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Chapter Text

The ballroom was filled with over a thousand voices. The mixture of soft spoken words from servants and those working under the kingdom, to strong and elegant voices of ones whose power and control ruled the lands around them. Within all of them, the strings of violins and the keys of a piano rang out, filling the air with lavish music that many danced to. Ballgowns swayed as several under royal lineage danced, and for those who weren't, were crowding the many tables that provided countless options of food, pomegranate wine, and far too many options for desserts.

Blue eyes were carefully scanning the room, doing his best to avoid those who were drunk from the wine, and instead kept his focus on the many people who crowded the elegant ballroom, dancing the night away. He moved his hand in a small circular motion, stirring the cup of pomegranate wine that lay in it before he briefly closed his eyes to take a small sip. He was never too fond of these events, far too proper and strict they were for his taste, but alas, he had to represent himself for his own kingdom. For his parents.

The prince, being from a kingdom named Aedes Elysiae, nestled in the southern region of the world. A place filled with wheat fields that reached the sea, and a beautiful dock where exporting was the main source of income for the ever-growing kingdom. Though fairly new, the kingdom was prospering quickly with its neighbors, and it was not long before word of its success was nothing short of a means for allyship to other kingdoms. This wasn’t his first time being in the Okhema, of course, passing by a few times in the few years since he came of age under his parents’ suggestion. 

A sigh passed through parted lips as he cast his gaze downward, examining the red mixture in his drink as his mind wandered for some time. It wasn’t until his name was called that his body perked up slightly in attention, blue eyes quickly meeting ones that resembled a mixture of blue and purple with a small star in the middle.

“Snowy!” The small female beamed, her bubbly personality quickly radiating around her as she waved happily up at the man, who, with a small chuckle, moved to place his cup of wine down on a nearby table and then walked back to Tribbie to then kneel so that he was more level with the girl.

“Always a pleasure to see you, Tribble. Where are Trianne and Trinnon?’ He asked, a sweet smile playing on his lips as he rested an arm on his knee.

“They’re still on their duties! We had to send out many parcels and letters over the past weeks to the neighboring kingdoms for the event tonight. They are finishing up their work, making sure there are no missed parcels,” She began, still smiling brightly as she placed both her hands on her hips.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here! It’s been so long since we’ve seen you in Okhema again,”

“Ah, yes. Now that I think about it, it has been some time. A few months, possibly?” The man, usually referred to as ‘Snowy’ by the young girl, tilted his head in a moment of thought.

“How long will you be staying?” The young girl asked, raising a finger to her lips as she raised her eyebrows at the man.

“Possibly a few weeks. My parents sent me not only to partake in this event but also to discuss some opportunities with the new queen here regarding our allyship. My mother and father couldn’t make it to the event themselves, so I am here in their place.” Phainon replied, smiling with his teeth over at the girl before he reached over to ruffle her hair.

The young girl laughed happily, much like a little girl would, as she kept her bright smile.

“Good! We missed you here, Snowy! You always leave for such a long time, and we get lonely sometimes.” A frown formed on her lips as she spoke, making Phainon frown himself as his hand went back to resting on his knee.

“Apologies for my absence, Lady Tribbie. I promise to make up for any time that was lost.” His comment left the young girl happily rocking on her heels as she hummed happily. Phainon hadn't noticed that Tribbie was dressed rather casually for the event, a simple white shirt that was paired with a bright red vest with a belt over it. On the belt hung a few things, mostly small charms but also a coin purse that jingled as the girl bounced happily on her heels. Her pants and boots were a dark shade of brown, much more casual than what the people around the ballroom were wearing. Her hair, while usually down, was braided nicely and was decorated with a few white flowers that he no doubt knew she picked while on her rounds through the kingdom grounds.

Tribbie and her sisters were known to be the messengers of Ohkema, mostly responsible for getting word out to the kingdom and neighboring regions. Of course, Tribbie and her sisters each had their role to play. While Tribbie was known solely as the messenger for the kingdom, her sisters were known more for their prophecies and priesthood. Not only this, but they were well acquainted with the queen of the kingdom, someone who recently came into the reign of the throne after the kingdom itself had not borne a queen for many centuries and instead ruled solely under a king. Phainon had yet to meet the new queen, assuming that his time being in Okhema for official business would grant him the opportunity soon enough.

Tribbie often served under the queen for any duties that she might have needed, seemingly to have a wonderful relationship with the queen that many speculated was centuries old, despite the two only recently being acquainted. 

“Oh! Have you tried the food? I heard that the queen hired only the best chefs from all around the region for the event!” Tribble hummed, her gaze moving towards the large tables of food and drinks. Phainon's gaze quickly followed, moving to stand up and straighten his posture somewhat as he placed a hand on his hip.

“The pomegranate wine is wonderful,” He began, glancing down at Tribbie as he soon continued with his words. “But I haven’t tried the rest of the food for now. Do you recommend anything?”

“The roasted meats are wonderful! The pottage is also really good, Snowy. Though if you’re not much for meat at this time, I had a few of the fruits earlier and they’re really good,” Tribble explained, eyeing the tables before she shot a bright smile up at the man who hummed in response.

“I shall keep that in mind,”

There was a silence that fell between the two, Lady Tribbie seeming to pause in thought as her brows furrowed together. Phainon went to open his mouth to ask if something was wrong, but Tribbie was quick to beat him to it.

“Oh! Sorry, Snowy! My sisters are calling me for something, I have to head off for now,” Tribbie quickly said, her voice almost rushed as her smile from seconds ago turned into an expression of concentration.

Phainon didn’t even question how her sisters could have reached her, well aware of Tribbie's skills in such magicks, as he simply smiled down at the girl.

“No worries, Lady Tribbie, please, don’t let me keep you,” He said softly, moving to bow as Tribble’s smile quickly returned as she waved.

“See you tomorrow!” She exclaimed happily before she began to quickly run off, the bright, bubbly essence radiating off of her slowly fading as the room around him fell to the usual noise of drunks laughing and music playing. Phainon smiled softly from the girl's words, but soon the room began to get on his nerves as the world around him started to become more stuffy and overwhelming.

Avoiding a few dancers, he slipped past with ease and made his way towards the open archway that led to the outside gardens. The night sky shone brightly as the noises from the packed ballroom slowly started to fade, and the area around him grew less hectic.

Blue eyes slowly looked up at the sky before he looked around him. The area was much calmer than the bustling ballroom; a few of the guests were around, but most were either sitting and having quiet conversations or were simply doing exactly as he was and getting away from the smothering feeling of the ballroom itself.

Don't get him wrong, he enjoyed chatting with others, but there were too many people in one room. Not to mention that his outfit itself was already becoming too much in terms of comfort. His mother, Audata, insisted he wear only the finest of garments, tailored to fit his body perfectly.

A dark blue outfit, adorned with white and gold, littered the entire garment, chains of gold hanging from one side of the chest connecting to his right arm, and a cape hung more so on his left side that matched perfectly with the garment itself. His boots, a dark black, had a few straps but other than that were quite simple compared to the rest of the outfit. In the middle of the collar of the shirt was a beautiful brooch that matched the image of a sun, beautiful and golden as it caught any source of light perfectly. It also matched the sun tattoo located on his neck, but the collar of his shirt hid the tattoo quite well.

Though he insisted to his mother not to wear the brooch when the discussion of his outfit was brought up a few months ago, she refused and told him it was a symbol of their kingdom and that it was only tradition for him to wear it.

Sighing heavily, Phainon leaned some on one of the nearby walls of the castle, closing his eyes as he thought to himself. 

‘So, who is this new queen? Wasn’t her name to start with an A?’ he thought, musing over who she was exactly, and wondered how she would be upon meeting her. He didn't hear much from the outside of the region, but he figured that could also be because his parents were still in reign of the throne, so any outside business usually reached their ears more so his. Still, neither his mother nor father managed to mention it to him, which he found quite odd.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted by a few voices, one of which was much lower than the rest. Opening his eyes, he quickly looked for the source of those voices and soon landed on two men, one of whom was slightly shorter than the other.

The shorter of the two seemed to talk somewhat frantically, raising his hands as he talked to the taller man, who easily caught Phainon's eyes. Though the man talking bore a striking outfit, one that could only give off the impression he was a general from a neighboring kingdom, the much taller man’s outfit was no other than a royal garment that practically bled with not only authority but confidence.

A prince.

The taller male seemed upset with whatever was being told to him, blond hair falling slightly from his loose ponytail that was adorned with braids. The man's hair was dipped with a shade of pinkish red at the ends, a color that intrigued Phainon as he found himself staring more than he knew he should be. The man had his arms crossed, the garment slightly tight around the man's arms, as he shot back a rough response to the man speaking to him.

“Krateros, though you are the general of my father’s kingdom, not once did that authority grant you the ability to tell me orders that, quite frankly, don't apply to me,” The man's voice was rough, making Phainon flinch alone at such a tone but the man that received the rules only glared as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“My highness, you know why we are here-”

“I do. But you don’t have a say over our people in the kingdom, nor me. You may lead these men to battle, but you do not have a say over how the kingdom will care for these people.” The man quickly shot back, his words oozing with that same authority that the prince practically radiated. The conversation left a tension in the air that caught a few bystanders, their gaze casting over to the two men who were quick to notice and simply sighed in frustration.

“I'm getting some food.  Do me a favor and leave me alone for the time being,” The blonde practically growled, leaving the general to simply sigh heavily before shaking his head.

“Nikador, please grant us mercy…” That was all he could mumble before he turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction from the prince, the air soon falling back to the calm essence that it was before.

Phainon lingered for a few minutes, his gaze slowly moving in the direction that the prince took as curiosity rose from his chest.

‘Another prince? I wasn’t aware of one in this region,’ He thought to himself, pausing for a few minutes before his body took control first rather than his head. His legs were quick to carry him in the same direction, shuffling past a few individuals as he headed back into the ballroom. His nose caught the small whiff of a perfume, one that he had never smelled before, and gods, was it rather sweet.

It smelled similar to the wine. Pomegranates. It left Phainon slightly dizzy, but he was quick to regain his composure, brushing it off, assuming one of the ladies from around had sprayed possibly too much of it while getting ready. Instead of trying to pursue this man, for whatever reason, he decided to make his way back to the tables where the food had been placed. Remembering Lady’s Tribbies' words, he figured that he could try a few of the meats that littered the table, though his mind continued to ask the same question.

‘Who was that man?’ his brows furrowed in thought as he found himself staring at the food for far too long, and it wasn’t until a low, rough voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Are you going to stand there all night staring at the food?”

That voice.

Blue eyes were quick to meet gold as he spun around clumsily, nearly knocking the back of his legs into the table as he scrambled to find words. However, all words lost him as he was met with the same man from earlier. He was slightly taller than Phainon, but his presence alone made Phainon want to fall to his feet. Despite being of both statuses, Phainon couldn't help but feel as though he was a mere servant to the man before him. That perfume from before filled his nose, engulfed his very being, and it made his legs want to buckle as he was quick to clear his throat.

“I-, sorry,” He stammered out, moving to the side as the man scoffed before moving forward to grab a few things off the trays, laying them carefully on his plate as he didn't respond to his apology.

Phainon, much like before, couldn't help but continue to stare, looking at what food the man was getting, but soon his eyes fell to the man's face. Those eyes that were a beautiful pool of gold, and that seemingly small mark of red below his right eye. It left Phainon far more intrigued than he’d like to admit, and he wasn’t sure as to why. There were thousands of beautiful men and women that he had seen throughout the night, some of whom even asked for his hand for a dance. But none of them left him feeling like this. A feeling that he didn’t know how to explain, and nor did he have a lot of time to think of it, as the man's voice once again pulled him from his thoughts.

“Stop staring before I call the guards and request you be removed.”

“I’m not staring,”

“You are terrible at lies.” The man huffed, those golden eyes meeting blue in a fierce glare.

Phainon swallowed roughly before he jerked his head to look away, letting out a breath he was unaware he was holding as he focused on anything but the man beside him.

“I apologize for staring,” He soon replied, his voice low but polite as he kept his gaze forward.

The man didn't reply for some time, still occupied with the food that lay before him, and soon he shifted to face the same direction as Phainon. He, however, was busy trying one of the meats that was on his plate.

A few tense moments passed between the two, and Phainon was already planning to just leave and rid himself of the awkward situation, but the man spoke.

“You are also terrible at apologizing,” The man mumbled, those golden eyes glancing over at Phainon.

A huff left Phainon, blue eyes quickly met the golden ones, a pout forming on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Must you keep pointing out my flaws? Is this how you greet everyone?” He shot back, eyes glaring slightly as it was clear he was offended.

The man carelessly shrugged and looked back towards the people dancing around the ballroom.

“Do you greet everyone by staring them down?”

“What- I, no, that’s not what I do!” Phainon shot back, voice rising slightly in defensiveness.

“Right.” He countered, their encounter growing more tense as if there was a piece of rope constantly being tugged between the two.

Phainon was left with no words, his arms that were around his chest tightening around him as he bit back a small pool of anger that threatened to form. Instead, he sighed softly and soon moved to hold out his hand.

“Khaslana, of Aedes Elysiae. But please, call me Phainon,”

The man glanced at his hand, chewing on a piece of meat quickly before he swallowed it and shifted his weight to face the table. He didn't respond, acting as if Phainon himself wasn’t there at all. Phainon, somewhat hurt from the reaction, pulled his hand back and let it fall to his side as he instead moved in a way that clearly showed a sign of rejection. His cheeks burned from embarrassment as he tried his best to focus on anything but the conversation he was having with the man, or the lack of it.

‘I should just leave. I’m making a fool of myself,’ he thought, moving to get ready to walk away, but the man's voice made him freeze.

“Mydeimos, future king of the kingdom of Castrum Kremnos. Call me Mydei.” His voice rang with confidence, the introduction itself making Phainons lack everything in comparison. It made Phainon stay frozen on the spot, blue eyes staring at the man before blinking a few times. He was quick to raise his hand to the back of his head, rubbing sheepishly as he let out a nervous chuckle.

“Here I thought you’d just leave me to my embarrassment,” Phainon mumbled with a small chuckle that was barely audible.

“I was thinking of it,” Mydei quickly added, soon moving his body to face the man in front of him, holding out a hand towards Phainon.

Phainon reached out and shook the man's hand, the grip tight but firm as a smile played on his lips. This time, he was able to focus more on the man before him, and his attire was far more striking than Phainon's by a long shot.

Mydei was wearing a black shirt, followed by a dark red corset that hugged his frame far too perfectly, the buttons shining like gold, as the cape over the man's shoulders also matched that of the corset. There were a few ribbons that lay on the shoulder, along with a few tassels that Phainon could only assume were like badges. Ones that were won from battles and given to those of the highest honor. His pants were the same shade of black as the shirt, adorned with the same gold buttons and accents. The man's boots were quite simple, much like Phainon's, but the outfit was far from simple. Mydei’s hands were even covered with pure white gloves as if Phainon himself was not graced to dare touch the man's bare hands.

The two exchanged a firm handshake before Mydei pulled his hand back, his posture ever straight and of one ready to command and lead. Phainon's hand fell carelessly to his side as he gave the man a soft smile, eyes shining brightly.

“Tis a pleasure to meet you,”

“Fortunately, I don’t share the same pleasure.”

Phainon's smile fell quickly as he furrowed his brows at the man. Was this guy always this insufferable towards people? Phainon couldn’t help but feel that no matter what he said, Mydei, in some way, shape, or form, had an insult ready for him despite only knowing him for a few minutes.

“Some kindness wouldn’t kill you, Mydei.”

“It will with you,”

“Now you know that is a lie!”

“Sure it is.”

Phainon sighed heavily as he waved his hand, as if dismissing the conversation, instead falling silent as he looked down at the ground. Mydei didn’t say anything after that, his gaze instead watching the other before he opened his mouth.

“Aedes Elysiae? That small harbor off to the south?” He questioned, causing Phainon to look back up before he nodded.

“Oh, yeah. But it’s a kingdom now, not just a harbor,” He corrected. However, Mydei didn’t seem to care.

“My father has been there a few times; he always tells me of what a sorry state it's in compared to the others.”

“Again! Kindness wouldn't kill you, Mydei!” Phainon quickly cut the man off, a big pout forming on his lips as Mydei couldn't help but smirk down at the man. It was clear he was only teasing him, a playful glint in his eyes as he shrugged.

“In all seriousness, though, I’ve heard of the place. I give you credit, your kingdom has wonderful exportation. It’s something Castrum Kremnos wouldn’t mind benefiting from,”

The suggestion left Phainon surprised, eyes widening slightly before blinking a few times. From what he’s gathered in past readings, Castrum Kremnos was a kingdom settled just a little to the east of Okhema. Known not just for its fearsome skills on the battlefield, but also for its craftsmanship of weapons. Only the best weapons came from that place, and only the best soldiers followed suit. The place was known to cause fear, but it was also a wonderful place to become allied with. Many share rumors of the place being bathed in golden blood for more than one reason.

“Wait, are you serious?” Phainon asked, Mydei, who has now placed a hand on his chin in thought, didn’t reply right away and closed his eyes momentarily.

“If I weren’t serious, I wouldn’t have posed such an offer,” Mydei opened his eyes to look down at the man, raising a brow as his lips formed in a line.

Phainon wasn’t sure what to say, completely dumbfounded by the idea of such an offer. He opened his mouth a few times to answer, but ultimately gave up when nothing rose. Mydei was about to say something himself, but was cut short by the sharp ring of trumpets and fanfare ringing through the air. The usual guests who were once dancing came to a halt, and before anyone knew it, the room seemed to part a path as royal guards followed in suit.

There were many hushed whispers and even a few gasps as the room went quiet except for a quick change in the music. The commotion caught the attention of both men, who now faced forward, their backs straight and their eyes both meeting a figure that emerged from the top balcony of the grand staircase just outside the ballroom doors.

The queen.

The whispers from before grew as many gazed upon the queen, the very same one that Tribbie mentioned earlier, who had taken the throne only a few suns ago. Though many were anxious about the new authority and what path she would lead the kingdom, one look at her washed all of them away. She held her head high, almost like one that was from the Titans themselves. Her golden crown lay nestled atop her head like it was a halo itself, golden blonde hair cascading down into a small bob while two loose braids that barely reached past her shoulders lay on either side.

She was covered in only the finest of jewels and material, golden threads were woven around her arms as her shoulders were bare, the sleeves of her dress hanging down some towards her elbows, and were connected to the dress by fine, golden lace. The middle of the dress was accompanied by a gold half corset, emerald jewels sewn into the material gracefully as the rest of the gown flowed effortlessly. Fingers graced with rings and her neck holding the kingdom's everlong necklace that was passed down for centuries, there was no mistaking it was the new queen, and Phainon himself felt his cheeks heat up upon seeing her. She made everyone in the ballroom seem lacking in how godly she looked, as if the Titans above sang her name in their spare time.

The room lay quiet for a moment until her voice finally rang out, piercing the air, and Phainon nearly choked on his breath as if those golden threads from her dress circled him, testing him. He felt like he was in a trance; however, a slight movement caught the corner of his eye, pulling him out. Mydei seemed to shift on his feet, looking away from the queen but still listening. Phainon decided not to follow the man's gaze, instead watching him for a second before glancing back at the queen, who began talking to the citizens before her.

His mind muddled between all the formalities of what she was saying, addressing everyone in the crowd and introducing herself as Aglaea, the newfound queen of the Kingdom of Okhema. The speech went on for some time, far longer than Phainon would have liked, and he found his gaze moving away. This was when he finally noticed that Mydei wasn’t beside him anymore, instead shifting off to the side to start heading to a double set of doors that led out of the ballroom and towards the main staircase of the kingdom.

Phainon went to follow, but once again that newfound feeling blossomed, almost grounding him as he stopped mid-movement. He could feel as though a thousand golden threads were wrapping around his body, trying to search for any thought, any feeling that he was processing, and it felt as though his vision was stuck solely back on the queen. Not being forced to watch her, but rather compelled.

His blue eyes flashed a quick gold, but before the feeling lasted any longer, it all dispersed, and the queen's last words were given before she quietly left the ballroom. People around acted as if nothing had happened, going back to dancing and indulging. He stood frozen still, as if time had stopped himself but quickly gained his composure, looking around quickly to make sure that no one had noticed his odd behavior. Thankfully, no one did, and as he turned to look back at where Mydei was headed, he frowned slightly as he was nowhere to be found, likely lost in the night.

Sighing heavily, he raised a hand to lay his head in it, a slight ache starting to form as he took a few breaths before pulling his hand away. He wasn’t sure what had just happened, but what he did know was that the new queen was far more than just mysterious.

She was different.

Chapter Text

The few days after the grand event all muddled into one another. The queen had planned for many events to span out the next few weeks, leaving Phainon's place in the kingdom a little longer than planned, but not disliked. He spent the other night writing a letter to both his parents explaining a few of the details while also recounting his own experiences that he knew they would enjoy. The letter spanned a few pages before he found himself running out of ink. Finding that as a sign to stop, he sealed the message up, and today he made sure to stop by the outskirts of the kingdom first thing in the morning to hand the message off to Tribbie. The red-headed girl happily took the letter, but before she gave a sweet hug to one of Phainon's legs, still very delighted that his presence was back in the bustling kingdom.

Before he knew it, she was quickly running off, both hands sprawled out to her sides as she ran. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her, his eyes catching the sun as he found his skin growing warm in its rays.

Today, he was to meet with the queen, along with a few others from around the region, in what he only assumed was one official meet and greet. In other words, a council. He did his best earlier that morning to make sure he looked presentable, hair nice and neat, and clothes polished and perfected. He knew he was overthinking all of this by a long shot, but he always grew nervous around such meetings. He hated how he alone had to be the sole representation of his kingdom, and the thought of failing that shattered him. His mother's words of his sole nickname, ‘Deliverer’, soaked his mind as anxiety formed through his heart.

What if he failed them? What if the others in the meeting found him to be lacking such a title? Not to mention the newly found status of the kingdom was nothing compared to the others in the region that had spanned far longer than Okhema itself.

His thoughts filled with anxiety, and a deep frown formed on his face as his eyebrows furrowed. His thoughts began to race far too quickly, and he felt his breath begin to pick up. Placing his hand on his chest, he took a few moments to try and ground himself as he used the support of a nearby wooden wagon to balance his shoulder on.

