Zeven couldn't sleep.
Like being dragged under the water by an unrelenting current, his memories resurfaced. Even now, he could still remember his mother. But it was only bits and pieces, like an old bottle tossed by the side of the road. Her death resulted in nothing more than a fews days of mourning in the kingdom. Nothing changed but now there was a whole in his world that no one else could see. It was often that he would wander aimlessly until he was caught by a guard who would take him back to his wing of the palace.
This behavior continued for weeks until he found himself outside of the castle walls. A lost child in a large world, he didn't know where anywhere was better than where he'd come from. Without his mother there, there was no place for him.
He had wandered for what felt like hours, trying to stay out of sight so he wouldn't be taken back. Treading through the woodland area he marched on. His stomach gurgled and he grew tired but he couldn't stop. Something inside him kept him moving forward.
Finally the strain was too much and he broke down. Tears streamed down his face and snot dripped from his nose. Tumbling to the ground, he curled his knees into his chest and cried out silently for his mom to come save him. As far as he walked, and as hard as he tried, he couldn't reach her. He felt very alone without her. His father ignored him for the most part, only seeing him as a pawn to be used and discarded at his will. The others in the castle looked at him much the same, all thinking the same things, 'he was too small,' or 'he'll never grow,' or 'he's too much like his mother.' His mother was the only person who held him, the only person who loved him. And now she was gone, and he was left all alone.
The night came and went slowly, as if the moon itself bore the burden of pulling the sun into the sky. After a sleepless night, Zeven sat up and began stretching his aching muscles.
He was used to restless nights, but adding Chris into the mix had ruined his usual schedule. Standing up, the pink nightgown he had worn to bed hung limply above his calf, he pulled it off over his head and went rummaging around his room for anything else to wear. Gunter had placed a freshly laundered shirt and trouser set on his beuro at some point during the night, which was needed as the only other clothes Zeven had were a pair of mismatched socks thrown into a drawer.
It was the same outfit he wore when he brought Chris to the mansion. It had only been a few days, but anytime he spent with Chris felt like an eternity. She was like her father in the worst ways. Her attitude and stance screamed the fact of her upbringing. Sometimes Zeven even wondered if there was a personality in her other than frustrating. If she acted like a normal woman, life would be so much easier for him. At the same time, that was one of the things he liked about Chris. She was a challenge. With her he didn't have to play the role of Prince- it was utterly exhilarating.
Yet, every so often Zeven could see more than just the royal front she put up, he couldn't wait to tear down her walls and see the person behind her title. He felt a little less alone knowing that Chris was in the same spot as he was. Both living in self-denial, both wearing the mask of a prince. If anyone could understand what he felt it was her.
Wide-awake now, Zeven couldn't help the smile that swept across his face. He left his room and started towards the kitchen area. As far as he could tell, it was still early, but Gunter would probably already be up and working at this hour. And Zeven felt like company.
He turned into the kitchen area, and leaning on the bar was Christopher. Her eyes were closed and she had her hands wrapped around a cup. She was propping herself up by her elbows, looking like she could fall asleep at any moment. He noticed that she had knotted her long blonde hair at the nape of her neck to keep it out of the way. It didn't appear that she got a restful night's sleep either.
He didn't make a sound as he observed her, he leaned forward into the door frame. Zeven looked on for another minute as Chris didn't open her eyes, but mechanically moved her cup to her lips to take a drink.
A warm hand on his shoulder brought his attention away from Chris as he looked down and saw Gunter. He was not a tall man, but Zeven still looked up to him. Gunter smiled and squeezed his shoulder before walking into the kitchen. Zeven stayed where he was and laughed to himself as Gunter poured fresh coffee into Chris's mug without her even paying attention. It made sense that he would be so good at not alarming her; Gunter's specialty was dealing with moody princes.
