Chapter Text
Ever since I can remember, I have always been by Princess Octavia's side. Part of that has to do with both of us being the same age, but a large amount of it, I chalk it up to being left in the same playroom as she was. We were babies when we first met, so I don't remember too much of those times. The earliest memory I have of her was tossing a ball to me and smiling before throwing it back. I can still remember that smile she gave me. Even after all these years, her smile hasn't changed that much and seeing it makes me smile back.
Thankfully, Prince Stolas was alright with us becoming friends despite her being a Princess while I was a bastard imp born out of wedlock from a mother who got too friendly with someone outside of work. Sadly, I didn't have her long as complications with my birth led to her death soon after. I was an orphan, but the other servants took care of me as if I was their child. Everyone who works here sees each other as a family, and my mother and I were no different in everyone's mind. I'm lucky to have grown up in such a good home.
Since I was pretty much Princess Octavia's age, I got trained to be her personal servant when I turned seven years old. To tend to her needs and to keep her happy and safe at all times. Her father thought it best that I got to know her personally, and while I was nervous at first, she happily started treating me like I was a best friend...
***
"Come on, Kyan, try to catch me!" Princess Octavia shouted as she ran around the palace gardens in her pink dress.
"P-Princess! Hold on!" I shouted while running as fast as my legs could carry. Despite being just a few inches taller than her, Princess Octavia was somehow able to move as quickly as some speedy superhero some sinner demons told me about from Earth. I did my best to keep my servant's suit nice and clean, but it started to get muddy from all the splashing in my attempts to catch up. "You're going too fast!"
"Relax, Kyan!" Princess Octavia shouted as she turned her head around like an owl and stuck out her tongue. "You always worry too much! Woah!"
She tripped on a stick and landed face-first in a mud pile. I gasped and rushed towards her even faster. "Princess!" Once I was at her side, I checked to see if she was bruised or bleeding anywhere. "Are you okay?! Speak to me!"
"Surprise!" Octavia shouted before I suddenly found my face hit by a muddy hand. I spat out some of the dirt in my mouth before glaring at her while she continued laughing at me. "Y-Y-You look like a mud monster! Bwahahaha!"
Grinning, I took some mud of my own and splattered it on her face. A part of me felt horrified since I did this to my charge, but I couldn't help but laugh back at her while she blinked her eyes in surprise. "Now we're both mud monsters."
"Oh, yeah! Then rawrrrrr!" she shouted before tackling me into the mud. I roared back as the two of us continue to wrestle in the mud for a long time until....
"Octavia Natasha Goetia!"
"Uh oh," We both said as we both looked up to see Princess Stella steaming mad while giving one of her infamous glares. I quickly shot back up and bowed despite knowing that I looked like an utter fool. "P-Princess Stella! I was...uh..."
"We were just playing, Mommy," Octavia said, getting up as she soon grabbed my hand and smiled. "Kyan said he was ordered to obey my every order, so I ordered him to chase me around the backyard! Then we got into a mud fight and acted like monsters! it was so much fun!"
Princess Stella's glare slowly faded away before turning into the same expression Head Butler Szaal gives me every time I mess up on my lessons. It was like a combination of annoyance and yet amusement at the same time. "Be as it may, Octavia, a Princess, should not act in such a matter. Now we're going to have to get you cleaned up before the Von Eldritch's arrive as well as get you a new dress."
"Aww, I hate taking baths," Princess Octavia said with a pout that I couldn't help but snicker at seeing. Her mother came over and took her by the hand before she turned to me with a smile. "See you later, Kyan! Today was fun!"
"B-bye, Princess Octavia," I said with a wide grin of my own as the two left. I then looked at my own messed up clothing and realized I needed a bath as well.
Plus, I was sure to get an earful from Head Butler Szaal for messing up my uniform.