‘Damn faith,’ He thought harshly, solely focusing on calming his nerves before he fixed his posture. Letting out a shaky breath, he opened his eyes and proceeded to mentally give himself a pep talk. When he felt he was okay, his eyes instead turned towards the castle gates, where a few guards were walking around as their weapons remained ever close to their sides. 

Moving to begin walking towards the castle gates, Phainon had to quickly move aside as a carriage came rushing down the dirt path of the village, stopping right in front of the gate. The rudeness not only scared Phainon but a few of the guards as well, being quick to stand up straight as two men got out of the carriage.

The horses attached to the carriage flared their nostrils and shook their heads before settling down, the men on top setting the reins down for a second and relaxing their postures as the two men who were in the carriage talked to the guards.

The carriage itself was a bright red and gold, a clear sign that your everyday person doesn't have any access to such a thing, and the voices of the men confirmed that for Phainon. A quick shade of blond was enough to tell Phainon that it was the man from a few nights before, Mydeimos. Following suit was the general before; the air between them was not as tense as that night, and the two seemed to share casual conversation as the guards let them through. 

Soon, the horses let out a loud neigh, and the carriage was being carried off once more down the dirt path it came, leaving a small gust of smoke in the air.

Phainon quietly walked over to the gates a few moments later, smiling widely at the guards, who in turn did as well.

“Good afternoon, your highness,” They spoke softly, and the title itself made Phainon chuckle as he shook his head.

“Please, you don’t need to use such formalities.”

The guards nodded before they moved out of the way once more to let Phainon through as he walked past the large gates of the grand castle, and soon the air shifted as the anxiety formed in his stomach. Blue eyes gazed up at the top of the castle, the sun catching the white bricks perfectly as the castle itself seemed to shine in the sunlight.

He was quiet through his small walk up to the castle door, more guards greeting him and letting him through, before the atmosphere of the castle walls felt like they were smothering him. Unlike the other night, it felt as if he was being choked, though he wasn’t sure if it was just his negative thoughts or perhaps that familiar feeling he had that fateful night.

He fortunately didn’t have much time to think about it as others from similar statuses lingered around, waiting to be addressed for the meeting. There, he spotted Mydei, who seemed far too annoyed by the whole thing. He was speaking to another man whom Phainon didn't recognize, though he assumed it was someone from the man's kingdom. The man had longer hair than Mydei, braided and hanging over his shoulder as he talked to the prince with a smile. 

From his observation, Phainon assumed that they were friends, but was puzzled as Mydei wasn’t with him in the carriage that brought them. Just as the question formed in his head, the man who was with him earlier soon walked over to the two and began speaking in a manner that made both men sigh heavily.

His general from the night before.

Mydei’s expression changed as the three of them began a conversation on something Phainon couldn't understand, their words forming from a different language that left Phainon tilting his head slightly. But it soon wasn’t the foreign language that made his entire body stiffen, no, rather, the man who was talking to Mydei previously glanced at him, a playful smile on his lips. 

Caught red-handed.

‘Shit- ’

Scarlet was quick to form on his face, shuffling to look away, and instead tried to play it off as if he was looking at a different group of people. 

‘You idiot. He smiled at you. ’

Phainon mentally cursed at himself, moving his hand to his face and dragging it down as he sighed heavily. As if the titans themselves didn’t think that was enough punishment, no– the man was quick to excuse himself from the group for a minute to soon slip himself right in front of Phainon.

That playful smile remained plastered on the man's face, his frame practically loomed down over Phainons. Despite being almost the same height, Phainon couldn't help but feel intimidated by the man as he swallowed quickly.

“Khaslana of Aedes Elysiae, yes?” The man spoke softly, gently, even– as if he tried to soothe the man's worries. Holding out a hand, the man tilted his head slightly with a hum.

“Please – call me Phainon instead,” Phainon quickly stamped out, the redness in his cheeks never leaving as the man raised his eyebrows.

“Oh?”

“It’s… an old name. One that I prefer not to be called,” Phainon continued, blue eyes meeting the others as he raised a hand to rub the back of his head for a few seconds before he moved his hand to give the stranger a firm handshake. The man hummed in response and nodded.

“I understand, forgive me, your highness,” He continued, soon pulling his hand back to his side. “Hephaestion, I’m part of Castrum Kremnos’ men-at-arms. Well, I work with the general,” He spoke softly, eyes never leaving the others as his smile softened some.

“I couldn’t help but see you staring, Mydeimos told me you do that.” 

The statement nearly knocked the wind out of Phainon with how much embarrassment it caused him. Words tried to form, but failed every time as Hephaestion chuckled before waving his hands.

“Please, at ease. If it makes you feel any better, I give Mydeimos a fair share of a hard time myself.”

Despite his words, Phainon still found himself staring at the wall they were near with a red face as he bit hard into his lip. The pain grounded him, and soon the red in his cheeks slowly faded. Composure soon coming back, he looked back at Hephaestion and let out a soft sigh.

“Hephaestion… the name is familiar.”

“Mn?”

“I heard your name a few weeks ago from some merchants. I wasn’t aware that Castrum Kremnos was at war with neighboring regions.”

“Oh… that,” The smile from the man's face dropped immediately before he sighed heavily.

“Yes, but, well–”

Hephaestion didn’t have time to finish his sentence before Mydeimos called his friend's name loudly, seeming to head into the room where the council was to adjourn.

“Next time, friend.” Hephaestion quickly said with a smile, giving Phainon a small salute with two fingers before quickly walking to the double doors that everyone in the room was pouring into.

Right, that.

Phainon let out a nervous sigh, the anxieties from earlier forming back into his mind as he made his way to the double doors. Not even a foot into the doorway, he could already feel all the voices bouncing off the walls. Kings, Princes, Scholars, and even Clergy were all formed in different spots in the room. Centered around the middle was none other than the queen herself, seemingly indifferent to the voices circling her.

Looking around, Phainon settled himself in one of the nearby chairs as the queen was quick to clear her throat. The room instantly grew silent as men and women alike took a seat and put their attention on her instantly.

“I first want to thank all of you for coming to this council. I know many of you took several weeks to get here, and this is no small feat. Many of you also took time out of your schedules for such duties, and for that, I also thank you.”

There was a small pause before she opened her eyes, bright green eyes scanning the room as she leaned on her hand before she smiled softly.

“Continuing, I know many of you have questions, some of which I will answer in full, but please know that the kingdom of Okhema is home to all, so I ask that some of you please keep your disagreements to a minimum. If this is an impossible feat, then I will gladly have my guards escort you out of the castle grounds.”

The room fell silent for a while, a purposeful move by the queen as her gaze pierced the eyes of the many around her, and she simply let out a soft chuckle as she noticed that no one seemed to oppose her words.

“Now, Anaxa,” She began, however, was quickly cut off by a man who was quick to clear his throat.

“Anaxagoras .” The man harshly corrected, furrowing his brows at the queen as he crossed his arms over his chest. There was a playful hum from the queen, her gaze reaching the man as she held his eyes before she looked away. Their energy left a chill in the air; however, at the same time, there was a hint of playfulness between the two. 

Phainon couldn't help but smirk in amusement at the scene before him, his eyes peeking over at the man whose green hair seemed to shine under the bright lights of the room.

His old teacher from the Grove of Epiphany.

The queen smiled as she waved her hand as if to dismiss the man's correction before she continued.

“You inquired about the safety of not only this very kingdom itself but the surrounding regions. I implore you to understand that though I have only been in reign for a few weeks, safety is my top priority and I take it very seriously. That being said,” she paused, moving to sit up a little straighter in the chair she was in as a soft sigh fell from her lips.

A pause. 

“Please ensure that the kingdom itself will be creating certain treaties amongst these regions. Okhema will be offering mutual protection to anyone who would need it, as well as mutual defense. I want everyone in this room to understand that we are not an enemy but an ally.”

There were a few whispers amongst the people in the room, and the queen seemed not to mind, taking a long pause as she gathered her thoughts before she moved her hand to motion to a few documents in front of her.

“These treaties in front of me not only guarantee these words, but it is also an agreement that I expect not to be broken by any of Okhema’s neighboring allies. Should that happen, please know that my golden threads hear and see all.”

The room grew cold, and Phainon himself couldn’t help but swallow roughly at her last words. The air grew tense, but thankfully, Anaxagoras was quick to break the tension. There was no hesitation in his voice, as if his trust lay bare in the queen's hands.

“I, Anaxagoras from the Grove of Epiphany, accept this treaty, and I hope the people of both Okhema and The Grove not only grow from this alliance but prosper amongst the land.” The man seemed completely unfazed by the queen's words, being one of the first to sign the few treaties that littered the table as the room seemed to quickly recover from the tension seconds ago.

The next few hours that followed were a series of individuals signing treaties, asking questions, and even offering deals and forms of mutual benefit as both sides aimed for resources, protection, defense, and much more. 

With a quick sign of his name, Phainon met the queen's eyes and gave her a gentle smile, one she returned as she moved to sign her name neatly under his.

“We, the people of Okhema, are delighted to form this alliance with the Kingdom of Aedes Elysiae, and we pray under Kheplae’s gaze that the waters of both your kingdom and Okhema are blessed with such.”

Phainon and the queen held each other's gaze for a second before Phainon moved to bow to her, white hair falling in his face as he took a second to pause before straightening himself. He exchanged a few words with the queen before he dismissed himself. The few hours of the council were already starting to take effect on him, stifling a yawn as he instead crossed to the entrance of the room and stretched.

He was thankful that the ordeal went a lot better than he had previously thought. Though he would be lying if he said he still wasn’t worried for his own Kingdom. He knew that he was next to the throne and the only child his parents had. The weight of any situation when it came to Aedes Elysiae’s future always made the man tense.

Moving to walk out of the room, he made his way down the grand staircase and soon took the same route he took to get here. He noted the few carriages that waited outside but slipped past them with ease to instead head down the road that led to the markets.

He stopped just before the shops began, though, instead leaning his head down to duck into one of the buildings nearby. The bell at the top of the door rang as he entered the building.

“Ooo, back from your royal duties?” A voice rang out, playful and teasing. Phainon simply scoffed and shut the door behind him.

The voice belonged to a girl who was located behind a counter, hands on her hips, and a wide smirk on her face. Her shirt was a dark blue, accompanied by a black underbust corset that not only let the mind wander but was viewed as distasteful by others. The woman's trousers were a matching shade of black along with her boots; however, several belts hung from her waist, and several coin purses hung from them. Whenever the woman shifted on her feet, the coins jingled almost instantly. On her neck, she had a choker and a beautiful brooch that hung from it. The item itself had the outline of one similar to a feline. Phainon himself dared to say she stole it, but he would keep that accusation to himself.

“Cipher, ever so wonderful to see you,” His tone was playful yet genuine as he gave the woman a grin.

“And here I thought you weren't going to come visit me while you stayed for a few weeks. I’m glad you are a man of your word.” She purred back, watching as the man before her pulled out a small pouch hanging from his belt and placed it down on the counter. Bright blue eyes widened as a wide, toothy grin formed on her lips.

“I promised you a few things from my hometown, did I not?” Phainon moved his hand to motion to the few objects. They weren’t much, but after being acquainted with Cipher for a few years, he knew well that he had to often play a game of chance with her. Whether it was an offer for an offer or simply a means of asking for a favor, she always had a price. What lay before them was a few lovely gems that no doubt came from some form of treasury, and of course, a big coin purse that Phainon quickly added as if he knew exactly what the women wanted.

“Aww, I’m so touched! I wonder if you dared try to steal these, Phainon. Such a naughty man,” She purred, leaning over to quickly examine the few items as Phainon himself rolled his eyes.

“No, consider them gifts from Aedes Elysiae. None of these were stolen.”

“You’re no fun,” Cipher quickly pouted, but otherwise seemed happy with what was offered and was quick to snatch the items up.

“What do you want?”

“Your spare room for the time being. I need to change out of these garments lest I have the sun itself melt me.” Phainon asked, their eyes meeting each other before Cipher looked away and waved her hand. She was already focused on something else, seemingly digging through the many cabinets of the room.

“Yeah, go ahead. Just don’t make a mess, and if I find you stole anything, your coin purse won't be the only thing empty.”

Phainon laughed, finding the threat more amusing than anything, as he thanked her before heading up the small set of steps and soon reached the spare room at the end of the hallway. Opening the door with a loud creak, he slipped inside and began to already pick at the elegant garments that adorned his body. Different parts of the outfit came apart: a vest, a cape, and even the brooch that seemingly went everywhere with him. 

Soon, he was left with an attire that was much more casual than what he had on a couple of minutes ago. He wore a loose white top, the collar of his shirt opened enough that the sun birthmark that graced his neck peeked out almost completely. He quietly rolled the sleeves up some before making sure the shirt was tucked neatly into his trousers. His pants were a simple shade of brown, along with his boots. He had a belt hanging from his waist, holding his coin purse and a dagger. The common thing anyone in this region would have on them, aside from maybe a few herbs and medicines.

Making sure everything was put together, he took a second to glance at himself in the mirror and paused as he looked at himself.

No doubt he looked like your common traveler, but it wasn’t his clothes that caught his attention. Instead, it was the bright gold eyes that stared back, causing his jaw to tighten as he stiffened up slightly. He quickly closed his eyes and shook his head, completely ignoring what he had just seen, and instead reached over to grab a cape that was hanging on a nearby hook.

In his few times being in Okhema, he and Cipher became well acquainted over an incident where she tried to steal his entire coin purse. In exchange for not turning her in to the royal guards and having her destined to live below the city in the dungeons (though she claimed she could outrun them), he struck up a deal that landed him one of her spare rooms in the bustling city.

It was a simple exchange, and though he was granted a room amongst the castle like many other royal guests, he preferred something simpler. Something more like home. Thus, whenever he was to be in Okhema, Cipher always had the spare room for him; he kept his clothes and other personal belongings that he would leave here should he need them.

It was rather efficient.

Clasping the cloak on, he left the hood down as he began to descend back down the stairs of the building. He wasn’t surprised to see that Cipher wasn’t there, simply slipping out the front door, but not before running his hand along the knob of the door and whispering something under his breath as he shut the door.

Enchantments, just to make sure.

Blue eyes gazed at the markets around him, the crowds already beginning to form in the afternoon sun as many bystanders were out to collect spices, meats, and even incense. He had to admit, every time he visited the kingdom, he realized just how lacking the markets were in his hometown.

Almost every inch of the market was packed head to toe with stalls and buildings. The mass abundance of foods littered several stalls, some foreign but most being local. The familiar ring of metal being forged and ash filled the air when passing by a few blacksmith shops, but only a few feet down, your nostrils flared at the rich waft of incense.

The markets themselves were beautiful, and if it wasn’t that, it was surely the square sitting right in the middle of it all. A grand fountain lay shining brightly in the sun, its bright blue water glittering in the sunlight as a few bystanders stopped and gave their prayers to the statue atop the fountain.

Despite only being in the kingdom a few times within the years, Phainon felt at home, and the hustle of the markets brought a warm feeling to his chest. One that came from comfort.

He stopped at a few stalls, buying a few things that he deemed worthy of needing later, like a few herbs, medicines, and even took the time at a food stall to pick out something small to have as he had grown peckish in the few hours without something in his stomach.

Handing over a few gold coins that shone with Okhemas' symbol, he was handed a small piece of bread in return that warmed his hands. Freshly baked. Thanking the lady at the stall, he cradled the piece of bread as he turned and continued down the dirt path, occasionally raising the piece of bread to his lips to take a bite as his eyes wandered around.

From seeing a few kids passing by and shouting playfully to some old man using his cane to smack a younger man in the leg in annoyance, the place felt like home to him. At least, another home. 

His mind began to wander about his kingdom, hoping that his mother and father were well and that things were just as calm as they were here. Though Aedes Elysiae was a rather peaceful kingdom, they had their fair share of shortcomings, and being away for too long always made Phainon more anxious than he would admit.

The man wasn’t able to reflect much on his thoughts as a familiar scent filled his nose. The same scent he caught at the ball a few nights ago. Quickly glancing over to the right, his eyes clashed with gold as he stopped in his tracks.

Mydei was here, and not wearing the same clothes as he had been previously. He wore a casual outfit much like Phainons, and he was staring from one of the market stalls that were a few feet from the grand fountain. 

He didn’t look for long, simply glancing back at the shopkeeper, and continued to talk. Phainon, however, didn’t seem to hesitate as he started to make his way over to the very same stall.

By the time he got there,  Mydei had already collected the things he bought in a brown leather bag. He slipped the bag over his shoulder and across his body, paying no mind to Phainon as he started to walk up.

“Hey! Wait up,” Phainon called out, quickly catching up to the kremnoan as he gave a soft smile. The man didn't respond, eyes focused ahead as he ignored the man and continued walking.

“Jeez? Not talkative today after that council meeting?”

Again, silence. Of course.

Sighing softly, Phainon shrugged but continued to walk alongside the man as he crossed his arms behind his head.

“You sure like to follow me everywhere I go. If I knew any better, I’d say you were stalking me,” Mydei soon mumbled, peeking over at Phainon.

“Stalking? Again, you never have anything nice to say to me,” Phainon mumbled, but despite the accusation, grinned widely as he glanced back at Mydei. He noted a small shade of red cast over the man’s cheeks.

“I just don’t enjoy stalkers.”

“I'm not a stalker!”

“HKS…”

Phainon paused for a second at the last word, confusion lighting up on his face as he tilted his head.

“Huh?”

“Nothing– Why are you here? To annoy me?” Mydei accused, his gaze moving down as he stopped only for a second to dig something out of his bag before continuing to walk.

“If you consider striking up a friendly conversation as annoying someone, then sure,” Phainon teased, a wide smirk on his face as he broke off a piece of his bread and casually handed it over to Mydei as they walked. The man eyed the piece of bread carefully but soon took it from his hands, raising it to his lips and taking a big bite out of it.

“Whatever,” Mydei muttered after swallowing a piece of the bread. 

Just like the other night, Mydei still had that same look to him, ever so confident and seemingly unbothered by the market around him. As if the man were in his own world. Phainon didn’t dare question it, quietly just following the man as if he had nothing better to do. They made it down a few blocks from the market and soon stopped in front of the city's tavern. The stench of ale and wine was prominent, and it made Phainon’s nose twitch slightly.

“The tavern?” He questioned, but Mydei didn’t answer right away, finishing the rest of his bread before going inside without a second's thought.

“After that long meeting, who wouldn't need a damn drink?” Is what Phainon heard, causing him to chuckle before he too finished the rest of the bread before heading inside right after Mydei.

Fair enough.

Chapter Text

The tavern was seemingly more packed than the market itself, laughter and loud shouts vibrating off the walls as it was evident that the alcohol was already doing its part. The air reeked of alcohol but also high spirits, making the white-haired male smile softly as he shifted to grab the coin purse hanging from his belt.

“Drinks are on me,” he offered softly, giving the coin purse that was in his hand a small shake before he winked at Mydei. A hint of pink formed on the man’s cheeks as he mumbled something under his breath, though Phainon didn’t stay too long to listen, instead walking over to the counter where a few of the tavern's workers were.

“Just two cups of ale, please,” Phainon quietly handed over a few gold coins to one of the workers, who stopped for a minute to study him. She didn’t say anything, instead only raising a brow and keeping her hand held out.

There was a small silence before Phainon sighed, adding a few more gold coins before the lady clasped her hands around the currency, walking off quietly to pour them their drinks.

Turning around, blue eyes searched around the room before they fell on Mydei, who had taken a seat at one of the round tables off towards the back of the tavern. Slipping his coin purse back on his belt, he made his way across the room before quietly taking a seat across from the blonde.

Mydei opened his eyes, placing his chin on his hand as he curled a brow at Phainon.

“How’s that coin purse of yours feeling?” He questioned, a small smirk on his face as Phainon simply furrowed his brows.

“You owe me,” Phainon shot back instantly, making Mydei scoff loudly before he rolled his eyes, sitting up slightly in his seat.

“Last time I checked, you don't usually owe someone if they offer things,” Mydei countered, that smirk still playing on his lips as Phainon couldn’t help but smile a little. 

“And last time I checked, your highness, ale wasn’t this expensive.” Phainon’s tone was light, seemingly not angry but not pleased with how light he was getting on coin at this point. 

The two men exchanged looks before the blond simply shrugged, glancing over at the lady who was bringing them their drinks. Clumsily setting the drinks down on the table, she went to apologize, but Phainon reassured her, giving her a sweet smile before grabbing his cup. The lady quickly bowed before heading off to serve others as the tavern seemed to gain more customers in the short time they were there.

Raising his cup to his lips, Phainon took a quick sip before setting the drink down, a soft hum leaving him as he swallowed.

“So,” He started, his eyes back on Mydei as the other was already consuming nearly his entire drink, leaving Phainon widening his eyes. Mydei took a few large gulps of his ale before setting the drink down, wiping his lips with his thumb before he peeked over at Phainon.

“So?”

“Aside from being here on business, were you planning on doing anything while here in the kingdom?” Phainon asked.

“Why would you need to know that?” Mydei said, his tone slightly defensive as he glared.

“I was just curious. It’s not every day you get to come to this kingdom,” Phainon paused to take another sip of his drink, this one slightly larger than the previous one, before he set the cup down and deemed it to be enough alcohol for the time being.

“I’m only here for official business,” Mydei mumbled into his cup, closing his eyes to take another drink as Phainon bit the inside of his lip. 

'So much fun he is,' Phainon sarcastically thought to himself.

“I see-” Phainon later replied, a long silence falling over the two as he found himself tracing his finger over the rim of his cup and staring at the liquid inside. 

“Well, since you’re only here on official business, I guess I will have to find someone else to ask,” Phainon hummed out, faking a sense of disappointment as he kept his gaze on his drink.

He dropped the bait, but would the other take it?

“Spit it out, idiot.”

Of course, he would–

A playful grin flashed on Phainon’s lips as he looked back up at Mydei, who seemed to down the rest of his drink before furrowing his brows at him from across the table. He couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Do you know how to wield a sword?”

A pause came from Mydei as he blinked a few times.

“You are asking the prince of Castrum Kremnos if he knows how to wield a sword? Are you fucking serious?”

Phainon quickly raised both his hands in defense, the playful grin quickly turning into a smirk as he gave Mydei a challenging gaze.

