Chapter Text
Stepping out of the carriage, Anaxagoras looks around with a hum. The servants’ ride stops, and the palace staff help with the unloading. He already has all of his personal belongings with him in his satchel.
Mydeimos stands behind him, having just gotten out. "Do you need help carrying your bag?"
The mint haired man looks back. “Do all of the palace servants live in the palace?”
“Some of them do, but a majority live in homes nearby.”
“Mm. I see.” Anaxa tucks his hands behind his back and walks towards the entrance.
The Crown Prince catches up and takes the lead once they head in. “Unfortunately, I'm going to be very busy today. I'm not sure we'll get to eat together.”
“You haven't been crowned, yet you're already taking on all these responsibilities.”
“Speaking of, the coronation has been set to take place in four days. It would've taken longer had I not opted for a more simple celebration.”
“Am I invited?”
Mydei raises a brow. “Why wouldn't you be?”
“... Dumb question: Do you see me as a friend?”
“Whether I do or don't, you live in Kremnos now, so you have a right to attend the coronation of your future monarch.”
“So, less than a friend?”
“...”
Anaxa stares at the silent blond for a moment before his eyes go back to the path ahead. They've been making quite a few turns. “Where are we going?”
“Didn't you say there was a place you wanted to go?”
He didn't imagine it would take twists, turns, and narrowing hallways to get there. No other part of the palace seems to be a maze away from the rest of the building.
“What's with that scowl? You're the one who wanted to come here.” Mydei stops before a pair of doors, but behind them is just another hallway.
“Are you sure you haven't forgotten how to get there?”
“Of course not.” Another pair of doors. This time, the Prince opens them to reveal a grand library.
Anaxagoras’ eyes sparkle at the sight. Books and scrolls fill the room from floor to roof as if it were a paradise of literature.
“The library is open to the public, so it's far away from the other parts of the palace, separated by a maze of hallways. I'll have a map printed out for you.”
Anaxa looks through the bookshelves. All of these books are in Kremnoan, which wouldn't be a huge problem if half of them weren't in ancient Kremnoan.
He takes up one of the books but can't make sense of any of the words inside. Even the handwriting is hard to read. “I guess I'll have to study a bit more before I can use these for my research.”
Mydei looks at the book over Anaxa's shoulder. “I can help you read them once I find the time.”
“I couldn't possibly ask you to put aside your important work to help me read.” He puts the book back.
“The older staff members know the language. You can ask them to help.”
“Oh. Why didn't you say that first?”
The Prince crosses his arms, tries to supress the flush of his face as he clears his throat. “Just… in case you aren't comfortable sharing your research with strangers.”
A small chuckle escapes Anaxa's throat at the sight of a blushing Mydei. “No need to be embarrassed. I like spending time with you as well, Your Highness.”
The blond stops at the sound of the other's laughter, feeling his face grow redder with the sight of Anaxa's smile, but the moment is ruined by a buzz from his teleslate.
He skims the message with a subtle frown. “Apologies, duty calls.”
“How unfortunate. I suppose I'll have to postpone my research.”
Mydeimos nods and guides the mint haired man out of the library, where they part ways, the Prince heading to the courtyard for a meeting.
The scholar finds himself strolling aimlessly around the palace. Having nothing to do whilst everyone else is busy is a bore. Although... it's a perfect opportunity to go out and gather inspiration.
With some help from an unfamiliar servant, he finds his way out of the palace and walks down the path, which he hopes leads towards the city.
Surely there's a map somewhere online, but there's no fun in certainty.
The scenery of Castrum Kremnos is very different from the Grove of Epiphany. Compared to the fully enclosed schools, the buildings in Kremnos are connected by open paths that allow a sight of the sun and the outside.
And while the Grove’s outside is made up of many floating platforms that require Janus’ blessing for travel, Castrum Kremnos is mostly connected by bridges and stairs.
He wanders inside a random building, taking in the murals on the walls of the hallways, as well as the vases and statues in the corners. Their buildings are full of life and art, even if that art isn't landscape paintings or tree designs on stained glass windows.
He walks past a room full of chatter, hearing bits and pieces about the upcoming coronation and the future of the city. More importantly, he finds an interesting illustration on a nearby wall.
The more he roams, the more murals he finds and the more time he spends observing them and trying to understand the stories they're portraying. Tales of the Titans, stories of ancient rulers in Castrum Kremnos, expeditions of brave warriors, prophecies, and even details about how Kremnoans went about life in old times.
His eyes glue to a mural about the four parts of Nikador until he's jolted by a ring from his teleslate. He clicks his tongue, glancing at his satchel for a mere second before looking back to the painting.
Another three notifications later, he finally decides to take out his device.
Mydeimos. He looks back at the mural.
His Highness sure does seem to know a lot when it comes to the history and culture of Castrum Kremnos.
