Yao was literally digging his heels into the ground as the head servant of the palace pulled him by the wrist into many different rooms, up beautifully crafted staircases, past pieces of gorgeous artwork, and dozens of suits of armor. They past pictures of the great kings, shields of the royal family, and class cabinets filled with delicate pieces of glass work and porcelain figures. They passed a kitchen where the most wonderful scents Yao had ever smelled and his eyes had gone wide at all the food that was inside. However now they were being pulled down a beautiful hallway.

Yao was a man, one who looked like a woman. He was wearing something that looked like a red kimono with yellow trimmings. His feet were scuffed up and calloused from walking around for so long and adorned with ribbons, the family had seen he was from a Chinese nation and had decided to bind his feet like the ancient chinese had. He was trying hard not to cry at the extreme pain in his feet. His eyes were bright brown and usually filled with age and wisdom even thought he was still a relatively young man, but now they were filled with terror and fear. His hands, once silky smooth and heavily taken care of were now calloused, the nails untrimmed. He closed his eyes and whimpered. "Aru, Aru." It had been the only thing he'd said since he'd been captured, the rest had been in Chinese.

Yao had been the prince of a Chinese nation that the kingdom had recently come under control of the kingdom. As punishment for their rebellion they had taken all of the royal family into servitude. Yao had been forced to say goodbye to all of his family, his mom and dad, his younger brothers and sisters. Tears gently came to his eyes when he remembered. Yao had been forced to board a ship when he was captured, said that a person of his beauty should be enjoyed by the royal kingdom. He'd experience sea sickness for the first time, experienced a lack of food, although he was thankful he was meant for the royal family. The other slaves they brought to work on the farms as free labour were like criminals, awful people who were beating each other, not being fed, and who were chained to the boat. It hurt Yao so much to see his people in this condition, even the thin and lanky innocents they had taken to be sold as slaves.

As soon as he had gotten off the ship he was placed into a carriage and driven to the castle. Once there he was immediately stripped and a plush panda which he had clutched onto the entire time for support was taken away. That was the first time he had begun shrieking in Chinese, demanding the return of his beloved toy. However instead buckets of ice cold water had been poured onto him. He'd taken that quietly, shaking and shivering in cold and feeling so degraded when a man had come to thoroughly dry him off. They had allowed him to keep his beautiful robe and make sure nothing had happened him until his first presentation to the prince was shown. Then he was fresh meat to every other servant, except he was to keep his virginity.

Now he was being forced into a room. His eyes blinked when he entered the room, it wasn't as gorgeous as his palace back home, with beautiful tapestries of the land and dozens of cute plush pandas covering the bed. Instead it looked like a beautiful room and a dominating prince that owned it. He cowered until he was in full view of the king. He trembled softly and looked up with brown does eyes.

"Your majesty." said the head servant. "Your new servant is here, a very delicate and beautiful specimen from the Asian countries.

The King looked up from his book to look over the boy before looking at his own servant, "Send for my son, this one is likely to be more to his tastes, and I have no need of another personal servant, nor any one with the time to train him. Besides, it is about time Alexander had one of his own, I have told him to find one, so now he will take this one because he has not done as I have told him." The man went back to his book, one hand propping his chin up as he read and waited for his son.

Alexander came in, "Father...you wished to see me?" He asked his voice was soft and delicate, he had certainly taken after his mother more than his obviously well muscled father. He was rather small and lanky looking, more suited to what his father was doing than being covered in sweat and with a thin, but long sword at his hip. His face was flushed and his crystal blue eyes deaded a little as his father spoke. "This one is for you, I told you a year ago to find a manservant, and you have not done so. He is recently captured from the Royal family we just concured, and so should know what is expected at the least even if he isn't very good at it. Take him and go, you may do what you wish with him, but you will keep him." The man stated, not even looking up from his book when his son had entered the room. Alexander bowed to his father even though the older man wasn't looking and indicated that Yao should follow.
Making sure the young man was following he slowly went towards his own rooms, stopping a servant on the way and speaking to him in hushed tones. Crystal blue eyes flashed in anger as the servant tried to protest, but Alexander was having none of that at the moment and by the end of the conversation the servant was running off quickly.
((And hun only the woman bound their feet))

