[TAMIKO]
"What do you say, uhh… sorry, I don't know your name," the king said and Tamiko sighed.
"I'm Tamiko, but Uncle calls me Hinata. I think it fits with the lycan culture even more," Tamiko said proudly as he looked at Lord Sadako who wasn't even sure what to expect from the father and son anymore. He was losing his mind even as he tried to manage a smile.
The situation was staring at him and he had to decide whether to get through this or go on his knees again.
What would he do anyway?
"A name fit for a mother's little prince and a ray of sunshine," King Zaffuto said softly and wishfully. He looked like he was already thinking back to his last name, a name so common in Kawai, but a name he was hoping would belong to his son.
All these years he had held on to whatever hope was left. He knew that time was going by so fast and he was worried about whether he would get the truth. Each day that passed was a reminder for the king that he needed to be ready to call off the investigations on his own.
But then none of the people Sadako had sent looking had ever come with a better answer. Now that he looked at the young lycan before him, the lycan king couldn't help but wish there was a way to understand the situation.
Granted, he was without an heir, but perhaps if he interacted with Tamiko, who was almost the same age as his son, he would be ready for when he met his little boy.
He would at least have something to talk about with his son. Perhaps that was also why he had unexpectedly shown up as Toshiro, instead of the danger that he was. Oh but he was a father desperate to learn.
Perhaps this was his chance at a better interaction with his son, if ever he found him, right?
"Yeah, that's what he said too," Tamiko said casually, like they were talking about the weather and the king looked at Sadako. He wasn't sure what it was, but his brother seemed to be very fond of the lycan before him.
The fact that Lord Sadako had even settled Tamiko in one of the rooms in the west wing was suspicious, especially since Sadako knew how lycans were worried about their king, anyone who wanted to live never went to the west wing.
That was because it belonged to the king and his brother only. And yet right now, as the lycan king looked at his brother, he could see that Sadako had done something so odd. Perhaps it was for their sanity, or maybe, there was something about the lycan boy before him, right?
"Well, nice to meet you, Hinata. I am Toshiro and I hope to see you often," the king said excitedly. It was so genuine that Igor looked at the king, for the first time seeing the king smile and laugh. He wondered if the man knew that the boy before him could be his son.
Granted, Igor himself wasn't sure that Tamiko was the lycan prince, but he could tell that Lord Sadako was way too protective of the kid more than the man had ever been of any other lycans. Maybe that was the selling point, but even then, would it matter right now?
All that Igor Konstantin cared about was the smile on his erasthai's face and hells be damned, he would do whatever it took to make Tamiko happy. Perhaps that made him a whipped man, but he lived, for Tamiko. He breathed, for Tamiko.
From the moment he had met Tamiko, Chief Konstantin had been relaxed and happier than ever.
It was the one thing that he would never forget. Now he really understood why many always said that finding a mate was easily the best thing that could happen to any child of the moon.
And he was the luckiest, right?
"Me too. You seem like a cool person to hang around. As for Sanji, leave him be. We wouldn't want him ruining everyone's evening. Besides, I wouldn't wish the king's wrath on someone just because they were playing games with me and ended up causing a ruckus.
"So don't worry, Sanji and I are good friends. We can fix this. He's one of my great friends," Tamiko defended instantly, and Igor stared blankly at his mate blankly. He wasn't sure what to make of this and frankly, that scared him.
For the first time in his life, he was speechless. He had never been caught this off guard and just like the other lycans, he joined in saying silent prayers. Because this was the most unpredictable situation ever.
"Well, Sanji. It seems like today is your good day. Someone saved your life," the lycan king said, his deadly tone underlying as he stared at the warrior who was standing there not sure whether he was supposed to say thank you, or worship Tamiko for saving his life in every way today.
No one had ever seen the mercy of the king from the moment the queen died and his heir was kidnapped. The king had been cruel, even in his silence. The rules he had set in the palace were so cruel that anyone who wanted to live would have to spend their lives playing invisible.
"I guess I'll take my mischief somewhere else," Sanji said nervously as he walked out, making sure to not even look back, because he was scared of who he would meet. Today he had just seen the face of death and escaped. He was definitely going to quit his mischief.
Tamiko watched in silence and with a smile as Sanji ran off. He wanted to tell Sanji that this was the best thing Tamiko had ever done, but then he had promised not to be mischievous.
Sure, Tamiko had been mad earlier, but hearing Sanji's bones twisting as he tried to regain his composure, had been a little too comforting.
Also, the fact that everyone in the palace was looking warmly at Tamiko, instead of with spite as he would have been looked at, if the same had happened in Grealor, was making the young prince hopeful. Perhaps Kawai really was home for many, yeah?
"I know I don't have a right to say this to all of you, maybe because I'm just a strange young lycan. But please don't tell this to the king. I wouldn't want someone getting hurt because of me, please," Tamiko said and they all watched him in awe.
They weren't sure how they were expected to react, so they instantly burst into reassuring smiles and told Tamiko reassuring words, many that Lord Sadako was thankful for.
"Kosta, you won't tell a soul, right?" Tamiko turned to his mate who had been a little too silent.
"Only if you join me for dinner, sweetheart," Kosta said and Lord Sadako breathed a sigh of relief again. This situation was bound to give him a heart attack at this rate.
"I wasn't planning on leaving," Tamiko said earnestly and the king spoke, once again interrupting them.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around, Hinata. If you want to play games, I'm always available. I bet you a hundred bucks you can't beat me," the king said, his tone so soft that it was strange again.