Posts by FadedDreams

Illianaro barely noticed it when his former companion’s mouth closed over the spoon he had held out, jokingly. Even then it took him a bit to acknowledge what just happened. Before he could really express anything to the current actions, Alexander was quick to respond to his earlier comments. He opened his mouth to respond but his eyes locked on the faint blush that seemed to spread across Alexander’s face. He had never seen him blush before and it was…quite cute. But he became quite flustered himself and quickly retracted his hand away from him. He gave a few coughs to cover up his loss of words as he looked away before quickly speaking. “Ah…hem! There is really no stopping you when there is a flame lit in your eyes! …Just do not get yourself stuck in a dangerous situation.” He said as concern lingered in his voice. As Alexander talked about the interesting meeting he had with his party, he continued back eating before his food got cold. “I’m glad. Make sure to meet me again and tell me more about your new adventures.” Illianaro said with a small smile as he sat the finished bowl back onto the stand and tore the bread in half before handing the other half to Alexander. “Take it to help with your hunger.”

Zaref had occupied himself with looking at other wares while the two talked. It wasn’t long before his stomach growled and perhaps it was time to return to the others. Surely, they must be awake by now. He came over to the two a bit reluctantly before interrupting, “Sorry for intruding on your reunion, but I think we should head back now. The others should be awake by now.”

“A R E Y O U S U R E?” Ayla spelled out in his palm before adding, “I F Y O U C H A N G E Y O U R M I N D, T H E O F F E R W I L L S T I L L B E A V A I L A B L E.” She gave him another small smile before gently cupping his hand in both hands and giving it a light shake. Her gaze turned to Aysrilth as she patted his side to notify him to get up. With great reluctance the dragon moved to crouch as Ayla climbed upon his back. Aysrilth stood at his full height after Ayla was on him, but not before leaning his large head down close to the old man’s head and blowing a puff of air through his nostrils at him. The dragon’s actions could be interpreted as playful but it was hard to tell with its unchanging scaly face. He gave Brahm one final vague look before turning away from him with Ayla waving at the wizard before they took off.

“No. Though I am worried about them but I am sure they’re fine. There’s still more out here that I have to investigate. After all it is oddly quiet for a warring country. If we are all lucky, the war may have just ended and we weren’t there to witness it.” Illianaro answered with a distant smile. “Stay safe!” He shouted at Alexander as his distant eyes focused back on his friend and his Elven companion. He gave a brief wave as he watched them go.

Once they were back on the tracks to heading home, Zaref patted Alexander’s back in a friendly manner. “I see you get around.” He stated as he looked to the knight while walking beside him, “I’m glad. You seemed like the lonely sort but you may be more vibrant than I expected.” He flashed him a warm grin before turning his sight back to the road ahead. The contact was brief and he gave Alexander back his personal space as his stomach began to rumble. He had gotten hungry while watching the two. He hoped the food at the inn was good or at least decent.

Sin impatiently tapped the heel of his foot against the floor as he sat at a wooden table in the tavern’s dining area. The clacking of his boot against the floor filled the area as he moved his leg in rapid succession. His hands restlessly fidgeting before he suddenly leaned back in his chair, sprawling out with an irritated groan. “How long are they going to be?” He whined to no one in particular before he sprung up and kicked at the table. He was careful not to use his full strength as he didn’t want to cause that much of a scene. Still, his temper was getting to him. Why did he have to wait to eat for them? Since when were they that close? Once the three wanderers entered through the door, Sin eagerly looked their way before the bright expression changed into a scowl. “Hey! How long were you guys going to take? We were about to order without you!” He shouted angrily before plopping down into his chair.

“I’m hungry~!” Aquarius whined as he slumped in his chair this whole time. He hadn’t moved a bit from that posture since they first settled at the table. He had never felt so hungry in his life but it may have been due to food always constantly being around in the sea that he never had to wait for a meal. The only wait there was, was for catching the food. He perked up a bit as he saw the other members of their party.