(I know, I just wanted to add that as somewhat of a torture effect and to make him look more pleasing to the prince)
Yao had trembled when the man had looked him over. He was afraid he would be asked to remove his robe and he clung it around him. He wanted to let out tiny whimpers of protest, however kept his mouth shut in fear of punishment. His feet ached in agony with the toes broken and he wanted desperately to hop from foot to foot or sit and remove the ribbons and just get his feet placed in casts. He didn't understand english well and simply blinked when the talking happened. He was confused and scared listening to the garble that was completely unintelligible to him.

The another man came to his room. He looked at this man and tilted his head. He didn't like he could rip off his head with one yank like the other man could and he sighed in ease and relaxed.

Yao blinked as the person motioned for him to follow. He could understand that and began walking, more actually hopping as soft whimpers came from his throat. He was still trying to discover a way in order to walk without pain. However he followed, his arms wrapped around him in an attempt to relax himself and maybe if he pretended to hold his panda he would feel better. With a few steps he ran forward and grabbed Alexander's shoulder, and once he had the man's attention, unknowing that servants did not do this to their masters, he only knew from his own experience where the staff had been friendly. "Pa..Pa…Panda?" he asked, tilting his head asking for his stuffed panda back, but inking how to say it.

Alexander didn't look horrified when Yao touched him, he just gently removed the man's hand from his shoulder, "Do not touch...not here." he said softly, though he knew the man wouldn't understand. He turned and continued to his own rooms letting Yao continue to follow. He had given several instructions to the servant he had stopped, and by the time he got to his rooms they had been followed. Alexander's rooms were much more bright than his fathers, lighter blues and greens and his windows were open to let in the outside air.
An elderly man bowed to Alexander before he smiled at Yao, he was not Chinese, but he spoke it fluently. "I will be your instructor for English. You are now Prince Alexander's personal servant, a much better fare than anything else they could have put you with." The man said and gave a light smile, the same man still taught Alexander some of his lessons.
The Prince indicated to a chair and the instructor said in both chinese and english what was expected, which at the moment was to sit.
Another servant came in with Yao's stuffed panda and handed it over to the Prince who waited till the one who had brought it had left again before handing it to the young man. "You must keep it in here, no one else may know I let you have it again." Alexander said softly, the teacher, again translating so Yao could understand. The lessons in English would begin the next day, that was Alexander's biggest concern, was being able to understand the servant he was forced to have.

Yao blinked in concern when the man spoke to him. He tilted his head in confusion, unable to understand what he was saying. Yao believed he was saying no, no panda, so he got a deflated look and continued following after the prince with a forlorn look on his face.

When Yao stepped into the room he did have to admit it was much prettier, but not as pretty as his room. He suddenly froze, realizing he would never have his room anymore, no it was no longer his room. He breathed in the air and wished for more than anything for a cup of delicious matcha, whipped into a frothy delicious lather and sipped out of a saucer.

He jolted when the man began to speak to him in Chinese and immediately he smiled, finally happy to have someone he was allowed to talk to. You speak funny." said Yao giggling. "You're not from the Asian countries are you? You speak different than a native speaker, you have to just relax and let the language flow on your tongue, you're forcing it to your lips too quickly."

He blinked innocently and sat down on the chair, immediately fidgeting on the seat, used to seats having padding or cushions on them or sitting comfortably on his legs. "Panda!" he said happily in english and he wrapped his arms around the small stuffed doll. "Do, do you have pandas here as well? I would love to see them! Or cats! I absolutely love cats. Oh I hope you have pandas! Do you have bamboo forests here? Do I get tea here, green tea? Oh do I get a nice room, our servants got nicer rooms than we had! Oh and we took long walks by ponds and the pretty koi fish." he sighed excitedly. The tilted his head. "So, so you want me to speak English?" He asked, smiling widely. "I can do that! My dad taught me a few words in English!" He smiled and turned to the prince, grabbing his hand and smiling. "Yao." he said, pointing to himself. "I, I, umm, want to fork?" he offered, remembering the phrase his dad had taught him that would please any english speaker if he did so.

