[fic] Rising ~ Part Three

[kiyala.livejournal.com]

Title: Rising ~ Part Three
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 Three

- Prologue -
- Part One -
- Part Two -

---

A figure walked through the doors; a man with a slight slouch and a bemused look on his face as he rubbed his stubbly chin. “Oh, look. A welcome party.”

“Nick!” Maya latched onto him immediately, hugging hard enough to choke. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

“Welcome back Mister Nick!” Pearl greeted cheerfully, hugging him a lot gentler than Maya had.

Phoenix turned to Miles, who held him at an arm’s length and clicked his tongue. “You have let yourself go, Phoenix. Can you not even stand straight for an old friend?”

Phoenix chuckled. “Missed you too, Miles.”

The two of them hugged, holding onto each other tighter and for longer than necessary. Klavier raised an eyebrow and Phoenix turned to him with a smile.

“Ah. I’d recognise that hair anywhere. You must be Klavier.”

“Yes I am. It is a pleasure to finally meet you – I do not recall being introduced when I was younger.”

“And this is Daryan, your knight?” Phoenix nodded in greeting. “Good to know that Maya could summon you here when I needed you.”

Daryan frowned. “So what exactly—”

“Mister Nick, you have to meet Trucy!” Pearl said, unintentionally interrupting the knight. She tugged him towards her new friend, who watched him with a bright smile.

“Trucy, right?” Phoenix asked, looking at her carefully before smiling. “I was friends with your father before.”

“And he told me that if anything happened to him—”

“…I’m your new father, correct?” Phoenix asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“Phoenix…” Miles gave him an incredulous look.

“I can’t say I was given much choice” Phoenix replied, but then grinned at Trucy. “Not that I mind. So, Trucy. Why don’t you introduce me to your friend there?”

“Ooh. This is Polly! Come on Polly, meet Daddy,” the girl pulled Apollo towards Phoenix with a big smile. “He’s a magician!”

“I’m an apprentice,” Apollo corrected.

“Oh? To whom?” Phoenix asked and Apollo looked away in response. Chuckling, Phoenix shook his head. “Well, I’ll have you know that I’m not too bad at magic either. My best trick is disappear-and-return-seven-years-later.”

“Not funny,” Miles muttered, but both Maya and Daryan looked amused.

“At any rate. An apprentice without a master is a sad thing. I’ll teach you whatever you can learn. If you’re Trucy’s friend, I’m sure you will be fine.”

Apollo smiled, both embarrassed and excited at the same time. Phoenix heaved a sigh and turned to Maya. “And before we do anything else, I think it’s time to eat.”

“Yes! Lunch time!” the priestess looked excited at the very thought of it. “I’ve had some food prepared for us. We’ll eat before we discuss our next move.”

Klavier laughed, feeling a little uncomfortable. “You make it sound like you are waging war against my brother.”

“We are, in a sense,” Miles was blunt. “Not in a way to cause bloodshed, but we are fighting his underhanded methods to maintain his hold of power.”

“He started it, to be honest. King Kristoph would have killed me if I hadn’t been so… er, lucky to have lost control of myself. I take it you’ve seen what happened that day?”

Klavier shuddered. “How can I forget?”

Phoenix smiled as he noticed the way Daryan was protectively standing beside Klavier. “I assure you both that even if you are Kristoph’s younger brother – even if you have spent the past seven years believing that I committed the crime that I’ve been accused of, I mean no hard to you. I only seek to set the facts straight. I trust that you will want to talk about it once lunch has finished?”

Klavier nodded. “Please. There is much to say.”

They ate a large meal, on the priestess’ insistence that they take the time to enjoy their food. Klavier found it difficult to relax enough, but had little choice. Phoenix looked happy to be surrounded by his friends and – including Trucy – his family. Trucy and Pearl were making sure that Apollo did not feel left out and Klavier watched them, accompanied by Daryan.

“Something’s bothering you,” the knight observed, a slight frown on his face.

“Heh. And you are one to talk?”

“That isn’t important. This is.” Daryan sighed and lowered his voice. “…Is it the Phoenix?”

“Yes… no.” Klavier frowned a little. “Not Phoenix to be precise. Just… Kristoph, to be honest. I cannot fathom why anybody would want to destroy this man… watching him, he seems just like anybody else.”

Daryan watched Phoenix talking and laughing with Miles and Maya before returning his gaze to Klavier. “Your brother is possessive – you may have noticed. He has his position as king, but another man comes along. It doesn’t matter if the other person has absolutely no way of taking over the throne. It doesn’t even matter whether or not they want to. The only thing he sees is the fact that this other person is popular. He can make people like him. Kristoph’s people. Perhaps not as a leader, but as someone they respect and give their attention to. He… went too far, but that is my guess as to his thought process.”

Klavier considered it silently before finally looking at his knight. “…How can you guess his thoughts so easily?”

Daryan chuckled dryly. “Because I’m no better. I wouldn’t resort to murder or anything the king did. Just think of what happened after we…”

“Became close friends?” Klavier supplied, an amused look in his eyes.

“…Yeah. Became close. Since then, I’ve taken to intimidating anyone who approaches you for any reason that isn’t related to the fact that you are the prince of Ariadoney.”

“Ah. I did notice that.” The prince frowned. “Are you saying that you were afraid I would choose somebody else over you?”

“No,” Daryan shook his head. “I trust you more than that. I know better – which is exactly my point. I know this, but I still want you for myself. Understand?”

Nodding slowly, Klavier returned his gaze to Phoenix. “I think I do. You think that is what drove my brother to… destroying this man’s life?”

“Among other things, perhaps,” Daryan replied. “There must be more to him if he could come to the conclusion that killing a man would be the easiest way to solve his problems.”

“Also, it would seem that Kristoph failed to destroy the Phoenix at all. He may have been set back for seven years, but he has a good life waiting for him here. Devoted friends and…”

“The dragon tamer?” Daryan guessed by the look on Klavier’s face.

“They remind me of… us. They way they stay so close to each other, the way they look at each other…”

Daryan chuckled. “I’d like to think we aren’t as obvious.”

“True. You are difficult to read sometimes,” the prince agreed.

Once everyone had finally finished eating, Klavier approached Phoenix with a determined look. “So. Shall we talk?”

Phoenix smiled. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Miles? Do you want to come along instead of pretending you aren’t eavesdropping?”

