. Everyone else ran out of the way as Arsenic pursued his prey. He was holding his glaive with two hands now, relentlessly bringing it down on him over and over again. The captain was barely blocking and dodging him, getting nicked a few times from not blocking perfectly. Soon, Arsenic's glaive caught on a nick that he had struck on the captain's sword and flung it out of his hands. The blade was brought to the captain's throat in the next second, just barely stopping before he was beheaded. He lay there, breathing heavily and trying to conceal the fear that had quickly built while fighting the talented naga. Arsenic moved his blade away with a flourish, offering him a hand after. He reached a shaky hand up and allowed him to help him up. One of the guards briskly walked over and supported him while Arsenic went to retrieve the captain's blade. As he offered it to him he said, "I apologize for marking your blade, you are a very talented man Sir Raster." Hunter gazed at him for a long moment before letting out a quiet laugh. "You fight with fire in your soul and body, I admire your strength." Arsenic allowed himself a small smile before turning to Prince Jasper. Jasper smiled widely and applauded him, his knights joining in soon after. Arsenic stiffened and looked uncomfortable, but accepted the praise with a regal nod. After the applause died down, Jasper spoke. "I think that is enough for testing, if my knights agree." The knights nodded collectively, the captain wearing a small smile. Arsenic bowed slightly, before Jasper excused him and he left.
He made his way back to his room, carefully tracing his memory for the path. As he walked, he could hear whispers all around him. They spoke in hushed tones and quieted down before they reached him, as if he couldn't already hear them. "Can't believe the royals let one of them in here... They're dangerous, he can't be trusted... He's going to kill Prince Ivory, just wait." Arsenic walked by them all, concealing his emotions and ignoring their glares. "Freak." One woman said as she walked past him, laughing to her friend as she did so. He let out a quiet sigh and walked on. Everyone eyed him as they walked by, distrust and anger in their voices and eyes as they judged him like a deformed animal on display. He turned the corner into his room, and paused before he opened the door. Those girls were back with their friends, and he had heard a whisper about paint. After a moment, he started twitching the tip of his tail which was visible around the corner. Than, he suddenly lifted it and slammed it down, making sure to lift his scales so it created a sound like shattering glass. The women shrieked, dropping the paint on their expensive gowns and breaking a few of the vases from falling over. He smirked in satisfaction and quickly drew his tail in to avoid getting paint on him. He went into his room, closing the door behind him to the chorus of curses and screams. Ivory was staring at him as he entered the room, switching his gaze behind him to catch a glimpse of a glob of paint. "What the heck just happened out there???" Arsenic checked over his tail before flopping down on the couch next to him. "Got hate crimed." Ivory's eyes widened than he looked away from the door and leaned against him. "Don't say anything else, I don't need to know if you caused all that."
Arsenic smirked sarcastically and leaned back on the couch, curling his tail around himself and Ivory. Arsenic fell asleep in a few seconds, only to be rudely woken by an angry noblewoman bursting through the door. He half opened an eye to see who it was and closed it when he saw the paint covered woman. Ivory raised an eyebrow at her, and she nearly turned the same color as the bright red on her dress when she saw them cuddling. "HOW DARE YOU POUR PAINT ON US AND TRY TO PRETEND NOTHING HAPPENED!" Ivory glared and sat up. "I don't think you remember your place. Arsenic Baz is my fiance, therefore he is almost officially part of the royal family. Are you accusing the royal family of being so low as to throw paint on noblewomen?" The color drained out of her face, and she stuttered as she tried to explain. In that moment, Jasper swept into the room dramatically, his face was for once less than amused. Four guards surrounded him, with more guards and helpers cleaning up outside. The noblewoman was moved to the side and his face relaxed slightly as he faced the two on the couch. "What happened here?" Ivory relaxed, his face turning to one of worry and sadness. "I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure Arsenic can explain." At the mention of his name, he opened his eyes and hugged Ivory a little tighter. "These women followed me back to my room, I don't know why they had paint." He was careful not to outright accuse them, but it was obvious the paint hadn't been for anything authorized. He turned his steely gaze on the pale noble. "Well, can you explain why you had the paint?" She stuttered and panicked while trying to think of an excuse. One of the helpers came over and whispered into Jasper's ear. He looked back at her. "You gathered people and got paint and told your group to 'follow the slums naga'?" She immediately went silent, fear filling her eyes. Jasper shook his head in disapproval and layed out the evidence. "First, addressing the future husband of my kid brother as his species and place of birth is incredibly rude and could be considered an insult against the royal family if taken the wrong way." His eyes glinted dangerously as he finished the sentence, making sure to emphasize the threat. "Secondly, no one can take paint without clearance from the royal family or the head of construction. I was also told you had planned to 'paint him as a freak'. You should know that bringing harm to the royal family is punishable by death, and that the paint you chose is dangerous if exposed to an open wound." The noble seemed like she was about to faint, but Jasper seemed like he had finished for the moment. With a small flourish of his wrist, he motioned for her to be taken out. He eyed a glob of paint on the floor with disdain and stepped around it. His cold eyes softened as he approached the pair, and he carefully trailed his fingertips along the end of Arsenic's tail, checking for any damage. "Are you ok? Words cannot describe how embarrassed I am that something like this happened to you, much less on your first day in the castle. I will punish them as I see fit, unless you would like to choose their punishment." Arsenic seemed put off by the gentle display of affection, and hesitated before he spoke. "Don't do anything permanent. People here are raised with little to no interaction with 'my kind.' She reacted as she did because she knew nothing else. It wasn't anything personal." Jasper frowned slightly, obviously still worried about him. "Very well, nothing permanent." He tucked an errand strand of hair behind his ear, letting his hand linger and cup his cheek slightly. Arsenic froze and seemed to consider leaning into his hand. After a few tense moments, Jasper let out a quiet sigh and moved his hand away. "No matter what people may try, you will always be safe with us Arsenic." He left the room quietly, leaving Arsenic and Ivory alone. Ivory leaned into him and smiled gently. "I hope you find someone you can lean against when you leave." Arsenic watched him drift to sleep, and stared at the roof before he gradually relaxed and closed his eyes.
YOU ARE READING
To Touch the Hemlock Petals
FantasyA naga is destined to marry a young prince. Fortunately, destiny isn't absolute.
