The young prince was kneeling at the edge of the pond in the garden, trying to reach the little boat he had made. It had gone too far out and he was realizing he probably wasn't going to get it back. So, he wanted to try so he could still have it to play with. But then his hand slipped and he fell right into the water! He didn't know how to swim yet! And he had snuck away from his guard to go play...
No one knew he was here..
He felt so tired, slowly sinking, but then-!!
Someone grabbed him and pulled him out of the water, he could taste the air! He coughed up the water, tears rolling down his cheeks, he was so scared.. His savior was patting his back, saying something in a language that he did not understand. He wanted her to hug him anyway. But he was whisked away by servants to go to the doctor to have him checked out, just in case.
"Hiroshi!" His father rushed into the medical area, looking panicked. "Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?"He was quick to go to his son's side, inspecting his son himself as if to make sure he wasn't somehow maimed from when he fell into the water.
Hiroshi would be lying if he said he didn't mind the attention. It seemed his father only paid him attention at meals, or if something happened around him in the castle, lately anyway."I'm ok, father.." He said, having coughed up all the water, at least according to the doctor. "Kobayashi said I coughed up all the water..!"
"You still should not have been there by yourself. What if that person hadn't come?" Takashi said as he sat down on the bed with his son, still looking worried.
Hiroshi looked down, "I-I'm sorry father... I just wanted to get my boat back.." he said, the little boat in his hands. He looked up, feeling his fathers hand on his head.
"I'm just glad you're alright, Hiroshi." Takashi gave him a tired smile. "Rest well, ok? We'll eat dinner here tonight."
Hiroshi nodded, "ok father..!"
-----
The next day, Hiroshi was released from the doctor by dinner. He had been so bored in the doctor's area. All he pretty much all day was sleep, and read over books that one of the servants had gone and gotten him from the library. At least they were having one of his favorites at dinner. He loved spicy meat. He looked up as his father spoke.
"Tomorrow, you will start English classes. Twice a day for thirty minutes." Takashi had said.
Hiroshi blinked a bit. That would cut down more on his play time, and just disrupt his day anyway. He started picking at his food absentmindedly as his father continued to speak. He didn't like that. He would have to do something else with a stranger- wait. Wait.
"Will it be with the lady who saved me the other day?" He asked. It was a long shot, but he was assuming that what she spoke to him when she saved him, was English. He did feel... Safe with her, probably because she had saved him, but still.
He watched his father nod. "Her name is Bishop Cassidy. You will treat her with respect."
"Yes father."Hiroshi sat down his chopsticks. "I am finished. May I be excused?" He asked.
"....Yes, Hiroshi. Go on to your room." Takashi nodded and with that, Hiroshi stood to leave, his guard not too far behind. Hiroshi stopped by a painting to look up at it. There was him, about three years younger. His father, who looked a lot happier than he did nowadays... And his mother, who while looking ill, still had that gentle serene smile.
Hiroshi felt bad at the fact that his mother's mannerisms and how she actually was, was starting to fade from his memory. He could only clearly remember one thing. That song his mother and father both used to sing to him to help him go to sleep. He hadn't heard that song in three years now.
"... Prince Hiroshi, are you alright..?" His guard asked, a bit worried about the young boy. As a guard, he had to babysit a lot, but he honestly considered himself in the brother position, much like how Hiroshi considered him to be as well.
"...I'm ok, Tanjiro." Hiroshi said, "I'm very tired though. I wanna go to sleep."
"Let's get you ready for bed then." Tanjiro said as he urged the young prince to continue to his room.
----
Hiroshi sat on his knees, looking out his window up at the stars. "Mama... Are you watching me??" He asked, his voice soft. "They told me that you're up there among the stars, looking down on me." He looked at each start, twinkling in the sky, as if trying to find the one his mom was watching him from. "..... I wish you were still here. I almost don't remember how your voice sounded."
The six year old let out a sigh and laid down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Father's been weird since you've been gone. He's not as warm as he was before. He's a lot more cold. He doesn't sing anymore. I think.. when you left.. It took his voice. I don't think you did it on purpose. But... If you can, mama.. Please give it back to Father.."
He yawned, pulling his blanket over his small form. "I think.. If you can give it back to... To papa... Maybe he can sing again..."
"Good night Mama..."
---
The next morning, Hiroshi was to start English lessons. Admittedly, he was afraid of staying in the room with strangers, but Tanjiro promised him he would stay there with him throughout the whole class. Both of them. So, he was a little more at ease. When they got to the room, Hiroshi noted how both women were smiling at him, as if to try and put him at ease.
"...."
