Guardians of the Prince

Tong, Clang, Tong, Clang, Tong Tong.

I’d just finished driving in a nail, and picked up the next nail, when I stopped and looked down.

From atop a tree where I was, I could see the orchards that had been built on the side of a hill near Shiz Cagna. Dr Lahzt was pointing at the orchard and teaching the prince about something.

A little further on, Kohme, the nanny, and Lauren, the maid, were both looking over the two of them, chatting about something and laughing.

The orchard was now in the full bloom of flower season. Bunches of small white flowers were opening, and Kohme seemed so happy, smiling under those flowers.

I was relieved, and got back to my work.

When the prince and Kohme first came here, I used to check on them when I was on duty, and then also when I wasn’t. Even though I wondered if I was being a little overprotective.

But I needn’t have worried, the prince was quick to adapt, and he was soon accustomed to his new home.

And although Kohme was worried about whether she would be a good fit for the nanny position at first, she too adapted to her surroundings right away.

There just was something about her I couldn’t leave alone.

One day, I caught sight of her by herself in the garden.

A conspicuously thick tree grew in the middle of the garden, where it could be seen from the prince’s room, and she was looking up at that tree.

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Suddenly realizing what Kohme was thinking, I drew near and started talking to her.

“Now that’s a tree you could build a treehouse on, isn’t it.”

“Wah– You surprised me. Mr Kahzam, you always seem to know what I’m thinking, don’t you.”

“I’m Morio, after all.”

I still had the special memories of what happened when we were all in the Garden of Stars, me and the prince and Kohme.

“How about you suggest it to Lady Solamire? I’m sure she’d give you permission to build a treehouse up there. And the prince would love it,” I said.

Kohme gave it some thought, her head tilted a bit to one side, and then she smiled and shook her head. “I’ll have to pass. He’s Lady Solamire’s son now…”

I wanted to know what Kohme was thinking, so I stared hard at that expression and thought about what her words meant.

And then I understood. The treehouse had been Kohme and Ouji’s home, a place that had nothing to do with Lady Solamire.

Kohme was worried that as the prince’s real mother, Lady Solamire might feel alienated if the prince were to make the treehouse into a playground here at Shiz Cagna.

I really do like her so much, she’s so sweet. Just being with her makes me happy.

So after that, the prince teleported to the Garden of Stars and there was a big commotion.

I contacted Dr Lahzt, who was out of the office, and he was able to go meet the prince so the whole thing ended without incident, but it was possible it would happen again. The prince had become a member of the royal family, he couldn’t avoid studying the Shin seals, so the fact that he had an interest in teleportation arts was a real problem.

Of course the prince was likely teleporting so often because he had a certain nostalgia for the Garden of Stars. Given all that, perhaps it would be better to build a treehouse at Shiz Cagna, to prevent him from popping off to the Garden of Stars whenever he felt like it. Maybe the prince would settle down.

I once again consulted with Kohme, and also with Dr Lahzt, and was able to suggest the treehouse to Lady Solamire.

Lady Solamire graciously gave her approval. “Oo, a boy’s only secret base!”

A specialist architect was dispatched to Shiz Cagna on Lord Taval’s introduction, and the location of the treehouse was fixed in a certain tree.

It was a secret, of course, that the prince had been raised in the Garden of Stars, so we told people the prince had heard stories of the Garden of Stars from Dr Lahzt and had started wanting a treehouse.

While I was watching its design, I developed an interest in treehouse construction. I asked the architect some questions, and he let me help out with a few things.

The major sections, such as the foundations and pillars and such, I left to the pros of course, but even I could be of some assistance with the small things. I had nothing special to do on my days off except take long horseback rides, and having tried out construction I found it interesting, so whenever I had some free time, I grabbed a hammer.

◇ ◇ ◇

The nearly complete treehouse – Shiz Cagna Edition – was smaller than the one in the Garden of Stars, of course. It really did have that Secret Base feel.

But we used the same wood, and it had a balcony, albeit a tiny one, and I thought the atmosphere was similar. The architect said that as long as it was properly maintained, it would last ten years.