Anaxagoras decides to save himself some time and pull out a map to guide his way back to the palace. It takes a couple blessings of Janus before he finally makes it back and has someone bring him to the dining room.
“Your food got cold.”
The mint haired man takes a seat next to the blond and glances at his plate. “It's fine. I'm not terribly hungry. Moreover, about that photo I sent to you, you said Soul-Forging Zone. What exactly is that place?”
Mydeimos remains silent and pushes Anaxa's plate forward. “If you eat, I'll tell you.”
The scholar lets out a sigh and reaches for his fork.
“Did you have fun?”
He twirls his fork around, “My brain is full of ideas, and my heart is full of delight.”
The Prince's lips grow into a smile. “That's good to hear.”
“And you? How was the meeting?”
“We have a problem, but it's nothing I can't handle.”
Anaxa tilts his head. “Problem? What's wrong?”
“Yes, a problem, but not as big a problem as a certain scholar who refuses to get proper nutrition.”
“I'm eating.”
“Could you calculate the ratio between you eating and you talking?”
The mint haired man frowns and shoves his food into his mouth, chewing with a bitter expression.
“I don't know how you expect to listen and focus on an empty stomach. No work can be done without energy, even mental work. And don't eat too fast lest you choke or get a stomachache like last time.”
The scholar holds his tongue as he's scolded and simply continues eating. Might as well get it over with.
Mydei pushes his own empty plate away and reaches for his glass of orange juice.
“No pomegranate juice today?”
The Prince pulls the cup away from his lips and places it on the table. “I can't have the exact same thing every day. Besides, I thought you might like a fresh glass of orange juice.” He gently slides his cup over to the other man.
Anaxagoras swallows his bite of food before picking up Mydei's cup to take a sip. “It compliments the taste of the food very well.”
Mydeimos’ elbow rests on the edge of the table, a fist propping up his cheek. “I thought so, too.”
Seeing his reflection in a pair of soft golden eyes makes a shiver run down his spine. “What's with that happy sappy look?”
The blond pulls out a paper as Anaxa takes his last bite of food. He hands it to the other. “I got you a map of the palace.”
The scholar looks at the spot Mydei's finger points to.
“This is your new room.”
“Where's yours?”
The Prince's finger travels to the second floor and taps on a room far from the first one.
“...Do I bother you that much?”
“There's no bedrooms near the master bedroom. The King and Queen sleep in the same room, and even the children sleep in a completely different hallway.”
“But the children's rooms are available, aren't they?”
“You can have one if you want.”
“In that case, I'll take the one closest to your room.”
Mydei smiles. “I'll tell the servants.”
Anaxagoras stands up from his seat and rolls the map up to put into his satchel. The bag is a lot lighter than before since he isn't carrying any tools.
“Do you have any more work today?”
“No.”
“Then, you're free to accompany me to the Garbaniphoro library?”
The Crown Prince rises and brings the scholar to the library.
After the long walk, Anaxa sits down at a desk and takes out one of his notebooks, flipping to a blank page.
Mydeimos settles down with a book he'd grabbed. “This book is also related to the four parts of Nikador, but I don't know if it would be useful to your research.”
"Read it for me?"
The Prince nods.
The scholar’s ears perk up, his hand taking down a few notes as he listens to Mydei read and translate the book for him.
Once he's done reading, the bond watches the mint haired man write and draw lines, connecting one idea to another and fabricating theories that slip out of his head in the form of muttered words and scribbles on a page.
Watching Anaxa work with that serious and focused look on his face, Mydei can't help thinking about how pretty the scholar looks.
“I’ll probably get a better idea of the story once we visit the Soul-Forging Zone.”
“We can go after my coronation, and after I get the stuff sorted out with the council and the anti-monarchy group.” Mydei takes out his teleslate. “Curtain-Fall Hour. We should head to bed.”
Anaxagoras begins tidying up, having his thoughts come to a reasonable close.
The blond’s eyes narrow at the notification that pops up on his screen. “Apologies, something came up... again. You can use the map to find your room.”
The scholar watches the Prince rush out of the library and follows not long after with the map in his hands.
He heads to his old room to grab nightwear and then goes upstairs to his new room to change and go to bed. His head hits the pillow, and his eyes shut, but his mind won’t go to sleep.
It feels like he's so close to reaching truth. He can't stop thinking about it. Why does his mind always have to go against him? Even listening to the sound of people moving outside, closing curtains, and going to bed isn't enough to distract him.
He sits up and reaches for the candle at his bedside. No one should be awake right now, so it's the perfect time for a calming stroll.
Anaxa roams the hallways like a ghost.
Similar to other Kremnoan buildings, the palace also has statues and vases, except the murals are replaced with paintings of royalty. The one that catches his eye is a grand family portrait featuring Eurypon, Gorgo, and a very small infant Mydei.
