And All the Prince's Men (haikyu)

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 26

"I was not expecting so many guests, Prince Shouyou," Lord Kei states icily, "Nor in such a...disgusting state."

Iwaizumi steps on Kyoutani's foot to prevent him from barking something rude out.

Lord Kei notices this but decides not to deem it with a response. Instead, he sweeps his eyes across them, distrustfully but with a hint of amusement, "Well, I suppose I can't argue with a Prince, let alone two," he sighs, "Yamaguchi! Draw our guests' servants a bath and get them cleaned up. They can meet up with us in the drawing room when they are presentable."

Iwaizumi grits his teeth behind his smile. What a rotten attitude from a Lord, he thinks, especially one so young. He's certain he's about Prince Tobio's age. Tall people were absolutely insufferable.

A sweet servant boy, Yamaguchi, Iwaizumi presumes, makes his way over to them with a shy smile. He leads them out to the baths and helps draw them water. It is a welcome luxury, after weeks toiling on the road, to relax in warm water and wash the grime off their skin.

When they dry off and are presented a clean change of servant's clothes, Iwaizumi dares to ask for some scissors and a razor. Finally, he is able to give himself a proper shave, with a sharp clean blade. He rubs at his smooth skin with a sigh of relief.

Yahaba cuts Iwaizumi's hair, as neat as he can. Kyoutani lets him do the same, grumbling a bit about watching out for his ears. Yahaba leaves his own hair be, other than to snip at his bangs to keep his vision clear.

They are lead into a drawing room. Iwaizumi appreciates the beauty of the interior, rich oranges and dark woods creating a warm environment of luxury. He wonders if Karasuno had grown richer in the four years since his last visited, or if the Tsukishima manor had better taste than the castle proper.

The nobles sit on cushions facing around a long table. Yamaguchi offers the entering guests cushions of their own, lining them up by the wall, out of sight.

"So you're asking me a favor? You wish me to lie?" Lord Kei murmurs, hands leaning back to support himself.

"It's not lying," Prince Shouyou insists, "Just, stretching the truth. Only a little!"

"And why should I lie for the sake of a foreigner? Prince or not? Oh wait, or are you King by now?"

Prince Tobio bristles, teeth gritting, "I am not the King."

"My mistake," Lord Kei chuckles, eyes flashing, "You must forgive my confusion. Aoba Johsai has been quite a mess recently hasn't it?"

Prince Tobio's glare is fierce enough to make Prince Shouyou shrink beside him.

Lord Kei is unaffected, smiling cooly, "How many down now? First the Queen, then the First Son, and now the King's gone mad, hasn't he?"

Prince Tobio stands up in his fury, but Lord Kei meets him there, towering over him, "I don't understand your anger, Prince Tobio. Isn't this quite the stroke of luck for you? To ascend so quickly, so easily? It's like the stars have aligned to make you King."

Prince Tobio grabs him by the collar, bring him down to his height. Lord Kei smiles, keeping his hands at his sides, "Unless, perhaps, Prince Tobio has no wish to be King at all? And that is why he runs from his kingdom? When they've fallen into chaos and need him most?

"Or is it, maybe, because the people would rather have chaos, then a selfish King they have no love for at all?"

Iwaizumi is at his own boiling point, hearing a noble talk trash of his kingdom, but before he can step in Prince Shouyou stands up, pulling the two apart, "Might I remind you that I am still here and I am in charge of this kingdom," he snaps, "Prince Tobio has his reasons. And this favor is to better his kingdom if you're so concerned about it, Tsukishima. Now if you want to have a fight we can go outside. I'll take you!"

Lord Kei blinks at the outburst, letting out a light chuckle, "You're always so amusing, Prince Shouyou," he murmurs as the redhead scowls at him, "I supposed I would have to follow any favor asked of me by the beloved Sun Prince of Karasuno, wouldn't I? Though I do not see why helping Aoba Johsai from falling into collapse would be at all beneficial for us."

