Surrounded by ingredients in a large kitchen, Mike was holding back tears of joy, hands pressed together in gratitude to whatever divine decided to bless him like this.
Well, not exactly divine, but Prince Zikan, my source of goods!
The knight stood nervously in the corner of the kitchen, his hand uncomfortably clutching and releasing his spear.
"Prince Kioshi… If I may..." He carefully spoke up, not raising his head. "I believe you are getting a bit brave." He vaguely suggested with a low hum.
"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone! I even told you about Prince Zikan."
Mike gleefully responded back while preparing his little space. A small fire was lit beneath the stove, heating up some areas for the cooking.
"I appreciate it. But if I may ask…" His fingers tightened around the hilt of his weapon. "Why, why did you tell me?"
Prince Kioshi stopped in his tracks, holding a small pot. "Would you believe me if I told you?"
The knight breathed out before answering. "You have yet to deceive me."
"Then I hope you'll keep trusting me." Mike smiled to himself before hanging a wanted poster on the wall before him.
With a bit more clutter and setting up, he finally threw himself into the fun part of cooking.
INGREDIENTS!
The prince was eager to bite into anything he wanted to taste, throwing anything he liked into a singular bowl when suddenly the knight snapped, stabbing one of the fruits the Prince was about to bite into.
"YOUR MAJESTY.. HYGIENE!!"
And just like that Mike was now stuck washing every fruit and vegetable individually with a pout.
"I'm the one eating it…" He protested quietly while drying off his hands.
"The bacteria loves to hear that." The elf quickly retorted with a stab into the wanted poster.
"And that's not addressing the little rebel problem."
Mike threw his hands in the air when the thief's face was stabbed through.
"I don't wish to assume… But are you in heat?" The elf suspiciously withdrew his blade causing the poster to drop onto the countertop.
"HEAT!? I wish.." Mike smiled while taking the poster back in his hands. "I just wish to pursue my passion I lost a while ago."
"I've never witnessed you show any interest in culinary nor herb culture." He narrowed his eyes and Mike quickly dismissed him.
"Did you expect me to? I've been sick, I could only dream in silence." The prince leaned into his past just enough while grabbing onto a knife and preparing a cutting board.
"So what will you cook first?" The knight leaned over Mike's shoulder with a clearly concerned expression.
"Have you ever held a knife? Do you need assistance? Let me cut it for you." Before he could reach out Prince Kioshi quickly flicked off his hand.
"A nest can't fly without a bird throwing it." Mike hummed with a smile. "Or however that saying goes…"
"A nest that flies?" The elf stepped back to ponder in his corner once more.
Mike quickly got to chopping, using the things he seemed the most familiar with. He decided not to touch any of the mushrooms yet.
His cutting was fast and precise; each chop went through smoothly. With someone's favourite salad in mind, he made quick work of the simple recipe.
I'm missing seasonings… Do I have salt? Or sugar?
Prince Kioshi suddenly shrieked when a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
"A baby bird won't learn to fly if it stays in its nest." He corrected him. "The nest doesn't fly, your majesty."
"Really? That's great!" Mike cheered while throwing the pieces of fruit into a bowl. "Do we have any seasonings? None of them were given to me."
The knight hummed in consideration before walking out the kitchen.
—
"IT'S FINISHED!" Mike spun happily while holding a perfect little bowl of goods.
"You're certain it's good?" A servant curiously peeked in, startling the prince.
"What the!" He almost dropped his bowl but caught it with a tight hug.
"Will you leave to feed the thief now?" The other curiously asked, his tail twitched behind him.
"Where'd you jump to that conclusion!" The prince quickly attempted to deny but a knowing look spread on the hybrid.
"Well…"
Something along those lines, yeah… He confessed in his heart. The servant suddenly stepped closer with a little red flask. "This is?" Mike tilted his head curiously.
"Horse blood."
AGH!
The prince quickly took multiple steps back, clearly cautious, causing the servant to chuckle to himself. "Your majesty, it is blood that you may spill onto the ground so whatever chooses to target you loses its tracking. Since you're from centaur heritage."
