Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Rae hopped up on a fallen log, spreading his arms out as he carefully balanced on top, slowly walking down the length of the wood. It felt steady under his feet, and despite the subtle wind making its way through the trees and rustling the leaves, he felt secure up on his little perch.

Centross was watching him from a few feet away, tending what would be their fire when night hit in an hour or two. The nights weren’t as cold as Rae was used to, in fact, as they headed further south it almost got too warm for the fires at night, but the light was nice. Consistent.

His foot slipped, his heart racing for a brief second before he found his footing again, A soft chuckle reached his ear and he turned, glaring at Centross, who was barely hiding his laughter as he moved their supplies. They’d used what the Duke had given them first, and were now making their way through the bits Rae and Ghosty had managed to pack in the pocket dimension.

He started walking again, more careful of his footing this time. He found his gaze trailing away from the log under his feet and back towards Centross and he sighed, continuing his back and forth while speaking, “How much longer do you think it’ll take for us to get to the border?”

Centross glanced up, setting down the stick he’d been holding. He reached for his bag, pulling out the map the Duke had given them what felt like forever ago despite it being maybe two weeks. Time was a little weird on the road, there was no fixed schedule or reports due that helped him figure out when exactly in the week they were, and the days had quickly blended together.

“Should be another 3-4 days depending on how tired to horses are, then about the same before we reach the capital.” Centross replied, rolling the map back up and tucking it into his bag. Rae frowned, momentarily getting distracted just enough for him to misjudge his next step, slipping and this time not being able to steady himself before he fell, landing on the ground with a small groan.

He heard a snicker, though by the time he looked up at Centross the other was clearly trying to cover it with a cough, looking away from him and failing to hide the smile on his face. He scowled, pushing himself off the ground, glancing at their surroundings. His eyes fell on the leaves gathered, and he quickly scooped up an armful, taking advantage of his inattention and chucking them on his friend.

Centross whipped his head around as the first leaves hit him, eyes widening as he lost his own balance and slipped off his seat. Rae jumped into action, grabbing more leaves and pilling them on top of Centross until only his arms and the top half of his face could been seen, particularity the glare he was currently sending in Rae’s direction.

Rae laughed, taking a long moment to enjoy the view before offering Centross his hand, which he begrudgingly took before his own smirk filled his face and suddenly Rae was laying face down in the pile of leaves. He lifted his head, frowning as he spat out part of a leaf that had found its way into his mouth, and shoved Centross’s shoulder.

Leaves crunched behind them and Rae twisted, spotting Ghosty stepping back into the clearing with his eyebrow raised. He looked down at them with a look Rae would almost dare to call fond, setting down the wood he’d been out gathering before fully turning his attention to them, his lips twitching into a smile. “I left for five minutes. What happened.”

Rae and Centross shared a look, both turning back to Ghosty at the same time, simultaneously pointing at each other and speaking in unison, “He started it.”

Ghosty kept a straight face for all of two seconds before bursting into laughter, shaking his head at them as he moved to grab his jacket from where he’d left it across a log earlier. Rae watched him as he slung it over his shoulders, then moved towards him and offered him a hand up. He took it gratefully, briefly considering pulling him down with them but resisting it in favour of smiling up at him.

Once he was on his feet he let go of Ghosty’s hand, turning towards Centross who was still on the ground, and rolling his eyes before once again offering him a hand. This time he accepted it properly, using the extra leverage to unbury him from the remaining leaves, though a few still clung to his clothes.

Centross reached over, punching Rae lightly in the shoulder with a grin before calling over to Ghosty, “How’d the wood collecting go? Think we have enough for the fire now?”

Ghosty nodded, motioning to the pile he’d dropped earlier, “I mean, as long as you weren’t planning on cooking anything on it, we should be good.”

Centross rolled his eyes, “Oh no, I was planning on cooking our cheese and slightly stale bread on it. I thought it might make it a little less bland.”

Grinning, Ghosty laughed, “Ok mr. we-cant-stop-in-a-town-until-we’re-far-from-the-boarder-even-though-we’ve-been-travelling-for-almost-two-fucking-weeks.”

Rae laughed, even as Centross glared at him out of the corner of his eye. He looked between the two of them for a moment, then sighed, moving back to where he’d left his bag before they’d gotten distracted with the leaves. He pulled out the map he’d been looking at, staring at it for a minute before sighing.

“There’s a town a bit south of our original route. If I say we can stop there tomorrow will you two please stop bringing that up?” Centross asked, looking between Rae and Ghosty exasperatedly.

Rae raised his hands in defence, “Not our fault you complain about the food the most despite being the one who could do something about it.” He shot a look at Ghosty, matching grins on their faces. It was ironic that Centross had the most issues, considering how often he’d spent on long campaigns with his men. Still, it was nice to know he wasn’t the only one still adjusting to the sudden shift in their environment.

Centross rolled his eyes tucking the map back into its spot and eyeing the wood Ghosty had grabbed. “I’m gonna get the fire set up, you two go… be elsewhere.”

Ghosty grinned even wider, turning to Rae with an expression that glowed with an ease he’d been getting used to seeing after only knowing him in the harsh situation in the castle. It was a look that fit him well. “Come on, lets leave grumpy alone. We should probably redo the bandages over your eye anyway.”

Rae nodded, shaking himself from his stupor and grabbing for his bag before crossing the small clearing with Ghosty. They settled on the log Rae had initially been trying to balance across, their knees barely interlocking as they faced each other in a way that allowed Ghosty to reach what he needed to.

Wordlessly, Ghosty reached for the bandages, pulling them apart where they’d been secured the night before it a moment much like this. Rae winced as the last strip fell off of his face. He couldn’t see from that eye, but the shift in light was still barely perceptible, even with the sky dimming as the sun sank through the trees and below the horizon.

It felt strange, watching Ghosty from this angle as the other inspected his wound. It was a task he would normally take on himself, or ask Jamie to help with, but the lack of mirrors and said assistant had required him to ask for help elsewhere. He hadn’t wanted to, but even without seeing it he knew it was getting worse, and at some point he’d stopped being able to hide it from the other two and he’d been forced to accept it the first time Ghosty sat him down and insisted on taking a look.

His eyes flicked up, meeting Ghosty’s, “How does it look?”

Ghosty sighed, “About the same as yesterday. The purple is spreading, and it doesn’t look like any sort of bruise I know anything about. The cuts do seem like they’re scarring over nicely though. Can I…?” He trailed off, lifting his hand and waiting for Rae’s nod before resting it against his cheek, gently tilting his face to get a better look.

Rae tried to ignore the way his breath caught in his throat, focusing his gaze on a tree he could see over Ghosty’s shoulder. Ghosty hummed, mumbling for him to look in different directions, which he did wordlessly. After a moment that felt both too long and not long enough, Ghosty let his hand drop, reaching into his own bag to swap the old bandages for new ones, the old ones saved to be cleaned and reused at a later point.

They sat wordlessly for a moment as Ghosty secured the new bandages, and then finally his hands fell to his lap and he shifted back in a way that made Rae briefly miss the warmth their closeness had created. He met Ghosty’s eyes for a moment before turning his head, focusing his attention to Centross, who had well and started the fire by now.

“I’m going to, um, see if he needs anything. Thanks for helping with my eye,” Rae mumbled, pushing himself off the log and quickly crossing the clearing before sitting down next to Centross. His friend eyed him, but he stayed silent, waiting until Ghosty got up and muttered something about grabbing water from a creak he’d seen  and checking on the horses before groaning and face planting into his hands.

He heard a snort from beside him and peeked out from behind his hands, “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Centross said, the grin on his face audible with the statement.

“You didn’t have to,” Rae replied, leaning over to bump his shoulder against Centross’.

Centross rolled his eyes, fiddling with a stick he’d been holding for a moment before snapping it in half and tossing the pieces on the flame. “I’ve been meaning to ask by the way, what’s the plan for introducing you when we reach the Overworld?”

Rae frowned, “What do you mean?”

“Are you going to be Sir Morningstar, the renowned researcher and recently declared heir to the End, or do you want to be someone else? This would be your chance, if you wanted to.”

He paused, considering this for a moment. It really would be that easy. To just… leave behind the name he associated with that part of his life. But, it had been his name before, well, he was fairly certain it had been, and if he wanted any chance of his family recognizing, he shouldn’t change it. Did he even want them to recognize him though? He wasn’t who they remembered, maybe it would just be easier to be someone else to them.

“Are you going to be someone else?” He asked instead, hoping Centross’ response would help him figure out his own.

Centross sighed, but nodded. “I’m… recognizable, in a sense. People will know my name, my family. Part of me hopes that if they see me publicly defying my family, and by extension the crown, well, maybe I can make up for some of what I did under her.”

Rae hummed, reaching for the edge of his cape and rubbing it between the tips of his fingers mindlessly. “People are going to make assumptions if I arrive as me. I think I need to be Rae, because I don’t think I could give up that tie to my mom, but I’d be ok leaving Sir Morningstar in the End. At least for now.”

Grinning, Centross reached up to clap him on the shoulder, his hand lingering as a familiar comfort. “Sooo, about the little scene I watched before you came over here…”

Rae groaned, throwing his head back and using both of his arms to shove Centross as hard as he could, forcing him to use his own arm to stop himself from falling to the ground for the second time that day. “Shut up, I don’t even know him that well. We trauma bonded and became super close but now there’s less stress and I just, don’t really know how to act around him.”

“Do you want to tell him?” Centross asked.

“Which part?”

Centross shrugged, “Any part. We should probably tell him some of it, but do you want to tell him the whole truth about who you are?”

The whole truth, what a wild statement. The truth that not only was he the apparent heir to the End, which he still hadn’t fully processed, but he was also Enderian’s son, and Queen Isla’s. In fact, he was the very prince Ghosty had come to find and yet he’d told him straight to his face that that prince was gone. Which was still not a lie, no matter what anyone would have to say about it.

“Not yet,” he answered simply, reaching up to run a hand though his hair. It had been getting in his face a lot the last few days, he should see if he could find something to use to tie it back when they finally stopped in a town. “Like I said, I feel like I barely know him. I haven’t even told Jamie and I’ve known them for years.”

Centross nodded, eyeing the growing flames of the fire. He leaned over, grabbing his bag and digging through it for a moment before passing Rae part of their remaining food and taking some for himself before setting aside the rest. “Do you want to change that?”

Rae frowned, “Change what, exactly?”

“How well you know him, obviously,” Centross replied, taking a bite of the bread and frowning at it.

Rae took a bite of his own bread. It was definitely not fresh, but it was edible. It did make him look forward to warm food again. “I don’t want to feel like I’m overstepping. I mean, how do I explain it? Just go up to him and say ‘hey, I would trust you with my life but not my notebook because I know you’re capable but basically nothing else about you?’”

The crunch of leaves told him Ghosty was coming back towards them, though the way Centross’ smile changed made Rae wish he’d stay away for long enough for him to stop his friend from whatever the fuck he was about to do.

“Don’t worry, I got this,” Centross said, completely ignoring the death glare Rae was giving him as Ghosty sat on one of the other logs they’d pulled by the fire. Centross passed him the food, and the three of them sat in silence for a minute before Centross cleared his throat.

“I gotta ask,” he started, drawing Ghosty’s attention, “What exactly is it you do? Because I’d assume you’re a spy of some sorts, but you got caught in like, 2 seconds of being in the castle.”

Ghosty rolled his eyes, “Why does everyone bring that up? I was against a lady who can basically make herself invisible, its hardly my fault I got caught.”

Rae raised an eyebrow, “Did you not know about her powers coming in?”

Ghosty paused, pressing his lips together, “…I did.”

Centross lifted an arm out, “See? Your fault. And you didn’t answer my question.”

“You kind of answered yourself if you think about,” Ghosty said, grinning, “Clearly, I’m not a spy.”

Sighing, Centross turned to Rae, who was trying to not laugh as the two went back and forth. “Why did he come with us?”

“Because he said he was going to and neither of us said no?” Rae offered.

Centross paused, his eyebrows furrowing as a grin split onto his face, “Huh, yeah,” he turned back to Ghosty, moving back to his original topic, “So if you’re not a spy, what are you?”

Ghosty opened his mouth like he was going to respond but then paused, frowning. “I’m sort of… an ambassador? Of sorts? I don’t think I have an official title to be honest. Half the time I go where I want, and half the time I go where the King has something for me to do.”

For a moment Rae froze, his brain flooding with possibilities akin to what he knew Centross had been asked to do by the Queen, and by the way Centross tensed next to him he imagined his friend was having similar thoughts, though he was the one to voice it. “What kind of things?”

Shrugging, Ghosty took another bite of food before answering, not seeming to notice how tense they’d become. Or if he did, he didn’t mention it. “Mostly messages, sometimes trade discussions when the usual adversary was already elsewhere. Oh, and I once basically babysat the prince of the Nether for a few weeks. That was a more of I happened to be in the right place at the right time. They’re pretty cool though so it was easy. Really smart too, I think you would get along,” he finished, nodding towards Rae.

Rae sighed, grinning and nodding along to Ghosty’s comment, “I’m sure we would.” He asked something else, not entirely sure what he’d said as his mind drifted, but it seemed to be enough for Ghosty, and Centross after he’d relaxed a little, to continue on the conversation.

He knew the Overworld wasn’t the End. He knew the Nether wasn’t the End. Hell, he knew the End was only the End because of his… Enderian, and Perix, but still. Hearing the ease with which Ghosty spoke about the rulers he worked under but foreign ones as well, the very ones whose lands they were travelling through, helped to ease him just a little.

If he looked out through the trees, even the little he could see from the light of the fire as the sky grew ever darker, he could almost imagine a path, leading him on. Away from everything he’d known, well, everything he could remember, into something both familiar and utterly unknown. The curiosity, the knowledge that things wouldn’t be the same as they were, was intoxicating.

Hopefully that was a good thing.

Chapter Text

Figures loomed over him as a familiar ache wove its way through his body. An aching pain held deep in his muscle memory from what he thought was years past, but this pain felt fresh. Raw. It almost sounded like they were yelling, though unlike his memories, as hazy as they were, it almost sounded like they were yelling at each other instead of at him.

Long inky black hair, so similar to his own, caught his eye. The figure seemed mad, their expression full of both shock and disgust as they yelled something he couldn’t hear above the sound of blood rushing through his ears. They spared him a glance, a sense of resignation filling their eyes before they spun on their heel and left.

He squeezed his eyes shut, his breaths coming heavy. Panic ran its course through his head, trying to latch onto anything, any small little detail he could remember. A hand yanked his head up and he was met with familiar glowing eyes, framed in magenta hair as nails dug into his cheeks.

She said something, and he was almost glad for his barely conscious state because the sound was so muddled he had no clue what she was saying, though the familiarity of her face gave him an idea at the very least. Her other hand was wrapped around a dagger, her knuckles turning white against the handle even as she swung it closer to his face.

Rae shot up, fighting to get out from under the thin blanket he’d tucked himself under before going to sleep. The area around him was nearly pitch black, which did little to help the way his breaths came rapidly and forced their way out of his throat. His hand lifted instinctively towards his eye, his fingers hitting cotton, a lingering phantom pain from the slashes coupled with the numbing throb from whatever else she’d done to him.

A hand landed on his shoulder and he flinched hard, eyes flying open as he scrambled in the dark until the pounding of his heart in his ears rescinded enough for him to make out a voice.