Miles flushed in embarrassment. Klavier simply looked over his shoulder and Daryan followed. Phoenix led the way to a small house that seemed to be his. The four of them sat on the floor and Klavier looked at his hands while he tried to put his questions into words.

“…Are you planning to kill my brother?”

Phoenix laughed. “No. It may come to that, to be entirely honest, but I would like to avoid it. I seek to spread justice, not cause trouble.”

“But you will be causing trouble by going to Ariadoney.”

“Would you prefer your kingdom to remain blind to the truth?” Phoenix asked. “If you truly wanted, I could easily remain here and allow your brother to rule from atop a mountain of lies.”

Klavier frowned. “I cannot sit back and let that happen. Regardless of family bonds, he is a liar and a dishonourable man.”

“I’m glad that you can realise this,” Phoenix murmured. “The High Priestess was worried that your faith would be blind and you would follow your brother to the end.”

“I follow the truth,” Klavier replied. “Wherever that may lead me. Whether it be Kurain or the opposite side of the battlefield to my own brother.”

“Your dedication to the truth is admirable,” Miles spoke up. “As much as Phoenix says that he does not plan to kill King Kristoph, I am sure that you are the last person who needs to be told that your brother will not take this very well. We will have to deal with him, however he will respond to Phoenix’s return.”

Daryan frowned and the Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing. The knight cleared his throat and spoke. “…If anything happens to put the prince in direct danger, I will take care of it. I’m more than willing to.”

Phoenix nodded. “As long as that is taken care of.”

“What exactly are you planning to do once we reach Ariadoney?” Klavier asked with a frown.

“Maya’s visit means that there will be an assembly – at least of all the notable members of court. We’ll push our luck and see if we can have an assembly with members of the public as well. Then I will reveal myself as the Phoenix and explain what truly happened. The rest depends on Kristoph’s reaction. Kurain is already known to be the one place that whole-heartedly supports me, but even so, Maya commands respect as the High Priestess and any fool would think twice before accusing her of fraud.”

“So we simply reveal your presence among us and see where things go?” the prince asked.

“Exactly. I have a few interesting abilities, but seeing into the future isn’t one of them. Which is why we will need to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Your brother being one step ahead of us, the kingdom not believing me…” Phoenix’s gaze passed over Daryan. “…Betrayal…”

“Are you insinuating that Daryan would betray me?” Klavier asked, immediately taking offense. “That is impossible!”

“Impossible?” Phoenix challenged.

“Calm down,” Daryan muttered. “He’s stating possibilities, that’s all. Do you trust me?”

“Do you need to ask?” Klavier shot back.

“That’s enough then, right?” the knight placed a hand on Klavier’s shoulder and the prince relaxed a little.

“My apologies,” he said quietly, avoiding Phoenix’s gaze. “…I appreciate the concern, but there is no need to worry about Daryan.”

“You’ll have to forgive me for questioning his loyalty,” Phoenix chuckled lightly. “Better safe than sorry, don’t you agree?”

“So is everything cleared up?” Miles asked, looking at Phoenix.

“It seems so—”

“Just one more thing,” Klavier spoke up. “Ah… about your new daughter…”

“Oh, Trucy? You’ve realised that she is Zak Gramarye’s missing daughter?”

Klavier blinked. “…You know?”

“Of course. I did say that I knew her father, didn’t I? He consulted me about it before disappearing. Valant told you about that, didn’t he?”

“How do you know that we met King Valant?”

“Oh, I learned all kinds of things while I was resting for seven years. It was like watching the world pass me by – I watched people meet each other, I heard orders kings gave to those who served them… it was rather interesting. I saw that you were intercepted by the elves on your way here.”

“King Valant wants Zak to return. With his daughter, I would imagine. What are you going to do about that?”

“I’ll tell Trucy of her lineage when the time is right. Until then, she is safer with me.”

“And what about Apollo?” Daryan asked with a frown.

“I’m keeping them together, aren’t I?”

“Phoenix…?” Miles frowned, confused.

“Apollo. That boy with Trucy,” Phoenix explained. “They are siblings. Half-siblings to be precise.”

“Their mother had him with the human she married before Zak,” Daryan added, glancing at Klavier. “He’s a half-elf.”

“Astute observation,” Phoenix praised with a nod. “The differences between humans and half-elves are difficult for most to detect. Apollo doesn’t know, of course. I was hoping that their mother would be the one to tell them…”

“Mother?”

“The Gramarye Queen?” the knight raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t she also… disappear a few years prior to Zak? Something tragic that King Valant wouldn’t tell us about.”

“Ah, of course he wouldn’t. He isn’t sure of what happened himself. There was an accident involving the three of them. Queen Thalassa was gravely injured and then disappeared. She survived, but with amnesia. She found herself at Kurain and we took her in, giving her a place to stay. A second like, if you will. We’ve been waiting for her memory to return – to no luck, so far. But perhaps the presence of her children will change that. I plan to help her with some subtle hints, but I doubt that it would help to directly interfere. It may overwhelm her.”

Klavier frowned. “She… does not even know that she has children?”

“I doubt that she would recognise them. Unfortunately, her memory wasn’t the only thing she lost. The accident also left her blind, which makes things even more difficult.” Phoenix sighed. “I doubt that it was simply lucky chance that found her at Kurain. She is the one who sings the prayers here – her voice is magical. You will see when I introduce you to her later. She will be coming with us to Ariadoney as part of the High Priestess’ group, along with Pearls.”

“And what are you going to do about the fact that she is the Gramarye Queen?” the prince asked, “When we met King Valant, he asked us to return Zak to his people, if at all possible…”

“Ah, I am afraid that would not be possible at all,” Miles spoke with a frown. “He died, not long ago.”

“Was he murdered by any chance?” Daryan asked with a small frown.

Miles blinked. “He was. How…?

“Lucky guess,” the knight muttered darkly, looking at Phoenix who did not look surprised at all.

“At any rate, I will wait for Lamiroir – Thalassa – to regain her memory and leave it to her to decide whether or not she returns to the elves. Until then, I will take care of Trucy and Apollo.” Phoenix said with a nod.

“If Zak cannot return to the Gramarye elves…” Klavier frowned. “The elves will remain divided and King Valant…”

“Isn’t particularly suited to leadership,” Daryan finished. “Which is made even worse when half of his people think he killed the previous king and Zak.”

