Leaving the presence of the castle and its inhabitants behind was always a release of pressure on my nerves. Even though on this particular day in Haulburn, the downpour of rain and the clouded sky that hid the view above formed a depressing cloak that covered all, I felt better out here amidst the ongoing shower than I did inside there. The councilors covered their own cloak over those unfortunate enough to be in their presence. However, with them, the only troubling thing that weighed on my mind was how to deal with what the king had requested of me. I couldn’t simply turn my family in, not after I had just reunited with them, not after they had just forgiven me of my past mistakes, but I couldn’t disobey the orders from the council either. I had been forced into an uncanny situation, though it felt like a scenario such as this one was worthy of being the result of working with those who run the kingdom. To them, I was a pawn, nothing more, nothing less. How I felt didn’t matter, only that I served my purpose.

A carriage came to pick me up and collect me from the drowning streets of the inner city, my mind racing with thoughts as the driver took me to the academy's teleportation gate. ‘Perhaps they would be understanding,’ I thought. ‘Maybe if I could get them to turn themselves in, the council would be lenient with their punishment, considering their situation and my involvement in this case’. Of course, I wasn’t thinking realistically. I had experienced the games of the council, and I knew how its members played. Leniency, unfortunately, was not one of their qualities. I remember a court case that happened some time ago, it was the talk of the town for about a month before other matters had arisen to distract the public. It involved a man who owned a bar within the inner city - quite popular and overpriced as many inner city bars would be. The man, however, had been wronged in the past by a family business that he used to be partners with. Their betrayal of his trust formed a hatred within him which slowly grew into a longing for revenge. And so, he acted. In time, the bar owner invited these ex-business partners of his to come round for some drinks, a pretence of removing any bad blood between them. His twelve-year-old son at the time would be the one to specifically serve them whenever they came, as they were considered special guests, and all their drinks were on the house. So naturally, whenever the time for celebration came, these ex-business partners would go to his bar, knowing that they could drown their throats and fill their cups as much as they liked. This ordeal happened for around three years until one day the bar owners' ex-business patterns all seemed to fall ill with Ifantemia - an untreatable seer illness contracted solely through exposure to high amounts of the exotic Infantal flower’s nectar. Long story short, the son of the bar owner, out of guilt, came forward when he was older. Only then had he realized what his father was making him slowly feed their “special guests” over the years. The case itself didn’t spread far out of Haulburn City while it was under investigation, however, only after the boy had spoken up and the council had gotten themselves involved with the judge and made their own verdict, had the story traveled throughout the entire kingdom. Despite the boy coming forward and admitting that he had no knowledge of his actions, he and the father were sentenced to death by hanging - a punishment that was and still is legal to this day, despite it being seldom judgment. Evidence that the council’s mercy was fleeting at most times.

I fear that they would do worse to my friends if they were given the opportunity. Therefore, for that reason, I knew what I had to do. There was only so much time to spare, so I couldn’t spend my time leisurely. However, I first had to return to the academy to see what was going on in my absence. Unlike the council, the board members of the school didn’t take it lightly when I was gone. The councilors were lucky with how much freedom they had when it came to taking leave from their duties, as it was apparent when Lord Kelting would rant to me about how often Lord Lucintroph would spend weeks away doing god knows what. Unfortunately, my board members weren't as reliable when I took leave, clearly now that Professor Swine spoke so openly with Lord Lucintroph about my new staff.

Something always bothered me about Professor Swine, although he may hide it well from his students, I knew that a guileful man existed behind the one who teaches religion. He could be silent but cunning, direct but passive, attempting to hide his true intentions behind his teachings of history and religion, a front that I would not fall for again.

The carriage arrived at the teleportation gate building, where the driver stopped at the far side to let me out. As I approached the building, however, there seemed to be trouble stirring. Aside from the usual guards that the school had employed to stand by and defend the gate, a group of unknown individuals seemed to making a commotion around them.

“Leave at once!” One of the guards shouted. Although most of the inner city - including this area - was a no-magic zone, the guards held obsidian-tipped spears at the ready. “Don’t make me say it again,” he warned.

The somewhat large group of men didn’t seem to have any other objective aside from harassing them as they made light of their words, although most of them just stood by observing and watching as if they were seeing how the guards reacted, taking down mental notes.

“C’mon, why don’t you just relax and let me get a closer look at that weapon of yours, huh?” One of the men said in a playful tone. “What do ya think, Andres, wouldn’t this look nice to have on our wall?” the man looked back at his accomplice. Andres shrugged in response, not really caring for what the man had said.

