Tiny Kiva fic

[apostate]

The first time Taiga met Bishop, it was spring and he was nine years old. Somebody had noticed him, a Fangire, but even as a little boy Taiga's anger was palpable and deadly and violent and was not to be crossed. He had made quick work of the offending Fangire then (challenging the King, underestimating a child; how foolish that one had been!), and turned to walk away, head held upright and of course no slouching, because Kings are strong and proud and should never slouch (even if they are nine years old and looking for ways to disobey the adults around them), when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. His heart was still beating quickly and the adrenaline was still pumping from the attack, so he whirled around a little faster and a little more wildly than he thought was proper for a child holding an adult's position, and the man kneeling deeply before him was tempted to laugh but knew it wouldn't be wise. He could defeat Taiga the child-King if it came to that, maybe even Taiga the adult (Bishop was far more powerful than he liked to reveal), but that wasn't his style and children are easily molded into suitable forms by skilled hands. And if Bishop was good at anything, he was best at making what he wanted. "I have found you at last, King," he said, facing the ground, because appealing to the pride of someone powerful was the best way to get on their good side and make them think they are stronger than you.

Taiga stopped. He paused and thought a little. He didn't know who this man was, and a King who trusts too readily gets himself killed, but in spite of all of that, he found himself smiling. Somebody had been looking for him, somebody had remembered that he was King and existed and had come to take him away to where he belonged.
/
But he was King, and Kings demanded things, so instead of continuing to smile he put force and power and confidence into the words he spoke next.

"Who are you?" Taiga demanded of the kneeling man. He was suddenly very conscious of sounding like a small human boy demanding a particular piece of candy and he cringed. Spoiled brats. He couldn't even keep humans out of his thoughts at a time like this. Truly they had ruined him.