“But you said yourself that Zak was murdered…” Klavier pointed out.

Phoenix spoke up before the prince could follow that line of thought. “Zak did not kill King Magnifi. I know that much. And neither did Valant. The old king was already ill and an elf’s life span is far longer than a regular human’s. So…”

“He killed himself?” both Klavier and Daryan came to the realisation at the same time.

Phoenix smiled. “Ah, you’re both sharp. That’s a relief.”

“But is there any way to prove it?” Klavier asked. “As important as the truth may be, it means nothing without sufficient proof.”

“Agreed,” Miles nodded. “But Zak left a letter behind – one that confessed to the murder of King Magnifi. He never intended to return to the elves, but he knew that a confession would see Valant out of any suspicion. He left it for whenever Phoenix returned. Clearly, he expected you to show it to the elves yourself.”

Phoenix looked as though he already knew this. “It can wait until after my… meeting with King Kristoph.”

The thought made Klavier look nervous again. He clenched his hands into loose fists and Daryan noticed, clearing his throat and getting ready to leave. “…Is that all we need to discuss?”

“That should be all,” Phoenix replied. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning. If we travel without interruption, it should take us two days. We would arrive at Ariadoney on the morning of the third day. I will introduce you to Thalassa later in the afternoon, but as Lamiroir. She had forgotten her own name in the accident and came to us, having adopted this new name. We chose not to press her on it just yet.”

Klavier shook his head as he stood. “I hope her memory returns soon. If there is anything I can do at all…”

“Trust me, your highness,” Phoenix said with a smile. “What you are already doing for Kurain is immeasurably helpful. We appreciate your kindness.”

This made Klavier beam. “Ah, glad to hear it. If you need me, I will be exploring the village. It is beautiful – nothing like Ariadoney at all.”

He left the room, glancing at Daryan on his way out. The knight tried not to smile as he followed, ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that told him that they were being just as obvious as Phoenix and Miles.

Klavier was waiting for him just down the path. Their shoulders brushed against each other as Daryan caught up to him and continued walking. The prince smiled, following him and speaking in a lowered voice. “I suggest that we find a nice, secluded part of the village.”

“It’s a small place,” Daryan replied, keeping Klavier in his periphery. “Shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“This way seems quiet.”

“Well keep your voice down, then. Don’t want them to find us, do we?”

“Heh, who knows. You would probably enjoy it.”

“You say it like you wouldn’t.”

They found themselves behind the storehouse, away from the main buildings. They wasted no time with unnecessary conversation, pressing their lips together and holding onto each other. The prince hummed contently, his hands moving up Daryan’s back to bury themselves in his dark hair. The knight tightened his grip, kissing even harder. They groaned in unison, heads spinning as they tasted each other’s mouth, tongues sliding against each other until Klavier tipped his head back. He sucked in a breath, which ended up as a gasp when he felt Daryan’s lips on his neck.

“Mm…” he settled his hands on Daryan’s shoulders as the knight kissed his way back up to Klavier’s lips. The prince’s expressions was a mix of a smile and frown. “It has been days since we have kissed like that.”

“Well, that just means we have a lot to make up for, doesn’t it?” Daryan brushed his lips over Klavier’s jaw and grinned. “We’ve got some time before we’re needed anyway.”

“And how exactly do you propose that we pass this time?” Klavier asked with a smirk.

“Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves,” Daryan murmured, even though he pushed the prince up against the wall of the storehouse. They kissed each other again and Daryan’s breath hitched as Klavier bit into his neck gently. The prince smirked even more, making the knight hold the sides of his face and kiss him, determined to chase the grin away and leave him senseless.

“Daryan,” Klavier hasped as their lips parted for a moment before meeting again. His hands were in Daryan’s hair again and he tried to fight off the urge to tug the long hair out of its ponytail.

“Priiiince Klaaaavieeer!” Trucy’s voice called out and as distant as it was, both men quickly let go of each other with a gasp.

“Damn it,” Daryan growled as Klavier ran his fingers through his blond locks, trying to rearrange them neatly. They looked at each other and the prince sighed. “We will find time… eventually.”

“It’s not your fault,” Daryan said before Klavier could even apologise. “Let’s go.”

Trucy had wanted Klavier to be her assistant for a magic trick she was showing Pearl. Daryan tried not to scowl as he watched on, mind wandering to what he would rather be doing. Apollo watched in jealousy – knowing that it would usually be him helping with the magic.

Trucy had almost been finished with her repertoire before Phoenix walked in, followed by Miles. “Ah! Is that your magic, Trucy? I’d love to see.”

And with an, “Of course, Daddy!” she made Klavier stay to perform it all over again. Klavier gave Daryan an apologetic smile, but the knight knew him far too well to be fooled. He knew that Klavier was enjoying the performance just as much as Trucy was.

“I have someone you might like to meet,” Phoenix spoke up once Trucy was finished. “One of our priestesses. She’ll be coming with us to Ariadoney – she’s our prayer singer. Just wait until you hear her voice.”

Trucy already looked excited. Apollo followed, looking mildly interested himself.

“Coming?” Phoenix asked, looking at the prince with a small smile. Klavier followed immediately, with Daryan at his side.

Thalassa – or Lamiroir as Phoenix had introduced her as – was a beautiful woman with a voice that was far more pleasant than anything they could have imagined by themselves. Phoenix hid his disappointment well when he didn’t gain a response that hinted at any kind of familiarity when he introduced her to Trucy and Apollo. The two warmed up to her quickly, sitting close to her and paying attention to every single word she said when they spoke.

Phoenix remained behind with Miles, Klavier and Daryan.

“Not what you were expecting,” Miles murmured, sounding a little disappointed himself.

“What now?” Klavier asked. “If this did not work…”

“We’re far from failure,” Phoenix assured them, looking unworried.

“At least they like her,” Daryan spoke up. “They got attached to her fairly quickly.”

“Exactly. Perhaps it’s some kind of… subconscious recognition. Trucy was young when Thalassa had the accident that found her taken away from the Gramarye forest, so while her memories of her mother are faint… they are still there. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Apollo.”

Lamiroir continued speaking to Trucy and Apollo, happily oblivious to the conversation of the four men watching them. Phoenix sighed. “It doesn’t matter. This just means that we will have to push her memory. I’ve planned our route to Ariadoney to pass by the forest. We’ll see what happens. I don’t mind taking care of the children until her memory returns.”