The teacher did his best to translate for Alexander, except for the last bit that was in english, Alexander looked a little confused at the fork question though and turned to the teacher who couldn't help but laugh a little and quietly explain to the Prince what yao ahd tried to say instead.
the teacher shook his head gently, "Things are done differently here, and for awhile you will forgo the things you would normal do for the Prince in order to learn proper english, this country is nothing like your own, we do not have koi fish, or the Pandas, we have tea, but different kinds, though Alexander has taken a liking to trying tea from different places, he might be able to procure some green tea. I am not from the lands you come from, though I did visit for quite some time to learn to speak the language." He spoke to Alexander again in English, about the rooms, and explained the differences that Yao had experienced. "as for your room, His Highness said he will do his best to make sure it is comfortable, and as his personal servant you get a room to your self off of his own rooms and acsess to his own. I will also teach you proper etiquette concerning how you are to act around him and others while the two of you are not alone in these rooms. Such as touching, you are not to touch the Prince unless he allows you to, if it had been any one else they would have hit you for having touched them like that."
There was a knock at the door and the teacher opened it to admit another elderly man who carried a little black bag, "Show him your feet." the teacher told him as the man, a doctor, knealt infront of Yao, muttering that his services were meant for better people. Alexander's face darkened at the man's words, "You will not speak like that in front of me, you do so again I will let my displeasure be known to more than just those here." He said, his voice practically growling. it took awhile, but the ribbons were removed and bones reset in Yao's feet and bound once again to heal. ointments were left with the instructions for their use.
"Alexander has told me that while you are healing is when I shall be teaching you, that way once your feet are better you may start your duties which another servant will teach you also while you are healing, so I may translate anything that is new to the best of my ability."
Alexander then pointed to himself, "Alexander." he said softly, speaking again in english to be translated.
"He says you may call him Alexander, but only in here with the doors closed so others may not hear."

Yao watched with big brown eyes, and tilted his head. "But that's what my Dad told me to say I when I was captured by the English." he said softly, looking up. "That's why he saved my virginity, so he could bargain with it." He spoke this in Chinese so the prince couldn't understand.

"So, am I still allowed to speak Chinese aru?" he asked softly, "You, you can't tell me to give up my native language for someone else, that's, that's non negotiable!" he said, raising his fist and slamming it on the table, actually looking angered. His tiny frame was shaking, and his eyes looked like they were burning with anger. "Maybe I don't want to learn English, maybe prince should learn Chinese to speak to me, aru!" he turned his head at the teacher. "I can tell you were once a fine man, they have turned you into a dog." he said shaking his head. "I may have been scared when I first came here but not anymore! Not when you're telling me I need to forget my culture, my background, even my tea aru!" Of course the thing he was most upset about was not being able to see his beloved pandas

He calmed down after he heard about the room and froze. "Can I decorate it?" he asked softly. "I, I want to fill it with Chinese proverbs, things that help me get through my day aru, and pandas. I need pandas." he said, squeezing the one he was holding to his chest. "I love pandas aru, they, they were there for me through everything, through war and famine I had my pandas." He looked up. "Uhm, will the prince buy me panda plush and kitty plush aru? I, I can't sleep without a couple." he admitted shyly. "And they're always great company." WHen he was told he could be hit he jolted uncomfortably. "Why? For simply placing my hand on him?" he asked.

Then the new man entered. Yao immediately went on the defensive, clinging to his small panda. "He, he won't take panda away, will he?" he asked, tears filling his eyes. "No! No you can't take panda aru!" he cried out in Chinese. As the man unwrapped his foot Yao winced heavily, even letting out a few whines as the bones were reset, then rebound tightly. He watched as the same happened with his other foot and after that he sighed in relief, he could feel the blood running through his feet again, and if they were set this early then maybe he wouldn't suffer to much damage.

Yao listened to the man's words again and nodded. "O, okay." this he said in English to show that he understood. "Alixhandur." he asked, pronouncing it completely wrong but putting an effort into getting it right. He smiled at his new master.

