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Chapter Text

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2

In a place where the laws of time and space were annulled, and where the stars were born and died, a woman looked at the white sphere in her hands with a thoughtful gaze.

 "There was potential here... it would be a shame to waste it."

 At that moment, she made a decision that would change the fate of the world.

The temple was silent, shrouded in the twilight of dawn.

In front of him was a letely empty.

Kevin wrapped his hands around the edges, concentrating.

Nothing happen. It had been there for over an hour, but there had been no signs.

He clenched his jaw. He couldn't fail. Not that, not after a year.

"Your Highness ..." the elderly high priest in front of him tried to say.

"Shut up ... let me try again."

The high priest thinned his lips, evident disappointment on his face, didn't dare storage to put it out.

He was a crafty old fox, who had licked the ass of whoever suited him depending on how the wind was blowing.

He was happy to crown Kevin a year ago. But now, faced with the evidence that Kevin was missing something fundamental, he was regretting his choice of him.

And he thought of the alternative.
"I'm sorry for you, old bastard-he thought with a petty happiness- But it's just me now. No alternative."

At that moment, a young priest arrived and whispered something to the other priest.

The old man's face lit up, happy with whatever news the novice was telling him.

Kevin growled, "What happened?"

"A miracle, Your Highness. The prince survived."

Kevin stiffened. It shouldn't have been possible. The court doctor had examined him, he had not been able to do something. He had said, "It's all in the hands of the Goddess."

And the Goddess had decided to intervene.

Kevin had prayed for her blessing for months, and she never listened to it. But she had saved him.

It was a sick joke. Filled with anger, he threw the basin on the ground, pouring out the water.

"Who else knows?" he asked.

"I ... I don't know ... maybe everyone ..."

Fuck.

That was a disaster.

When Abram opened his eyes, he knew that something was different.

 It was a feeling he initially couldn't explain, numb with fatigue and pain.  His shoulder ached and his mouth felt dry.

 His mother must have taken more potent medicine this time.  He didn't know how she did it, but she had her methods.

 Thinking this had to be enough for him not to worry anymore.

 But the feeling of wrong persisted, and he gnawed at it.

 He was lying on something soft.  Maybe a motel bed.  But it was softer than any bed Abram had ever been in, it was like lying on a cloud.

 His vision was blurred, his head was spinning.  He must have been very badly injured to require so many medicines.  What happened?

 His mother never gave him any except in extreme cases.  She said that painkillers slowed down the body and made escape more difficult.

 "Grit your teeth and endure, Abram. - she used to tell him - Just so you can live another day."

 He tried to sit up but a pang of pain forced him to lie down again.  It was a bad wound.  A few centimeters further down, and the assassin would have severed an artery.

 Breathing was painful, he felt shattered.

 "Mom must be furious," he thought.  They were wasting precious time because he hadn't been paying attention.

 It was a mistake that could cost him dearly.

 Someone threw open the door and heard an excited female voice, “You cannot enter, count.  His highness has not woken up yet. "

 " I do not care."

 Abram then opened his eyes: he was in a large room, the walls covered in blue and silver, with the ceiling painted like a starry sky.

 He was lying on a double bed big enough for a dozen people to get on.  He was confused, but the confusion increased when he saw two people in front of the bed: an elderly woman with gray hair pulled up in a high bun, the wrinkles of her face made more evident with concern, and a man in his twenties, blond, tall, the air of someone forced to be there.  Abram didn't like him.

The blonde looked at him are still alive.  I thought it was just gossip.  "

 "Don't say it like you mind," the woman scolded him.

 He shrugged, “You know it would be better for him to be dead.  "

 Abram frowned, "I'd rather be alive, thank you very much."

 “Already changed your mind?  Did death frighten you? "

 "It's not pleasant company," she replied.

 The man stared at him for another minute, before turning and walking away without saying a word.

 Abram was left alone with the woman, who lowered her head in apology, “I couldn't stop him, my prince.  I tried but ... "

 "Don't worry ... wait, did you call me prince?"

 She raised her head and straightened her back in pride, “The usurper has taken what was not of his, but you remain the prince of this nation.  Nothing will change that.  "

 It was a good speech, but Abram was not understanding.  He tried to sit up again, this time helped by the diligent woman, who supported him.  She had a lot of strength to be so old.

 "Thanks…"

 His words died in his throat when he saw his face reflected in a small mirror placed on the nightstand next to the bed.

 He struggled to reach for it: his hair was red.  He remembered dying them two weeks ago.  How long had he been unconscious?

 The face the mirror was reflecting was his, but at the same time, it wasn't.  He had aged a few years, had a scar on his cheek and his eyes… they weren't like his father's.

 He didn't know what to think.  The woman seeing him so misunderstood, “The doctor could not make the scar disappear.  I'm afraid it will stay. "

 " It does not matter.  How long have I been unconscious? "

 " Three days."

 Less than he expected.  He asked, "Where is my mother?"

 Maybe she knew what was going on.  The woman's eyes filled with tears, “Oh, my prince… the queen and the king have been dead for over a year now.  Since ... since he came back ... "

 "Who?"

 "Kevin ... your cousin ... he betrayed on them, and ... and then he ..."

 Her voice broke with impaction.  Abram was very far from understanding.

 The woman wiped her tears and continued to speak, “Harendel was yours, prince.  And he took it from you. "

 Harendel?  He didn't know any place with that name.  The last place he had been was California and ...

 He was seized with a sudden sense of nausea: he had remembered.

 He and his mother stopped after she was injured.  He had tried to save her, but someone had come from behind him and… he couldn't get any further.

 Maybe… no, for sure he was dead.

 “Prince Neil!  "

 "Call the doctor ..."

 She obeyed.  No doctor could help him, but he didn't want to have her around.  He needed to put his thoughts in order.

Things Abram had understood so far:

1. He was dead, perhaps along with his mother.

2. He had awakened in someone else's body

3. He was probably in another world

4. He was a goddamn prince

5. It appeared that his cousin had usurped the throne and perhaps the previous owner of the body had tried to kill himself.

 He didn’t know how was possible.

A normal person in his place would have panicked.  Maybe he would even regret her previous life.  Abram however did not. 

Oh, he was having a seizure.  He was dead, and barely remembered it, but his subconscious did.

 And dying sucked.  He didn't want to repeat the experience, thank you very much.  He had had a new chance and he had to use it well.

 How hard could it be to pretend to be Prince Neil?  It was just another identity changing.

 After two weeks, Neil could say he understood what was going on.

