[fic] Rising ~ Part One

[kiyala.livejournal.com]

Title: Rising ~ Part One
Status: Complete
Author: kiyala
Word Count: total c. 28 000
Fandom: Ace Attorney
Characters/Pairing: Lots of people, but mainly Daryan Crescend / Klavier Gavin
Rating: NC-17 overall
Warnings: Um, the length? D: Also, gay princes and knights.
Disclaimer: CAPCOM own Ace Attorney
Notes: Part One

- Prologue -

---

The first thing Klavier Gavin, the prince of Ariadoney, realised was that he was standing in a village. This was not like the villages that surrounded the castle town, worn down and dusty. This place was simple, clean and… beautiful. There were modest single-storey huts with screen doors lining the paved stone streets. Greenery sprouted from every possible space, making the place look alive in spite of the fact that there was not a single person or animal in sight.

The second thing he realised was that he was dreaming. The realisation was like a jolt, even though it made complete sense. Of course he was dreaming. Places like this didn’t exist in the real world. He turned around, surveying the place out of curiosity and started, finding a woman standing across from him.

“Forgive me for surprising you, your highness,” she spoke in a soft voice, bowing low. She wore robes and had dark hair. He recognised her once she straightened up.

“You are… I know I have seen you before somewhere,” he said with a frown. “…High Priestess, yes? High Priestess Mystic Maya Fey?”

She smiled at him, which was all the confirmation he needed.

“This is a dream. My dream. And you are in it.”

“That is correct.”

Amusement tugged at the corner of his lips. “And what would a High Priestess be doing in my dreams, I wonder?”

“Certainly not intending to do anything you would rather be doing with your favourite knight,” she replied, the laughter in her eyes even though she kept her expression serious. “I bear a message. An important one, Prince Klavier. Perhaps it would be easier for you to understand if we called this a vision, not a dream.”

“A vision…?”

“I have information. Information that you do not want to know, but it is important for you to find out all the same. I have come to you in this dream seeking to tell you the truth. You value the truth, am I right?”

“Above all else,” the prince replied with confidence.

“This is the truth regarding the Phoenix—”

“That man my brother slew years ago?” he frowned a little. “What relevance does this have?”

“Allow me to speak uninterrupted,” the priestess said, sounding patient. “Then you will understand. Whether or not you believe my words is your choice, but I wish to play my part in this.”

“I apologise. Speak.”

“The Phoenix is not dead. This is one of the most important things I want you to know. He is not the murderer or villain your brother chooses to portray him as. He is a kind, gentle man who fell victim to the jealousy of others. He is currently in between life and death, regenerating his strength for when he can return to our world.”

“Are you telling this to me in order to prepare Ariadoney for some kind of battle?” Klavier asked, frowning slightly in confusion.

“That is not what I intend. I have barely touched upon the truth I wish to impart to you. It is something that you would benefit seeing with your own eyes rather than being told. In the castle archives, there is a hidden passage. The torch bracket beside your late father’s portrait will open it. Beyond that passage is a room with a table. Upon that table is a crystal ball. Not one designed to show you the future, but the past. Pick it up and it will show you what you need to see.”

“How do you know all of this?” Klavier demanded, his frown deepening. He received no response, finding the priestess gone. Spinning around, he searched the empty village for her, his eyes widening as he realised that his surroundings were fading to black.

He woke with a loud gasp, sitting up and letting the bed sheets pool at his waist. It was still dark, the moon in the sky outside his window being the only source of light. Bringing a hand to his head, Klavier waited for his breath to return to normal. Unlike most dreams, his memories of this one were vivid. Almost as real as his memories of the day that had just passed. He paused for a moment, more than willing to pass the dream off as nothing more than a simple dream. But his curiosity was not satisfied by this. He rose to his feet, locating the lantern and lighting it before slipping out of his room.

The library was a short walk from the royal quarters, upon the insistence of his older brother. Klavier frowned, hoping that it was too late for the King to be awake and reading some book in the library. It was thankfully empty when he entered and he heaved a sigh of relief before navigating his way through the overflowing shelves to the exact place that had been described in his dream. His gaze met the smiling eyes of his father’s portrait before he averted it and found the torch bracket. There was no torch burning in it at this hour, so it was relatively easy to move. There was a dull grinding sound before a passage was revealed. He withdrew his hand with a small frown. If this part was true, then the possibility of the rest being true seemed more convincing.

He glanced around carefully before walking through. The passage itself was dark, but there was a reassuring glow of light at the other end. He ran his hand along the wall as he walked, finally reaching a small room. As he’d been told, he found a large crystal ball resting on a table. It glowed a gentle blue and he could only assume that it was the source of the light he’d seen. There was a chair at the desk and he sat slowly. The old wood creaked softly under his weight, but it seemed stable enough. Klavier turned his attention to the crystal ball, reaching out for it.

Prince Klavier Gavin.

He withdrew his hand immediately once he’d touched the smooth crystal. The room was silent. His hand shook as he extended it to touch the ball once again. This time, the ethereal voice did not surprise him as he was expecting it. It seemed to be continuing from what it had been saying before.

…you are here seeking the truth. That is what I will show you. Truth is neither a weapon or a shield. It is simply matter – what you do once you are equipped with it will decide how it will help you.

The voice went silent and the room began to dissolve into another scene, in a manner which reminded Klavier of his earlier vision. He looked at what was in front of him; a grassy field, a sunny day. A man he could recognise as the Phoenix was walking alone, whistling to himself.