They seem happy in the painting, especially the late Queen. She's gorgeous and has a strong, confident air, contrasted by the way she carries her baby gently in her arms.
Maybe his own mother was once similar? He'll never know. He was exceptionally lucky to have Diotima, but he also can't help wondering what happened to his parents and why his sister never told him anything about them.
It's childish, but sometimes Anaxa wishes he had a mother when he was younger.
Not someone who simply offered support like Tribbios or Aglaea had done back then, someone who he could come home to, who's arms he could cry in from of all the bullying; Someone who would listen to what he had to say and understand what he wanted to express.
He raises his free hand to wipe his tears but finds himself crouching before the painting, the candle holder lying on the ground as he covers his mouth to suppress the cries.
There must be something seriously wrong with him. He'd only just cried to Mydeimos a few days ago. Had he not emptied his pains? Where are these sudden tears even coming from?
Maybe it's because he knows nothing can be done to fix this. His childhood is over, and he's lost the chance to repair it. He'd never met his parents, and his sister had died young. The painful memories are nothing like the books burned by the Council of Elders. They aren't words that can be rewritten onto new paper, and they don't have rips that can be sewn.
Anaxa isn't a beaten book, nor a torn plushie. He's a person missing out on the life he sees other people actively living out.
Self-pity is the worst. He already feels bad. He doesn't need his own brain picking away at every single insecurity.
He shakes his head.
Other people have it worse than he does. Other people don't have a home, nor food, nor water. Other people have never known a single person their whole life. He's not special. His pain is a mere drop in the ocean.
“Anaxa…”
The scholar lowers his head and quickly wipes his tears.
Mydeimos watches the other man reach for the candle and stand up, but keep the light away from his face. “Are you alright?”
The mint haired man clears his throat. “Yes. I’m fine, I just got a little emotional.”
The Crown Prince holds out a hand, which Anaxa takes up instantly, allowing him to guide the other man across the hall to his room.
The painting is right in front of Mydei's room. No wonder the Prince heard him crying. At least it wasn't someone else.
“I couldn't sleep, so I made some tea. Do you want some?” Mydeimos walks to the coffee table on the other side of the large room.
Anaxa joins the Prince and takes a seat, reaching out to receive a cup of tea. “Thank you.”
“It feels strange sleeping somewhere new.”
“Are you feeling homesick?”
Mydei’s eyes remain on the teacup in his hands. “Quite the contrary. I feel like I've just gotten home after a long battle, but the battle still weighs heavy on my mind.”
The mint haired man takes a sip of his tea, feeling a rush of warmth in his stomach and a sweetness in his mouth.
“Would you mind sleeping here tonight?”
“Before, we slept in the same room because mine was empty, and it would've been a waste to build a new bed just to move out days later. This time, we have no excuse.”
“Why would we need an excuse? I simply sleep easier when you're around.”
Anaxa pauses. “I find it easier to sleep with you, too…”
“So it's settled.” Mydei downs his cup and places it on the tray.
The scholar takes smaller sips, savoring the feeling and flavor of the tea, a faint smile lies behind his cup.
The Prince finds a spark of happiness in the other man's eyes. “Something on your mind?”
“I was just thinking I'm glad to have you.”
Mydeimos seems to ease up at the comment. “Mm.”
Anaxa's eyes shut before he yawns, which the Prince takes as a sign to go to bed.
The scholar lays comfortably on one side and the blond on the other.
Mydeimos has his bare back facing him as always. It's a simple thing, but something he's grateful for. It feels easy to fall asleep as his eyes trace the red marks on the other man's back.
Once his eyes open again, it's Entry Hour, and the back that was in front of him is gone. He slowly brings himself to stand on his feet and rubs his eyes.
He looks to the bed to see the Prince missing, replaced by his own clothes from his closet.
After changing and washing up in the bathroom, he walks back into the room, spotting Mydei.
“Ah, you're awake.”
Anaxagoras hums, his lips forming a soft smile. “Good morning, Your Highness.” He takes a seat on the edge of the bed.
“Good morning.” He walks over and stands beside the bed.
The scholar glances around. The curtains are up, so the room is illuminated by sunlight, allowing him to properly take a look. The decoration is grand, elaborate vases, a big mirror, and framed illustrations of Nikador.
Mydei picks up on the other's wandering eyes. “I'm sure you can agree that my father had a very dramatic style.”
“You didn't change the room? It's been four days since he passed.”
“Could you lend me your ears for a moment?”
“Hm?” Anaxa looks back to see the Prince's expression, golden eyes shine with a glimmer of hopelessness. “Sure. I don't mind.”
“When I was in the preparation room, my father approached me and said that I reminded him of my mother before walking away. At the time, I thought nothing of it, yet now I can't stop thinking about it.
