Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kallian walked through the dark halls of the castle, lost in thought. Nothing was different than usual – the kingdom was as peaceful as ever. Yet something troubled Kallian. It felt as though some creature was buried under his skin, crawling around and riling him up until he could not sit still. He was not supposed to be walking around so late at night, but he was safe within the castle walls. His father would not get too mad at him if he found out.

He stopped, taking a shuddering breath. He was not used to feeling this unnerved. He looked around himself, taking in the sight of the darkened halls. It amazed him, how little guards were around at night. There were none at all in the hallway he had wondered into.

Kallian barely recognized the hallway. He had once found it fun to explore the endless hallways in the castle, see where all the obscure transporters lead. Somewhere along the line, though, he had stopped and only paid attention to the necessary locations.

Kallian checked out the corridor. There were doors spread throughout it, all the same, yet one caught Kallian’s attention. Unlike the others, the door had a light shining under it. He walked up to it as quietly as he could and pressed his ear against the door, listening for any kind of movement. When he heard nothing, he took a step back, staring at the door. Then, with a hesitation he was not used to having, he brought his hand up and knocked.

He was met with silence.

He looked around the hallway one more time, feeling uneasy but curious. He was vaguely aware that some servants lived within the castle walls, but he did not know the details of the arrangement.

Shoulders tense, Kallian reached for the doorknob, hoping not to walk in on something private.

The room he opened was cramped, having only a desk and a bed. The bed and most of the room was neat, but loose and crumpled papers littered the desk space. The desk area was a mess lit up by a small ether lamp.

The first thing that caught Kallian’s attention was the man leaning against the desk, head buried in his arms and mind lost to sleep. Falling asleep in a chair never crossed Kallian’s mind before. It looked uncomfortable. He walked up to the desk carefully, avoiding the papers on the ground. The man’s hair shifted with his breaths, slowed by sleep.

It was odd. Kallian had never heard of a Homs serving the royal family – Homs were rare enough in Alcamoth. This one looked young as well. To have a small room to himself in the castle – Kallian found himself wondering about the man’s family.

Kallian tore his eyes away from the Homs and looked around the room for a blanket. He took a step back to get a better view of the room and immediately regretted it when he heard a piece of paper crumple under his foot.

He clenched his teeth and looked down at the paper before freezing, stilled by a heavy gaze bearing into him.

He looked up, meeting attentive gray eyes that were messily covered by strands of hair. The man had not moved at all when he woke up, simply opening his eyes to get a look at his intruder. A moment of silence passed as both waited for the other to make a move.

After waiting long enough, Kallian took a step back, putting both of his hands up in the most placating gesture he knew. He felt a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face, but he ignored it.

“I… didn’t mean to intrude,” Kallian sputtered, looking for words. He looked around the room, anywhere but the man. “I… I saw an ether light on in one of the rooms and was concerned! It’s very late and no one should be up at this hour. Well, I’m up at this hour, but I’m not usually!”

Kallian heard the man readjust and cringed before looking back at him. He was greeted by lazy eyes and an amused smile.

He supposed that was better than the man calling the guards on him.

“You’re not one of the guards,” the man said plainly, maintaining his amused look. “Who are you?”

Kallian sighed. “I am Kallian,” he answered, reveling in the lightness of the conversation. “And you?”

“Kallian…” the man repeated to himself, pushing himself off his desk before leaning back in his chair thoughtfully. Then a spark of recognition lit up his eyes. “You are the prince, are you not?”

“I am. I’ve never met you before, though. Who are you?” he repeated, slightly annoyed that the man ignored his question.

He was met with a playful smile. “I am but a lowly servant, your majesty. There is no need to know my name.”

“Yet I wish to know.”

“Is that an order?” he asked, and Kallian felt annoyance surge through him. He opened his mouth to answer, but the man interrupted him, suddenly serious. “Because as far as I’m concerned, you shouldn’t be up at this hour, especially not in a servant’s room. What would your father say if he knew?”

The sudden change of tone shocked Kallian. When the man’s words sank in, Kallian’s cheeks heated up. He frowned, opening his mouth to spill some comeback at the man, but no words formed.

The man laughed, returning to his playful attitude. Kallian had never felt so embarrassed before. His cheeks heated up more and he looked pointedly away.

“My name is Alvis,” the man spoke. “I am a seer that works for your father.”

“A seer?” Kallian asked, more to himself than Alvis. “As in, someone who sees the future? I didn’t know that was possible. Unless, of course, you are lying.”

“Feel free to ask around. Most guards in the castle know me. My identity as a seer is fairly common knowledge, your majesty. Though please do so in the morning, most people sleep at this hour.”

“Oh… Right. Sorry about waking you.”

“Not a problem. Though next time, try not to walk into random people’s rooms in the dark of night and watch them sleep. It’s rather disturbing.”

Kallian moved a hand to his head, embarrassed. “I wasn’t watching you sleep. I was just…”

“Hovering around in my room at night?”

“Maybe you should have locked your door,” Kallian muttered.

“Normally I don’t get guests after the sun falls. It is fairly late, though. If you wish to stay…” Alvis gestured to his bed, grinning.