Finally he had enough of just watching the pair of them and decided to step into the dining room. Chris still had her eyes closed unaware that Zeven was closing in. Rhythmically, she began to lift the mug to her lips. He caught the cup right before she could get a sip and gently lifted it from her hands. Chris opened her eyes and squinted at him. It was fairly obvious that she was not a morning person by the half-awake glare she threw at him when he brought the cup to his own mouth and took a long drink.
Black. He made a face, and wordlessly moved around the bar into the kitchen side of the dining room. Blindly he reached up for the sugar jar, not looking as he pulled it down and started spooning heaps into the coffee. He didn't stop until he was on his 4th or 5th spoonful, when Gunter kindly moved the sugar jar out of reach. He used the sugar spoon to stir the now light brown coffee.
He bent at the waist over the bar countertop which pretty much put him back in line with Chris, who had closed her eyes again and looked even closer to falling asleep now that she was standing still. He was close enough now to be able to make out her face better. The creamy white of her skin only seemed to highlight the dark circles under her eyes. She looked about as rough as he felt.
Chris kept her eyes closed as she pointed her head towards the ceiling. "Just out of curiosity, does your daddy know about our little deal?" It was meant to cut a little. She never looked over to him as her question hung in the air.
"And on that note- I'll be going- don't wait up for me, honey." Zeven watched her face for any sign of emotion, but she kept her mask like expression.
Gunter looked over at Zeven who was preoccupied with Chris. He couldn't help but sigh, knowing Zeven as well as he did, he knew that it was too late for Zeven to see reason. He placed a firm hand on Zeven's shoulder and pulled him back. They both shared a look before Zeven's face lit up in a warm smile. In return Zeven's left hand found Gunters on his shoulder and gently patted it twice. A mutual agreement between the two of them was struck.
Zeven turned to leave the kitchen, before he left he took the now empty cup of coffee and placed it in Chris's hands. Then he continued humming to himself as he walked away.
The audible thud of the front door let Chris know that Zeven was no longer in the house. Chris peeled her eyes open. Letting out a heavy breath as she did. She was awake, but anytime she spent with Zeven left her feeling more tired than before.
She turned back towards Gunter and held out the mug in her hands. "Can I have another cup? Please." Gunter grabbed the kettle off the stove, "I would have cut Zeven off three cups ago- but I think you've earned this." He emptied the pot into her mug, before setting it back in its place. Gunter went back to polishing the fittings around the kitchen.
Chris took a large drink of coffee and winced as the sugar left over from Zeven's cup overpowered it. She began pacing back and forth in the dining room, holding the mug in one hand and tracing the bar countertop with the other. "So, I assume from Zeven's avoidance of the question, your King doesn't know of this deal." Chris looked over toward Gunter who was still busy, "I wouldn't say that exactly." He kept his answer short which gave rise to Chris's curiosity. "What would you say?" Gunter appeared to think over his response for a moment, carefully choosing his words. "In one month Zeven will succeed the throne; he assumes there is no point discussing with his father a decision he will make as king."
Chris pursed her lips. she hadn't realized that Zeven was due to become king yet, but it made sense. he was of age and after defeating her army in battle had proven himself worthy of the title. "What exactly is his plan?" Gunter froze and then shook his head. "I'm not so sure Zeven even knows at this point," he said good humoredly.
"Would you tell me if you knew?"
"No, probably not." He finished up the last fitting and put the rag he had just used halfway over the sink. Looking over to check on Chris he found her still pacing. It didn't look like she intended to leave anytime soon so he made himself busy preparing for lunch.
Caught up in her own thoughts, Chris kept pacing reaching one end of the room before pivoting back the way she came. "I don't suppose I could convince you to join my side?" she was half joking- after seeing the way Zeven and Gunter interacted it was obvious that they were very close. "No, but you can try if you like," Gunter laughed back.
The air was lighter between the two of them, as both enjoyed the reprease of Zeven's boystous ways. "You seem to be a sane person, what on earth could possibly make you stay with him? It's not the money or luxury- I know that- So what makes you so loyal to him?" She wasn't trying to pick a fight; she was genuinely curious about their relationship.
"It may turn into a long story."
"I think we've got the time."