With that clear explanation Mike grabbed the little flask and tilted his head at the servant.
"But why?"
"Why?" They repeated back while slowly stepping out of the kitchen leaving him behind.
After a moment of silence the prince shook his head before making his way out the room.
The sun must be setting soon so he'll be awake for sure!!
With renewed vigor he tried to hurry out as fast as possible to not be caught by any of his siblings.
When finally at the wall, he was surprised to find the elf sat on top, with his arms crossed.
Crap!
Mike quickly turned around but a water ball smacked him in the back of his head.
"Hey!" Prince Kioshi turned back around only to face multiple water balls. Aimed at him.
Uh oh.
After what seemed to be the fifth clothing change, he was wearing something black that hugged his curves perfectly.
"This is my last combo of clothes I can use. Come on!"
With his determination leaking out, he suddenly dashed out the door, running down the hall, the salad in his bag.
"YOUR MAJESTY YOU ARE NOT LEAVING AT THIS HOUR!!" The elf was in close pursuit, shooting water that had yet to hit his target.
"I SAID I'D BE CAREFUL!" The prince protested while sprinting his way into the garden.
"HOW ABOUT YOU USE YOUR ABILITY TO WATER THE PLANT'S INSTEAD OF ME!!!" Mike laughed while jumping onto the shed.
"I THINK YOU HAVE MUCH MORE GROWING TO DO THAN THEM!" The elf retorted only to lose the prince at the wall, watching him drop and vanish behind it.
When finally managing a perfect escape Mike cheered, jumping in place for a second before quickly running away.
CAN'T CATCH ME!
A proud grin was plastered all over his face. His first stop was the flower field.
"MIKKEEELL!!" Mike called out loudly, his voice echoing through the night with no response back.
Mikel?
The prince checked behind a tree.
Mikeeeeellll
Checking the bush in silence.
Mikel?
In the old abandoned fishing village he was found in.
"Are you in here?" Mike called into the shack he very first started in.
"Kid?" Mike suddenly recalled with a smile but they didn't respond either. Standing in solitude, Mike stepped over the broken door on the ground and walked towards the water to look at his reflection.
"I wonder what happened to my flower crown?"
Even his own self didn't respond. Raising his head he saw a bright fire move from afar.
Must be another magical person… But Mikel doesn't have abilities.
"I'll keep looking! He'd want me to keep looking!" Feeling a new sense of purpose wash over him, he took one last glance at his watery reflection and jumped across the broken bridge to continue his search.
—
"Brother what are you doing?" Sako asked curiously, seeing his older brother dig with his fingers into the ground.
Prince Kioshi's expression was quite exhausted while very gently burrowing into the ground. When he dug deep enough he carefully poured the salad into the ground and covered it back up.
"BROTHER!" Sako panicked running into the garden to stop him but it was too late.
"It's okay…" Mike listlessly responded, unaware of the multiple looks he's earned.
"I'll make something that can last longer than a salad.."
"Do salads not last for a week? Or more?" Sako asked while stomping on the patch of dirt as if attempting to help his big brother.
"A week? But don't fruits and veggies mold quickly?" Surprised, he questioned the little boy who quickly shook his head. "Only a terrible harvest does that! Big brother, make all the salads you want! If you store it properly it may last for three weeks! The whole fruits and veggies themselves last for a month or more!"
His face was beaming with pride as he explained something to his big brother he just learned last week.
"A week… SAKO GOOD JOB!" Prince Kioshi suddenly praised with a tight hug.
Sako kicked his legs in excitement. Seeing his big bro brighten up so much because of him alone truly made his little heart weep.
"How about tonight you help big brother to prepare a meal!" Mike suggested with a smirk, suddenly Sako squealed.
Letting him go Sako suddenly began running circles in the garden while cheering and throwing his arms around.
"That's so…! I NEED TO SEND A LETTER!" Mike suddenly recalled but Sako stopped in his tracks.
"I brought the paper and ink for you" Sako suddenly rummaged through his pockets, pulling out a sheet of paper with some ink.