“Waitress!” Sin called as he briefly held his hand up to signal for the waitress to take their order. As the barmaid made her way over to the group, Sin scanned the returning members of their party. His red eyes fell on the Knight as something seemed different to him. Leaning forward over the table, he placed his elbows on it as a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Did you enjoy your date with the elf?” He asked mockingly before feigning shock. “I can’t believe you would steal Brahm’s man like that! Have you no shame?”

The fins at the side of Aquarius head wiggled a bit as excitement filled the merman. His sea green eyes twinkled in anticipation as he watched his friends return and come to their table. A big grin covered his face and he accidentally let out a bubble when he opened his mouth. Embarrassment flushed him as the ball of water drifted in the air causing him to give a nervous giggle. Sin had made him put on clothes to hide his scales and the numerous fins that covered his body. The clothes made him uncomfortable as they suffocated his fins but Sin said he had to wear them. Aquarius popped the bubble as Brahm sat beside him and smiled back at the old man. “Welcome back~! Um…when I woke up, everyone was gone and I thought I was left behind again. But! Sin came out the bathroom and told me everyone would come back! I was glad I wasn’t alone! But Sin made me wear these clothes and they’re uncomfortable! Now I finally get to eat!” He chimed with childish delight before a frown crossed his face, “What…do humans eat for breakfast?” he asked Brahm as he tilted his head, confusion in his eyes.

“You are welcome.” Zaref said before they reached the door where they crossed paths with Brahm. He gave a warm smile to the old wizard before opening the door for him, letting the both of them enter the inn before he did so himself. “Sorry, the jog was longer than I intended it to be.” Zaref apologized as he headed for the table and sat down. When the barmaid came over he took his time finding out what they had before making an order. Once he finished he could only catch the last few words that had left Sin’s mouth. He wondered what the siren was doing with Alexander but he figured it wasn’t anything harmful.

Kellen was relieved that Cerberus wasn’t upset about not revealing their relationship to his mom. “Hopefully, she doesn’t visit again.” He said quietly before listening to Cerberus. Kellen took a minute to contemplate whether he should take on those emotions as well but a bit of nervousness wouldn’t harm him. Besides, he wanted to be close to Cerberus and to touch him. Thinking about it made him embarrassed and his cheeks began to lightly tint red as he tried to put away his embarrassing desires. He really wanted to hug Cerberus but in public…maybe it’d be too weird, especially with his friend around. Kellen gently took Cerberus hand in his, entwining their fingers and resisting the urge to snuggle into him. He took a deep breath to level out his own emotions as he could feel Cerberus’ emotions begin to leak into him. “…We can be nervous together!” He stated as he turned his head away to hide his face.

Shiloh jumped a bit as Cerberus suddenly called out to him. He hadn’t been paying attention and had only kept up with the pair by watching their feet as they walked. He looked up quickly to see Cerberus waving at him, beckoning him to come over but exactly how close? Trying to avoid making anything more awkward for himself, Shiloh fastened his pace and caught up to the two but he still stayed a bit behind them. He was only an inch behind them and didn’t know if he should walk beside them. They seemed pretty close, really close…did friends always seem this close? He couldn’t tell since he couldn’t recall ever really having friends. What would he be able to talk about with them? The thoughts made him nervous and he held onto his shirt to keep his hands distracted.

“Unfortunately.” Gabriel replied in a sullen voice, “I wished I didn’t…” He mumbled as he kept his gaze focused on nothing, refusing to look up to the elf’s face. “I don’t think you know what clinginess is. I’m definitely not the clingy type.” Gabriel stayed pressed close against the librarian as the warmth comforted him. He hadn’t smelt his scent for a while nor felt his touch. He found it strange that he yearned for this kind of thing. After all, no other person brought out these feelings from him when he dated in the past. Was it because the elf was mysterious or did he actually have a kink for older men? Older women? He hoped this wasn’t a part of him.