“Hey! I dunno what your kingdom does in terms of training their future heirs. For all I know, you might be reading and taking dance lessons all day,” Phainon purred out, placing both his elbows on the table and knitting his fingers together as he rested his head on his hands.

“I wouldn’t want you getting hurt or anything, you know, if I were to ask you for a spar.” He continued, finding amusement in the way Mydei's face twisted in both disbelief and anger.

“My people invented the very sword your people use, and you dare question if I know how to wield one?” he growled out loudly, his anger catching the attention of some individuals nearby, but Phainon simply didn’t back down. Some looked at him as if he was asking for a death wish as he clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth before continuing.

“Well, how would I know? You are very busy on official business, so unfortunately, I have no means of a way for you to show me. Truly unfortunate, and here I thought w–”

There was a quick shift and before Phainon could say much of anything else, Mydei had him across the table, the collar of his shirt gripped tightly by the blond as they almost butted heads from the force alone. Pure rage formed in Mydei’s eyes as Phainon’s blue ones widened in surprise. The air grew tense, and the whole tavern practically went silent as eyes fell on them.

Neither of the men said anything, their eyes locked in their own form of competition for some time before Phainon was roughly pushed back down in his chair. He had to quickly balance himself to not fall, holding his breath as his eyes remained on Mydei. The man’s expression looked as though he wanted to stab Phainon in the heart right then and there.

“Enough,” Mydei hissed out harshly, ignoring the looks that they got in the tavern as he simply waved down for another cup of ale.

Phainon coughed softly, more or less trying to rid the tense air around the two of them as he adjusted the loose collar of his shirt as well as the small clasp of his cloak awkwardly. His hands shook slightly as he went to grab the cup of ale he had previously dismissed and instead went back on his word and downed the rest in only two gulps. He dared not show that the sting in his throat caused him discomfort. 

He ignored the look he got from Mydei, though, setting the cup down with an exasperated sigh before his gaze went down to the table. He couldn’t look at the other, knowing that Mydei’s small outburst brought something out deep within his core. Something he wasn’t even aware would come to rise.

Excitement.

His mind wandered endlessly, the unknown feeling mixing with something he was all too accustomed to. Phainon's competitive side had an itch to push at the man’s patience and didn’t seem to care at all if he’d be a dead man for it.

Despite the shaking of his hands, a wide smirk formed on his lips, one from pure adrenaline alone as his gaze flicked up to Mydei’s. Blue and gold clashed once again, and Phainon didn’t dare to look away despite the growing feeling in his lower stomach.

He was challenging him, and by the Titans above, why did he enjoy doing it?  

Mydei didn’t say anything, instead holding the man's gaze even when his new cup of ale was brought to him. He simply grabbed the cup and took a large gulp of the drink, all while his eyes remained on Phainon. 

With a sigh, Mydei set his drink down before his lips turned upwards into a small smirk. It was a brief one, but Phainon was more than ecstatic to catch it as the man shifted to place some gold coins on the table before getting up out of his chair.

“Don’t hate me when your sorry ass eats the dirt,” was all he muttered, making Phianon’s stomach do a flip as he nearly stumbled getting out of his seat to follow after him as they left the Tavern.

By the time Phainon got out of the tavern, Mydei had already begun to walk back towards the markets, stopping by a small area where a few horses were hitched and untied one of the reins. Assuming that was the man's horse, admiration formed on Phainon's face as he watched the man pull an apple out of the leather bag he had around him, mumbling a few words at the creature as it ate the apple before looking over at Phainon with a raised brow.

“Your horse?” He asked plainly, to which Phainon paused and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Oh! Um…”

“What?”

“I haven’t gotten one while staying in the kingdom,” Phainon quickly admitted, his cheeks growing red as he let out a soft chuckle and looked down at the ground.

“I see…” Was all Mydei said, gently petting the mare as it gently nudged its nose against Mydei’s cheek. The man seemed to pause in thought before he motioned with his head to the right.

“The public stables are over there.” Mydei later continued, beginning to lead his horse in the same direction as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Don’t make me wait long,”

Phainon simply nodded, moving to jog across the dirt road and soon made his way over to the public stables. The building itself was rather small in comparison to the much bigger buildings of the kingdom; however, there was a large wooden fence that surrounded the area in which a few horses were grazing on the grass that grew there. A few individuals went in and out of the building, some being workers and others negotiating prices on the horses that were available for purchase. Opening one of the two big wooden doors of the building, Phainon peered inside curiously before taking a few steps inside.

His nose wrinkled from the smell of manure that lingered in the place, but he quickly ignored it as he began to look around at the few available horses. Some of them paid him no mind, too busy eating the hay they were given, while others were simply resting. He noted even one lying down in its stall, a sight that made him smile affectionately. One horse out of the ones that were there, though, struck his attention, making him come to a halt as he lingered in front of its stall.

The coat of the horse was as white as snow itself, something that Phainon knew it was expensive and usually was only offered to those of noble backgrounds. The horse itself seemed rather calm in the other’s presence, though, instantly acknowledging the man standing in front of its stall and turning to face him. Blinking its eyes, the horse stared at the male for some time before Phainon carefully held his hand out, a soft smile on his lips.

The horse paused but soon tilted its head so that Phainon's hand gently pressed to its nose. A simple form of acceptance, but one that made his heart swell.

“Hello there,” He said sweetly, gently petting the horse's nose as he gazed up at the creature. The small bonding moment, though, was cut short as a panicked voice rang out.

“Sir! That horse is only for those of nobility! I ask you to please take your hands off it!” A nearby stableman called out, seeming angry from his expression. Phainon quickly pulled back from the horse as he glanced at the man.

“I apologize,” He said quickly, watching as the man studied his face before going stiff.

“I… forgive me, your highness. I didn’t recognize you,” The man quickly stuttered out, bowing several times while Phainon simply chuckled and leaned down to place his hand on the man's shoulder.

“Please, no need for that.” He said softly, beaming at the man as he stood up straight and nodded a few times in response.

“How much is this horse going for?” He asked, motioning to the horse that stayed in its same positioning, watching the two carefully as it flicked its ear a few times.

“Ah. Well, we just got him in a few days ago from the east. Temperamental thing, he is.” The stableman huffed out, eyeing the horse with slight distaste, but then looked back at Phainon.

“Despite being broken in, he does put up a fight.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Phainon said enthusiastically, smiling brightly at the horse as it flared its nostrils in return.

“Seeing how he let you pet his nose in a matter of minutes, I’d say he won't give you a hard time,” The man inquired with a scoff before he extended his hand.

“But that comes at a price,” He quickly added, to which Phainon simply hummed in response and turned back to face him.

“You know, you sound like a friend of mine,” Phainon teased, smiling in amusement before reaching down to grab the coin purse from his hip. Shifting some on his feet, he opened the coin purse and began negotiating the price with the stableman.

Within a matter of minutes, the horse was cleaned up, and soon Phainon was tightening the straps of the saddle on his newly acquired horse. The horse, despite being known for being temperamental, seemed to be calm around Phainon, letting the man do as he pleased with so much as a simple flick of his tail.

Once the horse was prepared for the travels ahead, Phainon gave the creature a few pets on its neck before he smiled up at it.

“Okay, you promise you’re not gonna buck me off?” He asked, to which the horse simply huffed and tilted its head some as it dug at the ground a little with its hoof.

Shifting to make sure the saddle was tight enough and that he had all the necessary things, he grabbed the reins and began to lead the horse out of the stable. Going out the door, Phainon winced a little as the sun hit his eyes, making him turn his head a little before he made the horse stop. Moving to walk back just a little, he carefully pulled himself up and onto the saddle, slipping his boots into the stirrups of the horse and adjusting himself.

The horse seemed to show slight resistance to which Phainon assumed was its lack of being ridden despite him being broken in. He leaned down to pet the horse's neck before humming softly to it.

“Do you mind if I call you… Snowball?” He asked, to which the horse neighed loudly and made Phainon quickly grab the reins as the horse protested. Gaining control rather quickly, Phainon furrowed his brows in frustration before he huffed softly.

“Okay! Okay… what about…” he paused in thought, moving to gently kick the horse's side, and soon they began walking in the direction he was to meet Mydei.

“Polaris?” He tried, shifting the reins in his hands as the horse flicked its head in response. Phainon wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not, staring down at the horse in a puzzled manner before looking forward.

“I guess we will work on the name,” He mumbled more or so to himself.

It thankfully didn’t take Phainon too long to get to the outskirts of the kingdom, easily guiding his newly acquired steed past the gates of the kingdom and soon down a worn dirt path as vegetation shadowed around them. The horse, despite trying to buck him off twice by now, seemed more or so accepting of him as it quietly obeyed when told to go in certain directions. Soon, they arrived at a small clearing that had fewer trees around it and more open space as the fields behind it seemed to go on for eons.

The training ground, and from the looks of it, Mydei was leaning against a nearby tree while his horse was happily enjoying the newfound vegetation nearby. The man's arms were crossed, and his eyes were closed, seeming to enjoy the quiet air that was around them.

With a slight pull of the reins, Phainon made the horse come to a stop, shushing the horse with a small pat to its neck before easing himself off the creature.

“Easy there,” He mumbled out, gripping the reins and quietly guiding the horse over to where Mydei’s steed was. He tied it to one of the nearby trees before leaving the horse to its own will, to which it seemed rather content with as it began to eat the nearby vegetation.

“Took you long enough,” Mydei grumbled out, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall to his side as he pushed himself off the tree. Looking over to Phainon, he let out an exasperated sigh.

“I didn’t know buying a horse took a few centuries,” Mydei continued, beginning to walk past the small fence that was around the area and heading towards the small weapon racks that were located around the area.

“It does when the stableman wants nearly your entire coin purse.” Phainon shook his head with a defeated look, slipping past the small gate with ease.

“Well no shit, look at his coat,” Mydei chimed in, leaving Phainon to let out a chuckle as he peeked over at his horse before looking around at his nearby surroundings.

The place looked like your usual public training grounds, weapon racks littered around, along with a few makeshift dummies. There were also a few targets for bow and arrow practice, something Phainon wouldn’t admit he was bad at, as he seemed to never be able to land an arrow perfectly. But what he lacked in one, he gained in another. He was exceptional at sword fighting to the point that he outnumbered many of the other acquaintances he knew by a long shot.

There were a few other individuals who were there practicing their skills along with them, some of them in groups while others were there by themselves. The sound of shouts and grunts filled the air as many of them clashed swords. It was much different than the training grounds that were located closer to the castle grounds, and Phainon couldn’t help but enjoy how nice the breeze felt as the leaves on the trees ever so slowly began to fall.

“Hurry up. I’m not waiting all day to beat your ass,” The words belonged to Mydei who had already picked out a sword and was staring at Phainon with a glare. The white-haired male simply beamed at him as he made his way over to the same rack, taking a moment to look over a few of the different swords there.

“You? Beat me?” Phainon challenged, a wide smirk on his face as he finally picked out a sword and examined it some before his blue eyes met with the others.

“Watch it,” Mydei warned, his glare turning harsher as Phainon noted the man's grip on the sword tightening. He went to say something in return, but widened his eyes as Mydei shifted to grab his shoulder, pushing him towards the middle of the training ground with ease. With a slight stumble, Phainon shot a glare back at the blonde before straightening himself and watched as Mydei made his way over. 

The air grew tense almost immediately, though Phainon seemed not to mind, studying the other in front of him carefully as they stood a few feet apart. Phainon had to admit, he wasn’t sure just how this little ‘competition’ of theirs would go. Sure, he had fought others the same way before back in Aedes Elysiae, but something about the Kremnoan made him begin to doubt his abilities instantly. The way he held the sword with ease and confidence, and the way his eyes seemed to never leave Phainon’s. He felt like he was beginning to drown in the man’s golden eyes, gripping his sword tighter as he went to open his mouth.

“Well, what are you w-” He began, eyes widening as he quickly flicked his right hand up to block the sudden attack that was lunged at him, sparks flying as the weight of their swords meeting nearly knocked him off his feet.

Grunting, Phainon shot a glare at Mydei before quickly shifting forward to push the other off with his sword, barely able to counter the man's attack that followed as Mydei fought with nothing but ruthlessness.

Phainon mentally thanked himself for being light on his feet, easily dodging a few attacks that were aimed purposely at spots that meant nothing but trouble. The fight itself knocked the air out of him, but that newfound excitement from before seemed to blossom in its absence once again as he fought back with matching energy.

He practically grinned when there were a few times he caught Mydei off guard, but didn’t relinquish the joy for long as Mydei easily came crashing back with even more force. 

Both men moved as if they were in sequence, their arms moving quickly as their swords continued to meet harshly as both fought for even a small ounce of advantage against the other. Blue and golden eyes remained locked together as the fight continued, but just as Phainon believed he was gaining the advantage, one small kick towards him sent him hitting his back against the dirt with a loud grunt.

Pain surged through his entire body as blue eyes widened when the tip of Mydei’s sword met his throat, causing him to tense up instantly as he tilted his chin up to try and break the distance.

Mydei didn’t say anything, simply keeping his sword in the same place as he seemed to examine Phainon, who had a mixture of both fear and enjoyment across his face. 

“T-That’s playing dirty,” Phainon panted out heavily, wincing as Mydei jerked the sword back and instead pulled Phainon up with one swift moment. He held the white-haired male's wrist for a second as he watched him gain balance before letting go.

“Men on the battlefield play against the rules.” Was all Mydei mumbled out, moving to walk back to the same spot he was before their fight began, and then nonchalantly nodded to Phainon.

“Again.”

“What?”

“Again,” Mydei repeated, giving Phainon no time to process anything as their swords quickly clashed again, nearly knocking Phainon off his feet with the amount of force put into the other man's movement.

“Y-You already won!” Phainon gasped out, wincing as he could barely keep up and nearly jumped back as Mydei’s sword was lunged towards his stomach.

He couldn’t tell if the man was truly just sword fighting for the hell of it or trying to kill Phainon. He assumed both.

Their fight alone seemed to gain some attention from the individuals around them, some gasping when one of them evaded a quick attack, and others simply watching in awe as both men seemed to mirror each other almost perfectly in combat.

Phainon’s movements seemed to grow a little more sloppy as his body still radiated from the pain, mentally cursing to himself when he would make small miscalculations in his attacks. Soon, said miscalculations sent him stumbling back with a loud grunt and his sword flying to the left, hitting the ground harshly.

Panting heavily, he kept his blue eyes on Mydei as he carelessly tossed his own sword to the side, moving to instead bring his fists up.

“Not done yet,” Mydei growled out, lunging forward; however, before his fist could hit Phainon, Phainon quickly raised his wrist and deflected, moving to send a similar hit to the man’s stomach, but Mydei, of course, dodged it.

It seemed that no matter how Phainon took his attacks, Mydei read them almost instantly, and soon his fist hit right into Phainon's jaw with exact precision. Phainon stumbled back with a cry of pain and went to hold the spot that was hit. Blue eyes quickly turned to gold as he glared hard at Mydei, who, for the first time in the entire fight, faltered as his expression turned into one of surprise. 

Phainon didn’t dare ask, a smirk quickly casting on his face as he felt a warm feeling erode on his very being. A feeling as if his very body was burning, and the mixture of pain only added to it. It brought him only more excitement, and deep inside, he could feel rage begin to form. He figured now he could finally get the other back, finally gain the advantage, and though he didn’t dare question why his body felt as if it was on fire, he lunged forward within an instant. Just as he did so, though, a figure from the right quickly intervened, and soon he was knocked to the ground hard in one swift movement, a familiar voice ringing out.

“Enough, both of you.”

Hephaestion?

Golden eyes met the man harshly as he propped himself on the ground, but soon they slowly faded back to blue as the man above him seemed just as surprised as Mydei. He, however, didn’t say anything, instead quickly moving to glance at Mydei as he mumbled a few words in an unknown language before Mydei huffed.

“He started it,” Mydei protested, crossing his arms over his chest as Hephaestion sighed heavily and dragged a hand down his face in frustration.

“Well, I am finishing it. You’ve gained quite the attention, and need I remind you there is an image we are trying to keep for the sake of our kingdom while we are here?”

“I think beating this pathetic prince is more than a good image.” Mydei mumbled before he soon added, “Though I give him credit, he’s good.”

Hephaestion glared at the man in annoyance before he glanced back at Phainon, seeming hesitant before he reached down to help him up. Phainon groaned in protest, wincing in pain as he reached for his jaw once more and mumbled out a few curse words.

“Are you okay?” He asked with concern, eyes looking down at Phainon's jaw before they went back to his eyes.

“I-I’m fine… Nothing I can't handle,” Phainon quickly dismissed, forcing out a rough chuckle as he shifted some while rubbing his jaw before letting his hand fall to the ground. His eyes moved to look at Mydei, who, for a split second, showed some concern as well before a scowl cast over his face.

“Can we take you to the nearby apothecary?” Hephaestion offered, but Phainon quickly waved it off.

“Please.. I’m fine.” He insisted, however, both men didn’t seem to buy it as they exchanged a few looks and ultimately decided not to press as Mydei soon spoke up.

“Why are you here, Hephaestion?”

“Looking for you– You left the council room quicker than I’ve seen you leave the battlefield.” Hephaestion teased, moving to Phainon’s side to help him stay stable, to which Phainon thanked him quietly. 

Mydei simply scoffed and rolled his eyes at the response, watching as Hephaestion took Phainon off to the side and quickly checked him for any wounds while forcing the white-haired male to sit against one of the nearby wagons and take some herbs he had stored.

“And it’s a good thing I arrived when I did. If I hadn’t known better, I'd say you were quite literally trying to kill him,” Hephaestion mumbled out, but Phainon was quick to shake his head.

“No– I asked him for a duel.” 

“Really?” Hephaestion went silent for a moment before he pulled back from Phainon, seeing that the man didn't need any form of medical attention, but did eye the man's jaw for a second.

“Is it broken?”

“No, just sore as hell. Did anyone ever tell you that your firsts are like rocks, Mydei?” Phainon said with a small wince as he moved his jaw some to make sure it wasn’t dislocated. Thankfully, it wasn’t.

“Yes,” Mydei answered plainly, making his way over to the others and looking down at Phainon carefully while crossing his arms over his chest.

“I expect no less…” Phainon mumbled out with a slight chuckle, taking a minute to relax his body as the pain slowly began to fade. While doing so, he watched as Hephaestion stood up and took a few minutes to talk to Mydei off to the side, both of them exchanging hand gestures and expressions that told Phainon the conversation was anything but casual.

He took a few minutes to rub some on his wrists as well as the right side of his waist, which burned slightly from the pain. He showed a few stiff movements in doing so, but soon glanced back at the two men as they returned from their private conversation.

“We are going to head back to the kingdom before he begins anything else worth mentioning to the queen. Are you sure you don’t want us to help you back?” Hephaestion offered a gentle smile, forming on his lips as Phainon simply shook his head and moved to stand up with a slight wince.

“I promise I'm okay.” He reassured, smiling slightly back as he glanced at Mydei before he shifted to hold out a hand.

“Though, I demand a rematch when we have the time.” He said softly, making Mydei simply shrug before he took Phainon’s hand and gave a slight squeeze to it, before shaking his hand.

“Don’t go crying to Hephaestion when I kick your ass again,”

“Who said you’d kick my ass?” Phainon challenged, the two locking their gazes as he smirked playfully. Mydei didn’t reply, simply pulling his hand back, but gave a slight smile before the two of them walked off to their horses just outside the training grounds.

Phainon’s cheeks grew warm from seeing that small smile, something he didn’t expect to see after almost literally being killed by the same man earlier. It made him feel warm inside, and he couldn’t help but watch as they rode off.

He lingered some before his blue eyes caught the sunset starting to form on the horizon, and soon sighed to himself as he began to steadily make his way back to the steed he had tied to one of the trees. He gave its nose a rub with his right hand before taking the reins and decided not to push his luck by trying to get on its back. Leading the horse out to the dirt path they had taken previously to get here, he used the horse's weight to lean on some as the two slowly made it back to the kingdom.

“Ica, I think I’ll name you that,” he mumbled softly, his voice already showing how tired he was getting as he leaned some into the horse, who happily let him.

The walk back took longer than Phainon had estimated, the sky being pitch black as he quietly tied the reins on Ica to a nearby hitching post before offering the horse a carrot. The horse happily took it before Phainon made his way over to Cipher's small hut, whispering something under his breath as he turned the knob of the door and let himself inside.

He was met with a pitch black room, noting the very small oil lamp positioned on one of the shelves behind Cipher's counter as he shut the door behind him quietly. He whispered the same enhancement from seconds ago before the sound of his boots was heard across the wooden floor.

Making his way up the small set of stairs, he made sure to be quieter as he walked past Cipher’s door, and soon made it to the spare room he had asked her for earlier that day. Walking over to the nightstand that was beside the bed, he silently turned the oil lamp on before he moved to sit down on the side of his bed. With a small creak from the sudden weight, Phainon began to unclasp his cloak and work on removing his boots before he hung the cloak back up in its original place. He placed the boots near the foot of his bed carelessly.

He took a few minutes while sitting on his bed, seemingly lost in his thoughts, before the ache in his jaw pulled him away. He moved to stand up and walk over to the mirror that was across his room in a sluggish manner before moving his hands to his shirt. He began to quietly examine himself in the faint light the oil lamp gave the room, noting a few bruises that had already begun to form across his body, as well as one on the right side of his waist as he lifted his shirt some. Careful fingers glided over the spot, wincing as he did so, and moved so his shirt could fall back down as he instead examined his jaw. No doubt it was still incredibly sore, and there seemed to be a big bruise already forming in the exact spot where he was punched.

Mydei was seriously no joke with his hits and Phainon mentally scolded himself for even suggesting the damn fight in the first place since it meant he'd be walking around with bruises that definitely would cause worry to others. Yet, at the same time, it brought a small smile to his face as he turned away from the mirror to instead look at his bed tiredly.

Exhaustion began to wrack his body as he decided not to change his clothes and instead moved to lie down on the bed with a heavy sigh as he brought both his hands up to rub his eyes. A small ache started to form in his head along with the rest of his aching body, and it wasn’t long before he found himself blindly reaching to turn the oil lamp off and engulfing himself in the warm quilts that lay on the bed.

He buried his face in the pillow that was there as his white tangled some from the movement, letting the warmth around his body claim him, as it didn’t take long before sleep took him entirely.

