The Vampire Prince

Higa vs Seigaku

Nanako was just starting to dose off when the sound of the throne room doors startled her. Thinking it was the council members she sat up straighter and schooled her features to a blank and diplomatic look.

However she just blinked when she saw who it was. 

A young blond boy stood in front of her with a grin on his face. He had his hands placed behind his back and he gave her a bow of respect. Not the usual head tilts the rest of the people normally gave her. She smiled at that, only a few people bothered to do such a thing. 

The boy greeted her with a gentle smile "Hello my lady."

Nanako once again relaxed, she knew him and there was no reason to be so tense when he is around. "Kevin, its nice to see you have returned."

 Kevin nodded "Sorry to just barge in, but I thought the prince would like to hear of my return as soon as possible." He said. He started glancing around the throne room and frowned. "It seems he is not here in the palace though."

"Ah yes, Ryoma decided to take a sudden vacation." Her eye twitched as she said 'vacation', still not over the fact that Ryoma decided to just disappear. She frowned at him though. "I assumed he would have informed you. You are the only person Ryoma would ever tell his plans to afterall."

Kevin smiled sheepishly, he felt bad for Nanako. Ryoma always gave her a hard time. "Unfortunately the assignment he sent me on made it where we could not keep in contact, for fear I could expose myself."

Nanako nodded. "Ah, I understand. In that case may I ask for a favor."

Kevin moved  his right hand to his heart and tilted his head down. "Of course my lady."

"I Know I do not have authority to demand anything from you as you are under the direct command of the prince, but I must ask as a friend. Will you go to Ryoma and watch over him?"

Kevin looked up in surprise. "My lady, I will do as you ask but you and I both know the prince Is more than able to protect himself."

"Yes but I fear his safety nonetheless, its not that I doubt his abilities. Its the situation I do not trust."

Kevin raised one eyebrow in question and was about to ask her about what she meant when the doors behind him started to open. Five men walked through and recognizing them he immediately went to stand next to a pillar by the door out of the way. his hands were placed behind is back and his head tilted down, eyes directed to the ground. Nanako also changed her demeaner as soon as the men walked in. She straightened up and her face was schooled in a blank expression. Gone was the smile and relaxed posture, she couldn't afford such a thing around them. 

The man in front of them all looked around and scowled when he caught sight of Kevin. He was the oldest among  the others and had an air of arrogance around him. "It seems you did not head my advice about letting filth be directly in your presence."

Nanako glared. "Watch your tongue, that man is one of the princes servants. You know he doesn't like when you insult those under his protection."

The man rolled his eyes. "Yes the prince, he doesn't ever take my advice either. Very unlike his father."

Nanako wanted to laugh at that. The late King always did whatever he wanted and rarely ever listened to his council. Ryoma is very much like his father in that regard. Except he had a point that the late king never allowed his servants within the throne room while he was there alone. Nanako never understood why and when she asked he responded with a vague answer.  

"Anyway Nanako, do get to the point of this meeting." The man gestured to the others behind him. "We all have important matters to attend to. Some of us do not have the time nor the patience to be entertaining your childish whims."