Two hundred and some odd years ago...

"Please, please, please. Come on, just a few more matches. Like ten!" The young second prince of Kon, Ves'hil'n, dangled off the arm of his teenage bodyguard and sword instructor, Eun.

The stone-faced Eun stared down at Ves'hil'n's red, sweat-soaked face, wild black hair, and bright sparkling eyes. He sighed, "fine. Pick up your sword."

Ves'hil'n let Eun go, throwing his hands in the air with a whoop. As Eun straightened his waist sash and rolled his neck and shoulders the ten year old Ves'hil'n ran back to where he had dropped his sword after his last loss to Eun. The sword was brand-new, a gift for his tenth birthday. A gift he shoved aside all other gifts to "play" with. Despite it being too big for his young body, he swung it around like it weighed nothing.

He picked it up and pointed it at Eun, his form sloppy but full of enthusiasm. Eun had given up on correcting him for the time being. "Ready!"

Eun gave a short nod, drawing his sword. He rushed forward with no more warning. Ves'hil'n held on for about six minutes, two minutes longer than the last sparring match. But still Ves'hil'n was disarmed and knocked to the ground.

Eun sheathed his sword and held out a hand to help his prince up. Eun frowned when Ves'hil'n grabbed his hand with his own warm and wet with sweat one. Once Ves'hil'n was on his feet he pulled his handkerchief out of his waist sash and went to wipe his hands, only to find they were wet with blood not sweat. He tucked the handkerchief back into his waist sash and strode forward, grabbing Ves'hil'n's wrist with his right hand and taking his sword away with his left, "Hey-!" Ves'hil'n started to protest but Eun shut him up with a scowl.

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"You're bleeding," Eun flipped over Ves'hil'n's hand palm up, so they could both see the ruptured blisters, "Why didn't you say it hurt?"

Ves'hil'n shrugged, "I didn't feel it."

Eun's eye twitched as a thousand words came to mind. But he swallowed them all back down with a sigh, "We're done, come on."

"Awww," Ves'hil'n whined but let himself be dragged.

Eun took Ves'hil'n back to his room. He laid Ves'hil'n's sword on his low table and made Ves'hil'n sit down on his neatly made bed. As he hunted through his things for ointment and bandages he scolded, "You are a prince. What am I supposed to tell your mother if your hands become unseemly." He found what he was looking for and sighed, bringing it over to Ves'hil'n, along with some water that had been left by servants for his evening washing up, and knelt in front of his young prince. He gently, carefully, and thoroughly treated each ruptured blister on Ves'hil'n's royal hands. As he wrapped the bandages he spoke, "If you are hurt or getting blisters you need to tell me. I know you like sword fighting but you don't need to push yourself so hard." Eun finished bandaging, letting Ves'hil'n's hands go and placing his right hand on his heart, looking up to meet Ves'hil'n's eyes. "I'll always be here to protect you."

Ves'hil'n smiled and threw his arms around Eun's neck, nearly knocking him over, "I know you'll protect me! That's why I wanna get stronger and protect you back!"

Eun's heart skipped a beat and he almost hugged the prince back. But he took a deep breath and gently pushed the prince away. He gave him an exasperated smile, "No sword practice until your hands are fully healed."

Ves'hil'n's face collapsed into a pout, "Aawww, but-"

"No buts. Now go on. And leave your sword here."

Ves'hil'n puffed his cheeks out in an angry pout but still did as he was told, hopping off Eun's bed and running out his room, briefly sticking out his tongue at Eun's on the way out the door.

Once Ves'hil'n was gone, Eun stood from his kneel and walked back over to the low table. He picked up Ves'hil'n's sword and ran his fingers along the cold metal with a sigh.