[IC] A Bloody Murder

[cthulu]

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.

[PopeAlessandros]

At the prince's command Rei nods, shifting to the side so he is between the meister and the door. From behind he hears the man whisper, “I'll be alright child. You keep his head on his shoulders.” As if to prove his point there is the very faint crackle of magic behind Rei and the Fae nods once again. 'The prince wants the man safe, and he can keep himself safe, so as long as I do not throw anyone atop his fragile body, I will be keeping him safe. . .' Of course, now with the old man also vouching for the safety of those present the Fae is even more tense. If the meister thinks something may be wrong, then Rei isn't quite as paranoid as the prince seems to think he is.

The door swings open and the prince addresses someone just out of sight down th steps. Rei tenses, selling the sweat and fear coming of the man, and when he hears a rush of feet he acts immediately. Reaching forward he snags the prince's collar and with a sharp tug, pulling him out of the way just as the glint of steel appears in the man's hand. He's careful not to accidentally incapacitate the prince or throw him to the floor, least he need to defend himself, but he does make sure that he is quite out of the way as he darts in to engage the frightened looking man. Suddenly being presented with a much smaller figure wielding a blade the ragged looking man stumbles back against the door, his foot slipping a bit.

'This is no assassin, but there is no doubt that he was after Alessandro. He had intent to kill, though there is more fear now than anything else' In the back of his mind he registers that there is another man on the stairs, but he decides to deal with this one first. He takes a fraction of a second to decide whether he should kill this one or not and once decided he slips his blade into the other man, giving the blade a slight twist so that the man is taken down by the pain alone. 'He will live, and he will talk, if the prince so wishes' Rei is about to turn, ready to take on the man who has been sneaking up behind him with a blade raised high, but before he can address the matter he turns to find Alessandro between him and his target.

Rei is completely befuddled as to why the prince is putting himself in danger when this is clearly something a bodyguard should be handling, but as he sees a flash of blood cross his vision he stops contemplating the foolishness of it and lets out a loud hiss of anger. He shifts his weight, ready to dart forward to take on the would be killer, but a moment later he falls to the ground and the fight is over. The first man who fell is still whimpering in pain, however Rei ignores him, slipping around Alessandro to check how badly he's wounded. The old man is on his feet, intent on doing the same, but Rei is faster. Without a word he forces the prince into a chair so he can see the wound better.

The wound isn't too deep, but it is bleeding and without hesitation Rei clamps his hand down over it hard to stop the flow. “You should be fine.” he murmurs softly, keeping his grip firm as the old man comes up to check on the prince. Rei has a look of hard concentration on his face and it takes a few tries for the old man to convince him to let go of the wound so he can examine it more closely. Once he's let go Rei rounds on the fallen men, ready take both their lives just for good measure, to make sure they will be unable to harm the prince ever again. The meister, however, sensing this intent, calls out to him and orders him to tie them up then fetch the palace medic.

He follows the first command without question, tying them tightly but not painfully. Once they are secure he stand, looking towards the prince, awaiting his command to comply or not with the order to leave his side. The meister notices and smiles, shaking his head. “I don't think he'll leave unless you tell him to highness. . .” he mutters quietly, casting an approving glance at Rei while he continues doing what he can for Alessandro's' wound.

[cthulu]

Alessandro was clearly still far too trusting of people and their intents, while he could see the sweat on the man's brow he could not tell what fear had produced it, the fear of what he was doing or who he was speaking to. Still, Alessandro didn't have long to think about it before he was pulled out of the way by his bodyguard, just in time too as a flash of steel glinted before his eyes and was met with Rei's own, well placed blade. Fae were awfully talented creatures and every time he looked at Rei he wondered how dumb and ape like they humans must have seemed in comparison.

Alessandro regained his footing on the narrow stairwell, keeping an eye on the pair, not that the fight was to last long of course but the Prince was bewitched by Rei's elegance and slightly curious to his macabre demeanour. Alessandro didn't for a second think that the fae would show mercy, not because he doubted Rei capable of learning such but he had doubted anyone had taught him what mercy was. About to speak up to ask Rei to spare the man's life the dagger plunged into the assailants gut, the scream of agony meant that Rei had missed any truly vital points and for am oment Alessandro was filled with pride.

A second glint of steel and a hiss of breath alerted Alessandro to the second assailant, who didn't hesitate as the knife went into his friend to jump forth. While Alessandro didn't doubt Rei's capabilities, instinctively Alessandro got between the fae and the second attacker. One hand raised as if to motion the man to stop and his body eclipsing Rei. He felt a sharp pain just below his ribs but was well aware it was but a glancing blow, the pain intensified but as his brother used to say If you can feel it you aren't dying. Somewhat stunned by the attack he missed the feral hiss of his body guard as he lurched like a cougar from behind Alessandro and ended the man's life quickly and without hesitation.

Covering the wound with his own hand he tried to be reason to his actions, Rei would ask. Protecting something you cared about was something he'd always been taught though, perhaps the only thing of kindness he'd learned from his father. Rei was beside him again, his slightly warm hands pressing over the wounds, "I'm okay." He uttered quietly but the fae didn't seem to hear and instead forced him over to a chair and sat him down in it. Alessandro glanced over to the meister, a slightly curious glint in his eyes but a smile that whispered a thousand words of gratitude before turning back to Rei. "Alright." He replied as the fae assured him of his mortality.

When the meister took over the Prince offered a devil-may-care grin, "My brother gave me worse don't worry so." An attempt at calming his worried friends, Alessandro watched as the fae tied the man up; he surely had no idea how lucky he was in comparison to his friend, and return with that quizzical look to his side. "Of all the people in this kingdom the two people I entrust my life to are in this room." And that would never change, the Meister was his family in his opinion and Rei, well, Rei was Rei. "You can go Rei, it might be an idea before I bleed all over the carpet and the books." A small attempt at humour which was met with a playfully stern glare from the meister.

Al gave Rei a reassuring smile, "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. The medic is a dour looking crone, you'll know her when you see her." With that the Prince leaned back into the chair, turning just slightly to view the 'prisoner'.
"You are lucky my friend, my bodyguard isn't usually so kind as to let my assailants live. Tell me, why did you come for me? You do not seem the killer sort." Despite his pain, despite his situation he had a faint and warm smile to his lips, an easy sort of nature that hinted he was not truly angry.
"I...I...it was...forgive me..." Alessandro laughed lightly, "You are bleeding over my Uncles carpet, I imagine Rei hit you hard enough to hurt as much as possible without killing you, you are suffering plenty. Though tell me why you chose this suffering?"
"It's...it's my daughter you see... she...she isn't well and...the apothecary...they said..."
"He's lying my prince." The meister uttered, just loud enough to be heard by both men in the room.
"My uncle, he has very good hearing, can pick a lie out from a mile away...I wouldn't recommend lying to me again, when Rei gets back...well...and can you imagine what my father would think?"
"I did this for him! For the family! You're an abomination, the man in the tavern said so, you're a monster not fit for this world! How dare you taint our King and Queen's name by still drawing breath! How dare you ruin your sister's chance to be queen! Do you have no shame?" The meister's kind eyes turned hard but Alessandro didn't see this, his eyes were half closed and he nodded quietly to the words spat at him, they were not new but this was the first time someone had been bold enough to come here and try anything. "Who is the man?" Alessandro asked in the same cool, friendly tone.
"He didn't give a name, he just sat down, bought us drinks and opened our eyes to the truth. You're the problem with this kingdom, you should leave or die."
"Oh, if only I could young man." He uttered lightly, "I've heard enough, I'll have them edic see to you and you can be on your way." The meister looked confused but then nodded lightly.
"I will get him up and get him in a cart to the town physician. He should not be treated here in case someone says something." Alessandro nodded and covered his wound as the Meister placed his hand on it.