“You are far too kind for your own good,” Miles muttered, shaking his head.

Maya looked through the door, clearly pleased to have so many people in Kurain at once. “Dinner should be ready soon. We should rest up as much as we can so that we can start travelling as early as possible tomorrow morning!”

There was excited chatter as everyone ate, discussing their trip and what it meant for Kurain. Phoenix avoided mentioning his impending meeting with Kristoph while he was near Klavier, noticing the way the blond tensed every time he heard someone mention his brother’s name. Daryan was engrossed in conversation with Miles, discussing the way the Ariadoney knights had changed over the years. Daryan was unsurprised to learn that the knights of Miles’ time were trained for more than just killing off threats to the kingdom. For Klavier’s sake, he didn’t voice his opinion that this change was directly related to Kristoph.

Klavier was tired when they returned to the guest room with their beds in it. Daryan lay awake, listening to Klavier’s deep breathing and Trucy’s excited chatter as she recounted her entire conversation with Lamiroir to Apollo – who had long since fallen asleep.

The knight shut his eyes, ready to sleep, but immediately opened them again when he involuntarily imagined Kristoph’s expression upon finding that his younger brother had led the Phoenix home. Slipping in and out of consciousness, Daryan slept fitfully until the exhaustion finally got to him and he stayed asleep. He dreamed of evil kings and dead princes.

“…Daryan…?” he heard Klavier’s sleepy voice and blinked his eyes open to find the room in the dim light of dawn.

He then realised that he’d been holding onto the prince’s hand in his sleep and let go immediately, flushing with embarrassment. “Sorry.”

“I did not mind,” Klavier murmured. “Did you not sleep well? You look tired.”

Rubbing his eyes, Daryan yawned a little and shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“Did you have a nightmare? …Since that dream that led me to the crystal ball. I have been hesitant to shrug dreams off.”

Daryan frowned and then shook his head. “Nothing to worry about. I promise.”

The prince smiled, sitting up in his bed properly and running his fingers through Daryan’s bangs. “Well, it would be best if we prepared to leave.”

The door slid open and Miles looked in. “Ah good, you are both already awake. If you dress yourselves and come outside, you can help me prepare to leave. Phoenix is still asleep and I would prefer to have everything properly organised before he wakes – that way, there will be no unnecessary panic in the last minute.”

The prince and knight both nodded, meeting him outside as quickly as possible. They found Miles equipping himself – a sword at his side, a bow and quiver on his back.

“Precautions?” Klavier asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It is my self-assigned duty to ensure no harm comes to Phoenix,” was the reply. “A duty I failed seven years ago. I will not let that happen again.”

“You’re afraid of what will happen to him once we reach Ariadoney,” Daryan noted.

“Not afraid. Just… concerned,” Miles replied. “I am sure you understand exactly how I feel.”

Daryan grinned wryly. “Yeah. You’d be right.”

“I made sure that the majority of travel plans were organised last night,” Miles changed the topic for Klavier’s sake. “The High Priestess has already arranged for a caravan to be waiting at the bottom of Hazakura mountain. My dragons will carry us down to save time.”

“We have to fly again?” Daryan asked, sounding unenthusiastic.

“Is that a problem?”

Klavier chuckled. “Are you afraid of flying, Daryan? But you were so excited about the dragons before…”

Scowling, Daryan looked away. “Fine, fine. It doesn’t matter."

Miles looked amused, but said nothing of it. He pulled a map out and showed it to them. “This is the route we will be taking. Phoenix wants to take the shortest path possible. The four of us shall be on horseback to lead the way and ensure that the path is clear. Phoenix and I shall be disguised as Maya’s servants when we enter Ariadoney. I am not entirely sure when he plans on revealing himself – that is something he has planned with Maya. I suppose we shall have to wait and see how it all unfolds.”

“I am sure he knows exactly what to do,” Klavier said quietly. “Everything so far seems to be running to his expectations – except for Thalassa’s memory, but that can be addressed once the rest has been taken care of, yes?”

“Wow, you’re all awake already?” Phoenix walked out of his house to join them, running a hand through his sleep-messed hair and covering a yawn with his other.

Miles snorted. “Not all of us have trouble waking up, you realise.”

“So everything is ready to go?” Phoenix asked, looking more serious now. He looked at Klavier. “So Miles has told you our travel plans? We have to make sure that we look like we’re focusing on Maya – as far as your brother knows, this trip is all about her.”

“Understood,” the prince nodded.

One by one, the others woke and prepared to leave, directed by Miles and taken down to the base of the mountain in groups. Maya left Kurain under the care of one of the older priestesses who was staying behind and they all climbed into the caravan, ready to leave.

Daryan patted Geeter affectionately when they went to the small stable the horses had been left in. Once they were all ready, Phoenix and Miles took the lead, looking ahead as they began the journey to a kingdom that no longer appreciated them.

*

They had travelled for the entire day without any unplanned interruptions. It had been near-constant travel, broken only when they needed to rest their horses or to eat. Klavier was amazed, contrasting this journey to the way they were met with several interruptions on their way to Kurain.

“Phoenix can be determined when he wants to,” Miles explained as they set up camp. The sun had set and they had decided to rest of the night. “He does not want any obstacles between him and Ariadoney, so he planned our path to avoid any potential interruptions.”

They had already built a campfire and had finished setting up the tents to stay in. Phoenix had arranged for each tent to be shared by two people – with the exception of one for Lamiroir to share with both Trucy and Apollo.

Eating their dinner gathered around the campfire, Miles sat back with Maya, watching as Trucy and Pearl pulled Phoenix around, making him play with them or think up more magic tricks. Shaking his head, the dragon tamer chuckled. “He has not changed at all, has he?”

Maya looked a little hesitant to agree. “He seems different now.”

“Perhaps a little more relaxed than before,” Miles murmured, but shrugged. “He is looking at the world differently these days, but I believe that is only natural when you take his experiences into consideration. He is still driven by his desire for justice – he has simply learned that he needs to use different methods to get what he wants. Even if that means using Prince Klavier to get to his brother. Surely you understand that as well.”

Maya sighed. “I do. But we’ve underestimated Kristoph before… what’s to say that we aren’t doing it again?”