I don't know why he would say such a thing knowing we were about to fight.”
Anaxagoras presses his lips together, feeling a twinge of guilt start to seep in.
“On top of that, I found an album in the drawer of his bedside table when I first settled in this room. The photos inside were all of my mother and me when I was younger.”
The scholar can’t find anything to say. He can only stare at the Prince and listen.
“I don't get it. If he cared about me, why did he do all of those awful things? Could he really have just gone mad?”
“Well, sometimes people go crazy after having lost their loved ones. It isn't terribly unreasonable to think that the loss of the Queen and the prophesied fate of his son caused the King to lose his mind, especially after he'd been the reason for your mother's death.”
Mydeimos slowly nods his head. “A plausible possibility. It's best to think of it that way for the sake of my own sanity.”
He turns around when a knock comes at the door.
“Your Royal Highness, someone is asking to see you.”
“Busy as ever, aren't you? I suppose we won't see each other much today.”
Mydeimos lets out a sigh and walks to the door. “A shame, but yes.”
“Goodluck!”
Anaxa remains seated for a while after the Prince leaves. He eats breakfast alone and spends most of his time in the Garbaniphoro library.
There’s a big pile of books on the desk, a gathering of every book he thinks he can read by himself. He could get help, but if he relies on others, he'll never learn the language himself.
After lunch, he takes a break from reading and flips through his notebooks. He's noted down everything he can remember from the books that were burned.
He should be glad he was able to preserve at least this much knowledge, but looking at these books, he can only remember what had happened.
He'd felt a little guilty before, but now, he only regrets not coming out as Monnta’s killer. Maybe then the Council of Elders would learn not to mess with him.
Whenever he's unsure of his decisions, he ends up wondering what Diotima would think of them. She had always protected him from those who'd insulted him, and under her watch, no one dared to lay a finger on him.
Unlike the time he spent under the watch of the Council of Elders. There were many times when he would get beat up after school for what he'd say in class, pointing out other's mistakes and scrutinizing the Titans. A few people were even mad at him simply for being smart and having an ego, but his sister taught him to be true to himself and speak his truth, so he never changed.
If only she was there, then he wouldn't have had to go to his professors for help with bandages.
They'd scold the bullies and suspend them, but it only ever resulted in more beatings. And expulsions… expulsions meant punishment for both the bullies and himself. They weren't brave enough to kill him, but they weren't scared to leave him bruised.
His hand goes up to touch his cheek. He can vaguely remember the number of times it was swollen and stinging.
His life has changed so much since then. Now he can fight back. Now he has blood on his hands.
For someone who wishes for purity and truth, he's sunk into filth and corruption for far too long.
It's true that he now has Mydeimos, lives in a palace, and has access to a grand library, but luxuries and friendship aren't enough to make up for the missing half of himself.
If only he could see Diotima one last time. He has so much he wants to say to her. He wants to tell her about his life, his desires for the future, and about Mydei. Moreover, he wants to apologize to her for all the trouble he's caused.
His eyes skim through the pages of the book he'd written on the cults of Thanatos, his mind not fully processing the words until he comes across a very familiar page with a detailed drawing.
A ritual to bring someone back to life in exchange for something of equal cost.
He'd once attempted this ritual but hadn't even gotten halfway through before the Council of Elders burst through his door and stopped him.
He planned to sacrifice his eye to see his sister again.
His fingers trace over the ritual circle drawn on the page. A mere eye is a small price to pay in exchange for seeing Diotima again. Maybe telling her everything will allow him to lighten the burden on his shoulders.
Anaxagoras stands in front of the mirror in his room. That mulberry dress he'd gotten along with the engagement dress was just a fancier version of his sister's favorite dress, so it only feels right to try it on now.
He's sure they look similar, if only he could remember her face properly… If he does that ritual, he's sure he'll be able to find out, but it would be a shame to stain this dress.
He already placed the book on the floor, and the ritual circle on the page calls to him. He sighs and changes his clothes again, reaching into his satchel to pull out his dagger. He closes the curtains and leaves only the candles required for the ceremony.
Locking the door isn't enough, so he places a chair behind it as well.
The ritual circle is awfully easy to draw, a familiar movement for his hands. The chant rolls naturally off his tongue, his wish to see his sister at the very top of his mind as he takes a deep breath in.
Golden blood touches the pattern drawn on the ground and illuminates the room in purple flames. The dagger falls from where it had pierced his eye, and the pain is accompanied by a burning sensation throughout his whole body.
He can't help but scream as his surviving eye blurs. He feels his brain drop to his stomach and swears he's seeing his life flash before his eyes.
“Anaxagoras?!”
That voice sounds familiar, but he can't tell who it belongs to. Is it someone who's come to help, or is it the ghost of his sister? It doesn't help that everything's gone pitch black. He can't even see the person.