Grabbing his cane the meister hobbled slowly and deliberately over to the wounded man undoing his ties and helping him to his feet. As they walked towards the door the meister made small talk. "In my day the king would have severed your head and mounted it on a pike in front of the castle for what you tried to do. Isn't it nice we have such a forgiving prince?" The man scoffed and the wooden door closed behind them.

"Such a shame." The meister said, his eyes briefly crackling with an electric blue, "That I am not." He whispered, a jolt of magic escaping his fingers which threw the man off his feet as if a fist of air had struck him from behind and propelled him forward through the towers window, there was a brief scream but it was silenced and the meister heaved a heavy, exhausted sigh. With an effort he turned back around and head back to the room and his Prince to await the return of Rei and the medic.

[PopeAlessandros]

Rei has come to like the people around Alessandro less and less the more he learns about him, and - his quick breath slowing back to normal - he finds himself wondering if, other than the old man here, anyone really cared to keep this young man alive, or if it was sheer luck and happenstance that had kept this good man breathing throughout his younger years. While the wound was indeed relatively shallow, the idea of one not from an assassin collective harming another in this way feels just wrong to Rei. 'And not only wounding him worse, but in such a way that he brushes it off like it is nothing? I grew up in a pack of children, all wanting me dead, but that is different. I know the way I was raised is. . . .Wrong, and I can not understand how such a good man can be in such constant danger in his station. . . .'

Shaking his head he nods slowly, looking to the meister before vanishing off down the tower steps. Using his swiftness at it's near full capabilities he races into the castle, stopping only to locate a servant before rushing up to them. The woman nearly jumps out of her skin as he comes to a stop right in front of her. He doesn't bother apologizing however, his eyes still frighteningly focused as he opens his mouth to speak. “I need to know where the palace medic is. The prince is wounded. Direct me to her now.”

The woman, still shaking slightly, points down a nearby hall. “To the end of the hall, take a left, she's in a door to the right. Just follow the smell of herbs.”

With a sharp nod he races off once more. He would have been more polite, but after getting the distinct impression that most of the people in the palace don't care if he lives or not, he didn't want to give her the option of delaying him. It takes him only a handful of seconds to reach his destination, his nose wrinkling at the strong spell of dead plants coming from beyond the door. Knocking once he pushes the door open without receiving a response, covering his sensitive nose with one hand so the amalgamation of scents do not overwhelm him.

'Well, she definitely fits the definition of crone' he muses, looking to elderly woman sitting on a stool crushing something with a mortar and pestle on the other side of the room. There are steaming pots over fires and many herbs hanging low from the ceiling dotting the work space, but Rei ignores it all, striding quickly over to the woman. The prince needs care, and despite his curiosity, he is determined to waste as little time as possible.

She sets her work down, looking over this odd individual who has strode so boldly into her work room. She has half a mind to call the guards to have him tossed out, but then she spots the hand covering his mouth soaked in blood. Her eyes then dart around his figure. 'More blood! Goodness me, what has this lad been up to?!' She carefully pushes her old creaky body to it's feet and reaches automatically for her bag. She of course recognizes that this must be the youth that has been the focus of so much castle gossip lately, the prince's new bodyguard, and as he is walking without any sign of injury she can only conclude that it must be someone else who is hurt.

'Maybe he missed and we now have some bleeding assassin laying in the yard he wants to interrogate' All these thoughts pass through her mind very quickly, the small male reaching her side in a matter of seconds. She looks into his – honestly quite frightening and intimidating – eyes and waits to see if he's going to fill her in, or just stand there acting like the fumes are killing him.

In truth, just entering the room has made Rei a little lightheaded, but he does his best to ignore this as he looks up into the eyes of the slightly taller woman who looks back expectantly. 'She just needs the facts. Just the facts, then I can wait outside and clear my head' he reminds himself, then carefully takes a breath, and removes his blood stained hand from his mouth. “The prince has been wounded. A gash just below the ribs with a poorly sharpened blade. I saw no rust on the metal, and detected no poison, but he was still bleeding when I left. Pack what you need. I will take you to him.” Then, without waiting for an answer from her, he claps his hand back over his mouth and strides out of the room.

She watches his back as he leaves, an eyebrow arched. “Well he certainly thinks highly of himself, ordering me around like that. Should drag my feet just to show him what's what around he-. . . .” Her voice trails off as his head appears back around the doorway, his gaze leaving her cold inside. He'd heard her, and wasn't about to let her pitch a hissy fit over his being less than polite. Or at least that's the impression she gets from his glare.

And she is quite right. Upon overhearing her talking about trying to teach him a lesson, to the detriment of the prince, he looks back in on her with a withering expression, letting her know that such shenanigans will not be tolerated. 'Something is wrong with these people' Rei settles back against the wall by the doorway once he's sure she is being as expedient as possible. 'I recognized right away that Alessandro is a good man, and have sought to stay with him for that very reason. He is good, and kind, and all the things a good king should be, and yet I feel as if they could care less if he fell from the top of the meister's tower and broke his neck. . . .It is foolish, and strange, and. . .' He shakes his head. 'I do not understand humans, but that is another reason I am here. Alessandro can help me understand. He has given me leave to ask him about all this insanity. . .'

His mind goes over and over the books he's read, trying to find an explanation for all of this, but before he can get too deep into his recollections the woman emerges and he looks up, pushing himself off the wall. He takes her bag, hoping it will help her move faster, and with what he considers painfully slow steps they begin the trek to the old man's tower. He doesn't try and make conversation, determinedly looking ahead as he keeps pace with the woman limping at his side. He can tell the limp comes from and improperly healed childhood injury to her leg, having seen the same gait before, so he does not jump to the conclusion that she's only limping to hold them up.

Once they finally reach the front door they are greeted by the sight of people running about. He hears snatches of exclamations about a body at the foot of the tower, but it takes only another moment of listening to realize it's not the prince's body and his focus goes back to getting her up the tower.

Mellia is half tempted to go check on what all the commotion is about, but her blood splattered escort's firm pace and unwavering gaze keeps her on task, not wanting to see his blade any closer and possibly add to the blood splashed across his front. The stairs are a bit of an ordeal for her but once they finally reach the top, the youth races off to the prince's side, giving her a moment to breath.

