Ajax hated the picnics his mother always arranged. Of course, he understood that they could only do this kinds of outdoor activities during the summer, as it was too cold to go out for too long in any other season. The only thing he liked about it was being able to ride his horse.
His older brothers loved teasing him too much and although he adored his younger siblings, they were still too little to play with. And Zhongli… Ajax glanced at their maid, was always with his older brothers. Maybe because he was the same age as them? Ajax scowls when he sees his brother place an arm on Zhongli’s shoulder.
He was always happy being with Zhongli. When the older boy wasn’t busy with his tasks and duties, he was always willing to spend his free time with Ajax. And never had called him bothersome.
Ajax sighs. He should be training to be a knight instead of doing stupid like having tea time. Unfortunately, the head of the knights told him he was still too small and too young to handle a weapon… well, at least they let him watch the others train.
He was bored, and his brothers were still hogging all of Zhongli’s attention! Ajax looked around the place they picked for a picnic. There seems to be a forest near them… maybe he could go exploring just a little. With no one paying much attention to him, he easily sneaked out and went to the entrance of the forest.
—
He shouldn’t have done it.
His mother was going to kill him for sure, Ajax thought. He was lost and was pretty sure he was going around in circles. He saw the same tree twice or thrice now and he couldn’t find the way out. He wanted to cry… but no. No, he wouldn’t. He doesn’t know how long he had been walking around the dark forest. The trees were so thick, the sunlight could barely go through. Ajax hopes his family had noticed him missing.
Ajax stopped dead on his tracks when he noticed a large lone wolf just a few feet in front of him. He was too busy looking for a way out that he didn’t even notice the animal! It was looking at him, sharp eyes focused on him, teeth bared, and growling.
He should run. He was going to be eaten. His heart was beating fast and his feet refused to move, too afraid. Then without any warning, the wolf lunged at him. He could only close his eyes and scream.
“AJAX!” That voice…
Ajax felt a body collide into him, pushing him on the side. They fall on the ground with the person on top of him. He
He hears a loud snap then a pained cry and feels something wet and warm drop on his face. Ajax slowly opens his eyes. Zhongli was on top of him holding a bloody dagger… but his other arm was bent strangely and was bleeding. The animal was gone.
“Ajax, are you alright?”
“Zhongli your arm!”
“I’m… alright.”
“No, you’re not!”
And Ajax starts to cry.
What happens next was a blur but Ajax stayed by Zhongli’s side throughout until his mother and the doctor forces him to leave. This was all his fault.
He promises never to do something that would endanger Zhongli ever again.
Zhongli is a young prince, next in line to be the king in their kingdom but had to be given to their neighboring empire because of the power struggle and civil war currently happening. Many of his relatives wanted him dead and his parents, the king and queen talked with their ally empire to hide him since many are trying to kill him.
So, with heavy hearts, they sent Zhongli to the empire. The empress, to help him hide his identity, told the castle staff that he was given to her and was to become her children’s “maid”. Only a very few people knew who he was like her closest advisers and the head of the knight of the empire.
Still, the palace staff noted that even if the empress called him a maid, they were ordered to treat the boy well. In fact, he had his own room, unlike the other servants. Although he was taught how to clean, mop, dust, cook, and other job for the maids, the empress made him study with her own children’s tutors!
When asked about this, the empress just shrugged and told them that she wanted a well educated person to look out for her children that was all. If they notice that she was as affectionate to him like how she was with her own children, they were too scared to ask the empress.
—
It wasn’t really a bad life, Zhongli thought. At first he was so bad at doing chores and cooking, he was being reprimanded by the head of household. He was sure he was being called useless behind his back. Still, Zhongli thought it was a better option than being dead. The empress also made him attend classes and regularly inquire about how he was doing. And he was truly grateful for it.
The downside was that, he felt homesick when he was left alone. The empire was beautiful, but was dreadfully cold. He also missed his parents and friend so much. Still, his mother told him that he must be as enduring as the bedrock of their kingdom. So he did and learn the tasks and lessons, house chores, cooking, his studies with all his best.
—
The first time Ajax sees the person his mother brought in to be their new personal maid, he thought he was a girl (his eyes were like gold and pretty and his soft looking long hair was styled in a bun like how his sisters sometimes do it). His older brother laughed at him and called him an idiot. So he kicked the back of his brother’s knee in front of their new maid and started a fight. It may have made their mother mad, but at least it made the sad look the new maid had disappear for a while. In fact, it made him laugh!
“My name is Zhongli.” He said, “I’m glad to be here… I’ll do my best.”
Ajax grinned. Zhongli was definitely different from their other maids.
Little did he know, it was the start of a new chapter of their lives.
