Uncrowned King von abgemeldet (Tomapi) ================================================================================ Kapitel 3: Chapter 3 - Toma's view ---------------------------------- Chapter 3 Toma's view "M-my lord, will I... see you again?" The prince was taken aback by this sudden question, he turned around to face the young artist once again, his face unreadable. "...it would be a pleasure...", he could see Yamapi's face brighten. "...but I don't know if it will be possible", he added sadly. The young gleeman's face fell. "Oh... of course... My apologies... I know you have better things to do...", said Pi hastily. Toma felt bad for disappointing him, he wanted to explain why it was so difficult for him. "No, that's not it.. you see...I will meet my...fiance... tomorrow... it will be a great festival...", he tried to explain. "I don't know if I can sneak out again...." He sighed, head lowered. "I envy you for your freedom, young artist... I wish I could be like you. Go wherever I want to, do whatever I like... marry... whom I truly love...", his voice got lower with every word and the sadness flooded his whole body. He looked up to meet the eyes of the young man again and saw something like shock in his eyes. Of course it wasn't what you expected from a prince, he thought. He didn't really know why he told him what he never dared to speak out aloud to someone else. "Well.. I have to go now... I'm sorry...", so he continued his walk back to the castle and left the artist behind. He didn't sleep well this night. Somehow he couldn't forget the young man's disappointed face. It was early as he got up, he looked out of the window to the trailer on which Pi had stood yesterday. He really wanted to see him again, but he knew that it was impossible to sneak out a second time. Especially today. He sighed and got dressed. The lord and his daughter would arrive soon. After he ate he went into the throne room and sat next to his father. The king eyed him closely. “You have rings under your eyes. Didn't you go to bed early yesterday? “I did....I was too... nervous to sleep...”,he answered slowly. His father seemed to be satisfied by that answer. Suddenly the door opened and one of the messengers hurried in and bowed in front of the throne. “My lord, the earl and his daughter arrived!” “Alright, let them in.”, Toma could hear him smirk. Then the great gates opened and a small man with an even smaller young woman entered. They both bowed and said their greetings. Toma observed the girl, she was small and pretty, kept her eyes down. So this was the girl Toma had to spend his life with? “Welcome to our kingdom, please make yourself at home! I'm so glad to meet you and your wonderful daughter. She really became beautiful.”, the king said. Toma hadn't heard him talk like that his entire life. “This is my son Toma!” Toma stood up and took a bow. “It's a pleasure to meet you.” His gaze went to the girl and for a second their eyes met. There was something in her eyes which confused him... maybe it was affection? Toma wasn't sure, maybe he had even imagined it. Her eyes went down very fast again. “And this is my daughter, prince Toma. Her name is Maki!” And she bowed once again. After the greeting the guests were shown to their rooms and Toma also got back to his room to relax a bit. Tonight would be a ball and this afternoon would be a festival on the court... The prince sat on his bed, his head pillowed in his hands. Why did he have to endure all of this, he was sure that Maki was a nice girl, but he wasn't sure if he could love her... why couldn't he be free like Yamapi? Once again his thoughts drifted to the young man. How disappointed he had been, it was heart aching... he sighed. It was noon already and he had to attend the royal lunch. Somehow he didn't feel like eating at all... It was after the lunch when the four of them sat in the throne room, when the minstrels began to sing. They were 5 men colored in red, blue, green, yellow and violet. Toma always liked those singers and was happy to see them perform again. It raised his mood at least a bit. Later on were some random joke tellers, Toma listened without great interest. Suddenly he felt something and looked to the side and found Maki observing him. When she noticed that he caught her, she turned around quickly and her face went red. Toma sighed once again. After the joke teller came a group of jugglers and fire-breathers. Toma watched them, still with little interest until he found a pair of deep brown eyes that were fixed on him. His heart began to beat faster in an instant. He thought he couldn't believe his eyes as Yamapi stepped forward, now dressed in a more expensive looking costume and started to use his juggling skills. He smiled like it was the most common thing to be here right now. It was hard for Toma to not call for him and ask him, what he was doing here. Wasn't it dangerous? Toma knew perfectly well that Yamapi wasn't one of their castle entertainers. So how did he manage to sneak in here... The prince's thoughts went in circles as he watched the artist do his job. He was relieved in some way and happy to see him, but also afraid, that if his father found out that he originally didn't belong here, he would be imprisoned. After the performance the entertainer went out of the throne room, to one of the servants' rooms. Toma couldn't sit still, so he excused himself for a moment, earning an unpleasant but allowing glance by his father. He headed for the room immediately and found Pi sitting in front of the room, again juggling with the balls. Toma caught his breath. “What are you doing here?”, he whispered out of breath. Yamapi's face brightened when he saw the young prince. “I thought, when it is difficult for you to come out, then I could come in”, he answered brightly. “Or shouldn't I have come?”, he asked, unsure if he had made a mistake. “Of course not! Isn't it dangerous for you? If they find out then you'll be thrown into prison without any questions!” The young gleeman smiled. He was happy that the prince was worried about him, but he was also afraid to be a burden to him. “I'm sorry... I shouldn't have come. I just...wanted to see you again..”, he said in a low voice, avoiding the prince's gaze. Toma's heartbeat went faster again, without him understanding why. “...thank you...”, he whispered. “That you put yourself in so much danger, just to see me...”, he said softly. The young gleeman looked flustered now, his cheeks went red and he didn't know what to say. Then they heard voices coming closer, Toma recognized the voice of his teacher. He panicked and grabbed Yamapi's hand and pulled him with him behind a tapestry from which he knew that there was a small notch in the wall, where originally had stood a statue years ago. [A/N: yeah the castle is pretty much like hogwarts xD] There wasn't much space for two grown up people so they were practically pressed against each other, trying not to make any noise as the voices echoed from the stone walls. When they were gone, they sighed in relief and Toma noticed just then how close he was to Yamapi. He looked down to the smaller man, now also flustered, but he couldn't turn away from those deep brown eyes. Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)