“I’ll leave,” Kallian responded, pointedly making his way to the door. He heard a soft laugh behind him. As he reached the door, he paused, turning around. “It’d probably be better for your health if you slept in a bed rather than your chair.”

Alvis looked surprised for a second. Kallian could feel the sarcastic comment on the tip of Alvis’ tongue, but to his surprise, Alvis just yawned. “That’s a good idea,” he answered, standing up and heading to his bed. “Goodnight, your majesty.”

“Goodnight.” Kallian walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He walked down the hallway before stopping at the end, leaning against the wall. He took a shuddering breath.

"If you wish to stay," he repeated under his breath, annoyed at how much the words riled him.

Chapter Text

“May I ask what your highness is doing here, in the imperial villa?”

Kallian looked up from his sitting position, taking in Alvis’ appearance. He looked back down.

“I’m checking on the flowers,” he responded.

“There are guards who cater to the flowers, your highness. It is not your job.”

“These flowers are important to me, Alvis. I do not wish to see my mother’s flowers die. They’re all Melia has left of her.”

“You as well,” Alvis responded, moving to sit down next to Kallian. “Though you might end up choking them to death with your affections at this rate! Kallian, there are guards catering to these flowers. No one will let them die.”

“I know that, but…” Kallian stared at the flowers, lost in thought.

“You don’t trust the guards?”

“It’s not that! It’s just…”   

A moment of silence passed. Alvis sighed, leaning forward and putting his chin in his hands.

“This garden is important to everyone in the royal family. The fact that it was created by a Homs doesn’t diminish that fact. The guards will take care of it, don’t worry.”

“Will they?” Kallian spat out, aggravated. “This garden is important to Melia – the half Homs princess! She faces enough problems and hatred as is because of that. The last thing she needs is for her mother’s garden to die!”

“It won’t,” Alvis reassured him.

“And how can you be so certain?”

“Because you and your father love this place,” Alvis responded, voice darker than usual. Kallian looked over at Alvis, who refused to make eye contact. He noted the light blue hair and gray eyes, the lack of wings and the Homs like stature. Then he looked back to the flowers.

“… It’s frustrating, knowing that people would forget my mother if they could.” Alvis did not comment – he knew the two half siblings considered both of Sorean’s wives as mothers. “And it’s worse to think that it’s because of her blood, the same blood everyone I love seems to share. If my father and I forgot about this garden, what would happen? Would this garden be forgotten, left to rot? And what’d happen to Melia? Would she suffer the same fate?”

“She won’t be left alone,” Alvis answered. He looked to Kallian and this time, their eyes met. Kallian’s gaze was questioning and Alvis returned it with a reassuring smile before leaning back, arms behind his head.

“Why do people think it’s the Homs blood that is cursed?” Kallian whispered to himself. Alvis initially pretended not to hear, staring through the glass roof of the villa, but then decided against it.

“And why wouldn’t it be considered cursed? Having it shortens your life, muddles your ether control, takes away your wings...” Alvis reached up and thoughtlessly grabbed the tip of one of Kallian’s wings, running his thumb across the feathers.

“Certainly the response isn’t to treat people with Homs blood terribly, then! They have enough on their shoulders.”

“But they’re not like the purebred High Entia. They do not have beautiful wings or ether control. They are not favored by the Bionis.”

“That means nothing,” Kallian frowned. “They have beautiful and varying shades of hair, as well as beautiful eye colors.”

“Guess I got none of the good traits from either side,” Alvis laughed, using his arm to cover his eyes.

“That isn’t what I meant!” Kallian replied, frustrated. “Besides, you know as well as anyone that I could list off good traits about you all day.”

“And what a gentleman you are for that!”

“Stop joking,” Kallian replied, leaning back. He pulled Alvis’ arm away from his eyes before pulling on it and bringing himself closer to Alvis, kissing his cheek. Alvis turned his head to Kallian, returning the kiss.

“I’m never joking!” Alvis replied. Kallian scoffed in response, enjoying the sight of Alvis being relaxed. No wings, a Homs-like appearance…

Even if he was part High Entia, Alvis wouldn’t…

“Is something on your mind, Kallian?” Alvis asked, worry on his face.

“… It’s nothing.” He knew Alvis did not believe him, but at least he did not press. Alvis was capable of seeing the future – many times had Kallian found himself wondering if Alvis knew about the fate of the High Entia, or if that fate would befall anyone Kallian knew. He never brought it up, though. Alvis had told him before that disasters were always preceded by a sign. The Monado was that sign – therefore, if the Monado appeared before Kallian, he would bring it up with Alvis. Until then, he would enjoy his leisure time.

He ran a hand through Alvis’ hair and sighed.

“I’m glad you’re part Homs,” he whispered, closing his eyes. Alvis did not answer. Kallian could think of a million curses he had heard nobles wish upon Alvis for his blood and he did not doubt for a second that Alvis faced that discrimination head-on at times, but he was glad for it regardless. If fate came to be in their lifetimes, then at least Alvis would be spared.

“… Even if you and Sorean are gone, I’ll take care of this garden.”