“Keep acting this way and we’ll give you a clear look at the blade, might even show you how sharp it is!” the guard said losing his patience. The group of men laughed in response to his threat.

“Is that so?” the same man replied, as they all began circling around two men. The guards lowered their weapons ready for a fight, as they were out number two to fifteen at the least, they didn’t give in so easily to the intimidation of the men.

“One move, and you’re dead,” one of the guards said, aiming his spear directly at the man. “Just give me a reason, I dare you.”

That was enough, I wouldn’t let this fiasco escalate any more than it already had. As I got closer into range of the ordeal, I released a thick wave of my aura, letting them all know I was approaching. They all turned to face where the mana signature was coming from and the goons turned their attention to me. Some in shock, and others in distaste.

“H . . . Headmaster,” one of the guards said before raising his weapon again.

“What is the meaning of this?” I yelled sternly. “What business have you here?” I said to the group of men.

“So you’re the headmaster of Haulburn Academy?” The same grimy man asked, “I always wondered what the prick who ran this place looked like?” He said as I continued to walk straight toward them.

“I said, why are you hear,” I projected my voice a little louder. Most of the men stumbled backward, but the one with a big mouth was about to speak again until the man named Andres stopped him by putting his hand up.

“Nothing, headmaster,” he said with a hard expression, “We just wanted to see the place for ourselves,” he said. ”It’s a shame you don’t let people go the gate to campus, but we’ve seen enough. We’ll be leaving now.” He nodded his head to his companions, making them back away and leave the area.

“What happened?” I asked one of the guards as the men all left.

“They all just appeared around not too long ago, sir.” the guard said. “They didn’t do much at the start, simply looked at the building from afar, perhaps walked around it a couple of times, but then they moved in closer and started harassing us,” he explained.

This was embarrassing. Haulburned Academy, “the ever reputable school” lord Lucintroph had called it, was almost threatened by some delinquents. It was shocking even. I suppose I had spent so much time within the inner city, that I had forgotten that people like them existed even everywhere. Nowhere was safe in the city.

“It’s ok, you both did well,” I commended them. “I will be sure to post more men out here along with you to guard the gate entrance.”

“Thank you, sir!” The other guard said. They both straightened themselves as I left and entered the doors of the building where the teleportation gate stood. It was automatically left activated during certain hours of the day to allow planned guests to come and visit, and then deactivated for most of the day. However, now that this country is becoming increasingly unsafe, I feel it might be more beneficial for the student’s safety if it was left deactivated until someone was actually going to use it.

The journey back to the school grounds was a decently long but peaceful walk. Even though I’ve been here for around a decade, I still find it unbelievable how this place was built. I mean, teleportation gates are a type of magic that we currently have no grasp on how to control or create, so I don’t know how the people of the past made them in the first place. It was all very fascinating stuff and more reasons as to why I enjoyed running this school.

As I arrived at my office, I noticed a pile of documents left at my desk. I knew that it was none other than Alda who had placed them there, probably out of spite. Not even before I could sit down to address the pieces of paper, a knock at my door startled me. “Enter,”. Professor Swine, poked his head through before his body followed.

I sighed at the sight of him, “Professor.” I said taking off my outer blazer and sitting down.

“You called for me, Harrison?” he asked. I glanced up at him with a questioning look.

“Harrison?” I said. “I believe it would be appropriate to say, sir, or Headmaster, don't you think?”

He smirked, “I didn’t think we were so distant, sir. Although, that would explain why you left school grounds with little to no explanation.”

“I said I had to go on urgent business, isn’t that enough?”

“No,” he said flatly. “Keep doing things like that and the other teachers will begin to question the placing of your station.” The tone of his voice was slight, but it almost seemed as if it were a threat.

“Is that what you’ve been discussing with councilors?” I confronted him. “The placing of my station.”

He hesitated slightly, the smile on his face quivering. “Sir, I have friends, don’t most people talk about their employers with friends?”

“Tell me then, what was so interesting about who I employ, that you felt the need to relay it lord Lucintroph?” I said sternly.

“My lord and I are friends,” he explained. “He tells me of council matters, the state of the kingdom, Solomon’s recent indulgences. And I tell him things of . . . lesser importance.”

He must take me for a fool. Either that or he enjoys seeing me angered. I wouldn’t allow him his satisfaction, however. As much as I wanted to lash out, strangle the pompous shit that stood before me, I knew better. Giving in would always be my favored option, however, delayed gratification was a technique I had learned slowly through the years. But oh how he knew the ways to raise my temper, as if he were a raging fire and my temperament a pot of water. Often times he would get me to a boil, however, I would never let it rage on and leak from the pot.