 It was strange to be in one place for so long without fear of being killed.  No, it had to be corrected: it was strange to be in a place without fear that someone would jump out with a gun to kill him.

 The royal palace was a den of vipers waiting to strike as soon as Neil showed a moment of weakness.

 Not that it would make things easy for them: Neil had been used to other monsters.  His father was one.

 Those nobles were kids playing adults, but none of them had the cold blood to grab a knife and kill him personally.

 Their cowardice worked in Neil's favor, but he couldn't let his guard down.

 He still had enemies, but no one to worry about.  Except the king.

 An order from him and Neil would have ended up in dungeons or, worse, executed.

 Logically the man would have agreed to his death.  He would get rid of the rightful heir to the throne and wouldn't have to fear for his potion.

 But to do that, Neil would have had to have the backing of the aristocracy and the army.  He had neither of them, both sides considered him a useless idiot.

 And that was what kept him alive: until there was a party in his favor, it was no threat, and the king would keep him alive to show his leniency.

 Bullshit.

 Neil had no intention of being a caged bird for his entire second life.

He had made up his mind: he will run away, fleeing to another kingdom or a place where no one will find him.

 He will lose his track: even if he was a useless prince, he was still the legitimate heir.  His cousin would send the entire army to find him and probably kill him.

 He had to plan well.  And to do that, he had to know the world he was in.

Since there was no internet, he had to resort to books, and the royal palace library was well stocked.

 The librarian had just wrinkled his nose when he saw him, but he hadn't said something.

 While he was looking, Count Minyard arrived.  Neil hadn't seen him since he woke up.  According to the words of Talisa, the prince's former nurse and now his only maid, he was always with the king and had called him the King's dog.

 King Kevin ordered, the count did.

 Neil found it damned effective.

 On seeing him the count said, "Since when have you been interested in reading?"

 "Can't I have a hobby? - Neil retorted - Rather, what are you doing here?"

 "All nobles can come and visit the library when they need it."

 "Then I hope you will find what you are looking for without bothering me."

 It was not an answer the real prince would have given.

 The count said bored, "Usually you were shaking in front of me, prince."

 “I don't think there's anything more that scares me after I'm dead,” Neil replied.

 He was not the original owner of that body.  The real prince was a little boy kept protected all his life, loved and spoiled, whom he hadn't feared for his life even once.  No surprise his mind didn't hold up when things went wrong.

 On the contrary, Neil had been afraid for as long as he remembered.  Fear was an old companion that he knew well, which hardly affected him anymore.  His mother had made him immune.

 His mind won't break.

 Unlike the prince, he will survive.  It didn't matter what he has to do.

 The blond gave a sort of half-smile, "Yet you're still here."

 "Unfortunately."

 "Eager to embrace death again?"

 “No, anxious to leave.  "

 "And where would you like to go?"

 The other had asked him as a rhetorical question.  He wasn't expecting an answer, not the one Neil gave him, “Everywhere.  I have no preferences. "

 This surprised him, “You never left the palace.  "

 "I don't see where the problem is."

 "People out there hate the royal family," the count said, his tone calm, as if he were talking to a child.

 Neil rolled his eyes, “Who is stupid enough to run away and keep their identity?  I wouldn't go around saying I'm the prince.  "

 "Would you pretend to be a traveling noble?"

 “No, I would attract too much attention.  "

 "And what would you do?"

 "It wouldn't make sense to tell you."

 "Do you think I'd tell your cousin?"

 "Yes."

 The count did not reply.  He remained silent as if weighing the answer.  Neil wanted him to hurry so he could go back to his room with the books and maps he had found.

 Finally, he said, "You're right.  I'd hand your ass over to the king without a problem."

 "To do that, you would have to find me first."

 "It's a challenge?"

 "Consider it however you want.”

“Well, if you will escape…”

“ That was just a dream, count. Don't take it too seriously. Now, if you want to excuse me, I have things to do."

 He took the books and walked away, feeling those cold eyes follow him.  The count will be a problem.  This confirmed it.

 He will be careful and will stay away from him.  How hard could it be?

A few hours later, count Minyard was in the presence of the king to report.

King Kevin had wanted them to remain alone, not even the guards had been allowed to remain.

Some would say it was a rash gesture: a sovereign never had to give up protection.

But Kevin owed everything to the count, and he knew he could trust him.

Even though Andrew seemed a monster.

"What did you find?" he asked.

"Nothing interesting. The books are full of stupid praises to the Goddess, and they don't mention cases where people who were given up for lost were saved."

A pause, "Actually, there was no mention of miracles at all. Not even the royal family."

"Then you have to look better. Everyone knows ..."

"Everyone knows that the king is always blessed by the Goddess, he is a bridge between human and spirits and bla bla bla - the count interrupted him, bored - I've already heard it hundreds of times. You're boring."

"I'll tell you a hundred more times. This is the history of our nation!"

"Boring. They're just myths."

"It's history."

"If the She cared, you wouldn't be on the throne, " the count remarked.

Kevin felt his mouth dry. Andrew had a point there. If the kings were truly blessed, then he would not have dethroned his predecessor.

But ... but the previous king was not worthy.

He had proven it over the years. He was just a puppet in the hands of who had the power, a mean puppet.

The Goddess could not have given her blessing to such a man, even though he wore the crown.

"The Goddess cares. That's why I'm king."

"How much faith. Yet, you don't seem very blessed, Your Highness. The prince, on the other hand ..."

Kevin clenched his fists, "It could be a misdiagnosis."

"Maybe you are right. The high priest may not think so."

"For this I need answers. If he was truly blessed ..."

"What do you want to do? Give him the throne and say it was good, now it's your turn? We both know you can't. The prince is a spoiled brat with no balls. The kingdom wouldn't survive."

"I could be the bane of the kingdom."

"Only if you become a bad king. And I won't let you."

There was a cold light in the earl's eyes, something that made Kevin shiver. It was in moments like that when he didn't feel like he was talking to a human being.

He said, "I know. That's why you're here."

"Well, at least you remember."

"The problem remains. How do I know if he's been blessed?"

The count said without hesitation, "Put his life in danger. If the Goddess protects him, nothing will happen to him. Otherwise ... well, you won't have to worry about being replaced soon."

Kevin bit his lip. It was risky. In one case, his fears would be confirmed. And he would have to make a decision. In the other case, he wouldn't have to worry about the prince anymore.

"Okay ... proceed."

Kevin prayed to the Goddess that all was well.

He just wanted to do the best thing for the kingdom. Even at the cost of becoming a monster himself.

The count was wrong.  The Goddess cared about the fate of kings.