His head is throbbing, and the words from the other person's mouth can barely be heard over the ringing sound in his ear.
“Anaxagoras!”
Anaxa's eyes squeeze shut before fluttering open.
“Are you okay? What happened?”
A gentle hand presses against his forehead and then cups his cheek.
“Diotima..?”
“Are you dead?”
Ah... So that's what she looks like… “I don't know. It feels like it.”
A frown grows on her face as she shakes her head. “Silly boy, what have you done?”
“I wanted to see you. Big sis… I have so much I want to tell you.”
“Okay, okay, tell me. Please don't cry.” She lightly squeezes his shoulder as an offering of comfort.
Anaxa raises a hand to wipe his tears. He tells his story as best he can and as fast as he can, fearing they might run out of time again.
“I'm sorry. I don't know if I've disappointed you.”
“Oh, Naxy… What am I to do with such a troublesome baby brother? I'm glad you're doing better now. If you just keep your head up, take good care of yourself, and be happy, then I can’t be mad at you.
“Although… It'd be great if you did me a favor and chose peace over violence.”
“I won't work the same job as before. Now that I have the chance, I want to focus on my pursuit of knowledge.”
“Good, then. I always imagined you'd grow up to be a wise old sage.” She pats his head with a small laugh.
“Also, I want to tell you more about Mydei. He's been by my side for a long time now. I've met countless new people, but he's the only one I've wanted to be close to. He's caring, just and wise, strong, and a great ruler. He eats well and keeps calm. He reminds me of the way you described dromases to me.”
“Hehe. Yes, I remember. I told you to eat lots and keep your cool so you can grow up big and strong like the dromases. After I said that, you bugged me so much about getting you a dromas, and I ended up making you that little stuffed animal.”
Anaxa nods his head. That's how his love for dromases had begun. An admiration sparked by his sister's words. “I like him a lot. I think I'm very lucky to have come across him. He's changed my world in the biggest ways with the smallest actions.”
“Oh?” Diotima raises a brow. “Haah… My baby brother has grown up so fast! I'm sad I won't get to see your wedding.”
“... Wedding? But we aren't having one. That was only for the mission.”
“If only you could see the look on your face right now, Naxy, I'm sure you'd understand what I mean.”
“What look on my face?”
“The kind of look a longing lover gives as they recall the goodness of their beloved.”
“...”
“Don't worry, I won't judge.”
He shakes his head. “More importantly, the last thing I wanted to tell you… I want to apologize.”
“Hm?” She tilts her head with a smile and a lifted brow. “I already said I forgive you, Naxy.”
“I want to say that I'm sorry you had to take care of me. Parents are the ones who are obligated to take care of their children, yet you chose to spend your life looking after me, even though you didn't have to.
You worked tirelessly to provide for me and buy me all those trinkets I wanted… You didn't even get to live out your life before it was over. I'm sorry.”
Diotima’s face grows bittersweet. “Didn't you just say that I chose to raise you? I knew it was going to be tough, but watching you grow up and be yourself was worth every moment. Back then, I wanted nothing more than for you to be safe and healthy, and the same goes for right now.
Instead of apologizing, just thank your big sister!”
“Thank you, Diotima.” He raises his hand to his face, suddenly feeling it get wet. He isn't the one crying. “Hm? Sis, why are you crying?”
“What do you mean? I'm not crying.”
“Then what is this on my face? I'm not crying. You're not crying. Then who- Ah!” He steps back and grips his head.
“Anaxagoras?! What's wrong?”
Anaxa opens his mouth, but his voice doesn't come out, and then it all goes black again. He can still feel the drops of water on his face.
“Please wake up.”
He was right. Someone is crying.
“Anaxa… Please, don't go. I need you.”
“I'm not going. I'm right here.”
...
Damn it. His voice won't come out.
His body feels far away.
“Come on, wake up. Wake up! You haven't finished your research. How could you go and die?”
Right. He has to finish his research and find the truth behind the Titans and behind Amphoreus.
“I told you we could go to the Soul-Forging Zone together. Weren't you excited? We can still go, just please get up.”
Together…
Mydeimos? He's crying? Mydei's crying?
“Don't cry! I'm not dead yet!”
He needs to get up. He needs to keep living.
No matter how many times he breaks or gets beaten, reason, desire, and passion will always re-ignite the burning fire within his soul– All he has to do is take a deep breath!
Mydeimos feels his heart skip a beat as the bandaged man breathes out and slowly opens an eye.
The first thing the scholar can see is the Prince's shocked face, covered in tears, right above his own face. “Mydei..?”
“Anaxagoras! Thank the Titans…” The blond's grip tightens around the other man's hand. “I thought I'd never see you again.”
“What happened?”