Kallian opened his eyes and looked back over to Alvis, who was staring up thoughtfully.

“You? You leave the palace without warning for days on end! You’re one of the last people I want watching over this garden!”

Alvis simply laughed. “This garden has your mother’s spirit! Even if you go without watering it for months, it’d probably persevere!”

“That isn’t what I want to hear!” Kallian groaned. The thought of Alvis watching over the garden comforted him, though.

Alvis laughed before an easy silence passed between them. With a sudden jolt, Alvis sat upright, turning to Kallian with realization lighting his eyes.

“I have business to return to, as do you,” he stated. “But first, I need to say that the Ancien family is bringing cream puffs for the party’s feast tonight. Now, you didn’t hear this from me,” Alvis said, playfully but with hidden meaning, “but it seems as though there’s something… off, about these cream puffs.”

“Off?” Kallian frowned, interested. “How so?”

“Let’s just say it’s a treat one of our guards could simply die for,” Alvis responded, sighing. Kallian tensed at the comment.

“And you didn’t tell anyone?”

“I am but a servant, and alas, the Anciens are royals! If I had told anyone, I’d probably get in trouble with the wicked family. It’d be easier for you to call them out on it later, trust me.”

“After one of our guards is dead?” Kallian asked.

Alvis waved his hand dismissively before standing up to leave. “Before, after, it’s your choice. I’d certainly prefer before, though. It makes my visions pointless if you don’t try to change them.”

Alvis did not wait for a response before walking out of the room. Kallian watched his back as he left. No wings…

The guard is High Entian, no doubt. Even without Kallian stopping the man from ingesting poison, there is already poison running though his body. Kallian moved the wing Alvis was playing with forward, getting a good look at it.

He is glad Alvis does not have wings – it means that his Homs blood is thick enough to null the poison running through him.

Chapter Text

The sound of steps was drowned out by the heavy rain. One step at a time, Alvis made his way through the city, dripping wet. The dark clouds and rain were congesting the sky, with occasional lightning strikes lighting up the world. Every strike would cause the bundle in his arm to tense. Alvis was not surprised – instead, he used what little movement he could to pet the creature in his arms. It would relax slightly, leaning against Alvis for warmth – which there wasn’t much of, as Alvis was as cold and wet as the creature – before lightning struck again. The cycle continued, the creature tensing less with each strike, as Alvis walked up to the imperial castle. He ignored the stares he garnered, looking pointedly ahead.

He heard mutters as he stepped into the castle. He was surprised that he was not stopped at the gates – he was bringing something he should not into a royal castle. Whether the guards were too afraid to confront him or too confused about the situation to do anything about it, Alvis did not know. He did not expect them to stay in shock long.

A guard approached Alvis after he had made it partway into the castle. Alvis stopped, staring at the guard. He contemplated faking innocence, but he was too tired.

The guard looked like she was fishing for words. She stayed silent for a moment, biting her tongue while the other guards looked at her expectantly.

“Is something the matter?” Alvis asked. He knew what was bothering her.

“What is that in your arms?” the guard asked him, deciding not to mince words.

Alvis would not either, then.

“It’s a Feris,” he replied. The guards stared at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Alvis saw two of the guards start running towards where he knew the royal family slept.

“A Feris? Forget it, that doesn’t matter. Why is it in the castle?”

“It’s cold outside.”

“It has certainly been through worse?”

“It’s only a child.”

The guard stared at Alvis, clear confusion in her eyes. Alvis closed his eyes and leaned back slightly, prepared to wait longer than he had hoped.

The guard caught on, staying near Alvis but not asking anymore questions.

The Feris in Alvis’ arms had fallen asleep, more comfortable in the warm castle than it had been in Eryth Sea.

A long silence had passed before footsteps echoed through the grand hall. The guard and Alvis looked over to see Kallian accompanied by the two guards who had left earlier.

Kallian stared at the Feris. Alvis stared at Kallian.

“Seer, what is that?” Kallian inquired, pointing his finger at the Feris and tilting his head to meet Alvis’ gaze.

“It’s a Feris,” Alvis repeated. When Kallian did not reply, he added, “Specifically a Makna Feris. It’s from Makna Forest, Your Highness.”

“Where it belongs, no doubt. Why is it here?”

“I found it alone in the forest. No parents to take care of it, unable to take care of itself… If I had left it alone, it would have died.”

“You used your powers on a baby cat?” Kallian asked incredulously.

“It looked lonely. I can’t say that I didn’t feel pity for it.” Kallian groaned, bringing his fingers to his nose and pinching it. “If it helps, it will not harm anyone,” Alvis continued.

“You wish to keep it!” Kallian stated, not believing his ears. He looked back at Alvis, expecting the man to say it was just a joke, but he got no such response. He closed his eyes, feeling a headache gnaw at the back of his head.

“… I’ll get some towels for you two. Just… go to your room. Make sure he doesn’t bite anyone. He’s your responsibility.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Alvis responded, making his way to his room. Kallian sighed, ignoring the looks the guards were giving him. He waved the guards off, motioning for them to get back to work, and they all jolted back to reality. With haste, they ran back to their stations, some bowing to Kallian on their way.

