The King Rests

The day after the coronation brought with it a weight to match the golden crown too heavy for the King's head. As the young and inexperienced king, he navigated the intricate and still unsteady halls of the palace, fulfilling his kingly duties to the best of his current abilities.

His mornings consisted of waking up at the crack of dawn and getting dressed for his sword lessons. The lessons gave him the opportunity to interact with the knights and sailors more, which was a positive. He found their gruffness and blunt manners refreshing.

Said lessons would last for about two hours before he'd wash and change again for breakfast. Then began his tutoring with either the Duchess, Count Pierre or the Court Mage. The only class that brought him any interest was that of magic. His lessons would last up to three hours and by that point, it was almost time for brunch. Which he usually had while in his study getting back to work on his reforms planning.

"Your majesty, just how many policies are you planning to implement?" Count Pierre asked from the desk on Ísar's left.

The older man had just finished reading the fourth thick document highlighting just one of the new King's many ideas. They were brilliant and well thought-out, the Count had admitted to the King hours before, but many were also more idealistic than logical at the moment.

Ísar knew that but the fact that the Count didn't say they were impossible was enough for him.

The judiciary reforms were the most plausible but considering how much extra detail Ísar was putting into 'Trade agreements, Education Initiatives and Healthcare Plans', those were going to be the main focus as they were the most troubling.

"As many as is needed, Count," the King mumbled as he finished going through his added notes on the Accessibile Healthcare Project.

Handing these forms to the Count with a tired smile, the King said, "Here. Have General Björn and the rest of the council look at these as well and tell me their thoughts."

King Ísar wanted to ignore the worried expression on the Count's face. He was still unsure as to what the Count's motives for him were, but at the moment he did not care. The older man was useful at the moment.

"Your majesty, maybe you should go for a walk." Ísar blinked slowly at the man, finding the suggestion downright silly. "Forgive me for saying this, but you look like you have not rested for quite a while."

"Resting on my first day as King seems a little problematic," Ísar muttered, rubbing his tired eyes despite his protests. "I am fine. I simply need some ginger and lemon tea. Pass me the letters from our allies and neighbors. I need to send replies."

Count Pierre sighed loudly, closing his own tired blue eyes as he did as was told.

Ísar found that working himself to the point of deathly exhaustion was his only chance of getting proper sleep at night.

His inability to sleep on a bed alone coupled with the voices in the shadows speaking even louder than usual, sleep had become a faraway tale.

Ísar let out a hiss, his pen falling from his hand as he clutched the side of his head. A sudden and sharp pain was resonating through his skull but just as quickly as it came, it left.

"Your majesty!" Count Pierre's panicked voice was not helping with the leftover headache. "You must rest at least for the moment."

"I can rest when everything is done," Ísar muttered, ready to go back to work but a knock on the study's door stopped him.

"It is Imperial Son Li Xinghua and Prince Osayi Oduwaye, your majesty."

Ísar felt his headache worsen.

With a heavy sigh, he asked them to come in. He did not know what they could possibly want from him in that moment as he was incredibly busy but he couldn't deny envoys.

"Wow. You look like shit."

The silence that followed Prince Osayi's impulsive words was heavy. Imperial Son Xinghua had grabbed his friend's mouth a little too late. Count Pierre's jaw was about to hit the floor. The two assistants by the bookshelves looked like their eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets.

Ísar, with a cheek placed on the palm of his hand as he stared at them, could not stop the small laugh that bubbled out of his chest.

"Yes, I can't say I disagree with that statement," Ísar said as he went back to reading and replying to letters. "May I ask why you've sought me out? Is there anything the matter with your quarters or are your guides not satisfactory?"

"Oh nothing of the sort, your majesty," Xinghua spoke this time. The animosity from the previous night seemed to have calmed down. "We only came to apologize if we had been disrespectful with our actions the previous night."

Ísar looked up for a moment before going back to his letters. "Do not let such things trouble you. I had already forgotten much of what happened last night. Oh but Prince Osayi?"

The Southern prince perked up at the sound of his name, even leaning forward a bit.

Ísar's lips twitched. "Oh it's nothing. Simply wanted to let you know that I still remember you a day later."

The way both princes started laughing was an odd yet somewhat fun experience for Ísar. He didn't think he'd ever made anyone laugh at his jokes before.

"Now that everything has been settled," Prince Osayi said, giggles still in his voice. "Time for you to come with us."

That made Ísar pause, confused. "Why?"

"Because we as your allied envoys as well as friends to the King require you take a break this moment and provide a personal tour of your ancient castle-grounds."

Ísar's eyes widened. Not at Osayi's bold declaration, he was starting to get used to the fact that the boy did not know what a filter was.

We're friends?

"To put it in a more respectful manner," Xinghua said while giving his slightly shorter friend a pointed look. "We would appreciate it if you could give us a personal tour as well as to formally ask if we could become your royal friends…We…I also think you might need to take a breath. You really do look tired, your majesty." He used his mother tongue.

Then the older boy smiled, a tiny blush on his pale cheeks and Ísar couldn't very well say no after that.