“It is simply something we must take into consideration this time,” he replied. “We let him go to Ariadoney alone last time. This time, we are with him. And he clearly knows better than to expect to be able to handle Kristoph without using any of his abilities.”

“But that’s what I’m worried about. How does Phoenix use any magic against Kristoph without looking like the villain?”

Daryan, who had been sitting nearby, cleared his throat. “Sorry for butting in, but I’ve been around Kristoph most my life. Dunno if Phoenix knows it, but I’m pretty sure we would – Kristoph’s got his pride. He puts a lot of effort into acting composed and if you wanna get through that, you have to hit him where it hurts and kick him when he’s down. You have to stay a step ahead of him and make sure you don’t give him time to think. The guy’s insane, but in a really smart way. He comes up with plans like it's the easiest thing in the world. You give him even one second to think once Phoenix is out doing his thing and you’ve already lost.”

Miles blinked in surprise. “You are certainly eager to help.”

“You don’t like him very much, do you?” Maya asked, looking amused.

Daryan snorted. “If I can help you get him in any way, I’ll do it.”

“Now that is an interesting form of loyalty to your kingdom,” Miles commented, an eyebrow raised.

“I’m loyal to Klavier, not Kristoph. That’s how it’s always been.”

Maya watched the fire burn as she thought. “Perhaps Nick’s plan will work out after all. If what Daryan says is true… then he’s definitely got a better plan for Ariadoney this time around.”

“And if it does not work…” Miles ran his fingers over his sword hilt. “I am here for a reason.”

He glanced up at the sky to check the position of the moon when he noticed Trucy yawning from the other side of the campfire. “It is getting late. We would be better off resting soon so that we can start travelling as early as possible tomorrow morning.”

Klavier was still smiling when he entered the tent he was sharing with Daryan. Taking off his gauntlets and mail, he laughed a little. “I did not realise how fun it was to perform for others. Even if I was just being an assistant to Trucy performance and we only had one or two people as an audience… Heh, it seems that I found yet another thing I would rather be than a prince.”

Daryan snorted, reaching out and pulling Klavier down onto the makeshift beds that they had moved beside each other. “You’re only saying that because if you weren’t a prince, you wouldn’t have a manipulative king for a brother.”

“Mm. I would not have a knight, who can read me like an open book, for a lover either. I suppose it is a fair trade.”

Daryan laughed. “If you say so. Now, I’d better be a responsible knight and tell you to get some sleep because I’m gonna drag you out to your horse at dawn, whether you like it or not.”

Klavier grumbled, but rested his head on his pillow anyway. “Good night, Daryan.” He shut his eyes, but smiled when he felt the knight’s lips against his and the murmured ’night.

In his dreams that night, he saw Kristoph attacking both him and Daryan. His dream self and Daryan took turns protecting each other, finally falling to the superior power of his brother. Klavier woke from the nightmare two hours before dawn and found it impossible to fall asleep again. He looked at Daryan, still asleep, and had a moment of panic before he calmed himself down and confirmed that his knight was still breathing. Sitting up in the bed, Klavier wrapped his arms around his knees and focused on calming himself down. Just a dream. It was just a dream. It means nothing.

When everyone had woken and they were back on the road to Ariadoney again, Klavier found himself checking on Daryan more than necessary. They rode beside each other and while the knight made no reaction to the several glances Klavier gave him, he noticed each one. He waited until they stopped for lunch before pressing it.

They had stopped just outside the Gramarye forest, as planned by Phoenix, and Daryan had volunteered to collect fresh water from a nearby stream with Klavier.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his gaze fixed on the water. “You’ve been looking at me like you’re expecting… I don’t even know what. Talk to me.”

Klavier flushed and looked away. “It is stupid. Forget about it.”

“That sounds familiar,” the knight smiled without humour.

“You never told me what was bothering you. This is fair.”

Daryan growled. “Not when you’re looking at me like that. What the hell did I do?”

“Nothing! I am just afraid—”

“Of what? Me?”

“No!” Klavier raised his voice. “Or do I have a reason to be afraid of you, Daryan?”

“Wh-What? I didn’t say that!”


“You have been acting strange for the past few days – did you think I would not notice?”

Daryan’s eyes widened but another voice spoke before he could.

“Hate to interrupt, but we need that water.”

It was Phoenix, stranding a short distance away, his neutral expression making it impossible to tell whether or not he had overheard them.

“Ah. Yes. Sorry.” Klavier carried his bucket back to the rest, not looking at Daryan.

The knight’s shoulders slumped and Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him. “You were just about to make a fool of yourself in front of your prince. It could have been messy. You can thank me later.”

Daryan simply scowled, carrying his own bucket back without a word.

As they ate lunch, Phoenix looked about expectantly, finally smiling when he noticed a small group of elves approaching them.

“Do my eyes deceive me?” spoke the leader, who both Klavier and Daryan recognised as Valant.

“Is a Gramarye ever fooled by their eyes?” Phoenix replied and laughed. “I thought I was immune to your Seers, Valant.”

“Ah, that you are,” the elf replied. “But there are other ways to know when you are near our forest. We do have sentries.”

“Of course. Caught me.”

Valant’s gaze passed over the others, nodding in greeting at Klavier before settling on Trucy.

“Ah…”

“This is my daughter, Trucy,” Phoenix spoke up, resting a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Adopted, of course.”

“Of course…” Valant nodded slowly.

“And this is Apollo, my new apprentice,” Phoenix continued. “And I’m sure you’ve met the rest.”

“I have…” the elf looked at them and paused. “Ah. But one.”

“Me?” Lamiroir guessed, her head turned in Valant’s direction.

The elf king did a double take. “Thal—?”

“Lamiroir,” Phoenix interrupted as casually as possible. “She is one of the newer residents of Kurain. She is blind, unfortunately.”

Valant frowned. “Ah. Most unfortunate.”

Lamiroir was still looking in his direction, looking troubled. “I am sorry… but have we met before? I recognise people by their voices and… I feel as though I have heard yours somewhere.”

There was an anguished look on Valant’s face, but he quickly covered it up with a smile. “Ah, who knows? An elf lives for such a long time – one face melds into another. One has difficulty finding an individual in a sea of acquaintances. I am truly sorry.”

“Oh…” Lamiroir looked disappointed. “Thank you.”

Valant turned to Phoenix, all mirth gone from his face. “Perhaps we can have a word before you continue on your way?”