Calisto watched Gale climb through the window and gave him a warm smile once he was in his office. As Gale made his way over to him, he figured he was ready to head out but was surprised when he was pulled into an embrace. An audible gasp left his mouth as he began to blush lightly before shyly returning the hug. Calisto nuzzles his face into his lover’s shoulder before peeking up at him and accidentally meeting Gale’s eyes. “It’s at the campus store. I was going to buy it there, than we could take the pictures…” he answered a bit quietly but fairly audible.

“You’re too kind.” Soleil said with a small smile before nodding his head to her. “You too, thank you for seeing me off. It was a great honor.” With that brief moment of gratitude, he pulled open the door and his icy yet stern features returned as he entered the class. From the door you could hear him greet his class and give an introduction.

Vel carried the petite girl like a sack of potatoes. She was quite light and her earlier squeak made him think of her has a mouse. He felt her holding onto him but he didn’t pay much attention to it as he rushed to class. He was nimble and agile so it didn’t take long to reach the school, though he didn’t know how the girl felt as he had jumped through trees getting there. Hell, he was surprised she could even talk during the ride. “Magic history is first though I’d rather skip it.” He grumbled in response. “Why do I have to take such a lame class? I already know the basics! Who cares about history?” He continued to grumble under his breath before yelling the last part out. Once they were in the building he nearly forgot that he was holding Celine until he almost dropped her. He carefully stood her onto her own two feet before kicking at the air.

Sin watched Alexander’s eyes as he waited for his response to his teasing. He would watch his face but the man had it covered up again so the only thing he could do was make eye contact with him. Humans found that weird but the small action always gave out far more about the person than they wanted it too. Alexander had appeared to be well guarded at first before something flashed in his eyes. He appeared more shocked than Sin had expected. It was almost as if he had hit the mark. A small frown began to form at his brow as Sin contemplated if the man had actually developed feelings for the elf. This was odd, considering he had never seen them interact much before. Why him? Sin casts a glance at their elf companion as he scrutinized him. It was true that Zaref was handsome and held the most muscle in their group.

It didn’t help that the elf was shirtless majority of the time but he couldn’t see why Alexander would be attracted by that. He looked back to Alexander to see a brief moment of relief flood Alexander’s eyes before being replaced with confusion. So he didn’t like Zaref but he seems to like some other elf. Regardless, laughter erupted from Sin as he playfully wiped a tear from his eye. “You should have seen your face!” he exclaimed while pointing to Alexander before looking to Brahm. “You should not be so surprised old man. He would have figured it out at some point during our travels. Our party is small and when there is nothing much to do, it is not hard to notice how you and Zaref are always fawning over each other. Perhaps you have not glimpsed your mutual feelings?” Sin stated casually as he calmed down.

“Really~?” Aquarius exclaimed enthusiastically as his face lit up once more. “I hope so too! I do wonder why humans wear these things! It is much freer being bare!” He raised his arms up as he talked about the clothes, emphasizing their strangeness as the sleeves followed his arms. The merman began to quiet down a bit as he listened to Brahm talk. “Hm…I have never had such things before. In the see, we only eat fish smaller than us. Are those things good?” Aquarius looked thoughtful as he asked before the raucous the others were causing caught Brahm’s attention. He watched curiously as he didn’t know what was happening.

“Pardon?” Zaref asked as he heard Sin’s recent comments to Brahm. For their relationship to be described like that aloud was quite…embarrassing. This was nothing he expected Sin to have brought up with Alexander. A light frown crossed his face as he didn’t think his actions toward Brahm looked so…flirtatious. Had he been looking at Brahm that way? It was true that he did hold Brahm in close regards as there was something about the old man that had caught his fancy but was it really as Sin described? A bit flustered, he looked to Brahm to see his reaction to the siren’s words.