The one who he assumed was Cassidy spoke, and when he couldn't understand her, he did panic a bit, but the other woman was quick to translate. "This is Cassidy Bishop, and I'm Miyajima Nao." She introduced herself as well as Cassidy, "We're going to teach you English. We're going to start with the first four letters of the English Alphabet." Nao explained as Cassidy held up a paper with weird letters drawn on it.
He watched as Cassidy pointed to the first letter, and she spoke. He could hear something like 'gibberish gibberish A gibberish'. Luckily for him, Nao was still able to translate."This is the letter A. Can you tell us something that you think starts with the letter A?" When Nao saw that he looked hesitant, she smiled and suggested a word, "How about Anchor? The things they use to make big boats stay in place?"
Hiroshi perked up a bit at the mention of boats. "So.. Anchor..?? That would work???" He sat up a bit straighter. He didn't know that's what those had been called!!
When Nao translated it back for Cassidy, she nodded, saying some more stuff. He could hear now, 'A for Anchor."
"Can you repeat that?" Nao asked him, saying it again for him, "A for Anchor." She spoke slowly and clearly like Cassidy did so he could hear everything.
Hiroshi gripped his clothes in a small fist to try and garner up the courage. His eyes darted around the room and he found Tanjiro who gave him an encouraging smile like the women were. So, he took a breath and while he did stammer, he said, "A for Anchor."
This was met with applause from both Nao and Cassidy, both saying encouraging, affirmative words.
"Very good!" Nao Said, "We're gonna try for a few more letters for this class, ok?"
Hiroshi nodded, feeling a bit more at ease now... And feeling like he actually wanted to learn more too.
----
Hiroshi even had found himself excited for the second class, which would be right before dinner. He had spent the rest of the day actually excited to go to English. He was humming the four letters song he had learned that morning, going over and over again so he could show them that he was learning and could actually remember what was going on in his class.
He was even talking about it to Tanjiro, always saying he was excited for the next class, much to the amusement of his guard who had never really heard his charge talk this much about classes, but who was he to try and stop him? Tanjiro was proud of his charge for being so excited and willing to learn this new language.
When they had gotten to the class and Hiroshi showed that he remembered the lesson from that morning, he was met with more praise from both women. In that class, he was learning four more letters, and another song to go along with it! However, just before he left, Cassidy presented him with something. A folded piece of paper.
He looked up at the women curiously as he held the paper gingerly in his hands. "...??"
Nao giggled softly, "It's a gift from Cassidy. For doing so well in both your classes today! Open it. See what it is." She urged, Cassidy nodding beside her in urging as well.
Hiroshi looked down at the paper and unfolded it. "!!!!!" On the paper, as if it was swimming through some seaweed, was a sea turtle!!! "It's a sea turtle!!!!" He said looking up at the adults and showing Tanjiro excitedly, "It's a swimming sea turtle!!!" He then remembered his manners, turning to Cassidy and giving her a small bow, "Thank you very much, Bishop!!!"
Cassidy simply smiled and nodded, saying something, which Nao translated, "It's no problem. It's for being such a good student! We'll see you tomorrow, ok??" She waved as did Cassidy.
Hiroshi nodded, waving back as he left the room with Tanjiro, holding the sea turtle drawing as if it was a priceless piece of art, and for this six year old it might as well have been one. "It looks just like the ones I saw sailors bring up!" Said Hiroshi, holding it high as they walked.
Tanjiro was making sure his charge didn't walk into a wall. "Very nice, Prince Hiroshi. I'll help you put it on your wall after dinner. ok?" He said with a slight laugh as that seemed to make the child even more excited.
"Yes yes!!!" He nodded, "Thank you!!!" When he entered the dining area, he was quick to show his father, "Look at what Bishop made me for doing well in my classes today! It's a sea turtle!!!" He smiled again when his father smiled back. Hiroshi sat the picture down on the table, careful to make it smooth and make sure there was no food around that could drip onto it.
"That's wonderful." Takashi said, "Be sure to keep doing well, maybe you will get more." he said before waving over a servant to tell them to go do something.
Hiroshi really didn't care, he was just so happy to have his picture that looked so cool. He didn't even realize it when his Grandmother came in. He let her and his father talk a bit before he held up the picture again, excited to show her too, "Grandmother, look at what my teacher gave me! It's a sea turtle!"
"That's nice, Hiroshi." His grandmother had said, not seeming at all interested. It was something that Hiroshi could see very easily.
"...." He put back down the picture and tried to start eating, but his appetite was slowly disappearing. "...."
"Hiroshi." His father's voice made him look up, "What can you tell us about sea turtles? You've read them in your books, right?"
Hiroshi smiled and nodded, "Y-yeah!!" He said, finding his happiness, and appetite coming back, "Yeah, they normally eat jellyfish, and-!!" He started to jabber on and on about sea turtles as the Hidone family ate their dinner.