"Uhm I'm not sure of what use I can be." said Yao softly. "I can cook, but only food based on what my country made. I used to spend a lot of time with the chefs so I can make fried rice, dumplings, wontons." he began listing off. "I can really make a really good duck with orange sauce that's very tasty." he then thought again. "I, I'm a medic, I'm really good at fixing injuries and I'm good with herbs and making potions and stuff like that! I know what creams should be used and how bandages should be applied.

The teacher smiled as Alexander jumped at the pounding on the table, but the pair both knew that his was all new to Yao. The teacher waited patienly for him to finish speaking then translated for Alexander what had been said. The teacher started slowly as he spoke again, "You will not be made for forget your native country, and Prince has said he will do what he can to try and help your transition...he also said once you learn english he would be willing to let you teach him Chinese. Those are some good skills to be had, but there won't be much cooking I am afraid, atleast not for now. We have to go slowly Yao, that way others will not think the Prince is being to soft hearted. He said the stuffed animals will have to wait, but that he has his own old ones if you are willing to sleep with those till others can be made. The only time His higness can be nice to you like this is when you are in private.
As for your duties while serving him those will be taught while you learn English, and you must learn English. you will be expected to speak to other servants on his Behalf, and if they can not understand you then there is no communication. But you must understand Yao, if you can not work with the Prince, you will be sent somewhere else, and they will not let you keep your panda, and anywhere else you are likely to get struck and beaten for disobeying or not learning quickly enough...now for what you said in english...the...forking...you do not offer that to anyone, you are a personal Servant, not a sex slave."
Alexander smiled lightly as he took a seat at his desk, he made a list of the requests, in order of what he thought most important to Yao, and would work off the list on aquiring things, like the tea and stuffed animals.
"He does not care how you decorate your room, but again, you must be cautious when bringing things in to do so. especially right now, because we do not want to send the wrong image of Prince Alexander out, it could get him in trouble, and you taken from him as well."

Yao listened, then relaxed and nodded. "That, that doesn't sound too bad." he said softly, hugging his panda and smiling. "So then will I still be allowed to celebrate New Years? It's in about a month?" he asked softly. "It's ind of a big deal where we come from and it's very good luck aru." THen suddenly he thought of something. Next year would be his year, the year of the dragon.. He would not be allowed to see the beautiful dragons in the streets of his nation. There would probably be no kites, no presents, no parades. The thought saddened him greatly and before he knew it tears were trailing down his face. It would be his first new years without his family.

He couldn't stop the tears and simply slumped. He was also upset he wouldn't be cooking, that was another stress reliever he had and something he had always been extremely fond of. He sniffled at the promise of new stuffed animals, well new to him anyway. "I, I'd like that very much." he said, trying to hold in the tears but failing to do so.

"Excuse me." he said softly, looking up at the teacher with tear filled eyes. "Could, could you do me a really, really big favor. I, I've heard you have machines that fire lead into the body and can kill a person quickly." he swallowed. "Could, could you do that for me? Please? I, I want to go home." he said softly, the tears now released and dripping down his face. "I, I want to be with my people, I want to be with the koi ponds and the pandas, I want to be where my kitty my brother named Sushi is."

He started to truly break down, everything sinking in. "I, I want my pandas, and my wok. I, I don't care if you send me back as a laborer, I don't care but I do not want to stay here!" he begged. "There, there is nothing alive here, nothing truly happy." he said softly. "I can sense things in the wind, usually I can hear animals chattering or water running. I hear nothing here, this land is dead." he said, starting to raise his voice now.

"Please Sensei! Please I beg of you!" he cried out, dropping himself at the teacher's feet. "I want to work like the rest of my family. I want to be treated like dirt. I want to live in a small shack for the rest of my life and watch Hong play with fireworks, and Ti play with her dollies, and Kiku mess with his kanji, and I want to watch Korea, just be Korea." he said, crying heavily. "Please, please send me home, or kill me! Either would be fine! My brother once told me about something called senpuku, he told me it was an honorable way to die! Please let me commit that! Spear me like a fish, shoot me in the head with magic machines! Please I don't want to be here! I want to go home!"