 But not all of them deserved her attention.  

She had watched everything about her, sitting on her throne.

 She smiled.

 "Mhm ... this is going to be interesting to watch."

Chapter Text

Returning from his patrol tour, Matt heard some boys arguing animatedly.

"You go."

“With cabbage! The last time he threw a vase at me. "

"There are no more vases."

"Worse! He could throw anything at me! "

"Um ... what's going on?" Matt asked.

The three turned to look at him. They looked tired, like someone who hadn't slept well for days. He guessed that they were the guards the king had placed to guard the prince.

He would be tired in their place, too. All day - and night - making sure a brat doesn't do nonsense? Death is better.

One of them, James, said, "One of us has to go to the prince and tell him that the king is inviting him to dinner."

"That's all?"

They looked at him like he was insane, "Are you kidding us?"

"Um ..."

"Wait, how long have you been here?"

"About a month," Matt replied.

“Ah well, it explains a lot. You haven't met the prince yet - James spat, with an expression of disgust that was ill suited to talking about someone of high rank - You don't know. "

"Know what?"

“The prince is a hysteric - one of the other soldiers said - He gets angry about anything. Why do you think he only has one maid? He fired them all."

"Why?" 

"Probably because they weren't up to his standards. He claims that the king doesn't treat him adequately to his rank. "

"If he began to look like a real prince..."

"Speak in a low voice!"

“Oh, what do you care? Everyone thinks so! "

"If the  dog  heard you ..."

“He would agree with me. He hates that brat. "

Matt was more confused than before, but he didn't want to get involved with them. He was about to leave when James yelled at him, "Hey, why don't you do it?"

"Me?"

“Well, you said it didn't seem that difficult. All of us have already gone at least once, you should too! "

"But the king didn't charge me!" Matt protested.

"Then? It doesn't matter who does it, as long as someone goes to call him! "

"But…"

They gave him no chance to protest and ran away, leaving Matt there like a moron to question all his life choices.

"Oh, fuck!"

Neil leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.  It was all a mess.  He hadn't expected to have to read politics as well, something he had never cared about.  When he ran away from the mafia, it didn't matter who the candidate for the presidency of the United States was or what his party was.

 It wasn't vital.

 But now he had to understand the relationships between the various kingdoms, to know where he could go without risking being returned to the king or being killed.

So far he knew that Harendel was the largest kingdom on the continent of Neustria, and bordered by the kingdoms Faon, Luceria, Kios, and Albion: Harendel had friendly relations with Albion, but would have found himself in difficulty considering that the previous queen was a princess of that country, and if had they found out him, there was a good chance they would have insisted on him returning home asking.  No, he wasn't interested.

 Faon and Luceria had been at war with Harendel for years, and relations had also been very tense due to border issues.  Kios remained, but it was a wild card: it was mostly a mountainous and arid territory, very poor.

 King Kevin would take little to convince the King of Kios to hand him over.

 Perhaps he could have gone to another continent, but in that world, sea travel took time, sometimes months.  Too long, and the risk of being discovered is too high.

 "I also need money and some provisions ... a weapon to defend myself ..."

 Talisa came in with a tray of food interrupting his flow of thoughts, “Prince, you shouldn't tire yourself.  You're still healing from your wounds. "

 “I'm fine,” Neil said, ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder.

 "What did I tell you about lying?"  she asked him, placing the tray on the desk.

 "Um ... shouldn't be discovered?"  he tried.

 The woman sighed, “No, prince.  Lying is bad and you must always be honest, especially with your subordinates.  "

 "Sincerity can get you killed," he remarked.

 “This is why it is better to remain silent in certain cases.  Silence can save."

 On that, he agreed.  Neil took a quick look at the tray, where there was a pitcher of wine and a dark-colored soup.  It smelled good.

 Talisa said embarrassed, "The doctor wants you to eat this. He says you've lost a lot of blood and this will help strengthen your body."

 "That's fine. "

"Really?"

"It's food," he said, shrugging.  He had been used to not being picky: for a year he had to eat canned ramen because they couldn't find anything else, and after the first night without dinner, he had learned to eat without complaining.

 That was better than the ramen.

 He had just started when someone knocked.

 "Your Highness, I have a message from the king."

Neil lowered the spoon.  A message from the king?  Why?

 Talisa muttered insults under her breath, and he said, "Come in."

 A soldier entered the room, a rookie judging by how wide his armor was.  The boy said, "The king invites you to have lunch with him. His Majesty wants to make sure of your condition."

 "What kind of ..."

 "Okay - Neil said, getting up - Tell him I'll be with him in five minutes."

 The soldier blinked in surprise.  Neil repeated, "Do you understand?"

 "Um ... I ... I'm going to report it immediately ..."

 The soldier moved mechanically, still shocked.

 Talisa instead stared at him, "Do you want to go there like this?"

 Neil looked at himself, "Yes, why? What's wrong?"

"It's very simple..."

"So?"

He didn't see the problem, he wasn't going naked to the king.  Talisa kept having that expression, "If you go there like this, however, you will give him the wrong impression ..."

 "What impression?"

 He didn't understand what the point was.  He was presentable, there was no blood on the clothes and he was in order.  Wasn't that enough?

 "Well ... he might think your funds are gone ..."

 "My funds?"

 This was very interesting.  Talisa continued, "Your mother's dowry, prince. It has belonged to you since she died. It's the only thing the usurper hasn't taken from you."

 "Where are they currently?"

 "At the temple, of course.."

 But he didn't want it there.  He wanted it close at hand so that he could use it in cases of real need.

 "Is it possible to move it here?"

 "This is not recommended. "

 "Why?"

 "The king could draw the wrong conclusions ..."

 He might think that Neil was trying to bribe the soldiers to turn them against him.

 It wasn't a bad idea, but Neil wasn't interested in the throne.

 He will have to think of another way to get hold of it.

 "I see ... well, I better go now. There's no need to keep him waiting."

 The sooner he knew what the king wanted, the sooner she could go back to studying a plan.

On the way to the king, Matt met his superior. He looked at him as if he was in front of a ghost, "Are you coming from the prince's room?"

"Yes. "

"Are you fine?"

Matt nodded, “He was very kind. "

"Kind? The prince?"

"Yep."

"You are making a fool of me?"

"No?" the boy said hesitantly.

An awkward silence fell. Then the soldier laughed, “Ah, I fell for it. Good boy. Now tell me the truth, what did he do? "

“Nothing. He thanked me and asked me to notify the king of his arrival. "

He was looked at as if he were a fool, “It's not possible. "

"But it's true! "

“I've seen people come out crying because they threw something at them or insulted them. There is not something kind about him. "

"Are you sure?"