Slowly but surely, Klavier could hear the thudding of hooves against the ground. He turned at the same time the Phoenix did, eyes widening when he saw thirty armed horsemen advancing.

“What the…” the Phoenix muttered and turned to face them. “She can’t be right…”

“Phoenix,” the captain of the cavalry addressed the man as though it were an insult. “We are King Kristoph’s men, under strict orders to ensure that you are destroyed here and now.”

Klavier’s eyes widened even more, but even through his shock, he registered the fact that the Phoenix did not look as surprised.

“…Heh, should’ve listened to Miles,” he said quietly before lifting his head to reply. “Is there at least a reason behind this?”

“The King views you as a threat.”

“To what? His position of power? Tell him I don’t want—”

“Silence,” the horseman commanded. “If the King believes you to be a threat to his power, he must be correct. If you resist your sentence, we will use more force than necessary. I’m willing to make your death quick and painless if you cooperate.”

“Quick and painless?” the Phoenix repeated, raising an eyebrow. “With all those men behind you, I somehow doubt that quick and painless was anywhere in the King’s intentions.”

“My lord, his eyes…” one of the men behind the captain warned and Klavier looked at the Phoenix, jumping when he realised the man’s eyes were glowing red.

“So the beast finally takes control of the man,” the captain said smugly. “Fight like an animal so we can slaughter you like one!”

“No…” the word rose from Klavier’s throat automatically. The prince balled his hands into fists at his sides, shaking his head. “…No…”

“Don’t make me do this,” the Phoenix muttered, looking at the ground.

“Coward!”

“No!” the man shouted in reply. “I’m not a murderer. I won’t go against what I believe in.”

“Men, charge!” the captain commanded, raising his sword in the direction of the Phoenix.

“Bloody hell Miles, where are you?” the Phoenix muttered under his breath.

Almost immediately, there was a large shriek from somewhere in the distance. The Phoenix looked up in relief. In his distraction, he failed to notice one of the men thrusting a sword in his direction.

“Phoenix!” Klavier’s involuntary shout was echoed by another deeper, older voice, but the prince was too fixed on the sight of blood to notice.

“…Heh…” the Phoenix turned slowly, his eyes burning an even brighter red. “…Now you’ve done it.”

The air suddenly became hotter and stuffier. Klavier wiped sweat from his brow, trying to pay attention to what was happening. There was a bright flash of red that made spots dance across the prince’s vision and he could hear nothing but slashes and cries of pain. Klavier rubbed at his eyes, desperate to see again. Once his vision finally returned, he could do nothing more than gasp at what he saw.

All thirty of the men lay dead before him. The Phoenix was on his knees, his hands pressed to the wound in his chest, which made no difference as he bled freely.

“G-Gavin…” he whispered, his voice barely audible over his ragged breathing. Klavier heard the shriek he heard before, this time closer and accompanied by the beating of large wings. He looked up, gasping as he saw a dragon descending from the sky.

“Phoenix!” a man jumped from the dragon’s back and ran to his side. “I should have come sooner…”

“It… it’s fine. Just need to do something about thi-this…”

The other man swore under his breath. “I am taking you to Kurain. If you die before then, I will never forgive you.”

Klavier watched wordlessly as the two men climbed back onto the dragon and flew off, keeping his eyes on them as the room slowly faded back into sight.

He blinked, realising he was still sitting. There was no sweat on his brow and he slumped forward, hiding his face in his hands as he took a minute to process everything he’d seen. The Phoenix hadn’t attacked the men… it had been the other way around. And Kristoph was behind it all. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and he raked his hands through his hair, tugging handfuls of it to force himself to stay calm.

“…Klavier? What are you doing here?” a voice behind him made him jump.

Klavier turned, his eyes wide and his hands frozen just above the crystal ball. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room before he could make out the familiar figure standing behind him.

“…Daryan,” he murmured, clutching a hand to his chest and sighing in relief.

The other man stepped forward. Daryan Crescend was Klavier’s oldest friend and one of the best knights in the royal guard. Through personal preference, he remained close to the prince as often as possible.

“Heard you coming out of your room,” Daryan explained quietly, walking to the chair Klavier was sitting on. He placed his hands on the prince’s shoulders and looked down at him. “…If you’re gonna creep around in the middle of the night, you’d better remember that my room’s right near yours.”

Klavier smiled, always enjoying the way the informal structure of Daryan’s speech contrasted to everybody else in the court. He rested his head back against Daryan’s chest and reached to his shoulder, taking one of the knight’s hands in his own.

“So I followed you. Didn’t even know this old library had a secret room,” Daryan said and then tightened his grip on Klavier for a moment. “…What the hell was that thing we saw?”

Klavier looked up. “You saw it too?”

“The Phoenix thing…” Daryan frowned. “What was that?”

The prince sighed, turning in the chair to look up at Daryan. “…That was the truth of what happened to the man. My brother… has been lying to everyone all along.”

“He ordered those men to kill the Phoenix? Just because he felt threatened?”

Klavier smirked. “Have you forgotten that time you took a disliking to the cook’s apprentice purely because I was so friendly to him?”

“That’s different,” Daryan grumbled. “You’re my… well… no one else is allowed to have you. That’s all.”

Chuckling, the prince rose to his feet and leaned closer to Daryan. The knight held him by the shoulders, keeping enough distance between them to speak. “…But what about your brother? Now we know what really happened… what do we do?”