Alexander didn't need a translation, Yao was obviously upset and he was quickly on the ground, his arms around the young man tightly.
"We will not, and can not do any of that. As i have said before, The Prince will do what he can to help ease the Transition." The teacher sat down in one of the chairs in the room. He was getting tired of this ones take on his situation, for all he knew the rest of his family was much worse off, and his parents are probably very likely dead having been the rulers of the conquered country. The older man shook his head gently as he watched Alexander hug and try to sooth the young man.

Yao only sobbed, trying to push the prince away, but when he realized he couldn't he just broke down and sobbed in the Prince's arms. He knew his family was gone and what good was returning home if it wouldn't truly be his home anymore? He sighed softly, then rested his head on the Prince's shoulder.

"Forgive me." he whispered in Chinese, his eyes shut as he tried to stop the tears. "I am a man, and therefore I will do my duties as promised! I will make my family proud aru! I will be the best servant there ever was! You can count on that!" he said determinedly, wiping his eyes. "Just, just don't watch me cry, it's humiliating, stop looking, please aru. I'll stop in a few seconds, I know where I belong now."

With that the door opened and a young boy dressed in a maid's outfit walked into the room. "You're highness." he said with a bow and a smile on his face. "I am here to clean zhe room." He talked with a strange accent, he was from the norther kingdoms which spoke French. He wasn't overpoweringly tall, but he had build from playing hockey all the time. His eyes were a gorgeous violet that glimmered when he talked, and a pair of glasses perched on his nose. He had hair that went down to his shoulders, blonde like honey and a long curl that seemed to spring out of his hair.

"Oh, is zhis zhe new servant?" he asked, smiling at Yao. Yao blinked, suddenly feeling comforted by this stranger. "Hello there, I am Matthew." he said, giving a small curtsey. "I am the chamber maid of the Prince's quarters. I know that you and I will get to become good friends, after all our rooms are right next to each other." he said cheerfully. "You will get used to it, the food is good for a servant and we get warm beds, we can actually take baths once a week, I think we'll be sharing one from now on. Oh and he lets us keep something of our homelands!" he said smiling. "I see you have a panda! You'll meet mine, Kumajiro! Maybe we could leave zhe bears together so zhey do not get lonely?"

Alfred Yao liked this servant, his tears stopped and he was actually smiling. "Friend?" he asked tilting his head in confusion.

"Oui! We are all friends here." said Matthew happily looking at Alexander. "Did I come at a bad time? Or would you like me to show Yao some of zhe tasks he will be helping me do to keep zhis room clean?" he asked, frowning when he saw Yao's feet. "Oh what happened?" he asked sadly, bedding down on his knees. "Did the guards do that to you, you're lucky." said Matthew sadly. "I lied to them, and I got this." He unzipped the maid's outfit and allowed it to go down to his waist. Yao gasped, dozens of scars littered this poor man's, well he looked more like a boy, body.

Yao stood up, wincing at the pain in his feet and touched one of the scars. Matthew smiled. "It does not hurt anymore. It did at first but the prince took very good care of me." he said as he pulled the dress up and zipped it back up. "He protects us from zhe guards, he's very, very nice, and you can trust him." he said with a nod. Yao nodded back, feeling more trusting towards this servant than the fake Chinese man, even though he couldn't understand he seemed to get the gist of what he was saying. "So he and I will be working together, oui?" asked Matthew.

Alexander nodded at Matthew, "Like with you he will need to learn English, i figured it best he learned that while his feet healed. His kind bind them to make them smaller." He smiled at Matthew, his father had forced them on him, but he took good care of them. "Close the door Matthew." Alexander said softly. He let go of Yao once he had calmed down some, though he still sat on the floor. His shirt still on from his sword practice was still open, Alexander was skinny, but he lacked any fat, he was muscle and skin and bone, his facial features were much softer than most men, he had his own delicate quality about himself.
"Once he knows a little more English you may start teaching him his duties, he will take care of the stuff a man servant does."