Kallian ignored them, heading down the hallway towards his room. He grabbed some fresh towels from his bathroom before heading to Alvis’ room, his annoyance fading into curiosity.

He opened Alvis’ door without knocking and was greeted with the sight of Alvis half-naked. His breath caught in his throat for a split second before he walked into the room, handing Alvis a towel. Alvis thanked him, simply wrapping the towel around himself before gesturing towards the Feris on the floor.

Alvis didn’t plan to get any more dressed than that, it seemed. Kallian looked away from Alvis and directed his attention towards the wet ball of fur instead. He inched towards it, holding the towel in front of him. It looked asleep, but Kallian was not sure – he had never seen a Feris before.

In the corner of his vision, he saw Alvis sit down on his bed, watching Kallian. He was probably amused by Kallian’s caution. Alvis had carried the Feris to the castle; he was clearly not frightened by it.

Alvis had said that the Feris would not hurt anyone. With that reassurance, Kallian composed himself before kneeling beside the Feris and placing the towel gently over it.

It didn’t move.

Kallian wrapped the towel around the Feris carefully before standing up. He turned to Alvis. “Wasn’t this cat supposed to be your responsibility?”

“You looked like you were curious,” Alvis countered, watching him. Kallian did not respond. He started walking towards the door before Alvis stopped him. “You’re not going to stay?”

Kallian turned to Alvis, confused. “Why would I?”

“I’m cold. Eryth Sea was not forgiving, especially considering I came back from Makna Forest.”

Kallian had started walking towards the bed halfway through Alvis’ excuse – they both knew he did not want to leave yet. The past two weeks had been slow and Kallian missed Alvis’ presence. The fact that the council decided to use his free time to discuss potential wives with him did not help anything.

Kallian sat down next to Alvis. “Did you know that there’s this -perfect- High Entian woman waiting for me?” Kallian began in a sarcastic tone. Alvis turned and leaned against Kallian, lying down and using Kallian’s shoulder as a pillow. “The council wanted me to know that she loves me and is also very – get this – rich. That seems to be a trend, actually! All the perfect ladies for me are rich!”

Alvis laughed at Kallian’s frustration. “Clearly the only criteria that matters!” he chirped, leaning over slightly and putting the length of his arm against Kallian’s leg. He caught Kallian’s gaze.

The two stared at each other in silence before Kallian closed his eyes and patted his leg. Alvis shot up and turned, sitting side by side with Kallian before something else jumped onto Kallian’s lap. Kallian squeaked in surprise.

The two froze and stared at the cat on Kallian’s lap. It circled around before lying down, falling back asleep. The two watched it some more, Kallian turning to Alvis with a pleading look in his eyes.

Alvis stared at the Feris before bringing his hand to his mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. Kallian looked offended and before he could stop himself, Alvis started laughing. He put his arms around Kallian and pushed him backwards, forcing Kallian onto his back. Alvis kept both of his arms around Kallian and put his head on Kallian’s chest.

“Looks like we’re both cold,” he muttered. Kallian put one arm around Alvis and used the other to pet the Feris.

“And wet,” he complained. His position was not very comfortable either, but it did not look like they were going to move any time soon.

Alvis just hummed in agreement.

Chapter Text

“And you couldn’t have given us forewarning?”  Kallian pressed, running his hands along the cold wall of the chapel. Cold, cold, cold. He was starting to understand why Alvis complained about the cold so much.

“You know my powers don’t work like that,” his partner responded. He looked surprisingly at ease on the snowy mountain. “… Though it’d be nice if they did,” Alvis muttered.

Kallian sighed. “We made it into the chapel, as you had advised. What now?”

“Why, we wait the blizzard out, your majesty!” came the sarcastic response. Kallian looked around the chapel. It was cold, but it was better than being outside.

Alvis sat down, patting the spot next to him. Kallian sat down next to him.

“How long will the blizzard last?”

“Who knows. Maybe an hour, maybe a day. I heard that there was a couple that got stuck on Valak Mountain during a blizzard. They found a cave to stay in – which is not nearly as warm as this chapel – and talked to each other the entire night of the blizzard. The cold is a silent monster – fall asleep in that sort of situation and it is sure to claim your life.”

“But they survived, right?” Kallian frowned at Alvis’ choice of tale. Alvis laughed.

“Of course. They told the tale themselves after they returned home and it got passed along in the streets.”

“Oh.” Kallian did not feel much better. The warm streets of Alcamoth felt as if they were somewhere now unreachable. The thought made him shiver.

Alvis seemed to notice his discomfort. He leaned against Kallian, who instinctually wrapped his wing around him in return.

The two sat in silence.

“… We won’t die if we fall asleep, right?” Kallian asked. Alvis laughed at him.

“Probably not, it’s fairly warm in here. Plus, we have each other.”

“Probably?!” Kallian asked, indignant. Alvis waved him off.

“If you’re worried, we can make a fire. We’d need fuel, however.”

“Fuel?” The chapel had nothing but cold stone in it. The only possible fuel would be what they had brought. “Something like cloth?”

