Part1 - Between Gentians and Roses

Once upon a time in a land that was known as Weiß, there was a king called Persia and his beautiful wife Manx. They lived happily and peaceful together. Both were loved by their people for they ruled their land with great wisdom. There was only one thing they greatly missed: A heir to the throne of Weiß.

One day King Persia wandered with his wife through the royal gardens. He held a delicate cup consisting of hot chocolate in his hands. Hot chocolate has become his favourite drink since his last stay in the neighbour kingdom.

King Persia looked sadly into the cup, then into the garden full of blooming gentians and roses. He sighed.

"I wished I had a child with chocolate hair, eyes like a deep green sea and skin like honey. I wished I had a child of kindness, innocence and naivety and a love for the beauty of our country."

Queen Manx smiled upon hearing that. Her husband didn't know yet but she was finally pregnant and would give birth to the heir in five months.

***

Soon after that Queen Manx gave birth to a tiny, little baby boy. The child had incredibly soft chocolate coloured hair. His eyes resembled two shimmering emeralds, bright with innocence and kindness. Petal soft skin shone in a light honey colour.

The whole kingdom celebrated the birth of their new heir whom King Persia decided to name Ken. King Persia also invited King Botan and Queen Birman from the Neighbour Kingdom Fujimiya to the celebrities. They came along with their own little son to congratulate King Persia and Queen Manx.

King Botan´s heir named Ran – orchid – was born nearly five years ago under similar circumstances. He was an unusually quiet and introverted child. Flaming red hair framed delicate amethyst eyes. The boy surrounded a mysterious aura. Though he was only five years old, he was already respected and a bit feared by his servants due to his piercing cold stare, his high intelligence and mostly the lack of emotion he showed towards others.

The celebration of Prince Ken's birth lasted several days. Prince Ran was bored out of his mind, because after the main audience two days ago where he could catch only a short glimpse on the sleeping baby-prince, his parents told him to be a nice child and stay in his rooms or play with the other children at the court.

Prince Ran being as stubborn as his father was his age refused to play with the other children and retreated into his chambers.

/They honestly think I'm going to play with some stupid children/, Prince Ran thought angrily, /They don't even know me, yet I bet they pretend to be my friends. How stupid! I'm not going to play with them!/

During his stay in his chambers, he had nothing more to do than playing the flute or watch the rain pouring down to Earth. After two days without news from his parents and being incredibly bored, he finally kicked his nursemaid out who proceeded to annoy him worse than his younger cousin Omi who had stayed back home.

The weather outside still wasn't any better though it had at least stopped raining and he could consider the possibility of going out later. He had stopped playing the flute the day before. Always listening to the same melodies could become very boring and without another instrument or some new notes, Ran was near the breaking-point.

"This is all Prince Ken's fault", he hissed furiously.

"If that baka child hadn't been born, I could have stayed home and my parents wouldn't have forgotten me and I wouldn't be so damned bored! I haven't even seen him properly. "

Queen Manx had ordered for the baby to be taken to a secluded place in the royal palace after the main audience. No one was allowed to see the child after that. The baby was still very weak and needed a lot of sleep.

"Ha !", Ran smirked, an evil plan forming in his mind.

"Since this is all Ken's fault, I'm gonna tell him that." Ran´s smile grew more even more sinister if that was possible.

"And since he isn't able to complain yet, I´ll have some fun teasing him."

***

Two hours later Ran had searched nearly the whole castle for the chambers of Prince Ken. Now, with only one option left, Ran finally stood before a large wooden door which had to be the entrance to Ken's rooms and (if he had understood the whispers of some kitchen servants correctly) the entrance to the royal gardens.

Prince Ran opened the door carefully and looked around the corner. There was no one inside. The room was big but not overly so with some spare furniture. Soft blue and silver colours dominated it and created an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.

Large wooden windows gave entrance to the most beautiful garden Ran had ever seen. In the first sunlight after nearly two days of constant raining he could see millions of red roses and violet-blue gentians.

Prince Ran was so fascinated by that beauty that he nearly forgot what he originally came for: taking revenge on Ken for making his life so miserable.

Suddenly he heard a strange noise like a small whimper out of the right corner of the room. He looked into the direction and finally saw what his eyes had missed when he first had entered the room: a small bundle between what seemed to be dozens of midnight-blue blankets and pillows on a king-sized canopy bed. All blankets bore the royal insignia of Weiß: a silver cross hovering over a sword and a gentian.

Ran wondered how he could have missed that when he first entered the room, but dismissed the thought after a second and decided to take a closer look at the bundle.

Many flowers were placed around the blankets. Most of them were those beautiful Gentians . But there were also some red roses.

Ran had heard his parents talk about an ancient legend of the kingdom Weiß. They said that one day a heir to Weiß would be born. Those Gentians would symbolise him and his birthright. Someone with red Roses as his birth-flowers would become his soulmate and grow to protect the heir from danger.

