Work Text:
Prince Humphrey of Coilstone never liked to sing.
He remembered how ruthless his tutor was. He would wring out his throat until he could no longer speak. He would receive a ruler to the back of his hand if a single note was off-key. He would go over the same exercises, over and over, until he nearly went mad. The only reason he ever stayed for those blasted lessons was for his sister, Halesia.
It was in the early days of training for her royal duties when she had visited him the most. While he sung to the tune of his lute, he saw the exhaustion vanish from her eyes and the dreariness from her face. He loved how something so simple could brighten the rest of her day. She had always said his voice was so great that even the birds would come to listen, and she was right.
That all changed when Halesia ceased to visit.
It had taken her a couple years, but she had finally learned to be happy with her lot in life. No longer did she need her brother's shoulder to cry on, and neither could he find comfort in hers. While she had wowed the court, he had been cast off to the side, relegated to doing menial tasks in place of the magic he could never make.
Even in the walls of the palace, there were whispers. He knew what they thought of him, the other twin who couldn't do anything right. The kingdom would have been off if the queen had only given birth to the girl. Really, what difference would it make?
As the years went on, he could feel it, an awful resentment festering inside him, and he knew he had to leave. The gossip had put him at his wit's end. Worse, he couldn't stand to see Halesia distance herself further from him, as though she wanted to deny she was ever close to the family embarrassment, as though they hadn't once gotten together for books and muffins. Perhaps he was being selfish for running away, but everyone could see he was like a lingering storm cloud in the clear blue skies she so enjoyed to make.
Oh, and he was starting to grow wings.
It was for those reasons he was here now, in the godawful town of Podunkello, with his pesky uncle and the dumb dog that always followed him around. As much as he hated his current situation, the Duke was as close to an ally he would get, and the town was far enough that no one from home would see what a disgrace he was.
"The wonders of my item shop, an oration."
Humphrey winced.
"We have an array on display for your winter vacation."
The branches overhead snapped and thunked on his head. They had to have been murdered by those sounds.
"Example! Mustache extension medication."
He strode down the path, unsurprised to see Harpy Geranium, leaning against a tree. He liked Harpy—much more than he could bear to admit, in fact—but she had a terrible voice.
"What are you doing?" he asked before she could continue the verse.
"Just practicing," she said with a strum of her guitar. Pumpkin hissed at him from his perch on her head.
"I thought you already performed that song with Opal," he replied, openly ignoring the little pest.
She shrugged. "I want to get better at it."
"Why? Aren't there better things to do?"
A laugh came from her lips, but there was some sadness to it. "I suppose." She stared down at her shoes. "I guess I'm trying to start with something simple, because... well, I haven't been feeling confident in anything lately."
He was struck with the desire to reach for her shoulder, to comfort her, but decided against it. "What about the games you won at the festival? Surely that means something. And when you saved me from that dragon—"
"You mean when I fell from the sky while chasing the dragon, and you had to save me?" she countered. There was a startling amount of bitterness to her words. "Were the stakes even real when you could have escaped with those wings of yours at any time? Would I have won any of the games at the festival if you weren't hiding in my jacket?"
He swallowed.
She went quiet and said, "Everyone says I'm the town hero, but Urtica was right. All I've ever done is use people. I twist them into thinking I'm better than I am. They try to cover for me, and then they get hurt because of it. I should have went back home when I had the chance."
"Gigi."
She looked away. "Why am I bothering to tell you this? It's not like you would understand."
"That's not true," he insisted.
"Oh, yeah?" She poked a finger in his chest. "Then tell me how I could have defeated Urtica if Opal hadn't caught me with her shovel, or if Ash hadn't helped me swing a sword. Tell me how I didn't manipulate you into using dragon fire, an ability I knew you hated, because I was too stupid to come up with anything else. Tell me how you could have said such nice things about me 'not being a fluke' and 'making you want to change,' when I've been rude to you this whole time. Tell me…" Her hand closed into a fist around the front of his shirt. "Tell me why you're still here, when you know I'm always in trouble."
Humphrey stared.
She stepped back. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
"No, no, don't apologize!" he said in a rush. "I want you to be honest with me. I want to be someone you can depend on. I bet Opal and Ash feel the same way. While it's true that I hate having literal fire coming out of my mouth, there was nothing else you could have done in that situation. I would have never thought of it in the first place." His expression turned rueful. "If there's anything I don't understand, it's why you're still talking to me. I never noticed a thing when you were upset. I ignored your wishes at every turn. I lashed out at you, just because I was scared."
He put a hand to his face. "That's right, isn't it? I was scared of what was happening to me, and I was scared of what might happen to you. Even if you didn't get hurt on your quests... if Wolf had caught wind of what was going on, he would come to take you away. I only said that I would tell him because I thought it would get you to listen. Harpy," he added, before he could stop himself, "I've always wanted a friend. I didn't want to lose one now."
He shook his head. "But none of that is an excuse. I was a jerk, plain and simple. I shouldn't have told you what to do. I shouldn't have threatened you. I shouldn't have been so worried in the first place. You're more strong and brave and capable than anyone I've ever met. If you hadn't come here, this whole town might as well be doomed." He knew he was whining again but once it started, he couldn't stop. Honestly, he didn't deserve her or Halesia. Every punch he received was well-earned. The only thing he'd ever done was cause misery for them both.
Harpy had the strangest look on her face. "That may be one of the nicest things you've said to me."
A blush seared his cheeks.
"What, no quick comeback?" She smiled. "Look at us, trying to one-up each other on who's the worst, although I think you've given me more credit than I deserve." She lifted a hand to scratch Pumpkin's chin. "I've said it before, but I'm not your only friend. There's always Ash, and I know Opal's warming up to you. If it came down to it, they would offer their hands to you, too." She leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "We make up for each other's weaknesses like that." She blinked.
"What is it?" he said.
"Nothing." She turned to look at him. "You know, I thought I heard the Duke say you love music. How about you sing with me?"
"I'm not sure if I know the lyrics," he muttered. Curse that old prune.
"Come on," she said with impossibly wide eyes. "Please?"
He shuffled around on his feet, his expression considering. Then he took a deep breath and sang, "The wonders of my item shop, an oration." He paused. "I won't be tricked into doing this alone."
"We have an array on display for your winter vacation," Harpy tried.
"Example! Mustache extension medication." Their voices entwined and carried into the wind. "Brewing it just right for you, is my dedication."