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Dust sighs as the sound of footsteps nearing the office he and Epic share. He supposes he knew this would happen when he had one of the apprentices run that note up to the king…
And speak of the devil.
Nightmare knocks, but it's only formality, because he's in their office before either Dust or Epic can call him in.
"Yeah, come on in," Epic says unnecessarily, evoking a frown from their ruler. Dust rolls his eyes, and Nightmare seems to have a similar opinion.
"Yes, yes, knocking is polite," Nightmare grouses. "But this!" In his hand he holds the ciphered note that Dust had sent him, detailing the letter they had received from Nix demanding the extradition of their prince… for a reward to be discussed .
"Yeah, that's not very polite," Dust says, digging out the letter that had been sent to them as the king begins pacing the length of the office. "And I'm not too keen on the fact that Gaster sent it to us and not you ."
"Well, sending it to us is… kind of sending it to him?" Epic points out, but even he doesn't sound convinced.
"While that may be true, consider two things," Nightmare holds up a finger. "First, that they went around me, as if I were a troublesome child and the two of you my parents." Then, another finger. "Second, that they exposed this issue to more people than needed, which could have put Cross in grave danger, should anyone have decided to go around me as Gaster obviously hoped someone would." He sighs, pinching his nasal bone as he pauses in his pacing. "I don't think I need to say it, but this information does not leave this office."
"What about when you tell Killer?" Epic snickers.
"You are the most insolent guard I have ever met," Nightmare replies monotonously.
Fluttering his sockets as if he had eyelashes, Epic says, "And you're the most tolerant ruler ever ."
"And don't you forget it."
Dust sighs. "We're getting off track. What are we doing about it, Lord King?" Personally, while Cross isn't his favorite person in the world, he has managed to endear himself to Dust with obedience and hard work.
And also by not being fucking annoying like his officemate, who's happened to take Cross under his wing.
Nightmare gives him a scathing look. "We obviously aren't doing what they want, especially for 'reward to be discussed'! Furthermore, I will not extradite someone who has committed no crime!"
Epic relaxes a bit in his seat. "See, I kinda knew you'd say that, but I was still nervous. Cross's a good kid, just —"
"Very unfortunate," Nightmare finishes. He sighs, finally sitting in one of the spare chairs near Dust's desk. "I remember, when Dream and I were very little, that mother received a message stating that the title of Crown Prince had been passed from Cross to his younger brother. A country of savages, Nix."
"Not sure I'd go that far," Dust mutters, "but Gaster sure is."
Dust wouldn't describe Nightmare as xenophobic, but he always has a certain… distaste about him when Nix is discussed. Of course, he doesn't let it affect his decisions — if he had, Dust wouldn't be in his employ, and neither would Cross.
"Forgive me, Dust, I forget myself." Nightmare touches his shoulder in apology. "They cultivate a hatred for Gracelings that… upsets me."
"Believe me, I get it," Dust snorts. He hadn't grown up in Nix — his parents had seen to it that he wouldn't have to. His eyelights had been blue and red since they first formed in his sockets, a rarity due to how early they had revealed his Graceling nature. He'd worked in the castle since, first as an errand boy, and then as an apprentice spy once they discovered that his Grace was stealth.
Not for the first time, though, he wonders what happened to the king's other eye, and what it could have to do with Nix and Gracelings. The injury King Nightmare had suffered in his youth was well known, but what caused it was not. Dust had been a child then, still living in Nightmare City — then known as Nim City — with his brother rather than in the castle itself.
It's unlikely he'll ever find out, or that Nightmare will ever tell anyone, bar Killer. Dust does know that his head injury and the magic sludge covering him aren't connected, but anyone who grew up in Nightmare's vicinity knew that.
There were rumors of a curse, but Dust can put two and two together, especially having had alchemists for parents. Nightmare had shut himself away to mourn after strangling the man who had been bold enough to kill his mother in broad daylight, and returned a week later covered in sludge.
Emotion-induced magical misfires are common in literature. Dust's magic misfires all the time if he's highly stressed, but in much more dangerous ways. Thankfully, it's easier to control — and hide.
Nevertheless, "I'm surprised they didn't just kill him," Dust remarks.
"They tried," Epic says, looking grave. "It's how they found out he has a fighting Grace."
Nightmare looks furious, sitting up straight in his chair. "That is barbaric ."
Epic nods solemnly, but doesn't offer any further information. Dust just sighs. "I'm not even surprised, honestly."
"You and Cross are close, then?" Nightmare asks Epic, ignoring Dust's comment. "How is he settling in?"
"He's getting there," Epic shrugs. "I think it's weirding him out to have a support system of even just a few acquaintances, heh. But he's a good kid, and he cares a lot about the people."
"Yeah, most guards are in this for the 'glory'," Dust says with air quotes. "He's just… trying to do some good."
"He's awfully, uh," Epic frowns, searching for a word. "...Uncomfortable, I guess. Around people."
"In his shoes, I would be too," Nightmare replies. "Imagine you've been isolated from everyone — even your own family — for no reason but the color of your eyes, and trained to hurt people on a whim. And then, suddenly, people are being friendly towards you, or at least not unkind…"
"Enough to fuck someone up," Dust agrees. "Uh, 'scuse me," he adds with a slight cringe.
"Forgiven," the king drones with a wave of his hand, clearly unbothered by the cursing in his presence. "Epic, I get the sense that, given his obvious care for others, Cross would return to Nix in the hopes of 'protecting' our kingdom. Do you agree?"
"Yeah. He's stupidly selfless," Epic says, and Dust nods in agreement. He doesn't know the guy well — yet, because like Epic, Horror has also taken a liking to the newbie, and anyone who Horror is friends with inevitably becomes Dust's friend — but he's seen enough of Cross to know that to be the truth.
"Then under no circumstances is Cross to be informed that we received this demand," Nightmare declares. "For his own safety, as well as ours. Notify me immediately if any more letters of this ilk are received by anyone in the castle."
With that, their king dismisses himself, seeming irritated by all the excitement. Once the door closes, Epic turns to Dust with a raised brow.
"What?" Dust snaps.
"Don't you think he's getting a little… too involved?" Epic ventures. "I like Cross a lot. But I also hang out with him on and off duty. What's Nightmare got at stake here?"
"Have you ever noticed how agitated he gets about Nix and Gracelings?"
Epic frowns, confused at his non-answer. "Yeah, but…" His browbones furrow. "You think it's not Cross himself that he's concerned with."
"I mean, I'll buy that he's concerned about Cross," Dust amends. "Because, y'know, he actually gives a shit about our wellbeing, unlike some other rulers. But, look — Cross is a Nixian Graceling. And he just said himself that he hates the way Nix thinks about Gracelings."
"You think he's a Graceling."
"So what if I do? Clearly he doesn't want people knowing, and I'm content with that." Dust sighs, leafing through his paperwork to see what he can ignore, and what he can't. "I think he might be a Graceling, and if that's true, then I think somehow the Nixian attitude towards Gracelings affected him."
"I mean, I'm convinced," Epic shrugs. "But he's the king of Arbre , so I'm not sure what Nix has to do with it…"
"Maybe nothing. Maybe everything," Dust replies cryptically. At this point, he's mostly hoping Epic will leave him alone to go find Cross and keep an eye on him.
"Or, y'know, maybe something in between those," Epic snorts. But apparently he sees the deflection for what it is, because he doesn't say anything beyond that.