“I was expecting no different. Miles? You’ll stay here and keep watch?”

“Of course,” the dragon tamer replied, pretending that he had a choice.

Valant left his group behind, leading Phoenix far enough out of earshot before turning and giving him and incredulous look. “I would like to know what is going on. Why are Thalassa and Trucy with you? Where is Zak?”

“I’m sure you’ve realised it for yourself, but Thalassa has lost her memory prior to that fateful day—”

“I thought she had died! Zak – he did not know, did he?”

“It was Magnifi’s secret. We found her at Kurain with no sight, no memories and a new name.”

“He sent her to you?”

“That’s the conclusion I made. Kurain is the safest place for her until she regains her memories.”

“She does not even realise that her daughter is standing right beside her?”

“No. And Trucy doesn’t seem to recognise her either.”

Valant sighed. “I will leave them in your care. They are safe with you. Provided that this trip to Ariadoney does not end like your last did.”

Phoenix smirked. “Let’s hope. I’ve got some work to do with your people once Kristoph’s been dealt with.”

“If you need any help with Kristoph…”

“Thank you. But I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Valant smiled. “I look forward to news of King Kristoph’s fall.”

Phoenix grinned in return. “We’ll see how it goes.”

He returned to the others, who had already packed and gotten ready to leave. With a small wave and a promise to return later, they continued on their way until the sun had set.

By the time they were setting up camp for the night, Klavier was still refusing to look in Daryan’s direction and the knight was getting agitated. They did not look at each other even as they helped each other set up the tents and despite the fact that they sat beside each other around the fire, Daryan left a significant gap between them. Phoenix raised an eyebrow upon noticing this, but did not push it until most of the party had gone to sleep.

Klavier was staring moodily into the fire and Daryan was running his thumb over the handle of his sword, both ignoring each other. Phoenix cleared his throat.

“Now is the one time we can’t afford to have a breakdown of trust.”

Both men looked up at him. Daryan snorted and went back to his sword.

“You see?” Klavier muttered. “That is his answer.”

“What the—”

“You have not even been able to look me in the eye since I questioned your loyalty.”

“How the hell would you know? You haven’t looked at me since!”

Miles sighed wearily. Phoenix added fuel to the fire. “Daryan – hypothetically, where does your loyalty lie? The prince or the king? Regardless of how your duties revolve around your prince, it is your king you answer to, correct?”

Daryan tensed and frowned. “…I’ve always answered to Klavier. Even Kristoph knows that.”

“So why the hesitation?” Klavier snapped.

“Your highness,” Miles muttered, clearly losing his patience. “I have no intention of supporting or challenging either of you, but please realise that as a knight, it is not so easy to choose between duty to oneself and duty to the kingdom.”

Letting out an agitated sigh, Daryan stood, putting his sword back into its scabbard. “Come with me.”

Klavier frowned. “I refuse to go anyway.”

“Get up,” the knight growled, offering him a hand. “We need to talk.”

“We can talk here.”

“Can we?” Daryan challenged, eyebrows raised.

Klavier sighed and stood, ignoring Daryan’s hand. “Fine.”

Phoenix and Miles watched in silence as the two of them walked away from the camp. Daryan did not stop walking until the campfire was a distant flicker of light. Turning to Klavier, he frowned.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Me?” Klavier asked incredulously. “You are the one who has been acting strange—”

“That has nothing to do with you.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that?” Klavier shot back. “Answer me honestly, Daryan. Who do you answer to? Me or Kristoph?”

“You,” the knight answered immediately. “You know that! Why does it bother you so much? You know I don’t like Kristoph – why would I ever want to listen to him over you?”

Klavier frowned, walking backwards with every step Daryan took towards him.

“Damn it, Klavier. You’re all I have – why the hell would I throw that away? I don’t care what Kristoph thinks, I’d follow you to the end of the damn world. Don’t pretend you don’t know it.”

The prince blinked, jolting in surprise when his back met the trunk of a tree. “…That is the first time you have ever said anything like that.”

Daryan made a face. “It isn’t something I can just tell you.”

Laughing, Klavier shook his head. “I have been paranoid for… no reason?”

Daryan snorted, leaning closer to the prince. “That’s not paranoia, Klavier. You were just being stupid.”

Klavier’s arms came up to wrap around Daryan, pulling him into a kiss. Daryan kissed back in earnest, holding Klavier’s sides and pulling him closer. Klavier’s breath hitches when he felt one of Daryan’s knees pushing its way between his and they both let out shuddering sighs as their hips met. Daryan wasted no time, grinding against him gently. Klavier tightened his grip on the knight, laughing quietly when he felt Daryan’s hands on his belt.

“Here? Someone will catch us.”

This made Daryan laugh. “Fine. You want me to stop?”

The look in Klavier’s eyes said enough. Still chuckling, the knight kissed him hard. “We’re far enough from the others.”

“I suppose…” Klavier’s belt was already on the ground and Daryan was removing his tunic. His clothing was significantly lighter already as he had taken his gauntlets and mail off, along with his weapons. Daryan, on the other hand, was still fully equipped. He held Klavier’s face in his gauntleted hands and kissed him.

“I’d give my life for you,” he said quietly, his expression making it clear that he didn’t intend to flatter or impress the prince. He was simply stating a fact.

Klavier pressed a kiss to the hard leather of Daryan’s gauntlet. “Your support means everything to me. But let us hope that things never come to that.”

Daryan chose not to dwell on the thought. He kissed Klavier, letting the prince undress him down to his mail. Undoing his gauntlets, the knight dropped them to the ground and removed the mail himself before turning his attention back to Klavier.

The knight’s gaze flicked down to Klavier’s tights, smirking at the way his erection strained against its confines. He only meant to reach for it, but by the time his hand had cupped the bulge, Daryan was on his knees and didn’t even need to think of what came next.

Klavier’s tights were not particularly thick – they did little to impede the feeling of Daryan’s tongue, wet and warm against the prince’s cock.

“Daryan!” Klavier gasped, his hands in the knight’s hair. “Oh god.”

Chuckling, Daryan pulled the tights down, leaving Klavier’s lower half bare. He paused for a moment, pulling the prince’s undershirt off as well before settling back on his knees.