“-ey, hey. You’re ok. You’re ok. Can you hear me now?”

Rae looked towards the sound, finally able to recognize it as Ghosty’s voice. He could just make out his face under the faint moonlight, watching as his lips twitch up into a lopsided grin, a now comforting hand placed back on his shoulder. “There you are. Doing better now?”

He nodded, hesitantly, “A little, thank you.”

“No problem,” Ghosty replied, shifting until he was no longer crouching in front of Rae and was instead sitting next to him. “Centross and I switched watch about half an hour ago, so he’s probably not entirely asleep yet if you want him instead.”

Rae shook his head perhaps a little too quickly, but if Ghosty noticed he didn’t say anything. “No, you’re fine. I mean, shit sorry that sounded weird. I like your company, so we don’t need to wake him. He could use the sleep.” He managed, his voice still shaking slightly from the lingering panic.

“So could you,” Ghosty pointed out, “But I’m guessing that’s not your top priority right now all things considered?”

“Not particularly,” Rae agreed. The dark had started to be less fuzzy, the feeling of Ghosty’s shoulder more solid against his. He had to remind himself that this wasn’t the first time Ghosty had helped him after a nightmare to stop the apology from slipping past his lips.

Ghosty hummed, the soft rumble vibrating through to him because of the contact. “Do you want me to tell you a story?”

Rae turned his head, raising an eyebrow at him despite the fact that he knew Ghosty wouldn’t be able to see it in the dark. “What, like a bedtime story?”

He laughed, shaking his head, “I was thinking more of a campfire story sort of vibe.”

“The campfire’s out though,” Rae pointed out.

Without even seeing him he could tell Ghosty had rolled his eyes, his lips turned up in that same goofy smile he wore so often. “Well, fine then. Guess you don’t want to hear it.”

“Noo fine ok, you can tell your story.” Rae replied, grinning.

“Thank you. Ok, lets see… Once upon a time, in a kingdom called the Nether, a traveller was dying. He had been chased by wither soldiers after barely escaping their fortress. When he finally collapsed, he thought he would die there, laying in that barren field on the edge of a great city. Instead of dying, he stared up into the face of a beautiful woman.” He started, the telling lilt of a story in his voice.

“The woman tended to his wounds. Her hair was the orange of a sunset, flowers blooming from the curls.  Her sky blue eyes were focused on the task of healing him. It was like nature itself had taken the form of a woman.”

As Ghosty spoke, Rae could feel his eyelids growing heavy. For a moment he considered how rude it would be to fall asleep against Ghosty’s shoulder, practically pinning him in place, but the sleepier, slightly happier part of his brain insisted he wouldn’t mind, and he quickly drifted off.

Voices drifted through his mind, though there wasn’t that sense of fear. It was… calming. Laughter bubbled through the air as the hazy pictures and flashes of a familiar garden floated by his eyes. He turned, a familiar figure sitting next to him, grinning at the third member of their group who ran between the flowers.

They paused, turning back to the two sitting with a grin, though when they spoke, it was not their voice that left their mouth but the voice of the man sitting next to him. And when the man next to him went to speak, it wasn’t his voice but another familiar yet… distant voice.

Rae frowned, the soft edged reality in his mind slowly falling apart as sunlight found its way to his eyes as he cracked them open. He registered that he was leaning on something, rather, someone, but it wasn’t until he looked up and saw Centross grinning over at him that his mind connected the dots.

He twisted his head, looking up at Ghosty, who apparently hadn’t moved since he’d fallen asleep.

“Morning,” Ghosty said, smiling down at him.

“How long was I asleep?” Rae asked, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He reached up, trying to rub some of the sleep out of his eye.

Centross shrugged, “I don’t know when you fell asleep, but it’s still early morning. We were just talking about waking you up so we could head out.”

He nodded, glancing around and finding their clearing almost entirely returned to how it was when they’d arrived. Not that they’d moved much, but the fire had clearly been drenched and the rocks moved. Their bags were also mostly out of sight, which surprised him because Ghosty was supposed to have been the one on watch and he clearly hadn’t moved in the last few hours. He shook his head, trying to ignore that, looking up at Centross again, “Well, I’m up now, so I’m good to go whenever you two are.”

Ghosty pushed himself off the ground, brushing off some leaves that had stuck to his clothes. He turned, offering his hand to Rae and pulling him up. He paused, glancing between Centross and Rae as a small smirk formed on his face. “Last one to the horses loses?” he suggested before bolting into the trees.

Rae met Centross’ eye, both of them momentarily confused before they both set off as well. Rae quickly fell behind, having just woke up and lacking all of the athletic training Centross had undergone. At least, that was his excuse as he finally caught up to the other two, breathing heavily.

As he’d suspected, all of their bags were already attached to the horses or at their feet. Rae walked up to Blackberri, petting his nose gently as Ghosty attached his final bag to his horse’s saddle. In a quick, practised motion, he swung himself up onto Blackberri’s back.

He looked over, holding back a laugh as Ghosty scowled over at him. He glanced over, spotting Centross already on his own horse, then turned back to Ghosty, who had moved from glaring to attempting to get on his horse, though it wasn’t quite as graceful as Rae had been.

“Stupid tall people.” He heard Ghosty mutter, and he couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him. It wasn’t even like Ghosty was much shorter than either of them, but it was just enough in times like this. He looked up, seeming to notice Rae watching him and stuck his tongue out at him.

Rae rolled his eyes, turning to Centross, “Lead the way?”

Centross nodded, and soon they were in motion, winding past trees and over fallen branches in a pattern that had become familiar in the last two weeks. They talked as they went, their pace less desperate than it had been in those first few days. Even the days after they crossed the boarder had been slower that that first night, and definitely more comfortable.

His enchanted cloak still sat in his bag, having been tucked there once the nights turned warm enough that he didn’t want to risk ruining it at night on the ground. It, along with the tulip necklace that also now sat in his bag, were the two things he had to remind him of Jamie at the moment. It felt weird, for the first time in 4 years it had been more than a day or two since he’d seen them. He hoped they were doing ok, and hopefully, he’d see them in another week or so when they all arrived at the Overworld capital.

The line of trees broke around them, leaving their path exposed to the open plains of cracked dirt and golden grass that surrounded them on three sides. Farm houses occasionally broke up the flat landscape, and farther in the distance he could see buildings more closely grouped together in what must have been the town Centross was aiming for.

He smirked, an idea popping into his head as he glanced between his friends. “Last one to the edge of town loses?” he said, not waiting for a response before urging his horse onward. He could hear the pounding of hooves behind him as the other two followed, mixed with cries of unfairness that he ignored as he pushed towards the first of the buildings.

When he finally slowed, he turned, spotting Ghosty not far behind him and Centross close behind. Rae grinned, laughing as Ghosty rolled his eyes at him. “That was for earlier. At least I didn’t make you run.”

Ghosty laughed, “Oh come on, at least it wasn’t a far run.”

Centross pulled his horse up on the other side of Rae, sighing heavily at both of them, “Would you two stop bickering? Let’s go find food.”

“For us or for the horses?” Rae asked teasingly.

“Us, obviously. Were you raised in a castle or a barn?”

Rae grinned, titling his head and watching as Centross’s smile faded even before he started speaking, “A dungeon actually, as far as I can remember at least.”

Centross glared at him. “Dick,” he muttered, turning to look at Ghosty who was looking between the two of them with a very concerned expression on his face, “You good man?”

Ghosty hesitated for a moment before simply shaking his head, “Nope, not gonna ask. Food?”

“Food,” Rae agreed, nodding and turning back towards the road leading further into town. “What are we looking for?”

Centross hummed, “Probably an inn or a tavern, even if we’re not staying the night, they’d probably have a place we could keep the horses while we look around.” He hopped off his horse, holding onto the reigns and waiting for the other two to do the same before leading them all into town.

They got a few odd glances, which Rae assumed was because they were definitely wearing clothing more suited for the End than the Nether, but he tried his best to not pay it much mind. His mind also drifted towards the fact that he had a giant bandage over half his face, but that was also something he’d rather not consider. 

Centross spotted what he was looking for fairly quickly, guiding them down a smaller side street. He passed Rae the reigns of his horse, disappearing inside for a moment before returning with a man who looked older than the building, which was impressive given the state of it.

Centross said something else to the man in an unfamiliar language that he vaguely recognized. The man responded, then turned around the corner of the building, motioning for them to follow him. He led them to a small stable, with maybe one or two stalls occupied by horses. The man pointed out a few towards the end, turning to speak to Centross again.

He dug through his bag, passing him a few coins, which the man inspected for a second before nodding, turning back towards the door and leaving the way they’d come in.

Rae raised an eyebrow at him, “I’m assuming we’re keeping the horses here?”

Centross turned back to him, “Yup. The money I gave him covers today, but he said if we want to stay overnight it’ll cost extra.”

“He mentioned a market too, right?” Ghosty asked, already guiding his horse into one of the stalls.

“You understood him?” Centross asked, raising his eyebrow.

Ghosty nodded, “Honestly I was surprised when you did. Anyways, market means food, so we should head there probably?”

Rae looked between them, not entirely knowing what was happening but not feeling like dealing with that question right now. “Market works for me. Did he say where it was?”

Centross shook his head, “No, but it didn’t look like this was a huge town, we’ll probably be able to find it if we wander a little. Are the horses secure?”

Rae nodded, watching as Ghosty did the same. They turned, Ghosty leading the way back out the way they came. Once they were focused on it, it was easy to hear the somewhat distant shouts of hagglers and the smell of food drifting around the buildings and making its way towards them.

They rounded a corner and spotted an array of stalls, all decorated in reds and oranges and colours that lit up the square like a fire. Rae headed straight towards one that held stacks of books so high they reached from the ground to the tops wooden posts that held the canvas up.

The merchant grinned as he approached, speaking to him in the same language the old man had used, though he quickly switched when they realized Rae didn’t understand them. “Hi there, can I interest you in anything specific?”

Centross caught up, rolling his eyes at where Rae had gone, “If you’re going to be a nerd, I’m going to come find food, and you can meet me after,” he turned to Ghosty, “Do you want to come with me or do you want to stay with him?”

Ghosty grinned, “I’ll stay here.”

Rae rolled his eyes at them, turning back to the merchant. “Do you have any books on enchantments?”

Their eyes lit up, turning back towards their stock. Rae heard Centross walk away behind him, but he could still see Ghosty beside him out of the corner of his eye.

The merchant laid out a few books, saying something about them being extremely rare, which wasn’t hard to believe given how recent magic was. He was surprised to see not only one that was about Nether spells but also one that seemed to be about Overworld related magic.

Rae winced, a sudden sharp pain splitting from his eye across his face. Ghosty turned to him, eyebrows furrowed and a question frozen on his lips as his eyes widened. He crossed the short distance between them and suddenly he was at Rae's side.

“Holy shit, your eye.” He said, looking towards the bandages with an expression that did absolutely nothing to convince Rae that everything was fine. Another wave of pain spread from the spot and he winced again, harder this time as Ghosty moved to try and support him. He almost wished he could see what Ghosty was seeing just to try and understand what the hell was happening.

“We need to get you to a doctor. Or a healer. This is bad.” Ghosty continued, his hand resting on Rae’s shoulder as he looked around the market. He turned back to the person behind the stall, “Is there someone in town who could help with a magical wound?”

They were staring at him with wide eyes, mouth frozen open in shock. Ghosty repeated his question, and only then did they seem to hear it. “N-no, there isn’t. We have a healer, but, I doubt she knows anything about this sort of thing. What’s happening?” They asked, no longer the confident salesperson they had been a moment ago.

Ghosty frowned, looking back towards Rae, “I need to go find Centross, do you want to come or would you rather stay here?”

Rae looked up at him, his view blurry even through his uninjured eye. He wincing again as another wave of pain spread from the left side of his face. “You’d have to lead me, I can’t see very well at the moment. I may just slow you down.”

“H-he could say here,” The stall keeper spoke up, shrinking a little as Ghosty turned to look at them, “I-I have some crates he could sit on, he’d be o-out of the way while you go find your friend.”

Ghosty looked at him, looking like he was itching to move but didn’t want to leave him, “Would that be ok with you?”

He nodded, trying not to be nauseous from the sudden wave of dizziness that took over his vision. Ghosty frowned again, but moved to help him behind the stall with the merchants help, until he was sitting on one of the crates, tucked just out of sight behind a large shelf of merchandise. It felt good to sit down, like things were just a little bit steadier, even as his eye continued to hurt.

“I’ll be right back,” Ghosty promised, before turning and disappearing back into the crowds in the direction Centross had wandered off earlier.

And then his vision went dark.

Chapter Text

The first thought he had when he started to wake up was that he really needed to stop forgetting where he fell asleep.

The second was realizing this was definitely not where he’d fallen asleep, since he was fairly certain the market stall he’d been sitting in didn’t have a mattress in it, and yet he was fairly certain he was lying on one. Well, that and, he probably hadn’t actually fallen asleep. Thinking back on it, he almost certainly passed out.

His hand reached instinctively towards his eye, frowning slightly when he didn’t feel a bandage over it. He cracked his eyes open, not surprised when he could really only see out of what he’d started to call his good eye. The view from the other one was still practically non existent, and mostly light, if anything.

He sat up, worry quickly flooding him as he woke up more and more. The realization that he had no idea where he was hit him like a punch, followed by increasing worry of where the hell Ghosty and Centross were. The room he was in was dressed in reds and oranges, similar to the town they’d been in, but it also had an air of elegance that he highly doubted would fit in in a place like that.

Rae swung his legs, sitting on the edge of the bed and gripping at the blanket for a moment as his vision blurred. Hesitantly, he pushed himself up, keeping a grip on the bed to not fall over. There was a door at the end of the room, which he headed for once he was somewhat sure of his steps. He grabbed the door knob, expecting it may be locked but being pleasantly surprised when it twisted open.

Opening it revealed a fairly similarity sized room to the one he’d been in, though this one had a few couches and a fire place, as well as a few other doors that led who knows where. At a second glance he realized there was someone sitting on one of the couches, pink hair tied loosely in a bun at the back of their head. If he were to guess, just from what parts of them he could see he would have said they were around Jamie’s age, which only served to confuse him more about where he was.

Their ear twitched and they twisted, grinning at him and revealing little fangs that poked out of their mouth. “Oh good! You’re awake!” they said, hopping up from the couch and moving around it until they stood right in front of Rae.

Rae stared at them, his mind racing with possibilities about what was going on, one of which involved being in an alternate dimension, though he doubted that one was actually true.

Understanding seemed to dawn on their face and they nodded slowly. “You probably have no idea what’s happening right now, do you?”

Rae shook his head, “Last I remember I was in a market, and my eye was hurting, then Ghosty went off to find Centross… Uh, what happened?”

They seemed to frown slightly at Ghosty’s name, but quickly recovered as their grin returned to their face. “Well, to start, my name is Athena, and right now you’re in the castle in Embers. Medical wing, to be exact.”

“Embers?” Rae questioned, “Like, the capital of the Nether?”

Athena nodded, “Yup!”

“…How?”

“Well,” Athena started, “Like you said your eye had something going on with it, and the village you were in didn’t really have a medic, its being looked into now but that’s not your problem, besides, this was like, a magical medical emergency, so… Ghosty, found one of the guards, who luckily knew him, and they brought you all here. One of our healers was able to freeze the progress of the purpley bruise thing you have going on, but they couldn’t get rid of it.”