Alvis remained silent. “If you want to take off your shirt, I can think of one other way to warm ourselves,” he whispered. Kallian’s blood rushed to his cheeks, invoking a laugh from the seer. “See, you don’t even need to remove your shirt with that method. You’re already warmer!”

Kallian pushed Alvis’ head away, causing Alvis to laugh louder. The thought was not bad, but Kallian was not going to think too much on it.

“This room is closed. If we summon fire spirits, we could probably use their energy to heat up the room.”

Alvis hummed in agreement. “But who’s going to summon the spirit?”

Kallian groaned. He had been trained in ether control, but he had never been good at it. He was too rash and upfront – ether control required precision and patience, neither being traits he possessed naturally. Melia and his father were much more suited for ether control.

On the flip side, his blood was meant for ether control. Kallian glanced at Alvis before standing up and taking a deep breath.

Alvis stood up beside him before pushing Kallian back slightly. “I do not wish to die today, your highness.”

Kallian scoffed. Alvis knew as well as anyone that Kallian was not meant for magic. He might have the pure blood for it, unlike Alvis, but Alvis’ personality was more suited to the task. He took a step back and sat back down against the wall.

He leaned back and watched Alvis.

Alvis closed his eyes and brought his right hand to his chest. His jaw hung slightly open in concentration. Kallian knew his sister to do the same thing when summoning spirits. It took concentration and the user always seemed to zone out, something Kallian couldn’t figure out the reason behind. Within a few seconds, red particles started forming around Alvis’ hand.

“Summon flare,” Alvis murmured, opening his eyes and holding his arm out. He opened his hand, smiling at the flaming fairy-like creature in the palm of his hand. The creature bowed to him before flying away, mimicking skating motions around the room.

Alvis sat down next to Kallian, who was completely entranced by the fairy’s movements. He turned back to the fairy, watching it dance around the room. It seemed to be enjoying itself as it shed embers around the room gracefully, jumping and twirling as the room heated up. Kallian sighed contentedly, and the spirit took that as its cue. It circled the room twice more before stopping in the center, bowing at the two, and dispersing into ether particles.

Kallian leaned against Alvis’ shoulder. “This is much better. Though I did not know spirits could act like that.”

Alvis lit up. “Most people use spirits to fight, for which they help willingly, but they’re fairly peaceful creatures otherwise.” He said with a note of fondness in his voice.

“How did you figure that out?”

“From summoning them. They seemed to have personalities of their own, so I tried summoning them outside of a fight. Some are calm, others are playful.”

Kallian nodded. It was a comforting thought that spirits were not innately violent. Everyone he was close to had a knack of controlling them.

“I appreciate the spirit’s willingness,” Kallian said, the dance etched into his mind. The spirit had seemed happy to be there. He had never before thought that ether spirits experienced any sort of emotion.

“I as well,” Alvis replied, leaning his head against Kallian’s shoulder.

“Though I have to ask. Why didn’t you suggest summoning the spirit from the beginning?”   

Alvis did not respond immediately. After a few seconds, he began laughing.

“Because I would have preferred the shirtless method.”

Chapter Text

Alvis had been told repeatedly what he should expect, should the Monado give him the power of foresight with which his family had been blessed. It would be strange at first, but Alvis should be able to figure out how to use the power bestowed upon him. With it, he would be able to see the future of whoever he was concentrating on.

He was not sure if having the spirit Monado in him would affect his powers at all. He was not even sure if he should tell his parents about that arrangement. It made sense to, but he felt like it would complicate matters more than it should.

What he had not been told to expect was for his dreams to become more vivid and violent, like terrifying monsters that paralyzed him at night. Dreams of people he knew fighting against vicious monsters, a limb being torn off, bleeding to death. Monsters whose figures seemed like a product of a whimsical child, flying over the land and sucking it dry of life. Faces he had never seen before, screams that would pierce through an otherwise colorless dream.

Though the dreams were not always nightmares – sometimes, he would see smiling faces that warmed his very soul. He could watch people he did not know rant about something seemingly dear to them – a first date, perhaps, he could not tell. He enjoyed those dreams regardless of their lack of detail.

He would soon figure out that they followed the same principle as the visions he had expected. If he concentrated on a person, he could see their future, both when awake and asleep. His visions were much more reliable than his dreams – his dreams would sometimes be without sound or color. He could also choose how far in the future he wished to see when he was awake.

After returning to the castle, it did not take long for Alvis to notice the sideways glances he was getting. In one sense, he did not blame the guards for being worried about him. He himself noticed the toll his nightmares had taken on him. He was quieter than before and there were always bags under his eyes.

In a different sense, their stares were not helping.

Alvis closed his eyes and pinched his forehead, searching for a quiet place to stay. If it became too much, he could always ask the king for his own room, though he felt like that would be stepping out of line. The king did seem to favor his family, though, so he probably would not be risking too much.

Alvis wandered around the halls. He found it relaxing, mapping out the vast hallways of the castle. He was willing to bet most soldiers did not know their way around. It was strangely complicated and interwoven for a society that enjoyed using transporters to teleport straight to where they needed to be. Not that Alvis minded – it gave him something to do and a place to be where others’ eyes could not follow.