Klavier sighed and Daryan pulled him closer so their foreheads were resting against each other. “I have absolutely no idea,” the prince whispered and Daryan could tell that the blond was frowning without having to see. His hands came up to hold the back of Klavier’s head and the prince moved his head back far enough to look into the other’s eyes with what he hoped was a reassuring look.

“We’ll figure it out. At least we’re in this together.”

“Ah, that is true.”

“…We’d better get back to bed. It’s late and you’ll end up being tired tomorrow.”

“Are you escorting me to my room then, Daryan?” Klavier asked, raising an eyebrow.

The knight laughed, “I’m not sure, Klavier. What’s the chance that I’ll come out of your room once I go in? …You’re tempting me, but it is late. Tomorrow night? And don’t pout at me.”

“I am not pouting.”

Daryan grinned, holding Klavier against the wall and giving him a long kiss. “Of course not.”

They left the room, carefully ensuring that the passage was sealed shut before leaving the library and sneaking back into their respective rooms.

The next morning, Klavier awoke to a hand stroking his hair. Blinking bleary eyes, he looked up to make up Daryan sitting at the edge of his bed with a grin.

“Told you it was late last night. You slept in.”

“Mm…” Klavier wrapped an arm around the knight’s waist and snuggled closer, shutting his eyes again.

“Come on,” Daryan pulled the arm off him and stood. “Get up before I get you a bucket of cold water.”

“…Cruel…” Klavier mumbled, but sat up anyway. He gave his friend a small smile. “As much of a pleasure as it is to wake up to you, I do have to wonder what you are doing here instead of a servant.”

“There’s an important message,” was the simple explanation. “I said that I’d come and get you.”

“Ugh. An announcement, Daryan? You woke me up for that?”

“Just listen to me, Klavier. This one… I think it’s related to what we saw last night. I don’t really have any proof, but it just feels that way. Come on.”

The words made the prince get out of bed with no further protest. Raising an eyebrow at the other, he smirked. “While there would be little suspicion regarding waking me up instead of a servant, I do believe it would be different if you were to help me dress.”

Daryan grinned. “I’ll be outside, or else we’ll get side-tracked.”

“Good idea,” the blond murmured, taking off his night clothes when the door shut behind the other man. Once he was presentable enough, he emerged from the room and Daryan inclined his head slightly, silently acknowledging the fact that they were now slipping into their roles of prince and knight.

“I apologise for my delay,” Klavier said with his usual charming smile as he walked to the smaller throne beside the large one his brother occupied in the throne room.

Daryan followed, taking his position standing beside Klavier’s seat. “His highness was a little stubborn this morning.”

“And I am certain that you are just as capable of coaxing him out of his bed as you are at coaxing him into yours,” Kristoph spoke under his breath, just loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Klavier flushed in embarrassment and cleared his throat. “So what is this announcement, brother?”

The king gestured to the messenger before them, who then cleared his throat and saluted.

“A message from the High Priestess of Kurain, Sire! She wishes to make a visit to the kingdom and required her party to be escorted by a representative of the court, Siiiire!”

Kristoph winced slightly at the volume of the announcement and nodded once. “Thank you, Meekins.” Turning his attention to the knights that lined against the walls of the throne room, the king drew a breath. “The trip to Kurain is a long one, not without its perils—”

“I shall go,” Klavier spoke up.

The king frowned, “Klavier…”

“What better way to show the High Priestess of Kurain that Ariadoney truly respects her than sending one of its own royalty to escort her?”

Kristoph’s frown only deepened. “Yes, but I have just mentioned the fact that this is no simple stroll. It may be dangerous—”

“I shall take Daryan with me.”

“This is no playful excursion, Klavier,” Kristoph emphasised with a frown.

“I am aware, brother. Just as I am aware that our relations with Kurain have suffered over the past seven years.”

“Klavier.”

“Listen to me. You have assigned to me the role of taking care of the kingdom’s external relations. That is exactly what I am doing.”

Kristoph sighed, looking at Daryan. “Your opinion, Crescend?”

“I agree with the prince,” came the simple reply, surprising no one.

“Very well. I shall send a message to Kurain, letting the High Priestess know that she is to expect you within the next week. You will leave tomorrow morning.” Kristoph turned to the rest of the room. “…And that is settled. You are all dismissed.”

Daryan followed Klavier out, waiting until they were alone before speaking. “I was right, wasn’t I?”

Klavier sighed. “The High Priestess asking to be escorted here… cannot just be a coincidence, Daryan. She is the one who appeared in my dream last night and instructed me to find that hidden room in the library. This must be a plan.”

Daryan let out a dry chuckle. “If you had told me a day ago that you were making decisions based on what you’ve seen in dreams, I’d tell you that you were going insane.”

“And now? Am I still insane?”

The knight shrugged. “If you are, So am I.”

Klavier smiled a little. “I am grateful that I have you, Daryan.”

“That makes the two of us… your Highness. I think I’d better get to the Barracks now. I’ll see you later.”

Klavier made his way back to the library. Walking through the shelves, he made sure that the secret passage was still securely shut. Once he’d confirmed it, he made his way to the maps, searching for Kurain.

Judging by the distance, it would take them two days of almost continuous travel to arrive at the base of Hazakura mountain – with Kurain at its peak. Klavier frowned, recalling horror stories of the beats that protected the mountain. Temperamental dragons and vicious hounds that threatened to tear travellers to pieces for simply trading into their territory. Not unlike the dragon he had seen in the vision last night…

Klavier frowned and shook his head, pushing any fear out of his mind. If the High Priestess was expecting them, then surely it wouldn’t be as dangerous as the rumours made it sound. He would have Daryan with him. In the worst case scenario, they could protect each other.

