章 27: His Mother's Prince

[TAMIKO]

"He's Lord Sadako, but he likes to pretend he isn't. And we're lycan warriors," one of them said and Tamiko choked on his food as he looked at the man who was Lord Sadako.

Lord Sadako was almost a myth just like the lycan king, Zaffuto. He was the enforcer of the lycan kingdom and the king's confidant. Tamiko had read a lot about the dangerous yet ever-happy enforcer.

He was a force to be reckoned with and seeing him this close made Tamiko wonder if the man knew he wasn't from there.

His run across the woods had surely masked Tamiko's scent, but had it been enough to hide from the nose of a lycan enforcer and the second most powerful person in Kawai?

Tamiko stared at Lord Sadako, like he was trying to come to terms with the reality that he was sharing the same space as a legend. It all felt like an illusion and Tamiko could tell that something was not right here.

Tamiko had learned that all the lycans knew of Lord Sadako, so asking the man what his name was, was something else. What the hell was he supposed to do now and how was he to get himself out of this?

"What?" Tamiko managed out, all his appetite leaving him, even though he hadn't eaten for several days.

He was considering making a run for it, and just act as if Grealor was one happy home, but he had a feeling that these warriors would scratch him even before he reached the door. He was once again fucked, so he sighed, as he looked at the food before him once again.

If this was his last day as a free man, he would want to be full. So he forced the food down his throat in sheer panic. He felt like his world had just gone from bad to worse. At least with the werewolves, he could easily outrun them and probably make them do shit.

But here he was with one royal lycan and the best of his warriors.

'Please don't let me die today. I just wanted some food,' Tamiko thought to himself, not daring to look at anyone in particular. His head was bowed, his focus on the food making Sadako somewhat take an even keener interest in the young boy before him.

This kid looked familiar but he couldn't place where he had seen him. But that wasn't why Sadako was looking at Tamiko. He was staring at the kid, because he had heard what Tamiko said.

His tone had sounded so scared and rightfully so because everyone knew lycans were savages. But then weren't all lycans savages by default, so why would the kid before him worry about his life?

"No one is going to kill you, kid. Just eat up and take a shower. I can see you are hungry. But eat slowly. It would be hard to explain to your parents and even the king why a kid choked and we watched, alright? If you're scared, these idiots and I will be outside.

"And don't run, because we will catch you. I'm not saying that to threaten you, but as you can see, it's almost lunch hour and the king wants us all eating at the royal buffet, alright?" lord Sadako said and Tamiko looked at him curiously.

He wondered if Sadako could hear all his thoughts or if he was just hallucinating. Shaking his head, Tamiko gave the man a smile, as he watched the warriors up and leave the room. He then let out a sigh he had been holding.

He should have been scared, but why did the thought of Sadako being out there standing guard make him feel so relaxed and at home? Then again, he also heard that Lord Sadako was loved by the lycans, so maybe safety was something he oozed to everyone, but was it?

Tamiko was smart enough to know that Sadako was suspicious of him in ways that the warriors were not. Sure, the warriors had bought his act of loneliness and curiosity, but Tamiko could tell that Sadako knew something else about him and yet that didn't freak Tamiko out.

Maybe he could convince Sadako to help him get his vengeance against the Grealors.

It sure did sound like a good idea, but was it?

"Where are the showers?" Tamiko asked as he looked at Sadako curiously. Of course, he had imagined that they had left, but they were there.

"He's a cute little thing, isn't he?" one of the warriors said and Sadako just sighed as if to tell Tamiko that this was the kind of shit he dealt with daily.

"Come along kid, let me show you the showers," Lord Sadako said and Tamiko made way for the man who walked ahead of him.

"Tell me something, kid. What's your name?" Sadako asked and Tamiko froze for a moment.

He had to think of something, a name that would make more sense to the Japanese lycan Lord. maybe he could come up with a Japanese name too, but what was it? Would the lord believe him?

"Yamato," Tamiko voiced a little too strongly. He was confident and had learned to take care of himself and if today was going to be the day he got caught, then he would accept his fate with confidence.

"Such a liar. But I won't tell anyone. You just thought of that right now, no?" Sadako asked and Tamiko just shrugged like he was sure that he couldn't get caught even though he was already caught in his own lie. Then again, it couldn't be any worse, right?

"You don't know that. Besides, we just met, and there's no way you can know what my name is when you're always with the king, when you aren't hunting for rogues and seeking forbidden answers," Tamiko rambled on before he instantly shut up.

He was shocked by what he had just said and how he had spoken so casually to the man who looked like the king's favorite murder weapon. Then again, maybe Tamiko had nothing to lose, right?

Besides, he didn't want his mate.

So there was no point in him pretending like he had something to fight for.

"I'll give you a better name," Sadako said as they made the corner toward the washrooms. Tamiko was following him gladly and maybe Tamiko was a little bit too trusting. He was safe. That was all that mattered to him at the moment.

"A better name?" Tamiko asked curiously.

"Yes. Hinata. A name fit for a little prince and ray of sunshine. So the next time someone asks you for a name, just tell him, you're Hinata, alright?" Sadako said thoughtfully, almost like he believed in it.

"But I'm no prince. Besides, if Hinata is the name fit for a prince, shouldn't you give me a different one?" Tamiko asked and Sadako just ruffled his hair before pulling him in a side hug.

"Every son is their mother's little prince. Even if we don't know our mothers. We are all princes, alright?" Sadako said as he kissed Tamiko's hair and let the kid walk into the showers.

"Take your time, Hinata. We'll be waiting for you," Sadako said as he walked out of the washroom.

However, just before the doors closed, Tamiko saw Sadako fist-bump the air.

And Tamiko was officially curious.