Rei sets the bag by the chair where Alessandro still sits and without asking begins checking him for any other small injuries he may have missed. The meister chuckles at him, murmuring, “I don't suppose you would trust me when I say he's fine beside the wound in his side, hmm?” Rei doesn't answer and the old man chuckles again, turning his eyes on to the medic. “Evening Mellia. How goes things?”

The fae ignores the talk, intent on making sure the prince will be okay, and once he's satisfied that there is only the gash that needs to be treated, he looks about the room to check for any more dangers. The man he'd killed still lay on the ground, the blood pool beneath him rather small as much of it had gushed out on to the stairs in the stairwell before Rei had had the chance to drag him into the room proper. 'The other is gone. I suppose that is the body at the bottom of the tower that the people outside are so keen on right now. . .Funny how a dead villain gets more notice than a wounded prince. . .' The medic is treating Alessandro now, the fae sitting beside his chair and keeping a sharp eye out, and just as he begins wondering if anyone's going to check the tower to see if the man fell from it, he hears feet on the stairs. His fingers clench around his blade, the gleaming metal the only real clean looking part of him as he'd wiped it off after dragging the dead man into the room earlier. It turns out to only be a guard however and Rei fades out of the conversation, his attention and senses on the man at his side as the elderly woman goes about her craft.

[cthulu]

Alessandro had been resting, eyes closed and with his hand loosely covering the wound with them eister at his side. Thanks to Rei he hadn't been bleeding long but with the day he'd had it was little surprise he was exhausted from his ordeal. He seemed rather peaceful and calm despite the attack but to Alessandro it was just another day. He was sure somewhere, someone supported him but no one voiced those concerns in such a superstitious kingdom as this. The book sellers liked him, his man servant did, the meister here and Rei. In Alessandro's eyes he was lucky he had that many people who'd treat him fairly and lovingly.

Whatever thoughts were floating around his mind, if there were any, were knocked loose as the fae was soon upon him, pulling him around to check him over again. Alessandro accommodated him with a good natured smile and glanced over to the Meister as he spoke to Rei. "Oh there's no use my friend, when he's like this his ears stop working." It was a light and playful joke about rei's commitment to his job. Lightly the Prince raised a hand to the fae's hair as he finally seemed to be satisfied with the Prince's condition and spoke to him -as if somehow touching the fluffy top of the fae made him pay attention-, "I'm okay Rei, honest. It barely hurts."

"I'll be the judge of that." Mellia uttered with a hint of impatience in her tone. Alessandro broke his gaze to look up and see the elderly medic, "Ah Miss Mellia, I am sorry you had to make such a journey, it seems I had a bit of an accident." She grumbled and tutted as she shuffled forward. "Well you did, that's what happens when you play hero. Didn't you hire the weird kid to do all your fighting for ya? Seems kinda stupid getting hurt over replaceable assets." She uttered as she slowly got to her knees, her old joints creaking as she pulled open her bag. "Then he comes barging on into my room acting like it was a cesspit and demands I come and see to you, you ain't nothing but trouble boy."
"I am dreadfully sorry Miss Mellia."
"And I ain't no miss neither." Alessandro smiled faintly and nodded, "My apologies again."
"Shut up and let me work, bloody reckless kid. You know how often I have to see this pasty body of yours? Too often." She gave a short 'hmpf' but there was almost a flicker of concern in her old eyes. She was very professional mind, getting a clean rag and setting to cleaning up the wound sight with quick and remarkably steady hands.

At one point Alessandro winced and bit at his lip as he sucked in a breath, "See!" Mellia exclaimed, verging on excitement, "Knew it hurt, you're a liar too boy." She reached up and a wrinkled finger flicked Alessandro with a small 'thwack' right on the forehead. Alessandro just smiled faintly and left the woman to her work. She was gruff, utterly unpersonable, most of the time she seemed like she'd rather leave someone to die than work on them but Alessandro had to wonder how much of that scaley shell was a cover. Whenever he'd seen her work, on anyone, she gave it everything she had, didn't matter who was her patient they never got anything less than the best.

As Rei perked to the sound on the stairs Alessandro's eyes followed him to the door, it was a guard wanting information about the body downstairs and the one up here. Alessandro looked perplexed and the meister sighed, "I'm sorry, that's probably my fault." Alessandro looked at him perplexed. "I went to walk him down and he shook me loose and ran ahead of me. Said something about not wanting to go to jail, I think he slipped on his friend's blood because the next thing I knew he fell through the window. I'm such a burden, I can't even escort a prisoner right." Alessandro shook his head and moved his hands, much to the grumbling of Mellia, to his dear friends, encasing them in his own. "Don't talk like that, I shouldn't have asked you to do it, god knows what he could have done to you and I left you in that danger." The meister shook his head with a smile but they were interrupted, as was the stern looking guard, by a flash of red barging passed the heavily armoured man, hopping over the dead body, shuffling around the books and coming to a rather unorganised halt in front of Alessandro. "Alessandro!" He cried out of breath, when he realised there were many eyes on him he gulped, turned the same shade as his hair and stuttered, "M-my prince. Are you okay? I-I just heard in the courtyard that there was an attack. I--"

In two swift strides the guard had grabbed the boy by the back of the neck and lifted him off his feet, "You bloody rat who said you could come in here? To the dungeons with you." The guard had got halfway to the door before Alessandro had time to react, though he was soon to his feet, Mellia cursing him and trying to get him to sit and the Meister rising slowly, "You let go of him right this second!" Alessandro demanded, unsteady on his feet and using one hand on the chair's arm to surreptitiously keep his balance. The guard stopped in his tracks and turned around, the red head flailing like a dog toy in his grip, which visibly tightened turning the already frightened boy a fainter shade of white. "This rat can leave in the morning, he knows the rules and he assaulted a guard."
"Let. Him. Go." Alessandro took a step towards the guard, Mellia still trying to treat his wound and uttering some unsavoury curses while the meister quietly, if not worriedly, observed.

For a long moment nothing was said and nothing was done but eventually the Prince's gaze won, the guard flung the boy towards him, despite his best efforts the squire flailed tripped over Mellia and landed in the crook of Alessandro's arm, "Your bloody funeral. Well, seems nothing's remiss here. I'll send someone to clear up this mess." He uttered gesturing to the body before sweeping out of the room. "See, damn hero." Mellia muttered to herself.