“I suggest you find new things to discuss with your lord then. Perhaps things of greater importance, if be. Tell me, Lewis,” I asked. “What was it that had you enter the Arcadian Ruins? Should you not have been on campus?”

“Alda, sir. She had something to tell Professor Gillot, and I took it upon myself to relay the message for her,” he said. “We were both in the Southern district at the time, and I was already headed to the North. It would have been a waste of her time to travel all that distance.”

“I suppose,” I replied dissatisfied. It wasn’t that I wanted him to tell me something that confirmed my suspicions, that would be the last thing I would want. It would only bring more problems. It was just that he acted as if he knew he was being suspicious, and played the role with dedication.

“Sir, if you don’t mind me asking,” he started. “How is our king?”

“I thought you said lord Lucintroph tells you of his Majesty and his dealings?”

“It's more of a rant, than a telling of character, sir. He tells me that King Solomon likes to test his subjects' loyalty, I was just wondering if you could elaborate on what he meant,” he said slowly. “Perhaps you have experienced this kind of behavior with your time spent amongst them?”

My eyes widened slightly. Did he know? Could he have known what the king would request of me before the meeting? If so, why would lord Lucintroph be telling him all of this? He claims it’s confidential when speaking to the prince, but has no problem telling one of the board members at Haulburn Academy.

“The king is fine, Professor. His subjects are loyal and he trusts them with confidence.” I said. “I can see that lord Lucintroph has told you of my meetings with the Senary Head Council, and I understand that you won’t mention it to any of the other board members?”

“Of course, sir,” he said with a slight tilt of the head. “If that be all?”

“You may go,” I said.

He closed the door gently behind him, saying “God bless” as he left. It was things like that that made me mad. A man who lived his life by putting a front. Why after all the things he says that are ambiguous in nature, and the things that he does which would make one question his stance, does he continue to act like a glorified religious man? As if he felt like he needed to take the high ground.

“What's wrong with the people in this city?” I exclaimed under my breath.

A scream from outside my window made its way to my ears, and I got up from my chare to look down at where the noise came from. A group of students - the newest first years were a hyper bunch. Some of them played and ran around the school grounds with excitement, while some of the older years stood still watching them from a distance in their separated groups. Such stillness they had, as if they weren't like the kids they watched when they were younger. It put a smile on my face to see it, but their lack of movement reminded me of Vixens Quarter.

In all my anger and shock at what the council had said, I had forgotten to report to them about the Glimmer. The new drug was being abused and passed around the red-light district. I took a seat back in my chair and sighed at the stack of paperwork. Maybe I could ask Omar and Darwin about it when I returned, they would most likely have an answer.

But why did it matter? I was going to such lengths to help the council with the city's problems that it almost seemed as if I were trying to please them. I was not a lapdog, and yet, I acted as if I were. Who cared what happened to their city, they would have to pay the price for it. They choose their problems when it suits them best. A warning of war, and they dismiss it with the excuse of terrorists and cultists. They plead to deal with said terrorists, and they say that “other” matters are of more importance.

The hypocrisy of it shouldn’t have angered me as it did. However, they will pay the price for the decisions they make. Why should I care what fate befall them?

Uriel Elidan (POV)

“Are you sure it's coming tonight?” Nept asked with doubt. “I mean, Uriel, what even is this thing? I don’t like it when you leave me,” he groaned. “I feel like the servants know I’m lying when they ask me where you are.”

“It will come,” I said with confidence. “It always does, and this time, I’ll let you come with me.” his head perked up at this, and a smile formed on my face, though I didn’t show it.

We stayed in my room, high in the palace building. I waited eagerly at the desk by the window, watching the snowstorm rage on outside. It usually got this strong at night, it was something Zarendal was prone to as we were up in the North. The nightlights of the city far below and the snow together created a scene that was beautiful every time I looked at it. Nept kept the hearth blazing with heat as he added coals, roughing them up to allow more air into the flame. It was nice like this. The life-threatening winds on the outside of the window, whereas in here, it was warm and cozy.

Today was a special day for more than one reason. The palace on the bottom floor flooded with guests, and all the house servants were on duty, most of them would be up for the entire night. To those who didn’t know, they would think it was a celebration or a party of sorts going on, but that was far from the truth. My father had summoned all of his lords and their armies from all over the kingdom. Thousands of men - soldiers, and slaves alike - all flooded into Dorivier over the past month, filling the newly built accommodations for their arrival on the outskirts of the capital city. However, tonight was the night that they had all arrived and my father was gathering the leaders of each keep and area in the kingdom to plan for something. Perhaps when I was younger I would have cared to know what, but now I didn’t bother. I knew what was important to me, and whatever took place downstairs didn’t hold much value in my eyes. Not yet, at least.