Sin studied the two, Brahm and Alexander, as the atmosphere around them grew thick with tension and confusion. He didn’t think it would turn out this way, to think the old man really hadn’t noticed and that the elf was just as oblivious. He wondered how this would play out now, both acted like bumbling maidens now that their feelings were exposed. He almost felt bad as he watched Brahm, yet it was amusing seeing two men of their caliber act like this. Surely, this wasn’t their first love? He assumed Brahm must have had quite the romances in his youth, seeing as the old man’s looks hadn’t faded. The only thing that showed his age was a few creases in his skin yet those didn’t diminish his features.

Still, he couldn’t put it pass the old man if he had chosen to live his life buried in the arcane, books, and adventures as his fountain withered. If it was true, he thought it rather sad for the old man to wait this long to pursue any romance that would rarely come his way. But what great luck he had, usually, the only romance he could find is either with another withered soul or that in a canine companion who would remain by his side till he died. To have a handsome elf whose age was hidden behind his slow aging attracted to him was a jackpot in itself.

Aquarius’s eyes wandered between each member of the group as he could feel the atmosphere change. Specifically, he could sense the nervousness rolling off their eldest companion, Brahm, as he averted his eyes from Zaref and instead had a staring competition with the table. The group had never gotten so silent before and with everyone watching Brahm or Zaref, Aquarius felt antsy. He didn’t want to watch Brahm suffer like this anymore and wanted to end this farce even though he wasn’t exactly sure what it was. The awkwardness had been irritating him but he didn’t know how to steer the conversation off the two. If he said something, would he be ignored?

Aquarius knew it was possible, he knew most of their party regarded him as a child. As he began to fidget, the barmaid from earlier returned with a tray of plates, each holding various foods on them and stacked on top of one another. How she did this and managed to not ruin their meals was beyond him. The lady began to call out their orders as she set their meals before them. This, effectively, interrupted the farce. Aquarius briefly worried if everyone would return to normal before the smell of food perforated his scent glands. His mouth spread open in a delightful grin as rows of sharp teeth, usually hidden, exposed themselves. Each tooth sharpened dangerously glimmered in the light as a bit of drool left his mouth.

Time had stilled for Zaref as he could feel the eyes lock on him and Brahm. He usually wasn’t the nervous type and had faced any scrutiny before him with great confidence; however, this time was different. Although he could hold his composure, another person was involved. He didn’t want Brahm troubled by this but as he watched his companion for a reaction, he could see the rosy red tint color his face as his eyes had widened. When their eyes had met so suddenly, the elf had stiffened as Brahm quickly averted his gaze. Zaref knew now that he wanted to discuss his feelings with Brahm but not in this kind of setting. What could he say to steer their attention from them? As he contemplated it, the barmaid had arrived and called out his order. He instinctively answered and his meal sat before him. He sighed as this may turn everyone’s attention back to eating.

Sin watched the others coolly, taking note of their changed dispositions as breakfast was delivered. He took extra notice in Brahm’s relief and found it so amusing that the old man had quickly relieved himself. A small chuckle escaped his lips but he decided to let the old man bask in his relief, after all, he had no intention of making an enemy of the old warlock. He just wanted to tease the two and watch the fireworks after it. Even if the old man wouldn’t want to admit it, but if they became a couple after this, they couldn’t deny Sin’s part in their new romance. His glimmering red eyes didn’t stay on Brahm too long, as they quickly flickered to Alexander while he was chuckling. “Oh~? Our dear brave knight does not eat with his mask on? How astounding! I surely thought you would have some trick up your sleeve that allowed you to possess such a feat!” Sin chimed as he began to methodically and daintily tear into his food.

