Antonio's home in the woods

Lovino glanced out of the corner of his eye and sighed 'Fuccccccccccccck' so much for disguise and all that...great, one more person who knew who he was meant one more person who would figure out he wasn't where he was supposed to be.

He scowled at Adarine and prodded one of his shoulders with a foot. "Get up bastard, you look stupid down there" This had stopped being amusing years ago-it was just embarrassing for all parties involved now. "And shut up. I don't need to be "escorted" anywhere, I'm perfectly fine on my own thank you."

"Your Highness! I cannot allow you to wander the forest by yourself. I will accompany you wherever you need to go. I am your servant." Antonio dared raise his head and look at Prince Romano. Wait, no. That was wrong. He had the curl marking him as royalty, but the name didn't ring true.

He sat back on is feet and narrowed his eyes, "Your name isn't Romano, is it?"

Lovino had to wonder how people like this still existed. Most of the citizens he knew would be more than happy to feed a member of the royal family to something in the woods. "There's no chance you'll just go away if I tell you to is there" He sighed. "Fine then "Servant" take me back to the city, but then you're going away"

The hands crossed over his chest dropped to his waist and he glared. "Yes...no...whats it to you if it isn't?"

Antonio brightened up when he heard Prince Romano's orders, but flinched when he was told, more or less, he was butting in in what seemed to be a sensitive matter. Maybe the prince was hiding from somebody or he was carrying secret documents! Oh, it seemed as if a new dawn had found Antonio kneeling on the floor. He wanted to help the boy in front of him. "Yes, Your Highness. I will take you to the city. I will not leave your side until you're safe and have returned to your family and the castle, Prince Romano."

He thought the prince was cute with those pouty lips and high and mighty attitude. He was intrigued as well. This may prove to be exactly the kind of adventure Antonio had wanted for a long time.

"I didn't say all that-just take me back to the city idiot." God, the man was like a puppy. His enthusiasm was endearing-in an obnoxious way. But getting rid of him seemed like more of an effort than putting up with him and Lovino was, at heart, a lazy person, so he was stuck with him until he decided to leave. "And didn't I tell you to get up? Listen to people when they tell you things damn it!" He tapped his foot impatiently.

"All right, two things whatever-the-hell-your-name-is. First, move your ass-,we're wasting daylight. Second-drop the "Prince" thing, I'm trying not to draw attention to myself."

Antonio quickly got up off the floor and bowed to the prince. "I apologize Your Highness." He bowed and then realized that the prince would not like that. Instead he paid close attention to everything the prince said. He began to stare at the curl. It bobbed in the air with each movement of the prince's head. Unconsciously, he nodded his own head to the curl's bouncing.

"Antonio....move, yes. We...move. Romano...yes. I like the name. Rhymes with tomato." Antonio giggled to himself at his cleverness. It took him a couple of seconds more to realize he'd given his real name away. The prince hadn't been asking his name. He'd simply forgotten it and was calling him whatever rolled off his tongue. He quickly stopped his laughter and covered his mouth.

Lovino was pretty sure he was hard of hearing. One could practically see his words going in one ear and out the other. Sure he was nodding like he understood, but those green eyes were directed somewhere above his head and he didn't look all that focused. At least he was pretending to pay attention-which in itself was probably a feat....

"Care to translate that into something understandable-I don't speak dumb ass...wait" He gave "Antonio" a suspicious look, eyes narrowing at the others sudden quiet. He couldn't be bothered with remembering what the other had said his name was-but he was sure that one didn't match up. "Hmph, lying bastard...."

((Bratty? Hypocritical? of course not....))

Antonio quickly got on his hands and knees. "I'M SO SORRY, YOUR HIGHNESS! I DIDN'T MEAN TO LIE!" He raised his head and continued, "It was never my intention to deceive you, but names have power and I couldn't give you mine. You were a stranger. Now that you know my real name, you have power over me." Antonio cringed. He had messed up big time. His master was probably shaking a finger and yelling at him from whatever place he was at.

"Please don't call me a liar..." He fidgeted. For some reason he couldn't name or understand, he wanted to impress Romano and help him no matter what.

Lovino was caught between feeling bad, like he'd kicked something small and furry, and actually kicking the Antonio out of annoyance. But again it was kind of amusing to have someone so serious about staying on his good side. "My family rules the kingdom, I already have power over you" well, his uncle ruled the country-but it wasn't an important detail. "and if I wanted to do something bad to you I wouldn'tneed your name" A threat that was, mostly, empty.

"I'll call you whatever I want-but I like bastard better than liar, so I guess I'll call you that"

Antonio brightened up. He knew being called that was bad, but he liked it. It was better than being called a liar. "Your Highness, when I said power over me, I didn't mean the kind of power you wield." He fidgeted a bit.

"Yes, words have power. Anybody with knowledge in the dark arts can use your name against you. That is something that my master always warned me about. Once you're under the spell of a warlock," Antonio paused and shivered at the thought. "Well, it doesn't matter. I can trust you with my name, Your Highness. In public you may call me anything but by my real name, please. It's for your protection and mine." He smiled the brightest. He felt good around the prince.

Lovino raised an eyebrow, staring at his companion blankly. "You are aware they banned that kind of magic years ag aren't you?" he snorted. "Paranoid fucker" He smirked. "All right then, Antonio I suppose I won't call you by your name-I guess. For now anyway" He had to resist the urge to return the ridiculously happy grin, catching himself as the corners of his mouth tilted upwards and deepening his usual scowl. "He huffed and climb of the bed to move towards the door. "come on bastard, we're leaving"

Antonio got up from where he was and answered Romano as he went, "It was banned years ago but it doesn't stop others from practicing it." He didn't notice the effect his smile had provoked in Romano. He grabbed his staff and the rest of the belongings he had prepared for his wandering and followed Romano.



(Where do we go from here? Create a separate thread for the walk to the city?)