Chapter 11: Family Reunion

I think I lost brain cells in an attempt to gain some…

Mike was slumped over the table where his mother rested his tea. Horu was under it, playing carefully with his clothes while Mike was pondering.

Minotaurs, phoenix's, dragons, centaurs, hybrids, beastman and magic!? This is too much…

His father's eyebrow twitched seeing him act so lazy "raise your back straight and strong."

"Or what?" Mike raised his head defiantly, his back staying in its resting position.

Veins were popping out of the old centaurs head but his mother was watching him attentively, preventing his anger from bursting.

Mike finally raised himself on his own accord, causing the little centaur boy hiding to scoot back next to him.

"Please excuse me for having to leave early. Years of solitude makes this a rather overwhelming experience." he yawned his arms, stretching up, his shirt slightly lifting to reveal the slimness of his waist.

Observing the situation, the guest starred in silence. The beastman's tail starts wagging while the water man's body was shifting with instability rather rapidly.

"AVERT YOUR EYES." Zikan's voice rang, startling everyone in the room, the beastman's tail stiffened while the water around Cassiel calmed.

"I already know who has my vote." Prince Kioshi's father grinned at Prince Zikan's outburst.

"So respectful.." Mike mumbled but if he was honest, he did like the reactions he got.

"I'll now take my leave." Horu began panicking but Mike swiftly picked him up with a spin. "With my brother." The little centaur got giddy from all the attention he had been getting from his brother since his return.

With a pep in his step Mike left through the sliding door while his mother remained quiet.

Invite myself in. Invite myself out.

A cocky smile was on his lips after he took his leave. Clueless, Horu kept wiggling his little centaur hooves around, enjoying the ride.

"Brother, where are we going next?" "my room!" Mike stopped for a second before turning around, remembering the state of his quarters. "Nevermind, let's go outside-" he burst out, running off to another direction.

Mike came to a stop in his path when he saw a guard admire a painting of his mother.

"What are we looking at?" Mike asked casually while looking at the same painting.

"Your majesty- i-" "answer the question." Mike cut off swiftly.

"It's just… back then, your mother." The man fell into a nostalgic daze. "I remember teaching him the basics of magic. Before he got sent to a different teacher."

"Taught my mother!?" Mike looked the guard up and down. The man before him looked like he was in his twenties or thirties at most!

"Your majesty.. I am an elf, I have many more years before me." The guard gave Mike an amused smile while the prince avoided eye contact.

"Do I have any magic?" Mike asked quietly, at which Horu nodded eagerly. But on the contrary of his brother, the guard gasped in shock. "Don't be ridiculous! You're the most likely to awaken!" "What's awakening?" "My prince-" the guard turned to prince Kioshi but when their eyes met, he wore a serious expression.

"Who are you…" "huh?" "I mean- you wished for me to teach you the basics?" "I did?" "Yes, you did."

Horu shook his head at Mike, reassuring him that he said no such thing.

"I do.. but" Mike leaned closer until he and the knight were nose to nose. The guard's breath hitched. "My mother hears none of it."

The silence turned competitive. "But-"

"NO." Mike's scream shut him up. "Will you?"

Horu flinched hearing his brother shout. Rubbing the kids head while staring down the man, Mike waited for a response. After a soft sigh, the elf finally gave him a satisfying answer.

"I shall. When?" "Tonight." "But-" Mike already began walking off, laughing. Horu looked around before laughing as well.

I love this stupid kid.

Mike and Horu finally made their way into the yard but it looked completely different from when he entered.

"So many flowers.. where are we?" Mike raised Horu like a flashlight to look around. "We are in the garden" he obediently responded while Mike started nodding in approval.

"Let's stay here." "But only servants stay here." "Let's stay here." "Okay!" Easily satisfied, Horu was beaming as Mike threw himself onto the grass.

He released Horu, who immediately began running around the flowers.

Oh wow… he's fast.

Mike watched Horu while people came and went. The sun was going down already, signaling how long he was stuck in that room with the guest.

He finally had time for himself to think.

Why was 'his' room so messy? Why is he a prince? How did a centaur and his mom work… where are the women?

Women?

Mike began looking around, he saw some servants but all were male and flinching when Mike looked at them.

Did I see a single woman throughout my journey?

Men… men… men…. Boys… boys… men…

"WHERE ARE THE WOMEN!?" Mike yelled out when suddenly, Horu crashed into him, throwing him on his stomach.

"Women? Is that food?" Horus' eyes glowed innocently while Mike's back just left to where the women went.