Rae nodded slowly. There wasn’t a mirror in the room they were in for him to check exactly how far the ‘bruise’ as Athena described it had spread, but it didn’t seem to hurt anymore, which was good at least. Now that his general question of “where” was answered, his mind drifted back to the people he’d been with. “Where are Ghosty and Centross? I would have assumed they’d be nearby.”

“They were,” Athena confirmed, “But, after about hour 12 of you still being out, my mother forced them to go eat and sleep. I volunteered to wait here in their place so you wouldn’t wake up completely alone. I sat out here though because I figured it’d be a little weird to wake up with a stranger watching you sleep.”

Chuckling slightly, Rae considered that it probably wouldn’t have startled him that much at first, considering the times he’d woken up to Jamie standing in his doorway. The mention of their mother also led him to wonder what position they held in the castle, though he would assume their mother was one of the healers by the sound of it. “I appreciate that. How long ago did they go to sleep?”

Athena frowned slightly, reaching into their pocket and pulling out a strange rectangle of metal that Rae didn’t recognize. “Uhh, about 5 hours ago? Which means, if you feel ok to go get food, you should be good to wake them up after if you want.”

He nodded, shifting on his feet a little to test his still questionable balance. Standing didn’t seem that bad, but he didn’t entirely know how he’d be walking a farther distance. Athena had taken his nod as a confirmation and moved back around the couch, reaching down to grab a bag as well as a crutch that had been hidden from view by the cushions.

They grinned up at him, adjusting the crutch to their arm and the bag over their other shoulder before heading for one of the many doors. Rae followed slowly, more confident with every step. Almost surprisingly, the door they exited didn’t lead to another room like the one he’d woken up in, but to a hall almost weirdly similar to the ones he had practically memorized. 

The biggest tell of the difference though, was the windows. Instead of frost and snow, outside the ground lit up, looking as though it were on fire as arrays of orange, yellow, and red leaves and trees filled the landscape. It was one thing to see it by walking or riding through it, but this view was another thing all together.

Athena had paused, turning and waiting for him as he looked. They smiled as he turned back to them, sure that his awe was evident on his face. “A little more colourful that what you’re used to?” they asked. He just nodded, before continuing to follow them down the hall and through the castle.

To his surprise, instead of being led to some form of dining room, Athena led him straight to the kitchen. They hummed happily as they pushed open the door, dropping their bag off their shoulder and onto a hook right by the door. One of the staff turned to them with a wide grin, greeting them with a quick hug as they quickly descended the few steps down.

Rae trailed after them, trying to get a good look at the space without eavesdropping on the conversation that had sparked between the two. Despite this, he was pulled in when the staff asked Athena who ‘their friend was’.

Athena turned to him, beckoning him over, “This is Rae! He arrived with the group yesterday.”

The staff nodded, smiling warmly at him, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Your companions were down here a few hours ago. I assume you’ll be wanting something to eat?”

“If you don’t mind,” Rae replied.

“Oh of course not. I was just finishing up many of the breakfast options, so feel free to take whatever catches your eye. Athena, it’s all in the regular spots if you want to show him.” She said, gesturing vaguely to one of the long counters behind her which was laid out with baskets and plates piled with various goods.

Athena’s grin widened, “Perfect! Can you make sure someone lets my mother know I won’t be eating with her this morning?”

She nodded, then turned back to her work as Athena led Rae towards the back of the kitchen. They opened one of the cabinets, grabbing two plates and passing one to him before continuing on. Both of them filled their plates, Rae mostly sticking to the basic pastries while watching Athena grab an array of things he didn’t recognize.

Once they were done, they guided him to a small wooden table tucked in the back of the room. They sat in silence for a few minutes, and Rae relished in the taste of fresh pastries after the few weeks of stiff bread. He didn’t like to think he was spoiled, especially given… certain parts of his past, but there was little doubt that the quality of his food had always been high, even if the amount hadn’t been at times.

Athena took the last bite of a muffin they’d grabbed, wiping their hands of crumbs and swallowing before turning to Rae with a grin, “So, tell me about yourself.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at them, “What do you want to know?”

They shrugged, “Anything really. I was only really told that your name was Rae.”

So Centross had remembered what they’d talked about. Well, time for him to fill in the rest. He didn’t want to lie completely, but he’d been dealing with half truths as long as he could remember so this should be fine. “Well, I’m originally from the Overworld, but I’ve lived in the End since I was 12.”

Athena’s eyes widened, “Wow, that’s a long time. How did you end up in the End?”

“The war,” Rae answered plainly, taking another bite of his food. It was one of the few things he’d grabbed that he hadn’t entirely recognized, some sort of pastry with a sugary sweet filling that stuck in his mouth. “I got to do some interesting research though, so I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”

Athena seemed to perk up at this. “Research? Did you even get a chance to work with Sir Morningstar by chance?”

Rae stiffened, glancing at them nervously, though their expression gave no sign that they realized they’d just asked if he’d worked with himself. “Uh, yes. Sometimes. Why?”

“Are you kidding?” Athena asked, their voice giddy, “Only because he’s one of, if not the leading researcher on non natural magic! His research is highly renowned in all of the kingdoms, and that’s just the stuff that comes from leaked reports to Queen Enderian. I can only imagine what else he’s worked on.”

“Non natural?” Rae questioned, choosing to focus on a part of their statement his brain could handle.

They nodded, “Yeah! You know, like, for someone who was in the Nether when magic spread, them doing any magic other than what they got from the wave would be considered non natural.”

Rae hummed, frowning slightly. It was a little ironic that he was - apparently - a leading researcher on a subject he hadn’t even had a name for. Magic was just magic. Some you needed spells for, other objects to help guide the spell, and some just came naturally. Ah, he supposed that was where the name came from. It made sense in retrospect, he just hadn’t thought it necessary to separate them in his reports when the only type of magic he reported to the Queen about was ones assisted by artifacts.

“I’ve never heard it called that before,” Rae admitted, trying to push down the rising anxiety from their statement in order to continue the conversation. “It was all just sort of… magic, in the study.

Athena hummed, “That makes sense. I sort of wondered, since in all the reports I’ve read he never refers to it that way.”

Rae nodded, pausing to take another bite of his food and swallowing before talking, “I’m sure that’s also partly because he didn’t expect many people ti read them. Anyone in the study would know what he was referring to, as would the Queen. He didn’t see the point in making it fancier than it needed to be.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s he like?” Athena asked, leaning on the table slightly.

Frowning, Rae took a moment to finish the last bite of his food while he tried to figure out a way to answer that. All of the options that came to mind were, undoubtedly, a little self deprecating, and he could imagine Centross standing over Athena’s shoulder giving him a look. He tried instead to think of how Jamie would describe him, or maybe even Centross or Ghosty.

“He… puts a lot of effort into his research. He really throws himself into it, trying to learn as much as he can with what he has. He cares. A lot, about the people around him, almost too much sometimes,” he answered, mumbling the last bit, “And, he’s careful. Sometimes not careful enough.”

He shut up, wincing as his words started to get too negative. His thoughts had drifted to the first time he’d almost lost Jamie, when a guard had come down to the study unannounced and they’d had a split second to shift what they were doing. He’d worked out and installed his doorbell after that.

Despite this, Athena looked mystified, beaming at him over the table. “He sounds incredible. You must have learned so much working with him!”

He thought about the cape, still tucked deep in a bag that he really hoped Ghosty had with him, smiling softly, “Yeah, I did.”

The door to the kitchen swung open, something that had been happening on occasion as they’d been talking and eating, but this time, it drew his attention, not only because the person walking through the door bore the signature black armour of the Nether. Rae held back a gasp as he caught sight of him, a face both new and old. One that he’d never expected to see again if he was honest.

Athena followed his gaze, eyes lighting up as they caught sight of the person. They raised a hand, waving him over to their little table, “Rowan! Hi!”

Rowan smiled at them, his expression faltering a little when he glanced at Rae, though he seemed to recover quickly. “Good morning Athena. What brings you to the kitchen so early? Planning to bake again?”

Athena shook their head, “Nope! Just came to get breakfast. This is Rae! He worked with Sir Morningstar, he was just telling me about him and their research!”

Rowan raised an eyebrow at Rae, who tried his best to duck under the look, “Did he? I didn’t know Sir Morningstar had an assistant.”

“Just for the last, uh, four years or so,” Rae replied, trying to figure out how Rowan was going to go about this. It. It didn’t seem like he was going to expose him, but he also hadn’t seen him in over seven years. They’d both changed quite a bit since then, even if Rae could still sort of see the one person who’d been there for him after Centross was sent away.

Rowan just nodded, though, focusing on Rae as he spoke, “Well, it’s wonderful to hear he had company in that awful place. I hope the castle didn’t treat you too badly, Rae.”

“Not as badly as it could have,” he said, knowing Rowan would know what he meant.

The conversation seemed to be reaching a lull when the door to the kitchen swung open again, another guard entering and glancing around before their eyes fell on their small group and they made their way over. They gave a quick salute to Rowan before turning to Athena and bowing slightly, “Your mother had requested your presence in the main hall at your earliest convenience.”

Athena glanced at Rae, then back at the guard, “Did my mother say what she needed?”

“No, simply that she wished to discuss something with you as soon as possible.” The guard replied.

They frowned, looking worriedly between Rae and the guard, then back to Rae. “I should probably go then. I’m sorry, I told you I’d bring you to your friends once we were done, but I don’t want to make her wait.”

Rae tried to give them a reassuring smile, “It’s alright, I understand that this takes priority. I’m… sure I can find my way. Uh, somehow.”

Rowan cleared his throat, drawing their attention, “I would be able to escort you. I am curious to hear more about how things have changed in the End since I was there, if you care to enlighten me.”

“Oh, of course, um, I can do that.” Rae said, turning back to Athena. 

They seemed relieved at the offer, nodding before pushing their chair back and standing. “Perfect. Well, Rae, it was great getting to know you, and I’m sure I’ll see you around. Bye!”

Rae laughed as they left, grabbing both their crutch and their bag where they’d left them, the other guard trailing after them. He did stop to wonder for a second about Athena’s mother again, but figured he had bigger concerns right now. Including the person still standing over the table. He looked up at Rowan, biting his lip for a moment before standing. 

He was fully prepared for Rowan to stay stiff and neutral, so it surprised him when he was suddenly engulfed in a hug. “I’m so sorry for leaving you,” Rowan whispered, “Not a day has passed where I haven’t regretted my decision at least a little.”

Slowly, Rae reached up, returning the hug. He could feel a wave of emotions begging to crash over him, but the little bit of his brain that was being sensible told him it was not the time for that. Instead, he settled for words he hoped would ease them both, “It’s not your fault. I’m so happy you got out.”

Rowan pulled back, still keeping on hand on Rae’s arm. This close it was easy to see the grey peaking through his brown hair, and the wrinkles forming by his eyes that told Rae his past years had been happy, or happier, at least.

“And so did you. When I heard Sir. Mistvale was among our guests, I thought maybe, but I didn’t want to assume and be disappointed. Especially when Athena didn’t immediately burst into my office talking about how their hero had arrived in our castle.” Rowan replied grinning widely.

Rae smiled softly, “Thank you for not telling them, by the way. I don’t think I’m ready for the attention I’m slowly learning my name will bring.”

“Of course,” Rowan replied, nodding slightly, “Now, shall we go find your friends? I’m interested to hear how you ended up with those two as your companions.”

Chapter Text

Rowan bid him goodbye just outside of a large, ornate door somewhere in the castle down halls he never would have found without a guide. He also highly doubted he could find his way back the way they’d come, but that came from the fact that he hadn’t been paying attention more than anything else.

It felt good to be able to talk to Rowan again. To someone who had known him right after the worst of it, someone who had done exactly what he’d always hoped he could do. To not only see the results of his escape, but do do it when both of them were finally free of the End, it was something else. He had been able to warn Rae about his reputation a bit more, as well as the fact that the Queen had sent out announcements to the other rulers about him being crowned heir.

He’d felt like collapsing at that. All hope that he could reclaim his name without being connected to her, it was slowly slipping away. Rae stared at the door in front of him, and for a moment he considered just leaving. He could run, make a name for himself somewhere no one would know him, leave everyone to their lives without forcing them to worry about him or take on his issues along with their own.

Centross would be pissed, but he’d get over it. Jamie would be sad, but they’d have their family. Ghosty…

His thoughts were interrupted by the door creaking open, a half asleep Ghosty frowning as he appeared in the gap. His eyes widened when he spotted Rae, and barely a second later his arms were around him in a motion that was feeling just a little repetitive, but not any less comforting. Guilt crept up his throat as he hugged him back.

Ghosty moved back, grinning, completely ignorant of the whirlwind of thoughts storming its way through his brain. “You’re awake! I know Athena said they’d stay nearby, but I was so worried something would happen and they just wouldn’t tell us. Speaking of, where is Athena?”

Rae forced a smile, “Their mom needed them. But they were there when I woke up, and we went and got food from the kitchen.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Did they tell you where we were staying?” Ghosty asked.

He shook his head, “No actually, one of the guards showed me,” He bit his lip, “Um, Rowan, actually.”

Ghosty’s eyes widened, “As in, the Rowan?”

Rae nodded.

“…Did he blow your cover?” Ghosty asked nervously, “Centross told me before we found the guards that you didn’t want people to know so I’ve just been using your first name, but I haven’t spoken to him since we got here.”

“He didn’t,” Rae responded, Ghosty’s comment reminding him where they were, “Can we… not talk about this in the middle of the hall?”

Ghosty looked around, like he was suddenly remembering where they were too, “Oh shit, yeah. Come in, there’s a main sitting area in here with a couple rooms off of it so we can talk without waking Centross.”

“Did I wake you up?” Rae asked, following Ghosty as he moved back through the doorway.

“No, I was up already. I did sleep for a bit, but I got too nervous and was just debating trying to find my way to the med bay when I heard footsteps outside.” Ghosty replied, sitting on one of the long, auburn couches that filled the centre of the room.

Rae hummed, nodding slowly as he sat on one of the other couches. He looked around the room, eyeing the thin layer of dust that seemed to cover stray edges. One of the doors off the main room was closed, which he assumed led to where Centross was sleeping. He was tempted to run in and check on his friend, but he knew Ghosty was right. He knew Centross had been taking the bulk of watches while they were on the road. He needed sleep.

Besides, as much as it would be semi annoying to talk about twice, he could really only deal with one person nervously hovering over him at a time. Ghosty shifted in his seat, clearly itching to continue his line of questions. Rae sighed, giving him a small smile he hoped conveyed his permission.

Ghosty obviously got the memo, taking a deep breath before speaking. “So. You saw Rowan. You talked to Rowan. I don’t know a lot about what your relationship was like, but I remember your reaction when I brought him up the first time.”

Rae smiled sadly, “Yeah. I think it was good. I was always happy he got away, because it was sort of hope that maybe I could too, even as the Queen tightened her grip on me. He apologized for leaving me, but I don’t really know why he did. I wasn’t his responsibility. At least, not like that.”

Ghosty frowned, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees as he looked over at Rae, “Were you my responsibility?”