Nept moved from the fire and threw himself on my bed with his back carelessly, his arms spread out with his legs hanging off the side.

“I love it when it’s like this,” he said. “It's late at night when everyone should be asleep, the storm angry outside, but it just feels so safe in this room,” he exclaimed while wriggling atop the bed. “I could stay here forever.”

“Usually the servant is meant to make the bed clean, not mess it up,” I said teasingly. “Didn’t Horus teach you that?”

“It’s going to get messy anyway, what's the point?” he jokingly replied, crawling under my sheets.

I turned my head to look back out the window and smiled with an unusual fear. It was because of the other reason that tonight was a special night. A reason that I had no explanation for, and yet, I knew it was special. I had left Nept in the dark about it for some months now, a mistake I wish I hadn’t made. However, tonight I would put him up to speed. He had some idea of what was going on, but he never really saw any of it. Only heard things from what I had told him. If I had told anyone else, they would think of me as crazy, but Nept was different from other people. In all of my years of being called “special,” I feel as if he may be the real special one. Most people - including my father - had thought that I had made a rash decision in picking him as my personal servant. After all, he was a lower elf, a descendant of what people called scum - individuals who had chosen not to fight in the “Royale war.” However, in truth, there was no difference between us higher elves and lower elves. We were all the same people, the only separating line being that one group lived in wealth, while the other in extreme poverty.

Nept would be living like all the other impoverished lower elves right now if it weren’t for me finding him years ago. I had been led and snuck out of the palace into the dark city streets on a cold night, where I found him, lying on the floor in some back alley, bottles of shattered glass and bruises on his face as he lay there crying. I didn’t exactly understand it back then, why someone the same age as me was living so differently. He had no home, no parents, no siblings, and no one to love him. Not until I brought him back to the palace and pleaded with my parents to take him in. They knew he was a lower elf and I noticed they always bore a look of distaste when they saw him. Most of the house staff did. However, as the years passed by everyone grew to accept him, and then Horus began teaching him the ways of a servant so that his time in our care wouldn’t go to waste. Naturally, after all that, I chose him as my personal servant. Father was against the idea, he said it was fine if Nept stayed as one of the house staff, but a personal servant was too great a position. I didn’t listen, of course. The decision was mine to make, and I chose who I thought was right. Even now as I glanced at him wrapping himself in my bed sheets, I couldn’t help but smile. We were like brothers, and I knew I had chosen the best.

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He shifted in the sheets again and rose from the bed with the covers still wrapped around his head and body, the only visible part of him being his face.

“If it's coming, then why is it taking so long? I mean, just look out there, Uriel,” he said nodding to the window. “No sane animal would be out there. Let's go downstairs and get some food, I hear Cadwell and the other cooks are making a feast for all the guests tonight.”

“Go by yourself, I’m not hungry,” I dismissed him.

He stared at me blankly for a second, “Uriel, think of all the meat,” he was practically drooling. “You know if I go alone, I won't save any for you.”

“Oh? You plan to eat all the food that Cadwell is making?” I said with a smirk forming on my face.

“If that's what it takes to get you to stop looking past that windowsill,” his lips curved to match. “We’ve been here for hours, I doubt if we miss one more something will change.”

“You know, they say that most gamblers quit before hitting it big. I won't let you make me quit, Nept.”

He shrugged, “Do as you wish, you're the prince after all. But don’t regret it when you come down to see nothing left for you.” he said, throwing the covers from his body to the bed and turning for the door.

As he opened it to leave, I heard him speak with someone on the outside. It started off quiet until their voices rang loud with joy and excitement. ‘Who could he be speaking to?’ I thought. Nept wasn’t that close with any of the house servants to be making such noises.

“He’s just in his room,” I heard him say as the slightly closed door began to slowly open again.

“Wow, look at you!” The woman exclaimed as she walked through the door. “You were cute when you were younger, but now you’ve become handsome.”

“Quella?” I said taken aback. “What are you doing here?” It was a surprise to see her face. It had been far too long since we had last met, we must have been mere children at the time.

“Karia,” she corrected me. “Didn’t you know?” she said “You’re father called everyone to come to Dorivier on urgent business.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know you were coming with Uncle Seldon,” I exclaimed. “Is Quella here too then?”

