"Hm? Did your outfit change? Ah, I mean... I guess changing is normal," I said as I sat onto my horse. I looked down at Sabo who was securing the packs to the horse. He smiled up at me when I spoke to him before looking to some maids to get some other things.

"Ace. Be careful." I heard someone say. I turned to see Marco and the others watching me. They all seemed worried. I am too, to be honest... I have to go into 'enemy' base and hope for the best. "If anything happens, just do whatever you can to get back home," Marco told me. "A war will start anyways, so if you need to beat someone up to get back, do so."

I chuckled and grinned, "yeah!" They were still very nervous despite my reply, but I was able to make them smile. I looked to my horse and patted her neck. On this trip, I have two I have to protect. I turned to watch Sabo and nodded to myself. "Are we about ready?"

"Yes, Prince," Sabo replied as he latched the bags closed. He checked himself for things, then bowed greatly to the other princes as well as his fellow guards and maids. Some maids hurried up to him and pleaded for him to keep me safe. "I will risk my life for him... Do not worry," he told them before stepping back and taking the reins of the horse to lead us out. I looked back at everyone, already getting a bit nervous. Somehow, I gave them a smile and waved at them.

  ❁  

We had traveled for some time now. I yawned before looking at Sabo, who was walking in front of the horse and I. "Hey, why didn't you get a horse too," I asked him. He had been walking for the whole time.

Sabo looked back at me for a moment. "I have to be ready to defend you," he told me as he kept walking. I didn't really understand his meaning. Getting off a horse maybe took more time? I sighed and shrugged. I leaned back on the horse and stared up at the tall trees. Hopefully, the Hei Province really aren't doing this as a trap. I would hate to have that happen, then have a war start. It would danger, not only me, but the people of my province. Out of the sound of nature, I heard my stomach grumbling loudly. My face reddened when I heard it and the horse came to a stop. Sabo looked over to me, then to his surroundings. "Come, you must be hungry too," he said to the horse.

He led the horse to a few rocks, then petted her snout. I sat up and slipped off of the horse. "Ah-- sitting for so long is a pain too," I mumbled as I stretched out my arms and legs. I turned to Sabo. He was getting out some boxes and looked at me.

"Your meal, Prince," Sabo said as he handed it to me. When I took it, he directed me to the rocks to sit. "They aren't warm, but I hope they are good enough for you," he told me softly.

I nodded and sat myself down. Opening the box, I smiled when I saw the steamed buns. "Wah~ Steam buns! These are always good," I sang happily. I took one and quickly ate it. My stomach was feeling great already. "Sabo, you aren't eating? It's been long. You didn't even eat breakfast..."

Sabo shook his head. "I was given some food before we left," he said to me. I watched him for a bit, not believing his words.

"Well... When you get hungry, tell me. It's an order," I mumbled before continuing to eat. I left two steam buns in the box just for that reason. This seemed to bother Sabo a bit, bit that was his fault. I got up and handed the box to him. He didn't say anything, probably knowing what I would say back to him. I looked around in the bags and found carrot. "Found some for you, girly~ Eat! Eat! You have been doing so well," I said happily as I went to feed the horse. "Let's rest here for a bit, Sabo. You go sit down."

Sabo watched us quietly before going to put the food away. He gave me a nod, then went to sit himself down on one of the rocks. A sigh left his mouth and I could tell he was tired. He patted his thighs and started stretching himself. I watched him as I fed the horse. Was I seeing things, or were his thighs bigger than yesterday. I looked to the side with a deep frown. What was I saying? But then again...

I patted the horse's neck when she finished and made my way over to Sabo. I had to find out somehow, right? Sabo stared at me when I crouched down in front of him. His round eyes watched me in confusion. "Have your thighs... gotten bigger," I asked.

Sabo jolted and his face flushed red. "Eh- What? Why do you ask that," he panicked.

I let out a huff before setting my hands onto them and giving them a grope. Eh... Feeling them a bit more, I leaned my head to the side in greater confusion. Why were they hard? Not like, muscle hard, but... rock hard?! "What in the world... Did you do like... 5,000 squats in the time I did not see you." I asked.

Sabo looked to the side and shook his head. He was reacting in the way I would expect when I caressed his thighs with my hands. "No... It's nothing important," he mumbled.