Klavier shivered in the night’s cold air but he then felt Daryan’s mouth on him and couldn’t think of anything else. The knight sucked slowly – just a fraction too slow for what Klavier desired, but it was more than enough to be pleasurable. Daryan hummed in thought and Klavier was certain that he could feel the vibration through his entire body.

“We’ll have to see if you can be quiet tonight,” Daryan murmured, looking up to take in the dazed, half-lidded expression of pleasure on Klavier’s face. “Think you’ll manage?”

“Who knows,” Klavier sounded far away. His breath hitched when Daryan kissed his thigh. “I… will try.”

“Good.” Daryan’s tongue teased every sensitive place it could. They had spent years learning each other’s bodies, memorising what was good, what was bad and what was mind-blowing. Daryan’s tongue moved down to lap at Klavier’s balls and the prince grunted out loud. Daryan brought a hand up, picking up where his tongue left off as he moved it back up to tease the head of Klavier’s cock.

Klavier jerked in surprise when he felt Daryan’s hands grab his hips and move him until he was lying on is back in the grass. He briefly wondered what Daryan was planning to do, but the knight then crawled onto him, lips wrapping around Klavier’s erection and sucking. The prince covered his eyes with a hand, clenching it into a fist in his effort to remain silent. Daryan bobbed his head, entirely focused on Klavier’s pleasure until the prince tense and pushed him away with a small groan.

Daryan moaned quietly in appreciation as he watched Klavier release onto himself. The prince shuddered with pleasure, his breath coming loud and uneven. The knight quickly removed his own leggings and undershirt, ignoring the cold air in favour of the warmth of Klavier’s arms wrapping around him as they kissed. He moved away to have Klavier take hold of his wrist and suck on his fingers, smirking at him.

Daryan grinned, pulling his fingers out slowly. “You know how to get what you want, I’ll give you that.”

“Of course I do,” Klavier murmured, biting his lower lip as Daryan circled his slicked fingers around his entrance before pushing in.

“Tell me if it hurts.”

“More,” the prince whispered, pressing his head back into the ground beneath it. He continued urging Daryan on until they both decided he was ready. Daryan used a mix of saliva and Klavier’s release to slick his erection, carefully pushing into Klavier. They both took a moment to adjust before Daryan began to thrust.

They settled into a rhythm, moving against each other and moaning as quietly as they could. Daryan had been angled to thrust against Klavier in just the right way, causing the prince to bite on his knuckles to keep himself from crying out in pleasure. He released first, with Daryan not far behind and they held onto each other as they panted for breath.

Daryan was the first to get up, gathering his clothes in a bundle and beckoning for Klavier to follow him. “There’s a small stream this way. Enough to clean up… so then we can head back.”

Helping each other wash and dress, they began to walk back in the direction of the faint glow of the campfire. As it grew larger, Daryan hesitated and grabbed Klavier’s arm.

“Hm?”

“Klavier,” he addressed, avoiding the other’s gaze. “I know I haven’t said this – I’ve made a point not to, but with everything else I’ve told you tonight, I know it won’t make a difference..”

“Daryan?”

“I… love you. Not Ariadoney. Not her king. Not… not even her prince. I love Klavier Gavin. You. Remember that.”

This made Klavier smile brightly. “I shall, Daryan. I hardly need to tell you that I feel the same.”

Daryan grinned. “Yeah.”

Phoenix and Miles both looked relieved to see them return to the camp. Phoenix looked at Daryan as he spoke. “I was wondering when you would return.”

“I trust that everything has been sorted out?” Miles asked carefully.

“Ah, that is has. I think that it would best to rest for the night so that we can face Ariadoney, Kristoph and whatever our actions may cause,” Klavier said. Daryan was already in their tent, sprawled out across their bed. Klavier smiled at him fondly, kissing him before curling up against him, feeling utterly safe.

Almost immediately after shutting their eyes, both of them drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

*

There was much excitement as the entire party prepared to leave their camp for the last part of their journey to Ariadoney. Both Phoenix and Miles had donned large priest robes over their usual clothes to hide their identities. Phoenix wore his hood low, making amused comments every once in a while that the demon-warding hood prevented not curses, but good vision.

Klavier and Daryan rode in front, leading the way to Ariadoney with a mix of excitement and anxiety. The kingdom’s border was usually left unguarded, as Kristoph preferred to keep all security at his castle. Today was no difference. Daryan frowned, keeping on guard here more than anywhere else.

Kristoph was waiting for them outside the castle as they approached it.

“Brother!” Klavier greeted, smiling as easily as always. “I hope we did not keep you waiting.”

“It was no trouble, Klavier.” The king’s gaze moved past them to the caravan. “I was eager to meet the High Priestess, but I am a patient man.”

Maya stepped out of the caravan, wearing her formal robes, complete with a staff and her magatama necklace.

“It has certainly been a while since Kurain and Ariadoney have met like this. It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness. I have heard so very much about you.”

Kristoph’s smile became wider and – Daryan noticed – just a little more forced. “Is that so? I have spent the past several years wondering if Kurain bears a grudge against me for exposing their idol as the corrupt man that he was.”

Maya smiled calmly, balling her hands into fists beneath her long sleeves. “That was never my intention. Forgive me if I have led you to believe that.”

“Of course. Please, come inside. Klavier you must be glad to be home – perhaps we shall meet in the throne room once you have freshened up? It looks as though the travelling has worn you out.”

“Ah… thank you. I shall not be long.”

He left to his quarters, followed Daryan. The prince hesitantly looked at his companion. “Do I look—?”

“No,” Daryan cut him off. “Ignore him. You look fine. Do you feel tired?”

“…No.”

“That’s what matters.” Daryan ignored the servants that that stared as he followed Klavier into his room and shut the door behind them, helping Klavier change into his usual royal clothing. He did a once-over when Klavier and finished dressing and smirked. “You look fine to me.”

Klavier gave him a brief kiss of appreciation, grinning himself. “We both know that it is your opinion that matters to me.”

“It better be,” Daryan snickered. “I’m biased in your favour.”

“Perfect. Someone who will tell me what I want to hear.”

“Within reason.”

“Ah, of course.”

The knight straightened up and led the way to the door. “We’d better return. Don’t think Kristoph cares what I’m wearing as long as his little brother looks presentable.”

“Tunics must be much more comfortable than armour,” Klavier mused as he followed Daryan to the throne room.