“I am! I am!” Aquarius repeated excitedly as he stared fixedly at his plate of food. Sin had ordered his food for him, as if left up to the merman; he would have ordered everything off the menu just to see what it was. Sin had ordered a plate of toast with a slice of ham and fried eggs coating the two. Beside it were two small fish, raw, and a bowl of porridge. Aquarius sniffed at the food before turning, excitedly, towards Brahm as he grabbed at his sleeve and tugged at it. “Brahm, what is this? What is this? How do I eat it? Look, there is fish! I usually eat fish for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert!” He exclaimed in a flurry of words as he pointed to various items on his plate before picking up the small, dead fish and biting into it, ripping off its head in an easy fashion. His sharp, pricked teeth made quick work of the fish and the crunching of its bones in his mouth could be heard.

Zaref watched the others and relaxed in his seat as the atmosphere changed. He smiled as he looked at his plate of what Brahm called earlier, human food. It was different from what he ate at home but not vastly different. He couldn’t help but listen to Aquarius as he talked, he couldn’t imagine eating nothing but fish for his entire life but then again, he wasn’t a merman. His thoughts drifted to his family as he began to eat the food.

“I, myself, do not possess the knowledge as to why his highness wishes to see you. The only thing we have been told is that you are the surviving heir and that he wished to see you for an important matter. The rest of what we know is just guesses.” The Knight replied.

ooc: refer to this for a recap -> To Rise Again | Fantasy Kingdom || Private

“Yes, your highness! Shall I gather your companion’s horse too?” The second knight asked courteously as he made sure not to meet the prince’s eyes. He did so not out of fear but to meet royalty head on shows either courageousness or arrogance and often times, it is taken as arrogance. Only those of equal status can meet royalty’s eyes and as he had no desire to be beheaded, he kept his gaze below the prince’s eyes.

The first knight mounted his own horse as the two spoke, carefully taking the reins of his partner’s horse as he waited. “Once we set off, it shall not take long to return back to the castle. If we ride without any stops we shall make it by dusk, if we are lucky. Daemons have been spotted at the carnage of the battle, feasting on the remains of the fallen. They’ll be too preoccupied to bother us but for your safety, I recommend you ride in the middle of us.” He informed the prince.

Prey was scarce in the forest, though Emil was not alone. He could smell the various forces of life around him but none were the desired prey. The prey his hunger yearned for. He knew better than to expect humans to be wandering around the forest after fleeing from a war, but deep down inside he couldn’t help it and that scared him. The fact that a tiny part of him had hoped to prey upon humans and steal their lives for his own was frightening. Emil clutched at his chest, his hand finding the necklace Peregrine had given him and gently clasping it. What would Peregrine think if he knew? He worried that Peregrine hadn’t yet realized the monster he had accepted into his bed. That he’ll soon realize what Emil truly was… A sound to his right startled him as he quickly froze, his head swiveling around to try to see what caused it. His heart hammers in his chest as the being was on his blindside but it quickly subsided once he realized what it was. A lone deer was foraging for food of its own through the thicket. Had Emil been so lost in his thoughts that a deer wasn’t able to notice him? Emil didn’t ponder it long before pouncing the creature, “I’m sorry.” He said under his breath before biting the creature’s neck. The toxins from his fangs paralyzed it, making it easier for Emil to drain the deer of its youth. Emil had never been able to hold back from killing a victim, it was something he couldn’t control. The deer began to age in his grasp, it’s once beautiful and youthful appearance changed to a dull and wrinkly one. Its skin barely clinging to its bones once he finished.

Kellen smiled at the warmth he felt from Cerberus’ hand. He hadn’t felt this warmth since the last time they met. He remembered yearning for his touch over the months that the campus was closed. Lost in thought, he was caught off guard when he felt Cerberus pull him closer. He quickly glanced at him before looking away, flustered. “C-cutest?” He stuttered before frowning in embarrassment as Cerberus teased him. “I am not!” He shouted at him but refused to look his way because it was the truth. His face felt like it was on fire so he could only assume that his face had turned bright red in a matter of seconds. He braced himself for more teasing by Cerberus was a bit surprised when it didn’t happen. Instead he heard Cerberus address his friend. Kellen listened and curiously turned his glance towards Shiloh. He hadn’t really gotten the opportunity to look over the guy with his mom around nor did he get to speak to him. He felt like he had seen him around campus before. He started to wonder how Cerberus met the guy, who seemed reluctant to come closer to them. They were complete opposites as far as he could tell but he would judge Shiloh later. “Hey, you never properly introduced us! Why don’t you do it after you finish testing?” He wasted no time changing their topic of embarrassing him to focusing more on Shiloh.