"I think it is... Where did your soft thighs go... Now they," I murmured as I knocked on them. These definitely... "Why do they sound like metal too?! Sabo, what are these," I asked loudly before tackling him over. There was only one way to find out the truth now. "Take em' off! It bothers the prince!"

"No! Prince, please don't! They're hard to put on," Sabo complained loudly as he flailed his legs around. "Ahh--- Prince, please-"

It was only for a moment, but I was soon facing away from him and holding my head. "Ouch- ouch... Never did I think you would hit me," I groaned.

Sabo let out quick pants and watched me. "S-sorry... You told me... to not always listen to you though... I'm sorry," he said to me.

I looked back at him before sighing. "Do you have something hidin' in there or something? Yeah right... Whatever. Let's get going," I huffed. Sabo bit his lips together and kept himself from answering.I waited for him to get up and walk over before I spun myself around him and picked him up. "Up you go~"

"Eh- Prince?! Ah-- no! I have to walk," Sabo complained.

I ignored him and lifted him onto the horse. He was so much more heavy than the last time I carried him... Once I set him on top, I got myself up as well and grabbed the reins. I hummed and kissed the back of his neck, "don't disobey and keep me company up here, okay?" He seemed reluctant, but he did as he was told. I grinned before tugging the reins, "let's go! Yah!" The horse neighed before starting off again. "Isn't it more fun up here," I asked Sabo as we went.

Sabo puffed up his cheeks in a pout. "Mn... It's okay," he mumbled quietly. I laughed at his reply before setting my head on his shoulder. "Prince, should be more careful... What if someone did come to... hurt you," he asked me with a frown.

I looked at him and sighed. "I know how to defend myself and you are here as well too, right," I told him and smiled. The answer didn't satisfy Sabo by much, but I couldn't saw much else. He was worried... All the others back at home must be as well... "I trust in you, so trust in me... All three of us have to return home," I said quietly against the fabric of his clothes.

  ❁  

Even if someone didn't know how to get to the Hei Province, once they saw the walls that towered over, they would know they were there. Our horse trotted to a stop and we both looked at the tall walls. Sabo chewed on his lips a bit before getting off. "Stay here, Prince," he whispered before heading over to the guards. I watched him from the horse. This was where he originally was... I patted the horse's neck and mumbled thanks to her. The walls of this place were no joke... No person would be able to escape by climbing. The gates weren't even bars, but heavy wood. No one inside could see the outside world...

The guards that stood outside didn't seem like they had a soul either. They just opened the gate and stood aside. Were they not going to lead us to the palace? Sabo came back and took the reins. He glanced up at me for a second, then led us passed the gate. There were two gates in a row. Once the first one was almost closed, the next would open. Then, we could see the inside. Sabo stared blankly at the sight and just walked forward. There were horribly made houses and people who were obviously not in the best health would be laying around. When they saw us, they just stared. I heard murmurs that were definitely about us.

We walked for some time, until we heard someone. "Is that you- Sabo," one called. Sabo jolted and quickly stood in front of me defensively. There was a girl that ran over with a limp, then a boy. Some others started looking towards us and inching over. "OH- it is you! Sabo, how have you been? You look well- I thought you died in the training," she said breathlessly. "Oh, it's good to see you well..."

I thought it was nice to see Sabo seeing those he knew, but Sabo thought differently. Sabo was extremely tense and kept backing as they got near. To be honest... when I looked at them, then Sabo, it looked like the lot were zombies. These poor people have suffered for so long... I frowned and shut my eyes. This province is the definition of hell...

"Oh, Sabo. Sabo," they started saying. Their tone quickly turned violent, however. "WHY- do you leave us! Why are YOU living well?! YOU LEFT US! How could you, SABO," they started yelling and stepping forward at a faster pace.

"Yah-!" The horse quickly started running when she heard Sabo's command. I panicked and held on. I tried to grab the reins to stop the horse, but she didn't listen to me.

"SABO! Come here," I yelled loudly back at him.

Sabo glanced at me before dodging the lunging people and running after us. The lot stumbled after him. They were furious... I grabbed the reins and tugged as hard as I could, stopping the horse so Sabo could jump up. He soon caught up and got behind me. "Pardon me," he said before taking the reins from me. "Yah! We're going to the palace now, Prince... Do not think of those people..."

I looked back at him and my eyes widened at his cold expression. Did he not feel pity for them? His eyes looked more annoyed than anything. "Sabo- why," I started.

