Chapter Text
A Chrysos Heir meets him at the border of Okhema. She's to be his guide, yet Mydei can't help but find himself discomfited when he lays eyes on her. She has gray hair and golden eyes. Mydei stares at her and can not seem to figure out what is wrong with the image in front of him. She stares right back for a few silent moments, before finally introducing herself.
"You can call me Stelle," She says. Her gaze is still roaming all over Mydei's figure. Mydei fights the urge to glare at her for her ogling. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness." She makes a face at the address. Mydei doesn't comment on it; he can't risk Okhema's ire when he is the one on their doorstep begging for sanctuary.
"Lady Aglaea and Lady Cerydra are waiting for you." Stelle continues. "I'll lead you to them." She doesn't wait for Mydei's response, on swiftly spinning around on her heels and wandering off into the city.
She leads him to the rest of the Chrysos heirs. Lady Cerydra and Aglaea run through the treaties with him easily enough; Stelle takes a backseat from the politics, but Mydei can feel her gaze on him the entire meeting. That pink-haired companion of hers isn't much different.
"Don't mind her too much." Lady Aglaea says. She's wandered closer to Mydei than any of the other heirs. "It's very likely her first time seeing a soldier from Castrum Kremnos."
Mydei blinks. The wars between Castrum Kremnos and Okhema are practically infamous. Nevermind the fact that Castrum Kremnos was a nomadic city to begin.
"How?" To have never encountered a Kremnoan warrior…
"Her hometown is a small, isolated, village," Aglaea says. She pins Mydei with an assessing look, then says. "Aedes Elysiae. I don't know if you've heard of it."
Mydei blinks. He doesn't recognize it, not really. He certainly has no idea where the village is, nor does he know anyone who hails from the place, but something about the name of that village is achingly familiar.
"I don't think so, no." Mydei says, ignoring the strange storm of feelings lashing out in his chest. "Is it customary for people there to introduce themselves and then immediately wander off?"
Aglaea lets out a sigh. "No. But Stelle has her own… quirks. I wouldn't take it to heart. If she has an issue with you she'll say it to your face."
The staring doesn't let up for another week, even after the treaty is finally set and Mydei gets his people somewhat settled into Okhema proper. For what seems like every second of her spare time, Stelle tails after Mydei. Mydei goes grocery shopping- Stelle is hiding behind a planter. Mydei goes to spar in the training grounds- Stelle is hiding behind a dummy.
The fifth time that week, when Mydei spots Stelle hiding behind a large vase by the baths, peeping on him, he snaps.
"Would you stop that?" He hisses out. "What do you even want?" Stelle shrinks behind the amphora, as if trying to make herself smaller. Mydei continues glaring her. She eventually slumps, and finally comes out from behind her hiding place.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing." She says sulkily.
Mydei raises an eyebrow. "And that involves stalking me?"
Stelle mutters under her breath. "I wasn't that bad…" Mydei ignores it. She really was that bad. The only thing that would've made Stelle's hiding even more unsubtle would've been if she'd knocked over that vase while ducking behind it.
"So?"
Stelle pouts. "You're a cool person." She fidgets back and forth. "I really did want to check on how you were doing." She wrinkles up her nose and sticks her tongue out the corner of her mouth in a particularly childish rendition of a 'thinking face'.
"You could have just asked."
"Would you have answered?" Stelle tilts her head like a dog. "Truthfully, I mean." Mydei narrows his eyes at Stelle.
Stelle lets out a sigh. She raises an arm to muss up her own hair. "I just- fffff." She turns her gaze up to the sky. "Leader-types like you? They've got to keep up a strong image for the sake of their people, and all that." She looks back down again. "And as far as I can tell you don't have that many friends-" Mydei bristles "-of equal standing to you, so I figured I'd be the one doing the welfare checks."
"You do not have to." Mydei says. "We barely even know each other."
Stelle's expression falls suddenly. Her gaze brushes back over to Mydei. "Yeah. Right." Her voice has suddenly taken on a sort of hollow quality to it. Mydei can't understand it.
Stelle suddenly shakes herself off. That solemn expression suddenly lifts, and she's back to her usual goofy self. "Let's just say that you remind me of an old friend, yeah? Besides, we're both outsiders. Sue me for being concerned for a fellow outlander."
Mydei doesn't bother correcting Stelle. An outlander from a small, no-name, village is vastly different from an outlander hailing from the infamous Castrum Kremnos. But Stelle's expression is still tight at the edges; perhaps Mydei really does remind her of an old friend she'd lost.
"I really am doing alright." Mydei finally says. "But please stop following me places. Ask me verbally next time, alright?"
Stelle bursts out laughing. She tosses him a thumbs-up. "Sure thing. So long as you make sure to answer back." Mydei awkwardly mirrors her as he nods. Stelle laughs even harder.