"Women…" Mike weakly mumbled while servants began whispering around themselves while some already ran off in search.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Horu sobbed after seeing his brother rub his back with a pained expression. Mike smiled and jumped up in a burst of energy to comfort him. "NO YOU DIDN'T!"

Yes you did.

"I have a game for you." "A game?" The centaur's little eyes were glowing, causing Mike to take a step back to refrain the urge of squishing him.

He's so cute..

"Can we play with Soku?" the centaur suddenly got giddy

Who the hell is Soku.

"Wait! I'll get Soku! Wait here for Soku!!" Horu ran off, leaving Mike alone in the garden.

I don't understand kids…

Mike fell on his knees and finally sat back, sighing while shaking his head.

Are there just no women in this world? Or maybe I have been to all the bad places and they are somewhere else. What woman would wanna be at a fish dock! Exactly!

Mike began reasoning internally until an elegant face flashed in his head. Maybe the water dude was a woman… he sure was as gorgeous as one.

…

"I think loneliness is getting to me."

He heard a few steps approach him, a group of servants came, head bowed in respect, each holding a tray.

Interrogation?

"Your majesty…" one called out while the others knelt.

"We weren't sure what you called for but we brought a few things just in case." The one who talked stepped aside, letting his colleague reveal what they brought.

"We brought watermelon, Wiluite, and white tea."

They can't be serious.

Mike picked up a dark green rock.

"Wiluite?" Mike raised an eyebrow while a servant nodded. "Yes, the ore is not too common but we brought it in case that's what you wanted." the servant explained calmly while prince Kioshi was examining the unknown stone.

"Thank you. I'll accept all 3 things." The servants glanced at one another before they disbanded.

I'm gonna guess women are called something else…

He spun the rock a bit. In the light, it glowed a dark green but if he held it anywhere else, it would look like a solid black ore.

Mike spun the ore with one finger, ignoring the rest he received.

Horu ran back with the child that lunged at him the first time they met. So this must be Soku. His tiny horn was still sticking out of his hair. Horu held his hand with a smile and dragged him along to Mike's side.

I love his eyes! Nice and blue! Matches his white hair! Must be the genes. Their mother have white hair too… could it be natural?

He didn't look around properly but this place was so lackluster.

Soku and Horu took prince Kioshis hands, with their beady eyes, they admired their big brother with the mouth open in awe.

"Why are all the halls so empty?" Mike asked curiously, wherever he went, the halls were white or brown, without much colour, no furniture. No wonder he got lost so many times!

"Father says distractions are bad. Furniture and colours are stopping us from achieving our full potential." Soku hugged Mike's arm while Horu explained.

"Really? What about this pretty garden then?" "Papa doesn't know about this garden. Brother Tair grew these himself.. he cursed both Mama and Papa so they wouldn't know."

"Cursed!?" Mike exclaimed, the boys nodding eagerly.

"Tair and Shine both worked together to make this garden bloom remember! You helped, you helped!!"

He felt dizzy as the kids pulled at his arms

Tair and Shine... The twins!

Mike turned towards the halls by instinct, when he saw two familiar figures staring at him, their hair covering their expressions.

One wore his wings like an actual cloak, covering his body entirely, while the other wore an actual white cloak, their black hair dangling loosely over their shoulders. They stayed at the entrance of the garden, seemingly weighing if they should enter or go back.

Mike's breath hitched as he took a strand of his own hair, pitch black.

Why didn't I notice when I was looking at my water reflection? Was I too focused on my flower crown? Where is it? I can't remember…

"Brother?" Two soft voices snapped him out of his thoughts, their beady blue eyes tearing up.

"Oh I'm sorry!" Mike sat down onto the floor as the boys huddled onto his lap.

"I'm here, sorry. I haven't been well." Mike laughed it off but the boys seemed clearly unhappy.

What are the colours of my eyes? I didn't pay attention to my parents' eyes…

Although the boys came to play, they ended up simply sticking onto Mike's body while talking, and the twins watched from afar.

The wind was blowing through the flowers causing their leaves to rustle. After some talk, Mike fell asleep on the grass, the two children napping on top of him and the rock thrown somewhere on the floor. Both kids were holding onto prince Kioshi's arms as a blanket.

The green of the vegetation practically stuck all over his white attire, ruining it, but he didn't mind it and kept sleeping.

The Twins are long gone and the servants have stopped walking this path due to the sleeping trio. The garden was calm and peaceful.

"Your majesty.."