Crown Prince Yoshi – 10

Telia caught her first glimpse of the Princess Naria mid battle.  Skirts blazing red, a pair of swords in hand, the Princess fought hard, cutting down the enemy with every move.  There was no wasted motion, only efficient sweeps of her blades.

Her heart squeezed tight, instinct driving her closer until they fought as a team.  When Namik’s men started a retreat, the Prince redirected the army to stop the fleeing troops.  In one bloody evening, they wiped out the rebel forces that had plagued the Furian Princess for weeks.

Her sisters called victory, around her, but Telia could only stare at the Princess.  She froze when Naria gave her a smile.

“You are back,” Naria said in greeting.

Telia nodded wishing they were alone, and then she could hug Naria as she wished.

Naria held her gaze giving her a short nod.  “Henna?”

“She’s safe,” Telia said.  “She travels with the ordinance troops.”

“Good choice,” Naria said, wiping her blades on her skirts.  Her gaze swept over the Furian women and stopped when she saw the black guard fighting in the fringes of the field.  “You guard him.”

Telia’s gaze shifted to the Prince’s army.  “He has many who guard him.”

“Many who want him dead as well,” Naria said her gaze turning speculative as the Black Guard shifted and Prince Yoshi appeared, walking toward them.

Telia almost sighed as Naria’s soft side disappeared, replaced by the fierce ruler of the Furian Forest.

Yoshi’s clothes were stained, a smudge of mud on his chin, Telia watched him wipe it off without a thought.  His sword held tight in his right arm, his cloak sweeping the muddy ground.  There was no sign of the unsure man she’d first met running from assassins.

To her eternal surprise, Princess Naria bowed low as Prince Yoshi reached them.  Telia found herself imitating the gesture, followed by all her Furian sisters on the battlefield.

“Your Royal Highness,” Naria said.  “Your servant is grateful for the relief.”

“I have sent half the army after the retreating enemy forces.  They will lock down the border into Fier, and purge resistance,” Yoshi said.

“I welcome you to the Furian palace,” Naria said straightening to her full height.  “We have much to discuss, and you must be weary from constant travel.”

Yoshi thanked her with a nod, the simple gesture sending the Black Guard and Naria’s forces into a frenzy of activity.

“She is beautiful,” Midori said riding beside Telia on their way to the Furian Palace.

“The Princess,” he said when she glanced at him in question.

“Yes,” Telia agreed unable to stop the admiration in her voice.  She cleared her throat and stared at the nearest black guard rider.

Midori gave a long sigh beside her.

“Wish it was different for us,” he said.  “Caring for such great people is difficult.”

Telia glared at him.  “I’m not like you.  Your emotions for the Prince are obvious.  You should try to hide it.”

“Why?” Midori asked chewing on the end of a grass blade.  He winked at her when she continued to glare.  “We’re out here, at war.  Death stalks us with every swing of the blade.  Why should I hide my love, Telia, when it can disappear in a blink of an eye?”

“Poetry from a warrior,” Telia teased.  “Very well, General, wear your heart on the sleeve for all to see.  It will only bring you pain in the end.  He is not yours to keep.”

Midori threw the blade of the grass to the ground and gripped his reins.

“That’s for me to deal with, Furian, just as you must live with your love for the Princess Naria.”

Telia watched Midori urge his horse forward to join the Prince at the head of the convoy.  Her heart clenched tight as her gaze swept over Princess Naria’s back.  She was a mere warrior, not good enough yet to join the council, and live close to the Princess.  All she could do was watch from afar.

Watch and wish, she thought with a sigh.

***

Majestic trees grew tall and thick around the Furian Palace.  The walls of the ages old palace turned green from rich moss.  Vivid flowers in every nook and cranny, a brook running through the courtyard carried fresh water into the palace and through the forest to the various homes and settlements belonging to the Furian community.  The Princess’s most trusted guard secured the palace.  Women in pale red tunics managed the palace affairs: cooking, cleaning and repair.

Yoshi stood in a private portion of the beautiful courtyard, clean again, in fitted dark green trousers, his feet bare on the fresh green grass.  He stared up at the trees above him, the air so clean and pure he could forget there was a war raging around him.  A breeze swept in and he closed his eyes enjoying the solitude.  He took in a deep breath.

He hadn’t been alone for days.  The black guard, army generals and officers…constant crucial decisions keeping him awake.

Gentle fingers combed through his loose hair and he opened his eyes, a soft moan escaping when he leaned back and Midori wrapped an arm around him.

“You’re breathtaking,” Midori whispered in his ear.

“Did you get your wounds tended?” Yoshi asked, taking in a deep breath.  This time, his nostrils filled with Midori’s clean earthy scent.  He nestled deeper into Midori’s heat.