Matthew closed the door when asked and smiled. "Oh and I never asked your name! What is it?"

"Yao aru." he said softly, standing up to somewhat redeem himself. He began scolding himself in Chinese. "You just had to have a meltdown didn't you, great now everyone thinks you're some kind of crying begging pushover." He spoke rapidly in hope that the teacher wouldn't be able to understand him. "Well no more! You will be a good servant aru! You will be strong and dignified and listen to what your master tells you." He put on a determined face, which Matthew smiled at.

"Someone looks eager to work." he said smiling. "Zhat's good, I could always use a little 'elp around 'ere." he aid, sounding like he was skipping the h's. "It's be nice to 'ave someone to speak with. He gently brushed his curl a little bit, making sure it was just so before smiling at Yao. "So your name is Yao Aru?"

Yao shook his head. "Yao." after a few seconds "Aru." He scolded himself for having such an embarrassing habit, this was worse than he love of stuffed animals.

"You, you 'ave a speech impediment, oui?" he asked smiling. "It's alright, but you're going to have to learn to stop that when you are speaking with zhe King and Queen." He shuddered heavily. "You may think it is zhe king you 'ave to worry about, oh non, it is the Queen. She likes inventing new ways to torture us servants. Just stay out of her way and you'll be fine." he said with a nod, still keeping the smile on his face. "But you'll probably rarely see 'er since you are monsieur Alexander's personal slave." Yao twitched at being called a slave, but sighed and relaxed knowing he'd have to get used to that.

"Oh right, I came in to tell you 'is room is prepared." he said with a nod. "So if you'd like me to escort him to it I would be more than 'apply to." he blinked, and suddenly curiosity hit him. "Uhm will 'e be eating with us, or do you have something special planned for him monsieur?" he asked. "'e looks really thin, would you like me to get him something from the servants quarters? I can probably get 'im his dinner ration served early, unless you'd like me to get something from zhe kitchen or make him wait?"

Alexander looked to the clock he had in his room, one of the few truely un-needed, but artful peices in the room. "Dinner is soon...and with his feet healing he will need to eat in the room. If you don't mind when it is dinner time to get yours and his as well, and tell the servants I said to have someone send my own up as well, that way you arn't trying to carry three meals by your self, And I thought I told you to bath more often Matthew. It doesn't have to be every day, but at least more than once a week. He stepped forward and kissed Matthew's forehead. "You can show him his part of the room you two will be sharing while I go wash myself. I must reek from sword practice." He said and headed out of his room, sending servants ahead to get his bath started.
The teacher remained in case anything was needed to be translated for Yao, once the young man started learning english he would slowly leave the young man alone more often so he could communicate on his own.

Matthew blushed heavily. "Yes your majesty." he said bowing to the Prince and turning to Yao. "Come on Yao, I'll show you our room, oh you are just going to love it." He said, taking Yao's hand and showing for the other to follow him. Yao looked back at the door in which Alexander had entered and let out a whine, shaking his head and planting his feet firmly. "Oh it is alright, 'e does not require you right now." said Matthew. "You can come with me, you can trust me." Yao thought for a moment, then followed.

Soon Matthew had led him into a nice room. There was one large bed, not too plush but comfortable enough and a couple of blankets to cover it. "We have to share a bed, 'ope that's alright with you." Yao looked, then seemed to come to the conclusion himself and nodded. He'd always missed sleeping with his siblings. He carefully climb into the bed and relaxed upon it, holding panada.

"Who?"

At that Yao screeched, bolting up in the bed only to see a small polar bear sitting on the other half of the bed. It was small, a little bigger than panda, maybe about the size of Matthew's arm. "Ah Yao this is Kuma, Kuma say hello!"

"Who?"

"Matthew." said Matthew tiredly, as if he'd been through this before. "Yao." said the bear, smiling and holding out a paw. Yao picked it up, amazed at it. A talking miniature polar bear? He'd never seen such a small thing, maybe it was a cub? Was it cursed? Is that why is spoke?" He then noticed the creature was growling and set him down quickly on the bed where the bear rolled up into a ball and fell asleep. Matthew smiled. "So I'll go get our dinners and be right back ok?" asked Matthew." "I'll be right back." with that he walked off, leaving Yao alone with the teacher. Yao had no intention of talking, simply rolled to his side, snuggled into the blankets, and then wrapped an arm around Kuma and buried his now into his fur. Kuma said nothing, but licked Yao on the nose.

