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The sunlight seeps the glass windows of the bleak room, bathing the occupants of the room with a faint glow. Eli sits on the chair beside the tub where he attends to his prince, Aesop. Said royalty is sitting in the bathtub with his chin on top of his knees, lean arms keeping them together.
Originally, the brunet was assigned to be the royalty’s bodyguard but with the amount of orders about watching out for his Highness makes Eli think he’s more of a manservant instead. He’s not complaining though as he’s closer to his lord in some ways. Learn and know about his charge that no one else could except for him. Eli does admit the prince has been wary of him at first. A challenge if you will, something to add spark to his life after years and years of monotony.
The cool waters surrounding Aesop’s body ripples like tides as he moves inside the tub, the sound reverberating in the walls of the place. The prince extends his hand, silently asking his knight to hand him things, receiving little bottles of fragrance oils in return. As the blonde is busy dropping the liquids into the water, his knight wonders about something.
“My liege, you are capable of bathing yourself. W-why must you call me here?” Eli asks, eyes shying away from the prince.
“You are in one of the most private places in the castle and my being is at the barest it can be. I simply trust you,” Aesop answers, before turning his head and giving the other a coy smile. “...Unless you have other intentions?”
Eli flushes at his superior’s words. “M-my lord, I assure you I do not have ill intentions! If you’re thinking of something, I will do no such thing!”
With Aesop laughing at his words, the brunet feels embarrassed but also happy that he made his lord smile. The sound of joy makes his heart flutter in his chest.
The sun outside brightens, its warm light hitting Aesop just at the right angle. His alabaster skin and blonde hair glistens, making him look ethereal. If Eli wasn’t already enamored on the first day he saw the prince, he would be, right now.
The blonde toys with his long hair, frowning at it and letting out a sigh. “Hmph. My hair is getting too long for my taste again. Could welcome a small change in my appearance for once. Care to help me with it?”
“Well for now your Highness, I could braid some part of it.”
“Interesting.” Aesop comments. “Where did you learn such a thing?”
“I used to braid someone’s hair a lot. I haven’t done so for ages though, so forgive me if there's a few kinks in my work.” Eli responds, nostalgia in his tone.
“Then please do my hair.”
“As you wish, my lord,” Eli says with a nod of his head. The guard moves his chair, the wood scraping a bit with the marble floor before he sits behind his lord.
Calloused fingers reach out and weave through flaxen hair, picking sections of it to divide into threes. Twisting and turning, the strands twine themselves like rope.
As Eli does his work, Aesop feels at peace with the man behind him. Despite the knight having a thing for his eyes being concealed, the prince feels like the other can see through him; understand him. Bearing with him despite his bratty ass, defending him with his words or his dagger, his very own pledge of being his wings; Eli didn’t have to do this as a bodyguard, but the prince is starting to learn to be thankful with his presence. Eli was like the sun in this gloomy gilded cage of a castle, radiant with the change the brunet brought with him. His only confidant in this place.
Aesop feels at peace when near him and he would rather keep it that way. He couldn’t decipher why, but one day, he will. But for now, the prince indulges himself with leaning on the soft touches of the other. The blonde closes his eyes as he hums in content, letting his façade down and start to doze off in his bath.
Eli finally reaches the end of his braiding, finishing both sides of the other’s hair. It might have been a subtle touch but he knows how much his highness likes to stick to his routine more than a royalty should.
Eli looks over the prince’s shoulder to see how he looks but he gets a pleasant surprise instead. Aesop’s sleeping face is always adorable no matter how many times Eli saw it. To be his Highness’ respite even for a moment is like an honor for the knight. He acknowledges how stressful it is to have the world’s eyes on one’s self, especially for his prince.
Eli reaches for the blonde hair again, petting the soft hair as he hums. If only he could do this longer and in another place, but the knight knows has no right to make it happen. After all, he is just a bodyguard; a servant. What is he to royalty? To a prince? Eli could only sigh at the thought.
After some time, the brunet places his hand on his lord’s arm. Gently, he shakes him awake. The prince is roused from his sleep, eyes blinking the fog away as he looks to the one who interrupted his nap.
“It’s still early, my prince. No need to sleep yet,” Eli greets.
“Hmph. I just want a break from the others,” Aesop fires back, head turning to hide a small blush of embarrassment. The action made the hair shift, making Aesop feel some tightness on the side that wasn’t there before. Was it the said braid his knight was talking about?
“A mirror, please.” he demands, his hand clutching a mirror after his order.
“Let’s see…” Aesop angles the mirror to his side, seeing the braid on his hair. The small change in his hairstyle made him feel pretty for some reason, the prince preening at his own reflection. His hand touches a part of it, feeling some unevenness in the weave. There might be a mess, but Eli did his best and that’s what’s important. Even the silliest of his requests gets done and he’s thankful for that.
“Ahem. T-thank you… Eli.” Aesop says.
Eli cranes his neck to himself, controlling the warmth in his chest and the giddy smile on his face. “A-Anything for you, my liege.”
“Please just call me Aesop. You’re… better than the others.”
“That request feels too much, my lord. And that praise too.”
Aesop narrows his eyes at his knight. “No ifs and buts. That’s an order.”
“I-if you say so, A-Aesop.” Eli obliges, swallowing the lump in his throat afterwards.
Aesop could only sigh. They have a lot to work on with the formalities.
“Satisfactory. Now I feel like I stayed too long in the water.” He lifts himself to get out the waters, feet touching the cold floors. Despite Eli’s eyes being already covered, he still looks away from the scene and hurriedly hands the fashionable garments to him. How cute and mindful of him, Aesop thinks. He lucked out with this knight, he supposes.
After dressing up, he gives Eli a small smile.
“Let’s go.”
Eli could only follow him wordlessly, still stuck in his mind processing the entire moment.