“Kid, I've been working here for years. The prince is ... unpleasant when he's in a good mood. "

“Well, he didn't insult me or throw vases at me. For me, he is ok. "

"Oh…"

Honestly, so much hatred to Matt seemed undeserved. The prince had seemed pretty cool to him. But there was something sad about him. He had felt alone in the palace.
He felt a little guilty for having called him a brat before.

"If nobody wants to deal with it, you can send me next time."

"For anything? Do you offer to escort him? "

"Yeah, why not?"

He put a hand on his shoulder, “Boy… you're an idiot. And it's a blessing for all of us. "

Did they all have to be so tragic there?

The dining room was so rich it made him feel disoriented for a moment.  During those weeks he had always eaten in his rooms and had never been in the presence of the king.

 The gigantic windows that ran along one side of the room completely illuminated the environment, making it seem even richer and more majestic while giving a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape.  Gigantic doors led to the hall and could suggest that this was the entrance to the throne room rather than the dining one given how imposing they were.  The king then sat at the huge table, under a sumptuous and elaborate crystal candelabra.

 Beside him, there was also Count Minyard.

 Urgh.  It was obvious that he was there.  He was never too far from his majesty.

 Upon seeing him, King Kevin said, "Welcome, prince. We have been waiting for you."

 Neil without hesitation took a seat on either side of the table, keeping a good distance from the king.  He noticed that the king was staring at him, "What is it?"

 "Your clothes..."

 "What's wrong?"  he asked him annoyed.

 "You are dressed very soberly."

 Neil didn't understand, "Is that a problem?"

 He looked at the king, he did not seem dressed eccentrically, unlike many members of the court with whom he had the displeasure of having to deal.  Count Minyard was dressed in a white suit with gold buttons.

 Perhaps the real prince was more eccentric in dressing.  From the little information he had gathered, trying not to make Talisa suspicious, the original Neil was spoiled.  He did not doubt that if he had spent his money on the most useless things.

 What an idiot.

 "No, it isn't. It's an unexpected change."

 "If kings change, I don't see why people can't."

 He distinctly noticed the ruler's jaw tighten but his mouth remained closed, clearly he didn't want to give in to his provocation.

 Good.

 He avoided other questions.

 Any other conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the waiters, each bringing a sumptuous dish which, with grace and precision, was placed on the table.  Among them all stood out a boar baked in the oven, decorated and garnished with every good thing, which made your mouth water just to see it.

 Neil was indifferent.  It seemed to him a useless display of money.  None of them would eat that much.

 He took some chicken and ignored the boar.  The king said, "You are eating little."

 "Yeah, I don't have to overdo it."

 "Since when have you been listening to the doctor?"

 "Since I need it," he said.

 Count Minyard snorted into his glass, "Do you want to drink at least?"

 "No."

"Not even a little wine? It is polite to start lunch with a toast to the king."

 It sounded like a blatant lie, but Neil didn't know enough about etiquette to be sure.

 So he had wine poured into his glass, raised it, and waited for Andrew to say, “Long live the king of Harendel.  May he guide us wisely to the end of his days. "

 He didn't even believe it, it was as if he was making fun of them.  Or maybe he was like Neil and the label bored him.

 Neil took a sip.  It tasted sweet.  Not the kind of him.  He set it aside and stopped the servant from giving him more.

 The king said, "Did the doctor even forbid you to drink?"

 "I have to look after my health."

 "The best way is to keep you away from a sword," Andrew said.

 "Although I doubt you know how to use it."

 "I can learn - Neil retorted - I don't lack free time, and being always in my room bores me."

 "It could be organized," the king offered, but there was a tension in his shoulders that didn't escape Neil's watchful eye.  How much did it cost him to be nice to someone he hated?  Was he doing it to give Neil a false sense of security?  Or because there were other people present?  You never knew who a spy might be.

 “Don't bother, Your Highness.  You would keep me under control to avoid accidents. "

 Andrew asked, “Accidents?  Is that what it is called now to get stuck for incompetence? "

 “It sounded better.  But if you prefer, you can say that I accidentally fell on a sword while trying to train.  "

 "Very pathetic."

 "Well, that's what I am, isn't it?"  Neil smiled at him mockingly.

 The king interjected, "Don't be so hard on yourself, cousin."

 “Why not?  It is the truth.  Also, being pathetic helps me.  It avoids unwanted attention. "

 The king's eyes widened slightly.  Judging by his expression, he understood.  He seemed smart enough.

 "So if no one pays attention to you, can you escape?"  Andrew challenged him.

 At that sentence, the sovereign was alarmed.  Neil immediately intervened, “Don't be silly, count.  It's a good dream, but we both know it's impossible.  I'm too recognizable to run away. "

 "Why do you want to escape?"  was the cousin's question.

 “I don't want to run away.  I would like to leave the palace unescorted and visit the neighboring kingdoms.  I need to experience the outside world, right? "

 "Yeah ..."

 He didn't tell him that he would arrange it.  It didn't suit him.  He needed his prisoner to always be where he could see him, where he knew he had power over him.

 Better make the king believe that Neil was a fool who dreamed of freedom, and not a fox waiting for his chance.

 After eating, he got up from the table, "With your permission, your Highness, I retire to my room."

 "Don't you want to stay still?"  the count asked him bored.

 “As much as I would like, I need to rest so as not to look like I'm about to die.  - He turned to his cousin - Do I have your permission? "

"Of course. The guards will escort you. "

 Neil tried to hide his annoyance.  He would have preferred to go alone, but he figured he couldn't do much about it.

 It was like when he was still living with his father, with Lola always on his tail.  At least none of them will attempt to vivisect an opossum.  The thought of it almost made him throw up what little food he had eaten.

 “It's not here… this is another world.  I'm safe. "

 Maybe if he repeats it, he'll be able to believe it.

After Neil left, Kevin clenched his fists on the table.  Andrew took a sip of his wine, "It went well."

 The king did not answer.  Andrew didn't care, "The poison should take effect in a few minutes. Do you want me to follow him?"

 Still nothing.  It was as if he wasn't listening to him.

 "Do you want to know how I got it?"

 A grunt, better than silence.

 Andrew put his glass down on the table, "Are you listening?"

 "He ... He isn't the prince."

 Andrew raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

 "I don't know how, but that's not Neil -the king repeated with more conviction- I've known him for years, I can't be wrong. My cousin was a spineless idiot. He would have pissed himself with me and you in the same room."

