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Geordo was only six when he attended that tea party. Dressed in a simple white and red suit. He was attending the party with his older brother Geoffrey. Ian opted to remain at the castle to watch Alan, considering he was still recovering form his near-fatal illness.
He quickly left the main area of the party. The other adults and kids quickly bored him and felt like a hassle. He just wanted some peace and quiet, he wandered to a quieter part of the garden. At least out here, it was peaceful and beautiful, flowers and trees elegantly gracing the path of where he was.
“Oh? Who might you be?” Geordo stopped when he heard an unfamiliar voice. Turning his head, he saw an older man, dressed in an unusual, but elegant black suit with a matching hat. However, what stood out the most was the bright green hair under the hat and his smile. Geordo couldn’t describe it, but that smile, it felt...off. It was unnerving. Geordo was already good at reading others, telling if they were acting or not. This person, he couldn’t describe it. It was like he knew it was an act and went along with it. It was unsettling to say the least. He felt himself freeze as the man walked closer. What was this fear?
“O-Oh, my name is Geordo Stuart, the third prince.“ Geordo said with a polite bow, ignoring the unease in his bones. The man smiled, taking his hat off to do an extravagant bow, his green hair on full display.
“Apologies for my rudeness, your highness! My name is Hazama Honoka. I am, let’s say visiting this lovely kingdom with a friend.” The man said, his eyes remaining closed. Despite his dramatic response, Geordo knew his apology was a lie, he knows Hazama knew it as well. However, the rest, the man’s expression, his presence, Geordo couldn’t help but feel uneasy. So many parts of his body telling him to run.
“Oh, your highness, if I may, you have a twin who was rather sickly, correct? Nearly dying roughly a year ago.” Hazama asked, Geordo gasped lightly, his blood ran cold. Why, why was he so scared? How did Hazama know that? Know that much, that information hardly, if ever, left the castle.
“Um, yes, he is still recovering, so he is still in the castle. How did you know, Mister Honoka?” Geordo asked, trying to calm himself down, holding his hands behind his back. Hazama smiled again, but it looked sinister…
“Oh, a colleague of mine was the head doctor treating him. Doctor Relius Clover, he’s an older man with blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Worn an opera mask to hide a particularly nasty scar.” Hazama described.
Doctor Clover… Geordo remembers him, faintly. He was the head doctor taking care of Alan while he was ill. He was always in his room, always checking on him, he rarely saw the doctor leave it as well. During his deathly ill state, Doctor Clover was the one who saved him and helped him heal back into stable health. However, he hasn’t seen him since then.
“You know, Doctor Clover was an interesting person. I am surprised he didn’t ask for anything major to pay for his services.” Geordo mumbled, usually the doctors would ask for big rewards or noble status if they didn’t have it, people were always so greedy. All Clover did was ask his parents to give him a small sum and nothing more. He heard Hazama chuckle a bit and turned back, his smile was different, very different. This one, Geordo could feel the malice dripping from it.
“Oh, I’m sure taking care of Prince Alan was plenty enough. I’m certain Doctor Clover got exactly what he wanted. ” Hazama said, cracking an eye open to reveal a glowing reptilian yellow. Geordo felt frozen in place. Who was this man? Why was he so afraid of him? What did he mean? Why was he talking like that?
"What do you mean?" Geordo asked, why was Hazama speaking so oddly, and happily. The fake tone he was flaunting so effortlessly and carelessly. It wasn't right, what was that tone when regarding Alan? Hazama smirked as he looked at the child, towering over him.
Then a loud hiss, Geordo fell back with a yell as a black and green snake shot before his face, fangs unsheathed and ready to snap just inches away from his face. It's green eyes glowing like emeralds. The body was black with veins of green glowing all over it. Large fangs unsheathed and bore at him. His heart felt like it stopped as he sat frozen, his eyes wide and his hands trembling. The snake coiled and stood high above the ground. Almost towering over him much like the man with green hair and yellow reptilian eyes engulfing him like a hunter cornering it's prey.
"Did I scare ya? I'm sure Alan Stuart will be just fine, more than fine I believe. Doctor Relius Clover will want to see him again some time later." Hazama said, his own teeth breaking free from his smile showing his own pair of fangs. Geordo just stared, unable to move. The man towering over, he looked like he was engulfed in shadows. The snake standing loyally beside him, the eyes glowing amongst the darkness and his smile like a demon.
"I have no doubt we'll meet again some time dear prince. Do be well." Hazama said.
"Geordo! Where did you go?!" Geordo felt himself snap free from his petrified state and turned to see Geoffrey running towards him. His gaze turned back to where Hazama and that snake were, only to see nothing there. Just an empty path, with the plants and trees calm and untouched.
"Geordo! There you are! The party is almost over. I was worried, I- are you okay? What's the matter?! You're shaking." Geoffrey rambled as Geordo remained on the ground. He didn't realize he was shaking, just, just, what, who…
"I'm alright... I'm alright…" Geordo breathed, not noticing or caring that Geoffrey picked him up. Geoffrey piggybacked him to the carriage after saying farewells to the hosts.