Chapter Text

Phainon woke up less peacefully than he would have liked, his slumber rudely interrupted as he heard a familiar voice and saw bright blue eyes staring down at him. The white-haired looked at Cipher with a dazed expression, blue eyes blinking a few times before they quickly widened in surprise as he shot up in the bed. Thankfully, Cipher had pulled away just as quickly to keep them from butting their heads, crossing her arms across her chest as she practically laughed.

“Wow– who the hell beat you up? I leave you alone for half a day, and you come back with a bruised jaw and scratches all over your body.” She said between her laughs, clearly not caring for Phainon’s well-being, and would rather tease him as he huffed, pulling the blankets back slightly as he furrowed his brows at her.

“When I asked for your spare room, I didn't sign up for you invading my privacy,” He muttered, clearly used to Cipher's teasing as he shifted some in his bed to hang his legs over the side, his bare feet hitting the wood floor as Cipher seemingly wiped a tear from her eye before composing herself.

“Comes with the package, I'm afraid. This is my cabin after all,” She replied, raising a brow at the man before she uncrossed her arms. 

“But seriously, who beat you up? Do I need to locate their house and leave a message?”

“Cipher!”

“Whhaattt?”

Phainon sighed heavily as he placed a hand on his head, the ache from last night quickly returning as he groaned softly. His jaw was still in a lot of pain, and he had to admit he felt horrible. Despite the amount of rest he got, he felt as though he hadn’t slept one bit.

“Just a friend,” He muttered out, wincing slightly as he pulled his hand away from his head, letting it fall to his lap as he carefully moved to stand up.

“You let a ‘friend’ beat you up like that?” Cipher questioned, clearly unimpressed as he could tell she was forcing back a grin. Phainon simply shot her a look as if to ask her to stop the questions, to which Cipher raised her hands in defense as she chuckled.

“Whatever– Do you need anything?” She asked, her tone shifting to one with concern for once as Phainon simply shook his head.

“I’m okay, Cipher. But, thank you,” He said softly, giving her a weak smile as Cipher paused to look him over. She didn’t buy his response, seeming to hesitate before she sighed heavily.

“I have some medicine in the small kitchen downstairs, take some.” Was all she said, moving to walk out of his room, but paused as she glanced over her shoulder.

“You don’t owe me anything for this one, but if I find you getting beaten up again, you are gonna have to start paying,” She said simply, making Phainon chuckle lightly as he shook his head before she moved to walk out of the spare bedroom and down the hall.

Phainon took a moment to steady himself, having grown a little dizzy, and cursed softly from the pain still throbbing in his jaw as he moved across the room to change into some newer clothes. He didn’t have any meetings or royal duties to attend to today, mentally thanking the titans above for that since he looked quite run down. A glance in the mirror confirmed this as he slipped on a shirt similar to the one he wore yesterday. Two fingers reached up to brush against the dark bruise that had formed under the right side of his jaw, wincing instantly as he frowned at his reflection in the mirror.

His gaze didn’t last long, though, as he focused on changing his undergarments, pants, and even fixing his hair some before he went to sit back on the bed to get his boots on. 

He tried to think of what he could do for the day. Practicing his swordsmanship was out of the question, and quite frankly, anything requiring physical movement was instantly ruled out. 

He supposed stopping by the local apothecary would be okay to try and speed up some of the bruising and pain. Even if Cipher offered him some medicine, he wasn't one to take from her home in all the times he stayed. 

Letting out a soft groan of pain, Phainon stood up and adjusted his clothes just a little before grabbing the necessary items and heading down the stairs.

The trip to the apothecary was much harder than Phainon had initially thought. His body felt extremely sluggish, and yet again, another part of him regretted being so competitive yesterday. He was far from being the type of person to like pain, but he couldn't describe why he felt joy in sparring with Mydei. Maybe he just enjoyed that type of friendship, though, were they friends? 

Maybe Mydei found Phainon annoying? That had to be why he landed probably the hardest punch Phainon had ever gotten right to his jaw. Yet at the same time, Phainon felt some sort of connection between them; he couldn't quite define what that was. 

He must have stood there for a while in his thoughts as a voice quietly plucked him away, causing him to quickly turn around and clear his throat. 

"Do you... need any assistance, Sir?" A young girl spoke out, her brow raised a little in confusion as she looked at the man who was standing in front of her. 

The young woman in front of him wore a long dress that had accents of both white and black, colors that he knew were not normally worn amongst the folk here in Okhema. Not only that, but her hair was a color that he had never seen before, an off-white color with the tips of her hair being a darker purple. She was very clearly not from here, and with Phainon’s stare, the woman must have understood what he was thinking as she awkwardly looked away and instead looked down at the bags she was carrying.

"I- do you run this establishment?"

There was a long pause between the two before she simply nodded, shifting her weight a little as she stood there, her heels making a slight noise against the stone paving.

Phainon swallowed nervously as she glanced down at the bags she was carrying, clearing his throat as he reached his hand out to try and ask silently if he could help her with the things that were in her arms.

"Here, let me-"

"It's okay- I ask you to please not get so close," the girl quickly warned, pinkish-purple eyes meeting Phainon's quickly as she took a few steps back, causing Phainon to widen his eyes as he drew his hand back as instructed. He gave her a puzzled look, but the girl simply dismissed it and shook her head.

"You have a bad bruise on your jaw. Is it broken?" She asked quietly, keeping her distance as she went around Phainon to then go to the front door of the shop he stood in front of, effortlessly unlocking the door despite all she was carrying. She huffed out a breath to get some of her hair out of her face.

"It's not- but it hurts like hell. I came to see if you had any medicine for it?" 

“Then you came to the right place,” She replied as she opened the door and went inside.

As instructed, Phainon kept his distance, silently following behind her as he watched her place several items down on the nearby counter. Strong incense and the smell of local medicine flooded his nostrils as he entered the building, instinctively moving to cover his nose as the young girl glanced at him before looking away.

"Are they too strong?" She asked, not waiting to hear his answer as she moved to blow out a few incense that were burning, waving some of the smoke before moving to grab the items she had bought and began to place them in an organized manner along the many medicine cabinets in the room. 

"N-Not at all!" Phainon quickly replied, the young girl not buying his words as she paused to look at him before she finished putting the items away while also bringing out a few and setting them on the counter. 

"They usually calm others, it's odd they bring you discomfort," She questioned, moving to tie her hair up as she looked over the items she had gotten out before grabbing a few jars and beginning to head left of the counter into another room that was connected to the small entrance.

The sound of her heels echoed through the small building as Phainon heard the occasional sounds of things being shifted, adjusted, and even a window being opened. 

Phainon began to follow, but remembered the woman's warning earlier and stayed put instead. He looked around the small entrance room of the apothecary and awkwardly shifted his weight somewhat as his eyes studied a few of the paintings on the walls and even noted a few encased butterflies. 

How odd.

"You can follow." The woman's voice rang out softly, and soon Phainon did as he was told and quietly went into the other room. There, he quickly noticed that the room was more of a treatment area with a few makeshift beds and some chairs and benches, one of which the woman was sitting on. 

"I um... My name is Phainon," He began awkwardly, moving to sit in one of the nearby chairs that he was silently told to sit in as the woman worked on a medicine. 

"So I've heard. I rarely get royals in my shop. Castorice, the pleasure is all mine," She smiled softly at him before looking back at the medicine she was making. 

“I wasn’t aware you knew of me,” He said softly, blue eyes looking down at the medicine as he did his best to ignore the strong scent that began to form from the mixture.

“Quite frankly, I didn't- until I heard of two princes yesterday beating each other to the point someone had to intervene.” She spoke softly, though a hint of a smile formed on her lips as Phainon sighed heavily.

“Word travels fast here…” He mumbled more or less to himself as he found himself pouting before Castroice’s movements stopped. He watched as she examined the mixture she was making before she glanced back over at him, her eyes fixated on his swollen jaw before she looked at him.

“Aside from the swelling, this medicine should help with the pain. As for inflammation, some cold compresses should help, and overall rest. This medicine here is quite bitter, but it should do the job. If you need more, please just stop by and I will gladly be able to provide you more.” She explained as she gently poured the medicine into a glass bottle, carefully twisting the wooden stopper on top of it before carefully handing it over to Phainon.

“It will take a few weeks for the swelling and pain to go down, but overall, I'm thankful he at least didn’t break your jaw, your highness,” She said, a small smile forming on her lips as she finished.

Phainon carefully took the bottle from her hands. He noticed in the moment that the girl had been wearing small gloves the entire time, eyeing them carefully as she moved her hands to fold them in her lap as she looked away from him.

“Thank you,” was all he said, eyeing her carefully as he found he had more questions than answers when it came to her. He knew it would be far too impolite to push though and simply looked the bottle over before he moved to stand.

“How much?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” She began, moving to stand as she smoothed out the dress she was wearing while adjusting her hair.

“Please, it’s the least I can do. Those herbs aren’t cheap I'm sure,” he insisted but Castorice simply shook her head as she began to head back into the main room.

“I just want to see you well. That’s the duty of a local apothecary, no?” She questioned, looking back over her shoulder at the young man as he soon sighed heavily.

“Miss Castorice,” He practically begged as he moved to hand her some coin that he dug out. It wasn’t much, thanks to the ale he had come to regret buying Mydei yesterday, but it was at least something.

She eyed him carefully before she let out a sigh of her own in defeat, opening her gloved hand to accept the few coins that were offered before she moved to head back behind the counter. The two didn't exchange any more words but Phainon lingered a few moments more before he soon headed out, the small bell atop the door ringing as he soon shut the door behind him and once again felt the cool air touch his skin.

He took a moment to look over the bottle he was given, noting the red liquid effortlessly moving around in the bottle from his hand movements as he pulled the bottle closer to his face to read the small inscription that was left.

‘One spoonful a day, no more-’

A soft smile formed on his lips as he lowered the bottle, moving to place it in the small bag that he always carried with him before he began to walk down the walkway once again. The air was getting colder with each day here, a sign that winter was quickly approaching and the thought alone made Phainon frown some. He was never fond of the cold weather as he more or less preferred the warm, sunny days back in Aedes Elysiae. Even if it meant a small sun burn here and there, as the cold was never favored by him. 

The rest of the day was rather uneventful for Phainon yet it was something that he seemed to actually enjoy rather than the busy work he’s used to. The edges of the sky held very little remaining sun and he couldn’t help but admire the sunset as he walked back towards Cipher’s cabin. He had spent the remainder of the day mostly checking in with a few things. He had managed to catch up with Tribbie to inquire that his message to his parents was sent, which she reassured him it was and even requested that whenever she was to receive word back from them that he be notified. Aside from that, he took the day at his own pace and for once, quite enjoyed doing so. He had silently hoped that he would have more uneventful days like this one.

Upon reaching Cipher’s cabin, he carefully undid the small top of the medicine as he was heading inside, but not before greeting Ica and promising the horse he’d return shortly after with a carrot. Opening the door, he quickly walked past the counter and into the small kitchen that Cipher had connected to her small shop, digging around in the cupboard until he located a small spoon. Pouring the red substance out, he eyed it some before moving to bring the tip of the spoon to his lips and carefully drinking the liquid.

Just as Castorice mentioned, the medicine was bitter. Extremely bitter. Enough so that it made Phainon cough a few times as he cursed under his breath with a displeased look on his face. He quickly put the topper back on the bottle before setting it to the side, looking around to find anything that could get the horrible taste out of his mouth as he settled on a small piece of bread that Cipher had sitting in a small basket to the side.

It didn’t help much with getting the taste out of his mouth but it was enough for him to manage as he finished the small piece of bread and then grabbed one of the carrots in the same basket and went to head outside. 

“Don’t worry- I didn’t forget,” Phainon quickly reassured as Ica neighed, tail flicking as Phainon quietly made his way over and gave the horse what he had been waiting for. To Phainon’s surprise, Ica downed the carrot in no time, leaving Phainon quite shocked as he blinked a few times before he scoffed.

“You’re going to drain me of coins with that appetite, aren’t you?” he asked playfully, reaching up to pat the horse a few times as Ica moved his nose to blow some air at Painon’s hair in response. The two sat there for a few minutes before Phainon hummed upon hearing the familiar sound of a certain someone.

“You’re back early-” Phainon called out, his eyes meeting Cipher’s as the woman simply scoffed and tossed an apple towards him which he thankfully caught just in time before it was to hit the dirt.

“I had to come back to feed that horse of yours, looks like you beat me to it,” Cipher responded playfully, watching with an amused look as it took Ica no time to locate the apple in Phainon’s hand and easily grab it with his teeth to begin eating it.

“And from the looks of it I might have made a mistake,” Phainon mumbled out as he watched Ica eat the apple in a matter of seconds, sighing softly as Cipher simply chuckled at the sight before she went to head inside the cabin.

“Regardless of whether you regret it or not, you’re going to be the one picking up the shit, not me.” She said with a simple shrug before the sound of the cabin door being shut was heard. Phainon rolled his eyes as he gave Ica a few more pats before heading back inside the small cabin as well, looking around for Cipher and soon found her in the small kitchen he was in earlier digging around for something.

“About Ica,’ He started, causing Cipher to perk her ears up as her tail swayed a little.

“Hm?”

“I wanted to ask if I could put him in the small yard you have, it would keep him out of the way for ongoers and I personally don’t like him just being hitched at the front of the cabin’s fence,”

Cipher seemed to have found what she was looking for before she stood up, looking back at Phainon with a shrug.

“I don’t mind. But I won't be the one taking care of him.” She said simply, moving past him to place a few bowls on the small wooden table he was near as it was clear she was making something to eat.

Phainon took a second to move the bottle of medicine he had left there and went to set it aside, noting Cipher’s look before she turned her attention back to the meal.

“You didn’t take the medicine I left?”

“I didn’t think it was quite polite of me,”

A pause occurred before Cipher busted out laughing, causing Phainon to pout as he grabbed the bowl she was holding before she could have spilled it.

“You never change,” Cipher breathed out, a few giggles falling in between as Phainon simply ignored her and pouted as he continued to prepare what she started. It was a simply broth-like soup from the looks of it and before he could really add anything, Cipher was quick to snatch the bowl back and take it over to the fireplace and began placing it in the small cauldron hanging there.

“Oh no you don’t. You’ll burn the house down-”

“My cooking isn't that bad!”

“Says the person who can literally burn anything!” She said, beginning to start a small fire and blew on the flames some before going back to stir the mixture.

Phainon didn’t argue, simply rolling his eyes as he moved to roll up his sleeves and instead made his way over to where Cipher was, insisting he stir the mixture and keep an eye on it while she prepared the rest of the meal. At first, she was hesitant but decided to give the man a small chance of redeeming himself as she went back over to the table to grab the rest of the ingredients for their small dinner.

It was a simple meal, one that didn't take long to make at all, though Cipher teasingly praised Phainon for not actually burning the soup even though all he did was simply stir it from time to time. The two later sat across from one another at the small table Cipher had in her kitchen, engaging in only small talk as they ate before Cipher began to shift the topic to something that seemed more interesting.

“So,” She started, Phainon’s eyes peeking up from his bowl as he hummed in response, currently slurping up a spoonful of soup.

“Is it getting worse?” The question made the entire room go silent for a while as Phainon finished what was in his mouth before he frowned some at Cipher.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Phainon quickly dismissed, his eyes going back to his soup as he began to eat another spoonful of it as Cipher simply propped an elbow up on the table and leaned her chin against her hand.

“Bullshit,” She responded.

“There’s nothing to note on it.”

“Phainon,” She let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head as she stared at the other.

Phainon clenched his jaw some, ignoring the pain that it brought him as he studied the contents of his soup more than he really should, obviously wanting to avoid the conversation his friend had started but knew far too well there was no avoiding her.

“It is, only a little though,” He soon mumbled out to which Cipher simply clicked her tongue on the root of her mouth.

“Do they know?”

“Who?”

“Your parents, who else?” Cipher questioned, scoffing at Phainon as she moved to begin eating her soup once again. Silence fell between the two as the prince chewed his bottom lip, trying to figure out how to answer best but soon showed an expression of defeat as he shrugged.

“I don’t know. I don’t plan to tell them. I’ve kept it under wraps ever since-”

“To be fair, telling anyone that you’re cursed with forbidden magicks will leave you only being killed.” Cipher mused out softly between bites, leaving Phainon to grow uneasy as he knew far too well that her words were very well true.

“It’s not like I asked for it. I don't even know exactly what it is…”

“You don’t have to. Magick like that has its own way of working and quite frankly it doesn't matter who you are, or what you do. One wrong move on anyone's part and you’re stuck in the very situation you are in,” Cipher mumbled out, easily finishing her bowl of soup as her eyes carefully looked over at Phainon.

“I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

“And now you’re paying the price for it, though I wonder if it could've saved her…”

A loud thud was heard as Phainon nearly slammed his bowl on the table, blue eyes quickly turning yellow as he glared hard at Cipher as the air around them turned extremely warm.

“Enough,” Phainon warned harshly, causing Cipher to widen her eyes in surprise at the sudden shift in her friend’s demeanor, noting the quick eye color change and instantly felt her body grow stiff. She didn’t dare say anything else for the time being, simply letting out a shaky sigh as she moved to stand up, the legs on the wooden chair scraping harshly against the floor as she took her bowl with her.

“Either way, Phainon. You're stuck with one hell of a problem,” Was all she said as she left the room rather quickly, going off to clean her bowl as Phainon was left with his half finished soup and his thoughts.

He couldn't help but feel like he was being scolded by Cipher and it brought nothing but pure rage inside of him. His knuckles turned white as he glared hard at his soup, not even daring to finish it as he sat silently for several minutes. He remained consumed in his thoughts, his mind beginning to race and his breathing becoming quickened and uneasy. His memories, his early childhood, his teenage years, everything all came flooding back all at once and soon he found himself dropping the spoon into the soup and shoved the bowl away roughly as he sunk his head down in his arms on the table.

His whole body shook as tears threatened to form, trying his best to force them to stop but soon he couldn't hold them anymore. Phainon began to silently cry, biting his bottom lip hard to not make a single sound. He did his best to quickly gain his composure, grabbing his half empty bowl of food and tossing the remaining food before cleaning the bowl. 

He felt numb all over– felt like he was burning up inside and soon he dragged himself to the same spare bedroom at the end of the hallway and locked himself in there for the remainder of the night. He didn’t care about the tears that effortlessly slid down his cheeks or the way his hands shook as he balled them into fists, wanting nothing more than to tear the entire room apart.

There, he properly cried himself to sleep that night and was thankful that only he himself knew of that.

The following weeks went on terribly slow and before the prince knew it, snowfall began to descend upon Okhema. Light cloth was exchanged for heavy furs and thick cloaks and soon the warm sun was quickly exchanged for dark clouds as fewer people roamed the markets due to the cold weather. 

Phainon had been one of those unfortunate souls who had to deal with the weather, wearing a thick fur cloak with it pulled up over his head to ward off the cold winds as he quietly guided Ica into the small yard of Cipher’s cabin. He did what he could the past weeks to keep Ica warm with the change of weather, ensuring the horse got plenty of hay and carrots. Phainon would argue and say too much as he took note of how round Ica's belly had gotten within the span of only a week.

“There you go. Now be good and don't cause Cipher trouble while I go to this meeting,” he said softly, placing a gloved hand on the horse's nose as he gave the creature a soft smile before pulling away. Walking out of the small yard, he shut the gate before shifting to pull the cloak tighter on him. 

The snow was getting worse and the winds were all but kind as he carefully walked across the snow-covered pathing of the market, black boots nearly slipping time from time on cobblestone that had already begun to ice over. He unceremoniously made his way to the castle gates, giving a quick wave to the guards who barely acknowledged him before slipping past and heading towards the castle doors. 

The sudden warmth that hit him was overwhelming but graciously accepted as he lowered the hood on his cloak. He took a quick second to knock off some of the snow on his boots and dusted some off his shoulders before he heard a cheerful voice welcoming him.

“Snowy!”

“Lady Tribbie,” Phainon softly greeted, giving the smaller girl a gentle smile as he waved before he moved to make his way down the small corridor.

The past few weeks he had not been very talkative- something a few of the royals and even the queen noticed as he often sat silent through their council meetings and even went an entire grand meal without ushering a single word to anyone. It worried only a few but Phainon simply ignored any of their concerns, simply pushing away their worries with his usual smile and gentle demeanor.

His thoughts remained a muddled mess and he was sure the circles under his eyes were growing as his nights were left with fits of nightmares and insomnia. 

Phainon didn’t even acknowledge the words Tribbie was saying to him as they walked together down the corridor, brows furrowed as he seemed entirely lost inside his mind and soon he found himself entering a room with many voices. They all stopped for a second as he entered but quickly picked back up as Phainon took note of a few of the individuals there before looking around for one person in particular.

Mydei.

They had not spoken since their little spar in the training grounds and admittedly the one time Mydei did try to talk to him, he was lost in his own thoughts that he just stared at the ground the entire time. It was embarrassing and he had wanted to seek the other out to mostly apologize for that. That and… maybe to just see him.

Phainon craned his neck to look past a few of the individuals in the room and soon his eyes met with golden ones, however only briefly. He had caught the other prince standing off to the side talking to some individuals he wasn’t familiar with, noting how Mydei talked with ease and even raised his hand as if asking a question.

Blue eyes slowly trailed down to look at the other’s attire and, if he didn’t know any better, he’d assume Mydei was a king rather than a prince. Even in the winter the warm tones of red and gold that the blond wore made Phainon feel even warmer in some way and he couldn't help but admit to himself that the kremnoan looked far too handsome.

He assumed that he had stared too long as he quickly blushed a dark red when Mydei glanced at him and glared slightly, making Phainon quickly look away instead and opted to simply listen in on a few of the conversations that were being had around the room.

He found himself standing there awkwardly, still waiting for Mydei to finish his conversation and after about ten rather long minutes, he felt a hand press against his back, pushing him forward. He quickly looked to the right of him and found Mydei by his side, muttering something under his breath as the two quickly left the room as silently requested by Mydei.

“What did you want?” Was asked almost instantly as the voices from the other room instantly died down as the double doors were shut by Mydei, orange eyes flicking over at Phainon as the blond crossed his arms over his chest.

There was an awkward pause, mostly because Phainon found himself staring again at the man in front of him before Mydei cleared his throat loudly and made Phainon blink a few times.

“O-Oh, um-”

Both men sighed at the same time, one out of annoyance and the other out of nervousness before Phainon shook his head to get his thoughts together.

