Mikhail waved his hand, signaling for the mage to leave. Mage Cian gave a bow and left without saying a word. Mikhail tried to avoid the mage as much as possible. He knew his every move was being reported to the queen mother by the mage himself. His mother must be fuming to read the rumors of him and the bard.

Mage Cian was a cousin of the queen, he rose to power as the royal mage thanks to her endorsement. It wasn’t odd at all for him to report to her and it wasn’t exactly a secret either since his mother told him directly that Mage Cian was there to keep an eye on him.

Mikhail himself didn’t find the mage particularly impressive, but he was powerful and knowledgeable enough that he agreed to let the mage join his campaign. 

“Your highness?” The pretty bard asked. “Is my voice not to your liking anymore?”

“Don’t worry bard, your voice is fine,” the prince said quickly. He should really ask the bard’s name, but he never got the opportunity before and it was incredibly awkward to ask now. He had Sir Faris listen and ask around about the musician, but the lack of information he received was quite alarming.

How can someone who was so well liked by the people around him be so distant and barely talk about himself? The most they knew about him was that he was a traveling bard from a distant country. He happened to hear the prince’s speech at the townsquare in Schlaffhausen and was moved to tears. It inspired him to write a song about the noble prince saving the princess. 

Nobody knew the bard’s name or what he liked or disliked, but people enjoyed being around him and telling their story instead. 

“He’s a good listener,” they said. Perhaps this is how the bard comes up with his peculiar songs.

The bard in question leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms like a petulant child. “Then why would you drink that potion?” he asked.

Mikhail looked pointedly at Sir Faris, quietly asking for his help. Mikhail grew up sheltered by his parents and was taught to be the perfect prince. He knew how to interpret messages behind words and how to deal with the roundabout insults of nobility. He knew politics and he knew trade. He grew up as a child masquerading as a grown up, hence why he didn’t know how to interact with people his own age besides giving surface level pleasantries.

He was not taught how to deal with songbirds with pretty green eyes and fair hair who liked to wrap their arms around him and nap on his shoulder during a horse ride. 

Sir Faris looked away from the prince’s silent plea, as if to say “You’re on your own, your highness.”

The bard leaned forward, waiting for his answer. Mikhail tried not to show his discomfort, but it was hard when he could see every shift of color in the bard’s eyes. Up close Mikhail could see little specks of blue and yellow on his iris.

“Want me to tuck you in, your highness?” the bard asked with a silly grin upon noticing Mikhail shift uncomfortably in his cot bed.

“No!” Mikhail almost yelled. How embarrassing would it be to be tucked into bed like a child by someone you fancy. It was an extremely embarrassing thought to the prince. “I-I noticed that you’ve been yawning a lot lately and you’re looking extremely exhausted. I know it must be because of me. I’m keeping you from your own good night’s rest by making you stay here.”

The bard blinked. Mikhail hoped he didn’t think he was being creepy because he’s been observing the bard for and noticed his tiredness. It couldn’t be helped. No matter how many people were around, Mikhail’s eyes trailed after the long lilac gray hair. His ears would perk up at the sound of mischievous laughter and his head would automatically turn to find the source.

Mikhail wondered if this is what being in love felt like.

“Does that mean I don’t get to ride and sleep on your shoulder anymore?” the bard said with a pout.

Mikhail tried not to look at the puckered lips too closely. He could feel a blush creeping up his neck and towards his cheeks.

“No! You can ride me anytime you want,” he exclaimed distractedly.

The bard raised an eyebrow, sir Faris choked down his laughter. Mikhail tried not to show the alarm on his face. Sir Faris was very professional when he’s on the clock, he wouldn’t let a smile crack his lips unless Mikhail said something incredibly stupid and embarrassing.

Mikhail looked at the two men with narrowed eyes and carefully thought back to what he said. His eyes widened upon realization and he turned bright red in a single second. “I meant you can ride with me anytime you want!”

A coy smile spread on the bard’s lips as he leaned closer to Mikhail and whispered. “I’m more than willing to give you a ride, your highness.” 

Tinkling laughter filled the tent as the bard threw his head back. There were tears in his eyes as he slapped his knees. “Oh man, you should have seen your face, your highness. You looked like a deer in front of a predator! Relax my prince, I’m not going to eat you.”

“Yet,” the bard added at the end with a wink. 

Mikhail looked away, his face felt like it was radiating the heat of a thousand suns.

“I’m joking! You’re a little too young for my taste anyway!” the bard said cheerfully as he stood up to leave. He gave a nod to sir Faris who was trying not to shake at the exchange between the prince and the bard.

The prince turned to his knight once the bard left the tent. “He does know I’m almost in my mid-twenties, right?”

Sir Faris finally released his laughter. “Probably not! You do look younger than your age!”

That evening, the prince tossed and turned in his sleep. He couldn’t bring himself to ask the bard to come back to his tent after that embarrassment. His face was not thick enough for that. He asked his dear friend Sir Faris to sing him a song instead.

Faris looked at him funny, as if he demanded for the man to give him his first born child, but he complied in the end. Faris sang him songs he’s heard in the taverns, as his mother had never sung him any lullabies as a child. Tavern songs were the only songs Faris knew that didn’t matter if it were sung out of beat.

But clearly the prince did not like the jovial raunchy songs and told Faris to shut up before he even got to the chorus.

When day time broke and it was once again time to ride, Mikhail found the bard waiting for him with his white stallions’ reins in hand. The bard looked more radiant than usual with his lilac hair braided loosely over his shoulders and a soft smile on his lips.

Today he wore a simple loose white dress shirt tucked into black pants hugging his waist. A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling the green cloak on his shoulders. If someone didn’t know any better, they would think the bard was a prince who stepped out of a fairy tale book instead.

“Good morning, your highness,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”

Mikhail could tell that he was only asking to be polite. There was no way he looked well rested after a night of tossing and turning and the sound of sir Faris’ voice ringing in his ears.

Before Mikhail could steer his horse, the bard gently took the reins from his hand. Mikhail looked over his shoulder questioningly. He almost fell off his own horse at how close the bard was to his face. 

“Woah, take it easy your highness,” the bard whispered near his ear. “Let me take the reins for today. You can rest on me and take a nap, nobody will notice if you do.”

He wanted to protest. Mikhail was the prince here, he needed to make sure nobody saw him in such a sorry state. But the sunshine hitting his eyelids made it hard to keep them open and focused. He did not debate long until he nodded his head. “Very well,” he muttered.

Smiling, the bard put his cloak over the prince’s shoulders and pulled the hood up. “This way the sun won’t bother you and you can sleep more peacefully,” he said.

Mikhail could see Sir Faris smirking at them from under the hood and he wanted so badly to tell Faris to go away, but the bard steered his horse closer to the knight. “Sir Faris, I don’t know where we’re headed. It would be great if you can lead the way. I will follow closely.”

The gentle movement of the horse and the low humming of the bard made Mikhail relax. He didn’t think he’d be able to fall asleep when the person he fancied was practically embracing him, but the lack of sleep really took a toll on him and he succumbed to peaceful slumber.

Soon they will arrive at the Rose Garden and a restful sleep would be considered a luxury not even the royals could afford.