"Are you alright Peter?" Alessandro asked when finally it was just the five of them in the tower. The boy was the same shade of white as the prince now, though largely for different reasons. Peter once again blushed furiously and nodded, quickly getting to his own feet so as to stop putting pressure on the Prince's body, Mellia finally managed to get Alessandro back in the chair and finished bandaging the wound and the meister heaved a small sigh and retook his seat. "I know I shouldn't be here, I know it, I just heard you got hurt and I was so worried, I didn't even think and before I knew it I was up here. I know you have a very fine body guard and I'm constantly shamed I can't keep you safe myself but-" The prince was laughing lightly though and Peter stopped, looking confused and a little hurt. "I-is something funny?"
"Not at all Peter, you are so earnest and kind hearted, you don't need to apologise for things like this. It is not and never has been your job to keep me safe. Your job is to learn from me and currently, I'm not much of an example." The boy pouted but blushed more, "I think you're pretty fantastic." He uttered under his breath, the prince heard it though and smiled faintly. "You're not bad yourself kid." Offering the boy a wink Peter almost turned purple with embarrassment and bowed his head.

"Done!" Mellia said as she tied off the bandages, "You're welcome by the way, oi brat." She said nudging Peter with her foot, "You put two drops of this in his tea tonight. two, you can count that high right? No more or you'll kill him or something. It'll help with the pain. Same again in the morning if he needs it." She handed over a small green vial which probably held three or four doses before looking at the congregation, "Well as cosy as this is I got to get back to my work. Boy, don't go getting yourself hurt again, I ain't got the time to keep treating you because you're too stupid to sit still and heal. Word of advice too, you got that white haired freak to die for you, stop being so damn stupid." With that the old woman snapped her case shut and lifted her bag.

[PopeAlessandros]

Eyes still sharp but without any real focus, Rei waits beside the man's chair, sitting on the ground like a loyal dog at his master's side. 'He keeps touching my hair. I think he likes the feel or something. I like the feel of some things, like books, but I do not go fondling them. . .But, we are different. . .Sitting here like this, I feel more like a dog than ever, however. . .' He glances at Alessandro. 'I somehow do not feel it as an insult, for this man. . .' His eyes go back to the guard at the door, waiting, watching. . .

When the old medic had flicked the prince in the forehead before the vigilant fae's lip had risen to reveal his teeth in a kind of warning grimace, however Alessandro's easy response and smile had them covered moments later. He did not want to abide even those little chides, but what's done is done. Now his eyes remain on constant wander mode, his magic trickling out here and there to help him keep track of everything. He feels another body approaching, but recognizing it as the friendly youth who looks after the prince Rei doesn't even bother tensing, watching him rush in with mild disinterest. He feels almost glad as the boy shows worry for the prince, thinking that finally, someone cares.

Table turn quickly however and the fae goes on high alert. Rei is on his feet in a flash, his senses all atingle as he watches the fool guard treating the worried child so roughly. He knows how much Alessandro cares for the boy and he anticipates the young royal's response. Out of the corner of his eye he notices Alessandro rising and his body tenses fiercely. 'He is not healed yet. He is wounding himself further thanks to this man's foolishness' Rei does not approve at all of this fact. He follows the prince forward, just waiting for the word to add this man to his body count, his own sensibilities noting the tight grip and running over how much damage the man could do on accident, holding a child like that.

His lips pulled back in a snarl he reflects on the man's accusations directed towards the youth and he can't believe his ears. 'Assault?! The child pushed you, and you feel assaulted!? You are a guard, armored, armed, and you feel assaulted by the push of a boy half your size!?' Rei really hates seeing children in danger, and for one of the rare times in his life he actually feels the desire to draw blood.

The prince however stands his ground, seemingly intent of retrieving the boy himself from the man's unreasonable punishment and death grip. A faint flicker of a thought flashes through his mind. Something about how Alessandro is putting himself in danger now to defend the boy, and how he did the same before for Rei, however it settles in the back of his mind rather than becoming a true thought as the scene plays out before him. He almost can't believe his eyes as the guard suddenly tosses the youth at the prince. Not because he didn't think Alessandro's glare wouldn't work, but because this man, in doing such a thing, was actively trying to injure the prince, part of the royal family he's sworn to protect. It doesn't make sense and Rei would have helped if he could, but with so many people gathered in one place he feels he would cause more damage than assistance trying to insert himself in the jumble.

He is slow to come off of his high, scowling deeply at the woman calling the prince a hero as if it's a bad thing, but other than that he makes no real acknowledgments of the woman and her own brand of cruelty towards the prince. He does however take to watching her hands off and on as she gets back to work making sure she's not shirking her duties or using less than her best skill with binding the prince's wound. Once Alessandro is settles once more Rei takes up the same position, his gaze going blank but sharp once more as he pays little heed to the conversation going on above his head. He approves of the youth and his views so they are of little interest to him save for the understanding that he's likely making Alessandro happier.

Once the woman is finished and is packing her things up, she once again makes a comment about how she does not have time to come heal him every time he gets himself hurt; an utterly foolish and cruel thing to say in his opinion. He can't help the growl that finds it's way out of him and his dagger like gaze locks with her slightly disturbed one. In a deathly quite voice that none the less carries to every ear in the room Rei murmurs, “If the people in the palace spent a little more time doing their jobs, and a little less fretting over fool superstitions, then perhaps your find talents and acid tongue would have to spend less time in the presence of this kind man.”

With anyone else she would have something to say, but as his icy stare carries the promise of death on it she simply huffs and bustles out of the room. The meister looks a little on edge, approving of Rei's words but worried that Rei might do something stupid. As for Peter, he simply remains still as a statue, afraid to draw the bodyguard's gaze. When his eyes land on the boy however and he flinches, it takes only a moment for Peter to realize that what he sees is the closest thing to a smile he's ever seen from the strange young man and offers up a weak one of his own before turning his attention back to the prince.

His bit said, Rei goes back to scoping out the area, a rather blank expression on his face as he explores every inch of the room he can see from his position against Alessandro's leg. The meister lets out a long breath and hobbles over to the prince to make sure he's okay and that he's not in too much pain. His thoughts are still half on the man leaning against the young ruler's leg, his face hidden by the hat settled firmly atop his head, hiding what he knows the boy to be from the world. 'I wish I could get a better read on this boy. I trust his convictions, he wants to keep Alessandro alive, but that does not mean he values any other given life in the palace he's not ordered to value. . .'

[cthulu]

Alessandro was relieved when it was just the three of them alone in the room again, almost everyone he cared for was in this room and it was a relaxing environment indeed. With Rei at his side, snarling at the people who offended the prince, protecting him and watching him, the creature was bizarrely enchanting and incredibly complex. His sweet squire Peter, the boy was more a knight than anyone he knew, had it been up to him he would have Peter knighted tomorrow but the boy had to train and it was the King who chose who could or couldn't be a knight of the kingdom. Lastly his meister, his oldest most loyal friend, the frail old man who taught him words, poetry, morals, if it hadn't been for the Meister he may not have been so calm when Rei had entered his room, if it wasn't for him the prince would have been scared not intrigued.