“You were in a coma for three days. The doctors said you'd lost a lot of blood from the ritual.” The word “ritual” was practically spat out of Mydei's mouth, the sound carrying an immense and bitter dread.
Three whole days. He must've frightened his poor Prince. “Ah, and my eye?”
Mydei's expression grows dark. “Gone. They changed your bandages yesterday and said some weird hole had started growing on your face.”
“Weird ho- Wait, it's been three days?!”
“Yes, it has.”
“Your coronation–”
“It's today. A while away from now.”
“Shouldn't you be getting ready?”
“I wanted to see you first.”
“I'll get ready, too. I want to come.” He slowly sits up.
Mydei takes a step back to give Anaxa space, watching the man stretch. “Are you sure you don't want to stay here and rest?”
“The best way to recover is to go outside and take in the fresh air.” Anaxagoras gets up from the bed and hears his stomach growl.
“I'll have the kitchen whip something up for you.” He stands up and follows after the scholar, walking carefully behind the other man.
“Oh, we were still in my room. It looked so different.”
Mydei takes Anaxa's hand and walks him to the kitchen. “The doctor turned your room into a makeshift hospital room. They came all the way here from the Grove of Epiphany.”
“Hm? A doctor from the Grove?”
“Yes. I'm sure she'll come check on you soon.” He slips into the kitchen and asks for the chefs to prepare something for Anaxa. He turns towards the scholar, giving his hand one last squeeze. “I’ll hurry and get ready. Take care, and don't push yourself.”
“Mhm. You too.” Anaxa walks into the kitchen and takes a seat, but is quickly guided outside to the dining room. Soon, a big bowl of chickpea salad and bread is placed in front of him along with a large glass of water.
He's sure the doctor found some way to give him enough nutrients and water to survive, but he's still starving. Once he's done with his food, though, he finds himself so full he finds a miracle that he can still move.
He manages to get someone to assist him to his room so he can get ready for Mydei's coronation and picks a simple outfit. He braids his hair, leaving it over his shoulder like his usual ponytail. The bandages over his left eye can't be changed. He doesn't have any eyepatches, he'll have to remember to buy some once he finds the time.
More importantly, he needs to go find Mydei so they can head to the ceremony together.
His bedroom door flies open before he can reach it. “You're awake! Are you alright?” The pink haired girl runs over with her floating companion.
“Yes, I'm fine. You must be my… doctor.” His eyes drift from the young woman to her small-but-round floating pegasus.
“I am. You can call me Hyacine, and my assistant here is Little Ica! Now sit down and let me do some healing.”
Anaxa pauses for a moment and then takes a seat on his bed. He watches the girl take out a strange wand and start waving it around. Interesting method, but Mydeimos trusted it, so he will too.
“Violà! How do you feel?”
“Better. Lighter.”
“That's good, but there's still a long road until you make a full recovery. You'll need to drink lots of water and eat proper, balanced meals in order to make up for what you lost during the coma. You should also eat lots of iron-rich foods like meat, eggs, spinach, or figs. That will help you with all the blood loss…”
Anaxa nods his head, only half paying attention to the doctor. He'll just eat spanakopita and lots of fruit.
“Now, please take off your bandages so I can change them and see the scar.”
The scholar nods and carefully peels the bandages off. He's also curious to see what’s happened to his eye.
“It's still growing and faster than before, too.” She frowns and bends down to open her medkit and take out a roll of fresh bandages.
“What is it?”
“A strange starry hole.”
Anaxa looks at the mirror in the medkit. Above his empty eye socket is a starry night sky that takes up a big chunk of his forehead above the wounded eye and a crack that seems to be headed for that eye. “Will my whole face end up like that?”
“I’m sorry, I don't know. But Little Ica and I will do our best to help you! Once I get back to the Grove, I'll keep researching and find an answer as to what it is and how to stop it.”
He remains silent as she covers half of his face with the new binds. This is troublesome. He only offered up his left eye, yet that damned Titan has already taken more than that. How can this be called a fair exchange?
He zones out the whole time Hyacine is talking, not on purpose. He really just can't focus. By the time she's left, so too has Mydei, and Anaxa is now late for the coronation.
He knows he shouldn't push himself, but he still tries his hardest to hurry into a carriage. He steps out and quietly makes his way in, squeezing through the crowd and keeping his eye out for that anti-monarchy group.
He manages his way into the front, maybe a bad choice because everyone is shouting their lungs out, saying:
“The son of Gorgo will be crowned in blood!”
“The son of Gorgo will be crowned in blood!”
“The son of Gorgo will be crowned in blood!”
This is reminding him of Mydei's duel with Eurypon. Back then, he'd also been late. Back then, someone had also attempted to hurt Mydeimos. He really should keep an eye out.
These kinds of events are the perfect time for overhead assassins to strike. The crowd’s chaos and confusion paves a perfect way for escape.
