Name: Seth
Age: 16
Appearance:

Name: Alaric tul Bryonne Estalia
Age: 18
Appearance:


All over the palace the word was being spread through whispers and furtive glances: Prince Alaric was in another of his moods. Those who knew the prince were aware of his fits of gloominess, which were often exacerbated by his chronically terrible health, and didn't begrudge him for, but the servants and guards who were often on the receiving end of his temper tended to avoid him when the dark looks began creeping into his cold blue eyes. That was why it was already an hour or so past sunrise and his royal chambers had not been attended by the palace servants.

Prince Alaric himself was gazing out over the royal grounds through the thick glass doors that opened onto the balcony, squinting against the sun's glare. He'd woken up with a migraine, which was growing increasingly painful almost by the minute, but for a long time he continued to gaze out at the clear blue sky. Finally, however, he sighed and let the curtain drop, plunging the royal chambers into the darkness of the sconces' flickering half-light. He moved to his desk and began trying to compose a letter to a friend he rarely spoke to and no longer cared about, trying to pass the time until one of the servants finally did arrive.

Seth was a new servant to this castle. He heard the other servants in the castle whispering something aobut the prince, but he couldn't really understand what they where saying. But he didn't pay much attention to them. He had a job to do. So he headed up to the prince's room.

He knocked hesitantly. "Your Highness...Are you in here?" he asked, his voice quiet, but still loud enough to be heard. He was hoping that noone would be in there. It would make his job much easier.

Prince Alaric barely heard the tentative knock at his door, but when he did he threw down his quill in irritation. He swept across the room and pulled the door open, staring haughtily down at the boy he found standing there. Alaric hadn't yet dressed for the day, but even in his night robes he cut an impressive figure. He didn't know all of the servants who worked in the palace, but he could tell by his first glance that Seth was new.

"Where have you been?" he demanded. "I've been waiting all morning for someone to show up."

Alaric finally moved deeper into the royal chambers, unblocking the door so that Seth could enter. "Don't knock at my door again. Servants are to enter silently and leave just as silently when they've finished. Do you think you can do that?" There was a sarcastic edge to his voice as he eyed Seth, searching him for any signs of insolence. "Are you new here?"

"Y-Yes sir. I didn't mean to bother you. I didn't know." Seth said, stuttering slightly. He was terrified of this man and he's been in front of him for less than a minute. He stepped in the room and got started with his job. He was done shortly and headed out. He really didn't want to be anywhere near this man. So he did work as fast as he could while still getting the job done.

Alaric watched Seth work out of the corner of his eye, expecting him to spill or break something, but the boy worked so efficiently that the prince was actually impressed. He could also tell Seth was terrified, which wasn't what he had meant to do.
When the servant began heading for the door, Alaric rose from his seat at the desk, where he'd been sitting.

"Wait a moment," he said. His voice was a little softer than before, but it was still clearly an order. "Tell me your name."

Seth stopped and turned to face the prince. His heart was pounding in his ears. He really just wanted to get out of this room and away from the prince. He was a very terrifiying man.

"I-I's Seth, sir." he stuttered. He mentally cursed himself for stuttering in front of him. But that was something he couldn't help. It just came out like that.

"Seth." Alaric repeated, looking the servant up and down. He crossed his arms over his chest, his hands disappearing in the silky folds of his robe. "And what are you doing here in my father's palace? Where were you before this?"

A strand of hair fell loose across his face and Alaric swept it aside, the rings on his fingers glinting in the firelight, but he kept his eyes locked on Seth.

"I was brought here, sir. I-I don't exactly know where I was before this. I've been to many places before this." Seth said. His gaze was focused on the ground. He really just wanted to get out of here.

Alaric couldn't help smiling slightly in amusement. If this boy was so easily intimidated, he was never going to survive life in the palace. The prince took a step forward, his eyes still on Seth.

"Am I making you uncomfortable, Seth?" he asked, a teasing edge to his voice.

"N-No sir." Seth stuttered. Though he knew it wasn't true. he tried to keep his fear covered, but that obviously wasn't working. But that doesn't mean he was going to admit it.

Alaric chuckled. He didn't know why he found this servant so amusing, but he did.

"There's something I want you to help me with before you go," he said, making his way toward the large wardrobe that stood by his bed and gesturing for Seth to follow. The dark wooden surface was so well polished that one could almost see one's reflection in it. "I have to appear at the temple today, but I can't dress for it without assistance."

He stood before the bed, clearly expecting Seth to open the wardrobe for him.

Seth followed him across the room, his eyes were locked on the floor. He stopped when the prince stopped. He was clearly expected to open the wardrobe. So he went over to it and swung it open.

Assuming that Seth wouldn't know which the appropriate robes were, Alaric picked through the mess of silk until he found what he needed.

"Do you know how to wrap these?" the prince asked, fully expecting that he didn't. "Do you go to the temple often, Seth? Are you very spiritual?"

"No, sir. Not really." Seth said for all the questions. He honestly had no idea what he was doing. But he had to obey the prince. No matter what.

Alaric pulled his night robe off casually and directed Seth on what he was doing until he was properly dressed for his visit to the temple. He was pleased once again by the servant's performance; he took direction well and didn't complain, though his nervousness was still clearly apparent. The prince was beginning to regret being so sharp with him.

When he was covered once again Alaric sat on the edge of his bed, placing a hand on his forehead. His headache still wouldn't go away.

"I'm too ill to study today," he said, gazing down at the floor, clearly ashamed of the fact. "I won't have anything to do for a few hours. Why don't you stay here with me for a while? Tell me about something that will lift my spirits. A happy memory, anything."

Seth was a little shocked. The prince wanted him to stay?! He didn't want to stay. But he couldn't disobey. He tried to think of something happy to talk about, but he couldn't think of anything. "I'm sorry Your Highness....I can't think of anything happy." he said.

Alaric stared up at the servant, searching his face for traces of insolence. Was the boy trying to be difficult?

"You can't think of anything happy in all the years you've been alive?" he sighed, sitting back slightly against his pillows. He was genuinely curious. Could it be Seth was being honest?

"What about when you were a very small child? Weren't you happy then?"

"I probably was. But I don't really remember my past." Seth said. Which was true. The only thing he could really remember was going with his father fishing one time. But that was basically it.

Now Alaric had no idea whether to believe Seth or not. He seemed to have a perfectly sound mind; how could he not remember his past? Did he suffer from some sort of madness?

"Well, what about since you entered service here in the palace?" Alaric asked. "How long have you been working here? You must remember that."

"I've been working here for about a week I think." Seth said, focusing on that fact. He was sure it was a week. Though he could be wrong. Then his mind went back farther, remembering places he has been before here.

"Tell me about where you were before you came into service here, then," Alaric told him. "Were you working somewhere else? What sorts of things did you do?" As he spoke he gestured for Seth to come closer.

Seth took a step closer when Alaric motioned for him to. "Before I came here and I worked for a lord not far from here. I did basically what I do now." he said.

"If everything you've told me is true, you must have quite a simple life," Alaric commented. He motioned for Seth to take a seat on the edge of the bed. "You said before that you've lived in many different places, didn't you? How many can you remember?"

The prince turned his gaze up to the ceiling. "I've never lived outside this palace. I wish I was able to live somewhere else once, just for a short while."

Seth sat down on the edge of the bed, clearly nervous. "I remember five different places. But I've worked in more places then that. That was a long time ago though." he said.