"A-are you sure yo-you're okay?" Peter asked, trying to copy Rei despite his uncertainty and kneel beside Alessandro. It made Alessandro uncomfortable having his people at his feet. Rei was different, the fae seemed more comfortable on the floor anyway but Peter? Alessandro wanted to correct the behavior but he didn't have the heart, instead he slipped his hand onto the boys red head and gave his hair a ruffle, the boy turned bright red and chuckled quietly his hands reaching up to gently catch the prince's hand to try and remove it. "I'm fine Peter, don't worry yourself over me. The medicine woman was making a fuss for nothing, you know what she's like."
"I can go make you some tea if you like?" He said gesturing to the vial, Alessandro smiled faintly and nodded gently, "Alright, I guess it is getting late and all the excitement has left me exhausted." Glancing to the meister he tilted his head slightly, "You need not worry either, I have been in worse states." The meister's face said it all 'but you shouldn't be'. "I promise, my dearest friend, I won't take unnecessary risks, their fear makes them foolish, I'm sure they aren't all bad people." The meister gave an incredulous look and Alessandro could only chuckle. "Not all of them."

Peter had got up and started straightening some of the furniture and books for the meister, waiting for Alessandro should he need help down the stairs, the meister wrapped a frail arm around the Prince's shoulder and kissed the top of his head, "I am so proud of you, so wise and so kind. I couldn't be more impressed with the man you have become but try not to worry an old man so. It's not good for my heart." He chuckled but Alessandro looked concerned, his dear meister was old and only now did he think of what the excitement could have done to him, with a squeeze to his hand he nodded his agreement.

Calling Peter over he stood with the squire's help and leaned lightly on the boy who tried to help as awkwardly as he knew how. Looking to Rei the Prince smiled, "We'll head back for now, though you can come here tomorrow if you like, I imagine resting will be all I am good for tomorrow." With soft pleasantries with the meister he, Peter and Rei head down the stairs and back towards the prince's room. The prince walked as upright and normally as possible but from time to time Peter would occasionally have to help the Prince. Once back at the room peter helped him sit at the bed's edge and help him remove his boots. "You shouldn't have to do that Peter."
"It's part of my job, all squire's do this for their masters."
"I find it demeaning, if I was not in so much pain I'd..."
"Don't, please, my prince, m-my king. You've done so much for me, this is nothing, this is an honour to me so please, don't make it seem like a bad thing."
"Alright Peter, I'm sorry. You are such a true and loyal friend, I am so glad to have you."

Peter helped the prince undress and slipped him under the sheets, making sure he was comfortable. Soon enough he'd gone off to make the tea for the medicine and had left the Prince alone with a small leather bound book of prayers. "Rei, I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to do anything to make you look weak, I just...he was...going to hurt you."

[PopeAlessandros]

Out of the corner of his eyes he catches sight of Alessandro ruffling his servant's hair and a new question pops into his head over it. 'I believe he really likes his squire. He is. . . .Affectionate I think is the word. He shows kindness due to some feeling, some gentle, kind feeling inside. It is what I have read about in those books about love and friendship' He glances at the prince. 'I know we share a mutual interest in one another, finding the other interesting and the like, but I have little understanding of how our views of one another differ. I want to protect him, not just for the pay but also for my own personal reasons, and he wants me around, protecting him and those he cares about. . .'

Looking at his hands, still stained with blood, and his brow furrows ever so slightly. 'He protects. . . .Those he cares about. . .He warned me against hurting this boy upon our first meeting. He cares for him, and he. . . .' His thoughts tumble round and round, trying to make sense of things. Before he can even begin to fight his way through the solid bloody stamp on his soul to begin exploring the idea of affection directed at him the prince is moving and without a word Rei is on his feet, his mind and body back in the world so they can do their job properly. His swirling thoughts are immediately shut down, locked away, to be perused later should he feel them important enough to revisit.

Nodding at the offer to return to the old man's personal library the following day the small male remains carefully out of the way as Peter does his best to help the prince move about. 'Sometimes too many helping hands simply ends with more harm than good' he reasons, moving ahead of the prince and keeping an eye out for any new dangers. He must look rather menacing as he does this as many a servant chooses to either turn and go the other way quickly or skirt the halls as they pass. He doesn't mean to frighten them but Rei knows his craft. Despite the danger seemingly having passed he knows that an assassin, a good one, could very well be in the castle now.

'Using the men as a diversion, no one would think it possible to get onto the grounds now that an attack has happened, heightened security and all, however if they got here before hand then it is completely possible for them to be laying in wait to act now that everyone thinks that the attack is over. . . .' He doesn't sense anybody nearby, but he remains on high alert as they slip into the prince's room. He checks every corner, both visibly and magically, for any sign of danger. He wanders about the room while Alessandro converses with his manservant and gets comfortable in the bed. At the window he surveys the grounds, eyes keen, his other senses tuned towards danger for several seconds before pulling back, snapping the shutters closed.

The red headed youth eventually leaves and Rei moves closer to the bed. He wants to tell the man that he will likely spend the evening in this room to keep a closer eye on the prince however the man has something very confusing to say before he has the chance to speak up. Tilting his head slightly to the side he looks at Alessandro, both confused and understanding at the same time. Crawling carefully on to the foot of the prince's bed he continues looking at the man, trying to find words for his thoughts. “I. . . .Do not have pride Alessandro. I do not operate off of shame or pride. They get in the way, make one foolhardy or cocky. I feel no shame for you having stepped between me and my target.”

He takes another long moment, his eyes moving about the room as he tries to form his question. “I am however. . . .Confused.” his eyes fall back on to Alessandro, deciding to be forward. “I am curious as to just why you did it. I take from your words you did not think me incapable, and that you responded perhaps on automatic. However, that still leaves my question of why? Why did you feel the urge to defend me?” He gestures towards the door. “I understand that, for the youth, he is someone you have feelings for. You are bound to him, have affection for him, as your friend however I. . .” He points to himself. “I am a man who tried to kill you, who now defends your life for reasons even I do not understand. I am nobody to you, so why. . .”

The door opens and Peter's head peeks in. It's clear he did not hear the part about Rei trying to kill the prince however he can tell that the strange boy is talking about something and doesn't want to interrupt. Rei's eyes go to him anyways as he shuffles in, a tray in either hand. Rei looks curiously at them. One is smallish and holds tea. The other is larger and looks like the one that was dropped off at his room for breakfast. In a quiet voice he murmurs, “I found this outside your room. Seem the maid sent to drop it off didn't quite make it inside your room to deliver it. . .” In truth, she was told to leave it inside the room if Rei was not there, however she had not been able to find the courage and instead left it outside his door.

[cthulu]

Alessandro was going to gesture Rei further up the bed but instead the fae began speaking, questioning and Alessandro fell silent before the words had formed in his mouth. He listened to the confused fae speak. At the mention of the attempt to kill him Alessandro faintly smiled, a strange thing indeed to do such a thing for a would be killer. Before he could respond Peter was back in the room and Alessandro's eyes went to the youth, it didn't seem he'd heard what the fae had said, he would likely have had an issue with it and gotten himself hurt. Instead he settled one tray on the table, explaining it was for Rei and carried over the tea tray with the medicine inside of it.