“Of course, you know me and my sister go everywhere together.”

It was true, the two of them were inseparable ever since we were kids. What made it worse was that they were twins, so it was hard to tell them apart when they weren't together. I looked at her with nostalgia in my eyes. My older cousin had grown quite a bit since last I remember. We were just kids back then when Uncle Seldon would come to visit and Quella, Karia, Nept, and I would all play together in the palace. Nept and I looked up to them, following and copying everything they did. We were all just kids, but now, Karia was more than that. She was a woman. She had grown in various places, her body maturing to fill out her clothes as a woman should. Her face had taken shape, and she was beautiful, just as beautiful as I had heard people describe. Her skin looked as smooth and as soft as the clouds, her lips as plump as any woman would have wanted them, and her piercing eyes that made you feel uncomfortable watched over me. However, when I looked at her hair. I cringed slightly as I thought of the past.

“Why do you still have your hair like that?” I said turning to face the window again, lest I miss something.

“Oh, so now you have a problem with it?” she said teasingly. “I still remember all those years ago, when you would cry because you looked different from everyone else, and Quella and I decided to dye our hair the same silver color as yours to make you feel better,” she said. “Don’t complain now that you want to be unique.”

“It's just that it doesn’t match your eyes,” I complained. “Silver hair doesn’t go well with dark eyes. Your natural hair would be better.”

“Well Quella and I think we look gorgeous,” she argued. “Perhaps you're struggling to see well with that single eye of yours,” she said with a hand on her hip.

I raised my hand to touch my eyepatch, “That was harsh.” I said. “First time you met me in years, and you're already throwing insults? This is why I’ve always preferred Quella.”

“Really? You couldn’t tell us apart when I walked into your room a few moments ago.”

I scoffed, “It doesn’t matter. All anyone needs to do is speak with you both, and the difference couldn’t be any clearer.” I said, breaking us both into a gentle chuckle. She exhaled loudly and made her way to take a seat on my bed.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your sixteenth moonrise birthday.” her voice was gentle as she spoke. “Father has been on my case lately. I would have traveled all the way from Sormia if I could, but . . .”

“It’s ok,” I reassured her. “You didn’t miss anything special, just another year added to my life. Another year closer to death. What’s the real celebration?” I said cheekily.

She smiled in response and got up to move herself closer to the fire. “How was Neptune’s moonrise? Did he have a big celebration like you?”

“Of course not,” I said, taking in the storm once again. “No outsiders, just the servants in the palace and my parents. If I’m being honest I would have preferred having mine like his. I never enjoy it when so many eyes are watching me, people wanting to talk or tell me how much they love me. It’s all so pretentious.”

“Oh, how the burdens of royalty are great,” she giggled. “Well, I don’t want to waste too much of your time, but I suppose you can come to meet us anytime you wish,” she said heading for the door.

“Where are you staying?” I asked.

“In the palace, your father offered for us to stay here since we’re family. Although, I think he also asked Lord Orvin if he wanted to stay,” she said.

“The Orvins are here?” I said shifting in my chair.

“Just their father,” she explained. “Ferick and Keris stayed home in Elaris.”

“A shame, it would have been nice to meet them,” I said regretfully. “What floor are you on?”

“Quella and I are on the west side of the palace on the third floor. But our father is somewhere else,” she said. “Probably closer to your father.”

“You’re sharing a room with Quella?” I asked. “Why not just get your own? I’m sure we have plenty of spares.”

“It’s not a problem,” she smiled, dismissing my comment with a wave. “We shared a room when we were kids. It’s not a big deal.”

Perhaps it wasn’t as big a problem as I was making it. Siblings share rooms all the time. However, they weren't kids anymore, they were women. How old would they be now, twenty-two? Unless there was no other option, I doubt I’d want to sleep with Nept at that age. Not taking in other factors like how much he kicks when he’s asleep, though.

“Well, I’ll be sure to see Quella sometime in the near future,” I said. “I hear you’ll be staying over for quite some time.”

“I’ll be sure to let her know.” She said leaving the room.

Quella and Karia have always been my favorite cousins to be around. They were the nicest to me growing up, and they spent the most time with me, accepted me despite my ailments, and taught me things that kids could only learn by being with other kids. Since I was the prince, and physically impaired, it was difficult to relate with the other noble children. However, they took my fears and doubts away when I was with them. They were even accepting of Nept and considered him part of the family as I did. They were like my older siblings, and now that we have all become older, things haven’t changed, and I love them for that.

