A boy, no—a young man strode in the stone hallways of House Falcon, his shirt and trousers had darkened and gone soggy with the sudden onslaught of rain. It captured the attention of some maids who had been conversing among themselves in one corner.

“Ah! Master Hyde, shall I prepare you a hot bath? You must not catch a cold.”

The young man glanced at a maid who gave him a small curtsy and a pretty smile while her companions fussed over the muddy floors. He shrugged, taking off the curved bow slung on his back.

“I’m good, mind drying my bow though?”

Hyde handed it to her with a grin, the maid blinked as she held it in her hands. Before any complaints or protests could be given—he sped off, careful not to slip on the floor. He turned left.

A speeding figure collided with him-

“Hey!”

Hyde looked up from the floor to see a familiar man. The butler was clad in his usual dark suit as he balanced a tray on one hand, while the other extended towards him. The man looked rather embarrassed, a grimace on his face. Hyde shook his head and grabbed the butler’s hand. He was promptly pulled up.

“You have a body of steel or something Gus?”

“Ah, my apologies sir… I was rushing.”

“Same here! One of the maids wanted to prepare me a bath.”

Hyde shuddered as the butler snorted, they were not too apart in age—he wasn’t even aware that butlers could be young. Regardless, Hyde eyed the man from head to toe, if his father had hired Gus and had been working for some months now…then it was no doubt that the man was able to perform his duties well.

“I can see a good reason why.”

Gus’ brow raised a fraction as Hyde sneezed in return. The young man quickly crossed his arm and lifted his chin up, tried to give the best haughty look he could muster.

“Well I’ve nearly caught an owl up the tower—”

“I don’t see your recurve bow sir Hyde.”

“Well—er I had the maid wipe it. I can get it back easy… not like I don’t know her name or face.”

The butler shook his head and Hyde felt his own cheeks heat up. Yeah, it didn’t seem like a good thing that he didn’t recognize much of the servants inside their manor, particularly the female ones. But he avoided ladies in general, so that was fair right? His shoulders slouched a bit. Why were they always too nice with him?

“I’ll have your bow retrieved sir, you’ll be needing it once we travel.”

“Hmm? Do I have an archery match to impress guests with at a gala?”

Hyde didn’t mind parties if it allowed him to best other boys his age at shooting, plus girls weren’t that keen with arrows too. His sister would be fussing though, or doing lady stuff—whatever that actually involved.

“No sir, your sister and you shall travel tomorrow as a diplomatic envoy to Zourian Kingdom.”

The young man nodded.

What?

“Eh? Isn’t that far away—”

“It shall be about a month of travel.”

Hyde rubbed his ears, did he get water in them… it couldn’t be that far right? The butler seemed serious.

“And we’re leaving tomorrow?! What about preparations?”

“Sir, your father had already arranged things since last week. I am surprised that you seem shocked sir Hyde, has he not told you?”

When did his father ever tell him anything? Hyde wanted to roll his eyes, yeah they did talk at meals, if the busy man didn’t decide to skip it but all the conversation ever revolved ‘Are you studying well’ or ‘I’ve heard of your improvements’. The young man was sure that his father talked more with the butler in front of him. He gave Gus a stink eye who didn’t even seem to notice.

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“No, anyway… don’t you have to serve tea or something to him? It’s probably cold now.”

“Ah fret not sir, the teapot is enchanted to keep the tea hot.”

“Okay.”

He could have said something more, but what else could he say?

“Well then, I shall be off sir, please consider changing your clothes.”

With another flourish of a bow, the butler walked past him and into another hall. Hyde grunted and tried to make do with the information provided by Gus. They were going to Zourian Kingdom, something his parents forgot to mention.

That only meant one thing.

—

The young man sped past the guards chasing after him. He glanced at the numerous halls and darted to the left— now to the right. He stopped behind a wall, and caught his breath. Some of the maids shuffled past him, too busy chatting and hauling clothes to notice him. He saw a hallway right beside him. He didn’t remember that bit, he frowned but took the path.