Rae froze, frowning, “What? No, of course not. You owed me a favour, maybe, since I helped you, but I didn’t even plan on that when I did it. Why?”

“Because when I heard Ocie tell me she didn’t know if you were safe after the banquet, I was terrified. I felt like I had failed you. And I had actually promised to help.” Ghosty explained, “I can only imagine how Rowan felt, because he didn’t know you as well as I did, but he knew you were alone. Seeing reports of the Queen getting worse over the years, knowing he’d left you…”

Biting his lip, Rae turned away, blinking tears out of his eyes. That hollow feeling had returned to his chest, the bitterness towards himself that once again he’d managed to force his problems onto other people, even someone he hadn’t seen in years. He couldn’t even do anything to repay it, because he had nothing. He had had nothing but his books for most of his memories, and no one but him found any use in those.

He took a breath, still not looking at Ghosty as he spoke, “You still haven’t told me how we ended up here or what happened after you left me at the booth.”

Ghosty didn’t answer right away, but Rae could hear him fidgeting in his seat. He refused to look at him though, and eventually he just heard a sigh before Ghosty started talking, “I went to find Centross, but couldn’t I got a little lucky though, One of the guards recognized me, and once I was able to explain what happened, they got one of the other guards to look for Centross while they followed me back to you.”

Another pause, “When we got back, you were on the ground. The stall keeper has kneeling over you panicked and said you’d just collapsed. The guard yelled for more of their men and said they were going to take us to the castle. I guess Centross either didn’t know or didn’t tell us that we were fairly close to the capital. To be fair, I don’t think it would have been important in any other circumstance.”

Rae let out a small laugh, finally turning just enough to see Ghosty’s face out of the corner of his eye. He was frowning, his hand lifted to tug at the white strand of his hair as he continued on. “It was a bit of a whirlwind after that, but they ended up finding a carriage to put you in. Centross showed up at that point. He was pretty worried about you, but he insisted on riding with a couple of the guards in front of the carriage instead of inside. I think he wanted to make sure it wasn’t a trap.”

“Did they know who he is?” Rae asked.

Ghosty shook his head, “No, I don’t think so. He… told the Queen, after you were taken to the med bay, because he wanted to be honest about it since she was hosting us. The second she dismissed us he insisted on being shown to where you were. Though to be fair, if he hadn’t, I would have. Athena barely convinced us take a break after we knew you were stable.”

He nodded, “They seemed nice. Mentioned their mom a few times, and that fact that she was the one to force you two to rest. I’ll have to thank her.”

“Yeah, Queen Soul was pretty insistent. And it’s sort of hard to say no to the Queen.” Ghosty replied, laughing lightly and leaning back against the couch.

Rae felt his thoughts short circuit. “Queen Soul?”

Ghosty raised an eyebrow at him, “Yeah, you know, Athena’s mother? Are we having the same conversation?”

He felt his blood drain from his face, “We didn’t get that far in the conversation. Wait does that mean Athena is the- the prince? The heir to the Nether throne?”

“Well, yeah? I thought I mentioned them to you?” Ghosty replied, sitting up on the couch again.

“Not by name!” Rae hissed back, trying to think back on the conversation he and Athena had had, if he’d said anything he shouldn’t have. “Oh my god, they said they’d read my research. The prince of the Nether read my research.”

Ghosty laughed, trying and failing to hide it as a cough, “Does it make it better or worse if I remind you that you are technically a prince too?”

Rae glared at him.

“Ok, point made,” Ghosty said, grinning, “I can’t believe you didn’t know their name though! You’ve been in court since you were like, their age, I would’ve thought you’d know it. And yes, I may have not mentioned they liked your research, but I also didn’t think you two would meet for a while.”

Rae paused in his thoughts, frowning slightly. He looked up at Ghosty, whose face had fallen slightly upon seeing the expression on his face. “How old do you think I am?” Rae asked.

Ghosty frowned, “I don’t know, 27-28? You’ve been part of the End court for like, 8 years, and by traditional standards people don’t join until at least 18, more like 19-21 in most cases, minus like, the royal family of course, so around that? That’s the general assumptions I’ve heard at least.”

His heart sank. Well, that was one question answered. Two, technically. “Ghosty, I joined court when I was 16.”

He watched as Ghosty’s face went through a flash of different emotions. Confusion, realization, shock, and a few things that he couldn’t quite pick apart as they flashed across his face. “So you’re, what, like 23? 24?”

“Somewhere in there. I don’t remember my birthday.” Rae confirmed.

“Fucking hell, you’re like, a year younger than me,” Ghosty replied, rubbing a hand over his face. “Wait, how old is Centross? How old is Jamie??”

Rae could feel a grin slipping onto his face as he watched Ghosty’s panicked expression. As much as it hurt it made sense now why no one seemed to care that a child had become part of the court, especially in the role he’d been given. “Centross is 27, recently. Jamie is 18.”

“Well, at least I had those right, or close enough.” Ghosty admitted, shaking his head, “Centross is only 27? Damn, with how high he is- was, in the guard I expected him to be older, at least like 29 or something.”

“His family helped a lot with that,” Rae said, shrugging.

A door creaked open behind him and he turned, spotting a still half asleep Centross walk slowly out of the room, “What did my family help with?” He asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He paused, seemingly just remembering where they were and noticing Rae. His eyes widened, fully waking up as his face split into a grin, “Damn, good to see you aren’t dead.”

Rae laughed, “Thanks, you too.”

Centross rolled his eyes, making his way around the couch and flopping down next to Rae. He reached over, punching his shoulder gently in an almost comforting motion. “So why did I hear my name being brought up followed by something about my bitch ass family?”

“We were talking about ages and he seemed surprised you weren’t older,” Rae explained, “Did you know he thought I was 27?”

Centross paused, tilted his head, look at Ghosty for a moment, and then just shook his head, “You know what, that explains some shit.”

“Right?” Rae agreed, smiling a little at the look on Ghosty’s face. “Also, apparently no one knows how old I am? The Queen just let people assume I joined court at a reasonable age.” 

He realized somewhere in this conversation he’d stopped worrying and started laughing, and as much as he knew it would probably be better to go back to what they’d been talking about, he couldn’t find it in his heart to do it.

Centross laughed, “Really? The Queen lied about something important to her court? Who ever would have guessed? Also seriously? How old do people assume he is? He’s been in court for fucking ever. I would’ve assumed someone knew.” He added, turning to Ghosty.

Ghosty shrugged, “Somewhere around what I said, so 27-28? I mean, no one knew Rae was Queen Enderian’s ward, at least to my knowledge, so no one considered he was under 18 in his first official appearance, but spies also reported that he looked young. There were some people who thought he was a lot older in the beginning though, before more information started coming through.”

“Spies?” Centross questioned, “I thought most courts considered that too dangerous considering the Queen and the Lady’s powers.”

“Oh, not in the inner courts,” Ghosty corrected, “as far as I know, I was the first Overworlder sent to the inner courts in at least 5 years. All of the spies I knew of worked under some of the lesser lords, or the dukes, and simply reported back what they overheard about court in their estates.”

Rae frowned, “Is that how my reports got out? Athena mentioned reading them but as far as I knew no one but the Queen and a few select others had access. She didn’t want just anyone learning about what I was finding. Though, I assumed it was more common knowledge than it apparently is.” He added, muttering the last bit. His hands itched for one of his notebooks, but he didn’t want to ask Ghosty to open the bubble just to get one out.

Ghosty paused, pulling one of his legs up on the couch, “I think so? I want to say there’s a family who has access that helps with the process, but I don’t know their name. Probably so no one leaks it and they get caught actually.”

“Wait hold on,” Centross cut in, leaning forward, “Your reports? As in, the research reports to turn in to the Queen every two weeks? Those reports?”

Rae nodded. “Turns out I’m a ‘leading researcher’ if Athena is to be believed.”

Centross laughed, shaking his head, “That sounds like you. Does that mean we’re going to have a hard time keeping your identity secret though? I don’t want you to not be able to talk about your research, but if its well known that may be an issue.”

“Athena asked me if I worked with me, so I think we might have some wiggle room,” Rae admitted, smiling softly. “I don’t think I ever signed my reports with my first name, and if I did it was just the letter.”

Ghosty snorted, “So we have Sir R. Morningstar, famous researcher from the End, and Rae, also a researcher from the End, who happened to work with Sir Morningstar?”

“Would it be better or worse if we added a fake last name that started with ‘M’?” Centross asked, grinning

Rae rolled his eyes at them, looking at Centross, “I’d borrow yours but that might be harder to explain if our ‘engagement’ gets out, if it hasn’t already.”

“Fair point,” Centross agreed, “We could just say you don’t remember your last name? Seems plausible with the Queen.”

“That could work,” Ghosty agreed, “I also feel like we should have a fake first name for ‘Sir Morningstar’ in case anyone asks. Any ideas?”

Rae and Centross shared a look, then he turned, pressing his lips together before he spoke, “Uh, no. None come to mind. I don’t really think we need it though. If anyone had heard my first name, I’ll just say it’s short for Raemond and I used a nickname in the castle.”

“Raemond is nice, is that your full name?” Ghosty asked.

Rae shook his head, “No, it’s my grandfather’s name, from my mom’s side. I remembered it recently.”

Ghosty lit up, smiling at him, “Nice. Well, then we have a general plan at least. I’d say watch out for Athena though, I don’t know how long we’ll be here, but now that they know you’ve ‘worked with’ their hero, they’re bound to ask as many questions as you’ll let them.”

“And speaking of the prince,” Centross added, “Queen Soul did ask us to meet with her at noon, and for you to join us if you were awake. That gives us a few hours, but unless you changed into identical clothes while I was asleep, you’ll probably want to freshen up.”

Rae nodded, glancing down at what he was wearing. It had been fine for being on the road for weeks, but it definitely did feel very out of place in a castle, even one so seemingly different to the one he was used to. “Slight problem though, I don’t have any other clothes.”

Centross rolled his eyes, “Do you really think I would suggest it if I hadn’t grabbed you something when we changed? Come on, I’ll show you where I put it.”

Rae shared a look with Ghosty, who was laughing silently at them, then pushed himself up from the couch, waiting for Centross to do the same before following after him into the room Centross had emerged from. 

Centross wandered towards a table on the far side of the room, pushed up next to a  window that had the curtains half drawn back. His bag sat on it, along with Rae’s, which he was relieved to see. Centross dug through his bag, grinning at Rae over his shoulder as he did. “So, prince of the Nether’s hero, huh?”

“Shut up,” Rae muttered, accepting the clothes that were passed to him. He slung his bag over his shoulder, ignoring Centross’ laughter as he headed in the direction Centross had pointed. Barely even 9 am and he could already tell today was going to be a lot to process. He could deal with Centross’ teasing later.

Chapter Text

A guard came to get them just before noon, which was probably a good thing since the only one of them that had been in the castle before was Ghosty, and he had admitted that despite multiple visits he’d never actually been to the throne room. So yeah, probably a good thing. Especially when the guard that showed up was none other than Rowan.

He knocked on the door and Ghosty went to answer, opening the door wider upon seeing who it was. Rae smiled at him, but that smile quickly morphed into a frown at the way Centross tensed beside him. Rae turned to him, nudging him gently as Ghosty and Rowan spoke, “Are you ok?”

His words seemed to draw the attention of the others, and Rowan was looking at them before Centross had a chance to respond. He walked closer, face neutral, then, to Rae’s surprise, gave Centross a small nod, “Sir Mistvale. It’s been a while.”

Centross nodded stiffly, “It has been. And respectfully, I highly doubt I’m a ‘sir’ now, given… recent events.”

Rowan chuckled softly, “Indeed, it would likely seem so. Good to see you took my words to heart at least. I heard you held my old position after your return.”

“I did,” Centross replied simply.

Rae and Ghosty shared a look, both equally confused by the conversation, though Ghosty seemed even more confused by Rae’s confusion. As far as he had known, Rowan had been, technically, Centross’ superior when he first joined the guard, which is why Rowan had taken taken over watching Rae, it was some sort of punishment for not paying better attention to someone he was responsible for, but Centross had never mentioned them talking outside of orders or training.

Rowan watched Centross for another long moment, humming quietly before turning to Rae, smiling softly. “As I do not wish to keep the Queen waiting, we should probably be on our way. You will be able to return here after the meeting so please feel free to leave anything you do not wish to carry.”

Rae did a quick check of what he had on him, not noting anything he wouldn’t want with him. He had the clothes Centross had grabbed for him, which were almost like a warmer weather version of what he’d wore in the End, including the thin cape he’d gotten from the seamstresses. The magic seemed to only activate to a comfortable level, so while it wasn’t nearly as warm as it had been in the snow, it was perfect to keep any lingering chill off his shoulders.

He also had the tulip necklace from Jamie, having dug it out of his bag after changing into the more formal clothing. It stuck out a little, sitting on top of his white shirt, but he didn’t feel the need to hide it like he had in the End, so he let it stay where it was, a welcome reminder of the person it was from.

Centross and Ghosty seemed to have reached similar conclusions about their possessions, and soon enough they were following Rowan out into the halls. Ghosty took a bit of a lead, following just behind Rowan, with Rae walking side by side with Centross behind them.

He wasn’t sure what to expect as they walked through the palace, but it wasn’t the way the guards seemed to greet Rowan with a smile on their way by, or the way any staff seemed to walk by in pairs, talking and laughing as they went about their duties. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen anyone dare make more noise than the sounds of their steps in the halls, much less laughter.

They stopped in front of a grand set of doors, and for a moment a familiar sense of dread settled in his stomach. But these doors were different, and even though behind them sat a queen, at the very least, this one didn’t have the ability to force herself through his thoughts.

Rowan pushed open the doors, nodding to the guards who caught them on the other side. At the other end of the room sat a trio of thrones, though only the middle one was occupied. Queen Soul sat gracefully, holding a paper and talking to someone standing to the side with their own paper in hand. She turned towards them as they approached, teal eyes lighting up as she smiled. Her white skirt puddled around her feet, the fabric light and loose compared to the more fitted black half of the dress, with sleeves that reached just past her elbows.

She turned back to the person she’d been speaking with, saying something Rae couldn’t quite make out and they nodded, accepting the paper Queen Soul held out and ducking out of the room. Rowan bowed, and the rest of them quickly followed suit, though the Queen quickly nodded for them to stand.

“Thank you Sir Fellowes, you may return to your duties,” she said, directing it to Rowan, who grinned, giving her another quick bow before slipping from the room, the doors falling shut behind him. Out of habit, Rae did his best to not meet her eyes, even as her gaze fell on their group once again.

“I’m glad to see you all seem to be in better condition than you were upon your arrival yesterday,” Queen Soul started, looking over them.

Ghosty nodded, smiling back at her in a move than Rae was sure would have gotten him in trouble in the End, “Definitely. Thank you again for hosting us on such short notice, your Majesty.”

“Of course, I do wish it was under better circumstances though.” She turned to Rae, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin, “I am sorry my healers were not able to do more for you eye, I imagine your time on the road may have limited their efforts to reverse the effect.”

Rae nodded, not sure what else to do. His words seemed to be caught in his throat, unable to escape, even though the logical part of his brain knew this was not the same.

Queen Soul frowned, but continued on, turning her attention to Centross, “Sir Mistvale. I will say, I was rather surprised to hear you were one of our guests. With your family who they are, well, your reputation precedes you.”