"Rei, go eat." He uttered to the boy, a small smile on his face as he gestured to the tray, it wasn't a request but it wasn't an order either, not really. The Prince sat himself upright and took the tea offered to him by Peter. "I put the medicine in already, drink it slowly though and if you need be I won't be far away...alright? Is there anything else you need?" Alessandro shook his head and sipped slowly on the tea, he pulled a face at the bitterness the medicine had caused in it and Peter looked sheepish. "Thank you Peter, go to bed, get a good night sleep, alright?" The squire nodded and shuffled out awkwardly with a goodnight ushered to both the Prince and Rei before the door closed behind him.

Once sure he was alone Alessandro finished the tea and gave a strange face, putting the cup aside he glanced over to Rei, "To answer your question." He started, gesturing to the bedside and hoping Rei would approach, if he did Alessandro's hand found the brim of the hat and lightly lifted it off his head. He then ran a finger over Rei's elongated ears outer edge, his finger tips brushing against the soft fluff of white hair. "I guess I am a fool because Rei, I care for you. When I saw that man I didn't think, I just knew I wanted to keep you safe, even though I rationally knew you'd be fine. It's...strange right? But I can not help the way I feel and I won't apologise for it."

[PopeAlessandros]

Hearing the instruction to go eat Rei slips off the bed and makes his way over to the table to comply. He knows it wasn't an order, but after the combat and near constant use of his magic for the past hour he's ravenous. He eats with vigor, somehow managing to not make himself messy in the process, almost all of the food reaching it's intended target. In the end half the meal is gone by the time Peter leaves and Rei is cleaning his fingers with his tongue. When Alessandro motions him over however he takes up the napkin and wipes both hands and mouth before complying.

He's curious as to what the prince wants and, sitting on the edge of the bed, he watches the man's movements with curiosity. With a light tug his hat comes off, taking the bandanna with it, and he watches Alessandro put it aside then reach for him again. At the touch his whole body shivers slightly, a tingle running from the place the prince touches to the tips of his fingers and toes. He doesn't really pay the feeling any mind however and continues looking at the man, wanting to hear his words. He knows that the response likely means something, but as he's more interested in having his question answered than asking more he lets the shiver pass, the pleasant hum that lingers under his skin completely ignored.

Listening carefully his brows furrow in confusion. 'Cares for me? Really? But I just explained who I am. I am not one who deserves such feelings. . .Perhaps if I defended him out of caring of my own, or if I was someone else who could understand such feelings, however I. . .I am just me. Just an assassin doing a job' The fae can not fathom that his opinions and reactions to how Alessandro is treated have had any real affect on the man. He can not see how his constant presence and honorable way of viewing the world influences how the man sees him. He can not see all the kindnesses he's shown the man, his eyes clouded and dull to such things when it comes to himself.

He can not see that he indeed cares for the prince, in his own detached, loyal way.

Tilting his head to the side, still curious and wanting answers he hums softly, blinking his slow blink. “I do not understand why or how but I will accept that you care. I know the rest of my kind would understand this better than I, but my upbringing has left me a bit hollow to such things. I will keep it in mind however for later.” His head tilts to the other side, his eyes questioning once more. “I am curious however as to why one would apologize for feelings. They are what they are and feeling them is not something one should be ashamed of, or so I understand it. It make sense to me as the few feelings I do have never lead me wrong.” He continues watching the prince, not moving away from the touch, nor trying to move closer to it.

[cthulu]

Alessandro could see the confused look on the fae's face and he felt worse, there was no easy way to explain it to the fae without breaking all kinds of promises and oaths he'd made to himself. His head was feeling thick and slow which wasn't helping much and he had a struggle forming coherent thought. "You'll understand, eventually you will, I'm sure of it. You're not half as damaged as you think." Alessandro uttered, smiling faintly and brushing his fingers just once through the fae's hair and letting his hand fall back to the sheets. "Some people can be offended or upset by a confession of emotions, I didn't know how you'd take it. Have you eaten enough?"

[PopeAlessandros]

Blinking slowly again Rei lets himself feel the hand running through his hair before opening his eyes again. 'The pain killers seem to e kicking in. He may just fall asleep soon' Opening his eyes once more he looks down at the prince. “You will find that I take most of what you say seriously, and do not question it's honesty, as you have never lied to me.” He nods. “Yes, you are honest, and always have been, and it is refreshing.” Looking back to the platter he murmurs, “I should eat a bit more.” He then looks back at the prince. “After a final check, I would like to ask to stay in this room tonight. The danger may have not completely passed yet and I can defend you better if I am here instead of one room over. . .”

[cthulu]

Alessandro settled himself back against the bed covers and pillows, his eyes gently closing in a peaceful and restful sort of way. "I'm glad you understand, not many people here try too, it's so...upsetting." The milk of the poppy made him sound quite tired and had likely loosened his lips a great deal, the fog on his brain not allowing him to think about what he intended to say before he said it. His mind swam with images, thoughts, memories and none made sense, all blurring together and fighting to drag him into the blissful arms of sleep. Rei's voice cut through the voice like a light through the darkness and in doing so roused the Prince enough to open his eyes and look towards the white haired stranger. "Of course, I trust you." Alessandro sighed gently and settled into the bed. "You can have the other side of the bed." With that Alessandro began slipping off to sleep, the medicine kicking in.

[PopeAlessandros]

He has no idea what trust has to do with sharing him staying in the room 'Of course he trusts me with his life. It is what I am here for' however ha accepts it as the signs that the man is really drifting off and lets it go. Standing up he goes back to the platter and grabs a large hunk of meat before beginning to wander around the room. His magic touches every corner, checking twice for anything out of place while his sharp little canines slice into the meat and tear of bits for consumption. He normally doesn't eat so fast, but with Alessandro injured and in need of his sleep he wants to eat as quickly as possible so his movement does not disturb the man's sleep.

Two more sweeps and several minutes looking out on the grounds later Rei confirms that there is nothing immediately wrong with the boy's current surroundings and then with a sigh, at last, he relaxes a bit. Not too much, he knows he can't, it's too dangerous, but it is enough for him to down several fruits, drink a full mug of some bitter yet sweet juice, and contemplate going to sleep. Stopping at the foot of the prince's bed he stands for a long while just watching. Like before, he tries to figure, tries to understand. Unlike the night before however this time the subject of caring continues to run through his head and some foreign wondering make themselves known.

'Well, he cares for me, and I will only be here a while. Would I be able to try this caring thing? Perhaps it would make me better able to relate to my people back at home. . .Perhaps even help me be better at my job, understanding things like this' It doesn't cross his mind that it may feel nice to have such a light feeling in his chest. 'He cares for me. He cares for the old man. He cares for the freckled youth. . .But the only who seem to return that caring, are those people, and those in the book shop, that I have seen thus far. . .'

