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They had a conversation about mystery stories once. It was only seven months ago yet it feels like it’s been much longer.
They had ambushed Sophist in his laboratory and dragged him into Vernias’ room for an impromptu sleepover. He had been extremely busy in the weeks leading up to it, juggling his responsibilities as the royal mage’s apprentice and his work as an inventor. By the third time one of them had to drag him to the dinner hall to eat, they had all silently agreed on kidnapping him to force him into resting.
It worked perfectly. Sophist was snickering and cracking jokes by the time the moon was high up in the sky.
Vernias had a lot of books in his room and as typical of them, Nick and Sophist went snooping, both physically incapable of not going through their friends’ things when given the time and opportunity to. Vernias had put up a halfhearted fight, more focused on trying not to giggle at his friends’ antics than protesting at the invasion of privacy.
Well… it wasn’t really an invasion of privacy, was it? Considering Vernias had just sat there on the floor and watched with a strangely secretive sort of smile and infinite fondness in his eyes.
Though, Brent can’t really say much in that regard. He probably looks the exact same when watching his friends in their element.
(Nick with a blade in the training ground or a well trained smile in court; Sophist summoning rain clouds or hyper focused on a trinket; Vernias healing with and without magic or beating someone bloody with his brass knuckles.
It flashes through his mind like a rapidly flipping book as he runs.)
The conversation started because Nick pulled out a mystery book, his expression scrunching up in disgust upon seeing the title and immediately declaring, “This is shit.”
Vernias had cried out in indignation, Brent quickly began breaking into snickers and Sophist quickly followed by closely; both of them fuelling each other into a giggle fit as Nick went off into a rant complaining about shitty mysteries, lazy twists and bad writing.
When they eventually calmed down from their laughter, a glint of mischief immediately entered Sophist’s eyes because of course it did. If Sophist was one thing, it was definitely swift.
“Hey Nick,” Sophist called out with a wide grin fixated on his face and his eyes filled with mirth that promised nothing good for the knight, who immediately recognised this as he shot a suspicious glare at the mage. Vernias giggled and Brent had to try his best not to break into snickers again by Sophist’s next words. “If there isn’t a body, can they reallybe considered dead?”
There was no body when they arrived.
Brent stared the bush at the bottom of the tower, cries of his name were a world away as he stared at where Eevee’s body should’ve been.
But there wasn’t a body.
He mumbled to himself in shock, “There’s no body.”
The fog that separated him from reality was broken through when a hand grabbed his arm. “Brent,” Nick gasped out almost breathlessly as if he was… actually, yeah it made sense that Nick had chased him after Brent ran off screaming about Eevee. The prince could distantly feel the strain in his legs, the fire in his lungs; His throat was still tore from screaming for Eevee.
“Brent,” Nick huffed, his breath now caught but exhaustion still clinging onto him. If he paid a little more attention, Brent would be able to hear the fear in his voice. “What happened with Eevee?”
Even then, his focus was only on one thing. “There is no body.”
There was a moment of silence where he only heard voices that should be close yet sounded far away, then he felt Nick’s hand tense. “What,” Nick shakily breathed in. “The fuck.”
The bushes were crushed as if something… someone had fell onto it, most likely cushioning the fall if Brent had to guess; Brent ignored the fact that he had ran all the way from the very top of the tower that Eevee jumped off of.
Because there was no body.
With lights coming from… guards? Did some guards followed him? Brent supposed that only made sense, after all he imagined he must’ve looked like a mess as he rushed to get outside the castle. Either way, the lights from the lanterns brought with them illuminated the area better, made it so Brent can more easily spot the bright red stain on the ground.
Despite being gone for five months, Brent still somehow recognised Vernias’ gasp.
Whatever hurt and anger felt towards the healer was null and void in the face of this, because “There is no body.”
There were small patches of the grass that were clearly trampled or stepped on that started behind the blood stain that slowly led away from the castle, Brent could see hints of a shoe print from the tiny specks of blood that was stepped on.
There was no way someone could’ve arrived here before him and stolen Eevee away. There was no way he was dragged away too because if he was, then there would be a blood trail.