He took the map to a table, finding some parchment and a quill to write with, planning out their trip. Daryan often called him a perfectionist and it was true for the most part. Klavier liked to have everything planned out in as much detail as possible. The horses they would take, the amount of gold to carry just in case, the amount of water and food… He planned out scenarios and adjusted his lists in accordance to possible problems they could encounter. He’d gone through an entire roll of parchment before he’d realised and then heard a chuckle from over his shoulder.

“I knew I would find you here.”

“Brother,” Klavier greeted, turning around in his seat. “…I apologise for arguing with you earlier.”

“No need,” Kristoph replied, patting his younger brother’s shoulder. “I appreciate the fact that you are so eager to help the kingdom.”

Klavier smiled, though he was unable to ignore the twinge in his chest when he remembered what Kristoph had truly done to the Phoenix.

“Is something the matter?”

“Ah… no. I am just trying to plan everything out for tomorrow. It will be my first time being an ambassador for Ariadoney without you. I want it to go well. Although I am certain it will, if Daryan is with me.”

Kristoph smiled, patting the prince’s head gently. “I see. Honestly, Klavier. I do not understand how somebody like you can be happy with Daryan when you could do so much better. …A woman, perhaps.”

Klavier frowned, drawing his shoulders together. “We have been through this before, brother. I am happy with what I have. The kingdom has no need for me to provide heirs. Daryan is… the best fit for me. The only fit.”

The king’s lips spread into a gentle smile. “Of course. It is entirely up to you.”

Klavier returned his gaze to the parchment in front of him and Kristoph turned to leave.

“Just one thing, Klavier,” he spoke before leaving. “…I do not want Daryan to distract you from the task at hand.”

“…Understood.”

*

When Klavier saw Daryan that evening, just before dinner, the knight looked agitated. They greeted each other as usual before slipping into Klavier’s room together.

“What is the matter?”

“Nothing,” Daryan replied in a manner that Klavier knew to mean that it wasn’t up for discussion. “Rough day at work. It’ll be fine tomorrow, once we leave.”

“I have everything planned out so far. I know our trip well enough for it to go smoothly. I hope.”

Daryan grinned. “Of course it will. You can make anything work. It’s like a talent.”

“Good to know you have faith in me,” Klavier murmured with a smile, briefly pressing their lips together. “…It would be best if we went to sleep soon after dinner so that we can wake early tomorrow morning.”

“Ah. No time together after dinner, then?” the knight asked and pulled Klavier close for a deeper kiss. “This’ll have to do then.”

Klavier grinned. “Another won’t do any harm.”

They kissed again – and again, until they lost track of time and simply held each other close, lips against lips until there was a knock on the door.

“Your highness? The king is calling you out for dinner. …And Knight Crescend, too.”

They pulled away from each other and Klavier wiped his mouth of the back of his hand. Opening the door, he smiled at the servant who stood there. “…Ah, thank you. We lost track of time discussing our travel plans for tomorrow.”

The servant bowed and left. Daryan waited until she was gone before he snickered. “Discussing travel plans, eh? So that’s what we’re calling it now.”

“Oh, better than practising swordplay. That sounded far too obvious.”

“Hey, it was the best I could think of at the time! You couldn’t have done any better if your brother had asked you why we were returning from the woods in the middle of the night.”

Klavier laughed softly and Daryan nudged him gently. “We should head to the Dining Hall before they send another servant after us.”

They sat beside each other at the table, discussing their plans with the other knights and some nobles who were interested. Daryan couldn’t ignore the feeling on Kristoph watching them silently but intently, making the knight feel far too tense to eat properly. He took care to ensure that Klavier didn’t notice, not wanting to cause him any unnecessary worry before their trip. It eventually reached a point where he simply could not bear any more and excused himself early under the pretence of needing sleep. He left the table, catching the king’s eye and feeling his chest constrict at the knowing look he was given.

His room, close enough to the prince’s that he could hear if anyone approached or left it, was small and simple. Nothing like Klavier’s room, but Daryan liked it the way it was. It wasn’t common for a knight to stay in the castle at all, but he had been a special case ever since Klavier had discovered his own authority as a boy. It was Klavier who insisted he stay in a room near his own; who insisted on Daryan being his personal tutor in swordplay; his personal knight. Daryan did not mind Klavier’s insistence to keep him close and it did not bother him that there were other knights who disliked him for his privileges. He sighed, undressing and storing his weapons and armour carefully before sitting on the edge of the bed.

He just didn’t like the rumours that arose to explain exactly why Klavier was so particular with Daryan. Even if they were true.

He woke before sunrise the next morning, surprised to already hear shuffling in Klavier’s bedroom. Getting ready as quickly as he could, he went to Klavier’s room to find the prince already dressed and re-packing his bag for must have been at least the tenth time.

“Ah, Daryan,” he greeted with a smile. “Good morning. All ready?”

Daryan nodded, moving forward to help Klavier. Instead of picking up the bag as he’d intended, his hand rested on the hilt of the sword hanging at the prince’s side.

“…Klavier?”

“Just in case,” the prince replied with a small smile. “I cannot let you do all the work, should something come up.”