Centross ducked his head, his familiar sliver of a scowl on his lips at the mention of his heritage, “In all due respect, your majesty, my loyalty hasn’t been to the End crown or to my family for some time. It was only recently that I was allowed to reveal that without worry.”

“Ah yes, I assume this pertains to Sir Morningstar? I received a letter about your engagement about a month ago, though I assume it was not one born of love, as I also received news of him being named heir.” Soul said.

Rae felt a shiver run up his spin at the mention of his name, though the fact that she didn’t look at him made him hopeful. Centross shifted on his feet beside him, and he knew he was trying to avoid looking at him. “It did. In a way. He’s a good man.”

The queen hummed softly, smiling as she turned to Ghosty again, “I would of course understand if you all wished to be on your way, but I do hope you will stay for a few days at least. I can imagine you have quite the report to give your King, Lord Solcrest.”

Ghosty nodded, his gaze flicking briefly to Rae before answering, “I do, but Queen Oceana and Prince Will should have reached the capital by now, and I presume they will be able to provide enough detail until I am able to make my return.”

Rae felt like he’d been hit with multiple punches back to back, firstly because apparently Ghosty was a lord, which he had definitely not mentioned, but the use of Ocie and Will’s—he assumed were their proper—titles was odd. He knew Ocie was the Queen of the East Isles, yet somehow he hadn’t associated the Ocie he knew with, well, an actual Queen. Which, was entirely his fault. But still.

Will took him by surprise though, and he quickly thought back through all of their interactions, trying to figure out if he’d missed something. He was fairly certain the Queen had introduced him as Lord Will, when he should have at least been a Duke if not the prince. Just how deep undercover had they all been? Had he known them even a sliver as well as he thought he had?

Queen Soul and Ghosty had continued to talk while he panicked, and he tuned back in just in time to catch the last bit of their conversation.

“I’m sure Athena will be thrilled to have you around for a few days. They’ve been escaping their tutors again.” Soul said, a small frown on her face.

Ghosty frowned, “I can certainly make an effort to see them. She seems to have already taken an interest in Rae and his work under a certain idol of theirs, so perhaps we can make a joint effort.”

Soul nodded, glancing back towards Rae, “Speaking of, I do apologize, I had hoped to speak to you, Rae? Was it? I don’t mean to intrude, but your case is certainly a rare one.”

“O-Of course, your majesty,” Rae responded, glancing towards Centross and Ghosty. Centross seemed tense, while Ghosty just looked worried, which only made Rae worry, well, more than he already was at least.

Soul smiled softly at him, and for a second he cursed himself for allowing his emotions to show, then his brain reminded him that he wasn’t in the End, but then the anxiety was back reminding him nervousness could be used regardless of someones ability to read your mind or not. The Queen turned to one of the other guards in the room, “Would you escort Lord Solcrest and Sir Mistvale?”

The guarded bowed, stepping forward and Soul turned back to Ghosty, “As sure as I am that you could find your own way around the castle, I would rather not have to send out a search party again, Lost One. Athena should be in their rooms if you wish to find them.”

Ghosty scowled at the nickname but nodded politely regardless, “Thank you, your majesty.” He moved to turn, pausing when he was facing Centross, who had been looking at Rae ever since the Queen had turned her attention away from him. Rae knew both he and Centross were thinking the same thing, that most of the time he’d been left along with a Queen it hadn’t ended well, but he was determined for this to be different.

Rae sighed, forcing a small smile and giving Centross a nod. Still hesitant Centross bit his lip, looking over him once more before resigning, turning to face Ghosty after a small bow to Queen Soul, then the two of them moved to follow the guard out into the hall, the doors falling shut once again behind them.

He turned back to Queen Soul, expecting her to say something, but she stayed silent for a moment, watching him carefully. She sighed, clasping her hands together, “I think today is a lovely day for a walk, care to join me?”

He frowned, but nodded, trailing after her as she headed for the door, turning left in the hall, the opposite way than they’d come from. A guard trailed after them, though they kept a decent distance that if it wasn’t for the fact that he was very on edge he may not have even noticed.

Queen Soul walked silently, not saying anything, even as they went down a set of stairs and approached a door that seemed to lead outside. For a moment he was scared she was kicking him out, that the pleasantries had been an act, but then the doors opened and he caught sight of the garden sprawling on the other side.

His breath caught in his throat as he took it in, and he heard a small laugh beside him. He turned, finding Queen Soul smiling over at him. She turned briefly, dismissing the guard who had been following them, before leading him outside. They walked along the path, and Rae couldn’t help but admire the shear volume of plants that grew around them, in so many colours it almost made his eyes hurt. Well, eye. He still couldn’t really see out of his left one.

He paused in front of a section full of familiar blue blossoms, the orchids swaying gently in the breeze. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Queen Soul pause as well, seeming to watch him as he stared at the flowers. They were a bittersweet sight, in that he now knew more about the woman he’d known as Orchid, but also as a reminder that he was one step closer to meeting her again.

“I wondered if you would like it out here,” Soul said, drawing his attention, “It’s Athena’s favourite spot, and I can’t help but draw some similarities between the two of you.”

Rae hummed, unsure of how to respond.

The Queen sighed, and he caught the ruffle of her skirt against the stone as she turned, “Come, there is a bench a little further along where we can sit away from prying ears.”

He frowned, but turned, leaving the orchids behind to follow her. Just as she said, the bench appeared a minute later, in the middle of a gazebo covered in orange vines that covered most of the white stone. Queen Soul climbed the few steps, sitting down on the bench with her back to him. Rae climbed the steps hesitantly, moving to sit next to her and trying to keep a respectful amount of space between them. Though he wasn’t entirely sure what that was. This wasn’t really something he’d had the opportunity to think about before.

“I will admit, I have drawn some of my own conclusions from what your companions told me. Some, I hope are right, others… well I think it would be better if my imagination was running away from me.” Soul said, not turning to him as she did.

Rae nodded, slowly, trying to figure out what she was saying and coming up short, “May I ask what you mean by that, your majesty?”

Soul sighed, “First of all, please call me Soul. Titles hold no power out here, at least, I like to imagine they don’t. Second, yes, of course. It was Sir Mistvale that really made me consider the possibility, but I have to assume you weren’t just a research assistant. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you are Sir Morningstar, are you not?”

He froze, which in itself must have been enough of an answer as Qu- as Soul nodded, “Don’t worry, that is your secret to share. I understand your reasons to hide it. I imagine Athena has only given you more though, given from my understanding you were not aware your research was being spread beyond the End?”

“No, I was not,” Rae confirmed, “Do you- would you happen to know how wide spread it is? I just… even though Ghosty told me I had a reputation, he never mentioned much about my research.”

Soul hummed, folding her hands in her lap, “I would say it’s mostly the upper courts, at least in the Nether. Then again, most studies of magic occur there as well, which is why it circulates there. I have read a few of your papers, and I must say, they are quite brilliant, but you work at a level that requires a certain base understanding that not many have. It’s mostly scholars wanting to learn more about the subject that find themselves looking into your research.”

That was… slightly reassuring. It raised some new questions as well, but he decided to think of those later. “You said conclusions, what were your other ones?”

She nodded, looking towards him in a way that reminded him that he technically shared a power with her, even if it presented itself slightly differently, “I would assume you’re from the Overworld, but your time in the End has meant that your soul shares the colour of its region as well. That, or one of your parents is from each. I haven’t had a chance to see it often, especially between those two specifically, ever since the war.”

“I… am. From the Overworld, that is,” Rae replied, frowning, “And do you mean my aura, or, the colour of my soul, is green and purple?”

Soul smiled, “Yes, it is. Quite an interesting combination. Which leads me to my next conclusion. Do you… know your parents?”

There it was. One of his most hidden secrets that was so secret he hadn’t even known about it until the last few months. He wanted to deny it, to hide that part of him, keep it secret and separate from the identity he’d built as Sir Morningstar, and the new one he’d been hoping to build as Rae. And yet as he went to say no, he… couldn’t. So he just nodded, ducking his head to avoid looking her in the eyes.

“Am I right to assume you are running from one… and towards the other, then?” Soul asked, more hesitantly this time.

He nodded again, and he heard her sigh, the silence thick in the air in the seconds it took before she spoke again, “Do your companions know?”

“Centross does,” He answered, biting at his lip, “I told Ghosty the lost prince was gone.”

Soul hummed, “You keep calling him ‘Ghosty’, is there a reason for that?”

Rae frowned, “It’s the name he gave me when we first met. I mean, I know it’s not his actual name, but I guess… well after we left the castle I didn’t really think to ask. I didn’t even know he was a Lord until you said it.”

She laughed, shaking her head, “Of course not. That man is many things, and forgetful is one of them. I do hope he’s treated you well otherwise, I’ve had the opportunity to work with him a number of times and he’s a remarkable young man.”

He thought about the times spent sitting in the study, trading comments back in forth or listening as Ghosty spoke, or all their time on the road, and he smiled, “He has. It made all the difference for the last few months in that castle.

“Ah, and that leads me to my last conclusion, though I hope this one is false,” Soul said, frowning slightly as she looked at him. Her eyes drifted to his eye and the mass of scars and now purple-ish skin around it, “Did your mother… Did Queen Enderian do this?”

His breath caught, and he shoved down the memories threatening to resurface as he shook his head, watching as Soul exhaled a relieved breath at the motion, “No, though she is not blameless. But… the action itself was Lady Perix.”

Soul scowled, “I never liked that woman. Thank you for answering me though, I have no doubt it was a horrible thing to endure. As it is, I have mentioned this to Ghosty but I hope you’ll all stay for a few more days. I would like to have my healers keep an eye on your injury to ensure it isn’t going to suddenly get worse during your travels to Crete.”

“I would like that,” Rae said, with a small nod. He paused, “You won’t… tell Ghosty, right? I understand I have no power or right to tell you not to, but I’d like to do it myself, when I do decide to. Because I’m going to, but I’d like to at least see if there’s hope with my family before I do, and-“

Soul reached over, resting her hands over his, which had been worrying at the edge of his cape without him even realizing. She smiled, softly and so full of fondness it almost brought tears to his eyes. “Like I said about you being Sir Morningstar, it is your secret to tell. I will only share it if I feel like my kingdom or my people are in danger because of it, or if I fear for your safety should it not be shared. As long as none of that comes to pass, your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you,” Rae said, the words coming out in more of a whisper than he intended, though Soul only smiled wider at his words.

She leaned back, giving his hands another small squeeze before standing, brushing off her skirt. She shifted, subtly, back into the regal figure he’d met in the throne room, but her kindness was still there. He’d heard the stories, he knew how intimidating she could be and how well she ruled over her people, but the kindness was undoubted.

She caught his eye, grinning again, “Well then, shall we return inside? I’m sure your friends will be happy to see you back in one piece, and I regrettably have more work to do.”

He nodded, standing and once again following her through the paths of the garden until they reached the doors. She waved for a guard, asking them to help him find his way as another came to stand behind her. The guard she’d spoken to bowed, stepping towards Rae and giving him a much shallower bow before beginning to move down the hall, Rae steps behind him.

“Oh Rae,” Soul called and he stopped, turning back to face her. She smiled softly, “It was wonderful to meet you.”

The corner of his lips lifted upwards, and he ducked into a bow before turning, nodding to the guard and continuing down the hall.

Chapter Text

Truthfully, he had been planning on just following the guard back to his friends, but somewhere along the way they passed a particularly grand set of doors and he found himself slowing, barely even realizing until he noticed the guard pause and walk a few paces back towards him.

“Something catch your eye?” he asked, then seemed to wince at his own words.

Rae ducked his head, itching to have the bandage back or to move his hair over his face at least. “What’s behind these doors?”

The guard turned to look at them, “That would be the library. Would you like to go in?”

Rae frowned, “Am I allowed?”

“Of course, you are a distinguished guest of her majesty,” the guard replied, looking at him almost curiously.

It made him wonder just a little how much of his experiences in the End Rowan had shared with the other guards. Rae didn’t think it was completely out there not to have assumed, but maybe that was just another difference to adjust to.

When Rae didn’t reply, the guard sighed, stepping forward and pushing one of the doors open, motioning for Rae to go through. He stepped forward hesitantly, though the second he passed through the doors it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The lights were dimmer, warmer, with rows and rows of shelves visible even from the entrance. The door closing behind him only added to the effect, the feeling that he could breathe.

The guard chuckled behind him, “Bit of a bookworm, eh? You’d fit right in around here.”

Rae forced a small laugh, already moving towards one of the shelves near him that had caught his eye. It was so… full. As much as he’d loved the library in the End, there would be entire sections of the shelves missing where books had been removed, pages torn part way through some because they contained things she didn’t want even the people within the castle walls to access.

His fingers traced the spines of one of the books and he pulled it from the shelf, glancing at the guard out of the corner of his eye to make sure he wasn’t going to stop him. When he made no move to, Rae gently leafed it open, his eyes widening. Surprisingly, the page he’d flipped to was written in old Ender, an almost dead language, not helped by her refusal to learn it and active attempts to get rid of it.

He’d learned it from hidden books and old artifacts, his knowledge clumsy at best, but still. Here it was, written out fully in a book on full display. He turned the page, finding it also filled not only with the words but diagrams. He frowned, one of the words drawing some small bit of a memory, but he couldn’t quite grasp it before it slipped away again.

A small cough drew him from his thoughts, reminding him he wasn’t alone as he turned to face the guard, who was smiling at him knowingly, “Shall we continue on our way?”

Rae frowned, looking back towards the book in his hands. They probably should, he wouldn’t want to make Ghosty and Centross worry again.

“Or,” the guard continue, “I could simply pass along a message of your whereabouts, should your companions hope to find you?”

Rae sighed, smiling slightly, “That one, if you don’t mind.”

The guard gave him a small nod, “It would be my pleasure. Though, I would request you inform someone should you decide to leave, simply so I am not deceiving them?”

“Yes, of course, thank you,” Rae said, breathing a laugh. The guard gave him another small nod, then turned and opened the door, disappearing into the hall beyond.

He turned back to his book, then looked back up at the shelves. Tucking the first one under his arm, he reached for another, delighted to find it was also in Ender. He took his books, trying to make note of the shelf before wandering deeper into the library, really wishing he had any of his notebooks on him. He could probably fill a whole new one with the thoughts running through his head.

Part way back, he came across a small desk, an older lady sitting behind it, nose in a book. She looked up as he approached, raising an eyebrow at him but lowering her book all the same. He asked  if there was any chance she had something for him to write with, and with a knowing look in her eyes she set down her book, reaching under her desk and producing a thin, plain covered journal and a strange quill.

Rae quickly thanked her, then made his way deeper into the library where he found a table tucked into the corner. It made his heart ache just a little as he set his things on it, glancing out the window to find an almost mirror image to the view from his and Centross’ table. Though the snow and frozen lake were replaced by fiery trees and still, clear blue water.

He sat, flipping the first book he’d grabbed open to the index. He reached for the journal, flipping it open as well and then reaching for the quill. He paused, realizing he didn’t have any ink. Frowning, he moved to stand to see if he could find the desk again when the tip of the quill hit the page in the journal, and to his surprise, left a mark.

Deciding not to question it too much, Rae sat back down, picking up the quill again and beginning to take notes as he flipped through the book.

