Years had passed and Hayato and Tokiya were required to live out their single life as they had been instructed; and did so quite successfully. Only the servants who tended to their rooms and clothes, teachings and health checks knew that there were two princes instead of one. Their secret was maintained somehow by only letting a very select and trusted few in, and keeping it that way.Â
But it seemed like the twin princes were reaching the age where one life between two just wasnât enough anymore.
On the days where Hayato wanted to go out and mingle like the socialite he was, he was often required to meet the older men and women in court and play his role as the real older brother. This of course meant that Tokiya was also required to stay in doors otherwise he might be questioned as to why he wasnât at the gathering; but of course the younger twin had his own desires.
By the time he was twelve, Tokiya loved to read more than anything else and by the time he was fourteen heâd read every book their vast palace library had to offer. He spent his quiet, isolated days reading, hidden among the shelves or in his room with towers of novels to keep him company. Things would have stayed that way had he not unfortunately run out of things to read.
So by his seventeenth the younger twin had taken to stealing out at night to the town surrounding the palace gates, exploring the markets for new novels, or old books that smelt of history and weathered leather, with each page crisp and orange and tattered with the love of itâs author, or previous owners.Â
You couldnât get such prized articles as those in the castle; not even the foreign dignitaries who came to visit brought such treasures. No one seemed to appreciate the quality behind a softly bound sonnet like Tokiya did. And while his older brother attempted to feign interest at times for his sake, it just wasnât the same.Â
So on a night where the crown prince was engaged in palace duties, Tokiya would steal away, using the distraction of lights and music to detract from his getaway.
He was just returning that night with a new hoard of second hand works from his most frequented shop; about ten books bound in soft, almost florally pungent leather and wrapped again in cotton ties to keep them from falling apart on the way home. They hung in a sac the young prince secured over his shoulder, as he snuck around to his favourite side entrance to get back in to the castle undetected. He couldnât see any guards, but perhaps he wasnât looking all that properly; the lights from the town still burning the darkness into the back of his lids. But heâd been doing this for years now. There was no way heâd be caught then.
It was time for him to make his rounds again, Otoya thought, as he moved from his still position at the gate. Lately there had been a band of thieves trying to break into the castle so the redheaded knight wanted to be extra careful and make sure that he didnât give them any way to gain entry into the castle.
Just as he began his rounds, he noticed an unfamiliar figure walking towards the castle. Immediately he set towards the figure to see what was going on. âSir!â He called, wanting to make sure he got the personâs attention since they technically havenât done anything wrong yet. It wasnât right to accuse someone if they hadnât done anything after all.Â
Otoya caught up to the hooded figure but didnât get too close to scare them off. âWhat business do you have at the castle? No one is allowed to go through the side gates.â He frowned and stepped closer only once more to try and get a better look at the person. This person looked super suspicious, and that sac they were carrying over there shoulder was even more so.Â
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