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Brodia, the Kingdom of Might. It was a place where everyone would expect to see strong and powerful warriors. Outsiders would expect the royal family to be made up of strong and big people with prominent muscles.
But the Crown Prince looked anything but that. He was beautiful, yet he looked so frail. One would think he would break from just a simple touch. He did not embody what Brodia was known for, yet he was still loved by his people and family. Where he seemed to lack strength, Alcryst made up for it with his intelligence.
Diamant looked up to his older brother, but he could not help but be worried for him. If he could, he would take his place and go fight his battles for him. While he was not allowed to do that, he could fight alongside him.
"I promise I will protect you, Alcryst!" Diamant declares one day.
Alcryst laughs and ruffles his hair. "That's cute, Diamant."
"I'm not trying to be cute! I mean it! I will protect you!" Diamant huffs. "Take it seriously! We can't afford to have anything happen to you! You're the Crown Prince of Brodia. Brodia needs you to be alive and safe."
"Hm? That's true..." Alcryst taps his chin, "But if something were to happen to me, then you would take over as the Crown Prince. I am sure you would do an amazing job."
"But no one else can do it like you! You're smart, and... you know how to take care of everything better than I do! Everyone else thinks so too!" Diamant pouts, "So let me protect you!"
"But I am your older brother. I should be protecting you." Alcryst says.
'Stop arguing with me and take me seriously!'
"But who is going to protect you then?!" Diamant argues.
'I just want you to be safe. I am scared you will get hurt or worse.'
Alcryst sighs. "How about this then? We will protect each other. Promise?"
It wasn't the answer that Diamant would have wanted, but it was something he could accept. He nods. "Promise. We will protect each other."
"Good." Alcryst ruffles his hair again. "Why don't you head to bed? I have some work I need to finish."
Diamant looks over at the pile of papers on the desk and frowns. He knew his older brother was busy, but this busy? It looked like it would take hours! He couldn't have his already frail brother stay up working all night alone! What if someone came in and tried to kill him?
"What about you?" Diamant asks.
"Huh? Diamant... I said I was going to finish work first." Alcryst sighs.
Diamant huffs and crosses his arms. "When was the last time you slept?"
"Uh... A day ago?"
"I'm telling father."
"Diamant! Don't do that!"
"Then go to bed."
"But I have to finish this..."
"You can finish it tomorrow!" Diamant tugs on Alcryst's arm. "Go to bed!"
"Alright alright! I'm going!" Alcryst sighs, allowing himself to be dragged away from the desk.
It may have only be a little act, but Diamant felt like he had been able to protect his older brother in some way. With this, he could reassure himself that Alcryst would be around for longer. He would do everything he could to keep him safe.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Father, this isn't right!" Alcryst argues, slamming his hands on the table. "We can stop this!"
It was the first time Diamant heard his brother raise his voice against their father. He was not sure if he should be admiring him or be disapproving of this action. But he certainly could not find it in himself to hate his older brother.
"Alcryst, you must understand. We are trying to keep Elusia from spreading too far." Morion says. "We have to prevent them from expanding their reach, or they will be able to resurrect the Fell Dragon."
"But attacking them won't solve anything! There are innocent people there! If we do this, they will retaliate and attack villages here! Father, please. There has to be another way! We shouldn't have to kill their people to survive." Alcryst pleads.
Diamant hears disapproving whispers from the nobles listening in. He understood why they were upset. Brodia was the Kingdom of Might. They valued pride and strength. So for their Crown Prince to advocate for peace? It was unheard and dishonorable. Peace would go against their ideals. Who would they be if they pursued peace and threw away their values?
"Alcryst." Morion says in a strict tone. "I understand how you feel, but we do not have another choice. We cannot-"
"We have a peaceful alliance with Firene." Alcryst says. "If we are able to have peace with them, then why can't we have peace with Elusia?"
There were more whispers, and Diamant strains his ears to hear.
"How cowardly... He wishes for us to throw away our identity."
"He calls himself the Crown Prince? He does not care about our values at all..."
Morion takes a deep breath. "Alcryst. You must understand that was only possible because Queen Ève convinced me to. She advocated for a non-aggression pact in exchange for sharing resources with us."