At some point he got up, moving back towards the front and back to that first shelf, grabbing another book, and another. The lady from the desk came by at one point, observing his stack silently before disappearing again, reappearing shortly after with another book, which she added to his stack before wandering off again.

It felt like barely an hour later that he caught a glimpse of someone leaning against a shelf nearby, though the look on Ghosty’s face when he finally looked up hinted that maybe he’d been lost in thought a little longer than he thought. That, and the way the sun had begun to dip, still visible about the horizon, but it would be gone within the hour probably.

Ghosty sighed, moving from his position against the shelf and pulling out a chair at the table opposite to Rae. Rae gave him a sheepish grin, setting down the quill.

“I leave you alone for two seconds,” Ghosty said, shaking his head. He was smiling though, that soft, almost smirking smile that had become so familiar. “How did your conversation with Queen Soul go?”

“Good. I think,” Rae replied, frowning slightly. “She knows who I am.”

Ghosty nodded, pressing his lips together, “I’m not surprised, I figured that was a concern when Centross mentioned you wanted to keep it quiet. I assume though, that she’s not going to expose you?”

He shook his head, “Not unless she ‘feels her kingdom or her people are in danger because of it’.”

“Sounds about right,” Ghosty said, a hint of a smile on his face, “So, what was so interesting that you ended up here instead of coming to find us like you said you would?”

Rae rolled his eyes, but turned his, uh, the notebook towards him so he could see the notes he’d taken. “I found a book written in Ender. The language is practically dead in the End and I only barely know it. I was trying to see if I could learn more, I think there’s some connections to potential pre-wave magic, but I could never find enough of it to prove my theory.”

Ghosty looked at the notebook, then looked up at him, a mix of disbelief and what Rae would almost call awe in his eyes. “You’re insane, you know this, right? This is exactly why people want to read your research. You’re incredible, Rae.”

He paused, then pushed his chair back from the table, standing and circling the desk until he stood next to Rae. Ghosty held out his hand, “Come on, I want to show you something.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at him, “I’m kind of in the middle of something?”

Ghosty huffed, “You can come back to it in a minute. We’re not even leaving the library. Now come on!” He grabbed Rae’s hand, pulling him up from his seat. Rae laughed, allowing himself to be dragged past shelves, his fingers itching to reach for books as they passed. As if he could feel Rae’s hesitance, Ghosty tugged him faster, a brilliant spark in his eye when he turned back to look at Rae that left butterflies in his stomach.

They turned another shelf and Ghosty slowed, letting their arms drop but not making any effort to remove his hand from Rae’s. Not that Rae made much of an attempt either. They’d stopped in a small section, cut off on most sides my shelves. There wasn’t even a desk of a chair to fill the space, but there was a large window, sitting a few feet above the ground.

Ghosty glanced at him, grinning. He dropped Rae’s hand, moving towards the window with too much speed. Rae opened his mouth to ask him what he was doing when Ghosty planted his hands on the window ledge, then proceeded to jump and twist his body so that he was sitting on it.

He grinned down at Rae, standing up and stepping back, revealing the ledge was a lot bigger than it seemed. He did a little spin, reaching his arms out, each hand barely brushing against the stone on either side of him as he did. Rae stepped forward, the ledge at about his shoulders. He had no idea how Ghosty had made it look so easy getting up there.

Ghosty crouched down, offering his hand to Rae, “Care to join me?”

Rae looked up at him, then back at the wall beneath the sill, “I don’t think I can get up as elegantly as you did.”

Ghosty laughed, “Here, pass me your cape so it doesn’t get caught, then I’ll help you up.”

He raised an eyebrow at him, but did just that, unlatching the small clip by his throat and messily folding it before passing it up to Ghosty, who tucked it in one of the big pockets of his jacket. Then, he ran his foot along the wall until it caught on a small notch, using one arm to support him against the ledge and gladly taking Ghosty’s when he offered it.

It was definitely far from graceful, but pretty soon he was up, laughing as he tried to catch his breath. Ghosty readjusted, lowering himself to be sitting, his back against the wall opposite Rae. He spread his legs across the space, creating a bit of a barricade between Rae and the ledge, leaving him tucked near the window. Rae stretched his legs out as well, their knees brushing against each other in the middle as they sat, facing each other in the ledge.

Rae looked around, surprised by just how much space was actually up here, “Wow, I didn’t think it was this big up here.”

Ghosty grinned, “Yeah, it’s kind of hard to tell from down there.”

“I also have like, no depth perception right now,” Rae replied, motioning vaguely towards his eye which still felt way too exposed even tucked away like this.

Ghosty titled his head, eyes widening slightly, “Is it like, completely blind? I mean, obviously it’s not… good, but I don’t think I realized how bad it was, vision wise.”

Rae shrugged, “It’s mostly light, like I can tell if it’s day or night if I’m outside,” he turned to the window, nodding towards it, “and if I closed my good eye I could definitely tell there was a window there.”

He meant to turn right back to look at Ghosty after that, but his eye caught on the a bird, flying low enough its wing could have skimmed across the surface of the lake. Its head bowed, then it was off, soaring high up, into the clouds and disappearing.

There were people out on the lake too, a small boat, too far away for him to see anything or anyone on board, but the way it drifted lazily, not in a rush to get across, was interesting. And behind that, the trees, one of his favourite things since leaving the End, still ablaze, each leaf contributing to the illusion of flame, right up until the edges of the capital that lay in a similar and yet so foreign pattern.

He heard Ghosty laugh and turned, finding him watching him, that same silly grin on his face. “What?” Rae asked.

Ghosty just shook his head, still grinning, “Nothing. I forget you’ve been in the End for a while.

Rae scoffed, “If you wanna call 12 years ‘a while’.”

“Either way,” Ghosty replied, nudging Rae with his foot, “I’m actually kind of glad we have a moment to ourselves. I had something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at him, “Should I be worried?”

“Probably not?” Ghosty answered, which, of course, did absolutely nothing to reassure him at all. If anything, he could feel his heart start to climb into his throat the longer Ghosty took to continue his train of thought.

“Do you remember, back when I first got to the castle, and we were down in the study?” he asked.

Rae nodded, frowning. “Yeah, I was panicking because I’d just sort of stood up to Perix and lived, why?”

“What was the first thing you asked me?” Ghosty continued, looking Rae in the eyes.

He looked down, trying to recall that first conversation. It was blurry, not only because of time and panic, but also because his memories were still a bit foggy from the last few months. Reluctantly, he shrugged.

Ghosty smiled, softly, maybe a little sadly, “You asked me what you should call me. I didn’t expect to get a name when I was captured. I expected to just be another prisoner, or worse. I almost was.”

Right. The memory came back as he said it, the way he’d been looking into the cell, trying to not let his panic show, staring into the eyes of a man he’d just risked his position to save.

And then he frowned, his conversation with the Queen coming to mind, the way Athena had seemed to frown for a moment when he’d said Ghosty’s… name?

“You said I ‘could call you Ghosty’.” Rae said, slowly catching on, trying to piece together what Ghosty was implying, “But later, Ocie asked what name you’d given me so she could yell at you.”

Ghosty laughed, throwing his head back so it knocked gently against the brick, “I forgot about that part. You’re catching on though.” He paused, reaching up to play with the streak in his hair, “My name is important to me. Wasn’t always, but then… I mentioned the wither soldiers, right?”

Rae nodded.

“Right, well, They didn’t just leave me with this. I… was actually imprisoned by them for a few years. They never called me by a name other that ‘prisoner’ or just various insults,” Ghosty explained, his eyes focused on his lap. “When I got out, I just, hearing people call me by my name again. It was nice. But I also knew I never wanted my name to be turned against me. I’d lost it once, I didn’t want to lose it again.”

“So you gave me a nickname?” Rae asked quietly.

Ghosty nodded, “It’s an old one, wasn’t always a positive one either. But a friend of mine convinced me I could make it a good thing if I wanted it to be. Now it’s just sort of my go to if I need a name.”

Rae hummed, turning to look out the window again. The sun was just visible over the tops of the trees, and he knew soon it would disappear and leave them in the glow of lanterns within the castle walls. Though the dark here never seemed to be as dark as it had among the frost and snow.

He felt a hand on his and he turned, finding Ghosty looking at him now. “I trust you, Rae, and I’m sorry it took me this long to realize I never told you, even weeks after we were safe enough for me to do so.” He took a breath, a soft smile returning to his lips as he lifted his hand off of Rae’s, holding it out for a handshake.

“Let me reintroduce myself,” he said, “My name is Caspian Solcrest. I am technically a lord, though if anyone but the royals call me so I will deny it. I’m an adventurer, an ambassador, and an author.”

Rae laughed, taking his hand and shaking it, “An author? I don’t think I knew that one.”

Ghost- Caspian grinned, dropping his hand back into his laugh, “Hang around long enough and maybe I’ll let you read one of my books.”

“Oh?” Rae replied, his smile growing wider, “Have I not earned that privilege too? And here I thought you said you trusted me.”

Caspian laughed, “Honestly I think it’s be more of a miracle if I can stop you from reading it,” he paused, looking at Rae curiously, “You haven’t happened to of heard of a book called ‘Lady of the World’, right?”

Rae’s eyes went wide, and he burst out laughing. “Oh my gods I have! There’s a copy in the End castle library, and one got dumped in with a bunch of artifacts that were being delivered once. I gave that copy to Jamie though since they said it reminded them of their mom, I don’t know if they still have it or not.”

Caspian buried his head in his hands, laughter escaping out. He looked up, shaking his head in disbelief, “I swear that book seems to haunt me. Ironically though, it is about Jamie’s mom. I guess you’ll at least get to meet the inspiration when we get to Crete.”

“I can’t wait,” Rae replied, “She sounds lovely.”

“She is,” Caspian agreed. He sat for a moment, silently, looking past Rae out the window as the sun sunk lower and lower over the horizon. He sat up suddenly, looking at Rae with wide eyes, “I just remembered I told Centross I was going to go find you and come right back, shit, we should probably go.”

He twisted, pushing himself off of the ledge and turning to help Rae down after he carefully shuffled towards the edge. They wove their way back through the shelves, finding Rae’s little table almost clear except the notebook he’d been using and a piece of paper. Rae frowned at the lack of books, but hurried to grab the items anyways, tucking them under one arm and taking Gho- Caspian’s hand with the other as they wove the rest of the way out of the library and off into the halls.

He found his mind still stuck in that windowsill though, even as they got farther and farther away, and he knew there was more to be said in that conversation, at a later date.

Chapter Text

Rae sat on a couch in the rooms he and the other two had been staying in, flipping through the notes he’d managed to take yesterday before Gh- Caspian had come to find him. From what he could tell it was some sort of story about a child who met a god and gained wings, which definitely explained the many drawings he’d seen among the pages.

It was shockingly different to the few things in Ender he’d been able to find before, but in a nice way. It was the remnants of the culture behind the language aside from just the science and the politics. It did also mean that there were quite a few words he was guessing at based on context, because he had no English version of the story to compare it to.

There was a knock at the door and he looked up, frowning. Centross had been summoned by Rowan for something that morning, and Caspian by Queen Soul, so Rae hadn’t really been expecting to see or hear from anyone until he got back.

Whoever it was knocked again and he stood, setting his book on the table upside down to keep his page. He reached the door, easing it open hesitantly. Athena stood on the other side, and they grinned when they saw him. “Hiii, are you busy?”

He raised an eyebrow but shook his head, “No, did you need something your highness?”

They scowled, “Oh please don’t call me that. Just ‘Athena’ is fine. It took me like a month to get Caspian to stop and I don’t feel like doing that again.”

Rae let out a small laugh, “Ok then, did you need something Athena?”

They grinned, a hint of a mischievous spark in her eye, “Wellll, I was hoping, if you weren’t busy, we could go to the library? Caspian mentioned finding you there and I wanna know more about the research you did with Sir Morningstar if you don’t mind?”

He hesitated, but the longer he did the more he felt the curiosity in the back of his mind, the part of him who wanted to know more about the world he’d stumbled into as much as they wanted to know about the one he’d come from. “Alright. Let me just grab my notes from yesterday.”

“Oo what were you taking notes on?” Athena asked, stepping just past the doorway as Rae made his way back towards the table. 

He picked up his book, tucking it close to his chest and turning back towards them. “I found a few books in Ender I wanted to try translating. I know a bit of the language but there wasn’t much of it available.”

Athena’s eyes widened, “Oh that’s so cool! I knew we had some but I didn’t realize they weren’t common in the End anymore. Ms. Everlily, the librarian, brought a bunch of them with her when she came to work here.”

Rae hummed, trying to make note of the name to see if he could connect it to the woman who had helped him yesterday. They’d made it into the hall, and Athena was just sort of walking, which he was grateful for them to do because he honestly had no idea where he was going. It was such a stark contrast to the many walls of the End castle that he’d memorized after years of pacing them, and a little nerve wracking too.

They arrived in front of familiar doors, the time between having been filled with more questions about the book Rae had been translating. They stepped inside the library, and Rae moved to the shelf he’d stopped at last time, though he stopped short upon seeing the spot the book was supposed to fill was empty. He hadn’t been the one to put it away, but he’d assumed the woman had just taken it to put it back when she’d cleared the table he’d been working at.

Athena paused next to him, following his gaze towards the slight gap on the shelf, then back towards him, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Rae replied, lowering his arm, “The book I was translating isn’t here though. It looked like it hadn’t been touched in a while, so I didn’t think anyone would have moved it.”

They hummed, then grabbed at his arm gently, dragging him through the shelves. The touch was almost shocking except for the kind nature to it, so he was able to stay in his head as he followed them, and soon they stood in front of the same little desk he’d stumbled across yesterday. The same woman was sat there, and she looked up, grinning when she noticed Athena.

“Ah, young prince, was there something I could help you with?” Her voice was soft, like it was tired from use, and melodic in a way that was comforting instead of unnerving. She also had a hint of an accent, each word coming out just off enough that he thought maybe she wasn’t a native speaker.

Athena shook their head, their hand having dropped from his wrist, “Not today. My friend was looking for a book though, he said it wasn’t where he found it on the shelf yesterday.”

She looked up, her eyes widening slightly as she noticed him, “Ah yes, I remember you. You were looking at the Ender books, were you not?” Rae nodded nervously. “Hmm, odd, really. No one but me has touched those in ages. But yes, I know the book. I believe I took it off your table yesterday. I wasn’t sure if you’d return, but I have it here if you’d like it.”

She reached below the desk, pulling out the thick leather bound book he’d been reading through yesterday, offering it to him. He took it hesitantly, hugging it to his chest alongside his notebook that he’d gotten from her as well. “I do wonder, if you don’t mind,” she continued, “Do you understand it? Or is it simply nice to look at for you?”

“I understand some of it,” Rae replied, “Not… all of it, yet. But I’m working on it.”

It looked almost like she wanted to say more to that, but she glanced at Athena, offering them another small smile before ducking her head again, dismissing them silently.

Athena reached for his arm again, leading him through the shelves to a different table than the one he’d found the other day. They sat, and almost immediately they were watching him, almost waiting for permission to ask the questions he knew they were eager to ask.

He sighed, setting his books on the table, “Go ahead.”

They grinned, “Ok so, I know I already asked what Sir Morningstar was like, but what was his lab like? Was it big? Did it have a lot of stuff? I hear he has the biggest collection of artifacts on the continent!”