"This is Demetria's shop." ███████ motions to the small shop before them. Mydei peers over his guide's shoulder. The ingredients laid out are all fresh; Mydei hasn't seen such high quality ingredients since- well, ever, really.
"I'm not much of a cook." The young man laughs. Mydei glances up towards him. The prince can't see his guide's face. "But I can confidently tell you Demetria's shop is the best place to get your groceries."
Mydei hums. ███████ certainly has an eye for good ingredients, if nothing else.
"If we get the chance, I can make something for you and the other heirs." Mydei offers.
"Would you?" ███████ perks up. Mydei can practically see the tail wagging behind him.
"When we all have the time, perhaps." Mydei responds easily. ███████ makes a happy noise in answer.
"I'll really have to show you around properly, now." ███████ says happily. "As a pre-payment, of course." The young man takes Mydei by the arm and yanks him off away from the vegetable stand. ███████ 's hand is warm against Mydei's skin. Mydei can feel the sword callouses on the other man's palm.
Mydei doesn't do something as undignified as squawk, but it's a near thing. A strangled noise makes its way out of his throat anyway.
"Ah, sorry!" ███████ hurriedly releases Mydei's arm. "Sorry. I've been told I have no sense of personal space…" He laughs nervously, bringing a hand up to run fingers through his hair.
Mydei lets out a breath. "It's alright." He hopes that his blush isn't visible like this. It's been a very long time since anyone has granted him such casual physical touch. The Kremnoans all view him as their prince; their gazes are filled with with awe or contempt- but all find him far too imposing to draw close too. And Mydei's friends…
Mydei shakes off that thought. There's no point in dwelling on the past like that now.
███████ laughs nervously in response. "Still, let me know if you don't like me getting all up in your space, okay? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"I will." Mydei says easily.
███████ breaks out into a blinding grin again. This time, when he reaches forward to take Mydei's arm, he makes direct eye contact with Mydei. Mydei offers his arm out; when he's dragged off this time, he only lets out a small huff. He still shivers a bit at the touch, but it's a pleasant feeling, allowing someone to be this close.
"This is Theodoros' shop." ███████ points over to small pottery shop. "He's got really pretty amphoras. I'm personally a collector." ███████ sticks his nose up in the air, puffing up a bit in pride. Mydei snorts.
"The forges are just down the steps." ███████ motions down to the aforementioned forges. Mydei can hear the clang of hammers even this far into the market. "If you ever need anything repaired or made, that where to go. Chartonus is a deft hand at his work."
███████ continues rambling on, motioning to various sights around the city. All along, he enver releases his grip of Mydei's arm. Mydei doesn't try to pull away either; he's content to let ███████ drag him around the city.
By the time their tour wraps up, it is already well into parting hour.
"Ah, I didn't ask." ███████ spins around on his heels. "Where are you staying? I can take you there."
"With the rest of the Kremnoan detachment." Mydei says easily. "It's quite alright. I find my way back."
"No, no," ███████ waves a hand down at Mydei. "It'd be rude for me to just leave you here like this. You're new to Okhema. It's my turn to play the host." ███████ puffs up. He leads Mydei through the streets of Okhema.
Mydei narrows his eyes at ███████, but keeps his mouth shut. ███████ probably didn't mean it in a cruel manner- it certainly isn't the first time that ███████ has put his foot in his mouth Mydei's presence.
"Where do you live, then?" Mydei asks. When ███████ stares at him blankly, Mydei adds on, "So that I can repay the favor to you, in the future."
███████ bursts out laughing. "I live with the other heirs." He says. "In the inner city." He pauses, then leans into Mydei's space and bumps shoulders with the prince. The two men begin walking through the city, back towards Mydei's people.
"If you ever want to meet up just to hang out feel free to come find me." ███████ says. "I think you're a pretty cool guy. You're fun to be around." He raises his arms to brace his hands behind his head. "Besides, you're a really strong fighter. Are you good at other stuff too?"
"Other stuff?" Mydei raises an eyebrow.
"Ah, you know what I mean." ███████ laughs nervously. Mydei can see just the faintest of blushes rising up ███████'s neck. "Something like- fishing?"
Mydei snorts. "Then perhaps we can check the next time we meet."
███████ perks right up. "We can?" He pauses, then repeats. "We can!" Mydei watches as ███████ bounces on his toes. A laugh bubbles up out of Mydei's chest.
"We can." Mydei agrees with a smile. They've finally reached the entrance of the area where the Kremonan detachment is housed. Mydei slows to a stop. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
███████ is silent for a few moment, staring blankly at Mydei. "I- yeah." ███████ strangles out. For some reason, his neck is really red. ███████ coughs into his fist. "See you tomorrow, Mydeimos."