“I wanted to apologize for ignoring you the other night.” Phainon started, rubbing the back of his neck as a forced chuckle came out.

“Huh? Oh.” Mydei said, seeming a little confused at first as he eyed the other silently before raising a brow. “You stared at me for three minutes, just to tell me that?”

A dark red hue returned to Phainon’s cheeks as he huffed quietly, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked off to the side in embarrassment. There was a slight smile that formed on Mydei’s lips as he watched the other before he scoffed.

“How is your jaw?”

“I'm not letting you punch me again,” Phainon quickly said, looking back at Mydei with a slight smirk as Mydei rolled his eyes before golden eyes looked at the man's jaw.

“I'm disappointed I couldn’t break it,” Mydei muttered, his words seeming like an insult but Phainon knew far too well that it was just the blond teasing him. He was rather good at that, surprisingly.

“Very funny,” Phainon chuckled softly as the two exchanged a look, the air around them growing quiet once more before Mydei opened his mouth to continue.

“You haven’t slept,” 

Phainon didn’t reply, instead casting his gaze downward as he let his arms fall to his sides, his hands slowly turning into fists as he seemed to not be inclined to answer. Mydei didn’t say anything at first, simply watching Phainon before he moved to flick the other’s balled fist with his left hand.

“Stop that,” He muttered, slightly annoyed as Phainon slowly unclenched his fists, letting out a troubled sigh before he peered up at Mydei.

“Is it that obvious?” He asked.

“Extremely. You look like shit,”

“Gee, thanks,” Phainon mumbled, letting silence fill their conversation once more as he raised a hand to run a shaky hand through his own hair. 

“Just some bouts of insomnia, nothing really,” 

Mydei simply didn’t buy it, furrowing his brows at the other before he shifted and began walking away from the double doors, grabbing Phainon’s arm in the process and began dragging him down the hall.

“H-Hey! I said I was fine,” Phainon argued, jerking his arm away roughly as Mydei simply stopped to give him an annoyed glance. The two shared glares at one another for a while before Phainon’s expression quickly softened.

“Sorry,” He mumbled, his cheeks turning a soft shade of red as Mydei simply huffed at the apology before continuing to walk. Phainon hesitated for a few moments but soon followed after like he was a lost puppy.

The two made it back to the very same double doors Phainon had entered in less than thirty minutes ago, both men sucking in a breath as the cold wind of winter hit their faces. This caused them both to shiver and quickly pull the hoods of the cloaks over their heads before moving to try and warm themselves before continuing.

“What about the meeting?” Phainon asked, bringing his gloved hands to his mouth to blow warm air onto them as Mydei simply shrugged, shutting the double doors of the castle, and continued to walk.

“It was boring,” was all he said, trudging through the winter air like it was nothing while Phainon had half the idea to maybe hide behind the blond's body to try and ward off the cold winds but instantly decided against it.

“Where were you going to take me?”

“To get a drink. You look like you could use one,” Mydei glanced over at Phainon, golden eyes barely peeking out from under the cloak as he watched the white-haired male rub his hands together with a shaky breath.

“I could use a warm drink,” He mumbled, causing Mydei to chuckle as the two quickly made it through the markets and back at the local tavern that had visited a few weeks back. The warmth of the tavern welcomed them instantly and though the place had the familiar smell of ale and beer, there was a small hint of chocolate in the air that piqued Phainon's interest.

“Hot chocolate?” He asked, following Mydei through the small crowd of people and settled at the small table towards one of the windows in the establishment. 

“I heard from the locals that during the winter the tavern offers hot drinks to help others through the cold,” Mydei explained, taking a moment to tell a tavern worker the drinks they wanted and handed her a few gold coins that were more than enough for the drinks. The worker seemed over ecstatic in serving them, Mydei instantly showing an expression of regret for coming here as both men realized they were well overdressed to be mere commoners and soon the stares around the tavern confirmed this.

Mydei quickly cleared this throat and the lady let out a quick thanks before she was off and soon he looked over at Phainon who was still warming his hands and adjusting from the sudden temperature change.

“Thank you,” Phainon later replied, being sincere with his words as Mydei simply nodded in response before they were later handed their drinks.

Phainon quickly accepted his drink, seemingly to not care how hot it was as he held the hot tin cup in his gloved hands, enjoying the warmth it brought him as he took a few sips of the drink before sighing in relief.

Mydei had to have been watching him this entire time, seeming amused as he took a few sips of the hot chocolate he had gotten himself before looking out the window they were sitting by.

They both shared a comfortable silence before Mydei spoke again.

“I take it you don’t like the cold,”

“Hate it ,” Phainon muttered against the lip of his cup, brows knitted together in disgust before he noticed Mydei scoff.

“I couldn’t tell,” Mydei sarcastically replied, moving to place his own tin cup down on the wooden table they were sitting at before moving to lower the hood of his cloak. He dusted a few things of snow off of it before his eyes met Phainon who had been staring this entire time.

“Your staring problem hasn’t changed,” Mydei mumbled out but didn't seem annoyed as Phainon looked away with a blush.

“I just think that cloak looks nice on you,” Phainon admitted, seeming to go silent for a second as he didn't realize what he had just said and raised his tin cup to his lips again to take a few sips.

Mydei was surprised himself, a hint of red casting across his cheeks as he watched Phainon for a few seconds before looking away quickly and mumbling a few incoherent words under his breath.

“Anyway…” Mydei later started, leaning back in the wooden chair as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Why aren't you sleeping?”

“It’s nothing, Mydei. Seriously,” Phainon brushed off the blonde’s concern, focusing too much on the hot chocolate as if that would save him from the awkward conversation Mydei was trying to start with him.

“Quit avoiding the question,” Mydei demanded, his words a little harsh at the end but concern clear on his face as Phainon let out an exasperated sigh.

“I just had an argument with a friend a few weeks back that has kept me up,”

It wasn’t a total lie, but also not the entire truth. He couldn’t dare tell Mydei the real reason. He wasn’t even sure if he could truly trust him, let alone with something that could possibly get both of them killed. Thankfully, Mydei seemed to accept what Phainon had said, simply nodding in response as he took a few quiet sips of his hot chocolate.

“Rest when you get home,” It came off more as a demand than a request, causing Phainon to raise a brow at the blond across from him whose facial expression didn’t change one bit as he drank his hot chocolate. 

The other’s concern, or at least what little of it he showed, made Phainon’s chest feel warm. It was a different feeling than what he was used to and it was a side of Mydei he had yet to see. Not many cared for him, or rather, he didn’t let many care for him. Always wrapped up in being the caretaker for everyone else. Being this so-called ‘Deliverer’ his parents ushered onto him the moment he was born. Phainon had to admit that being cared for… It felt nice.

“Alright, Mydeimos,” He replied, finishing up his hot chocolate as he then took his turn to look out the window, noting that the snow was getting heavier and the clouds in the sky were still dark as before. It made no difference if it was night or day, the heavy storm made everything around the kingdom look much darker and more dull than a few weeks prior.

The two shared their drinks in silence and even got another refill as both of them enjoyed the warmth that the tavern brought. Their conversations were much lighter and not filled with much tension like previously, something Phainon fully enjoyed and secretly admitted he could get more of. After about an hour or two, both men made their way out of the tavern as Phainon prepared for the harsh winds that followed, grabbing the front of the hood on his cloak as a harsh wind threatened to blow it off his head.

Mydei remained as he was before, seeming to not be that affected by the winds but Phainon did notice a small shiver run down the blonde’s back. It seems he thankfully wasn’t the only one the cold was getting to.

“A friend of mine’s cabin is just a little to the west,” Phainon mumbled, nose already beginning to turn pink from the harsh temperature change that was from cold as he started to take a walk.

“If… you’d like to stop by. At least until the winds and snow calm down some,” Phainon quickly added, blue eyes peeking back over his shoulder as Mydei simply made a noise in response before shaking his head.

“I need to discuss something with the queen before the end of the day,” Mydei softly refused, adjusting his fur cloak some to pull it tighter to his body in an attempt to get warmer as he looked over at Phainon. He scoffed when seeing Phainon had looked like he had just been a kicked puppy, moving to walk over to him and lightly patted the man’s shoulder before walking ahead.

“Next time,” He called out, causing Phainon’s heart to skip a beat.

‘Next time?’ He thought to himself, watching as the red in Mydei’s fur cloak got smaller and smaller until the blond was fully out of view, no thanks to the snow. A soft smile played on Phainon’s lips as he hummed to himself, looking down some as he began walking back to Cipher’s cabin, instantly being greeted by Ica who was already silently asking if he had brought something back for him from the markets.

To Ica’s disappointment, Phainon didn’t and seemed to flare his nostrils in protest when Phainon mentioned that he would be giving Ica less food as the horse was starting to become overweight before heading inside the cabin.

Phainon instantly noted that Cipher wasn’t home upon stepping through the door, something he was beginning to get accustomed to. Their last conversation wasn’t pleasant and since then Phainon could tell she was avoiding him. More than often he was in the cabin by himself the past few weeks and he had to admit he had invited Mydei back to Cipher’s place out of just being lonely.

Carefully removing the fur cloak on his back, he shook the snow off of it before hitting the tip of his boots on the wooden floor, knocking any snow that he had on him before continuing to head up the stairs into the back room. There, he simply tossed the cloak on the bed, seeming to not care how it landed as he went to turn on the oil lamp on the bedside table. The room slowly grew a golden hue around it as Phainon shifted to begin undoing a few clasps in his dress shirt. 

As much as he didn’t mind dressing fancy, he had to admit that the clothes were too stuffy at times and even in the winter air, he felt like he was suffocating. What he really needed was a bath, in which he hoped Cipher wouldn’t mind him using her wooden bathtub downstairs. It definitely wasn’t like the ones they had at the local bathhouse in the kingdom or even the ones they have at the castle, but it was much more private for Phainon and he personally preferred that for the time being. He quietly gathered a small change of clothes before he headed back down the small staircase, taking a small right and soon opened the door to a little bathroom that Cipher’s cabin had. It wasn’t much, mostly just a wooden bath and a few shelves that had what he assumed were essential oils and such. 

Setting his clothes down on a small wooden stool, it took him over an hour to procure enough warm water through a series of heating it over the cauldron that was placed above the small fireplace in the kitchen and then carrying the water back into the small bathroom. When he finally had enough water for just a quick bath, he quietly removed his clothes and got in.

The water was warm and welcoming, making his muscles relax as he quickly sank down into the water as he let his head go underwater for a few moments before sitting back up. Pushing his wet hair back, he reached over to the small bar of soap that he had bought a couple days back and began to lather his hands in it before quietly scrubbing himself as well as washing his hair. It was a good hour of him enjoying the warm water and just making sure he was clean from dirt and sweat before he slowly climbed out of the bath. Quietly drying himself, he slipped on a pair of trousers before focusing on drying his wet hair a little, small balls of water dripping off his bangs as he ruffled his hair some before turning back to the tub.

Now the annoying part, removing the water.

It took about the same time to fill the tub as it did to remove the water and by the time Phainon was done, he had grown exhausted. In that process, he has already put on a much looser shirt and his boots once more as he drained several buckets of the bath water outside the back of Ciphers cabin before going back inside. Once the bath was fully drained, he cared less about much else, heading back up to his spare room and falling roughly on the bed with a tired groan.

Nuzzling into the pillow, he ignored how his hair was still damp as he reached around for the oil lamp, managing to turn it off as his room went black. The only noise that he could really hear was a few of the wild animals and Ica outside, but despite that it was peaceful. He felt fully relaxed and clean.

He shifted some on his side to push off his boots, ignoring the loud thud they made on the wooden floor as he instead curled up more on his side while covering himself with a few of the warm quilts that littered the messy bed.

He found himself thinking of several things, the weather, how things were back at home, his past and even Mydei. The last one was a bit more surprising as he found his thoughts soon focusing on only just that. 

Mydei.

His hair, his voice, the way he had a slight scent of pomegranates whenever Phainon got close to him. The way Mydei teased him and the way he made Phainon feel like he was burning up inside. He found himself entertaining a few of the thoughts he had, brushing them off as nothing really as he shifted some in his bed to stare up at the ceiling. Blue eyes slowly blinked a few times, practically shining in the darkness of the room as he continued to let his thoughts wander.

Phainon wondered if Mydei would have come back to Ciphers cabin if he didn’t have any pressing matters to attend to. Would he enjoy spending more time with Phainon or would he find it odd? What would they even do?

His thoughts began to race some, but not in a way that caused him anxiety. Instead, it caused him excitement. A much deeper, darker one. Something that Phainon hadn’t indulged in since his late teen years and soon his cheeks burned as he shook his head to try and rid the impulsive thoughts that seemed to flood his mind almost instantly.

It didn’t help and soon he squeezed his eyes shut as he moved some to roll on his side once more, trying to focus on anything but his thoughts as he nuzzled some into the pillow on his bed. He knew that he shouldn’t be thinking of such things, trying to write them off as just random and not meaning anything in particular. Just a few random thoughts that were causing some tightness in his pants, nothing more.

Even if they were just random thoughts, it didn’t stop him from slowly sliding a hand down to rub himself through his trousers. The sudden shock of pleasure caused him to let out a shaky breath, his fingers trembling some as he felt his body tense up from the overwhelming feeling. His mind went back to Mydei almost instantly, imagining things he knew he shouldn’t be. 

He wondered what the other’s chest would feel like, what would his voice sound like against his ear, against his-

The thought alone left Phainon’s body nearly on fire as he tossed and turned in his bed, soon turning to lay on his back once more. His eyes were still shut as he moved to push the hem of his trousers down some to free his cock that was entirely hard at this point. He really wasn’t surprised.

A small whimper escaped him as he slid his hand down, fingers running though the small patch of pubic hair there before his thumb began to tease the small slit at the tip of his cock. He collected the precum that already began to form and used that to help as he slowly began to stroke himself. His hips began to slowly follow as well, thrusting into his hand as small grunts and groans filled the small room. 

He didn’t care if these thoughts meant nothing, they made him feel so good and he couldn’t help but run after it. His mind was overwhelmed with Mydei alone, the man's scent, his voice, what it would feel like having him inside Phainon. It wasn’t long before he found himself whispering the man's name, not daring to go any louder as his hand movements got faster, more uncoordinated. At some point, he had managed to remove his pants, carelessly tossing them to the floor as he sat up just a little in his bed and continued his hand movements, small puffs of air coming out of his mouth as he let his head fall back.

The pleasure alone felt so unbelievably good that Phainon begged internally for it not to stop. He wasn’t aware of how much he had missed the feeling alone and with Mydei clouding his mind and better judgement, he just wanted more. Even if it was just a fantasy, he didn’t want it to end.

“Mydei,” He whispered, blue eyes becoming glossy as he felt the pleasure begin to become far too much. He was easily getting overstimulated from not experiencing such a feeling for so long and it wasn’t long before he unexpectedly came, a large amount of cum coating both his hand and the bedsheets.

Panting heavily, Phainon could only whimper softly as he rode the waves of pleasure, his hips twitching slightly as he slowly closed his eyes and felt his body sink back down into the mattress. He knew that he would have to wash the bed sheets and even himself again but this didn’t matter right now.

He moved his hand to simply wipe the cum he had gotten on it on his thigh, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling it gave him and instead just rolled on his side, far too tired to care as he closed his eyes almost instantly. 

Even if it was a fantasy, he wanted to chase after those thoughts more. He wanted to feel that pleasure again while thinking of Mydei, even if that just meant it would become a small nightly routine of his.

Chapter Text

The snow storm didn’t seem to let up the following days, the harsh winds of winter only growing as many avoided going out all together. Fewer carriages and wagons visited the kingdom and soon the markets weren't as popular as they were in the warmer months, something Phainon oddly missed as he noted the nearly abandoned area. There were a few poor souls who had a few stalls open, clearly needing the money despite the harsh weather and Phainon found himself debating if he should get something just to offer more coin than necessary. 

He quickly shook his head, looking forward as he quickened his steps, boots crunching against the piles of snow that littered the cobblestone walkways of Okhema as he hurriedly made his way to the castle gates. He didn’t wave to the guards that stood there like he usually did, only offering them a slight nod as he soon slipped through the familiar double doors of the palace.

There was no formal meeting like previously, yet the queen had asked for his presence quite urgently as she recommended he’d be summoned the minute the sun rose of the tall mountains of Okhema. The message was given to him a few hours prior by Trinnon, who, to his surprise, seemed rather solemn in relaying the message to him as she rubbed her arm nervously. 

It felt odd with the palace being this quiet, his footsteps echoing against the marble floors as he took a few minutes to shake the snow that had gathered on his fur cloak before he noticed a pair of star-like irises staring at him.

Phainon only noticed them out of the corner of his eye, taking a second to make sure his cloak was straightened before they soon met. He was surprised, however, to find more than one set of those eyes, soon frowning as the pair of red-headed triplets made his way over to him.

“Phainon…” Tribbie’s voice was not as energetic as it usually was, instantly filling Phainon with a wave of anxiety as he looked between the three. Trinnon opted to not say anything to the prince and Trianne only gave him a slight smile as the three of them looked solemn as ever.

Something wasn’t right.

“What happened?” Phainon asked almost instantly, Trianne shaking her head in response as she simply nodded towards the set of doors past the grand staircase.

“Lady Aglaea will discuss it with you. She asks for your presence in the sun room. We are to not speak of it until she meets with you,”

Those words made Phainon angry, furrowing his brows at the triplets in response as he went to open his mouth to say more but Tribbie cut him off with a pleading expression, following with an apology. Phainon didn’t argue, only sighing heavily as he found himself running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to calm his nerves.

“Okay,” He responded, clearly frustrated but refused to take that out on the three of them as he instantly headed in the direction he was told to go. 

A few servants wandered around the palace, some stopping to glance at Phainon as others paid him no mind as he made his way through the walls of the castle. The air felt suffocating and that familiar, yet odd feeling of threads tightening around him increased the closer he got to the sun room. He was instantly stopped by a set of guards, going to explain himself but a gentle voice corrected the guards almost instantly as they backed up and straightened themselves against the archway they were guarding.

Phainon lingered for a moment, looking forward to note a pair of green eyes peering at him as he slowly slipped through the archway.

“Your majesty,” He began, blue eyes slowly looking around the sun room, or well, what was left of it as the winter air didn’t bring any justice to the room. Many plants littered the place, most of which were on the brink of dying due to the cold weather as the clouds from the snow storm blocked out any sun that could reflect off the glass windows on the walls. 

Despite this, the room still seemed warm, inviting even, as Phainon took a moment to quickly get on one knee and lower his head. A gesture that he sure wasn’t needed yet it seemed to cause the Queen to smile as she noted it, turning to face him entirely as she had been previously looking out the windows into the large courtyard of the palace.

“Lord Khaslana,” She spoke softly, her choice of name causing Phainon to grimace some but he didn’t dare correct her as he stared at the marble ground until the queen had requested he stand. He took a few moments to look the queen over, remembering that he had only gotten to see her far away when she was formally introduced during the ball. She was even more beautiful up close, truly breathtaking as even the cold winter didn’t seem to diminish the warmth radiating off of her.

She wore an extravagant gown, the sleeves tailored for the winter as a cream colored shawl lay over her shoulders, matching perfectly with the mixture of gold woven into her dress. The crown atop her head caught what little sun peeked from the clouds above as she crossed the room, heels hitting the marble floor as she quietly made her way over to Phainon. 

“I’m well aware that Tribbie and her sisters have relayed my message, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” There was a pause before she raised a hand, gesturing to Phainon to sit down as she continued.

“Please, it would be better if we were seated,” Phainon wasn’t sure what she meant by that, anxiety still swelling in his chest as he simply followed her to sit on one of the lounge chairs that was located in the room. The queen sat across from him as she busied herself with a small cup of herbal tea that was quickly rushed in by one of the servants.

Phainon gently refused when a glass was offered, watching as the queen's delicate fingers added a few herbs to her glass before stirring the liquid. The silence seemed to stretch and Phainon went to try and break it but the queen quickly raised a hand.

“Patience, “ She simply said, making the prince pout some as he unknowingly began to bounce his leg while watching Aglaea. The silence continued on but soon he was graced with her words as she opened her mouth to begin.

“There was an attack on the northern border of Aedes Elysiae.” 

Green eyes were quick to hold Phainon in place as he nearly jumped out of his seat, a mixture of emotions going across his face as fists balled against his thighs. The queen held his gaze, watching his emotions with a hint of regret as she seemed to weigh her next words carefully.

“Unfortunately, there has been several casualties. The attackers have already breached the kingdom's walls. Your mother and father are safe but they sent an urgent message demanding that I keep you here out of safety–”

“I don’t give a damn about my safety!" Phainon exclaimed, anger swelling inside of him as he stood to his feet almost instantly. The queen didn’t seem to react like most would, simply watching him with a troubled expression.

Phainon could feel his entire body and soul being squeezed by something, the pressure taking the air out of his lungs as he tried to storm out of the room but found he couldn't move. Both his legs and hands shook as frustration filled his expression, feeling as though his body was forced to sit back down as he noticed a few golden threads leave his body before quickly fading.

“Though you may be of royal status, I implore you to not dare interrupt me again, Lord Khaslana.” 

That damn name again. It made Phainon feel sick as he glared down at his lap, forcing what little composure he had to remain as his entire body trembled.

If there was an attack on the northern border, soon that would reach the castle. He knew his mother and father were capable yet he also knew they were getting older. He knew that him being here in Okhema wouldn’t ensure him of their safety and that alone shook him to his very core. That message that he wrote, did they ever receive it? What were they doing right now? Were they safe ?

“We’ve already sent troops this morning, the Kingdom of Okhema will quickly aid Aedes Elysiae in its defenses to ensure not only the safety of your kingdom but It's allies around it,”

Every word that the queen said made Phainon feel even more sick, swallowing roughly as he felt his throat burn, his chest ache.

“That won't be enough,” Phainon muttered out without really thinking, catching Aglaea by surprise as she raised a brow.

“Then what would be?” She challenged.

Silence went unnoticed between the two as Phainon racked his brain for any tactic he could have learned. Any miracle that he could possibly create.

“Need I remind you that you are Aedes Elysiae’s only heir, your death would cause outrage,” She quickly added, raising a brow as she noticed Phainon’s thought process seemed to change from her words.