He can hear the Kremnoan soldiers making way for the Crown Prince, and he has to admit that this stirs a feeling of excitement in him. It isn't everyday one gets to see a royal coronation.
His eyes catch a glimpse of Mydeimos walking towards the throne, but he also sees a glimpse of someone's crossbow. Right above a head within the crowd. All eyes are on the soon-to-be King, and none on potential danger, all except for one person's right eye.
Anaxa's legs move just as the fingers on the crossbow do. Mydei's ears are too full of shouting to hear anyone sprinting or calling out to him, so there's only one choice.
There's no way he's letting anyone hurt Mydeimos, not after all the Prince has done for him.
The crowd gasps, seeing someone run towards the throne, and the blond's eyes widen seeing the head of mint colored haired. Surely, the shooter must be surprised as well, but it's too late now. The trigger has already been pulled.
The scholar's knees buckle once his back is jabbed.
Mydei quickly reaches out to support Anaxa, his mouth falling open once he realizes what's wrong. “Anaxa!!”
The injured man raises his hand and points behind him to the spot where the shooter is, but by the time the Prince looks, the person is already hidden.
“Ah… Ow…” He quickly tries to reach for his back, pulling out the dart as fast as he can.
“Do you have a death wish or something?!” Mydeimos tries his best not to let his panic show on his face.
Anaxagoras waves his hand. “Finish the ceremony. I won't die.”
“How could I possibly just leave you like this?” He looks at the other's hand, expecting it to have been an arrow.
“It was just a poisoned da– Ngh!!” He leans onto Mydei as the pain spreads throughout his body. “Holy... What kind of poison is this?!”
Mydeimos tosses the dart aside and scoops Anaxa into his arms. He orders the guards to find the culprit at all costs before rushing into the first carriage he sees.
“Did you see Hyacine at home?”
“Mhm. She left before I did.”
The Prince takes out his teleslate, his fingers moving at the speed of light.
Anaxa leans on the blond's shoulder. He's never sat in anyone's lap beside his sisters, although this is very different from that. “Go back, finish your coronation. I can handle this by myself.”
“No.”
“Seriously, I have a high poison tolerance.”
“Then why are you grabbing on to me so hard? Your hands are shaking.”
Anaxa bites his lip and closes his eye as tightly as he can.
“Are you forgetting what state you're in right now? Maybe you would've been able to handle this under normal circumstances, but you only just came out of a coma. The ceremony can wait.”
“I won't die. I promise I won't die.” He mutters.
“I know you won't. Not while I'm here.”
Despite the pain, the scholar can't help the smile his lips form at those words. His body relaxes when he finally lays down on his bed, and Hyacine is right there beside him in a flash.
He wants to stay awake, but his eye still shuts and his mind goes off. He can only hope he wakes up the same day.
Once his eye does open, he asks the question. “What day is it?”
“Calm down, it's only been an hour. How do you feel?”
“Better.” He tries to turn his head, but finds the task incredibly difficult. It's still worth it once his eye lands on Mydei's face. “It's so hard to move…”
“Yes, I thought that would happen.” Hyacine waves her wand above Anaxa's head. “You don't have to stay awake. In fact, it would be better for you to rest.”
“It's fine…”
“When will he recover?”
“With my healing and some good food, he should be able to walk around again in no time!”
“Doot-do-doot!!” Little Ica twirls around in the air next to Mydeimos.
The Prince lets out a sigh of relief and raises a hand to Ica's head.
“Hear that?... You can go to your coronation… Don't worry… okay?”
Mydei moves his chair closer to the bed and frowns. “You need to stop pushing me away. I'm not going anywhere when the love of my life is suffering.”
“The love of your life… Heh.” Anaxa closes his eye.
“Yes, so recover as fast as you can. Okay?”
“Mhm… I'm trying.”
Hyacine walks towards the door and goes outside.
Anaxa has been through so much pain in such a short amount of time. Could this be some sort of side effect caused by the ritual? There was no such thing mentioned on the page he'd written…
He needs to stop thinking and relax, which would be much easier if it weren't so hot in here.
“Mydei… I'm burning…”
“Sorry, must be all the blankets.” The Prince reaches out and takes off two of the blankets he'd layered on Anaxa so that there's only one.
The doctor comes back with a tray of food and water, which Anaxa requires a bit of assistance to consume.
The patient drifts in and out of sleep several times, every time he opens his eyes, that wand waving around in circles makes him sleepy again, but he gradually feels a little better.
Mydei watches the physician with caution. "Hyacine, you should take a break."
The girl wipes the sweat off her forehead and shakes her head. "No, it's fine. I can keep going." She looks at the sleeping patient with a small smile. "This poison is really strong, but it's easier to heal thanks to his tolerance."
The blond looks turns to the scholar. Even in sleep, the man's breathing is a little heavy, likely due to his body actively combatting the poison.