"Why can't we do the same with Elusia?" Alcryst questions.
"There is no negotiating with a land that worships the Fell Dragon." Morion says. "Diamant."
Diamant tenses. "Yes father?"
"What do you think?" Morion asks.
"What do I think? About...?" Diamant frowns.
"Do you think it is possible to have peace with Elusia?" Morion asks.
"Father! Do not-" Alcryst starts.
"Silence, Alcryst. I am speaking to Diamant." Morion gives his eldest a disapproving look. He returns his attention to Diamant once Alcryst falls silent. "Answer my question, Diamant. Do you think it is possible to have peace with Elusia?"
All the attention is turned to Diamant, and he finds himself in a tough position. His brother watches him with hope, and his father watches him with a strict and unwavering expression. On one hand, he agreed with his older brother on the idea of trying to find peace. On the other hand, he also agreed with his father. He did not think Elusia would want to form an alliance with them because they worshipped the Divine Dragon while Elusia worshipped the Fell Dragon. But he would still hope that they could find peace.
So he made his choice.
"Father, you're right." Diamant says. He sees Alcryst's expression change to one of disappointment, and his heart breaks. But he continues. "I don't think it is possible to find peace with Elusia. I think they would reject it if we tried."
"You heard him, Alcryst." Morion says.
"...I understand Father." Alcryst offers no more protests.
"Tomorrow we will prepare for war." Morion announces and the room erupts in cheers.
Diamant did not look in Alcryst's direction after that, but he could feel a pair of eyes watching him. How could he? After what he had done, he would not blame his brother if he did not want to speak to him again.
'I'm sorry for not being a good brother. I didn't protect you.'
He feels a tap on his shoulder and he jumps. Diamant quickly composes himself when he realizes who it was. "Alcryst."
"The meeting is over. Let's go get something to eat." Alcryst says as if Diamant had not just betray him.
"Huh?" Diamant looks at him, dumbfounded.
"Is something wrong, Diamant?" Alcryst asks, worry crossing his face.
"You're not upset with me?" Diamant asks.
Alcryst shakes his head. "Of course not. I don't blame you for siding with Father like that. You would have faced disapproval from the nobles if you agreed with me. I am glad you do not have to face their scorn."
Diamant did not understand. How could his brother be so kind? He felt lucky to have Alcryst as his brother. "Thank you..."
Alcryst smiles and ruffles his hair. "Let's go get some food now, okay?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The first time Diamant joined his brother on the battlefield, he was scared. It wasn't because he was fighting a war, but because he had been separated from Alcryst. He had lost sight of him for just a moment, and now he could not find him.
"Alcryst!" Diamant shouts as he avoids an enemy attack. "Where are you?!"
He could not see his frail looking brother anywhere. Diamant knew his older brother was skilled with a bow, but he still feared that he would be in danger because an enemy could sneak up on him.
"Alcryst! Where are you?!" Diamant shouts, slashing down an enemy. An arrow flies past him, striking down an enemy he had not seen. He hoped that it belonged to who he thought it did, so he followed its path to find the owner.
Then he sees him.
Diamant watches in awe as Alcryst takes down enemy after enemy. It was as if they were nothing more than pests. He could not believe his eyes. He had thought that Alcryst would need protecting, but all of this was proving him wrong.
Diamant feels embarrassed to remember that he had insisted on protecting Alcryst when his older brother was so cool. Why had he doubted him to begin with? Oh right, because Alcryst looked weak.
He cuts his way to his older brother, slowing to a stop once he was by his side. "You're so strong and cool! I want to be like you when I am older, I promise!"
Alcryst smiles. "I am glad to see you are safe, Diamant."
"I'm going to grow stronger." Diamant says. "I will become stronger so that I can surpass you one day."
"Is that a challenge?" Alcryst laughs and ruffles his hair. "I look forward to that day, but I will not make it easy for you."
"I'm being serious! I will surpass you!" Diamant huffs.
"I know, I know!" Alcryst laughs, "But focus on the battle now, alright? We can talk more later."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When the news that the Divine Dragon had awakened arrived, Diamant insisted on being the one to go out and meet with their Firenese allies at the border. He wanted to make sure the message was real and that they weren't being deceived.
