And All the Prince's Men (haikyu)

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 1

Iwaizumi Hajime is taken from his bed in the middle of the night. He drags his feet, eyes bleary in the darkness, sleep-addled mind confused. Strong hands grip his forearm and pull him roughly down the hallway.

He squints when he's forced outside into the pale moonlight, head groggy. He mumbles something, he doesn't even know what, and is hauled into an open cart. There are other orphans there, most are awake, eyes wide and fearful. Iwaizumi recognizes a few in the silver light.

The crack of a whip breaks the air and the cart starts moving. He looks over at the shack that had been his home for years. He looks back over at the sea of terrified eyes in the cart, huddling together and shivering.

He closes his eyes and goes back to sleep.

Iwaizumi Hajime is woken up when the rhythmic clomping of the cart comes to an abrupt halt. Shouts are exchanged and the screech of a gate being opened has the children around him covering their ears. The smell in the cart is putrid, Iwaizumi realizes, and he decides he wants to get out.

He stands up, legs numb from being folded up all night, making him sway. He steadies himself on the wood railing of the cart, using it as a guide as he picks his way through the wriggling little limbs of the other orphans until he finds himself at the very back. He plans on jumping off when the cart jerks back into motion.

There's a moment where he has to catch himself, hands gripping the bottom railing tight enough that splinters dig into his palms. The motion has his head bob out of the cart, squinting in the onslaught of sunlight. The road is paved hear in cobblestone, recently washed. The grass is green and tidy along the sides, and as they move he is able to see the enormous white gate that had paused their journey.

He gapes at it. It's blinding, the way it reflects the sun, swallowing up the light only to shine it out as a bright expanse of white. It's two men high and Iwaizumi immediately feels the need to climb it. Longs for the challenge of it. He imagines the bars to be slick and polished, no dents or pits for proper foot holes. An impossible climb.

He grins.

The gate fades in the distance as the cart keeps moving. Iwaizumi sits down, letting his little legs slip through the wooden railing so they dangle outside the cart, bouncing to the rhythm of the hoof beats. He starts pulling at the splinters in his hands as he takes in the view. The yard they are in is beautiful. Lush trees planted alongside blue and white flowers border the cobblestone paths. Servants pass back and forth, hurried in their motions.

They must be at some noble's mansion Iwaizumi figures, though for reasons beyond his comprehension. He wonders if he can figure out which noble based solely on the yard. But he barely paid attention to the Sisters' lectures back in the orphanage about the neighboring Lords and Ladies. He just knew he had to be on his best behavior when they visited.

He at least remembers Lord Hanamaki's visit. His mansion is the closest, and he had been searching for a personal attendant for his son to grow up with him.

That was normally why nobles visited orphanages. Always because they wanted something--or rather, someone.

Iwaizumi assumes this trip must be for similar effect. Though he imagines this noble must be exceedingly lazy to round up orphans to bring to him rather than just visiting the home. At least It's a nice change of pace and a refreshing view from the bland colors of the old farm.

He stands again at the edge of the cart, trying to peer around the wagon to see what manor they were headed for. He wonders if it is Lord Hanamaki's. It's the only elite family he really knows.

He gasps, eyes widening at the sight of the castle suddenly coming into view in front of him. He ducks back into the cart, hands suddenly sweaty with an onset of nerves.