He traced his fingers along the wall as he pressed on, a smile creeping onto his face. He sped up his pace, jogging along the corridor before stopping and looking at his fingers in the dim light. They were covered in grime. He had expected the castle to be better maintained, but he supposed that people rarely walked these halls. They did not need to be clean.

Alvis tried to wave the grime off of his hand before giving up and replacing his fingers on the wall. He broke out into a small run, tracing the wall once more. He met a corner and moved his fingers to the edge before attempting to turn.

Alvis was met by a blunt force and he fell forward onto a person he crashed with. He shut his eyes in pain and rubbed the back of his head for a second before opening them again and seeing an older child under him rubbing the back of his head in pain. Alvis stared; he had not known there were other kids in the castle. When the other opened their eyes, they stared back at Alvis, a look of horror slowly creeping onto his face.

“What happened to your wings?” the kid blurted out, forgetting how strange Alvis’ presence in the halls was. Alvis instinctually reached above his ear.

“I never had wings.”

“Never had wings?! Don’t your parents have wings?”

“Ah,” Alvis was at a loss for words. Had this boy never left the castle walls before? He did not seem to have ever seen a Homs before. “That’s… My mother has wings, though they’re small,” he answered. “My father didn’t have wings, though.”

The child looked aghast. Alvis moved off of him before sitting cross-legged and the boy sat up, staring at Alvis.

Then he looked away. “Mother said only inferior beings didn’t have wings…” he uttered thoughtfully. The words only slightly surprised Alvis – he was used to the guards saying similar things when they thought he was out of earshot, only laced with more malice. The worry in the boy’s voice caught him off guard.

Alvis was about to say something, but the boy jolted back up and looked at Alvis with a bright expression.

“Oh, but your mother has small wings, correct?” Alvis nodded. “My sister has small wings as well! She’s a very small child right now, barely learning how to talk, but I love her!” The kid dragged his shoe along the dusty floor happily. Alvis found himself watching the kid intently, not sure what to make of his sudden optimism.   

“That’s… good to hear,” he managed. The kid turned his attention away from his shoe to stare at Alvis expectantly. Alvis shifted his weight. “My mom is wonderful. She takes care of me, and I love her. Though I don’t get to see her often, she’s normally stuck working most of the time.”

“And what about your father?” the kid asked, tilting his head. Alvis tensed – that is not a question one should ask a half child. The kid did not seem to know anything about Homs, though, so he could not be blamed.

Alvis bit his tongue. “He died a while back.”

The kid looked horrified. He was a very expressive kid. Alvis wondered if he would calm down a little when he grew older.

He opened his mouth, but Alvis shook his head. “It’s fine,” he said, cutting the boy off. “It’s been a while anyways. I forgot I had a dad.” The boy did not seem convinced, but he dropped the topic. The two sat in a heavy silence, fishing for a better conversation.

“Oh! Dad should be out by now! I have to go, my sister’s waiting!” The boy stood up and smiled at Alvis before starting down the hall he came from earlier. He froze.

Alvis laughed. “The fastest way to the Great Hall is the hallway I came from. If you keep going down it, you should pass a hall that’s well lit. You should be able to find your way back from there.”

The kid smiled gratefully at Alvis before running down the direction Alvis mentioned. Alvis did not follow – he walked down the path the kid came from, making a mental map of where he was going in case he could not find his way.

As he expected, he found a different path leading to the Great Hall. It took longer to reach it, however. He wondered how long the kid had been exploring and if the kid had been paying any attention.

Alvis went back to his room. His mother should have finished around the same time the kid mentioned his father finishing. He snuck into his room and washed his hands, realizing after that he had sat on the floor. The thought of his pants being dirty had not bothered him, but his mother would scold him regardless.

His afternoon was not eventful. It went exactly how Alvis had imagined it would – exactly as it had for days now. The two had dinner, she would scold him for one thing or another, they would enjoy a board game together. It was a tense atmosphere – it had been since a bit before his father had died. Alvis enjoyed the dinner and board games, though – they were times he could spend with his family.

He was not sure how much longer he would get to spend with family. It was part of the reason why he waited on asking for his own room from the king.

When he was preparing for bed, his mind wandered back to the halls he had explored. He thought about the kid, about his brash nature and openness that had caught Alvis off guard. Alvis had knocked him over – the kid’s backside was probably covered in dust. He wondered if the kid’s mom chided him for that.

As he drifted off into sleep, he thought about the grime he had left on the kid’s shirt from when he fell on him. His clenched his hand.

Falling, falling. He reached his arm out, grasping at air in his panic. There was nothing beneath him, air whipped past his hair, cutting at his cheek. His arm stretched in front of him – the arm of an adult – before a larger hand grabbed his arm. Then he was in a colorless, soundless room. He could not reach out, could not move – was he not there? – and a man paced back and forth. He looked down at his hand, eyes crinkling in helpless anger as he whispered something inaudible under his breath. He clenched his fist and slammed it against the door with a deafening bang. The next thing Alvis knew, the same man was sitting on a bed in a cramped room, petting a Feris. Alvis felt his body move towards him, reaching for his face – and suddenly the room was gone, a bitingly cold and dark void, except for a wing Alvis felt wrapped around himself. The sensation was warm, and despite the lack of sight or sound, Alvis felt himself ease up as he leaned against a shoulder. Then the warmth and the cold vanished, all feelings vanished, as Alvis was without colors or a body once more. Within pulsating walls, he heard a beast scream as it was felled by a group of seven, blood – probably blood – covering both the creature and the warriors alike. It screeched as it disintegrated, a painfully grating cry, as two voices mingling into one.

