Niccolo's Young Prince

Chapter II: The Scholar

Niccolò 's eyes locked on him, the young prince felt his body warm up. Those grey eyes with blue shimmers always had an effect on him. A hold he felt the minute he met them for the first time three years ago.

Its a rather hot day, the sun had decided to make Piero it's enemy. It scorched with venomous vengeance draining all saliva from young Piero's already dry mouth. His father had sent him to greet a new scholar for their palace.

"A man of great statue I am told, it will be a great honor for Florence to have him with us," his Father had boasted. Piero did not understand the dazzle with a new scholar as they already had dozens of them lazing around the palace grounds.

As his horse treaded down the hot cement road warily. Perio neared the entrance of Florence and saw a group of men on horses. He kicked his horse to move faster as he approached the honored guest.The horse came to a halt before the men, all four of them looked nothing like the Florentine scholars , they were young slightly older than him but still so young.

The middle man especially caught his attention, his posture suggested a noble, someone who was important.

"He must be the scholar," Piero thought.

As if reading his mind the man spoke," ah you must be our escort my lord?" his deep silvery voiced flooded Piero's body like the breeze from Lago di Bilancino. The voice held young piero in a trance, he murmured an approval .

"Would you mind showing us where to go my lord, we are quite tired from the journey we wish to rest of haggard bodies and our hungry mules," the silvered voice man said

A giggle escaped Piero, haggard they look nothing to haggard he mused. The men bemused by his disposition waited for him to guide them. As he did not want to waste anymore time, Piero turned his horse around and lead the man to his father.

The way back to the palace was very long or was it just the heat. Piero kept glancing back at the silver voiced man who had a permanent smile on his face he seemed amused by Piero's interest. A blushing Piero looked forward just in time to see the palace in view. His father was standing at the palace gate with a grin on his face. Piero's need for fatherly affection made him think he was smiling at him.

"My friends, my friends welcome welcome to Florence," the King said

Peiro's heart sank to the dusty cement, he dismounted his horse and walked right into the palace not sparing his father a look. If he had looked back, he would have noticed the silver voiced man looking at him.

"Piero?" the silver voice pulled him away from the past. Niccolò looked intensely at the young prince , "always lost in your thoughts," he said with a snicker. A red blush appeared on the young prince's cheeks.

"I was reminiscing ," he said as he approached the desk stationed in front of the hall. He could feel the grey eyes on him ever so fierce and searching. The young prince traced his fingers on the desk, looking at the opened scrolls. Those scrolls held the wisdom of Niccolò , wisdom so vast he wondered if he will ever grasp it all. His eyes trailed the desk then the floor and finally to the man who held his fate.

Niccolò having watched him curiously could guess what the young prince was thinking. They had grown close that their thoughts were almost one ," He has grown so," he mused.

They didn't say a word to each other but spoke with their eyes. Their eyes spoke of longing and need but they couldn't do much about it , not here where preying eyes may be watching.

" The lecture was insightful as always, scholar"

" Is that so? I found it rather tedious"

"Oh, how so?"

"Hmmm, teaching old dogs new tricks can prove … distasteful,"

A laugh escaped the young prince's mouth. He covered his mouth to prevent him from an outburst of laughter. Niccolò  soon joined him in the laugher. They laughs echoed the hall. Outside, scholars roaming wondered what had come over the young prince and his teacher.

The laugher dead down and they looked at each other again.

" Do we go to your study room, my lord?"

" I would like that very much so," he said with a smile

" Lead, I shall follow you,"

The young prince exited the hall with his teacher in tow. They walked in silence, but so much could be heard if anyone would observe carefully. The brush of fingers, the soft smiles on their lips, and hearts pounding louder than colosseum during games.

They entered the palace and headed straight to the prince's study room, passing by servants who bowed their heads to their Lord, casually greeting the scholar as he had insisted they treat him like a friend. That was one of Niccolò beautiful traits making anyone around him feel like his friend. The young prince greatly admired him for it, he wished the servants would treat him like their equal but if the King heard of it, he would behead them all. So he sighed with  sadness and continued walking to his room.

His room was in the west wing of the palace, a side meant for the King's concubines. His mother has been a young consort when she birthed him. The King's first son. The current Queen had failed to give birth to an heir but she had given the King three beautiful  daughters instead. The young prince adored his sisters and they dotted on him, they may have been younger but they treated him like their smaller brother. If it wasn't for them, he would not have survived the palace.

His mother had tragically lost her life just a year after his birth. The rumors around the palace were the Queen had her killed in fear her then unborn child was also a male. The young prince did not believe  such baseless rumors, the Queen had been his mother for as long as he remembers, surely, she wouldn't be this evil monster the rumors made her out to be. The King had not cared much for his mother but as a means to sire an hire. Hence, he owned her as much as making her son his heir. His mother was a noble from a family of royal doctors and it was an honor for her family she had been choice as a concubine for Lorenzo I the Magnificent of Florence. He wished he would be as great as the King once he took over the throne.

They arrived at his room which was at the farthest corner of the West Wing and his guards opened the doors for him and Niccolò with a bow they ushered them into the room and closed it behind them. Once inside, the young prince was pushed against the bedroom wall and embraced into a kiss.