His mind travels darkly to Alessandro's sister and the darkness he sees in her despite her open professions of affection for the prince. With a sigh he shakes his head, still too far from all these things to even begin to understand them. Slipping to the other side of the bed Rei scoops up his bandanna and secures it in place once more. His ears protest slightly but he ignores them, slithering out of his clothing. Once he is completely devoid of clothing – his normal sleeping standard – Rei slips into bed and shifts around a bit until he has a nice comfortable position. He tries not to move around too much, not wanting to wake the prince, and eventually he falls still, yawning and comfy.

~*~*~*~*~

Miles away a small figure crawls under a wide, smooth leaved bush and settles in for the night. The night normally does not stop him, however it has been two days since he rested so taking the convenience of the good cover he curls up, bag under his head, plant life embracing him and keeping him safe from the chill of the night, and lets his consciousness float away. The last image that passes before his eyes as he begins to drift off is the sight of a certain other fae stopping and looking back at him, one last time, before vanishing from sight. . .

[cthulu]

The milk of the poppy was a strong drug, it had pulled Alessandro into a warm foggy embrace. He felt blessed in some ways, he had such good and loyal people in his life, far more so than many could hope for. He had a squire who loved him, a meister who'd die for him, a body guard who'd do anything for his safety and the bookstore owners who regularly risked ridicule for openly supporting him. He doubted his father, his mother or even his sister had such a loyal following. It made all the hardships okay in a sense, if he had to suffer, if that is what god ordained, for him to keep such people in his life he'd take another thousand attempts on his life, another hundred wounds just to have them alive and in his life.

Despite the fae's feather like approach over the bed the Prince was jogged out of his thoughts, his eyes fluttering briefly as he fought to open them. It was to little avail but the Prince could tell where the boy was and turned in a half asleep, half awake stupor. His long, strong arms wrapped about the lithe fae and pulled him in close to his chest, the Prince's face finding the dandelion fluff that Rei had for hair and resting on top of it. "Just for a while." He muttered incoherently, "Like this...it's nice." With that though the drugs had won and the Prince was quietly, blissfully asleep, his arms wrapped around his fae, protective and almost defencive and his head lightly resting atop Rei's own.

Of course despite the weight of the man's arms it wouldn't be too hard for the fae to get out of his grip, if he wanted too.

[PopeAlessandros]

All his efforts seem to be in vain however as moments after he settles he feels movement to hiss side. His eyes crack open in time to see the prince reaching out for him and, seeing no harm coming his way, he limply lets the man gather him up in an embrace. The Prince's chest is very warm against his back and in a way that is quite soothing, the fae letting himself relax a bit in the prince's arms. He feels a head settle atop his own, Alessandro's breath ruffling his hair. The murmured words are barely discernible to the pointy eared man but as soon as he feels the man nod off behind him he thinks them over and wonders if he should scoot away.

He knows that he could stay still so he doesn't have to worry about waking the man, but he does wonder if he'll be effective as a body guard in this position. 'If someone comes in the window, this is a perfect position, but if by the door. . . .But the guards inside are almost good enough to keep anyone from coming that way, unless some were paid off, but really. . .' He lifts Alessandro's arm gently to test how easy it would be to escape then settles it back down again. 'I could get out and up quickly enough, and my blade is barely a foot away' He eyes the hilt sitting facing his way on the bedside table.

Then, finally, with a sigh he contents himself with the position he's now in and, after a tiny bit of shifting, he settles in to sleep for the night, falling off almost immediately. He wakes a few times, movement in the hall and from Alessandro himself putting him on alert, but he manages to get a full night's sleep regardless. He wakes before the prince and decides to just lay there and wait til the man rouses himself or the manservant arrives. 'Given his wound, he should sleep for as long as possible' He muses, stretching his fingers and toes as he waits comfortably.

[cthulu]

The night passed quietly and without incident, the prince was asleep and moved only slightly in his sleep but his protective arm never left the fae. Come the morning the Prince was indeed still asleep until there was a bustling in the hallways and a clatter of a plate or some other metal object against the stones not far down the hall. Slowly the Prince's eyes fluttered open and beheld a head full of white hair, groggy from the medication and the return to consciousness the Prince dropped a kiss to the top of the fluffy noodle. As his mind began to focus along with his eyes he slowly came to of exactly who was in his bed and what had happened. Slowly the Prince's cheeks filled with colour and he carefully removed his arm, hoping, in vain, that Rei was still asleep.

Attacked by a pain in his side he could not execute a crafty escape from the bed so instead straightened himself as much as possible without disturbing the fae where possible. Of course as soon as he moved so did Rei and the Prince let out a soft, sheepish sigh. About to make some excuse or explanation he was interrupted by the opening of the door and Peter bustling in as he did every morning. He deftly shut the door with his foot while carrying a full tray of breakfast things and the tea mixed medicine, hanging off his arm a small canvas satchel with a couple of bandages and balanced precariously in his other hand a bowl of steaming hot water. He placed all things down barely spilling a drop and with minimal noise before moving to the shutters to throw them open, "Good morning my pr--" Peter's chirpy greeting was cut off when he spotted the fae in the Prince's bed. Even though it looked relatively innocent the boy had to take a moment to hide his jealousy and shock. "Prince." He finished, turning to the table to get the water and bandages.

Oblivious to this all the Prince had reacted by brushing Rei's hair over his ear tips until he was satisfied they were mostly hidden. While he trusted Peter with his life he wasn't sure he could trust him with such a large secret, even if he wanted to deeply. "Good morning peter, I hope the night treated you well?"
"I-it did Sir thank you." He'd been out most nights 'working' to get enough coin for a birthday present for the prince, he'd only just finished collecting enough to buy it and had popped out late last night to fetch it. It sat heavily now in his pocket, reminding him it was there but the boy was too afraid to give it to the prince in front of Rei. "I've bought you breakfast but first I have been instructed to check your wound and clean it, if you'll let me?" It was a question directed both to the Prince and to the body guard.

[PopeAlessandros]

Rei lay there peacefully, sending out little tendrils of magic here and there to check over things since he can't look at them with his eyes or feel them with his fingers. His ears are constantly perked for happenings out in the hall but it's movement from inside the room that actually stir first. From behind he can feel the prince's breathing pattern change and while he maintains his stillness, he sends out his magic to dance across the man, making sure he's not ripped own his wound or something somehow.

His inspection is pulled up short however as what is unmistakably a kiss is presses to his head and his mind goes blank for a moment. Not half a second later it explodes with questions but he keeps them all in check. Instead he simply rolls over and stares at the man, a faintly curious expression hidden behind his normal calm indifference. He doesn't know what to make of the gesture, but for now he refrains from asking as he hears rapid footsteps approaching the prince's door.

It isn't until the door bursts open that he realizes that some time during the night, probably via the prince shifting or something, that his bandanna has come off. He rolls so he can face the lad, hopping that his bed head will cover his non human nature until he can find the damn thing again. The sudden shock of sunlight makes his pupils retract but there's barely an instant of transition between his seeing clarity from dim to startlingly bright. As such, he sees the flit of shock running across the youth's face, something he expected, and also the touch of jealousy, which he did not. 'I recognize that want, but what exactly is he wanting here?'

