Yea so hey! It's been a bit and in all honesty, I have no excuses other than life. It's been pretty difficult to write stories since I'm juggling sleep, drawing, and appointments! I've been trying to get back to AoT and Soul Eater since it's been so long! I cry... Anyway enjoy this short and uneventful part of TBWTS. The next part of this story will be much better and longer, I promise!

 It's been a couple of days since I last saw the feline commoner. There's so much I want to talk about with him: his family, friends, hobbies, relationships, his strange agility... that scarf. It wasn't cold in the area yet he wears such a heavy knitted scarf and it's not like he's anemic or his whole body would be freezing. There's definitely a story behind it.

I walk through the ever-so-busy main hall to the dining room for breakfast. Thankfully, there are still servers to bring my meal despite all the chaos for my inauguration of adulthood. The more I think about the ceremony, the more anxious I begin to feel. That cat must come to this event; I don't care if he's poor, or shabby. My heart pounds at the thought of inviting the little feline to my extravagant home. I shove some bean paste toast in my mouth and try to focus on something else to calm myself down before I make a fool of myself.

I hear a chuckle behind me and turn back to lock eyes with the second prince, Mickey, my younger brother. He was born three years after me, but his mother died during childbirth. Good thing too, not to be rude, but his mother wasn't the nicest woman in the kingdom and often tried to harm my mother using her pregnancy as a shield. I sigh and turn away from him feeling unusually disappointed that he wasn't someone else. Mickey sits beside me at the table and his personal attendant served him a plate.

"Are you nervous about the party, Ozzy?"

"... You could say that."

I say and avoid eye contact. I want to talk to him about the strange feline I met the other day, but a motherless child raised by a "tyrannical" father may not be the most sympathetic person to speak with. Mickey's eyes don't seem to leave me as I keep my eyes on my plate. He's probably suspicious of my actions, I mean it's not every day that your loving brother turns around and avoids you out of the blue.

"Ozzy, I hope you know you can talk to me about anything that's bothering you. You know I don't judge anyone or anything."

I glance at him for a moment before a smile creeps onto my face. He's right in a sense: he never has rude comments about anyone or anything no matter what they were, but this is different. Now, we're talking about a commoner. There's a line and I'm pretty sure this crosses it. my smile fades and I rub my face at my own foolishness for being so eager to invite the feline to the palace even for a moment. My father would have the cat executed just for looking at the palace from his own window. I feel a small hand on my shoulder.

"I get it if it's difficult to talk about, but don't let it affect you too much. If you don't want me to know, then you definitely don't want dad to find out!"

I perk up at his words. He does make a good point: it's not good to keep this bottled up in my mind... Maybe I should talk with him and rip the bandaid. Worst case scenario, he distances himself from me for a while, but I know he'd never put me in a position that would cause an uproar in the family.

"Well..."

.....

"So, he's some mysterious commoner?! Connected to the legendary herbalist, Samuel?!!!"

I nod in embarrassment at my brother's enthusiasm. I can't believe he actually accepts everything I told him about the commoner. I thought he'd be more... oh wait, this is Mickey, not Donald, you stupid rabbit! I rub my temples, diving into my thoughts as my brother geeks out over the herbalist. I've been agonizing over that feline so much that I forgot how my own brothers are.

"Anyway, Ozzy."

My ears twitch at the sound of my name and I give my attention back to my brother.

"If you really want to invite him, why not invite him? After all, he is a disciple of the great herbalist, our father would be stoked to have him!"

Mickey says and claps his hands together. He looks at me expectantly and I instantly understood his intentions.

"Yea, yea, Mick! The perfect win-win-win situation... One more problem, though. The herbalist can come as he is, but I doubt my father will accept a lower class without a name attending in rags."

I say calmly, but I almost couldn't contain my joy. I finally have a chance of seeing the feline again and unless my father rejects the herbalist's presence at my ceremony, nothing will stop me from having the feline!

...

Wait...

I sit frozen in my seat as my last thought replays in my head repeatedly: 'nothing will stop me from having the feline'... Why-no-how could I think such a ghastly thought. The feline doesn't belong to anyone, not even me. However, I can't lie and say the thought of him becoming mine is unpleasant... I hear my name being called and tune in to hear Mickey calling me.

"Are you back? You spaced out for a while. I was telling you to write the invitation personally for Samuel and his disciple."

"R-right!"

I slap my face with my hands to get myself together. Grabbing my brother's hand, I race upstairs to my chamber and seat us at my desk. I pull out my favorite carrot-scented letter paper and pen. Just as I place my pen on the paper, Mick stops me.

"Wait, you may've told me before, but what was this feline's name again?"

"...."

"...."