,, So who are you and why are you here in the kitchen?“
The Brush in Seungmins Hands fell to the Floor and he groaned, looking up to the little girl with the long Hair that was sitting on one of the old kitchen Tables. Seungmin knew she wasnt allowed to do it, yet she was always using her chance to risk everything. Her Father unfortunately was the cooking Chief which meant that he was not able to look out for his daughter. Instead he was heading from left to right, Sweat dripping from his red Face. Although he had told his Daughter to stop sitting on the table, he did not have time to really focus. Which was why the girl had turned to the one sitting on the Floor.
Him.
Seungmin did not know how long he had been doing this. After the third day of sleeping in a fever Dream in which he had found himself between different kind of horrible Creatures, Changbin had leaded him to the Kitchen. Seungmin had thought he would get the Chance to do what the Prince had offered him; A Way to get closer, a Way to gain Trust and a Way to escape. Instead he found himself on the Kitchen Floor, Knees open from sitting on the rough Stones, Fingertipps wound from working with a Brush.
And while he himself did not know how many Days had passed since he had been here, the little Girl seemed to purely enjoy his Situation.
Now, he sighed and crossed his Arms, staring at her with a dark Smile. ,,Why won´t you help me instead of asking me the same Questions over and over again? You know I won´t answer.“
Her green eyes lighted up.
,,Well I think you will answer me because I know how many Days you have been doing this and I know the Reason why your grumpy muscle Man is not here.“
The Brush in Seungmins Hands fell to the Floor. Now she had all of his Attention.
,,okay so…“ he looked around. Nobody was there, Changbin had left which was the first Time he had done this since Seungmin had arrived.
,,Okay so Im going to tell you my Name and you tell me why hes not here.“ Seungmin finally said, thinking back to their Relationship with each other.
Even tho they had spend Time together, Changbin still seemed to not like him and often rolled his Eyes when Seungmin made a Mistake. He seemed to worry about something which was hidden for others but not for Seungmin himself and somehow Seungmin himself was the reason for it.
But this Morning, Changbins Attention had been somewhere else. Without saying further more, he had just pointed to the Floor, before leaving. Seungmin had simply thought he wanted to get something but the Knight had never returned.
The Girl in front of him tho seemed to know exactly where he had gone and her eyes flickered in sucess of getting his Attention.

,,So?“ She said, crossing her Arms. Seungmin sighed.
,,My Name is Sky.“
,,Liar.“ Her lips turned into a thin line.,,Your real Name.“
How did she…
He chuckled, staring up at her while fighting against himself. It was risky amd dumbb to tell a young Girl his Name, chances high that she would tell someone. But he needed to know what was going on.
Seungmin gave up.
,,Fine. My Name is Seungmin.“
,,Seungmin. I like that Name.“ She jumped from the Table, walking torwards the Door.
,,Hey!“ What about my Answers?!“
He panicked. God why was he so dumb.
At the Door, She turned around.
,,The Princess of Arelion will arrive today. Thats why everyone is so stressed and busy.“ With those words, she left.

A princess? Seungmin thought and stared out of the little kitchen window to see something. He saw shoes running around, people were yelling words to each other. Suddenly it made sense why the cook seemed more energised and stressed today, why Changbin wasn't in the kitchen to keep an eye on Seungmin and why everyone ran around like rats who had to leave a sinking ship.

He wanted to focus on his tasks again when he suddenly realised that this might be his only chance to escape. No one would notice him in this wave of running people. He could at least try it. Otherwise wasn't it a bit risky? The prince warning had been very clear about seungmin trying to fail him. So if Seungmin wanted to risk breaking free...he at least had to make a clever plan before running around carelessly.

Seungmin pushed the bucket of water into the kitchen corner and walked up the wooden stairs which were dirty and old. It wasn't hard to fall here but with time, Seungmin had found a specific way to walk them up without ending up with the nickname staircrawler or something.

As he walked out into one of the hallways he almost ran against some people who were busy arguing about the best colour for the princess bedsheets.

,,I said blue! No pink!"

,,what about purple?"

They turned around and stared at him like he was a ghost. ,,what do you even know?" One of them snapped. In her hands she was holding a bucket with bedsheets and her little hat was almost falling from her head as she tried to wipe some sweat from her forehead.

Before he could answer, they already stormed away arguing again. Seungmin rolled his eyes, sighed and turned around to walk back to the chambers when he almost crashed against someone. ,oh I'm sor...."

It was Chan. The prince had been talking to a few People beside him, his usual relaxed facial expression full of worry. He gasped as seungmin stumbled forward, reached out and quickly grabbed his arm to help him found his balance.

,,seungmin. I guess you were kind of surprised by all the action here." He simply stated, looking at him kindly. Once again Seungmin couldn't believe that this was the same prince who attacked little villages and stole. Because the prince who was standing in front of him had been kind to him ever since Seungmin had started to work for him.

Still...he was the reason why Seungmin hadn't returned to his siblings.

With a swift move, Seungmin took a few steps backward and said. ,,I'm sorry your majesty. I didn't want to run into you. And about the action. Yes I was a little surprised. Especially when I heard an argument about bedsheets"

,,let me guess, you were trying to help and they snapped at you" Chan said, a slight smile on his lips. He then turned to one of the men. ,,make sure that Seungmin has enough time to wash and dress up. I want him to join me tonight."

Not only Seungmin gasped but it seemed like everyone around them suddenly stopped breathing.

,,my lord with all my respect..." The man started, his glasses almost falling from his nose. ,,is it s good Idea to..."

,,you heard what I said Romeus." Chan said. ,,Seungmin will join me for dinner later. Or do you want to help him clean the kitchen tomorrow."

,,no my lord."

,,good." The prince turned back to Seungmin. ,,see you later Seungmin. And be punctual. I don't like waiting."

With that, he passed him and continued his walk down the hallway. The people by his side followed him but they threw dark glances at Seungmin. Some of them whispered something before they turned around the next corner.

Great...Enemies was something that Seungmin didn't want. One prince of this castle already seemed to dislike him pretty much, Seungmin didn't want more of that. Otherwise, Prince Minho seemed to dislike everyone so maybe it wasn't even personal.

,,hey you. Follow me. I don't have the whole day."

He flinched and turned to the man with the glasses who seemed to dislike this the same as Seungmin himself. His facial expression tho wasn't full of hate, more like s grumpy expression as he turned around and leaded Seungmin back to his chambers. He looked like a professor, his long white hair falling down his back while the grey eyes were almost hidden under the big glasses on his massive nose. Heavy rings were flickering on his old hands and he was wearing a long grey blue outfit.

Despite his look, he moved surprisingly fast and even tho Seungmin was now used to the usual fast movement in this castle, he ended up a bit out of breath as they finally reached the door to his chamber.

,,take a shower and get ready, I will put some better clothes for you on the bed. And hurry, the prince doesn't like to wait." With those words, the professor turned to the door but Seungmins voice stopped him.

,,why did you want to stop him from inviting me sir?"

For a moment there was no answer but then :

,,boys like you don't belong into such a Place Kid. You might feel honored that the prince have invited you for dinner but let me tell you one thing...

Getting closer to him often meant death for those who tried."

,,but he invited me, I didn't ask for this!" Seungmin answered, eyebrows furrowed.

The professor turned around, his eyes suddenly intensely fixed on Seungmins Face.

,,Well in that case my boy...you can prepare for hell."

And with that, he left.