"Please stay here with Father." Diamant tells his older brother.
"Diamant..." Alcryst sighs. "As the Crown Prince, I should go greet our allies."
"No. You should stay here where it is safe." Diamant argues. While he knew that his brother could handle himself, he still wanted to make sure Alcryst was safe. "Mother would want you to be safe too. She may not be in the castle now, but she would agree that you should stay here."
"I know, but the Firenese are our allies. They wouldn't wish us any harm." Alcryst says. "It will be fine for me to meet with them."
"It could be a trap." Diamant insists. "As the Crown Prince, we need you to stay here. Brodia will be in trouble if something happened to you. You know everything about our internal affairs, and you're already prepared to lead. We have only made it this far because you provided us with a strategy to keep everyone safe. If you were captured by an enemy, we would be doomed. So I insist that you stay here."
Alcryst frowns. "If it is a trap, then you shouldn't be going either. If these are our enemies, they could kill you. I cannot allow anything to happen to you. I promised I would protect you."
"Alcryst..." Diamant sighs. "Please just trust me. I will go and confirm that they are really our allies, so please just listen to me. I promise that I will not take too long."
"Fine." Alcryst lets out a defeated sigh. "I will trust you. Please come back safely, Diamant."
Diamant smiles proudly. "I will not let you down."
He left Brodia Castle with Jade and Amber in tow. After double checking the letter, he heads to the meeting point. This was his duty as a prince of Brodia. He had to make sure these were really his allies, and he had to make sure his brother was safe.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Diamant had been relieved when he learned that it really was their allies. He was even more thrilled when he was able to meet the Divine Dragon in person. He never thought that he could be so lucky! He had been more relieved when Alcryst got along with the Divine Dragon, for he was afraid that they might not become friends. It was a good sign that they got along.
Unfortunately, things had fallen apart after that. Elusia's attack on Brodia Castle had taken their father from them, and Diamant was devastated. He followed Alcryst and the Divine Dragon's army to Destinea Catherdral. Princess Céline and Prince Alfred had stayed by their side and offered their assistance.
With their help, Diamant had been sure that they would save their father, but he was wrong. Because Princess Hortensia had stalled them, they had arrived too late. He was filled with anger and grief when he saw his father standing on the alter as one of the Corrupted.
Diamant had told himself that he would strike down his father so that Alcryst wouldn't have to, but he had not been fast enough. His noble older brother had struck first because Diamant had hesitated. He had left an unbearable burden on his brother's shoulders because he had hesitated for a few seconds. He never felt so guilty before.
Princess Hortensia and her retainers had saved them all when they were in trouble, but Diamant did not know how to feel about having them join the Divine Dragon's army. As much as he wanted to yell at them, he hadn't. He had seen the look in Alcryst's eyes, and he understood that his brother would try to find peace with them. So he had allowed it, if only to see his brother be happy.
When they had gone to the Somniel, the air was somber. Everyone had gone their separate ways, so Diamant went to find his brother.
"Alcryst?" He calls out as he walks through the hidden grotto. "Are you here?"
"I am right here, Diamant." He hears his brother's voice behind him.
Diamant turns and finds Alcryst sitting under some shrubbery, and he crawls over to join him. The brothers sit in silence for a long while, and Diamant wishes someone would just say something. But he does not know what to say himself. How could he?
But Alcryst showed no signs of speaking, so he goes first.
"I'm sorry." Diamant says.
"Why are you sorry?" Alcryst asks.
"I hesitated. Then you had to kill Father." Diamant stares at the ground.
"Don't apologize." Alcryst shakes his head and pulls him close. "As your older brother, it was my duty to protect you. You didn't need to be the one to kill father. That is my responsibility."
"But the people of Brodia will hate you for that!" Diamant argues.
"Then let them."
"But you don't deserve that! You're an amazing person, and they should all know that! It... It's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair, Diamant." Alcryst sighs, looking away. "We would have been too late to save father no matter what happened. Princess Hortensia is not at fault for Father's death. She lost her father too today, so... please do not be upset with her. Just give her the space she needs to grieve."
"Then who's fault is it?" Diamant asks.