“You know I’m more than capable—”

“Yes, I do. Which is why I raised no objections upon noticing that you aren’t taking a shield with you. Kristoph thought it rather arrogant of you.”

“His highness is good at finding faults with me, isn’t he?” Daryan frowned and looked away. “Doesn’t matter what he thinks. Not carrying a shield means less weight, which is good for us. Especially if it’s just unnecessary weight.”

Klavier nodded. “I won’t argue with that. So we have food, drink, gold in case we need it, a map, and our weapons.”

“…Is mail enough for you to wear?” Daryan asked, fingering the iron rings that peeked out from beneath Klavier’s tunic sleeve.

“Daryan, I refuse to slow us down in heavy armour.”

“Fine, fine. Didn’t say you had to. As long as you’re safe.”

“I will be with you. Why would I not be safe?”

Daryan gave him a tight-lipped smile. “You have too much faith in me, my prince.”

“Only as much as you deserve. Kristoph should be ready to see us off soon. Perhaps we should make sure the horses are saddled up properly.”

The stable hands were tending to their horses just outside the royal stables. Klavier walked to his steed, cooing at it in a low voice. Daryan’s own horse, a destrier given to him by Klavier, was a large and stable stallion. The knight did not speak, simply extending a hand to stroke down its muzzle in greeting. It bowed its head, recognising the touch.

Daryan sighed. “Is it really necessary to use him for something like this?”

“I thought you could do with some time spent with—what did you name him?”

“Geeter,” Daryan muttered, watching the horse sniff at his gauntlets.

“Well. I cannot imagine that there would be very much of a relationship with him if you only rode Geeter into battles.”

“He’s a warhorse. He’s meant for that. Not that I’m complaining… your highness. You’re right. Time spent with Geeter is appreciated.”

“Ready to leave already?” Kristoph’s voice came from behind them. “You both seem very eager.”

Klavier turned with a smile. “Anything to help the kingdom, brother.”

“Of course,” Kristoph smiled in return. “How very considerate of you. As your brother, I do hope this is a pleasant experience for you. As for you, Crescend… I do hope you will remember what I said to you yesterday.”

“Oh?” Klavier looked at the knight, who frowned.

“Nothing important,” Kristoph said airily. “Just some instructions on how to take proper care of you while you are too far from my watch.”

The prince beamed. “Thank you for your concern.”

“I think we’d better leave,” Daryan spoke up, looking directly at the king.

“Ah, Daryan is right. See you in a week, Kristoph! I will make the High Priestess feel as welcome in our company as possible.”

“Please do. Take care of yourselves.”

They both climbed into their saddles, nodding at each other before leaving the castle, moving through the castle town and out through the open fields as the kingdom slowly woke to a new day.

*

They had been travelling in silence for a while until Daryan cleared his throat.




“…I don’t trust Kristoph.”

Klavier looked up with a frown and Daryan didn’t meet his gaze.

“Even before the crystal ball thing, I didn’t ever see him as the kind of person I could put my trust in. I don’t think he’s liked me since… well, since we made friends when we were young. I’m an orphan who only became a knight out of determination and the fact that you believed I could. You paid for my armour, my weapons, for Geeter… everything. And if that doesn’t make me enough of a thorn in your brother’s side, there’s the fact that… we, uh, don’t really have a very traditional friendship.”

“None of that bothers me and you know it.”

Daryan sighed. “I do. But it doesn’t stop Kristoph from hating me.”

“You usually like the fact that you bother him so much.”

“Heh. True.”

“So why do you bring it up now?”

“I doubt he really wanted me to come on this trip with you. I’m not exactly the first person he’d want to leave you alone with.”

Klavier chuckled. “I did insist.”

“…I just wonder what waits for me when I return.”

“Exactly what you left behind, of course. You’ll have me, at the very least.”

Daryan didn’t look convinced, but did not argue. They lapsed into a thoughtful silence, the only sound to interrupt being the rhythmic sound of their horses’ hooves against the ground.

“What are we going to do once we reach Kurain?” Daryan broke the silence again. “…And how does the Phoenix tie into all of this?”

“High Priestess Mystic Maya Fey told me that he is not dead.”

“The last we saw of him in that crystal ball vision was when the man took him away somewhere.”

“To Kurain.”

Daryan raised an eyebrow. “You think he’s there?”

“At the very least, he will be when we reach there. I believe that.”

“What if he isn’t?”

“Then we turn to the High Priestess for further instruction. She knows what she is doing.”

The knight sighed. “Blind faith, Klavier.”

“I know,” the prince replied, looking away. “I never questioned Kristoph until the proof was laid before me. And even then, I tried to ignore it when I was near him. Seven years of trust – perhaps more – is meaningless now. But I cannot simply change myself because of it. This is the way I work. The way I have, for twenty-four years. I give myself no choice but to trust others.”

Daryan grunted to show his disapproval. “I don’t mean to offend you, highness, but that sounds stupid to me.”

“You’re calling your own prince stupid?” a small smile spread across Klavier’s lips. “…This is why I appreciate your company so much. One of the reasons, at least. You are honest with what you think.”

“You’re my friend before you are my prince.”

“Just a friend?” Klavier asked with a playful smile.

“For the sake of my point,” Daryan replied, “I know it’s… probably rude and disrespectful of me, but I don’t think the court would approve of anything I do with you.”

“I see. If you end up breaking the rules, you may as well break all of them.”

“Within reason. My reputation’s inconsequential, but yours isn’t. I reflect on you and you reflect on your brother. So Kristoph knows that he can technically blame me for any criticism that falls on him.”