Geordo couldn’t shake his new fear of snakes. That man, he was dangerous, he looked so normal and friendly, but he was anything but kind. Geordo could tell, that man with green hair and that massive snake he summoned, he was happy to see how scared he was. He was up to something bad, very bad, and he was talking about the family as well, about his brother who nearly died. His smile, he looked like someone who had everything under control, and Geordo didn’t know a thing. It scared him, perhaps the only thing to scare him so badly in a long time.
The snakes kept reminding him of that night, that ominous prelude to whatever he was planning. He remembered the one Katarina picked up in the garden and he lost his composure, seeing the thing just made flashes come back. The second was when Katarina threw that toy one, he lost his composure as the thing lied on the ground. He knew it was an overreaction, but he couldn’t help it, even the sight of the things was enough to give him chills…
“Geordo, you okay?” Geordo snapped back his attention to Alan’s voice as he refocused from his papers.
“Ah, yes, just a bit absent minded at the moment. All this homework is a bore.” Geordo sighed, tapping his new dry quill on the paper. The two heard a knock and a maid came to the room.
“Come in.” Alan said as he opened the door, revealing the others, minus Sophia and Nicol.
“Good afternoon! Do you guys want to pick up lunch? We’re going to ask Maria as well.” Katarina asked, Geordo smiled.
“That would be lovely.” The group soon wandered through the halls in order to get Maria who was in the Student Council room.
“Oh? Prince Geordo! I never thought we’d run into each other like this.” Geordo stopped, an uneasy feeling returning to his chest.
“Eh? Who are you?” Katarina asked, Geordo turned his gaze to the figure in question and saw that same black suit, the same matching fedora. Toxic green hair and an sly smile with closed eyes. Not to mention, his body and appearance looked unchanged. He hasn't seen him in almost a decade, and he looks the same. Another uneasiness filled Georod's chest, it was like 'time' didn't exist in Hazama Honoka.
“Prince Geordo never mentioned me? Oh never mind, my name is Hazama Honoka. I’m a friend of Doctor Relius Clover, he’s going to be watching the students and honorary teacher in medicine and herbal studies on the campus for a few weeks. He actually treated Prince Alan quite some time ago.” Hazama said, his face went towards Alan.
“You must be Prince Alan. I know it must’ve been a hard time, but do you remember Doctor Clover? He was your main caretaker during your sickly age.” Hazama said, Alan just looked at him confused.
“I… do not remember him too well. Those years were just very blurry.” Alan said, rubbing the back of his head.
“Prince Geordo, you met him before? Huh? Are you okay?” Katarina asked, noticing Geordo’s uneasiness, it was rare for him to lose his composure, especially in front of people. What was bothering him? Geordo gulped.
“Well, yes, it was a long time ago though. I was six when I ran into him by chance at a tea party.” Geordo said, Hazama smiled.
“Yes, it was quite the fun first meeting. Well, besides all that-“
“Hazama!” The green haired man was cut off as another figure in a white medical coat walked over, his blonde hair brushed back, his face wearing a white opera mask, still exposing his deep blue eyes. He looked like a middle aged man, a pair of white gloves over his hands.
"Oh? Prince Alan, it's good to see you again. I'm glad you see you are doing well, you probably don't remember me. I'm Doctor Relius Clover." The man said with a light bow.
"Um, it's nice to see you again as well. Mister Honoka said you'd be teaching here for a bit." Alan said, Relius turned to glare at the green haired man, who only smirked playfully in response.
"Yes, I'll be here for a bit of time to share my knowledge. If I may, your highness, I would like to check on your health later tonight." Relius said, Geordo stiffened again, his gaze turning cautiously to the doctor.
"Oh, alright, when?" Alan asked, Relius turned to the clock.
"A bit after classes are over. Eight o'clock, in the infirmary. We shouldn't have that many visitors." Relius said, Geordo broke from the intimidating aura the two seemed to have before speaking himself.
"Apologies, but we're going to get something to eat. We'll see you later tonight." Geordo said, quickly ushering the group away from the two, much to their confusion. They needed to leave, now. He's not risking another minute with them, they're not up to anything good. He doesn't know what, but it just wasn't good. There was something bad going on. That's all he needed to know for now...
Hazama smiled and was about to pursue them, only for Relius to grab his shoulder.
"We are not here to play Hazama." Relius warned, Hazama stuck his tongue out.
"You're no fun~ geez were you this uptight back then?" Hazama whined as he followed the doctor.
"Not important, I've waited quite a bit of time. An experiment is an investment Hazama, I cannot waste such an opportunity like this again." Relius said.
"Whatever you say~" the two men walked down the halls, their uneasy energy going unnoticed by everyone else. Hazama smirked, it's been awhile since he's seen Relius this deep in an experiment. He wonders what it will bring them.