The teacher stayed anyways, the next day Yao's lessons would start.

Alexander soaked in his bath, giving a groan as he sank in the hot water. the bath was large enough for about two more people to fit in, so with Alexander in one by himself he stretched out and just floated in what was basically a giant heated pool. He had washed himself already in a separate area and was now just relaxing in the scented water, his eyes closed as he just floated there.

Matthew returned a few moments later. "Zhe king will be brought his supper later, I thought you looked super 'ungry so I figured we'd eat now." he said softly, placing a bowl of soup in front of Yao. Yao stared at the broth, it was filled with vegetables and small chunks of meat. "Go ahead try it." said Matthew warmly. "It's really, really good." he said placing his own silver spoon in his mouth and tasting the broth. Yao blinked and did the same, his face curious. It tasted like a soup he made with wontons but with vegetables that obviously needed to cook a little more and chicken that was a little tough, but he figured it was servant food.

He began eating and Matthew smiled, looking at Yao. "You're lucky." he said softly. "You see zhey didn't want me, zhey wanted my twin brother Alfred. We were close, siblings." he said pointing to himself. "Brothers."

"Brothers?" asked Yao, then realized he knew this word. "Ah family." he said in Chinese, nodding warmly. He held up his fingers with the number 4 to show how many siblings he had. Matthew held up three fingers. "

"My, my twin was the most important thing in the world to me. He was the king of a neighboring nation that this one conquered. He, he was sick." said Matthew, pronouncing his h's for once. "He was so sick, and then zhey came for him." he smiled softly. "I, I cut my hair except for my curl and I pretended I was him. We look so very similar that zhey thought I was him. They didn't realize their mistake until zhey brought me 'ere and the King realized I had violet eyes. "Zhey went back for him, and, zhe Prince told me when they had gotten there my brother had died in his sleep." He smiled softly. "I, I was able to protect him from zhis, we 'ad our chances to say goodbye and we truly loved each other." he smiled. "I'm 'appy my brother is in a better place now, and that I got to be 'is 'ego." he smiled at Yao. "I wish you could've met him, 'e'd make zhis entire experience much more fun."

The teacher again translated anything that was not understood, he sat in a corner of the room and watched the pair interact.

Alexander ended up falling asleep as he floated, perfectly exposed as he floated on the water, his breathing even, and his body relaxed as he dozed. he did not sense when some of the servants entered the bathing area to clean, nor did he hear them giggling in excitement at getting to see the Prince naked as he floated and dosed in the water. Many of the girls liked him, because he was not as muscular as most men, but he wasn't overly scrawny either.

Matthew smiled at Yao whose eyes widened at the story, and gently he pressed his hand on Matthew's heart. Matthew blinked in surprise and looked at Yao. "Good heart." he said in English. "Brave." he said after a minute and nodded. "Loyal." He nodded. "Good friend." he said after a moment.

Matthew smiled. "Yes! Yes we are friends!" he said smiling, feeling as though he were talking to a cave man but he smiled happily. "Good friends." he said pointing at him and then at Yao. Yao nodded happily and excitedly.

"Who?" chirped a voice and Kumajiro was up looking at the two.

"Hey Kumaji." said Matthew, saying the bear's name wrong like he usually did. "See Kumaji is a bear. Ba-re." he said, pronouncing it as thought saying bare as he tried to pronounce the word.

"Be…Bear." squeaked out Yao.

"Good! Good!" chirped Matthew happily.

Alexander woke with a start as the girls left, he snorted water and stood in the shallow pool he coughed and headed to the edge to climb out of the water. He grabbed a towel and dried off before dressing, using his towel to continue to dry his hair as he made his way back to his rooms. he yawned and shook his head as he tried to get the water out of his ears.