There was no body.
There was Eevee’s blood.
There wasn’t Eevee’s body.
There was a hint of a trail.
Brent trembled and if he wasn’t so caught up in his surging emotions, he would’ve noticed Nick’s hand squeezing his arm reassuringly.
“There’s no body.”
Brent spun around to face the crowd of people that followed him, distantly noting Nick’s startled yelp and Vernias jumping back. He only paused so fleetingly briefly when he saw his brother amongst the guards and handful of servants.
But he couldn’t get distracted now. He had to make sure.
His back straightened and he raised his head high. He took a deep breath in, remembered years of lessons, let out a breath then commanded, “Search the palace grounds for Eevee!” His brother’s lips slipped into a frown while his friends’ faces grew both pained and concerned. “Search every corner and leave no surface unturned! I want every inch of land searched thoroughly, I will not be happy until there is a body!”
“Brent…” Vernias called out gently. It was a good thing then, that Brent was glowing so high on euphoria that even seeing Vernias’ face after the very moment he watched Eevee fall off the tower couldn’t distract him. “I watched my best friend of twelve years jumped off this very tower.” Vernias flinched away, Nick stiffened and Brent saw something in his brother’s face hardened. “I will not rest until there is a body in my hands.”
He watched something set in his brother’s face. “You heard your prince!” His brother’s howled out, stepping forwards and twisting his head back to look at the castle staff. At the moment, Brent was so overjoyed that he didn’t question why his brother just had his sword on hand.
Either way, the older prince hit the ground with it as he declared, “Search the palace grounds for Sophist! Inform everyone else! Guards, servants, healers, I don’t care. We will find my brother’s friend or may Gazbil’s fury find us!”
At his brother’s words, everyone quickly dispersed, leaving Brent alone with just his friends and his brother. The older prince turned to face Brent and stepped up towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find him, I promise you.”
With the concern of scrutiny gone, Brent finally let a grin break across his face. “There’s no body.”
He watched his brother’s face flattered for a moment, pausing as whatever passed through his mind- likely remembering Brent’s weirdness that he never grew out of before sighing and closing his eyes. “Yeah… Yeah, there isn’t.” He patted his shoulder and stepped back, Brent felt a little bit more lost without his brother’s touch. “I’ll inform mom and dad.” A stab of icy dread hit him at that. “Stay safe, alright?” His brother turned around and Brent watched as he walked away.
(One day, his brother will watch him walk away.)
“Brent…” Vernias muttered out, sounding so hopelessly lost. A spiteful sort of satisfaction spiked in Brent briefly; Now you know a fraction of what I’ve felt these last five months.
He didn’t like that feeling, so Brent turned to face Nick and was immediately greeted by a pale face; Nick was trembling. “Hey…” Brent called out worryingly, his lips tugging downwards as concern filled him. “Nick.”
Nick blinked rapidly and shook his head, balling his fists as he shakily gulped in a mouthful of air. “I’m fine. Just…” He huffed out and shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly. Brent frowned and stepped closer to his friend. “Nick-” He raised his hand and Brent clamped his mouth shut at the action. After a moment, Nick opened his eyes; He looked like he was on the verge of tears. “Let’s go find Eevee.” He sounded devastated.
Before Brent or Vernias could say anything, Nick immediately began to stumble away. Vernias frowned but quickly followed after him and after a moment of anxious silence, Brent followed suit.
The thrill from his earlier realisation was crashing, he could now only feel a flicker of the hope from before. Almost desperately, maybe foolishly, Brent muttered to himself, “There’s no body…” As if he could stir up any of that earlier euphoria by saying the words out loud.
He missed the way Nick tensed up and Vernias ducked his head at his words.
Brent had never prayed before, and he couldn’t help but wonder if people ever prayed with such desperation and fear as he muttered out, “There’s no body.” As if feverishly trying to cling onto the initial sparks of hope it ignited in him. So that means Eevee might be alive…
“Brent.” He looked up and stared at the back of Nick’s head, his shoulders were raised up to his ears. “Shut up.”
“If there isn’t a body, can they really be considered dead?”
They did not find a body on castle grounds.