The day had dwindled into evening and he had relaxed himself with his old friend, what had started at talk about their days had wandered the realms of philosophical shores and waned and waxed on every topic between. The Prince preferred these lazy days, these brief hours of freedom, they were like a reward for putting up with his family's insistent rouse. 

He had grown quiet though and was drifting between the realm of the wakeful and the realm of sleep when Rei perked up and jumped to attention. This roused the Prince from his relaxed stupor and for a moment he regarded the boy with something between amusement and concern. He was like a guard dog, not the hunting dogs they had by the kitchen but a trained guard dog. The problem with that is very few ever out lived their owner and the Prince felt concerned that fate would be Rei's some day. 

Standing he brushed at his legs and smiled at the meister, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Rei would have known if it was his sister or one of the servants he'd already met, the fact he didn't recognise them made him concerned. Not for himself, he truly had lost count on the times he'd been attacked but the meister was here and while he was a powerful man in Alessandro's opinion he was old and fragile and if anything happened to him the Prince would never forgive himself. As he reached the Fae's side he touched his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "If ever something happens here, get the Meister to safety first, that isn't up for negotiation." There was a brief hardness to his tone, the type that didn't care for arguments. Alessandro cherished the old man it was clear in the concern in his eyes. 

stepping forward he slipped the door open and glanced at a very startled looking man that stopped a half dozen steps from the door, "Is there something I can help you with?" Alessandro didn't recognise the man there but that could have been due to the darkness in the corridor.