Once he wakes, Anaxa finds it a bit easier to move. He raises his hand and reaches for Mydei's. “My apologies, I must be stressing you out a lot recently. Please don't get mad.”
The Prince takes up Anaxa's hand and lets out a sigh. “I am mad, I'm fuming, but more than that I'm worried about you.”
After dinner, the injured man gets better, but still weak and hurting.
Hyacine hums as she assesses the patient's condition. “It seems I might have to stay over at the palace to take care of Anaxa.”
“It's fine. We have plenty of rooms. You can stay over for as long as you need.”
Anaxa watches the physician and her assistant leave before turning to Mydei. “You're not going to sleep?”
The blond pauses. “Forget about me, you need to go to sleep.”
The mint haired man closes his eye, but a smile plays on his lips. “Aside from the pain and being bedridden, I'm quite pleased with how all this turned out. I got to see my sister again, I kept you safe and sound. I don't regret what I did.”
Mydeimos tries to contain his irritation and keep a calm tone. “So that's what the ritual was for? Seeing your sister again?”
“Yes. I told her all about you.”
The Prince raises a brow. “What did she say?”
“I'll tell you once I've recovered.”
Anaxa falls asleep easily after talking to Mydei, it puts his mind at ease to know that the Prince is by his side.
Again, the scholar wakes to see a pink wand being waved in the air, but it makes him feel better, so he won't complain. He slowly sits up and rests his back against the pillow.
Hyacine puts her wand away. “Good morning! Sleep well?”
“Doot-doot!”
“Oh, Little Ica says good morning, too.”
Anaxagoras nods his head. “Good morning. I did sleep well.”
“Can you move easier? Try stretching.”
The patient gets out of bed, stretching his arms and back.
Hyacine smiles. “Good, good! It'll take a few more days for you to go back to normal, but you just have to take it easy and eat well. Okay~ I'll be on my way now. Don't hesitate to call if anything happens.”
Anaxa gives a light bow. “Of course. Thank you for your work.”
After the physician leaves, he goes to take a long bath, filling the tub with warm water and bubble soap. He takes his dirty clothes off and puts them in the laundry basket before settling into the tub. His aching body sinks into the water as if melting into a warm embrace.
A shout comes from the other room. “Anaxa?” Then a knock on the bathroom door. “Anaxa?”
“Come in.”
Mydeimos opens the door with a tray of food in one of his hands. “Breakfast is ready…” He pauses seeing Anaxa in the bathtub, and tries to ignore the red flushing of his cheeks as he grabs a bathtub tray from the cabinet.
Anaxagoras smiles with delight at the sight of food.
The Prince quickly places the two trays and turns around.
“You aren't going to eat with me?”
“No, it's fine.”
Anaxa pokes at the extra plate on his tray. “You gave me your plate, too, you know.”
Mydei slowly turns around and picks up his plate, but before he can leave, Anaxa tugs onto the loose robe that barely covers his upper half.
“Sit down. It's been so long since we had breakfast together.”
The Prince catches a glimpse of the other’s frown and pleading eye resulting in his brain exploding. He sinks into the ground and settles down, placing his plate back on the tray.
The scholar tilts his head with a faint smirk and mischief spelt in his eye. “Good boy.”
The blond's hands fly up to cover his bright red face.
Anaxagoras can't help chuckling at the reaction, but decides to show mercy. “I expected the Crown Prince to be a little tougher, but it seems I'll have to go easy on you.”
Mydeimos takes a few breaths before dropping his hands. Seeing Anaxa start eating with a careless attitude feels like a stab in the heart. “You… I thought you would be above leading people on.”
“Leading on?” The mint haired man glances at the strawberry on his fork. “I like you, too…” He mutters before eating his fruit.
The blond's ear twitches. “Huh? What was that?”
Anaxa feels his own ears start to turn red. He swallows and clears his throat. “I said: I like you, too.”
If the Prince's mind had exploded before, then this must be a combustion leading to an explosion. “Seriously?”
The scholar turns his head away with a huff. “I said it twice, I'm not saying it again.”
Mydei takes Anaxa's hand into his and presses it against his forehead, his eyes close shut as he lets out a shaky breath.
Hearing the other start to sob, Anaxa quickly whips his head back. “Why are you crying?!”
Mydeimos takes a moment to calm the tears. “Don't ever do anything so selfless again. Okay?”
“... I'm not making any promises.”
“HKS,” He raises his head, tears streaming down his face and giving his golden eyes a shine as bright as a star's. “I thought you were going to die.”
Anaxagoras can barely hear the other's words for an unrivaled sight of beauty had just bloomed before his very eye.
It takes a moment to recover, then he drops his fork and reaches out to wipe the other's tears. “How could I die when the love of my life suffers this much at the thought of my death?”