 "He's still afraid."

 “He's afraid for his life, not us.  It is different. "

 Andrew shrugged, "It's all the same to me."

 "No, it is not.  Damn, Andrew… I know what I'm talking about.  I know my cousin.  And that's not him there. "

 Andrew rolled his eyes, “So you think someone had a double come to the palace to deceive us.  Very interesting."

 “Not a double.  I had his room under control all the time, it is not possible that there was an exchange. "

 "Do you trust your soldiers?"

 "They have a lot to lose if they betray me."

 "Even for a lot of money?"  the blond asked.

 “No, they wouldn't,” the king vehemently denied.

 "You look confident."

 "I've got you.  If there had been something suspicious, you would have intervened to eliminate the problem. "

 “You have a valid point - Andrew agreed - Reasoning, the double theory doesn't hold up.  Ergo, I'm right. "

 "  No."

 "We just ruled out the possibility of a double.”

 “I can't explain it myself, but I know I'm right.  It's instinct. "

 Andrew said, “Well, soon it won't be a problem anymore.  The poison will take effect and you won't have to worry anymore. "

 "What if it doesn't take effect?"

 " I'll think of something else."

 Somehow, he wasn't reassured.

Neil's head was spinning.  He tried to ignore it, but the feeling got worse.

 “It must have been the wine.  This body is not used to it. "

 Which was going to clash with the portrait that he had made of the prince, and of his life of extravagance.  Maybe he was a light weight.

 He wouldn't be the first to drink the equivalent of his weight even without being able to bear it.

 "Prince, are you okay?"

 "I'm fine," he mumbled.  He just wanted to go to his room and never be disturbed again.  He wasn't asking too much.

 The soldier didn't seem convinced, but he avoided asking further questions.  Smart.

 Finally, they arrived in front of his room.  Neil dismissed them hastily and went inside.

 It was getting worse, the room revolved around him and his legs were weak.  He managed to take a few steps towards the bed, and he fell on it, almost examining.

 At that moment, he understood.  They had put something in his wine.

 "I was an idiot ..."

 He quickly slipped into unconsciousness, darkness surrounded him. He thought he saw something glowing above him, but it was a fleeting glimpse. He passed out and slipped into a sleep from which he didn't know if he would wake up.

Chapter Text

Neil found himself in a throne room lined with white marble, so shiny it hurt his eyes.

 "Is this Heaven?"

 “Usually people would say it happier.  What is this disappointment? "

 Next to him was a girl with a cat in her arms, as white as the clothes of her mistress, and with intense blue eyes, fixed on him.

 Perfect.  Now he felt judged by an animal.

 "I don't think I deserve Heaven," he said with a rare sincerity.

 "Why?"

 "I haven't done  good things to survive."

 "Did you do these things to harm?"  she asked him.

 Neil shook his head, and the woman smiled, “See?  You are not that bad.  You had a road full of obstacles.  But here you are ... "

 "Died.  Again."

 "Who said you died?"

 Neil blinked, “I was poisoned. "

 “Yeah, that's something I hadn't thought of.  My fault.  But I solved the problem. "

 "Did you solve the problem?"  he repeated, confused.

“ Yeah, like the first time.”

“ What?”

 She smiled at him mischievously, "Who do you think  brought you into this world?"

 Neil's eyes widened in surprise, "You?"

 "You can thank me later, Abram."

 "I'm not sure I want to thank you - Neil said, shivering to hear the name his mother used when they were alone - You gave me the body of a failed prince."

 “And isn't it funny?  "

 "No, it is not.  The king wants to kill me. "

 “He wants to make sure you don't have what it takes for the succession.  And sadly for him, you have them.  Again my merit, I guess. "

 "Who are you?"

 She seemed to think about it, probably looking for a good lie to tell him.  The cat meowed, and her face lit up, “Heaven, Lilibeth.  This is perfect!  I like it!"

 "Are you talking to the cat?"

 "Why, you don't?"

 "I've never had a cat," or at least, he had never had a cat that survived Lola's loving care.

 But he had wished he had one.  But on the run, it was out of the question, and now… well, maybe he could have it, but for how long?

 He will be leaving the palace shortly anyway.

 "Such a pity.  They are excellent listeners, even when they seem not to pay attention. "

 "You haven't told me your name yet."

 “They've given me too many.  You can call me Ciel.  "

 "Ciel ..."

"Be careful not to say it too much, if someone heard you they would get strange ideas."

 "What kind of ideas?"

 "Nothing you will have to worry about, if you keep your mouth shut - then Ciel assumed a thoughtful expression - Well, actually you will have many other problems, but I guess it's normal, since I chose you.  By the way, I'm sorry. "

 "Problems?"

 Ciel shrugged, "Destiny of the world, darkness coming, this sort of thing. Bloodlines are important, and that of the royal family is the only fit for the mission. But the true Prince Neil was the last, and he was an idiot. "

 "And his cousin?"

 "Kevin would have been perfect, too bad for his father."

 "What's wrong with his father?"

 Ciel replied, "As I said before, bloodlines are important. Kevin is not suitable. You are. That's why you are here, while the original Neil has found his place in the afterlife."

 "I think you picked the wrong person to replace the prince. I'm not suited to many things, I'm only good at running away."

 She walked over to him, their faces inches apart, "You're wrong, Abram. You can do so much more. I know, I've seen it. You have to believe it too."

 "Let me guess, do I have to find the strength within me?"  he asked sarcastically.

 "Nah, it's not that easy. You have to work hard, boy. But I'm pretty sure you'll make it. Hopefully."

 "Oh well, thanks."

 She winked at him, "Now it's better to wake up, there's so much to do. Don't worry about the poison, it won't be a problem anymore."

 "Not that this will stop count Minyard."

 "Yeah, that's going to be a pain in the ass. But in the end, things are going to be okay between you. Very good."

 He didn't like the way she said it.  The malice was back, along with a strange glint in his eyes.  The cat, on the other hand, was bored, resigned to the oddities of its mistress.

 "We will meet again, Abram. Watch out for the raven king."

 Raven king?

 He didn't have time to ask her.

".... prince .... prince Neil ..."

 Slowly, Neil opened his eyes.  It was becoming a bad habit to wake up after dying.

 Although this time he wasn't dead, at least not quite.

 He had a lot of questions that probably won't be answered, and his head still hurt.

 It had to be an effect of the poison.

 He heard Talisa's voice calling him back, “Prince, you're awake.  What happened?"

 "I'm not used to drinking wine."

