Work Text:
When news came to light, of his ill father finally passing, Leona had felt complicated (to a greater degree than usual).
Father had been out of commission already for some time, but his influence had still been present. Whether that was Falena spending the night by his bed instead of in his own, or the occasional rush of the court physician through the hall despite no sound of an alarm.
It was Malleus who had been called as representative for the Briar Valley royal family, who managed to discover Leona in his hiding place that day.
"How did you find me," was all Leona said in greeting.
"I wanted to find you," Malleus replied, as if that answered anything.
The room had been locked, and it was still locked at the door, but the window stood ajar from Malleus's flying entrance. An evening wind drafted in, and Leona pulled the covers over himself in bed, tighter. Malleus looked around at strange devices.
A screen with faded numbers and jagged lines. Clear bags with liquids hoisted on poles. A chair with wheels on it. Whatever these were here for, Malleus hadn't the faintest idea.
Leona briefly speculated if part of the reason Malleus has been invited is because he'd been the one to crush any influence Leona had sparked from leading interdorm Spelldrive champions in his first year at Night Raven College. Not that it mattered much all these years later. But he could very well understand the court's every little gesture against him.
Leona then turned in bed, to face and see Malleus sitting where Falena usually did, looking back at him.
"What do you want now."
"It wouldn't do for a foreign prince to attend while a prince of the homeland is absent."
"You can get up and leave." (He doesn't.)
They would rather he were dead than his father, Leona thought, not for the first time in his life.
"…my brother would sit in that very chair, you know," Leona started, unsure of any goal with his speech but perhaps in an attempt to disturb him as much as he himself felt disturbed, "To ask for advice. Or just talk to him. All night long. He was right there when he died."
Malleus realized then that this wasn't Leona's room. He held his chin and his gaze fell to the floor, not yet moving from the seat. Leona stared.
It started raining.
Faintly, Leona could hear visitors running to get inside, in the jumbled patter of steps and other confused and mildly upset noises. Had he been alone, and had he not guessed at who started the downpour, he would have laughed.