The man smirked, not that Levi could see it, and released his hold on the collar entirely. Instead he grabbed Levi's face in his hand, grip just shy of bruising. "Took you long enough, princey. You keep those wits about you and Prince Fiori might decide to keep you instead of turning you over to one of us soldiers." He laughed and forced Levi's head to the side, admiring his graceful profile. "Not that it would be any hardship to us."
The man in front grunted in agreement as he turned the wagon, which soon slowed and stopped entirely.
Levi pressed his lips tighter together, tempted to comment but he stopped when he realized he was at a loss for words. What could one say in this situation without being yanked by the throat again? He swallowed anxiously when he felt the carriage stop. Was what these guards said true? He didn’t have many doubts about that…
They moved at a jerky pace, voices occasionally warbling into the wagon from outside when they stopped. They were clearly at some kind of checkpoint, slowly starting the journey through the palace gates. "Better steel yourself, princey," the man chuckled, finally dropping Levi's chin. "I hear the captain of the guard himself's come to check you out and he's not quite as kind as we are." A voice could be heard approaching, barking out curt orders as it inched closer and closer to the wagon.
“Of course he isn’t,” he muttered under his breath as he heard the voice approach. He shut his mouth at the last moment and began fidgeting with the silver ring on his finger for at least a small amount of comfort, twisting it around his forefinger underneath the second knuckle. He assumed they might eventually take that from him, along with whatever other precious jewelry he had, but at least he could savor having it for the moment, however long he had still being donned and considered a prince.
The back of the wagon opened before the man could raise a finger against Levi, the new voice ordering him to leave dismissively. Then, without much of a warning, calloused hands were forcing Levi's chin this way and that. The man tutted and pulled off the blindfold after his examination as almost done, noticeably displeased. "You're in some state, aren't you pet?" he murmured, voice gruff but sympathetic. "We'll need to get you cleaned up before you see the prince."
Levi squinted against the bright sunlight, his eyes watering at the vast change in brightness. Even as he gradually adjusted to the light, he continued to stare forward with an icy blue glare while he tried not to make eye contact with the captain. A layer of glossy sweat had formed on his face, particularly around his eyes and a band around his head where the blindfold inhibited any air to let his skin breathe. The word pet bothered him more than princey. It made his skin crawl and stomach turn: an odd mixture between humiliation and offense.
The captain shook his head, tugging on the front of Levi's collar to force him to stand. "Now don't tell me you object to the word, pet. After all, you are one, best to get used to it now." It was a gentle warning, but one that promised punishment if not heeded. He pulled Levi forward, steering him slowly through the maze like hallways. "I'll let it slide because you're still untested. Do you have a name you prefer? Something from your homeland?"
“…Levi,” he responded after a short hesitation. He had no choice but to follow this man, no matter the discomfort at being yanked around by the neck, but he should expect no less from being a prisoner in a kingdom that wasn’t his. He continued twirling the ring around his finger. He looked at the walls, trying to find anything interesting on them to distract himself.
"Levi," the captain echoed quietly, tugging Levi around a corner. "That's an interesting name, pet. It's not very often we get a Deigh around here." He said the word like it was a curse, and to some degree it was. A slur thrown at the people of Nord Widonia by Usigens like himself. "You're lucky you're to the prince's taste, poorly bred as you are. If you were any less pretty, they would've made you serve in the arena."
The corner of Levi’s lip twitched. He’d heard of the arena this kingdom used, and much like the rest of his kingdom, found the idea barbaric. He just couldn’t wrap his head around why fighting with your own people served as a degree of amusement. And to think of working there…”I’ve never understood your arena.” He spoke again, dismissing the comments about his looks for now.
"Of course one of you wouldn't." The captain chuckled to himself and patronizingly patted Levi's cheek. "It is about glory, pet. There is no surer way to prove your skills than to best a man in the arena." He sounded like he was explaining the concept to a small child. "Surely even an iceblood like you can understand that."
Levi stole a glare directed at the captain, stifling an annoyed groan “I would never find glory by taking another man’s life. But to each his own, I suppose,” he sighed drearily, his gaze falling back down to the ground.
The captain laughed louder. "Why who sold you that load of shit? Men die on the battlefield, not the arena." Levi was pulled more insistently through the halls. "There is no honor in a death like that, iceblood. And anyways, our prince would not allow it."
Levi wrinkled his nose and half coughed from the insistent yank at his neck, “It-It’s a rumor. We all believe it.” Okay, so maybe the arena wasn’t as bad as he assumed, but the heat was still agonizing. All this speak of the prince here, and the possibility of the prince keeping sparked a shred of curiosity in his gut, “What is the prince here like?” He was almost too afraid to ask.
"Big," was the captain's first answer, said with a cheeky smile. His grip on Levi's collar eased, giving him room to breathe. "And stubborn. And perhaps a touch reckless. But you don't need to worry about that, pet. He's an honorable man. He'll be a good master to you."
Levi took a deep breath once he was able to. He took in more breaths through his mouth. He stared forward and tried shoving down the thoughts about the captain’s last comment. Master. he didn’t have a master, he was a prince! Back in his own kingdom he was master of the house; how could things have fallen so low in the matter of three nights? They couldn’t just expect him to…submit to their every will, could they?