I turned my attention to the hearth and watched it crack and spit as it burnt the firewood. Suddenly, a black shadow flew across my peripheral vision causing me to blink in response. I quickly turned my head to the window and glared outside intently. Perhaps I had imagined it, but despite my single eye, I was surprisingly perceptive as most would tell me. The snow continued to rage on as if it were a never-ending hurricane. It smacked against the window and had created a constant pattern sound the entire time, showing me that there was nothing out there. I almost turned to look away, when I caught a glimpse of the the black shadow again. As if it were a large black hovering snowflake, my eyes didn’t betray me as I stared down the crow, flapping its wings fervently to steady itself. It had arrived.

I got up from my seat, grabbed my pearly cane from the side, and made my to the kitchen on the bottom floor to find Nept. I could only go so fast with my leg stopping me from moving as freely as others did, and my one eye - which I’m sure - was far less efficient than two caused my coordination to falter at times. However, despite these setbacks, I had insisted that my room be placed on the seventh floor of the palace. I wanted to make a statement to everyone that these useless limbs wouldn’t hold me back from doing what I wanted. However, as I tried to make my way down the many flights of stairs with haste, I soon came to realize the convenience of residing on the lower floors. Nevertheless, I made it down eventually, and the smell of cooked meat and baked pastries was heavy in the air. It made the palace corridors smell like a bakery, and the aroma was very attractive and intoxicating.

I passed by many servant and house staff who nodded their head to me as I walked by to the kitchens, the thick smell of food growing stronger and the temperature getting hotter. When I entered, all of the cooks were moving around hastily, carrying plate after plate with brown-crusted meat pies, honey-coated chicken thighs, cream pastries, and bottles of the sweetest wine in their hands. The lords of the kingdom were a pompous bunch, so extravagant meals were the least the cooks could provide for them. All of them knew how to cook for the upper class because of one man. The head chef - Cadwell. I glanced around for some time before I spotted him at the far side of the kitchen standing at one of the islands with Nept by his side. A full plate of roasted pork and sugar-coated cake in front of him as he ate. I approached them wary of my steps, as I didn’t want to crash into one of the waiters who was carrying another lord's meal in their hands.

“It’s pronounced ‘Thruptanatio’,” Cadwell chuckled as Nept continued to eat. It sounded as if he was giving him “Anthracis” lessons again. It was the native language of the eleven people in Zarendal before the war. However, the lower elves lost the privilege and the knowledge to speak it many years ago. It’s only a language that the higher elves teach their children aside from the common tongue that most speak today. Due to Nept’s origins, it was natural that he had no knowledge of Anthracis, and Cadwell had always been more than happy to teach him the native tongue.

“Now repeat after me boy, Thruptanatio,” he said this time slower. However, Nept barely muffled the words out of his mouth while he stuffed it with cake. “By the gods of the moon, your helpless child,” Cadwell said smacking him on the back of the head lightly.

“Perhaps you ought to stop giving him food during your lesions,” I said joining in the conversation. “We all know how Nept can be when food is involved.”

“You’re no better, Your Highness,” he said with a smirk. “If I had to bet, I’d say you’re even worse than Neptune when it comes to food.”

Nept gave me a grin with his cheeks full of cake and pork as he heard Cadwell defend him. They were close, we all were. Cadwell was the first staff member of the palace to recognize Nept. He took care of him and fed us both when we would sneak to the kitchen for more food when we were younger.

“Yes, well, at least I don’t take pride in it,” I admitted. “Meat to me is like a wife to her husband. She makes him do wild things when she’s away, and even wilder things when she’s around.”

The round-stomached chef threw his head back and let out a mighty roar of a laugh, his apron stretching as he did so, “Well said, Your Highness.” a tear forming in his eye. “But perhaps you should give it some years before you start preaching knowledge of the whims of women on men,” he said patting Nept’s back with some force.

“Why is it you’re here anyway?” Nept asked. “You can't have any, if you’re wondering,” he said shifting his plate closer to him.

“It's time to go, Nept,” I said flatly, looking in his eye.

“Go? Go where, I'm still eating, you can't expect me to -” he paused for a moment, realizing. “Oh,” he said looking at the food in front of him. “Okay then,” he sighed getting up from his stool.

“What? What is it?” Cadwell said looking at us both, then at the food. “What's wrong Neptune? You were enjoying your food, weren't you? What could be so important.”

“Sorry Cadwell,” Nept said straightening his clothes. “But this is men's business.”

Cadwell smirked in response, “Oh I see. You two are men now, huh? Tell me, what is it that men get up to then?”

“Well that's for men to know,” he replied trying to stand a little taller. A playful tone in his voice.