Alvis shot up in his bed, clenching his sheets and breathing heavily. He took a few seconds to calm himself down before curling up into a ball, the screams still echoing in his ears. He tried to reason the dreams out. Most likely, they were visions, but he was not sure what could have caused them.

Then his mind flashed to an overemotional boy he was thinking about before falling asleep and he shuddered.

Chapter Text

The floor clicked under his boots as an orange hue saturated the castle. Kallian trudged through the hallways, the day’s work weighing down his shoulders. The guards saluted him as he walked past, but Kallian did not look at them. He rubbed his heavy eyes, yawning. Sleep was the only thing on his mind.

Kallian pushed the door to his room open, closing it behind him. He shuffled to his bed, not bothering to turn the lights on or prepare properly for sleep. Instead, he simply plopped on his bed, jolting slightly when he heard something crumple under him. He sat up, picking up a piece of paper from where he sat.

He stared at the area he knew his hand to be before grumbling and reaching for a lantern – he kept one near his bedside. Kallian preferred the lights, but flicking his light switch would require getting up. He supposed this might be why Alvis liked lanterns so much – or maybe his seer just liked the dimmer and more inconsistent light from ether lanterns. Kallian could not understand why.

He found his lantern and lit it, forcing his eyes shut as the room lit up considerably. He reopened them cautiously, allowing himself some time to adjust before looking at the paper.

There was neat handwriting on it and a concise message. Kallian recognized the handwriting – after years of receiving business notes and formal letters from Alvis, there was no way he would not. On the note was two words – “nearest sink”. Kallian stared at the note for a few seconds, trying to put his sleep deprived thoughts in order.

Nearest sink. Maybe Alvis wanted him to check his sink? Kallian rubbed his forehead. His sink was broken a week ago, but it had since been fixed. If this was a reminder to fix it, Alvis had been too late.

Though maybe it was not a reminder. Kallian stared at the message, debating its importance before sighing and standing up. Whatever it was, it would not take too long to check, he was sure. Kallian walked towards his bathroom, his steps heavy. He flicked the light on in the bathroom, but didn’t put out his lantern. With a quick check in the sink, he was dully surprised to find another sheet of paper laying innocently in it. Kallian picked it up, reading it.

“Second chair in the kitchen”. Kallian felt himself perk up a little. Alvis was leaving him a trail of notes. He smiled to himself, putting the two pieces of paper in his pocket before flicking off the lights. Kallian grabbed the lantern and left his room, heading for the kitchen.

He wanted to run through the halls, but the guards were still active. They saluted him, confused as to why Kallian was still awake. Kallian did not say anything to them – instead, he walked as professionally as he could past them.

The walk was long and dreary, but eventually Kallian made it to his destination. He pushed the kitchen doors aside, closing them behind him. As soon as he was certain he was alone, he ran to the table, looking around the chairs. Kallian did not know which chair counted as the second chair, so he checked around all of them, using the light from his lantern. Eventually, he found a slip of paper taped to the bottom of the chairs.

“Fountain of Hope”.  Kallian felt his heart sink a little – slipping past the guards and leaving the castle would be tough. The thought of giving up never crossed his mind, though. If he had found three of Alvis’ notes, he would find them all.

Kallian looked around the empty kitchen before taking a deep breath. He shoved the note into his pocket with the others and grabbed his lantern, heading for the exit.

Contrary to what he expected, none of the guards tried to stop him. He managed to leave the castle without interruption, moving towards the moving walkway in the center of Alcamoth. He walked down it impatiently, not waiting for it to take him where he was going. When he reached the bottom floor of Alcamoth, he turned left and made his way for the fountain, going past some kids who were playing around with one another.

Kallian sat at the edge of the fountain, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. He put his hand in the cold water and shivered. With a cursory glance, he checked the side of the fountain that was in his sight. When he saw no note, he stood up, checking around the fountain more thoroughly. The note eluded him – he checked around the perimeter of the fountain and everything near it for a few minutes before sitting down. He put his head in his hands, debating going back to the castle.

“Is your name Kallian, sir?”

Kallian lifted his head to see a young boy. His eyes were full of mischief and energy, very different from Kallian’s own at the moment.

“It is. How did you know?” His genuine curiosity pushed him to ask.

The kid grinned, his teeth showing. “I was told there’d be a guy lazing around here around this time by someone. He asked me to give this to you!”

The kid took out a slip of paper from his pocket, handing it to Kallian before waving and running off. Kallian waved as well before looking down at the paper. The words on it blurred.

“Outside the Centre Gate”. Kallian leaned back against the cold stone of the fountain. It was late and he should not be out, he knew this, but he was still very curious about the purpose of these notes.