Rae laughed, “It wasn’t that fancy. It was basically a long rectangular cellar that got turned into a study. There were a lot of artifacts though, in rows and rows of shelves that filled about two thirds of the room. In the last third, farthest from the stairs was the desk, and the cell we’d use for some more risky experiments. Then there was a little hall off to the side with four bedrooms.”

“Sounds cold,” Athena commented, making him laugh again.

“It wasn’t actually too bad,” Rae replied, “After all, lots of magic meant that heat spells were common, so it was actually quite nice down there.” He avoiding trying to refer to ‘Sir Morningstar’ as a separate person. He’d done it already, but it still felt strange. Hopefully they just wouldn’t notice.

They seemed delighted at the description, and he couldn’t help but smile at the look of wonder that filled their face. Here they were, the prince of the Nether, a kingdom so vibrant and full of life, yet the idea of his lab in the middle of an ice kingdom was amazing to them.

Athena looked at him, biting at their lip, “Can I be honest with you?”

He froze, unsure how to answer. He wasn’t being honest with them, so what right did he really have to say they could be honest with him? Still, he found himself nodding.

They sighed, “I… may have put some pieces together. It’s not bad! I don’t think, but I wanted to tell you.”

For a second he swore he could feel his heart stop, and he was sure anyone looking on could have seen the colour drain from his face, not that there was much to begin with beside the purple mass over his eye. “I don’t think I’m following.”

“One of the first things you mentioned was that you did research in the End. I assumed that meant you’d worked with Sir Morningstar, but I was going back over some of his papers that I have, and I found one with an initial. Signed Sir R. Morningstar.” They explained, watching him as they spoke, “You didn’t work with him, did you?”

He thought about denying it, but Queen Soul already knew. He nodded, watching as Athena seemed to relax. “You’re not mad I didn’t tell you, are you? Your mother knew without me even telling her, and I apologize for lying, just, from what you were saying, it sounds like people assume better of me that the truth.”

“I’m not mad,” Athena confirmed, “Actually, I’ve been sort of freaking out since I realized because you’re sort of my hero and I didn’t even know it when we spoke. I won’t bug you too much if you don’t want to talk about it, but I am so curious about your theories on non natural magic.”

Rae laughed, relief washing over him. For a second it was Jamie sitting across from him, that same eager expression on their face as he taught them what he knew. “Well, you can start by explaining what non natural magic is again. I know you said it has to do with what type of magic people were hit with, but surely people know how to cast spells outside of their domains, don’t they?”

Athena shook their head eagerly, “No! For the most part, it’s a real struggle to do anything outside of your skill set without an artifact. I know carving them has become a thing, to help with more custom spells, but in so many of your papers you allude to being able to cast all types of magic without an artifact at all! No other scholars that I know of have been able to replicate it.”

He raised an eyebrow, looking around to make sure they weren’t too close to anything overly flammable, then quickly pictured the Nether fire symbol in his head, a small flame appearing on his finger tips, dancing around in a controlled movement that he kept up and away from the wooden table. “Like this?” he asked, smiling at the look of awe that filled their face.

“Yes exactly like that,” they laughed, “How is that possible? You said you were from the Overworld, that shouldn’t- even if you had a rune, I’ve only seen people marked with Nether fire magic be able to do that.” They lifted their hand, a similar flame appearing against their skin, though theirs held an almost blue tint to it.

Rae focused on his flame for a second, making it disappear in one last wisp of smoke coming off of it. “I don’t even know if I could explain it, not without my notes at least. I didn’t realize that wasn’t common.”

They dismissed their flame as well, “can you do other things? Like, is it just the sort of basics or can you do complex spells too?”

He opened his mouth to reply when they heard rapid footsteps approaching them. There was a pause of faint voices before the steps resumed, and moments later a guard Rae didn’t recognize rounded the corner, his eyes landing on Rae with relief, “Pardon me, I was told to find you immediately.”

Athena frowned, “Is everything alright?”

The guard turned to them, his eyes widening as he bowed, “Your highness! Apologies. Sir Mistvale has been injured and refuses to speak to anyone other than Rae.”

“Centross is hurt?” Rae said, standing abruptly from his seat, “Take me to him.”

“I’m coming with you,” Athena said, standing as well, “Carter, what happened?”

The guard, Carter apparently, was already moving, though he spoke as they moved, “All I know is Sir Mistvale joined us for training this morning. He and Fellowes were sparing and things got heated. I don’t think he’s gravely injured but he’s refusing to let the medics look him over.”

Rae cursed under his breath, catching Athena’s eye as they looked over at him. “He hates medics. It’s his story to tell, but I swear if he doesn’t die before we get there I’m going to murder him myself.”

The joke fell flat as the three rushed through the corridors, until eventually they reached a large set of doors that opened onto a courtyard. Guards stood around in various amounts of armour, talking in small groups that fell silent as they stepped past the doors. He saw a few point towards him, no doubt talking about his eye. One stepped away from their group, approaching them worriedly.

“This him?” They asked, aiming the question at Carter. He nodded, and the second guard turned to look at him specifically, clearly trying not to stare, “Come on, he’s this way.”

Rae nodded, following them to another door on the other side of the courtyard, ducking inside behind him. It was simple, the halls mostly bare except for some half empty racks and a few low wooden benches that lined the walls. They rounded a corner to a small crowd of people, the first of which to notice them was Caspian.

He sighed in relief, stepping away from the group and coming towards them. “Good, they found you.”

Rae frowned, “Is everything ok? What happened?”

“I’m honestly not sure,” Caspian replied with a shrug, “They came and got me too but he won’t talk to anyone. I mean, I assume this is like when I had to help you relocate his shoulder, but you’d know better than me.”

Rae hummed, turning back towards the crowd. He could just see Centross through them, holding his side and looking annoyed as he tried to shove away the people attempting to get near him. He sighed, gently pushing his way between the two closest to him until he and Centross were face to face, or, as face to face as they could be when Centross was sitting.

“You’re an absolute dumbass, you know that?” Rae said, shaking his head at his friend.

Centross relaxed at his voice, looking up at him with a relieved grin, though it quickly turned slightly fearful when he caught sight of Rae’s face. “If I say I’m sorry will you get these people to stop trying to poke me? I told them I’m fine.”

Rae looked at the faces of the people around him, none of which looked like they were actually going to take orders from him. He looked towards Athena, who just nodded before clearing their throat, “You all heard the man. You are all dismissed, though Finn stay nearby, we may still need you.”

One of them nodded, giving Athena a small bow as the rest cleared out, looking very disgruntled.

Centross sighed, wincing slightly at the action. Rae quickly moved to kneel beside him, already helping to pull off the armour he must have borrowed and rolling up his shirt to expose a thin but bleeding slice across his side. He heard a hiss behind him, reminding him that they had company and this wasn’t just him patching up Centross in his study again.

“Bad news, you’re gonna live,” he said, earning a chuckle from his friend. He rolled Centross’ shirt down again, using the fabric to stop the bleeding and turning back towards Caspian and Athena for a moment. “Caspian can you grab some bandages? And maybe a rag and some water?”

Caspian nodded, turning and leaving the room the same way the crowd had gone. Rae looked up at Centross, who looked back at him almost defiantly. “You know, the medics would have been able to do this less painfully.”

Centross scoffed, “Like hell I’m letting them anywhere near me. I’ll deal with it.”

“You know I don’t have any healing potions this time, right?” Rae asked, holding back at the laugh at the hint of regret that flashed over his face.

Rae turned briefly as the door opened again, just catching the edge of Athena’s curious expression as Caspian entered with the things he’d asked for. He took the bandages, setting them on the bench next to him and then taking the rag, Caspian setting the bucket of water on the ground nearby. He sighed, rolling up Centross’ shirt again and dabbing at the wound with the rag.

As expected, it wasn’t bleeding very fast, and didn’t look very deep, so he was a little rougher than he maybe needed to be as he cleaned it. He didn’t need Centross to get some sort of infection just because he was stubborn, though if it wasn’t dangerous he’d consider it just to maybe get him to ease up on his resolve.

The water in the bucket was quickly tinted red and he poked Centross until he held his own shirt up, keeping the stained fabric away as Rae used his now free hand to reach for the bandages. He set the rag in the bucket, making quick work of wrapping the taught material over the wound. Satisfied, he stood up, rolling the slightly damp parts of his sleeves up off his hands.

“Now that that’s done,” Rae said, trying to dismiss the way his hands were starting to shake, “Do you want to tell me what the hell happened?”

“Do I have to?” Centross asked meekly.

Rae crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m not going to let it go until you do.”

Centross scowled, “Fine. But later? Please?”

The way his eyes flicked past Rae to the others in the room wasn’t subtle, though maybe to anyone else it would have been. He held his gaze for another long moment before relenting with a sigh, “Fine. But don’t think you’re getting out of this.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Centross replied.

Athena coughed lightly behind them, drawing their attention, “Sorry to ruin, whatever this is, but I have a feeling my mother is going to want to speak to you all about this, and I can practically feel one of the guards waiting to knock on that door.”

Rae looked back at Centross, talking wordlessly for a second. Centross frowned, but nodded, moving to stand and nearly falling over. Rae moved to support him, then turned back to Athena, “We probably shouldn’t keep her waiting then. Lead the way.”

Chapter Text

Despite the fact that for once, he wasn’t walking alone, walking behind Athena knowing they were going to see Queen Soul through unfamiliar halls was still… something. He found himself continually glancing at Centross, who had gone from almost fully leaning on Rae to mostly walking by himself, though he still looked like he wanted to be anywhere else at that moment.

Even though he’d only been there once, Rae started to realize that they were in a different part of the castle than they had been the first time they’d gone to speak to Queen Soul just yesterday. He frowned, though a quick glance towards the front of their group showed Athena talking with the guard who had in fact been waiting outside the door, and neither of them seemed concerned at the different route, so maybe he shouldn’t be either?

They took another turn down a hall, though this time he could just make out voices coming from one of the rooms ahead. He tensed, faltering in his steps for just a moment before he recovered. He could feel Centross turn to look at him, though he kept his gaze straight ahead. It was different. It wasn’t her.

Right?

As they got closer it was easier to make out the voice, though as it slowly dawned on him who it was, it only served to confuse him more. The guard that had been walking with them stepped away from the group, knocking on the door. The yelling on the other side stopped as footsteps approached the door, and it swung open to reveal Rowan on the other side, still clearly dressed for training rather than his usual uniform.

His eyes almost immediately found Rae and Centross at the back of the group, and he sighed, pulling the door open further and beckoning them inside. The room they stepped into reminded him of the larger meeting halls in the End, which was only emphasized when he spotted Queen Soul sitting at the head of the table.

There was a third person in the room though, sitting in one of the seats along the table, also half dressed in armour and staring at the table. As they all stepped into the room, Athena made their way to the head of the table, smiling warmly at their mom before sitting to her right. Caspian took a seat at the opposite table to the one the man was at, nodding respectfully to Queen Soul before he did.

Rae moved to join him, but Rowan caught his arm, talking in an almost whisper, “You don’t need to be here for this if you don’t want to. Neither does Centross. I could have someone take you back to your rooms, or the garden.”

“I don’t even know what happened,” Rae replied, “All I know is my friend got hurt and I want to know why. If this is going to explain it, then I want to be here. And I highly doubt you could convince Centross to leave right now.” He looked over to where Centross had joined Caspian, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed firmly across his chest and staring over at the man. He looked pissed.

Rowan frowned, like he wanted to argue, but he just sighed, letting go of Rae’s arm and motioning for him to go ahead. Rae walked around the edge of the table, claiming the seat next to Centross. Rowan stayed where he was at the open end of the ‘U’, looking towards the Queen, who nodded, before turning back to the man, who had still not looked up since they entered the room.

“Is Captain Nexus joining us as well, Your Majesty?” Rowan asked, not looking away from the knight.

“She is otherwise occupied but will be informed of the events later on,” Soul replied.

Rowan bowed his head, “Then I will continue where I was.” His gaze hardened and he moved closer to the table where the man was sat, “Sir Nensie, as I was asking before we were interrupted, I would like to know what it the world gave you the idea that any of what you said was alright, by a moral code or by the code that you swore when you joined the ranks?”

The man didn’t lift his head, but Rae just barely saw his mouth moved, a muffled, mumbled sound coming out that definitely didn’t cross the room. Rowan raised an eyebrow at him, crossing his arms firmly over his chest, “Louder. Your Queen deserves to hear how her knights are acting.”

This time a near sneer appeared on the mans face and he looked up for the first time since they’d entered the room, “Because why the hell is a man we’ve been warned about allowed to waltz in here and pretend like he isn’t a monster? Why the hell is someone from the End, let out alone the fucking violet reaper, allowed to be anywhere but in a cell?”

“That’s enough!” Soul yelled, interrupting Rowan who had looked like he was about to blow. As it was, the Queen looked pissed, and more than a little disgusted. Rae for his part just felt sick. Queen Soul stood, hands pressed firmly on the table in front of her as she glared at the knight, who had gone back to cowering, “Sir Mistvale is here as one of my personal guests, and even if he wasn’t, it is not your place to take such a measure into your owns hands when you were well aware your superiors were aware of his identity.”

Rowan nodded, “If you had concerns, your first step should not be sneering insults while two people are engaged in a fight. Your words, no matter their intention, caused him to be injured when he lost focus. Your first, and only step in this situation, should have been to come to me afterwards to discuss. Or to say something yesterday when I mentioned I would be inviting him to join us today.”

“We are aware of Sir Mistvale’s record,” Soul continued, reclaiming her seat in a much calmer, though still obviously pissed, manner, “But, we have the word of not only Sir Fellowes, who may I remind you once held the same position that Sir Mistvale did and is guilty of some of the same crimes, but also Lord Solcrest, an esteemed visitor and ambassador from the Overworld, who has spent the last almost three months getting to know Sir Mistvale personally. I trust both of their words on the topic fully. You should not have needed to be given this information in order to trust in not only my judgment as your Queen but also the judgment of Sir Fellowes, who, as he mentioned, you could have discussed this with in a more private setting. There was no need for anyone to be hurt in any way for this to be resolved.”

Rowan started talking again, about some sort of punishment for the knight’s actions, but Rae wasn’t really paying attention at that point. Sometime during the, well it was less of a discussion and more of a lecture where he wasn’t the target for once, Centross had reached over and grabbed his hand. It was probably the only reason he was still even aware of what room he was in, honestly.

But his mind was racing. He’d known Centross had a reputation the same way he did. He knew of his actions, hell he’d comforted him on many late nights when they came back to him as nightmares. He knew he was credited with more violence than what was true.

He knew that Centross’ recent refusal to do certain things had been part of why he’d insisted it was time for them to go. The Queen’s requests had only been getting worse and worse, especially as whispers or betrayal spread through even the quietest parts of the castle. He just hadn’t expected the comment about anyone from the End deserving to be in a cell.

Surely people knew many within the kingdom were innocent? Even among the guards, many of which were only there to protect their families. Do people really think most of them choose to side with the Queen? Maybe to an outsider yes, but what did that mean for them going forward, what did that mean for when they arrived in the Overworld, in Crete, a place that had known conflict with the End since-

Since he was born.