Cadwell chuckled to himself, his belly bobbing up and down silently, “If you say so.” he said. “Well, shall I leave you something for when you two want to come back down, Your Highness?” he said looking at me.

“That won’t be necessary,” I declined. “In fact, do you think I could give me two more of those . . . things,” I said quietly. He looked at me strangely, before lifting off the table and heading through a door in the back. A few minutes later, he returned with two small leather pouched bags.

“Here you,” he said handing me one and Nept the other. “I put some food in there in case it doesn’t work out and you get hungry. And if you really want to learn how to cook, Your Highness, just ask.”

“Thanks, Cadwell, but I think through trial and error I’ll find my way,” I replied. Nept looked at me completely unaware of what we were talking about as he wrapped the strap of one of the bags around his neck. We soon left the kitchens together and made our way carefully through the palace corridors to the main hall.

“You want to start cooking?” Nept asked me curiously.

“Look inside your bag.”

He opened the leather pouch slowly, untangling the lace around it to peek inside. “What the-,” he said with shock. “Why do you need this?”

“Cadwell thinks we’re cooking, but you’ll see what we’ll use it for,” I explained.

We continued through to another room, which held a wardrobe with a plethora of coats, blazers, and cloaks. We scrounged through the clothing, looking to see what would be the thickest to keep us warm, but not too obvious to have spotted as we attempted to leave.

“So, it came, right?” Nept asked.

“Yes”

“I’m kind of nervous,” he said while looking at a thick white cloak in his hands.

“Don’t be,” I replied. “Just follow me and keep quiet. There nothing to be afraid of anyway.”

We pulled out two of the white cloaks hidden deep in the back of the wardrobe and swung them over our bodies. Netp looked at himself in a nearby mirror, swinging the fabric of the cloak as he rotated in full.

“Are you ready?” I asked him.

“Lead the way.”

I turned to head out of the room and led us back through to the main hall. Thankfully, this side of the palace was mostly vacant this evening, since the majority of staff and guests were on the east side of the bottom floor. We were headed to the west. Ever since I was little, I could never get around with much ease as my leg would hold me back. However, that didn’t stop me from wandering the building and fulfilling my curiosities. There were rooms that even my parents didn’t know about, or at least I didn’t know if they knew of them. Nevertheless, there were many rooms that we didn’t use, after all, BlueShadow Palace was probably one of the biggest castles in the kingdom, if not the continent. It was built on more the one hundred acres of land over one thousand years ago. It had up to ten distinct floors with as many rooms as any nobleman would want. Even in my sixteen years of life exploring the estate to my heart's content, I had not even covered half of the palace alone. The gardens on the outside were foreign to me, as the palace only took up a mere thirty acres in comparison to the size of the land it was built on. The gardens were vast and full of frozen ponds and a lake that had fallen victim to the cold. The small forest with wild animals living within it was a feature I found to be the most excessive. At times I would marvel and look down into the thicket from my room above to see creatures wandering on the common grounds, or when the servants would bring in a wild fox that they had found and killed because it got too close to the palace. You could spend your entire life here, never leaving the walls of the estate or visiting the outside world. However, tonight, Nept and I were doing just that. Leaving the secluded walls of the palace building and its gardens to venture out of the city.

As we approached one of the many hidden entrances of the palace, I opened the door and the storm hit us hard and with the intent to kill. If it weren't for the cloaks we wore, I would have turned around and headed straight back inside. However, we walked out into the snowy gardens, and I looked back up to see the lights shining from the upper floors of the palace into the storm. Amongst the falling snow, the black-winged figure appeared overhead and flew lower toward us as we approached the open fields of the palace. The crow flew ahead of us, and I followed suitly behind it from a distance, while Nept followed me. After some time, we reached the high walls of the estate, and a smaller door - one that I never knew existed - was conveniently there for us to travel through. Allowing us to leave BlueShadow, and enter the wild country of Zarendal.

If it were a calmer day, we would have to be wary of guards patrolling the wall, however, tonight's blizzard would cover our tracks and the white cloaks would help us blend in with the snow around us. I suspected that Nept had called for me many times as we walked through the thick snow relaying such concerns, however, his voice would have been drowned by the winds anyway, and conversion would have been troublesome. All we could do was walk and follow the crow ahead.