He stood up, walking to Alcamoth’s entrance. He used the portal and found himself at the Centre Gate, the area well-lit by ether lamps and the stars.

Kallian looked around, walking aimlessly along the grass until something on the ground caught his eye. The note was trapped under a rock. Kallian moved it and picked up the paper carefully, reading the two letters on the note easily.

“Up”

Kallian looked up immediately, expecting to find a note above him. Instead, he only saw the sky. For the first time that night, he noticed the colorful stars streaking across a black canvas, lighting up the world unevenly. Kallian stood in shock, amazed that he had not noticed earlier. He looked down at the note, a smile tugging at his lips as he lay down.

It was cold and late, but he did not mind. He rested his arms behind his head and watched the stars stream, blades of light cutting through the sky and disintegrating before they hit the ground. Kallian closed his eyes.

As he drifted off into sleep, the dull flashes behind his eyelids soothing him, he thought about leaving notes for Alvis as well. That man needed something special in return for this gift. Maybe he would put one in the villa – Alvis always visited the villa.

Chapter Text

Kallian paced the perimeter of his room, once, twice. He stopped occasionally to look at the decorations adorning the room without truly observing them – his gaze was on them, but his mind was not. Then he would resume his pacing.

Alvis watched Kallian, finding amusement in the prince’s unease. He rested his head in his hands and dangled his legs off of the bed.

“Is something wrong?” Alvis asked. Kallian continued pacing the room, too deep in thought to hear Alvis’ question.

Alvis watched Kallian for a while longer before clearing his throat loudly. Kallian visibly jolted before looking at Alvis.

“Did you need something?” Kallian asked.

“I did,” Alvis replied lightly. “Is something wrong, Kallian?”

Kallian stared at Alvis for a few seconds before shaking his head. “No, it’s nothing.”

He resumed his pacing and Alvis sighed. “Kallian, you needn’t worry about Melia. She’s strong. Have some faith.”

Kallian stopped his pacing again and looked back at Alvis. “I know she’s strong, but so are the Telethia! And besides, we know very little about them! How do they fight? Exactly how strong are they? Can Melia adapt fast enough to defeat it or--?”

Kallian cut himself off. He looked down at the floor, clearly agitated.

“She isn’t alone, Kallian,” Alvis replied. “She has skilled knights by her side.”

“Yes, but have you seen the way people look at Melia?! Can you honestly believe all of the knights would protect her?”

“Of course I have.” The words were spoken with purpose and Kallian found himself with no response. “The knights by her side are those who have always been by her side – she is protected by her friends. You trust them, do you not?”

Kallian curled his hands into fists. “You’re right. I do trust them, but still…”

“Still?”

Kallian looked up at the ceiling. “I wish I could be there to protect her as well.”

“That would send the realm into panic, Your Highness.”

Kallian sighed. “I’m aware of that. It doesn’t bother me any less, though. She’s my sister, I should be allowed to protect her!”

“And haven’t you already helped her as much as you could? You gave her some fighting lessons, you gave her support. And if I recall correctly, she even beat in your last fight, correct?”

“Indeed. But I—“

“Have some faith in her. She will survive.” Alvis smiled at Kallian.

Kallian watched Alvis before looking at the floor in thought. He smiled to himself – if Alvis was telling him Melia would be all right, Melia would be all right.

Kallian started pacing mindlessly again and Alvis threw himself backwards exasperatedly. He looked up from where he was laying down, his legs kicking the side of the bed rhythmically. He listened to Kallian’s even footsteps for a few minutes.

“She’s going to be fine,” he tried again. Kallian’s footsteps did not slow. Alvis covered his face. “Melia’s going to be fine.”

Kallian’s footsteps stopped. Alvis could feel the prince’s gaze back on him. He propped himself back up and caught Kallian’s gaze.

A few silent seconds passed. Then, Alvis laughed.

“Cat got your tongue, Your Highness?”

Kallian scoffed. “How can you be so sure?” he asked, ignoring the joke.

“There are some things about this world which I have been given the ability to see. You know this as well as I. Have some faith in your sister.”

Kallian did not respond. After waiting a short while, Alvis patted the area next to him on the bed.

Kallian looked at Alvis with a hint of suspicion in his gaze. Alvis simply smiled back and patted the bed again. Kallian sighed and walked over to Alvis, plopping himself on the bed.

With no hesitation, Alvis leaned over and kissed Kallian’s cheek. One of his hands grabbed Kallian’s and his thumb stroked the back of it, while the other found one of Kallian’s wings. He massaged it gently, feeling the wing relax.

He pulled his head back and smiled reassuringly at Kallian. “She’ll be fine, all right? There’s nothing to worry about.”

Kallian gripped Alvis’ hand before sighing and leaning against his shoulder. He kissed Alvis’ cheek, a mimic of Alvis' earlier kiss.

“I know,” he answered. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around Alvis’ back, laying his head on Alvis’ shoulder.

Alvis took the chance to wrap his own hand around Kallian’s back. His free hand played with Kallian’s wings, ruffling the feathers gently.