 " You drank?  The doctor said not to strain your body! "

 “I couldn't be disrespectful to the king,” he replied.

 The nurse's gaze hardened, “The king deserves no respect!  He is an honorless bastard!  He should have stayed in the North, with people like him. "

 "People like him?"

 “Don't think about it now.  You should go back to rest. "

 "Can't I get up?"  Neil asked.

 "I advise against it.  The sun has set for an hour. "

 This alarmed him, "How long have I been unconscious?"

 " I do not know.  I was in the kitchens until recently. "

 That way, no one could call the doctor to help him.  Talisa was the only one who cared for the prince, and the king knew this.

 He had wanted to keep her busy long enough for the poison to take effect.

 It was cunning.

 He talked about whose idea it had been, whether the king or the count.

 " I don't want to sleep."

 "You need to sleep - Talisa insisted - You need to rest to heal well."

 "I've already overslept."

 "Then I'll prepare you a decoction to help you sleep."

 "I'm fine."

 "No, you aren't.  Now, give me some time ... "

 Talisa headed for the door, and before she left Neil asked her, "Who is the raven king?"

 The nurse froze.  Without turning around she asked him, "Where did you hear this name?"

 " Do you know him?"  Neil asked in turn.

 "No ... I've never heard it before ..."

 Neil knew immediately that she was lying to him.  The question was: why?

Andrew dressed, wiping the dirt from his clothes.  Roland still lay naked on the ground.

 "Wow ... I've never had sex  in the gardens of the royal palace."

 “That's because you're a peasant,” Andrew said emotionlessly.

 "Rude."

 "Did you bring what I asked for?"

 “It's in the bag, next to the clothes.  I hope nothing has broken. "

 "Mhm."

 Andrew went to get the bag.  He opened it.  It seemed like everything was there.  Roland said, “You know, you could pay me like normal people do.  You can afford it. "

 "I do it because I want it."

 “Well, ok.  You're strange.  And considering my job ... "

 “You should learn to be silent.  "

 "And you're rude again."

 Andrew swallowed him and looked towards the royal palace.  He thought he saw something moving in the shadows.

"What the hell do you think you're doing ?!"

 A man dressed in black entered the throne room, eyes as red as embers, and the expression of someone furious.

 Anyone would have been scared to see him.  But not Ciel.  She was used to his fuss about her.  After the first millennium, they ceased to be effective.

 Ciel snorted.  Peace was over.  She placed Lilibeth on the ground and told it to go for a walk around the Celestial Gate.  It will take a bit 'of time.

 She stood up, “Hi, big brother.  Is it no longer customary to warn before coming to see someone? "

 Her brother planted himself in front of her, his fists clenched on the hips, "Don't be innocent with me.  You know very well why I'm here. "

 “There could be so many reasons.  "

 “You've chosen a Champion,” he told her, his voice dripping with contempt.

 "Yes, I did. So?"

 "So?  Don't you remember how it went with the last one you chose?  It was a disaster. "

 "He did his job well enough."

 “He used the powers you gave him to wage war on neighboring kingdoms and to be crowned king.  And after all that he completed his mission. "

 "Well, everyone happens to make miscalculations."

 "You also took a soul from another world!  Without consulting me! "

 Cie! shrugged, “What does it matter?  You also do a lot of things without talking to me first. "

 "It's not true!"

 "No?  And what about the plague in Faon?  Or the epidemic of the ten thousand plagues? "

 Her brother had the decency to look down, and grumble, "It was work, anyway."

 “I'm doing my work, too.  Remedy one of the messes you caused by teaching forbidden magic to a group of mortals. "

 The expression he made was hilarious, "Again?  I thought they had forgotten it by now. "

 “Oh no, and they even did a cult on you.  The cult of the ravens.  They don't have much imagination with names, but I guess you weren't very lucid either when you taught them how to destroy the world. "

 He ran a hand across his face, “That's not what I taught them.  "

 "Oh that's right, you taught them something harmless: bringing the dead back to life."

 "There was a war.  They begged me to win.  It was the fastest way to do it. "

 "There is always a war between mortals. Sometimes it seems they don't know how to do anything else - Ciel was exasperated at that point.  So many problems for a bit of land and power, an eternal cycle that never ended.  In the end, what did riches, honors, and glory matter?  Death was the same for everyone.  - It is logical that I should intervene.  I can't allow all life to end.  "

 Her brother muttered something, and Ciel said, “Say it out loud, Neman.  I do not understand you."

 “I screwed up.  Are you happy? "

 "I'd be happier not to have to deal with it, but at least acknowledge your mistakes."

 "It would be easier if you recognized yours."

 “Hey, this time I protected myself.  I also took a soul from another world to be sure of the result. "

 "You could have saved the original prince."

 “Well, I didn't want to.  He was an idiot.  Unfortunately, he was the last member with pure royal blood.  Kevin would have been better, but his blood is not pure. "

"So you created a Champion."

 "When you say it like this you make it sound creepy."

 “But that's what you did, sister, didn't you?"

 Ciel was silent for a few moments, contemplating.  Then she replied, “You're right.  He is my creation.  But he has free will.  Each choice will be his and his alone. "

 "What if he's wrong?"

 "Probably the world will end."

 "Did you explain it to him?"

 "I mentioned it to him."

 "Only hinted at?"

 "I told you, he has to make his choices.  I can only put him on the right path, then he has to make his choices. "

 He looked at her like she was crazy, "You had to give him the mission and tell him to complete it."

 "As you said, last time it went so well.  "

 "Sister…"

 “Besides, I know they will come for him.  He will find himself having to choose between himself and the greater good. "

 "So you just hope he makes the right choice?"

 “I know he will do it.  I've seen his soul.  I don't want to force him, that's all."

 "You're weird."

 "Look who's Talking."

 Neman sighed, “So what do we do now?  Are we just looking? "

 "Yes."

 "It does not seem right."

 “In the meantime, don't answer the prayers of those madmen… oh, and you could stay here and watch how it goes.  The front row seats are the best. "

 "Are you serious?"

 “Of course I'm serious!  Do I look like I'm joking? "

 He grunted, "As a Mother Goddess, you are the worst."

 "Spoken by the god of war and destruction, it's a compliment."

In bed, Kevin held a book open on his lap.  He had been standing on the same page for half an hour now.  He couldn't concentrate, his cousin's behavior continued to haunt his mind.

 This was not the Neil he knew.  Andrew couldn't understand, he hadn't grown up with the prince.  But Kevin had seen all the more unpleasant aspects of his cousin, he had seen him spoiled by a court of parasites and by parents too weak to understand what was happening right under their noses.