It was evidently challenging for me. Traversing through the thick snow that went up to my thighs with a useless leg and a single cane was difficult enough, however, I pushed on, and I followed the blackbird like I had been doing for the past few months now. Followed it like I had all those years ago when it led me - a naive child - to a crying Neptune in the streets of Dorivier. I always think about it when I’m in my bed at night. What caused me to follow it and why did it lead me to him? I had come to the conclusion that it was sentient, or it at least didn’t think the same way other birds do. It understood situations and could be decisive on the best course of action. When I was younger, it had taken me to places that I had no knowledge of, despite these places being within BlueShadow Palace. It would take me down paths that would avoid guards, wild creatures, and other dangerous people when I was in the city streets. It had my well-being in mind, and I trusted it.

We had been walking for a few hours in complete silence, the only thing making noise was the howling of the wind and snow smacking against my face. It was truly a fierce night, one that would have killed me if I were out here alone. I used to get paranoid whenever I would sneak out like this, however, my time spent with my family was lacking as I grew older. I found it more obvious that I could spend days without ever running into them, or any of the house staff while staying at the palace. Father and mother became more occupied with work, and my own interests took me elsewhere. I enjoyed the loneliness, it gave me time to do what I wanted, and the duties of royalty had never quite burdened me as much as I thought. It was a time for freedom, a time that I could spend working on myself. As I looked up into the sky I could see how far we had come, as the night sky stars were becoming slightly more visible through the snowfall. The bird had led us far from the palace and this city, the only thing that appeared to be around us was hills of snow. However, up ahead, barely visible through the storm, was a plethora of trees, covered white with a sheet of snow above. Sinshire Forest was one of the largest woodland areas in Zarendal. It’s filled with wild animals, bears, wolves, and Arcin mana-beasts, no place for two unarmed, sixteen year old to be. However, you would have to travel deep within to meet anything as life-threatening as an Arc beast, and I had entered this forest before with the help of the crow. Its knowledge and protection watching over me.

As we entered the forest, the trees shielded us from the open storm and the winds were quieter, leaving only the cold hair to distress our senses. I heard the quickened footsteps of Nept come up behind me, and he grabbed my shoulder as we began to walk side by side.

“You do this all the time?” he huffed as walked. “You come all the way out here? For what?”

“You’ll see,” I said breathing stronger myself. “We're almost there. We won’t travel far into the forest.”

I was surprised at how much Nept didn’t question too much of what was going on. He knew that I had been up to something these past few months, and didn’t bother asking me too much. I wasn’t sure if it was ignorance or trust, but it appeared to be more of the latter. His black hair made him stand out in the snow, and his other features became shadowed by his dominant ones. We were almost like opposites. His dark hair opposed my silver, and my blue eye contrasted his black.

“Good,” he said. “My legs are starting to ache.”

Shortly after, the crow began to fly lower through the trees. The forest had become suspiciously quiet, and all that could be heard was the crunching of the snow beneath our feet and our breaths taking form in the air. We walked on in natural silence until the crow flew up high into the trees, and left our sight.

“What now?!” Nept asked, panting slightly.

I didn’t respond, for I could see up ahead as if it were a splat of black paint on a white canvas, a large black wolf sat on its haunches at the base of a thick tree. It was the thickest tree I had ever seen, as its top rose high above the tree cover, and its roots ran deep in the ground.

“Shit,” Nept exclaimed, instinctively standing between me and the wolf. “Should we run?” he asked.

I smiled and gently moved him out of the way. “There's no need,” I said. “Give him the contents of your bag.”

He looked at me hesitantly, but slowly opened the leather pouch once again to pull two skinned rabbits out by their legs. He stepped forward slowly toward the wolf, holding out the rabbits in front of him as he watched it with caution. The large beast stared at him with wonder, its piercing red eyes staring deep into his soul. It almost had a majestic aura to it. As if it were one of the old gods of the moon.

Nept placed the rabbits at the foot of the wolf and backed away slowly. The beast looked down and regarded the offering with indifference. When Nept was further away, the wolf bent down its nose to smell the rabbits, before taking a bite into one of them and swallowing it whole before our eyes.

Nept began to turn around, but I stopped him before he could do so. “Don’t look away,” I blurted out. “Just keep watching, but don’t look away.” He stood frozen, staring at the beast who had already taken to eating the second rabbit.

When it was done, it looked up at us again with its red eyes, observing the two boys before it. It let out a low grumble, and then a thunderous bark, which seemed to shake the trees in the forest and caused my ears to ring. Just like It had always done whenever I came to meet it, it stared me in the eyes. And suddenly, I knew.

I knew.

The wolf stood up on all fours and turned its body to walk away from us. Simultaneously, Nept and I began to follow. We knew where we were headed, but we followed the beast to get there. It was our guide, our guardian. It was divine. And we knew.