"Oh," Ísar said dumbly. "Oh, but of course. I…Count?"

Ísar finally remembered the Count who was at his own desk watching the entire interaction with an odd frown on his face. The older man turned the frown into his usual smile once his title had been said.

"I think I will take you up on that offer and go for a break. Please look through anything I may have missed."

The Count's smile grew. "Of course, your majesty. I hope you enjoy yourself."

"I will be back in an hour."

Ísar got off his seat and walked up to the two other boys, hands at his side and balled up into fists.

"Uhm so," he fumbled with his words while standing there stiffly. "So follow me."

Osayi smiled his million gold smile and wrapped a friendly arm over the King's shoulders as he walked them to the door. "To the ends of the world, love!"

"How many times do I have to remind you to act a little bit more dignified?" Xinghua scolded Osayi as he himself placed an arm over Ísar's shoulders as well.

"Someone's jealous,~" Osayi said in a sing-song voice as the three of them walked down the second floor's hallway. "Don't worry, Hua Hua. I'll always love you."

Ísar watched them as they went back and forth, putting his head down to stop the stupid grin that was forming on his face against his will.

It was so ridiculous and so incredibly childish of him but his heart couldn't stop beating erratically and he couldn't stop smiling. He didn't even know he could smile that much. He'd never had friends before and he used to think that was fine. That he was above all that.

The weird excitement he felt when he finally got them, was something else entirely.

_________________________

"This is the main garden. The gazebo in the middle is built from limestone and marble by a forgotten architect. It was made by Queen Eldbjörg Ólafsdóttir-Ogronov," Ísar told the Princes as they finally got to the official royal garden.

Prince Osayi was already sniffing each flower that caught his eye while Xinghua stood by Ísar's side and listened to his explanations.

The more time he spent with them the more odd their pairing was.

Prince Osayi was the oldest of all three of them, the boy being a few months older than Xinghua was thirteen, both thirteen. The Prince was the last born as well as the only son with nine older sisters. He had the most laidback and bubbly attitude Ísar had ever witnessed.

In comparison, Xinghua was his total opposite. Imperial Son Xinghua. The tenth son of the emperor and the only son to the fourth consort who already had three daughters and two prior miscarriages. He was to be a general in the future, and was in full support of his oldest brother the Crown Prince.

Imperial Son Xinghua was more quiet and subtle, his actions coming first before his words. He was usually overly calm but then he'd snap at Osayi or become overly fascinated with something like heroic stories of knights or a fascinating insect they'd seen on their paths. Those moments, he'd look like the child he was.

He was also oddly short-tempered, immediately putting Osayi in a headlock whenever the other boy annoyed him a little too much. Osayi always got out of them easily, one time avoiding it altogether.

"I also wanted to apologize to you for last night."

Ísar was pulled out of his musings by Xinghua's voice. "You've apologized for a lot of things so far, your highness. So what could it be this time?" Ísar was so very proud of himself for finding his composure.

They had taken seats at the gazebo, Osayi having fun with some squirrels he had befriended. He is starting to feel more like a fairytale princess than a prince. Or an odd mix of both.

"The rude way at which I acted when respects were to be made."

"Ah," Ísar hummed as he told a nearby servant to fetch a maid to bring them snacks and refreshment. "I have already moved past it all but I do have to ask, why so much animosity? As far as I can remember, I do not think we met prior to last night so surely I had no way of incurring your anger."

Xinghua who was sitting on Ísar's left, began to nervously scratch the back of his neck.

"Honestly, it was mostly resentment at your father. Which I realize was childish of me. He looked down on my homeland for the longest time and the only reason we did not cut ties was the long-standing friendship between the Emperor and your grandfather."

Ísar could understand that answer somewhat. His father had the habit of thinking foreign nationals were beneath him, whether they were the Emperor or even a foreign god.

The young King looked at the garden in front of them, Osayi still busy making the squirrels fly with wind magic. The cool spring air was refreshing but with the sun shining it wasn't too cold or too hot. It was so uncommonly serene.

Ísar's eyes were closing and opening against his will. He squeezed them shut then opened them suddenly, trying to chase the sleep away so he could keep talking to Xinghua.

"I understand," he said as he yawned. "Forgive me. I have been finding it difficult to sleep recently."

"Oh," Xinghua's thick brows furrowed, a genuine look of worry on his face. The worry would usually make Ísar self-conscious but he was too tired to care much in that moment.

Next thing he knew, he was lying sideways and his head was on Xinghua's lap. Ísar froze, eyes wide open and sleep almost completely gone. He refused to look up at the Imperial Son's face, scared the boy would notice the harsh blush under his tanned skin.

"Please forgive me if this is impertinent," Xinghua rushed his words, a bit of his Imperial accent seeping through as he did so. "My younger siblings sleep easily when I do this."

Ísar was confused for a moment, because Xinghua was not really doing anything outside offering his lap. Then he felt fingers on his loose curls, massaging his scalp, and he got it.

"Please rest, your majesty."

He stopped fighting to stay awake. It had become a losing battle either way.