"Those people are weak... Prince, what is needed to do something big? What is needed to achieve something big? They do not understand! What did I have to go through to gain this freedom? I suffered and suffered. I took beatings and whippings. To gain this freedom, I lost an eye. To gain this freedom, I shed tears. To gain freedom, what do they do? To gain freedom, they only weep from doing nothing. They can't do anything? Nonsense... They all could have gotten together to take down that thing that sits on the throne! Prince, we were not always this weak and beaten, but they let themselves get beaten to this point where nothing can now be done... Prince, I do not pity them. I do not pity even those who I lived with... Those who did not want to come with me because they are afraid. What fear can be conquered if you do not try to overcome it? Will you progress," he told me with a clear voice. He looked at me for a bit before focusing on the road again.

I went silent and just waited. "Did you at least want to help them," I murmured softly.

"Now or then, I could not do much besides tell them to try to gain their freedom, but they refused. 'I don't want to get beat. I don't want to get whipped. What if I mess up and get killed.' To me... living there was worst than death, but alas, it was their decisions." Sabo replied. If I was in this place, maybe I would think the same. Being raised in a place that teaches of kindness may be why I want to help those people. Sabo... He had seen things I never thought I would see. I didn't reply to him and only shut my eyes, not wanting to see my surroundings. These people, I still wanted to save and help, but right now, I knew I could not do anything.

  ❁  

There was a prince standing right at the entrance when he arrived. He smiled at us, then turned to walk more inside. Sabo got off and tied the reins to a place where other horses were. I got off, then we both made our way inside. There were a lot of maids, who bowed to the ground for me. The palace was definitely the cleanest place in this whole province. Jade decorated almost everything.

"Welcome, Bai Province's prince, Ace," the other prince said. "My name is Hei Heng," he introduced, constantly moving in wavy movements. He acted like he was drunk, but I doubted that was the case. "I will show you to your room! It is late, so you can rest. Rest," he mused.

I nodded, then glanced at Sabo. "Come on." I told him and grabbed his hand. "Let's go sleep," I added. We could talk then about some things, relax, and try to rest. I knew that this province was very not liking their servants doing much at all with them, but...

"H-he's touching the prince! Punish him! How dare he," Heng screeched as he covered his mouth with a fan.

I jolted at the yelling and panicked in great confusion. "Eh- Sabo! What are you doing," I shouted before I was pulled away from Sabo. There were suddenly guards running at Sabo and strangling him to the ground. "What- Don't do that! What did he do?! Don't touch him!"

Sabo gaged and gripped the guards' arms, trying to free himself. His arms and legs were slammed down onto the ground, not minding if they were in a position that would be painful. I could hear him trying to breath for air desperately. Only when Sabo was just about to pass out, was he let go and left to cough on the ground. He hacking coughed as he struggled to push himself up. The room was filled with his gasps, gagging, and coughs. He could barely even push himself up at all and ended up just laying there, trying to regulate his breathing again.

"Sabo- Sabo! Are you okay?! Sabo," I shouted out to him as I kept trying to pull away from the guards that held me back. "The fuck are you doing to him?! What the hell did he do," I asked angrily.

Heng fanned himself gently before sighing, "he touched you. Servants... Those things shouldn't touch a prince. He received punishment."

I was about to snap back at him, but I heard Sabo trying to tell me something. "Pr- ince... don't-"

Why did he tell me that?! Even though he was hurt for no reason at all... I gritted my teeth and lowered my head. "Where is he going to sleep then," I mumbled instead.

Heng smiled at me and told the guards to let go of me. When they did, I did not go to Sabo like how I so badly wanted to. "He will be given another room, do not worry. Because he is the visitor's servant, he has more special privilege," he said happily. "Now. Now, let me take you to your room."

I stayed silent and glanced back to Sabo. He was being picked up by the guards and his body was pretty much limp. After letting out a cough, he looked up at me quietly as I walked farther away with the other prince and he was being dragged off. He let out quick breaths before giving his best smile, trying to tell me that he was okay. I felt like I had failed already. Because I took his hand, he was beat and strangled. I wanted to protect, yet this happened?! I gripped my fist tightly. No... I wasn't at fault... This fucked up province was what... A week here only... Once that week is over, I will go home with Sabo... I will take him home, then we can live in that peaceful province of ours again.