"Sako!" Mike gasped with joy while snatching the items up.
"Big knight said he upset you, so he told me to bring them to you!" Soka explained while curiously peeking past Mike's shoulder.
Gently pushing him aside, the prince began writing quickly, his writing perfect and elegant.
"What's big brother writing!" Soka jumped and fused to see but suddenly squeaked when he was yanked off by a certain pegasus.
Soka held his breath while Tair moved his head down to the boy's level, behind his bangs his piercing gaze bore deeply into the boy's soul. With a drop he threw Soka aside like a case and unfurled his cloak wings to cover from behind.
"Another letter? Yes?" Tair smiled, his hair fully covering his eyes like usual. Soka ran off the moment he was thrown aside yelling for Horu's name.
"Not with your twin?" Mike questioned while slowly folding his letter small enough to fit an envelope. "Yes, Shine is stressing out about his magic."
"Oh?" Mike smiled back.
"Such a weak shot.. Such a weak shot..!" Tair mimicked with a chuckle from what he heard his brother mumble to himself.
Kioshi's head tilted for a second before returning to its usual position. "Are you not worried?"
"Old news, old news." Tair retreated his wings using them to cloak himself once more. "I wanna get straight to the point." He whispered and Mike quickly adjusted himself closer to listen.
"Take me with you, pretend I go with you." In a conspiracy like mumble, Mike nodded almost immediately.
"Reason?" He questioned instantly.
"I wanna go outside too.. I'm a Pegasus, I wanna fly!" The other stomped with a huff.
"But… Where would you let your wings take you?" Mike questioned.
"Anywhere." Tair immediately hummed but his brother grabbed onto his shoulders.
"I may have no wings but I still know where my legs take me. Imagine where the winds would carry your wings if they knew they're in control!"
That was such a smart sentence! I don't think that was mine…
Mike frowned, making it seem like it was his own words.
Taken aback, the pegasus leans back up, his expression unreadable.
"I'll… Be back…" He mumbled and walked off, his wings twitching around his body.
"Ooooh you made him maaaddd…" Mike commented to himself suddenly feeling the itch to punch himself.
After mourning the salad he unjustly murdered, he finally got up, heading back to his secret kitchen to sort the ingredients he left lying around.
When sneaking past the main hall, he suddenly felt someone grab him by the collar from behind.
"RELEASE ME!" Mike demanded while struggling around, Prince Kioshi's Father dragged him down a different hall, not stopping.
Opening the sliding door to a room, he threw him inside with a fling and slammed the door shut. Prince Kioshi raised his head, his eyes meeting the Prince's beautiful mother sipping from a cup of tea.
"My precious, come sit with mama." He insisted with a smile that couldn't quite reach his eyes.
Although he didn't want to, the tea smelled familiar. Feeling a wave of calm wash over him, he moved closer, seating himself on the pillow opposite of Kioshi's mother.
"Yes?" Despite his unwillingness to be present, he still wanted to taste the tea.
Taking the cup he took a whiff before taking a sip.
"I noticed that some of your suitors have shown great interest in you, including those you haven't met yet." He hummed while taking another calming sip.
"Prince Cassiel had shown such interest but his travels were stopped by Prince Zikan, they have been in close combat with one another over you."
Mike nodded along while paying close attention. Unbeknownst to his mother he had set up Prince Zikan to hold off Prince Cassiel while he was pursuing a dark elf and his beloved thief.
Although he didn't expect them to immediately throw hands, that certainly wasn't a problem.
"Have you decided for anyone?"
Mike tilted his head trying to remember anyone outside of Zikan and Cassiel.
"Prince Kier. Prince Amon." He punctuated it seriously.
Neither of them visited me…
The Prince shook his head.
"I'm still uncertain, marriage is a serious commitment. I don't know if I am ready to decide yet."
"Then let us focus on the more important matter at hand, your awakening." Prince Kioshi's mother slammed his cup down.
Without realising Mike put down his as well, despite only having tasted one sip.