Those red Roses would also symbolise the love between the two as for the Gentians would become symbol of truth and faith. They had told him that though the Gentians had always been part of the royal insignia of Weiß, they had only started flourishing after Ken had been born nearly a month ago.

Ran smiled one of his rare smiles. Roses were his birth-flowers, but did that mean he had to like the baby? That he was to become his soulmate?

Prince Ken whimpered again. Somehow the sound tugged at Ran´s heart and made it ache with an unknown longing he didn't understand, yet.

He approached the bundle intend on finally getting to see the heir of Weiß properly. When he finally laid eyes on the baby, his usual cold eyes softened.

Ran thought that Prince Ken was definitely the cutest baby he'd ever seen and he had to know with two annoyingly cute little twin sisters. The princesses Aya and Sakura had been born about a year ago and other than Ran were still far too young to travel on longer distances.

Ken had soft golden skin, that reminded him of honey. Deep chocolate coloured hair fell into his face and had some stubborn bangs clinging to his eyes. He seemed to sense him approaching, because he opened his eyes almost immediately and looked at Prince Ran with a pair of the most intense green eyes, Ran had ever seen so far. After few moments of silence Ken's eyes filled with tears and his whimpers became soft sobs. Tears trailed in little rivers down his exquisite face.

Ran looked around. There was still no sign of other people.

"I can't believe they let the baby alone... , he thought angrily, his original thoughts about teasing Ken now totally forgotten by his anguished sobs. Not knowing how to soothe the baby, Ran did the first thing that crossed his mind. He took the small bundle carefully into his arms and started whispering words of comfort. At first Ken continued sobbing, but after several minutes his crying stopped and he looked at Prince with big puppy eyes.

Ran´s face lit up. He didn't know why, but he held an instant liking for Ken.

"You're too adorable for your own good," he murmured and brushed some chocolate bangs out of Ken's face. Ken yawned cutely, eyes already drifting close.

"Mind telling me what you are doing with Prince Ken?!", a cold voice asked from behind.

Ran spun around, the Crown-Prince still cradled in his arms now resting peacefully. He looked around and saw a boy about ten years old standing in the doorway arms crossed over his chest. The boy seemed very tall for his age. He had blonde hair that reached his shoulders and was put in a light ponytail. He had green eyes similar to Ken's, but of a darker shade than the prince's. Eyes giving him a death glare at the moment for daring touch Prince Ken.

"No one is allowed to enter the royal quarters.", he snarled. "State your name and purpose, then leave!"

He seemed to be very pissed of.

"My Name is Ran, Prince Ran of the kingdom Fujimiya, Son of..."

"Hell, I know who your parents are.", the boy interrupted him impatiently.

"Nobody was allowed to enter the royal chambers. Believe it or not...that includes little brats like you. So get out of here!! Now!"

The boy's attitude pissed Ran off. He'd gladly punched that boy if it weren't for the fact that he still cradled the Crown-Prince in his arms. He didn't even know whom he was talking, too.

"So? No one's allowed here? Mind telling me then, what you're doing here, Mr.... what was your name?", he hissed coldly.

The other boy smirked, finally leaving the doorway and approaching him.

"My name is Youji, Son of Lord Kudou, brother to King Persia. My mother was given the task to take care of Kenken. Manx-sama ordered her to come into the main hall. That's why I'm here. I'm supposed to protect Kenken from harm, at the moment more precisely from you."

Ran looked up surprised. Did that boy call Prince Ken "Kenken"? What a nickname! But somehow cute. Youji stopped in front of him and took Ken carefully out of Ran´s arms. He turned around and put the child back between the blankets.

When he faced Ran again, he looked very serious.

"I am supposed to become Ken's protector, his personal guard if you want to call it that way. But mainly I will become his friend and adviser. I know you came here, because you were curious and wanted to see him, but if you ever...", he stared at him pointedly, "...and I swear I mean it...if you ever hurt him, if you so much as make him cry, you'll have to face me and my wrath."

Ran believed every word he said. By looking into Youji´s eyes Ran knew that the boy was deadly serious. He nodded slowly. It wouldn't cross his mind to hurt someone as sweet and adorable as Ken, not after he had seen him moments ago and definitely not after the vow Youji made. He almost hated himself for having thoughts like that earlier.

He smirked suddenly. Youji looked confused.

"I promise never to hurt him, but the same goes to you!"

"Hn?"

"If you so much as make his face fall, I will hunt you down! And I swear I will find out if you do!"

Youji grinned.

"Ok. Now go or I have to call the palace guards. Prince or not, you were here without permission!"

Ran shot a last glimpse at the sleeping child, a soft smile gracing his lips. Then he left the room.

He didn't know yet that he wouldn't see Ken and Youji for the next 15 years. Time passed for them, but both Aya and Youji never forgot their vow.

~ End chapter ~