Klavier smiled wryly. “I suppose that wanting my brother and lover to get along would be asking too much.’

“You know I try,” the knight replied. “…Just not very hard. Which is still more than I can say for him.”

“I know. I appreciate that enough.”

Daryan cleared his throat, eager to change the subject. “…So, where are we headed first? The High Priestess definitely chose the most inconvenient of places to settle down. How do we climb Hazakura mountain?”

“There is a mountain trail. Definitely inconvenient, but it’s used by the wagon that they use to transport supplies. It should be wide enough for two horses.”

“Good. I’m not very eager about leaving Geeter anywhere unattended.”

“His temper is as volatile as yours. He would attack anybody who even approached him.”

“I know,” Daryan’s voice carried a hint of pride. “And that’s half the problem.”

Klavier chuckled. “Well, we should be fine. First we pass by the forest north of Ariadoney—”


“The elven glade?” Daryan asked with a frown.

“Is there something wrong?”

“…The elves have been in somewhat of a crisis for the past few years. A civil dispute, if you wanted to give it a name. Nothing to do with their neighbours, so it isn’t something you would’ve heard of. At any rate, it should be fine as long as we go around them and keep a good enough distance from the forest borders.”

Klavier nodded, “We can manage that. My planned route was never too close to the forest to begin with. I’d much rather travel in the open.”

Daryan looked at him. “We’ll need shelter at night.”

“We keep our path close enough to the villages between here and Hazakura mountain. When night begins to fall, we simply leave our path for the nearest inn.”

“You planned this out pretty well, haven’t you? …I’m impressed.”

Klavier smiled. “You would not be so surprised if you had actually looked at the map I had marked out and given you”

The knight grinned. “And why would I do that? One of us knowing what to do is good enough.”

“If I had started us in the wrong direction, you could have stopped and corrected me.”

“Everyone knows that Hazakura mountain is north of Ariadoney.”

Klavier dropped the argument, knowing that Daryan wouldn’t. They rode in silence, resting their horses by a stream at midday and sitting on the grass to share some of the food they had packed.

“This reminds me of when we were boys,” Klavier murmured, lying in the grass and staring up into the sky after he’d eaten. Daryan sat beside him, keeping a careful watch on their horses.

“Do you remember? We would borrow stable horses and ride out past the borders of Ariadoney. Back when you were still a squire and I would have to ask the knight training you to let you out with me.”

Daryan laughed. “I remember. The man hated you for making him do all of his work on his own.”

“It is entirely possible to be a competent knight without a squire. You do it.”

“Well, I’m special,” Daryan replied. “…And I’m more like your personal guard than a real knight. Mind you, if Ariadoney got into a war, your brother would put me in the front line in the blind of an eye.”

Klavier sighed, shifting his gaze to Daryan. “Do we have to talk about Kristoph?”

“…No. Sorry.”

“You seem more bothered by him than usual.”

“Do I?” Daryan leaned over Klavier and ran his fingers through the blond hair. “You’re imagining things, Klavier. He’s annoying me today just as much as any other day.”

Klavier caught Daryan’s hand by the wrist and held it close. “If you say so.”

“So, if you’re all nice and rested up now… it’s about time we started moving again. The sun isn’t as warm now, so the horses will be fine. You want to be half-way around the forest by sundown, don’t you?”

*

By the time it was late into the afternoon, they were still travelling as planned. The rest had given both them and their horses some extra energy and they moved at a relaxed pace.

“According to the maps I have looked at, there is a river that flows from the forest. We use the stone bridge to cross it and then follow it east to a small town. We shall stay there tonight.”

Daryan nodded, his gaze set on the horizon. “That sounds like a good plan.”

He should have known that things wouldn’t go so smoothly. They hardly ever did.

They slowed as they approached the stone bridge that they had been searching for, frowning as they found a group of elves on horseback, clearly waiting for them.

“Don’t leave my side,” Daryan muttered as they rode closer. “…And if you must, stay in my sight.”

The elves wore strange capes with silk hats. Once they were close enough, the group parted so that one of their members could come forward.

“Ah, so our Seers were correct. What is a princeling and his knight doing so far from home, might I ask? And so very close to the glade, too.”

Klavier frowned. “Our apologies. We intended to stay clear of your territory.”

Daryan watched the group carefully, ready to draw his sword if necessary. “And why was a group of five dispatched to intercept the pair of us? Neither of us mean harm. That might change if you even so much as think of touching the prince.”

“Ah, humans,” the elf spoke the word scornfully. “So flighty with your human emotions and mortal minds. Your kind is exactly why our beautiful queen left us.”

Klavier looked confused and the elf shot him a superior look. “I fail to understand how you can call yourself royalty without knowing the land’s history. Years ago, a human male visited our palace in order to train under our Art. Our queen was but a princess at that time and the human, by some divine fluke, managed to win her heart. She left our glade to pursue a human life with him – to have her heart broken the following year when he succumbed to his mortality.”

Klavier’s frown deepened. “You bear a grudge against all humans for this?”

“…Because of your queen’s heart-break?” Daryan asked, sceptical. “That’s a pretty stup—”

“Daryan,” Klavier interrupted, his voice sounding patient, but a look of warning in his eyes.

“The first crime was stealing Thalassa’s heart,” the elf said angrily. “Then to break it. She returned to us, but she was not the same. She finally married and became the rightful queen of our kind… only to disappear after the terrible accident…”

“Accident?” Klavier asked.