“What future king would I be if I hid in the castle walls of Okhema while my homeland, my kingdom, is attacked?” His words came out harsher than he had meant, sending an apologetic look to Aglaea but she simply brushed it off.

“Do we know who attacked? What region did they come from?”

“No. It was a surprise attack. They struck the northern border because they knew it was the least  guarded. Clever.”

Phainon hated that she was right. Hated that there was a weakness in the kingdom’s defense. If he had been there, those bastards wouldn’t have dared try. Of course they would wait for him to be absent and nearly across the region to strike.

“Then they must have been watching the kingdom closely if they saw a weakness in it. But even then, that doesn't explain as to why they attacked? What do these attackers stand to gain aside from bloodshed?” Phainon muttered, crossing his arms over his chest in thought as he let out a soft breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. 

It didn’t matter to him the logistics of the attack, even if he had over a thousand thoughts running through his mind. He needed to get home, fast. 

The queen seemed to instantly know what he was thinking, her gaze quickly snapping up as she went to open her mouth but Phainon instantly cut her off.

“Don’t stop me,” He only mumbled, the legs of the lounge chair rattling against the marble floor as he roughly got up, not daring to hear her objections as he stormed out of the sunroom.

He needed to be quick, needed to hurry. The slower he walked, the more time he took, all that meant to him was more people were dying. More innocent people were being hurt. He wouldn’t care to summon a carriage. He would give less of a damn if he was escorted, he knew his kingdom like the back of his hand and he knew that what might seem like a small attack surely was much more.

They were after something. Just like before, when he was younger.

Before his kingdom was truly at its prime.

Aglaea seemed to know Phainon more than he had assumed despite only being acquainted with her for about two months. The second he was out the double doors of the palace, a mixture of blue and pink irises met him almost instantly as Phainon sighed heavily upon seeing that familiar shade of green.

Anaxagoras. Of course.

“You’re not stopping me,” Phainon claimed, barely paying the shorter man any mind as he continued down his descent from the palace. Anaxa didn’t reply one bit, only following as the man adjusted his own fur cloak in an attempt to warm himself. The snow was getting thicker by the hour and Phainon was unsure if even traveling by horse would be possible. Hopefully the storm didn’t fully reach his homeland though he highly doubted it.

“I wasn’t.” Anaxa later responded, his right eye trained forward as he stopped for a second to grab the reins of a horse that was hitched right outside the castle gates. Phainon only paused, giving the man a questionable look as Anaxa patted the horse's snout before he peered over at Phainon.

“I’m to ride with you, seeing as you are clearly in no state of mind to be going alone,”

“I’m perfectly fine by myself,” Phainon snapped back, his words not affecting his old teacher at all as he gently led the horse along as Phainon rushed his way back to Cipher’s old cabin.

“She told you to do this, didn’t she?”

“I unfortunately owed her a favor,” Anaxa seemed just as disappointed as Phainon in the whole arrangement, but gave Phainon a look of concern as he noticed the anger burning behind those blue eyes.

“But I also know my students, and I know that going alone will only get yourself killed in the process.”

Phainon felt as though he could laugh at that statement. Him? Getting killed ? Anaxa must have lost his faith in him a long time ago if he was thinking such a thing. He may have just barely been an adult when under Anaxa’s teachings back at the Grove but that was several years ago. He was grown and had much better control over the magicks he was originally taught by the man. He was quicker with his blade and he knew damn well that it would take several men to bring down the force that he was to bring on whoever decided to attack his kingdom.

Maybe he was being arrogant in this situation but he swore it was for good reason. He wasn’t going to sit here and play games while his mother and father’s life hung on by just a thread and he surely wasn’t going to make his old teacher accompany him on something he had no right being a part of.

“I don't need your help,” Phainon tried again to push his teacher away as his walking soon came to a stop at Ciphers cabin. Anaxa only stood there idly as Phainon had gone in to grab a series of supplies, including food, water and even a change of clothes that he later tied to Ica’s saddle before leading the horse out of the yard. 

He didn’t have time to leave Cipher a note, not that she would care. In fact, he didn't have time to leave anyone a note, his mind thinking back to Mydei a few days prior. It would have to wait. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

Once Ica was situated, Phainon climbed onto the creature's back before shifting the reins in his hands. He knew the horse had gained weight over the past weeks, partly Phainon’s fault as he knew he wasn’t out riding him as much as he should. Hopefully this venture would help get the horse back in shape, though he wished it was under different circumstances.

Anaxa, not to Phainon’s surprise, followed in suit and soon both men led their horses to quickly gallop out of the kingdom’s castle walls and out into the dead forests that winter had claimed. Once there, their horses quickly picked up speed and soon they were darting down the dirt path with all haste. The ride to Aedes Elysiae would be about three days by horse, but if he pushed it, it could only take two. Whether the idea was rash or not, Phainon didn’t care, and his unwelcomed companion seemed to not care much either.

“Phainon,” Anaxa’s voice rang out amongst the sound of the horses’ hooves hitting the ground, a voice that Phainon tried to ignore as he focused on the road ahead of them. He knew that Ica was already growing tired from the fast pace but grit his teeth as the heels of his boots dug deeper into the horses sides.

Faster, the horse needed to be faster.

“Phainon!” This time his teacher's voice was louder, almost a shout as Anaxa quickly reached over to jerk the reins from Phainon’s hands, causing both his own horse and Phainons to reach a rough halt. Both men lunged forward roughly as their horses protested. Anaxa didn’t dare let go of the reins on Ica as he steadied himself on his own steed, hushing it quietly as Phaion simply adjusted himself from the harsh stop.

Though the sun was covered by the dark clouds in the sky, his tears were easily shining in what little light there was as he quickly raised an arm to rub them away, his voice shaky as he tried to quickly gather his composure.

“You will quickly kill him before we even reach Aedes Elysiae with that pace. Slow down.” 

Anaxa’s words echoed in his mind, his hands shaking as Anaxa simply tossed the reins back as they landed in front of Phainon’s hands. All he could do was stare at it, his ears picking up the heavy pants that Ica gave as the horses legs trembled in protest. His horse was truly out of shape and all he could do was blame himself. 

Blame himself for all that was happening. 

Phainon couldn’t even bring himself to speak, just staring down as he gently took the reins back in his hands, ushering an apology to both his horse and to Anaxa though it was barely audible. 

Anaxa heard the apology but didn’t reply, only giving a gentle kick to his horse's side as they began to quietly walk forward down the dirt path. Ica hesitated but soon Phainon urged the horse to follow, making sure to be extra careful with guiding the creature's direction as silence befell him.

“I understand in my own way how you must feel, however, if you truly want to reach your kingdom, killing your horse from over exertion won't do it.” Phainon hated that Anaxa was right. Hated that the queen even requested he be accompanied.

He knew why though, and he had to give her credit. If anyone knew him, it was Anaxa. Though it had been years since they last spoke, he still had fond memories of his time in the Grove despite how strict and rigorous Anaxa’s teachings on magick were. He knew some of Phainon’s troubles, the burdens he was carrying but he surely didn’t know of the foreign magick’s that coursed through his golden blood.

He didn’t know the very past he was running from and he certainly didn’t know of the fear Phainon felt. Behind all those smiles, all those shitty essays written in ink and the challenging demeanor he had when debating a certain topic, laid a man who was beyond broken.

“Anaxa,” Phainon croaked out after several moments passing, both their horses walking together as the snow ahead of them caused even the skilled of eyes to have trouble seeing through.

His teacher only glanced over at him, debating on whether to correct his student or not but simply decided to let it slide for once as he tilted his head as if to ask ‘What?’

“I– What if we are too late?” His voice wavered, biting his lip hard until it threatened to bleed as he let out a frustrated sigh.

Anaxa was silent for a while, slowly looking forward as he weighed his words carefully before he let out a warm breath. The cold air caught it instantly, slowly dispersing through the winds as Anaxa quickened his steed's pace into a gentle run.

“We won’t” he reassured, though Phainon knew that was probably a lie to comfort him. Regardless, it was enough to ground him only a little as he forced Ica to meet the others pace as the two of them continued on.

The day was far too long and the snow storm didn’t seem to let up one bit within the hours they traversed. Frozen waters and untilled land littered the region and Phainon could only hope that Aedes Elysiae was not graced with such brutal weather. 

When nightfall finally threatened to stop them, his teacher was the one to suggest they stop for the time being and make a fire, much to Phainon’s displeasure. The fire itself was less than ideal and it took Phainon several tries to even conjure up a small flame before setting it ablaze amongst the small sticks the men had quickly gathered. It was also his teacher who had managed to set up a makeshift trap for a small animal, a few hours passing before the sound of a pained squeal confirmed they had caught something.

Though the reunion was less than ideal, Phainon was at least content that he had someone along with him for the time being.

Phainon had to admit that throughout the day, his mind often thought back to Mydei. How was the prince doing? Did he know that Phainon had left? Did he know that there was an attack? His thoughts seemed endless as he quietly held the skinned meat of a rabbit over the flames before pulling it back quietly to then munch on the tender meat.

Anaxa was far from the one to start conversations, let alone finish them and so most of the time it was Phainon who was rambling on about a few things. It was mostly small talk or the occasional topic about how he annoyed the living hell out of Anaxa when he was younger, a topic that brought a slight smile to the green-haired male's lips.

“Did you really join me because the queen asked?” The question rang out as Anaxa’s gaze remained fixed on the makeshift fire, the light casting a gentle shade of orange and red across the man's features before he looked over at the taller man with his good eye.

Phainon wasn’t sure if the other would answer, half of him inclined to believe he would just be scolded for asking such a question when he knew Anaxa was far from the type to voice anything in regards to feelings. The man was a scholar, he would rather correct your choice of words and hit your back with a book to keep it straight when you talked.

“Such a vexatious question,”

Phainon scoffed as he finished up the small piece of meat that he had, glancing up at the sky as the bare branches from the trees all but covered the view.

“You know my answer,” 

Phainon peered back at the other with a raised brow, watching as Anaxa had shifted to finish up his own small bit of food as he didn’t pay the man’s gaze a second thought. It brought a smile to his lips.

“You haven’t changed,”

“In theory, are we as humans supposed to?”

“Anaxa, we aren’t even in a place to discuss theories-”

“Anaxagoras.”

The two held each other's gaze over the fire, Phainon finding it in himself to beam at his teacher as the other simply rolled his eyes and tossed the stick of his finished meat off to the side. He was happy the other hadn’t changed, though he was quite regretful that he couldn’t share the same joy when it came to himself.

“Thank you,” Phainon’s gaze softened as he watched the fire with little to no interest, his gloved hand pulling his cloak closer to his broad frame as he slowly relaxed his body. He had been tense. 

He was relieved that Anaxa knew what he was mentioning, simply nodding as both shared a silence, occasionally reaching out to warm their hands as the snow slowly began to stop for once. The night was always much colder than the day and a part of Phainon wanted to conjure up a small flame to keep them warm as the fire didn’t seem to be enough. It seemed that his teacher had the same thoughts as him on the matter, blue eyes widening slightly as Anaxa whispered something barely audible before a gentle flame formed in his gloved hand.

Holding it effortlessly, he guided the fire over to the dying flames and soon let it fall, making the fire burn even brighter as more warmth engulfed both men.

Maybe Anaxa had changed.

The rest of the night was thankfully rather uneventful and soon both men were curled up to the small fire. Anaxa was fast asleep within a matter of minutes but Phainon found himself growing restless with the more time passed. A full day worth of traveling didn’t bring them any closer to his kingdom and it didn’t ease the anxiety that constantly bubbled in his chest. He was sure Anaxa knew this, the man was more rational than he was at this moment, forcing Phainon to stop to eat, to use the bathroom and to even just breathe any second they could. At one point he even asked for them to stop just so Ica could have some reprieve, scolding Phainon in the process that he had left the horse to eat too much without adequate exercise. 

He found himself tossing and turning but after about an hour, Phainon had managed to slowly slip off to sleep and his body was quick to thank him in the process as he finally managed to relax his tense muscles.

The following morning was abruptly brought to Phainon’s attention as he felt a nudge to his body, blue eyes opening up as he let out a low mumble of something incoherent. Half asleep, he stifled a yawn as he slowly reached up to rub his eyes a little, clearly groggy as he noticed the dead fire to the right of him. Only a small trail of smoke flowed through the gentle winds and Phainon was thankful that it still wasn’t snowing.

“Coffee,” Anaxa said simply, handing a small tin cup to Phainon once he had sat up before pulling away. Phainon watched as his teacher busied himself with adjusting the saddle straps of his own horse, humming softly as he sat with his legs crossed while he took several sips from his coffee now and then.

“Thank you,”

It wasn’t long before they were back trekking through the snow covered dirt paths of the region. Anaxa had made the suggestion they stop near a small village several miles back, acquiring some lanterns and just enough fuel to hopefully get them to the kingdom in one piece as the winter seemed to only grow harsher within just the span of less than a week.

Both men were being threatened with frostbite and their horses were extremely exhausted with their travels despite the rest they had gotten the night before. Phainon, in an attempt to encourage Ica, told him several times that if the horse was good, he’d give him all the carrots, hay and even apples he wanted when they returned. Something that, surprisingly, made the horse perk back up almost instantly and continue on.

Though he was anxious and wanted to quickly rush headfast into getting to Aedes Elysiae, he knew Anaxa was there for the sole purpose of jerking him back whenever Phainon seemed to lose himself and become rash.

It took half of the second day before Phainon recognized the frozen docks and untilled wheat fields, instantly confirming to both men that they were finally reaching the region in which they sought. Phainon, a little more eager than his teacher, flicked the reins and caused Ica to quicken his pace as the horse quickly dashed through the snow-covered lands. This time, Anaxa didn’t question the man and instead did the same, both horses soon riding fast amongst one another as Phainon’s memory began to piece itself back together.

“The kingdom shouldn’t be far,” Phainon spoke, blue eyes trained forward as Anaxa only grunted in response.

It seems that his prior wish hadn’t come true, his homeland being covered in a harsh blanket of white as the winter had hit his region particularly harder than the past few years. Nothing his people couldn’t handle, he knew of this, but it did cause him worry.

What caused him even more worry was the thick trail of smoke that flew up in the air as the castle gates slowly came into view, something that instantly changed Phainon’s mood.

Fire, and a large one at that.

Both men stared in horror as the peaceful embrace of the forest turned into nothing short of a living nightmare. What the queen of Okhema said two days passed was all but false as there wasn’t just a breach in the northern castle walls, but the entire kingdom . Screams and cries filled their ears as they quickly passed the burning gates of Aedes Elysiae, doing their best to ignore the piles of dead bodies that littered their path as Phainon felt Ica begin to resist his commands, nearly lunging him forward as the horse came to a sudden stop.

“Anaxa-” Phainon sharply turned Ica’s reins as the brute was becoming distressed with the scene unfolding in front of them, cursing under his breath as he struggled to get the horse under control.

“Leave him,” Was all his teacher said, quickly hopping off his own horse and soon Phainon followed as Ica wasted no time in staying, letting out a distressed neigh as the creature proceeded to dart back out the burning castle walls they came in.

“Damn horse,” Phainon cursed, Anaxa shooting him a disapproving look before the two rushed further in.

Houses burned and the piles of dead bodies only continued to grow as they ran into the kingdom. What few people remained either hid behind rubble or ran for their lives as Phainon noted the colors of Okhema’s creed in a few of the casualties.

The troops.

“Fuck…” Was all he could say, fear shining brightly in his eyes as he felt his entire body shake. His breaths were caught sharp in his throat as he tried to steady himself. The whole place was burning and there was blood everywhere. He hated that he was familiar with such a metallic smell as the very scent sent knots in his stomach. He hated that it all made him so utterly angry. 

He could tell that Anaxa himself was in much unease as he rushed to a woman's side who was currently bleeding through her stomach, painfully screaming for help. Phainon watched mournfully as despite the healing magic his teacher applied, the woman's head quickly fell back and soon her entire body went limp.

He looked away.

“Several casualties. Most wounds are inflicted on fatal areas of the body,” He heard Anaxa mumble, glancing over to see the man was taking note of a few bodies that were beside the women he had just tried to save. Likely her family.

He didn’t say anything, simply looking forward as he noticed a few children running amongst the rubble, calling for their mother as their cries fell on deaf ears. They were going to die here, just like everyone else, and all Phainon could do was stare as he watched one of the kids holding their arm, blood rolling down it as they pulled an arrow out of it.

Foolish.

“An entire kingdom of casualties,” Phainon corrected quietly as he felt his legs move before his mind could process anything. The once grand and inviting markets that ushered many from different lands lay completely destroyed, the large statue in the center crowded with dead bodies as their blood mixed with the barely flowing water around it.

It all made him so sick and it wasn’t long before Phainon stumbled to the side to empty out his stomach, eyes burning as tears rolled down his cheeks.

This all just had to be a dream. One horrible nightmare and soon he’d just wake back up in Ciphers cabin. He’d wake up to a world that wasn’t once again destroyed, leaving him powerless just like before.

Phainon let out a weak groan as he moved to wipe his mouth, shoulders trembling as he stood up a little straighter to then force himself to keep walking. He didn’t care if Anaxa had been following him or not, he needed to go to the castle. His parents had to at least be alive in all of this.

Shaking fingers quickly grabbed one of the nearby discarded swords, Phainon ushering a soft prayer to the poor soul that laid beside it before he glared forward. His grip on the hilt of the sword tightened until his knuckles turned white as he stormed forward, deeper into the chaos as he dodged falling buildings and the flames of destruction licking at his boots as he made his way to the castle.

Aedes Elysiae’s torn banners flew through the wind as each step up to the palace felt like a stab to his heart. Was this how he was to return home? Was this how he was supposed to become king?

Phainon nearly wanted to scream as he stood helplessly at the double doors of the palace, or well, what used to be. Now– before him, was nothing but splinters of wood as the castle's doors were fully destroyed in an attempt to breach them. Servants, guards and royalty alike laid in a sick, twisted form of a dance as bodies piled one another, obviously trying to leave in an attempt to save themselves.

A loud echo reverberated through the palace as Phainon took a careful step over a few servants' bodies, sword held tight as blue eyes strained on his surroundings. Such destruction doesn’t just happen out of nowhere and he knew that those bastards who left his homeland to such a cruel fate still had to be around.

He was right.

Just as Phainon peered at the corner of the grand dining room that situated itself between the entrance room, he saw movement and soon he found himself walking over to one of the men who struggled on the floor. By his colors Phainon instantly knew the man was not an ally between his kingdom and watched in small amounts of joy as the man currently laid there bleeding out due to slash to his throat.

The gurgling noise of the man choking on his own blood made Phainon smile slightly as his once blue eyes fiercely changed to yellow as he carefully scanned the man's face. The attacker seemed to notice Phainon’s presence after a moment of struggle, their eyes locking as he tried to helplessly usher out any words but failed as blood pooled from his mouth. 

Phainon didn’t care what the man had to say and with a quick move on his wrist, Phainon drove the tip of his sword right into the man’s stomach as soon silence filled the smokey air around him.

“May Kephale grant you eternal suffering,” Was all he whispered, eyes watching the limp body before him as he pulled his sword roughly out of the man's flesh, ignoring the blood that slid off the once-polished steel as he moved to walk out of the dining hall and soon slowly up the grand staircase.

Carpets and pictures laid torn as he made his solemn ascend up the stairs, sword still gripped tightly as he noticed many more dead along the corridors. Judging by their armor, most of them had to be royal guards, dutifully dying to keep their king and queen safe.

Unfortunately, not safe enough, Phainon thought as he slowly strode into the grand throne room that awaited him. The sight before his eyes was something he knew would have happened. Of course it would have. Fate always had its way with him and he could only drop his sword with a simple ‘clack’ as he saw his very mother and father before him.

A king and queen who couldn’t even respectfully die on the throne as both of them laid face down in a pool of blood. A shaky breath escaped Phainon as he slowly strode over to their bodies, falling to his knees as he moved to shift his mothers body so that she was laying on her back.

Straight through the heart. Painful, but he knew she died quickly at least. No suffering, he supposed. He wished he could say the same for his father, yellow eyes mournfully looking over at his father. The poor man couldn’t even die with his eyes closed, his throat slashed just like the poor fool he stabbed his sword through earlier.

Phainon reached over to do his old man one last favor, trembling fingers slowly closing his fathers eyes as he let out a shaky sob. His body burned as he curled in on himself, not caring if he was covered in their blood. He would welcome it if it meant he could have one last moment with his parents.

‘Not like this–’ He thought, hot tears streaming down his face as he cried out his parents' names. If he could scream loud enough, maybe Kephale would answer his prayers. Maybe any of the titans hearing him would use any ounce of their divine power to change the tide.

No.

They would rather give him divine punishment.

Phainon could only lay in his parents blood as he sobbed, lodging curses and shouts against the walls of the throne room in a fit of rage as he soon pushed himself up and staggered some. But just as the rage came, it was quickly washed away as his expression turned to one of numbness. His body didn’t care, his mind– nothing mattered.

Yet despite all of that, he found himself slowly walking over to the two large stone-like chairs that sat in the back of the room, guiding bloodied fingers across the arm of the king's throne before he sunk down in it unceremoniously. 

To bring forth their new king.

“I’m sorry,” was all Phainon could say, yellow, tear-filled eyes squeezing shut as his head fell into his hands as he sobbed. He hoped any lost soul still trapped in this wretched place could hear his apologies. Even if they didn’t, he hoped the titans above at least heard him.

He sat in his thoughts for what felt like hours until a familiar voice rang out, causing him to barely look up as he noticed a slim figure in the archway of the throne room.

“Phainon–”

Anaxa’s face turned into many different expressions as he experienced the scene before him, easily noting the dead bodies but soon gave Phainon a weary look as he straightened up.

“I didn’t kill them,” Phainon mumbled out, his body feeling like it could give out any moment as he slowly took his leave from the throne. 

“They were dead when I got here,”

“My condolences,”

Phainon could only scoff. 

The two didn’t exchange words for a long time, Anaxa knowing well that words at this moment was something Phainon didn’t need. A hug, maybe, but Anaxa would never.

“Please send a message to the queen of Okhema about the state of Aedes Elysiae. Tell her that my father and mother are deceased and that we need reinforcements here as soon as possible to aid any of the wounded.” 

Phainon felt like his voice was being controlled by someone else, his tone dull and emotionless as he took his cloak to cover his mothers dead body.