A wooden door lay in front of him. It was ordinary yet out of place; did it lead to one of the servant’s chamber? A storage room perhaps? The man grabbed the steel handle and pushed open the door.

“Oh.”

It was a spacious room, though all it held were book shelves in all of the corners. If he could spare a glance, some of the books were collecting dust. Only a few books were spread on a table, along with a parchment, quill and some ink. Some crumpled papers were strewn underneath the table. He heard steps approach from another entrance and there appeared his sister.

“Hyde.”

She was already wearing her sleeping clothes, a simple nightgown that went past her knees as she held a glass of milk in a hand. Her gaze was stern; the young man glanced at a mouse that scurried into the shadows.

“Hey, Rhine.”

“I don’t fancy seeing you in my personal quarters. You’re soiling this place.”

He frowned and looked at her, she wasn’t always like this before. They used to be so close… not that he actually thought much of that. Hyde crossed his arms over his chest, before giving her a shrug.

“It’s a library you know?”

“Nobody else bothers with books, plus the library is adjoined with my room.”

The man bit back a grimace, there was that fact.

“Well, why have another entrance created?”

“I’d rather not have people passing through my bedroom to visit this place.”

Hah! That would have made the library a separate thing from her room—but it was a bit too much to argue with his sister.

“Rhine did you know—”

“Yes, I am aware.”

The man could feel his eye twitch, she didn’t even let him finish!

“That we’re going to—”

She gave him a nod, making her way to one of the furnished chairs.

“Zourian Kingdom, yes.”

The man wanted to slouch; of course they’d tell it to his sister. She was the responsible one between them, at least the one who didn’t try to skip ballroom dancing or ate too much at buffets.

“Well then…”

What could he say? Maybe if they were younger, he’d make a protest, but now it was considered improper that they were together at a late hour. He exhaled and placed his arms behind his head.

“You have no questions to make? No queries to ask of me?”

Rhine raised brow. She wasn’t always like that but did he actually have any questions? Zourian Kingdom was so far.

“Why do we have to go?”

“Ah, complaints… that was expected. See, this is why father has not decided to speak of this to you.”

“You’re being mean you know?”

A semblance of a smile crossed his sister’s lips, or maybe just a smirk. She took a seat and sipped some milk.

“We have to go and prove ourselves as capable servants of His Majesty. He desires us to establish an alliance with the Zourian Kingdom.”

“Or are you supposed to get married with one of the guys over there?”

Rhine scowled and her glass clunked as she placed it on the table.

“If it’s necessary for such an envoy, I don’t see why not.”

“Well that’s wonderful sis, lovely moustache by the way.”

He held back a chuckle as his sister wiped the her mouth.

“Touché.”

“Well, I better not mess more of your beauty sleep or whatnot—I’m done pestering you.”

Hyde yawned and rubbed his eye. He probably needed to change his clothes, otherwise if any wind blew through an open window? The gust would have frozen him into ice.

“Did the guards tire you out?”

“Hardl—sneeze”

A pffted escaped Rhine’s lips as she gestured at him with a flick of a wrist.

“[Hestia’s Flame]”

Lights of red, yellow and orange sparked from Rhine’s fingers and drifted to the young man, warmth steadily rushed through his body.

“That’s a cool spell.”

He glanced at his hand, he wasn’t scorched or being lit up at all—the spell disappearing as it finished its job. Even his clothes had dried up!

“Hardly worth mentioning…”

“Really?”

“As expected from a simpleton like you to be impressed by mere tricks.”

“Well there goes my gratitude—night sis.”

Hyde walked back to his chamber to finally get some well-deserved rest. Rhine drank her milk and made a note on a parchment; a spell finally conquered and decided to slumber. Somewhere in the House Falcon, a woman stormed out of a room and a butler came in at the right moment with a pot of chamomile tea for a man whose head ached.

Thus ends the night before the two depart.