“Not another human’s fault was it?” Daryan asked sarcastically, to receive another glare from the prince.

“That part of elven history is restricted knowledge,” the elf replied. “Even among our own race.”

“…I am sorry for your loss, but I do not understand why you will not allow us—”

“I was not finished!” the elf interrupted. “Silence, foolish human!”

Daryan growled under his breath and Klavier instinctively reached a hand out to hold his shoulder. He looked at the elf with a frown.

“I am afraid that you are agitating my knight. I would suggest that if you have something relevant to say to us, you say it. This circular conversation littered with insults is hardly befitting of the elegant creatures of the woods that I have read so keenly of.”

The elf had the decency to look embarrassed. He looked away for a moment and the rest of his party watched him carefully. He turned back to the prince and sighed.

“I am Valant of the Gramarye elves. The leader of the race, now that the royal family is gone.”

“Gone?” Klavier asked.

“You’re the leader?” Daryan asked at the same time. “What sort of makeshift king promotes outside relations the way you do?”

Valant smiled without humour. “An unskilled one, I am afraid. I was one of the advisors to the queen’s father when we were still young. I have the knowledge but no… flair, as much as it paints me to admit.”

“Is that why you have kept to yourselves for the past few years?” Klavier asked.

Looking uncomfortable, Valant turned away to face the forest. “There are elves who believe that I should not be in charge. That I am the one responsible for the disappearance of the royal family. They believe that it was all an elaborate ploy to become king. Ha! King? I am a mere placeholder!”

Klavier frowned a little, but said nothing. With a huff, Valant motioned to his party and glance at the prince. “Follow us. You, the first human visitors for seven years, will be made welcome in our glade.”

Daryan nodded at Klavier, falling behind him to keep a close watch as they rode to the mouth of the forest. It was a maze of trees – there was no marked path, but the elves moved forward with confidence. The knight ensured his sword was within easy reach, just in case.

They approached a stone structure hidden between the trees and Valant indicated it, looking unenthused. “My palace. You are welcome to stay the night.”

“Thank you,” the prince replied, surprised. “I accept your kind invitation.”

Daryan looked as though he wanted to object, but held his silence. Noticing this, Klavier turned to Valant. “…Is there any chance that I may be able to speak to my knight alone?”

“Of course. Leave your horses here and I will show you to the guest’s quarters.”

They both dismounted their horses and Daryan patted Geeter’s muzzle before leaving them to the stable hands. The interior of the palace was well-decorated and began to resemble the elf lore that Klavier had read about in the library. The room they were shown to had one large bed in the centre and a smaller one in the corner.

Valant smiled at them as he left. “Just inform a servant when you are finished and I will return.”

Daryan waited until he could no longer hear the elf’s footsteps before turning.

“…Klavier, what the hell are you doing?”

The prince smiled and shook his head. “Are you worried? Because there is no reason to be—”

“No reason?” Daryan asked. “They sent five men – including their king – to intercept us, treated us with hostility and now? Why are we in their forest? They either want something from us, or they’re planning to kill us.”

“They want something from us,” the prince told him with a smirk. “If they had wanted to kill us, they would have done it already.”

Daryan stared incredulously and then grabbed the prince by the shoulders. “And what do they want? Allegiance with Ariadoney?”

Klavier laughed. “To be honest, I am not entirely sure. I doubt it has anything to do with the kingdom, otherwise they would be drowning us with flattery. But… he must have had a reason to tell us of the royal family’s past. They went missing, so…”

“He wants us to find them?”

“It makes sense to me.”

The knight frowned. “And they need us to do it, rather than doing it themselves?”

“We are but mere humans to them,” Klavier replied with a wry grin. “That is how they see it.”

“If they throw another insult your way, I am starting a fight.”

“That will not be necessary. I plan to confront Valant and ask what he wants from us.”

“Now?”

“Yes. Come.”

Valant was in the throne room and stood when he saw Klavier approach.

“Oh, no. Do sit. We would like to talk.”

Klavier’s prediction had been correct. He was unsurprised as Valant tried to evade the question before finally admitting that it had been his intention to send them searching for Thalassa.

“…My own people believe that I murdered the royal family. And before this happened, our previous king was killed by poisoning. The suspicion turned to Zak and I, but that was left unresolved when he disappeared with the Queen and their daughter.”

Daryan frowned. “But that would make him even more suspicious. What if he ran to escape the fact that he was the murderer?”

“That is what my supporters believe. But there are those who think that I went on to destroy the remaining members of the royal family to secure my position.”

Klavier was silent in thought for a long moment before looking up. “So which version of the story is true?”

Valant laughed. “Would you believe me if I chose the option that secured my innocence?”

Klavier was almost certain that he heard Daryan behind him mutter no. He made no comment.

“…Zak was a strange man. I could never understand him. Especially after he met the Phoenix—”

“Phoenix?” Klavier repeated immediately.

“Ah… my apologies. I understand your king has a particular dislike for him.”

“No, no. Please continue,” the prince pressed. He paused and then frowned. “I am not my brother. I would like to hear what you have to say of the Phoenix.”

Daryan made a quiet sound of approval from behind. Klavier flushed a little with pride.

“I never knew where the Phoenix came from… perhaps from Kurain, perhaps elsewhere, perhaps nowhere. But I do know that Ariadoney was his final stop. Where he failed to meet your brother’s approval.”