 Neil was a ballet brat, a feeble kid who posed as a great warrior without ever using a real sword in his life.

 But the man he had lunch with had spirit.  He was smart, sarcastic, quick to answer.  Above all, he wasn't afraid of him.

 He hadn't looked down, not even once.  He had challenged him, he hadn't folded.  He had even spoken lightly of running away and had taken it lightly at the time.

 But what if he told him the truth?  What was Kevin supposed to do?  Make it easier for him to escape?  To tighten the controls? 

 Did it matter?  By then Neil was probably already dead. But what if he wasn't?

 Too many questions, and no answers.  He was tired.

 He closed the book and put it on the bedside table.  He blew the candle flame and blew it out.  He lay down, hoping for some relief in his sleep.

 He did not find it.

 His senses were on high alert from years spent at the Nest.  Certain habits were impossible to eliminate from one's mind.

 "Damn.  He will never fall asleep.  And I have another meeting with the old bastard tomorrow.  I need a drink ... if they find the body I have to be awake ... "

 His thoughts were interrupted by the sensation of a blade in his throat.  He immediately opened his eyes and saw a person silhouetted above him.

 “Don't shout Your Highness.  Otherwise, these sheets will get dirty with your blood. "

 From the voice, she was a woman.  It was dark, he couldn't see her face.  He decided to take his time, “How did you do it?  There are soldiers in front of my door. "

 "I didn't go in there."

 "Where is it?"

 "Window."

 “It was closed.  "

 "I opened it."

 “You have climbed very high.  And there are no points of support. "

 "I'm good."

Kevin bit his lip, “Riko sends you, doesn't he?  That's how you got here.  You used magic. "

 Only a shadow could come to him without risk.  And now he understood why she seemed disembodied.  She still had to return to her normal state.

 A moment of silence.  Then she said, “You are insightful.  I didn't expect it. "

 "What did you expect?"

 "A power-hungry idiot, like Riko."

 "You shouldn't talk about your commander like that."

 "He is my commander, but it doesn't mean I like him."

 "Why don't you kill me?"

 "I'm not here for that."

 "And why are you here?"

 Silence.  If it weren't for the blade in his neck, he would have thought she was gone.

 Eventually, the woman said, “I need a blessing.  I am dying."

Chapter Text

Kevin blinked a couple of times.  He must have heard wrong.  It happened that he became not very lucid after he drank a little too much.

 But he didn't remember drinking to the point of hallucinating.  So he asked, "Can you repeat?"

 The woman snorted, “I didn't ask you for something difficult. You're the king.  Give me your blessing. "

 "You know that with the blessing, you will lose your magic, don't you?"

 It was something he had learned when he was younger and was studying from the magic textbooks of the royal palace library.  He had an infinite thirst for knowledge, unlike that worm of his cousin, who spent more time playing in the gardens than doing his damned duty.  But guess who always received compliments from tutors?

 It sucked.  But he was committed because he wanted to be ready for the Presentation.  It never came that day, but he had learned a lot of things.

 And among those things was the realization that the blessing of the king of Harendel nullified the effects of dark magic.  Therefore, the user of dark magic, after the blessing, completely lost his powers.

 He could hardly believe that this woman had come here aware of this.

 "Yes, I know."

 "Really?"

 “Your Highness, I am dying slowly and painfully.  Do you think I care about power? "

 "Isn't that why you joined Riko?"

 Her expression became illegible, “I've been looking for hope for people like me.  I wanted justice.  And what I got is this body.  "

 Kevin understood by looking at her: a body that no longer had consistency, which threatened to merge with the shadows at any moment.

 He felt the weight on him, but it was too light.  How far had dark magic gone?  How desperate was she?

 "How much do you have left?"  he asked her.

 "Maybe a year."

 "Maybe?"

 "I don't know, it's not like I went to a priest of the Goddess and said hey I have this problem with dark magic, how long do you think I have? Don't be stupid. "

 "Why did you come to me?"

 “And who else was I to go to?  Riko?  He would see it as weakness.  You are the safest option.  You are the king, you have taken the throne, the Goddess has accepted you.  You must bless me. "

 She had said the last part with a desperation barely held back, a despair that he knew all too well.  He bit his lip, "I can't."

 "Can't you? Or maybe you won't do it because I'm a heretic?"

 “I can't - he snapped angrily - I have no magic. "

 A long moment of silence followed that revelation.  She asked, “If you don't have magic, how is it possible that you are here?  The Crown of Light should have rejected you. "

 “I didn't use that.  The crown is a fake. "

“What?”

Kevin sighed, "I hired a friend to make a similar one, so as not to arouse suspicion in the high priest.  But the Crown of Light rejected me.  Many times."

 And he remembered the pain, the sense of frustration in the face of yet another proof that he was not enough, he will never be able to be.  But if Prince Neil had taken it ... Holy Heaven, he didn't' want to think it! 

 At that moment, the door slammed, almost being unhinged, and a jet of hot air invaded the room.

 Kevin covered his face as he felt the mouth dry and the moisture disappears.  He turned his head worriedly and saw that Andrew was standing at the entrance, completely engulfed in flames as red as the setting sun.  No trace of the guards, probably the blond had made them run away.

 The vision was almost artistic, worthy of a painting, but a glance was enough for him to realize that Andrew had just taken drugs, and this had made him, as well as immensely more powerful, also completely out of control.

 The blond's eyes were larger, the pupils dilated.  He was wrong to see him smile like that because it was clear he wasn't doing it with his clear mind.  Andrew hated smiling.

 "Look what it is here ... I was right.  A crow has entered the king's room. "

 "How did you see me?"  the woman asked.

 “I am very careful.  And you passed me in the garden. "

 He must have taken the drugs to get there first.  Andrew probably took more than he should to protect Kevin.

 Andrew was keeping his word, but Kevin wasn't doing much to keep his.  Ah, what a pathetic king he was.

 Andrew's hands flared up, “Now you have two choices: either I burn you straight away or I do it slowly as you beg for your pathetic life.  What do you want to do?"

 Her response was not long in coming: the woman spread her hands to the sides of the body as the pupils became unnaturally large until they were black.  Her hair began to move like snakes.  The room suddenly darkened and bits of shadow broke off, taking shape and hitting Andrew, like gigantic half-dissolved tentacles.  The other was not caught unprepared.  He moved his arms quickly and a curtain of flame enveloped him, dissolving the shadows in liquid pools.