Walking a bit closer to the pair, Shiloh could hear what they were saying a bit more. Were they…flirting? His hands still tightly gripped his shirt as he glanced towards them a bit to find their hands entwined. He couldn’t help but stare a bit but he quickly averted his gaze back to the front of him. His thoughts swirled with questions; he wanted to ask if they were more than friends? But what if they weren’t and this was just a normal friend’s thing? He’d be so embarrassed! Not only that, but that would be rude to ask, wouldn’t it? Still, he felt like he had intruded upon something and it made him all the more nervous. Had he always been this weird? He remembered the first time he enrolled here. He was still shy but it wasn’t this bad. He had only been nervous before because he had always been home schooled and it was his first time talking to people his…age? Was there an age limit to this academy? Now that he thought about it, he did see an old man in class once. This brought him back to questioning Cerberus’ age. He should really ask him sometime but maybe not now. He jumped when he heard Cerberus call out to him again. “Ah! A-are you sure I’m not…bothering you guys..?” Shiloh asked, hesitantly, as his hands began to tremble a little from the nervousness.

“Yes, your high- I mean…Prince Peregrine!” The second knight had corrected himself as best as he could. He wasn’t around for Peregrine’s speech about the whole name thing, so he was rather lost. The knight promptly left and brought over Peregrine’s horse, leading it by the reigns. He held the horse’s reigns until Peregrine was safely mounted on his steed. Then he got onto his own horse and settled into formation with the first knight.

“Not just your life is at cost. If we do not properly perform our duties, our lives shall be on the line.” The first knight chided lowly as he reeled his horse in the direction of the castle. He then set off in sync with the other knight but made sure they kept pace with Peregrine’s horse. Whether Peregrine disliked it or not, they kept at his sides effectively keeping him in the middle.

Emrin had as much luck as his brother when it came to finding prey. He too, managed to find a deer. He was never picky about whose youth he was taking but he usually fed off of multiple people in small quantities whenever he was in a town. If the bounty he was after had a kill warrant on it, he usually sucked them dry, but only after he got his reward for killing them. Whenever they fed fully, the corpse bore no resemblance to the person it once was. Only someone who had seen them before they were attacked could recognize the dry husk they had become. Emrin wondered how many animals he had to kill in order for his wound to heal. Curious, he lifted his shirt to check on the tended wound. Feeding had surely helped it recover but it was still healing slowly. He’d hunt a bit more before meeting with Emil.

The first knight, being sterner and less tolerant, was easily annoyed by Peregrine’s childish antics. He couldn’t believe that this was their surviving heir to the throne. The man had neither tact nor manners. It was already enough that their supposedly only heir was now dead but it was not like that Prince was any good. He had the standings of a king but he unfortunately used his powers to ruin his own kingdom and die at the price. But was this man any better? The knight sighed to himself as he ignored Peregrine’s shenanigans, letting his younger more foolish partner handle it. Yet, he heard that the man was one of the heroes that saved the kingdom. How could that be?

The second knight, who was more duty bound, obedient, kind, and naïve, according to his seniors, entertained Peregrine’s shenanigans. He stuck to the code that was hammered into him when he first became a knight. He tried his best to do whatever was expected of him, even if it meant trying to prevent their prince from breaking formation. He didn’t really find it a nuisance, as he had just accepted the job. His family was too poor to flee to another place, they couldn’t make the journey. So they stayed in their house and prayed. Miraculously, they survived till the war ended and he wasted no opportunity joining the knights when he saw the jobs opening up at the castle.