We were going to make a ladder, but then I thought it might build the prince’s strength if he could climb a rope up into it… I don’t mean to be discourteous, but I really was thinking like a father.

“Mooh!”

At some point, the prince came up under the tree and looked up at me.

“Done yet? Ouji is coming too!”

“Wait just a little longer, please! Only a little, you can come in the day after tomorrow.”

Tomorrow, the architect had said he was going to do the final check. Once that was done, the prince could at last come inside.

That evening, during the prince’s bath time, I invited Kohme to the garden. I set a ladder up against the treehouse and settled it in place.

“Wait, are we going in the treehouse? I thought that was the day after tomorrow?” Kohme looked confused.

“The final check is the only thing that’s left. The foundation, the walls, the roof, everything’s already in place, so there’s no problem. The nanny has to take a look too, in preparation for tomorrow,” I said, and although I was being serious, the truth was… I wanted to show Kohme first.

I went up the ladder first, and offered a hand to Kohme, who was coming up behind me.

Surprisingly (rudely) Kohme hoisted herself up onto the balcony, and looked around the treehouse with a smile she couldn’t hide.

“Nice view… It’s really high up, isn’t it.”

The balcony faced out away from the palace. Shiz Cagna was atop a hill, so you could see quite far, looking through the trees in the garden.

The sunset was sparkling, dying the town at the foot of the hill and the windmills an orange color.

Kohme opened the door and went inside the little house, and then stuck her head out the window.

The window raised and lowered and there was a shutter that could be propped up with a pole. Since this treehouse would be exposed to wind and rain, unlike the one in the Garden of Stars, the shutters could be closed when there was a storm, so the interior wouldn’t get damaged.

“It’s amazing, really nice. I think the prince will love it.”

She seemed a little excited, and I followed her inside.

With two adults in here, and then maybe later a small table and chairs, it would start to feel pretty crowded.

Standing next to Kohme, I gazed at the scenery outside with her.

If we pulled up the ladder, no one would even know we were in here.

Just for a moment, I considered something outrageous. What was I thinking… This was a treehouse built so the prince could relax.

As I was busy pushing these thoughts away, I lost focus.

“This must have been a lot of work. Thank you Mr Kahzam!”

Kohme’s hand touched my shoulder, and something soft brushed my cheek…

By the time I realized I’d been kissed on the cheek, Kohme was already getting down from her tiptoes.

She seemed triumphant somehow. “I’m making myself at home here too, aren’t I?”

This woman, this was why I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

I abruptly put the shutter down on the window that faced Shiz Cagna.

I slammed it harder than I meant to, and the window closed with a loud bang. Kohme’s shoulders jumped in surprise.

“Now they can’t see us from the palace,” Kohme said.

I didn’t answer for a minute. And then, “Yeah, we’re alone.”

Kohme watched me in silence.

I held her to my chest, with a little more force than I had last night. Kohme didn’t resist at all, just stood there, stock still.

She wasn’t making any response, so I got worried and loosened my grip. Looking into her face, Kohme lifted her gaze, although not her face, and giggled.

“Look here. Morio would never do anything I didn’t like.”

Busted.

“Kohme. That’s not–”

“Yeah, when I’m alone with any other man, that sort of greeting is off limits… I believe? I’ll be careful.”

“Please do.”

True. There were plenty of men here at Shiz Cagna. Even Lord Fatido could come here. I got the feeling Kohme wasn’t quite as world-weary as she could be, and it worried me.

Wouldn’t her naiveté bring some strange trouble her way? She’d come to this world all alone, and she’d finally found somewhere she belonged. I will absolutely protect her.

“Look, the sun’s setting.”

I turned Kohme towards the window, keeping my arms around her, and then lightly rested my cheek on her shoulder, with my arms folded around her stomach.

The sunset slowly melted below the horizon. The wind blew into the treehouse, and Kohme’s hair tickled my cheek.

Staying perfectly still, just like that, Kohme faced the front and stammered out, “So… I’ll be getting dark soon, I guess.”

“Indeed it will.”

“So… Oh yeah, uh, where is your hometown, Mr Kahzam?”

She seemed to be trying to hide her embarrassment, but I was so overjoyed that she wanted to know more about me that I squeezed her tight.