Mentally shaking his head he sits up a little bit to try and locate his bandanna and stills once more as he feels fingers near his ears. The gentle brush of flesh against the sensitive shells makes him shiver and his eyes nearly close as one finger brushes across the tip. Once he's no longer being touched he goes back to looking for the bit of cloth so he doesn't have to rely on his hair to keep his secret any longer. Tugging it out from beneath a pillow he looks at it, curious as to how it got there, but it takes only a second or so to undo the knot and tie it back in place over his ear tips.

Once in place he sits up properly and stretches, ignoring the exchange of pleasantries. This is a trusted persona after all. Rei has other matters to attend to. Looking to the window he shifts, ready to get out of bed but stops as Peter addresses both he and Alessandro. Feels strange to be asked permission for something out of the blue, like it always is for the fae, and it takes him a moment to figure out how to reply. Finally he murmurs, “Do what you need to.” before slipping out of bed and wandering over to the open window.

The light from the sun makes the fae's bare skin look particularly pale as he looks over the grounds with a sharp eye for anything out of place. He doesn't notice behind him the squire going quite red as Rei wanders around without clothes, carefully avoiding staring as he goes about his task. He does however notice the color when he turns back around to address the youth. His eyes narrow curiously as he wander over to put on his clothes, curious about why Peter is flushed, but more curious about a different matter altogether. “Would my morning meal be in my room, or was it that I heard falling to the floor earlier?” If his meal isn't in his room, he figures the prince wouldn't mind sharing, at least until Rei can get down to the kitchens to feed himself. He doesn't plan on going too far from Alessandro today. He still feels that the plot has not yet seen itself out and that the real attempt is yet to come.

[cthulu]

It was the colour that Peter turned that confused Alessandro, right up until he noticed the bare fae's rear swaying unabashedly across his room. What the hell did I do last night? Dear god I didn't violate the poor thing did I? Of course, I'd probably be dead if I did, Rei's hardly defenceless. Still, why has he got nothing on? Alessandro turned a shade of pink in the cheeks and turned to instead focus on Peter and his administrations. "Did you sleep well?" He asked, trying to keep his embarrassment from his voice, "Yes sir." Peter answered shortly, lifting the Prince's shirt and carefully removing the bandages, they were lightly soiled with blood but the herbal poultice used had coagulated the blood and stemmed the bleeding. There was a wicked ugly bruise coming out and the cut, while clean, looked vicious but not deadly. "Your father wants to see you when you are up." Peter mumbled to himself, dunking a cloth and looking to the fae as he spoke. "I'm not sure, I think the maids are still deciding who should bring you your meals." He stated, turning back to Alessandro and carefully beginning to clean the wound.
"Rei you can have some of mine if you're hungry." Peter looked up, shocked and pouted slightly, "My Prince, if you don't eat properly how do you intend to heal properly?"
"The great care of my squire and a sneaky roll from the bakers in town?" Peter flushed again and fought a smile.
"That is not good enough, you will have to take better care of yourself than that." He tried to sound chiding but came across as slightly desperate. He'd seen his master act careless before but this was taking the biscuit. He finished cleaning the wound and with some fresh cut linen he smeared a yellow-green paste, carefully, over the wound. "Sometimes you worry me, you seem to care more about everyone else than you do yourself."
"That's not true Peter." The Prince, answered and for a moment Peter glanced up, hoping to hear something selfish if only so he'd know Alessandro would keep himself safe.
"It's only a handful of people, not everyone." Peter groaned but couldn't help a small smile, his Prince wouldn't be his Prince if he didn't have such a large heart, it worried him though how far people would go to break it. He finished tending to the wound, covered it and then offered Alessandro his tea, "There's a small amount of the drug in there, so be careful when you get up. I'll organise you some clothes to wear and see if the kitchen can't spare a roll and some stew."
"You're too good to me Peter, thank you." Peter beamed and went to the wardrobe, pulling it open to find loose fitting garments for the Prince. Not an easy feat since the Kings and Queens seemed to feel a need to showcase their childs 'assets' to potential wifes. Not that Peter complained usually, he'd often thought about Alessandro's assets when blowing a client, or taking their load. he found a baggy white shirt easy enough, it had a string closing which would make it easier for the man to handle. The pants were proving the problem and he finally settled on a black pair that he hoped would be loose enough for comfort. Then true to his word Peter slipped out, taking his little present with him, if only absent mindedly.

Once the door was closed Alessandro shifted and carefully removed his sleeping shirt, it fell easily to the bed but he winced at the pull ith ad on his bruising and the wound. grabbing up the fresh shirt he glanced over to Rei. "We didn't, you know...there wasn't any... I didn't act...rudely, last night did I? I can't remember much after we got back here." Saints preserve him, he was hoping to hear nothing happened.

[PopeAlessandros]

Nodding at the report that his meal is not yet in his room Rei is about to ask if he could have a bit from Alessandro's plate when the prince offers to share, unsolicited. With a nod he accepts the offer, wandering over to the table where the tray rests and taking a seat cross legged on one of the chairs. His mind goes over what he knows of the castle thus far, working out whereto stand should the king not want him around, or if the prince insists on talking to the man alone. He knows a bit about nobles and their habits, given his career a must He knows that sometimes it's better to be just out of sight, to give the assassin a feeling of comfort at not seeing any guards, if you're trying to catch or kill said assassin.

He munches slowly on various bits, leaving most of the food and taking only enough to keep him going for now. He listens to the exchange between the two with mild interest, the prince's words familiar to him, though not from the prince himself. 'I believe I once read a passage where a knight said something like that. Not exactly, however I do recall liking that character. . .' Once Peter leaves Rei's eyes go to his ward and he watches the man move painfully. He wonders if the prince needs any help, but before he can ask, Alessandro has something to ask him.

Tilting his head to the side he listens to the stumbled question curiously and tries to figure out what exactly the man is talking about. He thinks back over the prince letting him share his bed, pulling him into a hug, and he can't really see anything rude about either, but he decides to present them to Alessandro for assessment. “Last night after we returned I asked to stay in this room for your safety and you complied. After I was finished doing my checks I got ready to sleep then joined you in bed. Once I was there you pulled me to you and said you just wanted to stay like that for awhile, and since I saw now real reason to move, when you fell asleep, I did not move away.” He tilts his head to the other side.

“I was not uncomfortable, and in fact the warmth was pleasant in its own way, so I do not see anything rude, but as I am rather inexperienced in social exchanges I am not sure if any of that was rude on either of our parts.” Setting down the roll he was nibbling on he blinks his slow blink. “Honestly it was simply different, and more comfortable than usual. I have come across people sleeping like that with others before and I never understood how one could be comfortable like that, but that could have to do a great deal with the way I was raised, to always have your back guarded, or at the least, not exposed, when in a compromising position. . .” He shrugs, getting up to begin checking the room again, sending his tendrils of magic beyond the walls to keep an feel on things, waiting until he's given something else to do, or the conversation continues.