Once the brothers had managed to feed till their hunger was sated, Emrin was surprised to see his horse still there. He had expected them to take the horse but since it was left behind, they might as well ride it. He mounted the horse before letting Emil saddle up behind him. “If we are lucky, we will be able to catch up to your prince charming and you will be able wrap your arms around his big, strong muscles!” Emrin teased as he tapped the horse with his foot to get it moving once Emil was safely on.

“…Stop.” Emil uttered in slight embarrassment, before adding, “Is that how you see us?”

“How could I not? You two are always all over each other. Besides, I know that is what you really want. After all, you looked so happy clutching onto him yesterday night~!” Emrin continued to tease Emil throughout the ride. Emil hoped they could make it to the castle already so he wouldn’t die from embarrassment. “Still, who could have known he was actually your prince?” Emrin laughed as he snapped the reigns, putting the horse into a gallop.

“None of us, but…could you stop calling him that?”

“A story?” The second knight repeated as he looked to Peregrine as slight confusion crossed his face. “Hmph, if that’s what you want, prince, but what kind of story?” He never thought he would have to tell an adult a story, it was expected out of children but not for an adult. Then again, when bonding with other knight’s in their private quarters, they passed around stories for bonding. It was still odd being asked for one from the prince.

Rough coughing could be heard from within the confines of the King’s chamber along with the movement of feet on the pristine floor. Eventually, the immaculately designed door knob was turned and a physician stepped out, shutting the door behind her. “The King is currently refusing visitors unless you offer news of importance.”

A rough voice could be faintly heard but the deepness of the voice carried it out. “Let them in…” The physician immediately turned and bowed before opening the door wider and stepping aside so that the maid could enter.

“Oh-…” The second knight grew quiet as he listened to the prince’s questions and didn’t think twice before answering. “…Is that…what happened to you, sire?” He asked, not turning to face the man as the quiet words left his mouth, loud enough for Peregrine to hear but carrying visible weight. This was a trait of the knight that others often hated, because they took him for a fool and never expected him to be oddly perceptive. After all, he was a poor village idiot who lived on the outskirts of the town of the wealthy, at least that’s how the higher class knight’s viewed him. Once the second knight realized what he had uttered and was startled by Peregrine’s laugh, he realized what he had truly done. Maybe the prince hadn’t noticed what he said? Either way, he also gave a laugh as nervous as it was, it sounded quite natural. “Right, right! Actually, I had a different kind of story in mind, if you do not mind listening to it, sire. It may not be a story of knighthood but I think it is interesting even though it is just a folktale passed around these parts. Who knows, it could even be real!” He said with a laugh.

The King lay in his massive bed, decorated by the finest silks in the Kingdom that not even the rich could afford. Although his large body was covered by the blankets and only his head stuck out, he still had an imposing figure. His hair is a tumble of white that splayed across the pillow with a few strands sticking to his forehead, slicked with fever. His eyes sunken and the shadows cast a dark ring around them, though his eyes had always been sunken. His beard long and white, concealed most of his sickly features. His golden beady eyes locked onto the maid with a piercing stare that felt like he either looked through her or could see inside her. “Gather the remaining staff and tell them to prepare for visitors, they shall arrive in few days’ notice. The castle is too beyond repair to look as immaculate as it used too but that does not mean you can slack off. Prepare rooms, three guests will arrive first, I expect them to be in your care.” The King commanded flawlessly, not letting an ounce of his sickness show as if he was still sitting upon the throne.

