He walked in like any other nobleman seeking treatment. His thick bamboo hat sheilding half of his face from view.
He casually walked up to the front desk where a young man was seated ready to receive patients.
" Good day sir—" He began, but the rest of his words caught in his throat the moment the man lifted his hat slightly.
His eyes grew wide as he jumped on his feet, shivering in pure shock.
" Your Highnes—" he proceeded to bow but he saw the crown prince gesture for him to be quite and he froze, not sure what to do anymore.
He nervously looked around finally understanding that the crown prince was in disguise.
" Forgive me, sire. " He cautiously sat down back like he was trained to while attending to patients.
" Send this to the upper room for me will you? " The young man heard the crown prince's firm yet polite command.
The crown prince was indeed as the rumours had described him to be. The nicest man in Alcheria, he wasn't what they expected people in power to be.
As this thoughts crossed his mind he finally relaxed a bit before collecting the folded parchment from the crown prince.
He turned on the flourescent glowing lamp that had a blue flame dancing on top of it. It was used to transport messages written on random items, items that could burn only.
The parchment caught fire as soon as it touched the icy flame, burning into fine ashes, it's messages now lost to smoke.
He rotated the lamp switch until it reached the highest number, then turned off the flame.
And immediately the small hole beneath sucked in the ashes like a quick sand with no traces.
" Thank you " Caspian bowed while walking away to sit in the waiting room like a regular patient.
The hallwarden just watched in pure confusion.
' Why was the crown prince here? '
He wondered, quickly averting his gaze.
Curiosity could be seen as a suspicion—worse, as disrespect to the crown.
But anyone might recognise him if he lifted his hat. The crown prince's portrait was literally a national object in official spaces and even in childrens educational leaflets.
How could he step out without protection?
The Hallwarden couldn't focus on his job while the crown prince just sat down unbothered and relaxed like any other patient.
Not long after he had taken his seat a young man in dark crismon coat came running like he was being chased.
His breath heavy and panting, it was obvious he had just ran down several flight of stairs.
He scanned the vast ground floor, in search of a certain someone and his eyes caught the bamboo hat guest in the waiting room.
Both men stared at each other before the man in dark coat turned around and left the room.
Caspian immediately followed, adjusting his bamboo hat with a small smile on his well chiseled face.
The hallwarden just watched until both men disappeared. He so badly wanted to tell someone but unfortunately his duties as a hallwarden also involved keeping important matters confidential.
As soon as Caspian walked in, the young man immediately grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall.
Anger pulsed in his veins as he yelled with gritted teeth.
" You bastard! Are you trying to get me killed " He knew how dangerous it was for the crown prince to come out alone, and if he was assasinated, the king would probably eliminate not just him alone but all of his bloodlines.
" Take it easy kor, if people saw us they would think you are into men. How scandalous" He chuckled, unruffled by the raw anger his friend was spilling at him
Kor almost swore as he glared at his friend. He never knew the crown prince of Alcheria could be this troublesome.
Nicest man in Alcheria his foot, the rumours were a big lie, the people have been brainwashed to think so.
To him the crown prince was dead weight—trouble wrapped in silk, dragging him down like a man drowning with stones tied to his neck.
Anyone would think he was privileged but he really hated it, yet swatting off the crown prince was as hard as slitting his own throat with a well heated knife.
The small smirk on the crown prince's lips further riled his anger.
His mouth puckered in absolute irritation as he glared at his best friend
" Next time you want to visit, at least send a warning. You had me running down several flight of stairs, you ungrateful brat" He hissed angrily while dragging the crown prince unceremoniously away from the room.
" What? Is it a crime to visit my best friend? I missed you" Caspian casually confessed almost summoning the fearless Devil in Kor to beat the hell out of him.
He shot a glare that could set a man on fire.
" I'm not falling for your silly games tonight " He spat, irritated to the bones.
They both knew he wasn't there because he missed kor—that was a lie. He was there for the girl he'd smuggled into the pharmaxia.
Now that he thought about it, he suddenly realised that this busy crown prince never visited him yet he was here to see a girl?
He wasn't supposed to be bothered but why was he?
Discreetly directing a glare towards the dashing young man in a bamboo hat he quickened his pace.
Caspian the ever observant one had caught the side eye and only chuckled in amazement. To him Kor was just a silly walking contradiction.
Who rejected him as a friend multiple times back in the royal Academy. During that period they had barely even grown a complete set of teeth yet they had exchanged words longer then enemies should.
" Your patient is one strange being" Kor began, and though the crown prince didn't react, Kor knew he was listening.
He glanced around as they went further down the hallways and up the flight of stares.
He snapped his fingers creating an illusion of several other people surrounding them.
This way the crown prince wouldn't be spotted amongst the crowdy surge of walking human illusions.
Only high level mages could pull these off, and he wasn't just any mage. Kor was a high ranking medica in the royal pharmaxia and is infact on the brink of promotion.
" Forgive these lowly physician but our secret rooms have no trace of luxury within " He warned mockingly, knowing the crown prince was used to luxury
But unfortunately secret rooms aren't built with any ounce of luxury or extravagance because of how fragile it is when being sealed off from public view.
" Finally you know what respect is, " Caspian jokingly sneered.
" Do you even fear the crown, you fearless stubborn Medica " He smacked his friend who glared in return.
Kor feared any and everything, especially the crown. But definitely not the man standing beside him.
The very day they both slid in the mud during a rainy day and got whooped after, he had never seen Caspian the same way ever again.
" Your Highness" He mocked opening the door to the room after dropping off the magical veil concealing it.
Caspian walked in, the royal yet mysteriously cold air wrapping him like cloak as soon as glanced around.
Kor stepped forward looking for his patient when he also froze realizing what had happened.
"The patient....She was gone"
He slowly turned his head, sweat consuming him as he stared at the crown prince who just stayed quiet.
Caspian's eyes lingered on the window, his expression the same but the look in his eyes had shifted.
His thoughts spiralled.....