They soon arrived at a large set of double doors, carved intricately with what seemed to be a gathering storm. The captain threw the doors open and pulled Levi inside, tossing him carelessly to the ground. A large pool of steaming water sat in the middle of the room, revealing it as the royal baths. "Clean yourself here," he ordered. "Go into that room on the other side once you're done. The prince will be waiting."
Levi kept himself from falling on his face by letting himself collapse knees first. Against the hard ground it didn’t hurt much less, but at least he didn’t break his nose. He fell with a pained umf, waiting for a moment to catch his breath before taking the time to look around the room. Hopefully they had a brush somewhere close here. He hated the feeling of his tangled hair; he needed to fix it. “Can I have something else to change into? My own clothes reek.”
The captain laughed at the request, nudging Levi towards the pool with the toe of his boot. There was a ledge made of stone off to their left with a variety of soaps and brushes. "You weren't properly broken in before you got here, were you? Your clothing will be provided by the prince. Now clean yourself, he doesn't like to be kept waiting." He turned and left the room, closing the doors behind him with finality.
Levi watched the captain leave before he began peeling off his clothes. He sat down at the edge of the water, dipping his toes in to test the water. He relaxed, breathing out a sigh of relief at the cooler water. He sank down fully into the water and reached for one of the soaps to wash the dirt and grime off of his skin and face. He didn’t bother to hurry, enjoying the calm atmosphere and solitude in the assumption that he wouldn’t get the chance to have that luxury for the rest of the day. Maybe ever. He set the jewelry from his hair on the ledge beside the soap and brushes. After washing and brushing the tangles out of his hair, he pulled himself out of the water and located a towel to pat himself dry, careful not to let the threads snag on his piercings.
Fiori was slouched angrily in a makeshift throne, the tapping of his fingers on the flat armrest echoing throughout the empty room. Dion had escorted the slave to the baths already, why wasn't he here? It had been fifteen minutes at the least and he didn't have any time to waste here. He hadn't even wanted a slave, but his uncle had insisted that it would be good for him. That it would cement his strength in the eyes of the people. So he obliged, and now his training would have to be cut short because the damn iceblood didn't know how to bathe.
After Levi had redressed in his filthy undershirt and trousers (because he didn’t fancy the idea of walking out in nothing but a towel), he mustered enough courage to push open the door where he was told the prince would be waiting. His hair was still half wet and drying in curly waves over one shoulder; his chin stayed level like a prince, and his eyes straight forward and ready to meet who he’d be dealing with.
Fiori straightened up on instinct as the door opened, sagging back into the chair with a huff when he realized that it was only the slave. This skinny little thing was the source of all his annoyance? It was almost laughable. Or, it would have been if this meeting wasn't eating up his valuable time. "What took you so long?" he snapped. "You do realize I have things to do, yes?"
“I was never informed of your schedule,” he answered honestly, “I’m sorry for the wait.” He looked over the prince and how he sat. He wasn’t as impressed by his slouched posture, but the captain of the guards definitely didn’t lie about him being big.
Fiori raised a critical eyebrow, sitting up to reveal the extent of his height. He was easily above six feet, but the commanding aura that rolled off him now that he was paying attention made him seem infinitely taller. "Are you an idiot as well as a slave?" he asked bluntly, completely serious about the question. Even on a good day, the idea of owning another person was distasteful at best, and he wouldn't suffer stupidity no matter how badly his uncle wanted this.
Levi glanced up to the Fiori’s new height, betraying the idea that his posture wasn’t impressive. His posture was definitely impressive. He swallowed, shoving away to urge to let his shoulders sink and make himself appear smaller. The Nord Windon people were notably smaller than the Uisge people. Levi stood at one of the tallest people in his kingdom: a measly 5’5” in comparison to Fiori. “I’m no idiot,” he managed out, the tone in his words shuddered. He wanted to say something more, but no words came.
Fiori shifted in his chair, subtly flexing the muscles in his arms and chest. "I suppose you are no liar either," he deadpanned. His clipped, annoyed sentence and stormy expression left no room for arguments. He would have to get rid of this problem in front of him, no doubt about it. Even his uncle wouldn't force him to keep such a useless thing as a pet. "What can you do? Do you have any skills?"
Leviticus sighed through his nose, inwardly deciding he didn’t like Fiori. “I study and write essays on Ornithology,” he answered flatly, “Other than that I mostly go on horseback rides and hunt. And like most princes, I assume you can relate with the exhaustion at having to keep up ornamental appearances,” he raised an eyebrow.
Fiori didn't know whether to be insulted or amused as he started to reassess this slave, so he merely shifted forward in his seat and tried not to seem too pleased. The slave must've been intimidated before, not stupid as Fi had assumed. It was a bright spot in an overall stressful day. "To serve my people is both my honor and my joy, slave. Do not presume to know the burdens of my title." He paused to let the warning sink in before leaning casually into his throne. "What are you called, iceblood?"
“Leviticus Elerib,” he answered the last question without seeming to fazed by the warning. “Most call me Levi, except by the regular civilians in my kingdom.” He did his best to maintain a calm and collected princely composure in hopes to preserve himself. The more he submitted, the more they would expect him to submit, he reasoned.