Kristoph had already gathered the nobles of the court and Maya had everyone with her, including Apollo and Trucy as well as Phoenix and Miles, neither of whom had been recognised. Klavier sat in his throne and Maya smiled at him before turning her attention to the king.

“Ariadoney is as beautiful as I had expected it to be. I am glad that I brought Lamiroir with me.”

“Oh?”

Maya gestured to the woman she spoke of. “Lamiroir is the prayer singer of Kurain. I thought that as a… gift of sorts, she would perform a prayer to bless your kingdom.”

“Ah. High Priestess Mystic Maya, you are too kind. I would love to hear it.”

“Lamiroir has a voice that deserves a large audience. I was hoping that you would be able to call a large assembly in some public place for your people to attend? It would be ideal way of starting off here before we go into the business side of my visit.”

Kristoph raised a hand to adjust his glasses. “My… you see, I am not sure if that is entirely possible on such a short notice. It may take a while to spread the word.”

Now that Klavier knew not to believe every word Kristoph spoke, he could easily tell that it was a lie. Maya slowly raised her hand to touch her necklace – fingers brushing over the magatama before resting her hand in her lap again. The prince was sure he saw Phoenix grin from the shadows beneath his hood.

“I am sorry to hear it,” Maya murmured, sounding sincere. “Perhaps I was mistaken to believe that your people loved you enough to heed your call as soon as they heard it?”

Kristoph did not rise to the bait. “I simply do not want to inconvenience them – they may already have plans.”

“Surely not all of them would be tied up. Any audience would be appreciated, your highness. It is not often that I ever have the chance to make a request for something to be done. Humour me.”

Kristoph was silent and Klavier spoke up. “As it is my responsibility to oversee relationships between Ariadoney and her neighbours, I believe it would be a wonderful way to open the High Priestess’ visit. Nothing has the power to bring people together quite like music – I have heard Lamiroir’s voice for myself and its beauty moved me to tears.”

Several nobles murmured in interest before Kristoph could even open his mouth. Maya winked at Klavier with a small smile.

“It is settled then,” Klavier spoke, emboldened by the support he was receiving. “I will take responsibility for inviting the public. Unless you object, brother…?”

Kristoph smiled pleasantly. “Of course not, Klavier. Clearly, you are yet to tire of playing games in spite of your position in this court.”

Klavier’s smile vanished and Daryan tensed. The other nobles pretended that they had heard nothing.

“Ah, passive-aggressive comments towards your own brother, your highness?” Maya’s eyes flashed with something far beyond her cheerfully innocent façade. “…It is hardly flattering for a king.”

Kristoph frowned at her words, but Klavier spoke first.

“I am going to start organising Lamiroir’s concert,” he muttered, not looking at his brother as he stood and left. Daryan followed without needing to be called.

The knight waited for him to talk about it and release his frustration, but instead, Klavier put every effort into the concert for that evening. He took care of the venue and its decorations before invitations – which he did in person. Daryan, who had pulled some of his fellow knights into it as well, helped gather groups of awed citizens who eagerly listened to Klavier’s earnest invitation. An important gathering. A beautiful singer. An event that the citizens of Ariadoney would not want to miss. He meant it all far more than he could say – but Daryan’s look of understanding fought off the desperation that gripped his chest when he spoke, thinking the words: come, all of you. I invite you to witness the kind of beast our beloved king truly is.

They did not return to the castle for lunch, despite the fact that they had finished organising Lamiroir’s concert before midday. They rode out towards the border, eating food they had bought in the market. For the first time since they left Ariadoney, Klavier looked depressed.

“I feel like… like I am taking my time to nock an arrow and draw a bow, aiming at Kristoph’s head. He deserved whatever end he receives, but I feel responsible.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s his own fault for making enemies with the wrong man.”

“He has lied to Ariadoney for so long… did he ever truly love the kingdom? I feel that all he cares for is his power.”

“Which would explain why it irritated him to see you take charge of Lamiroir’s concert. I don’t think I need to tell you, but I’m proud of you Klavier. It’s important to let him know that he does not have total control over you.”

“Hah. It is something you have been doing for the past several years. I thought it was about time I did the same.”

Daryan chuckled. “Are we still planning on disappearing for a while after this?”

“I thought you said we would not be able to—”

“I feel optimistic. For once.”

The prince laughed. “Today must truly be a good day if even you are feeling that way.”

“Well.” Daryan got to his feet and offered Klavier a hand. “I think it’s time we returned to the castle. We need to tell the priestess about what’s going on, if nothing else.”

Phoenix was waiting for them as they walked into the castle. Still masquerading as a priest, he bowed and led Klavier to the room Maya was staying in.

“I apologise for my brother’s behaviour,” Klavier said quietly, standing with his back against the closed door.

“You don’t need to apologise – you’re the last person who should be apologising! Are you alright?”

“Ah, my ego suffered a little, but no harm done. I know what kind of man my brother is.”

Lamiroir turned her head in Klavier’s direction. “So the concert has been organised?”

“Yes. Just before sunset.”

“From the looks of it, there’ll be a large audience,” Daryan spoke up. He glanced at the prince and grinned. “He knows how to be persuasive.”

“Persuasive? I was being honest!” Klavier replied, looking confused at the way Daryan and Maya were both smiling. The moment passed and their smiles faded into light frowns.

“So you’ve got everything planned out?” Daryan asked.

“Yes. Lamiroir sings a short prayer to bless the citizens of Ariadoney. It’s… actually a spell to raise a protective ward around the audience. Just in case.”

“In case?” Klavier frowned.

“I don’t know what is going to happen when it comes down to Nick… you’ve both seen the results of him losing control. I need you two to keep these with you.” Maya handed them small red charms. “They will protect you from harm if necessary. I hope you won’t need them.”

They both nodded in thanks.

“The plan is for Nick to reveal himself once Lamiroir has raised the ward. Please remain on your guard. Daryan, I don’t even need to tell you to stay close to the prince.”

“No, you don’t.”

“And both of you, please don’t underestimate Nick. Just because he was caught off guard once…”

Miles, who was sitting in a corner, snorted softly. “He does not learn. But at least I do.”

Maya grinned. “So you two don’t need to worry about him.”

“Understood. I will you see later at the concert, then.”

“I look forward to it,” the High Priestess said.

“Ah. As do I. …I think.”

*

- Part Four -