“Yes.”  Midori brushed his lips on Yoshi’s left temple.  “I have missed you.”

Yoshi chuckled.

“You’ve been with me the whole time.”

“Not quite,” Midori protested.  “I don’t have you when you’re the Prince.”

Yoshi shook his head.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Doesn’t it?” Midori asked, rocking him from side to side.  “I almost wish we could stay here forever.  The Princess Naria can handle the allied forces.”

“Now who is having wishful thoughts,” Yoshi teased, turning so that he could face Midori.  His breath hitched at the sight of him.

Midori wore a red tunic over his perpetual black trousers, his wavy hair falling around his shoulders.  He too was barefoot.

Midori cupped Yoshi’s jaw, his thumb tracing over Yoshi’s lower lip, before he leaned down and kissed him.

Yoshi closed his eyes, leaning up to pull Midori’s head down, wanting to keep the contact.  He opened his mouth letting Midori explore his mouth.  Yoshi took in his heat, his scent and taste, savoring, memorizing.  His arms wrapped around Midori, he lost himself in the sensation of their kiss.  He never wanted to stop.

A soft cough penetrated the haze of growing need.  Midori broke the kiss reluctantly; Yoshi buried his face into Midori’s shoulder for a moment, and then sneaked a glance over Midori’s shoulder to see Sando standing a few feet away.

“I apologize for the intrusion, your Royal Highness,” Sando said, his cheeks flaming red.

Yoshi laughed into Midori’s shoulder.  “Sando, you’ve seen me naked before.  You dare blush at one kiss.”

Sando looked down.  “It is not that, my Prince.”

“What then?” Yoshi asked still clinging to Midori.

Sando shook his head.  “Nothing, My Prince, I came to help you get ready for the banquet.  The Princess Naria is throwing one in your honor.”

“We are at war.  Who has time for banquets?”

Yoshi complained, holding on to Midori for a moment before he let go with a sigh.

“Banquets are battle grounds too, My Prince,” Midori said.

“I’ve asked you to use my name,” Yoshi chided.  “Please don’t deny me that.”

“Yoshi,” Midori said with a small smile.

Yoshi blushed and caught Sando staring at him.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Sando said quickly.

“I will have you flogged if you keep saying nothing.”  Yoshi scowled.

“You won’t do it,” Sando said with a quick grin.  “Come, My Prince, you must get ready.  Princess Naria will be waiting.”

Yoshi grumbled under his breath, not ready to leave Midori’s side.

“If you like, General,” Sando said.  “I can have your dress robes brought to the Prince’s chamber.”

Yoshi glanced at Midori, his gaze hopeful.

When Midori gave Sando a short nod, Yoshi smiled, happy they weren’t going to lose any time together.

***

Midori caught up with Sando thirty minutes later while Yoshi talked to the head of the Black Guard about the evening ahead.  Gripping the slender servant’s arm, he stood so that his gaze was on the Prince.

“Why does he ask me to call him by name?”

Sando started to glance back at the Prince, but Midori stopped him.

“He will be suspicious if you look at him.  I need to know.”

“General,” Sando started.

“Don’t make me force it out of you.  Unlike the Prince, I have no problem inflicting pain,” Midori warned.

“Palace rules,” Sando said.  “The moment the Empress turned over her power to the Prince, he became the father of the nation.  The Empire’s parent….” Sando gave him a smile.  “No one will ever call him by name, not even the Empress.”

Midori stared at Yoshi then.

“He got lonely as the Prince,” Sando said.  “I imagine his loneliness will only increase from now on.”

Midori let go of Sando and watched him hurry away.

Yoshi finished with the head of the black guard and walked to him.  Yoshi looked royal in a brilliant red tunic that was embroidered with gold string on long wide sleeves.  The tight gold clip on top of Yoshi’s head held his hair, restricting it again.  Midori wished he could remove it and comb his fingers through the soft silk.

“Naria invited her council to the banquet,” Yoshi said, his honeyed gaze thoughtful.  “Her council will seek political seats in the Amana government.  The Empress has long battled the leaders of the Quads, but they have refused to grant the Furians these positions.  The argument is that the Furians are a spiritual faction.  No one wants to deal with their ideologies.  I’m not sure I can change that for Naria’s people.”

“I told you the banquet is a battle front,” Midori said, caressing Yoshi’s jaw.  “The only thing you need to concentrate on is getting her people to agree to fight with you against Namik.”

“She is my aunt,” Yoshi said with a frown.  “When she looks at me, she still sees the little boy who grew up begging her for her best horse.”

Midori pressed a chaste kiss on Yoshi’s lips.

“Have faith, Yoshi.”

The smile that graced Yoshi’s lips at the sound of his name set Midori’s heart skating.

***