 Without the woman on top of him, Kevin up unable to move and sat up on the bed.  A battle of magical powers was unfolding before his eyes, and all he could do was watch.

 He clenched his fists on the sheets, angry.

 Useless.  He was a fucking nobody.

 Andrew laughed, “Is that all you can do?  Boring!"

 "I don't need darjeeling to teach you a lesson!"

 For the Goddess!  They will also destroy the palace if they continue like this.  He yelled, "Andrew, stop!"

 But predictably, he didn't listen to him, and he threw a series of fireballs at the woman.  She raised a shield of shadows to defend herself, while the flames devoured the surrender of the bedroom.

 With a flick of the wrist, the barrier of shadows turned into dozens of arrows that flew at each other.  Andrew counterattacked with a blaze similar to a flood wave that swept them away.  The woman then made an intricate gesture with her hands and creatures emerged from her shadows, some resembling lithe felines, others mighty wolves, still others mighty eagles.  But as capable as she was, it seemed that nothing could stop Andrew's surge of sheer power and destruction.

 Kevin had to do something.

 He got out of bed and did a stupid thing: he stepped between the two.

 “Stop!  Now stop!"

Andrew didn't listen to him and launched another fireball.  Kevin was about to get hit, but the woman created a shield around the king.

 The flames went out on the shield, and slowly Andrew seemed to understand what he had almost done.

 "Are you kidding me?  She tried to kill you! "

 “You just did it too,” Kevin said wearily.

 "That's because you didn't stay on the sidelines!"

 “You would have destroyed everything!  She is not here to kill me!  She is here to get help! "

 Andrew looked at him skeptically, "And do you trust her?"

 A growl behind Kevin, “I didn't want to kill my only hope of living!  "

 "Kevin?  He doesn't have the magic. "

 "I only found out now."

 "And would you have killed him because he's useless?"

 "Maybe yes.  Maybe not.  Who cares?"

 Andrew's fingers lit up again, "I care."

 Damn, it wasn't doing well.  Kevin interjected, "You were the first to attack."

 "You are talking like she wasn't holding a knife to your throat."

 "I've found that it makes people more likely to help."

 "And what would you have done if he refused?"

 "It doesn't matter - Kevin said - Because even if I want to, I can't do something. I can't give the blessing."

 "Then you are a useless king."

 Kevin knew it: it was implicit in the high priest's words after each trial failure.  The false Crown of Light was giving him a semblance of legitimacy, but if he continues to fail, he will give the high priest a reason to doubt.  And if he doesn't get his backing from him, he'll lose everything he worked so hard for.

 Andrew blurted out, "What does it matter if he doesn't have magic? He didn't need it to kill the former king."

 "Were you there with him?"

 "Yes, so?"

 "You were his secret weapon."

 Andrew didn't correct her, as aware as Kevin that it was true.

He instead he said, "He still won, unlike King Nathan ." 

 "But he doesn't have the goddess's blessing. And without that, I'm dead."

 "You have chosen your side. Now pay the consequences."

 She was about to attack Andrew again, but Kevin stopped her, "You've done enough damage already. You don't want to kill me, right?"

 "The last time I checked, an attempt on the sovereign's life is a crime punishable by death, " Andrew reminded him.

 "Do you think I care?" the woman said irritably.

 "I don't have time anymore. I'm disappearing. He was the last hope."

 She paused, then muttered, "Maybe not the only one ..."

"If you're referring to that idiot prince, it's too late."

 Her eyes widened, “You were holding him captive. "

 "Your information wasn't recent enough, if you know what I mean."

 "You ... you damn brat ..."

 "We don't know yet - Kevin hurried to correct him - He might still be alive."

 “After ingesting that poison?  I doubt it."

 "But if he has that power ..."

 " Very difficult."

 “Let me finish!  If he survives, he will be the proof we seek.  And he could save her. "

 “Why do you care so much?  “ she asked.

 "Yeah, I'm wondering too."

 Kevin gave a wry smile, “It would be hypocritical not to do something when I abandoned Riko for my own sake.  "

 “How did you manage to save yourself?  Did King Nathan give you his blessing? "

 “No, not him.  It was the Goddess who did it. "

 Andrew snorted.  He had never believed it.  But Kevin had fallen asleep in a temple of the Goddess, on the verge of death, resigned to his fate.  He didn't expect to wake up, but he did.  And there was no longer any trace of dark magic in his body.  He couldn't have been healed by some priest, there were only two people who had that power: the king and the Goddess herself.

 That day, he thought he was chosen.  It turned out to be yet another disappointment.  At that point, he shouldn't even be surprised anymore.

The woman spoke, “So that's what you suggest to me?  Do you want me to go to the temple and wait for the Goddess to have mercy on me?  Do you think it will work? "

 "I must have faith."

 “Faith doesn't keep people alive.  If the Goddess gave a damn about me, she would have given me magic.  Shit, my parents would have been enough if I at least could move things with my mind.  But I have never been able to do it, despite my prayers.  So I apologized for being a disbeliever, but the Goddess never did anything for me.  Why should she start doing this now? "

 He couldn't answer her.  Any answer would have been trivial.

 She put her hand through her hair, “I've come a long way to no avail.  I might as well have Riko kill me. "

 "It wasn't useless."

 "You can't give me the blessing, and the only other person who could do it is dead!"

 "We don't know yet."

 “But the possibility is there.  So why am I here?  I could kill you and hope your head is enough gift for Riko."

 "Or you could stay - Kevin said, before Andrew set something else on fire - Work for me, and we'll change this nation."

 "How?  You can't even earn the high priest's approval.  "

 “I will find a way.  Just as I will find a way to help you. "

 "And what do you want in return?"

 "I want that you use your power for me against my enemies."

 "What if I refuse?"

 “He will kill you now for treason,” Andrew replied.

 “Whatever my choice, I'll die anyway.  What changes is how I will die. "

 “Change that if you work for me, I will find a way to save you.  If the prince survives ... maybe we can use his power over you. "

 "You're making a bet," she pointed out.

 "I'm used to doing them."

 "Are you that desperate?"

 " I try to do my best."

 "I consider it a yes ..."

 A long pause, which to Kevin seemed interminable.  Andrew behind him held flames burning on his fingertips, ready to fight.

 “Lucky for you, I'm desperate enough to try, too.  "

" Thanks..."

" My name is Thea, and if you want my help, I need to know your plans first.”

“ Yeah…it seems logic…”

"Oh dear me...he won't try to kill his cousins again? I mean...now he needs the prince!"

" Dunno."

" Sister..."

" Shut up, and just watch. You are so noisy!"