"Strengthens our ties!" Prince Shouyou explains, pulling a scowling Prince Tobio closer to his side with a grin, "I'm a master of diplomacy, so just trust me, ok?"

"Right," Lord Kei says, "I will give your servants provisions for their journey. And I will tell the Kings, if they ask, that you have lengthened your stay in my company. Is that all?"

It is. So, Lord Kei excuses himself into the hall, followed by a scampering Yamaguchi. Iwaizumi can't help leaning out his head to follow them with his gaze, catching snippets of their conversation as they storm away.

"How can you waste your good fortune? How can you have everything other people would kill to have, and squander it like that? What an ungrateful idiot. People like him irritate me the most."

Iwaizumi looks back over at the princes, finds Prince Tobio sitting back on the floor, grumbling to himself. Prince Shouyou purses his lips at him. He makes eye contact with Iwaizumi and raises his hands up in surrender.

Iwaizumi rises up, making his way to sit across from the heir, "Prince Tobio," he starts. Prince Tobio does not look up from his glaring session with the floor. Iwaizumi licks his lips, "What did, what did Lord Kei mean by the King having gone mad?"

Prince Tobio drags his hand through his dark hair, "Father believes that a curse has been placed on the castle. Someone set fire to the orchards, and it consumed most of that part of the grounds. Yahaba escaped and the King swears the servants are to be blamed for all of this. He put the castle on lock down, no one can leave or come in. Even the visiting nobles are stuck there. He keeps writing to me, and the letters are becoming worse and worse. He wants me to come back, so that I can help him set a proper example."

"That's royal talk for he wants to execute a bunch of people," Prince Shouyou explains helpfully.

"I know that, idiot!" Prince Tobio growls. He huffs, looking back at Iwaizumi, "I have never been good at talking to my father, I don't think I'd be able to stop him. So the best I can do is..."

"Not go back?" Iwaizumi says, incredulously, "But that's your home."

"Is it?" Prince Tobio flares, anger still fresh from the recent argument, "I don't know anymore. There's nothing there for me." He swallows, "Kindaichi made it very clear to me before I dismissed him in my anger. How everyone believes I'm just a selfish king to be, not fit to rule at all. Mother's gone. Tooru never liked me, and now he's gone too. Why would I go back to a place that doesn't want me?"

Iwaizumi does not know what to say.

So he says nothing.

Prince Tobio grits his teeth.

Prince Shouyou lays a hand on his shoulder, "Just like I said before, you can stay here as long as you need, Kageyama! It'd be expensive to import so many meat buns if you stayed in Aoba Johsai anyway."

Prince Tobio snaps at him, "Shut up!"

Prince Shouyou lets out a laugh, "Ho ho! You wanna go? I bet Tsukishima has a ton of meat buns in his kitchen. Who can eat the most first?"

"You're on." Prince Tobio agrees, standing up alongside the spritely redhead. But Iwaizumi grabs his forearm, making him pause.

"Aoba Johsai needs a leader, Prince Tobio" he says, carefully.

Prince Tobio squeezes his hands into fists, "I know," he sighs, "But, I...I'm not ready for that. I need to...I need to figure a lot of things out," he says, blue eyes glancing at the bright haired prince waiting for him with a hop in his step. Prince Tobio looks back at Iwaizumi, eyes steelier with resolve, "You believe Tooru's out there right? I will help you, I will do anything to find my brother. To bring him back. To absolve myself of all of this," he pulls free of Iwaizumi's grip entirely, "We both know he's the rightful heir to Aoba Johsai's throne, whether father agrees to it or not."

Iwaizumi watches him go with the foreign prince, shoulders relaxed even as he argues with him. And Iwaizumi wonders what magic lives in Karasuno castle, to mature the young prince so quickly in such little time. If it was equal parts the loss of his mother and brother, or if, maybe, it came from the burgeoning friendship with the Sun Prince, the child beloved by its Kingdom, rumored to be made of pure joyful light.

Iwaizumi thinks, then, it would not be so terrible for Prince Tobio to stay here.