Klavier frowned, “I didn’t share the same views—”

“Wait,” Daryan interrupted and both men turned to him. “Sorry for interrupting. …You said he did not meet King Kristoph’s approval, but…”

“That was not the version of events that your king reported to his people? I know that.”

“But then, how do you—” Daryan paused and thought about it for a moment. “…Ah. You mentioned Seers before, correct?”

“That is correct. King Kristoph may have lied to his people, but my people know better. Just as I know that you are headed to Kurain for the second coming of the Phoenix, so to speak.”

“My, when you put it like that, I feel as though I am going to bring about the end of the world,” Klavier said dryly.

“But you are. For your own brother. Have you yet come to terms with that?” Valant asked.

The prince looked away. “I cannot ignore the truth. My brother ordered the Phoenix’s death and then framed him when he was no longer there to defend himself. A person like that… should not be allowed to walk about as an innocent man. No matter who he is.”

Daryan stepped forward, reaching out to place a hand on Klavier’s shoulder.

“Ah, that reminds me,” Valant spoke. “..About your knight…”

Daryan froze, looking at the elf carefully.

“Hm?” Klavier turned, smiling to find Daryan closer than expected. The knight’s gaze did not leave the elf.

“…I am impressed at the level of trust between the two of you. It is not often that I see such loyalty.”

Daryan exhaled slowly, relaxing as Klavier chuckled.

“Ah, well Daryan is a friend before he is a knight. A good friend.”

The knight cleared his throat, seeking to change the subject. “…You said that your Seers can see through the king’s lies, so why is it that you have trouble finding the truth behind what happened to your own royal family?”

“Ah, the Phoenix is to blame for that,” Valant answered with a wry smile. “As I had mentioned before, Zak changed when the Phoenix visited our palace. He decided almost immediately that he could trust this man. They formed an odd kind of friendship and towards the end of the Phoenix’s visit in particular, they were often in serious discussion about something that they kept secret from the rest of us. As the Phoenix is not a normal human, or any other creature that we have a proper understanding of… it can only be concluded that whatever power lies unused within him interferes with our Seers’ abilities. Just as now, how he is not dead but not alive… he is not a being that is consistent with the rules that our races must abide to. He changes – and he takes change with him. The moment Zak befriended him, our Seers could no longer predict anything about him. He disappeared not long afterwards. He must have taken his daughter with him, for we were unable to find her either.”

“Ah. Leaving your people without a ruler,” Klavier said quietly.

“Gramarye elves are famous for our magical art and of course, we can disappear in the blind of an eye. But not from each other. Which, of course, led some people to believe that he was dead, by my hand.”

Daryan frowned. “I understand that you have several problems to deal with, but what does any of it have to do with the prince?”

“My Seers have told me that you were seeking the Phoenix. I would like to ask you to find out what you can of Zak once you meet him. Where he went… why he went. And to bring him back if at all possible.”

“To prove your innocence,” Klavier murmured, nodding slowly in understanding.

“In return, you are welcome to stay here for the night – and you will be welcomed by the Gramarye elves whenever you need us.”

“I will do whatever I can,” Klavier replied.

“Provided that King Kristoph does not find out about the involvement of the Phoenix in this,” Daryan added. “As far as he is concerned, we are simply making a trip to Kurain to escort the High Priestess back to the kingdom. I understand and appreciate that you are extending any sort of welcome to humans in spite of the less-than-favourable view you hold of them, but if you feel the need to explain the reason behind your kindness to anybody who would then tell the king… it would be better if you waited until this is over and the High Priestess has seen her plans through – whatever they may be.”

“Pushy for a knight,” Valant commented.

“Daryan is a special case,” Klavier replied with a thin smile. “But I stand by what he has said.”

“I understand,” the elf replied. “None of the elves seek to cooperate with a dishonourable human like your brother.”

Automatically tensing at the insult to Kristoph, Klavier frowned and looked away. “…That is very much appreciated. Thank you.”

“If you wish, I shall give you a tour of our glade to pass the time until dinner is served,” Valant offered, his expression betraying the fact that he was not used to doing such things.

“Perhaps we shall wait to revisit the forest once everything has been sorted out,” Klavier replied with a small smile. “I think I shall return to our guest room for now. Daryan.”

The knight followed as Klavier left the throne room, navigating his way through the corridors and back to the room they had been given. Daryan shut the door behind them and Klavier wrapped his arms around him, chin resting on Daryan’s shoulder.

Daryan twitched in surprise. “…Klavier? You sure that’s a good idea here?”

“Who will see?” Klavier murmured, pressing his lips to Daryan’s neck. “And who will care?”

Daryan turned slowly so that they were facing each other. Klavier watching him quietly, smiling when the knight rested their foreheads against each other.

“I thought this may be another benefit to travelling alone with you,” the prince spoke softly. “We would have time to ourselves.”

Daryan chuckled. “The way you’re thinking, Klavier? You’re too loud to be anywhere near other people.”

“Try me. I have never had a reason to be quiet before.”

Daryan reluctantly pushed Klavier away. “Not here. Maybe tomorrow, when we’re at an inn, rather than being special guests of the elven king.”

Klavier frowned and Daryan leaned forward, pressing their lips together before giving him an apologetic look. “Trust me, Klavier. It’s tempting.”

Wrapping his fingers around Daryan’s wrist, the prince moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “This is fine though, right?”

Sitting beside Klavier, Daryan smiled when he felt their shoulders against each other. “Yeah. This is good.”

*

- Part Two -