Anaxa didn’t dare to even question the man's request, eyes lingering on his student for a few brief moments before closing them. He let out a heavy sigh.

“I ask that you accompany me back,”

“No,”

“Phainon, it is imperative th-”

“I do not care!” He exclaimed, yellow eyes burning brightly as he glared hard at Anaxa, tears streaming down his face as he clenched his jaw.

Anaxa only let out an exasperated sigh as he looked away. It seemed that his own psyche was at its limits as he simply turned away from him.

Phainon could care less of what Anaxa thought. He didn’t even care if the man saw his eyes. Saw his little gift . Let them kill him. He’d gladly accept their wishes. What a wonderful way to die, with the rest of your fallen kingdom.

Anaxa did not give him that glory. He only gave him a keen look before he quietly exited the throne room. Phainon could only watch as he sank back to the ground, knees pulled to his chest and his eyes stared forward out a window.

- Beginning of Flashback - 

“Hey! Wake up, sleepy head!”

Khaslana let out a low groan as he felt his body being shaken, blue eyes wincing as the harsh rays of the sunlight from a nearby window instantly met his irises before they met pink ones.

“Mnn?”

The girl could only giggle as she placed both her hands on her hips, giving the man a teasing smile as she watched him sit up some in the chair he was sitting in.

“Falling asleep while doing paperwork again, Khaslana?”

The man could only yawn as he gave the girl a roll of his eyes, tired eyes scanning the stacks of unopened parcels as he found himself pouting.

“Mn, you try doing paperwork for once, Cyrene.”

“I have, actually. Priesthood isn’t just providing education to the young children, you know?”

Khaslana could only hum in response as he picked up a document in his hands, scanning the origins of it and taking a moment to grab a piece of parchment before writing out a response.

The two sat in silence for a moment, Cyrene opting to walk over to the large window that was in the room as she quietly watched what was happening outside.

“I heard your birthday was tomorrow,”

“What of it?” Khaslana feigned ignorance, knowing exactly what Cyrene was trying to bring up as his eyes flicked over to the young girl.

There was a heavy silence that filled the room, Cyrene’s gaze softening as she soon pulled herself away from the window to instead look over at her childhood friend.

“It feels like that just yesterday I was teasing you– daring you to jump into that cold river just outside our little village,”

Her words made him smile as he chuckled, shaking his head as he moved to lean back a little in his chair, an eyebrow raised.

“Your point?”

“Now look at us. Both coming of age, taking on the impossible standards that were left by our parents. I’m to be leaving soon to go to Janusopolis and you– to rule Aedes Elysiae and bring this small village into a prosperous kingdom.”

Khaslana furrowed his brows as he looked away from her, growing lost in his thoughts as he stared down at the stacks of paperwork strewn amongst the desk.

Him, a king?

As a boy, he only wished to travel the lands and go on those grand adventures he had read in books. To see distant lands, try all sorts of foods, and meet all sorts of strangers.

Yet here he was, stuck to a fate he never wanted.

Cyrene must have noticed he was lost in his own thoughts, a quick poke to his cheek bringing him back to their eyes again met. She smiled brightly at him.

“You’d make a wonderful king,”

Her words didn’t bring him comfort. Only more confusion as he sighed heavily.

“Maybe.”

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, fear shining brightly in his eyes as the evening sky above him mixed with the clouds of smoke that littered the tiny village. Screams rang in his ears as he helplessly carried a limp body in his arms, blood coating his torso as he didn’t care if his legs ached. He didn’t care if his lungs burned.

He had to bring her back.

Khaslana barely dodged a few of the helpless souls that ran to seek cover, not caring about the attackers that still littered the small village as their horses tramped many. One small misstep though sent both him and his friend’s limp body lunging forward as they hit the ground hard, Khaslana scrambling to sit on his knees as he reached for his friend.

“Come on! Wake up! It’s not time for dreaming, Cyrene!” Khaslana screamed, cradling her close to his chest as he used his right hand to try and rid of the blood that pooled at his friend's stomach. His breath was shaking as he cradled her head close, pressing his forehead to hers.

“Damn it!” He yelled, broken sobs coming out as he slowly rocked back and forth with her dead body held close. He wouldn't dare let her go.

It was like the whole world around him had come to a stop as he begged, screamed to the skies above him as he helplessly tried to stop the bleeding. To do anything to bring his dearest friend back until he felt someone roughly grab the back of his torso.

“No– No, Cyrene!” He begged, trying to reach out to his friend as the person who had grabbed him roughly jerked him up till his back had hit their chest, the sharp tip of a knife pressing to his throat as the man could only hum.

“Where is it?”

What?

“L-Let me g-” Khaslana cried out as the man dug the tip against his neck, a small line of blood beginning to form as the man forced him to look at Cyrene’s dead body.

“Try again. You wouldn’t want to end up like your friend there, right?”

Khaslana could only glare at the man, not meeting his eyes as they were shrouded by the cloak the stranger wore. The knife remained pressed to his neck and when he tried to struggle, the man simply took his wrists and bound them behind his back, an iron-tight grip that Khaslana couldn't break.

“W-Where is what?”

“Oh? You don’t know?” The man hummed in his ear, the rich smell of alcohol filling Khaslana’s nose as he winced when the man craned his neck to the side by his hair as he examined the sun birthmark on his neck.

“What a lovely tattoo,” The man purred, tone condescending as Khaslana squeezed his eyes shut when he felt a kiss to that very same spot. Every fiber in his body screamed out as he let the man do what he wanted, kiss what he wanted as tears continued to stream down his face.

“P-Please,” Khaslana whimpered out, begging the man to stop. Begging for this hellish nightmare to end.

“Let me offer the future king of Aedes Elysiae a gift,” The man’s voice only wished to mock him as soon Khaslana screamed out when his entire body felt like it was being consumed by flames. Pain surged his entire being and it felt as though he was being ripped open from his chest.

The man was whispering something in his ear, words he couldn't understand through all the pain and soon he could only groan as the man had shoved him to the ground, tossing him away like he was merely filth as blue eyes strained up at his attacker. 

The stranger paid him no mind, simply whistling for a horse and soon continued off to kill countless others as Khaslana could only once again stare at his friend. His entire body ached, burned as the pupils of his eyes began to slowly glow, blue eyes quickly being consumed with yellow as the tips of his hair began to slowly change to gold. He felt like he was dying, a slow and painful one as all he could do was crawl his way back to Cyrene, laying beside her as he hoped– prayed that he could just die there with her.

“M-May you…” Khaslana tried to whisper her a final prayer, voice trembling as golden blood slowly leaked out of the cut he had on his neck.

He tried again, fingers trembling as he went to touch her hair as he tried to speak, his body weak and heavy as his eyes rolled back and soon his vision went dark.

- End of Flashback -

Phainon sucked in a heavy breath as he felt his mind slowly roll back to the present, eyes darting around the room in a panicked manner as he reached up to touch his neck instantly.

‘Just past memories,’ He thought to himself, letting a few tears fall as his gaze slowly moved over to the bodies of his parents. The smell of their bodies was already beginning to fill the room and Phainon only paid them a sorrowful expression before forcing himself to get up and quickly head out of the throne room.

There was nothing left for him here.

Chapter Text

“That bastard is so damn stubborn,” Mydei roared out, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he found himself shaking his head.

“Leave it to him to make this mess even worse,”

“Your majesty,”

Hephaestion gave his friend a scowl, eyes carefully watching Mydei as the blond began to pace across the marble floors of the palace.

“I swear I should’ve punched him harder,”

“Mydei, please.”

It was Mydei’s turn to scowl at Hephaestion, crossing his arms over his chest as he let out an exasperated sigh.

“What am I supposed to say?”

“I only suggest you think as to why he might have done what he did,” Hephaestion furrowed his brows slightly at the prince before he continued.

“Imagine Castrum Kremnos was attacked, your mother and father at risk while you were situated in another kingdom,”

“You know my thoughts on my father,” Mydei cut in.

“Then think about your mother, Mydei,”

Hephaestion’s words made Mydei stop in his tracks, eyes staring hard at the ground before he let out a sign in defeat.

“Fine,” He murmured, a small pout forming on his lips as he turned away to instead stare out the window they were near, golden eyes careful watching the snow fall out the window as he grit his teeth.

The two shared an uncomfortable silence, Mydei making it clear with his expression that he wasn’t keen on continuing the conversation and instead grew lost in his thoughts as he tugged a little at his cloak that began to feel as though it was too tight around his neck.

The sound of footsteps drew him out of his thoughts for only a few seconds, amber meeting green as he forced himself to stand up straighter.

“Your majesty,"

Aglaea didn’t say anything in return, simply watching as Mydei was slow to move and kneel down in front of her, Hephaestion being quick to follow in suit as the air around the three grew tense.

“I apologize for such sort notice in regards to this inquiry,”

Mydei peeked up at the queen, brows furrowing as he took a second before he moved to stand back up, shoulders tense as he straightened his back before he shook his head.

“How long has it been since they departed?”

“Two weeks. I'm hesitant to make a public announcement as it could throw the kingdom and her allies in disarray. We have to understand that both a well-known prince and a scholar have gone missing. Not only this, but the reinforcements sent to Aedes Elysiae have not updated their status. I’m to believe that the attack is much more dire than I had initially believed, an oversight on my part.

Mydei didn’t reply right away, studying the queen for a second before he averted his gaze, instead moving his head to glance at the window he was looking out earlier and scowling.

“The snow is getting worse, horseback will be challenging at this rate,”

“I know that it is selfish on my part to ask such a thing indirectly, your safety and-,”

“It’s not,” Mydei interjected, looking back at Aglaea and letting out a soft sigh as a slight red formed on his cheeks.

“That bastard from Aedes Elysiae still owes me another fight. If he has a death wish, I will gladly end that desire of his with my fists. Their prince will make it back. I swear to Nikador as the bearer of his Strife.”

Aglaea could only smile slightly at Mydei’s words, her shoulders lowering some as it was clear she was incredibly tense.

“Thank you, Prince Mydeimos. I will send a few of my trusted men to aid you. I ask that you gather your men and treat this mission as not only a means of retrieval, but also war. Our ally has been attacked and I fear the enemy is looking to overthrow the kingdom of Aedes Elysiae.”

The blond nodded in response, amber eyes glancing over at Hephaestion as the man stood up straighter and nodded to the queen.

“I will send a message to Castrum Kremnos to prepare my men immediately. Krateros, our general, will also be informed and he will lead our men into Aedes Elysiae. Or well, what might be left of it,”

“I pray we aren’t too late for him,”

The queen’s words hung heavy in the air, both men shuffling on their feet in an uneasy manner as they both gave the queen a nod before she opened her mouth to offer them a quiet prayer.

“May the golden threads of Okhema protect you. Please, bring Aedes Elysiae’s deliverer back safely as well as his teacher, Anaxagoras. It is imperative that they are alive, even if barely.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Both men spoke in unison, their voice’s firm and direct as they held the queen’s gaze before being dismissed.

Mydei didn’t share any words with Hephaestion as they both made their way through the castle, wincing when a harsh wind met them as they began to exit through the castle doors.

“I’m not too worried about the teacher of his, he's likely the most sane between the two of them,”

Hephaestion could only scoff in reply, moving to pull his cloak over his head as Mydei did the same, both men shutting the doors and began walking across the bridge that nestled between the castle and her gates.

“But you are worried about that prince. I’ve seen the glances you two share,”

“We do not share glances,”

“Right, because if I remember correctly, the whole time I've been your friend you’ve never invited me to a drink but you invited him,”

“That's because you claim my choice in alcohol is unfavorable,”

“It is, Mydei,”

The blond glared slightly at Hephaestion who could only grin in response before he shrugged, a chuckle falling off his lips as the two began to make their way into the center of the kingdom. Hephaestion clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he quietly untied one of the horses just outside the gates, taking a second to give the stallion a few pets before he peeked over at Mydei.

“I’m going to inform the general. We will have Castrum’s men meet you in the north-eastern part of Aedes Elysiae.”

Mydei only nodded in response, golden eyes glancing at his friend as he let out a soft breath.

“Don't die out there. We don’t know if the enemy is still there, if they are, intercept them and don’t hesitate that blade of yours,”

“You’re asking the lieutenant of Castrum Kremnos to not die? I didn’t know you were capable of jokes, Mydei,”

The blond gave his friend a harsh insult in his foreign tongue that Hephaestion only laughed at, climbing up on his steed before flicking the reigns as the horse quickly ran through the deserted markets of Okhema, leaving Mydei to his thoughts as he slowly made his way over to his own steed.

“Don't be dead, you damn fool,” Was all he could mumbled out as he tightened the fur cloak over his body, checking a few of the supplies that he had in the saddle bags before he mumbled a greeting to the horse.

“And don’t you die getting me there to him,”

Mydei’s prediction earlier about horseback was more than correct. It had only been a few hours after he had left the kingdom of Okhema and his horse was already growing weary from the heavy snowfall. Even with his fur cloak, the cold was getting to him instantly and he had half the mind to stop and begin a fire but his determination was forcing him to continue forward.

A gloved hand slowly reached down to pat his stallion's neck, offering the creature a reassuring statement as amber eyes remained trained forward. What once was a thick forest of green was nothing but broken branches covered in ice and snow. It left him no cover and he was tense as even the smallest of noises made him reach for the hilt of his sword.

He was unfamiliar with this part of the land and it was obvious. 

The kingdom of Castrum Kremnos was closer to Okhema than Aedes Elysiae so he knew that it would maybe only take a day of horseback for Hephaestion to spread word and collect a plethora of reinforcements. Even then, the blond was uneasy with the conflict that lay before them and he couldn’t help but feel that the very kingdom they were going to was not going to grace them like royalty.

Shifting to get comfortable on his horse, he relaxed his legs that lingered on the stallion's sides as he brought the horse to a slow walk. With one hand holding the reins, he shifted to instead reach back to blindly dig in the saddle bag before retrieving a small leather canteen. Unscrewing the lid, he brought it to his lips and closed his eyes as he took a few sips of the water he had prepared ahead of time before pulling it away.

Golden eyes opened once more, screwing the canteen shut once more before he began to try and blindly place it back in the saddlebag but found that he failed as his steed quickly began to grow agitated. Opting to place the canteen between his legs, he quickly gripped the reins as he let out a curse.

“There’s nothing there, you damn brute,” He grumbled out, eyes widening slightly as his steed opted to instead divert off the snow-covered roads, raising up in the air and making it a point to try and throw its master off.

“Hey-” Mydei was quick to jerk the reins to force the horse back onto the road, brows furrowed as he took a moment to make the horse back up instead, eyes scanning the area as he did so.

Soon, golden eyes fell on a few small patches of crimson that lay mixed with the white snow, his body growing tense as he ushered several calming words to the creature before he quickly looked over his shoulder.

Was it a trap?

Looking forward once more, he slowly followed the trail of crimson with his eyes as he noted it went further into the bare woods. It would be foolish to investigate yet he found himself making his steed stay in place as the only sound was the few birds that voiced themselves in the treetops.

Mydei ignored the nagging voice in his head that told him to continue on his course, instead slowly getting off his steed and guiding the horse slowly to a nearby tree despite its displeasure.

“Just for a moment,” he reassured the creature, patting its side some as his boots crunched in the piles of snow as he tied the horse to a nearby tree branch. He placed the leather canteen of his back in the saddle bag while he was at it before he turned back around to face the bare forest.

Drawing his sword out, he slowly followed the trail of blood, noting that it was growing slightly thicker as he slipped past several trees and over a few stumps. He had gone further into the forest than he would have liked but soon froze in place as he heard a small groan.

It was faint, as if it had distance to it but it didn’t stop the anxiety that poured into his stomach as he slowly followed the noise. Mydei didn’t dare speak, only taking a few breaths of air when it was completely necessary and looked back down to make sure the trail remained. It wasn’t long till a small flash of color graced his eyes.

Green.

Golden eyes quickly widened when he came across a crumbled body against one of the trees, the man’s sword being drawn instantly and pointed out towards the blond as pinkish-green eyes glared harshly at him. Mydei wasted no time in drawing his own sword, eyes narrowing as he pointed his sword out to the man in return.

“Who are you? Don’t you dare come closer,”

Mydei didn’t dare challenge the man, an expression of familiarity crossing the green-haired man’s face as he let out a heavy sigh before lowering his sword.

“An ally, forgive me.”

“I’m assuming you're the scholar I'm looking for,” Mydei watched as the man winced when he tried to move, quickly noting that he was holding his side that was covered in blood. He slowly sheathed his own sword, lingering for a moment before he moved to kneel beside the man.

“Anaxagoras,” The man croaked out, cursing loudly as he was using his other hand to try and cast what Mydei had to assume was healing spells but was failing.

“I remember who you are. How did it happen?” Mydei mumbled out, shifting some to sit on his knees as he moved to try and remove Anaxa’s hand from his side but huffed when the man pulled away from him instead, both of them exchanging a slight glare at each other.

“I was ambushed,”

“And?”

“And,” Anxaga grunted out as he tried to sit up more, wincing as he slowly pulled his hand away from his side to inspect the blood on his gloved hand before placing it back.

“It’s deep but I will survive. My magicks are just weak right now,”

“You were to have a prince with you, where is he?”

The two shared a gaze as Anaxa sighed heavily before leaning back against the tree, his right eye slipping shut.

“I don’t know. He refused to come back with me,”

“Of course he would,” Mydei let out a frustrated sigh as he quickly looked around before he moved to stand, taking a moment to scan their surroundings before noting his horse still tied a few feet away.

“How long have you been out here?”

“Long enough for my body to likely develop frostbite,”

“And your horse?”

“Dead. Those bastards shot an arrow through its head,”

Mydei quietly looked back at the scholar, watching him for a second before he moved to kneel back down beside him.

“Remove your hand,” Mydei ordered out, ignoring the glare he got from Anaxa as the man let out a heavy sigh. The scholar slowly moved the hand that was pressed against his side as Mydei, in turn, removed a glove on one of his hands and quickly placed his hand down on the spot.

Anaxa hissed in pain as Mydei slowly began to cast a weak healing spell, ignoring the questionable look he got from the smaller man as he focused on the task at hand, a faint, green hue glowing from the spot where his hand was placed.

“I, ngh- didn’t think kremnoan’s practiced magicks,”

“We don’t,” Mydei replied nonchalantly.

Anaxa didn’t say anything, instead letting out a shaky breath as the healing magick was slowly beginning to help some, flinching when Mydei slowly removed his hand to examine the wound.

“That should do for now until we can find a proper healer. Can you stand?”

Anaxa only nodded, leaning his body against Mydei as the blond carefully hooked the scholar’s arm around his shoulders, slowly easing Anaxa up as the smaller man groaned. Anaxa’s legs threatened to buckle beneath him as the two stumbled some before Mydei was quick to straighten them up, holding Anaxa firmly by his hip.

Mydei let him lean on him more for a second, doing his best to steady the man before they began to slowly walk back to Mydei’s horse. Carefully helping Anaxa lean against the creature, Mydei focused on instead digging around in the saddle bag, pulling out a few herbs and giving them to the wounded man before slipping his glove back on.

“Phainon,”

Mydei froze when he heard those words, quickly looking over at Anaxa who was taking a second to bite on one of the herbs he was given, brows furrowing from what Mydei could only assume was from the taste as he noted the disapproving look in the man’s eyes.

“Aedes Elysiae’s walls were breached entirely. The kingdom was destroyed and there are several casualties,”

The blond tensed greatly as he listened, brows furrowing as he jerked his head to look forward at the snow covered path that he was originally taking.

“Their prince?” he questioned.

“He’s gone mad. The king and queen were slain in the attack and he’s likely on a rampage to find whoever did it,”

Mydei didn’t reply, only scowling as he looked away from the road to instead look back at Anaxa who was looking at him.

“The enemy, they had an unfamiliar creed on their armor,”

The blond didn’t say anything in return, letting out an exasperated sigh as he moved to instead grab the leather canteen off the saddle, handing it to Anaxa who was quick to take a few sips before sighing heavily himself.

“The general of Castrum Kremnos as well as his lieutenant are bringing reinforcements. I was to meet them in the northeastern part of Aedes Elysiae. Are you well enough to make the trip?”

“Possibly,” Anaxa murmured, handing Mydei the canteen back as he let his right eye slip closed again.

“Queen Aglaea sent me, I have a mission to retrieve that student of yours,”

Anaxa sighed heavily at Mydei’s response, moving to pinch the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

“You will be lucky if he’s alive. I tried to change his mind but he’s still just as stubborn as when I first met him,”

Mydei scoffed at Anaxa’s words, crossing his arms over his chest as the two shared a brief silence before golden eyes looked back at the shorter man.

“We better get going if we are to make sure that damn fool doesn't do something stupid,”

Anaxa didn’t respond, wincing as he shifted some to instead let Mydei help him up on the horse before Mydei took a moment to unclasp the fur cloak over his shoulders.

“Here,”

“My thanks,”

Mydei nodded in response, untying the reins to his horse from the nearby tree branch before he carefully hopped up into the steed, settling behind Anaxa before giving the reins a small flick. His horse made a soft noise in response before the two began to slowly make their way back down the path Mydei was previously going down.

The trip took longer than Mydei would have liked, two days of horseback while also providing a means of a shabby camp when night threatened their pursuit. Mydei had dressed the man’s wounds and provided medical herbs he had on hand as the bleeding was slowly lessening. When morning rose the next day, they were back on horseback as Anaxa provided a few directions now and then to him as his horse continued galloping down the path they set on. It wasn’t long till they crossed paths with his troops like they arranged previous, Mydei quickly riding up next to Hephaestion.

“Glad to see you’re in once piece,” Hephaestion hummed gently at the blond, shifting the reins some in his hands as he glanced over at Anaxa, being quick to raise a brow.

“Does he need medical attention?” He inquired.

“I’m fine,” Anaxa cut in, opening his eyes that were previously closed to look over at Hephaestion before looking away.

“He’s the scholar we were to look for,” Mydei began, looking over at Krateros who offered him a small nod in response.

“The enemy ambushed me as I was heading back to Okhema.” Anaxa mumbled out, tugging Mydei’s fur cloak tighter as he forced himself to stare ahead.

“How many?” Krateros mused.

“Too many to be a random attack," Anaxa replied.

Mydei took a second to look back, scanning the many soldiers that rode behind them before looking back.