“My mother told me this story when I was little, I am sure a lot of children heard the story at that age and there are different versions. The legend goes that centuries ago there was family of deadly monsters that terrorized the villages around it. Many lost their lives to these monsters and the past King could not let this stand and watch as his kingdom falls to these monsters! He led a crusade against, what they believed to be, daemons after he found the location of their home. As the war waged and the numbers on both sides dwindled, the King came out victorious though there was one survivor. A child of the daemons. The citizens wanted a head of the daemons as a sign of victory. The King could not bring himself to slaughter the child, so instead he enslaved it. It became the daemon of the castle. The daemon was actually docile and lived for centuries. One night, the daemon killed a knight in the castle. Rumor has it that the man was plotting to poison the King and the daemon protected him. Since then, if anyone had any ill wishes towards the King, it was said that the daemon would steal your life. Of course, the other version says that the daemon killed the man out of revenge when it discovered it had the power to do so. The King acted quickly to subdue the daemon but no one knows what truly happened to the daemon. Some say that if you lurk around the castle at night, the daemon will steal your life.”

Upon hearing the story the second knight told, the first knight slowed his horse down just enough to come beside the second knight and smack the back of his head. He hadn’t been fast enough to stop him before the tale had ended. The second knight let out a yelp before his collar was grabbed by the first who scolded him in whispers close to his ears. The first knight had glanced at Peregrine briefly as he spoke.

“Wh-what?” The second knight gasped loudly before the first knight covered his mouth.

“Think before you speak you fool! The one who lies with it is closer than you think!” The first knight growled as he turned to the sound of hooves closing in on them from behind. “Speak of the devil.” He grumbled quietly before shoving the second knight and galloping back into position.

Emil and Emrin picked up speed on their horse as they closed in on the party ahead of them. They could make out Peregrine’s figure atop his horse in the middle of the guards who had some distance between them. “Hey-!” Emrin started to yell before Emil covered his mouth in order to listen to their conversation. They had arrived towards the end of the knight’s story. At first, Emil couldn’t figure out why they were telling stories to one another until he realized what the story was about. Emrin was unaware of it so once the knight had finished he smacked Emil’s hand away and picked up enough speed to catch up to Peregrine. “Hey! Why did you leave our horse behind? We would have come faster if you took the horse.” Emrin said as he looked to the assassin. “And take your lover, he has been lonely without your company.”

“I…! I have not!” Emil said in surprise as he frowned at his brother.

Once Isabella had left, the attending nurses closed the door behind her and guttural coughs could be heard from inside the room. The sounds of other people could be heard faintly in few areas of the castle. The remaining knights were outside on the castle grounds training as some of the more experienced ones were helping clear debris. Some of the more loyal servants were still there, training the newer maids and butlers.

The second knight sat there frozen, if he wasn’t riding a horse he would have been standing there as the others left him behind. But because he was riding a horse, his horse trotted along in the same pace it had been going before. Because of the first knight, he hadn’t heard any of the prince-ling's remarks except for the last one. He looked to Peregrine and watched in a daze as the man greeted the strangers he was with before. But he wasn’t listening to their conversation as he was still shocked by his recent revelation. Once he realized he was staring, he sat forward and rode silently as he tried to figure out what the First Knight’s words meant.

“Pfft, the horse was lonely by the time we came back!” Emrin scoffed as he rode beside Peregrine’s horse. His eyes rolled as he listened to Peregrine’s romantic spiel, he still couldn’t see why his brother was so infatuated with this man but then again, he still couldn’t understand his brother’s life. “Hurry up; I do not want to stay close to this any longer!” He urged his brother with a scowl.

Emil met the assassin’s gaze as he tucked himself a bit into the scarf that covered half of his face. “I…I never said…!” He started futilely but gave up as Peregrine continued, not listening to his protest. “…!” He opened his mouth briefly before closing it as he could feel his ears begin to lightly flush at his lover’s ridiculous words. He glared at his brother before adjusting his scarf to hide his face more tightly, and then he carefully moved onto Peregrine’s horse. Once seated behind his lover, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around Peregine’s waist before burying himself in his lover’s back, embarrassed. He stayed quiet for a while.

“Story telling?” Emrin asked as he began to distance himself from the lovers before the voice of the first Knight rang out to them.

“The castle is up ahead!”