"The one at fault is the Fell Dragon." Alcryst answers, "He is the one we should be angry at."
Diamant wanted to protest, but he knew his brother was right. So instead, he wraps his arms around Alcryst and cries. He feels a hand stroking his hair, and he leans into the touch. And he cries. He doesn't know for how long, but he cries.
He only pulls away when he feels something wet hit his face. Looking up, he sees tears fall from Alcryst's face. Then Diamant remembers that his brother was grieving too, so he reaches a hand up and runs his fingers through Alcryst's long hair in a soothing gesture. If there was one thing he could do, it would be looking out for his brother too.
Because now, they only had each other.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As days went by, more people joined the Divine Dragon's army. Diamant found himself befriending Princess Hortensia and her younger sister, Princess Ivy. He began to understand them more and could see why Alcryst had believed peace was possible. He wished he had agreed with his older brother sooner.
The Somniel only became livelier when they gained allies from Solm. Princess Timerra and Prince Fogado were nice people, and Diamant had quickly befriended them as well. It started to feel like they were at a time of peace.
As he walked around the Somniel one day, Diamant found his friend hunched over the table in the Café Terrace reading something.
"Princess Ivy? Prince Alfred? What are you two reading?" He asks as Fogado sits down to join them.
Ivy's eyes widen when she realizes he was there. "Nothing!" she says, tucking away the book she had been holding.
"It's something your retainer, Jade wrote!" Alfred answers. "Lady Anna helped her print more copies!"
Something Jade wrote?
"Can I see?" Diamant asks, holding out his hand.
"Sure!" Alfred says about to hand him the book when Ivy and Fogado snatch it away.
"No!" The two shout.
Diamant sighs. "I'll just ask Lady Anna then..."
His friends wave goodbye when he gets up and leaves. He could hear Ivy and Fogado scolding Alfred a little louder than he expected. As he walks, Diamant noticed that other people were reading the same book. If everyone was reading it, it must have been something good. So he approaches Anna's shop and sees that she is discussing something with Jade.
"Jade! Lady Anna!" He calls out.
The two turn when they hear him, their eyes wide.
"Prince Diamant. How may I help you?" Anna asks smiling.
"What is that book everyone is reading?" Diamant asks.
"Uh... why don't I recommend something else for you?" Anna laughs nervously. "That's not something you would like."
Anna was advising against something she was selling? Now that was suspicious.
"Huh? But isn't everyone reading it?" Diamant says.
"Well yeah! But it isn't something you would like!" Anna laughs, "We should pack up shop now. Right, Jade?"
Jade nods fervently. She grabs one of the boxes and walks off with it. Anna grabs the other box and follows close behind. However, one of the books falls out of her box.
Diamant swipes it up. It seemed like Jade was writing about his brother, Alcryst. Why would they hide this from him? Diamant flips through it, skimming over the text on the page.
'Wait a second...'
He flips faster and starts from the beginning once again. Why did Jade write a romance novel about Alcryst?
"I'm going to need to talk to her..." Diamant sighs.
"Talk to who?" Alcryst asks as he walks over.
'Oh no...'
Diamant quickly hides the book behind his back. "Alcryst! What brings you here?"
"I noticed everyone has been reading a new book around here, so I came to see if Anna knew what it was." Alcryst smiles. His smile drops as he looks around. "But it looks like I just missed her."
'He doesn't know?! I can't let him find out!'
"I'm sure it is nothing!" Diamant laughs. "She was already sold out when I came here!"
"Oh? That's too bad then..." Alcryst sighs. "I'll just have to catch her next time."
'No! You can't do that!'
"Uh... Alcryst!" Diamant says quickly.
"Is something wrong, Diamant?" Alcryst watches him with curiosity.
"Could you help me with some fishing? The Divine One put me on cooking duty and I was thinking of cooking some fish, but we don't have enough." Diamant quickly makes up.
Alcryst seems to study him carefully for a few moments before he smiles. "I'd be happy to help."
When Alcryst turns away, Diamant throws the book into one of the bushes before running ahead and pulling Alcryst along. While Diamant would do anything for his older brother, there were some things he needed to keep him from knowing.
No matter what happened, he would look after him. After all, he had made a promise.