“Fight to the death. Our first priority is retrieving the prince of Aedes Elysiae.” Mydei called out to his men, flicking the reins to make his steed begin to gallop faster. Krateros and his men quickly followed in suit as the bare trees of the forest began to slowly change into frozen waters and untilled wheat fields.

“Hephaestion,” Mydei abruptly called out, moving one of his hands to quickly hold onto Anaxa’s side as he helped Anaxa sit up better, the smaller man beginning to lean to the side as it was clear his state was still urgent despite the herbs and treatment Mydei tried to provide earlier.

“On it,” Hephaestion quickly answered, riding closer to Mydei and, despite some struggle, the two quickly shifted Anaxa over to Hephaestion’s horse before the man quickly shouted out for a healer. Mydei watched as the man made his horse slow down some, riding behind the rear lines of the kremnoan army and soon meeting up with a girl who Mydei was unfamiliar with.

He took a second to observe her pink hair and panicked expression as she hurriedly tried to get Anaxa on her horse, golden eyes watching for only a second before he made himself look forward.

“Krateros, if you are to have any barber-surgeons, I ask that they are behind the rear formation of our men. Make sure Anaxagoras doesn't bleed out and by all means necessary, we keep the healers safe from harm when engaging,”

“Yes, your highness,” Krateros replied firmly, quickly falling back from his position next to the blond to instead make his horse head to the rear of their army.

The blond huffed, eyes narrowing as he continued to lead the army through foreign lands, the harsh winds of the snow storm threatening to separate the formation they were holding as Mydei dug his heels into his horses sides a little.

“Just a little more,” He murmured to his horse, amber eyes flicking to the side as he noticed Hephaestion had joined their front lines once again, the man’s brows furrowed in concentration as he was quick to fast his bow.

“We are close to the outskirts,”

“Prepare for anything,” Mydei more or so muttered to himself, quickly noticing the smoke of fire as they were quick to come across an entire field of burning farms and dead livestock. He was quick to draw his sword, his army now being out in the open as he hurriedly shouted for his men to tighten their formation, forcing his horse to ride faster as he took no time to lead the entire formation past burning wheat fields. 

Aedes Elysiae’s kingdom walls were still a ways away, the large smoke of fire nearly engulfing the sky above it as Mydei felt anxiety begin to form in his chest. He quickly jerked the reins of his horse back as an arrow flew towards him, barely missing him as it was only a split second before Hephaestion shot an arrow back. He seemingly struck a man who was hiding in nearby vegetation before reaching back to grab another arrow out of his quiver.

“We are under attack!” Mydei shouted, the formations of his men quickly shifting before the archers on horseback began to take out any enemy forces that threatened to show themselves. Arrows soared through the sky and soon the enemy’s men hurriedly fled through the wheat fields, many of which whistled for horses as the prince’s army quickly overpowered them.

“They look to be from a different kingdom,” Hephaestion muttered out.

“Anaxa mentioned they wore an unfamiliar creed, though there are very few men here for it to be a kingdom. Unless only a few were sent out to trap us.” Mydei mused, his thoughts beginning to wander as a panicked voice rose in his head.

Where was Phainon then?

Had he engaged with the enemy?

Was he dead?

Those thoughts only continued as they quickly rode up to the walls of the destroyed kingdom, Mydei calling out an order for his men to dismount and begin attacking on foot. What greeted them was more or less a walking nightmare, golden eyes widening as screams and the sound of utter destruction filled their ears.

“Survivors first. If you are to see the prince, notify me immediately,” Mydei shouted, quickly dismounting his own horse before holding the hilt of his sword tightly as he rushed through the castle walls, Hephaestion following in suit as he kept his bow drawn. The healers they had on hand were quick to aid any survivors that could walk, and the few that couldn’t were helped out of the castle gates as they used their healing magicks to aid all who needed it. 

The blond took a quick second to wrap around one of the broken fountains, noting a few of the dead bodies that piled there before slowly leaning down to examine a few of their wounds. Most, not to his surprise, were struck in areas that were fatal while there were a few that showed remains of struggle.

It was clear the perpetrator wasn’t going to leave anyone alive, but that still didn’t explain why they attacked here and not some other kingdom?

“Anaxagoras said the king and queen were killed in the attack, he might still be in the castle,” Mydei mumbled out to Hephaestion who lingered nearby, currently slathering a poison on one of the tips of the arrows he had pulled out.

“Then our objective is to go there. I will follow behind,”

Boots crunched hard against crimson piles of snow, Mydei shielding his face from the harsh winds of the ongoing winter storm as Hephaestion refused to offer even a small bit of space between them as Mydei carefully stepped over a few piles of dead bodies. The snow itself has offered them a much kinder burial than they could possibly give them, whispering soft words in his native language that Hephaestion repeated as they offered the poor souls they came across their prayers.

Soon, the castle gates were right in front of them, the blond hesitating as he noticed the burning banners of Aedes Elysiae’s creed ominously swaying in the wind before particles of their fabric slowly began to fall to the ground. 

This kingdom was no more, yet Mydei couldn’t help but mourn for a place in which he never visited before. He found himself thinking back to the conversation he and Phainon had the first day they met and sighed heavily as he crouched down to slip past the portcullis that laid half closed. Rocks and several debris littered the area around them and Mydei found himself having to skirt around the path up to the castle before his boots slowly stopped just at the steps of the castle–or well–what remained of such structure.

“The castle was breached, the door looks to be forced open,” Mydei muttered to Hephaestion, noting the several bodies of royals and servants alike piled at the entrance as Mydei carefully stepped over them.

“They didn’t even have time to barricade. The poor souls,” Hephaestion muttered out, slipping his bow over his shoulder as he passed through the entrance after Mydei before sucking in a breath as the cold castle walls granted them no such welcome.

More blood coated the walls and marble floors, the stench becoming overwhelming at this point as Mydei let out an exasperated sigh before closing his eyes to look away.

“Their main target was here,” was all he muttered, letting his sword fall a little to his side as he took a few seconds to focus on his breathing before slowly opening his eyes. Both he and Hephaestion examined several of the bodies, even coming across a few that they identified as the enemy before slowly making their way up the grand staircase.

The air was tense, both men holding their breaths as they slowly turned past a corner before Mydei raised his hand slightly. Hephaestion was quick to draw his bow, a poisoned arrow aimed perfectly ahead as they watched what seemed to be one of the royal maids crawling on the ground. A pile of crimson blood lay beneath her as she was struggling to pull herself up.

Trained eyes watched for a second before Hephaestion pulled back his bow, giving Mydei a questioning look before he hesitantly moved forward.

“Are you okay? Ma’am?” Hephaestion slowly moved forward before he reached the maid, moving to sit her upright against one of the walls of the corridor. The woman cried out in pain as she was struggling to hold the spot on her stomach in which blood was pouring out of, Hephaestion being quick to note it as he worked faster.

“I-” The woman struggled to speak, Mydei watching as his friend moved her hands to quickly apply his own hands on the spot, trying to apply pressure despite the woman's protests.

“She will die,” Mydei mumbled out, slowly walking towards the other as Hephaestion began to tear at the woman's dress to try and quickly dress the wound. Mydei, despite his better judgement, reached down to jerk his friend back, giving the man a glare as Hephaestion only huffed back.

“We have to try,” He urged but Mydei simply shook his head.

“She won’t make it. The wound is too deep and moving her will only make her lose more blood,” He mumbled, both men watching helplessly as the woman took a few more breaths and ushered panicked prayers before her head slowly slumped to the side, her hands that were once holding her stomach falling to her sides unceremoniously.

This place offered no such thing as a peaceful departure.

Mydei gently released his friend's arm, continuing down the hall as he didn’t seem to care at that moment if his friend or not was to follow, going a few doors down before he opted to wait instead. Glancing over his shoulders, he watched as Hephaestion continued to watch the young lady before slowly wiping the blood that covered his hands on his pants before hesitantly looking forward.

“...”

Their eyes met but for a brief moment before Mydei continued to walk again, slowly making their way up to the throne room before they noted two bodies. Taking a quick second to confirm that Anaxa’s words were correct, Mydei began to slowly make his way into the throne room and past the two corpses that were covered by a cloak.

“He was here,” Mydei confirmed, looking around the room to see if there was anything of importance that would lead him to Phainon but only sighed in frustration as he was left with more questions than answers.

“Let's report back to the troops,” Mydei mumbled, Hephaestion only nodding in response as the two quietly made their way out of the throne room. The two lingered for a few moments, deciding to check a few rooms on the upper levels of the castle to ensure Phainon wasn’t there before slowly making their way back to the center plaza of the kingdom.

There, Mydei took a second to rub some at his eyes as exhaustion began to wrack at his body, sighing softly before looking over at Krateros who was quickly making his way over to him.

“Any news?”

“No. The scholar was right about the status of the king and queen. The prince was there but his location is still unknown,” Mydei explained, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

“Whenever we do find him, I will personally knock more than just sense into him. He will be lucky I don’t send him to an early grave myself for all this damn trouble,”

Hephaestion simply rolled his eyes at Mydei’s comment, exchanging a few words with Krateros before the three of them began to make their way back down the path they began.

“How many wounded?” Mydei began to ask.

“Far too many, I'm afraid we can’t aid them all. The healers are becoming overwhelmed and supplies are growing sparse quickly,” Krateros replied.

“Aid who we can. We will sort out the refugees later,” Mydei mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he took another look around at the destroyed kingdom.

“Is Anaxagoras’s condition stable?”

“Yes, a healer from the Twilight Courtyard is keeping a close eye on him,”

“I saw her earlier. When did she cross your path?”

“We met her before we left for Castrum Kremnos. He was also her teacher,” Hephaestion cut in, Mydei only nodding in response as he continued to look around before his gaze shifted to a soldier that was quickly approaching them.

“We found a trail of blood leading out of the western gates. There are several footsteps in the snow as well, your highness,” The soldier quickly spoke out, standing straight after his message was delivered.

“That's where our ‘deliverer’ has gone,” Mydei confirmed.

Pain surged through his entire body as Phainon slowly came to, his vision foggy and the room spinning entirely as he slowly tried to get his bearings. He felt like his entire being was burning alive and any slight movement he had made sent his world spinning entirely.

Jerking one of his arms, he grunted weakly as he found he couldn’t extend it at all, wincing as the pain of what he assumed was rope dug into the flesh of his wrists. Despite this, panic took over his entire body and he found himself trying to stand, tugging his wrists helplessly as his arms were seemingly tied behind his back. 

Phainon couldn’t get far, only taking a few steps before he was sent crashing back to the ground, grunting loudly as his jaw connected with the stone ground as his vision nearly went black. He continued to tug despite it being no use, slowly pushing himself back so that he sat on his knees before he tensed upon noticing that he wasn’t wearing his clothes from before. In fact, he wasn't wearing any at all.

Azure eyes quickly widened as he scrambled to try and move his legs, pushing himself back against one of the walls in the small room he was in as he frantically looked around. His vision was still somewhat blurry and the room was far too dark for him to fully tell where he was at. What little light there was told him that he was in a small room and that he had several bandages around his body, some of which were stained with old blood.

His breathing began to come out in sharp gasps, anxiety consuming his entire body as he quickly squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn’t remember anything and whenever he tried, it just made his head ache to the point all his senses were on overload. 

Phainon’s breathing however, came to a halt as he noticed a wooden door begin to open, the candlelight from the other room casting onto him as he helplessly watched as a figure entered the room. He noted two men followed after, his gaze turning into one of a glare as he pushed himself back against the stone wall.

“Who are you, where am I?”

He grit his teeth as the three men didn’t bother to answer, one of them hanging a small lantern on a hook that was wedged between the stone of one of the walls before they exchanged some words that made Phainon’s head hazy.

“Answer me!” he yelled, the men pausing to look at him dully before one of them pulled away.

“He’s been passed out for over a week and the first thing he does is demand things,” The stranger mumbled out, Phainon growling in response as the man purposely used a condescending tone. He flinched when the man crouched down beside him, reaching over to grip his jaw hard as he forced Phainon to look up at him, a smirk forming on his lips.

“Aren’t you a pretty thing… the king was right,” 

The stranger roughly shoved Phainon’s head to the side as he pulled back, moving to stand back up and shared a few more words with the other two men in the room before they left, leaving Phainon and the strange man in the small room.

“What do you want?” Phainon asked, seemingly growing impatient as his questions were once again left without any answers. Pain continued to course through his body and he let out a shaky groan as he shifted some on the ground, blue eyes looking around to try and familiarize himself with his location.

Did the others know where he was at?

Were any of them alive?

“Why… am I here?” He tried again at asking questions, the man giving him a look before crossing the room to instead go over to what looked like a small wooden table, Phainon straining his eyes to make out the few bottles that littered the table before tensing when he noticed that blood stained the table that the man was standing at.

“You have something that I'm interested in,” The man began, not answering Phainon’s previous question as he instead took a moment to examine a few tools and vials of liquids before grabbing one and making his way over to Phainon. He had an emotionless expression on his face as he crouched down in front of him, using his other hand to reach out and slowly stroke Phainon’s cheek.

“It’s a shame I can’t personally keep you alive though to see it. We’d have so much fun together,” He whispered, moving his hand to grab at Phainon’s hair and jerking his head forward. The prince tensed when the big vial of liquid was raised to his lips, the stench itself making his eyes water as he quickly jerked his head to create as much distance as he could from the strange concoction. 

With a glare, he opted to instead spit right in the man's face, huffing as the man quickly pulled back with a loud curse to wipe his face off, the vial slipping out of his hand and shattering against the cold floor between them.

“Fuck you,” Phainon barked out in response, opening his mouth to say something else but only cried out in pain as the man was quick to grip his hair and jerk his head to where their faces were only inches apart.

“Such a feisty thing,” The man purred out, Phainon flaring his nostrils in response as azure eyes flashed yellow before wincing as the man pulled back, instead dragging him by his yellowish-white hair to force his head down to where the liquid had shattered.

“Don’t you dare even use such magicks. Don't you see, we need you dead to get the power that we want,”

He did his best to fight the man’s weight, growling and jerking his bound arms as he hurled curse after curse before his lips and nose were shoved into the spilled liquid. He tried his best to not open his mouth but soon an overwhelming bitter taste slid across his tongue and down his throat. His entire body was quick to go numb as he continued to weakly struggle, the man soon pulling him back and instead pushing him back to the nearby stone wall.

“See, that wasn’t so hard, Khaslana,”

Phainon hated how condensing the man’s tone was, staring weakly up at him as whatever he was forced to take was quickly seizing his body, slumping down as he slowly slid down the wall to soon weakly lay on the floor.

He only stared emotionless as the man took advantage of his weakened state, tensing when the man easily crouched down beside him and began to spread his legs. Whatever fight was left in Phainon surged immediately, raising one of his legs to quickly kick the man in the chest as he struggled to push himself up slightly before scooching as far as he could across the stone floor.

“D-Don’t fucking touch me!” He rasped out, jerking harder at his arms as the pain from the rope intensified. He could feel blood begin to slide between his wrists, eyes blown wide as he kept his gaze on the man who had no intention of listening. He quickly seized Phainon’s legs before he could be kicked again, easily settling himself between his legs as tears quickly formed in the corners of Phainon’s eyes.

He felt a blinding pain course through his body as his vision was plagued with black circles, weakly jerking his head around to try and find something–anything really–that he could use as tears began to stream down his flustered cheeks.

“It shouldn’t be long before it kills you. Though, I suppose we can have some fun before you die. I wonder how that magick of yours works…"

Phainon didn’t have to look at the man to know he had a wicked smile on his lips, whimpering as the man quickly slipped himself between his legs before using one hand to force Phaion’s jaw to the side. Cold lips quickly pressed to his neck, a piteous groan escaping his lips as he felt the man’s hands begin to explore his body, wincing when he brushed against the bandages that littered his body, the wounds threatening to reopen as calloused fingers rubbed them.

He hissed loudly when he felt a harsh bite be given to his neck, straight on the sun tattoo that lay on his neck as the action caused itself caused the tattoo to glow faintly. He continued to do his best to try and jerk his arms more and whined when the pain from his wrists became debilitating.

“S-Stop-” He croaked out weakly, trying to move his legs again but the man was quick to force them back in place, his entire being screaming at him as he heard the sound of a belt being undone before he felt something hard press between his bare thighs.

“Shut up,” The man spat out.

Hot tears rolled down his cheeks as he begged to anyone at this point as more pain began to surge through his entire body. He couldn’t fight back anymore, laying limply on the ground as he just stared to the side. His body ached and he could feel his vision come and go as the poison he was given was quickly taking effect. Phainon could only watch the small light that flickered from the hanging lantern as he ushered out a silent prayer that someone stop it all.

“P-Please,” He protested once more, moving his head so that he could only look up at the dark ceiling before his eyes slowly slipped shut.

“I said, shut up!“ the man growled out harshly.

Phainon let out a weak scream as the man pushed inside him, his body feeling as though he was being split apart as his eyes quickly widened. Air left his lungs instantly and he wheezed loudly as he was forced to look at the man above him. Their bodies moved in a sick motion that left Phainon feeling as though he was going to throw up, whimpering loudly as the man continued to push inside of him before his hips were lifted off the ground so that the stranger could go deeper inside him.

“I…” Phainon had no energy to speak, the only noises that fell from him being broken sobs and moans as his eyes quickly slipped shut once more. The man thrusted relentlessly inside him, giving him no time to adjust at all and soon tensed when a hand was quickly clasped around his neck.

“Open your eyes,” The man groaned out. “Let me see those hideous eyes of yours,”

Phainon squeezed his eyes shut in defiance, ignoring the man’s wishes as he flinched when the hand got tighter around his neck, his eyes soon weakly cracking open as the hand around his neck got only tighter, squeezing hard at his throat.

“D-Don't-” Phainon choked out, letting out a strained groan as the man seemed to not listen at all and instead kept the brutal pace. Everything burned inside of him and he could only endure the several minutes that passed before he tensed when he felt a hot liquid pour inside of him, the man on top of him groaning loudly. 

Phainon wept as he forced himself to look up at the ceiling, a guttural groan escaping his lips when his neck was finally released. He stared numbly at the floor as he turned his head, letting himself be shoved away with little interest as he listened to the sound of a belt clinking once more before the man stood before him.

“Such a good prince,”

Bile rose in his throat as he laid there, dark, yellow eyes watching as the man went back to the wooden table and grabbed a few of the liquids there before silently taking the lantern that hung near him. He watched as the man left as if nothing had just happened, the walls of the stone room shaking from the force that was given to them as the door was slammed shut.

Releasing several shaky breaths, Phainon could only curl up on the floor as he did his best to try and hide himself, tears streaming down his face as he welcomed the darkness of the cold room once more.

The poison he was forced to take had already numbed his entire body, any movements on his part went unnoticed as he welcomed the demise that awaited him. The ache in his body only intensified, partly from what he knew was from the man earlier as he shifted so that his cheek could lay pressed against the cold, grimy floor of what he could only assume was some dungeon.

“Please…” was all he begged out as the last of his vision began to blacken and soon, his entire body went limp as white lashes fluttered close.

He was unsure how much time had passed, his body being lulled between both the living and the dead as the ferryman who often carried such souls offered no such thing to him. His mind swirled and his body felt as though he was just continuously falling, plunging further and further into the depths of darkness until a harsh voice rang profusely in his ears.

“He’s in here!”

He tried to open his eyes but found that he couldn’t, feeling his limp body being quickly moved as he felt a dagger cut at the rope that bound him before his blooded wrists were finally freed.

“He’s foaming at the mouth! I need to induce him to vomit– he’s been poisoned,”

Phainon opened his mouth to speak but only a guttural groan escaped him as fingers were quickly shoved down his throat, the person forcing him to sit up as bile began to rise and burn in his throat. They quickly removed their fingers and before Phainon even really knew it himself, he gagged harshly and emptied his stomach entirely as saliva and unknown liquids hit the floor, a weak groan escaping him as he quickly fell back.

“Perdikkas,”

“He’s thrown it up,’ 

Phainon felt his body being quickly picked up, head rolling to the side as it hit the stranger's chest roughly. He couldn’t respond, his eyes barely open as he continued to slip between consciousness.

Several blurry lights danced across his vision, the smell of copper being quick to hit his nose as he felt his body continuing to be carried. Soon though, he sucked in a harsh breath as cold quickly pricked at his body, a weak groan escaping him as his body was quickly laid down on what felt like fur.

“Hephaestion, get me a lantern!” He heard a familiar voice shout, trying his best to open his eyes more but only seeing pitch black along with the faintest of white particles when he looked around. Soon though, a warm hue of yellow filled his vision as the person near him hung a lantern over him, quickly leaning down to press an ear to his bare chest.

“He's barely breathing,” The voice later spoke again, Phainon noting a small hint of blond to the man that hovered over him.

“We need to get him an antidote before it hits his bloodstream,”

There was the sound of glass being hit together, the person that made him throw up earlier returning to move and sit on the other side of him. They began digging in a leather bag before hurriedly handing a vial to the blond man who held the lantern.

“Drink, now,”

Phainon felt his head be propped up some before the cold touch of a bottle was being pressed to his lips. Anxiety swelled in his body and he weakly tried to jerk away, the man holding him being quick to stop him as he heard a frustrated sigh.

“It’s not poison, drink,”

The white-haired man still tried to pull away but soon decided to trust the familiar voice, a warm, bitter liquid quickly sliding down his throat as pain continued to surge through his body. He was forced to drink a lot before the lip of the bottle was pulled away from his lips, his head being gently placed back down before he felt a warm fabric being quickly placed on top of his naked body.

Phainon slowly let his eyes slip shut afterwards, noting the few sounds around him as well as a few more voices before he felt the fabric being tucked in around him. He welcomed the warmth, feeling a hand press to his forehead for a brief second before the hand slowly slid through his hair. He found himself leaning into the touch, blue eyes barely fluttering open as he met amber ones.

“Deliverer,” was all that he could hear, the title bringing him a sense of comfort as he let his body fully relax, the hand in his hair providing a few strokes before it pulled away. The man near him stayed seated, guarding him as Phainon weakly watched him place the lantern down near them. He had no energy to speak, his throat stinging and his eyes having a hard time focusing on anything for far too long before exhaustion consumed his body.

“Rest,” he heard the blond man speak, his eyes wasting no time in closing as he once again welcomed the warm embrace of darkness. However, this time, he was content that it wasn’t death that was pulling him under.