Centross squeezed his hand, drawing him back to the room. He hadn’t even noticed but at some point the knight had left, along with Rowan. Queen Soul was still at the head table alongside Athena, and Caspian who also seemed to have moved without him noticing. Centross was watching him expectantly, a half pained expression painted across his face.

“Can we head back to our rooms? I think I should lie down,” he mumbled. Rae nodded, reminded suddenly of his injury. Their hands fell apart and they stood, Rae gesturing briefly to Caspian when he glanced over towards them and receiving a small but worried looking nod in return.

They made it to the door with minimal effort, though just as they were about to step into the hall Rae realized he really had no idea where they were or how to get back to their rooms. He was about to say as much to Centross when Athena suddenly appeared beside them, obviously having left the conversation between their mom and Caspian.

“Need a hand?” they asked, smiling at them softly.

Rae nodded, trying to return the smile with his own grateful one. They nodded back, heading through the door and holding it open behind them, before setting off through the halls with a practised ease that felt painfully nostalgic for how much he hated the castle it was associated with.

In barely a few minutes they were once again outside the door to the rooms he felt like he’d barely spent any time in in the short few days they’d been here. He thanked Athena, who gave him another grin and a nod, asking that they let them know if they needed anything before setting off again to do who knows what. Their role in the castle was certainly different than what his had been.

Once they were settled back inside on the couches, Rae sighed, letting out a breath that had been held tense in his chest since the guard had first come into the library saying Centross was hurt. His gaze landed on the table, where it stayed, pressure overwhelming him in every part of his body, as if it was going to explode if he moved even an inch.

He tried to just breath, to focus on one thing and not drift too far into his own head, but it felt like all the air had disappeared from his lungs and each breath, each desperate grasp to hold on to his slipping reality only drove him further away, until the very table in front of him barely registered in his mind.

Something shifted, a weight laying itself somewhere on his body, drawing him slowly to the surface. A line in the dark. He focused on the weight, and soon his ears stopped buzzing, the table reappeared in front of him, and his breaths felt less like a matter of life or death.

And of course it was Centross’ hand, laid gently on his leg. He was talking, rather by the time Rae felt conscious enough to move he found Centross just watching him, his lips pressed together and eyebrows knit. He spoke silently, wordlessly, but coming from the vast expanse within his head the question thundered.

He took a deep breath, reaching up to swipe at phantom tears that had found their way down his cheeks. “Are we doing the right thing?” he asked, wincing at how weak his voice sounded.

Centross frowned, “What do you mean?”

“I mean this,” Rae said, gesturing vaguely around the room, “What are we even doing? I was so focused on leaving I didn’t think of what it would mean once we left. People know us Centross, and no matter what they’ve heard, they’re going to have assumptions. And I can’t- I don’t want people to judge me by what I did in the End, or what you did, but they will. That guard did! And you got hurt because of it!”

“He was one out of like a hundred in that room, that doesn’t matter.” Centross replied, shifting on the couch to face Rae a bit more.

Rae scoffed, “Yeah, one out of a hundred who was actually willing to say it? How many of them were thinking it but just didn’t say it because Rowan was there? And what about when we do reach the Overworld? A kingdom that’s actively been at war with the End for years? I know you’ve fought against Overworld soldiers, I can’t imagine many of them are going to greet us with open arms.”

“They will for you,” Centross said, “Even if they know you as “Sir Morningstar, or the lost prince, or hell, even as her heir. Anyone who meets you knows they’ve met someone special, hell, have you seen the way Rowan or Queen Soul have looked at you since you got here? Have you seen how Caspian looks at you?”

He could feel the heat creeping up his cheeks, though his frown stayed firm, “But that doesn’t matter if they don’t look at you the same way. What does it matter how they see me if they see you badly?”

“It does matter, Rae, because you’re the one who will stay!” Centross exclaimed, standing up and almost immediately wincing. He sighed, “Look, when we get to the Overworld, you’ll find your place. You’ll be with your family. And once that happens, if I need to leave, I can. I will. It won’t matter how they see me if I’m not there.”

Rae shook his head, standing as well so they were as close to eye to eye as they could when Centross stood a few inches above him. “No, no! If you leave I’m coming with you. I’m not going through all this trouble just to lose you at the end of it.”

“But what about your family? The thing you’ve wanted since I met you?”

“You’re my family, dumbass,” Rae replied, his voice cracking mid sentence, “Finding them, reconnecting with them, it means nothing if you aren’t there too. And yeah, it’s probably gonna suck at first, because we both have our reputations, and I wouldn’t exactly blame them for not trusting us at first, but if it sucks it’s going to suck for both of us, not just you, and if we need to leave, then both of us leave.”

Centross’ eyes were glossy, his voice shaking with every word, “And what about Caspian? I see the way you look at him, the way he looks at you. Rae, you deserve that, if it even is a possibility. You deserve the family who can actually take care of you, to keep doing your research with Jamie, to fall in love, even if he’s kind of an idiot who can not read a map for the life of him. You could have that in the Overworld.”

“But it wouldn’t mean anything if you weren’t there. You deserve that too Centross, to, have a family, even if it’s just me, to find love because I know you’re stubbornly anti social but I also know you want to trust people.” Rae said, desperately trying to get his friend, his damn near brother, to understand. “We can have that, and it doesn’t have to be in the Overworld. And yes, I’d love to see Jamie again, or maybe see if things could play out with Caspian, but it won’t feel worth it without you.”

Centross shook his head, lifting his hands helplessly to his chest, “I have blood on my hands, Rae. That’s not going to go away. My past is always going to haunt me.”

“Only if you let it,” Rae insisted, reaching forward and taking his hands, feeling the way their shakiness melted into his own, “Rowan did it, why not you? You told me, however long ago, that you wanted to be known for you and not your last name. This is your chance. Take it.”

Centross pulled his hands back, running a hand over his face as he turned away. He wandered a few steps away, pausing just by one of the large windows still half covered by the curtains. Rae watched him silently, begging that the next words out his mouth wouldn’t be like the last.

He turned back, hesitance and doubt dripping from every inch of his expression, though there was also a sense of resigning. He held up a single finger, “One month. One month in Crete, and either things look up or I leave.”

Rae sighed, but nodded, “As long as you know I’m coming with you if you do, then ok.”

“Rae…” he started, but he dropped it almost immediately, and Rae knew his determination on the subject had been made clear. “I should know by now I can’t stop you, shouldn’t I?”

“I’m a little surprised you tried,” Rae replied, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Centross let out a small laugh. “Damn you, my life was so simple before I met you. Worse, but simpler.”

Rae moved forward, moving to stand next to him and looking out the window, the late afternoon sun casting a soft glow over the lake. “I don’t know if my life has ever been simple. I doubt it ever will be.”

“Yeah well simple is boring,” Centross said, grinning slightly as he knocked his shoulder against Rae’s. He paused, the two of them simply staring out past the glass for a moment, “I’m glad I have you Rae. ‘Family’ doesn’t exactly have the best definition in my head, but you’re important to me.”

Rae laughed, crossing his arms over his chest and bumping their shoulders again. Such a simple motion, but one that made sense for them, “Love you too, dumbass.”

Chapter Text

The second he woke up he knew something was wrong. Maybe it was the way his eye stung for the first time in a few days, or the fact that the space on the bed next to him was empty despite knowing Centross had fallen asleep there last night while they’d been talking. Or maybe it was even as simple as the way the breeze seemed extra sharp as it curled its way through the cracked window and through the room.

Whatever it was, Rae got out of the bed uneasily. He made his way to the shared living room only to find it empty too. The door across from him was cracked, meaning Caspian was likely already off somewhere in the castle as well. He frowned, looking around for any sign of where they’d gone, but finding nothing. Which was another strange thing to add to the list.

He decided to step into the hall, tugging his cloak further around his shoulders as an uncharacteristic chill ran through him. He hadn’t been cold at all since arriving in Embers. The door opened easily enough, though he froze still in his steps before even one foot was out the door. 

Purple. Purple everywhere. The walls, the curtains, the floors, even the lights had that damn purple tinge to them that seemed to linger in those cold halls. He backed up, shaking his head, desperate for it to please, please be fake, please be a nightmare, something, anything.

But it didn’t. Actually it seemed to be following him, slowly creeping around the edges of the door frame until it burst, the walls splintering, cracks forming in dark shades, slowly creeping towards him until-

Rae gasped, shooting up in bed. He looked around the room, looking for any sign of the purple that had been there seconds ago and finding none. Something shifted beside him and he turned, finding Centross still asleep next to him, his back to him as he slept on, blissfully unaware.

He threw off the blanket, pushing off the bed in a rush to get out, into the main room and to the door that led out into the hall, though he hesitated, his hand just inches from the knob. Taking a deep breath, he reached for it slowly, pulling it open to reveal a perfectly normal hallway, long deep red curtains fluttering gently by the windows as a warm breeze wound its way inside, bright sun filling the space in the early morning sky.

He sighed, stepping back into the room and pulling the door shut behind him. Maybe he’d just go back to bed, try and get a few hours of restful sleep after that, well it didn’t really feel like a nightmare, but it must have been one. The door opposite of his creaked open, Caspian stepping out looking half asleep where he stood.

“Hey,” he greeted, only further proving to Rae that he was barely awake when he yawned, “You’re up early. Nightmare?”

“Something like that,” Rae replied, half mumbling as he frowned back at the door out into the hall, “Did I wake you up?”

Caspian shook his head, paused, then nodded, “Yes, but I don’t mind. I’d rather be woken up than you be alone. Wanna talk about it?”

“Not… right now,” Rae answered, eyeing the door warily for a moment, “I should probably go see the medic though. They wanted to check on my eye again so we can talk about continuing on to the Overworld.”

“I can go with you if you want, I know the way,” Caspian offered.

Rae couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him, “Do you?”

Caspian rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff, “Yes, I do. Mostly because I’ve had to go there a lot before, but still. Just because I’m the lost one doesn’t mean I don’t know where I’m going all the time!”

“If you’re sure, then I’d appreciate the company,” Rae replied, grinning slightly. Caspian gave him another look before heading for the door, pulling it open and stepping out into the hall. Rae followed him, though just for a second the hall flashed purple and he stuttered in his steps, pushing on when it disappeared and the walls went back to their true colour.

His breaths only felt lighter as they walked, no longer getting caught in his throat as Caspian commented about something he’d seen and Rae couldn’t help but laugh. By the time they reached the med bay he’d almost forgotten the nightmare, though stepping inside left him with a different chill down his spine.

It wasn’t the same room he’d woken up in, he’d found out later that those were extra rooms used for recovery. Stepping into this room though was jarring, both because of the wall of clean that seemed to hit his nose as they stepped inside, but also the overwhelming white of it all. The End castle had a med bay, though he’d never really been in it. Maybe he should be glad this med bay didn’t look like the small grey room he could barely remember in bouts of consciousness.

One of the medics looked up as they entered, smiling warmly at Caspian before her eyes seemed to widen when she noticed Rae behind him. They quickly seemed to recover, smiling at him as she walked over, “Apologies, I heard about you when you first arrived but I was out that day. I assume you came to see if you’re fit to travel with your eye in its current state?”

Rae nodded, glancing at Caspian nervously. He reached over, taking Rae's hand and squeezing it gently. Rae turned back to the medic, “Yes, if you have the time. I think we’d like to continue on soon and I don’t really want a repeat of the situation that brought us here.”

The medic seemed to eye their hands for a moment but nodded, “I can certainly do that for you,” She glanced at Caspian, “I don’t think my room is big enough for both of you, but you’re welcome to sit out here if you’d like, my Lord?”

Caspian scowled at the title, but nodded regardless, “That’s fine. And please, no titles. It’s a formality and not one I really even care for.”

She nodded, giving him a odd look before motioning for Rae to follow her into a little room just off of the main one. Inside sat a small desk, practically covered in pages in a way that reminded him all too much of his own before they’d fled. There was a single chair other than the one behind the desk, which he quickly claimed as the medic flitted around the room, grabbing a few things from a cupboard and setting them on the desk.

“Alright, first of all, my name is Naomi,” the medic said, turning to him with a smile, “I’m one of the higher level medics here, though you probably would have had Casper helping when you first got here. He knows more about eyes than I do, but he’s out today or I’d grab him.”

Rae hummed, trying to think about if he could remember the other medic at all and finding nothing. It was probably a good thing, he had sort of passed out from the pain. “I’m Rae,” he said after a moment, hesitating after because he still wasn’t quite used to not using his last name, “Thank you again for doing this.”

Naomi nodded, “Of course. From what I here you did our job the other day, so even if I wasn’t going to already I feel like I’d owe it to you. I’m just going to test your non injured eye real quick and then we’ll see how it compares, alright?”

He nodded, following her instructions as she led him through a few tests with his good eye. She made him cover the bad one, though it really didn’t make much of a difference. After a few minutes they switched to the other eye, and everything basically disappeared. She repeated the tests, though this time the only one he could really do was one using a small light she’d grabbed.

She told him to uncover his good eye and he did, finding her frowning at a piece of paper as the room came back into focus. “I’ll start with the bad news,” she said, “I’ve never seen an injury quite like yours.”

He probably would have been more surprised if she had but he just nodded, “And the good news, assuming there is any?”

Naomi laughed, “There is. The good news is I’ve read about a case that was similar to yours. From what I can tell, the main cause of issue was the laceration across your eye. It cut into the cornea, and while whatever magic infected the wound kept it clean from any sort of other infection, it did seem to cause permanent damage to your ability to see because it wasn’t treated in time. Had you seen a medic sooner, you may have been able to loose less of your vision, but I don’t think it’s going to get any worse.”

“Is that all?” Rae asked, trying to wrap his head around the words. 

She frowned, scribbling something on the paper quickly, “The bruise is interesting. We don’t have a lot of records about magical injuries. They’re a rather new subject, as you can image. You don’t have to answer, but would you be able to tell me anything about the magic the person may have used when this happened?”

Rae couldn’t help the wince that came with the question, the briefest image of Perix, her knife in hand and magic swirling around her flashing across his vision before disappearing again. “She- she has a special talent for making you think you’re feeling things you aren’t. Pain is a favourite. It falls under something similar to Queen Enderian’s domain.”

Naomi nodded, noting down what he said, though he caught the way she frowned, her nose crinkling and a sense of knowing flashed over her face. He didn’t want to say Perix’s name, he didn’t need someone else knowing that bit, but the more curious part of himself wanted to at least leave her the trail so that maybe they could find something from this that would help someone in the future is she ever got her hands on someone the way she had him.

“Am I going to be alright to travel?” He asked, moving back to the initial reason he’d stopped by.

She hummed, a questioning noise for a second before she seemed to realize what he’d asked, “Oh, yes, yes you should be fine. I’d recommend maybe covering the eye if you’re in intense sunlight, though.”

He nodded, trying to make a note to see if he could find something better than what he’s used on the way there before they left again. Rae stood, thanking Naomi again for her time before leaving the small office. Caspian stood as he entered, and Rae just gave him a small smile, motioning for them to step out of the med bay. It wasn’t out of worry, he was just getting a small headache from the lights.

They began the walk back towards their rooms, and Rae told him everything Naomi had said. They were maybe a few turns away when a guard seemed to turn the corner rather quickly in front of them and Rae barely managed to step out of the way to avoid running into him. The guard stopped dead in his tracks, opening his mouth to likely apologize when his eyes went wide.

“Ah, Sirs, perfect. The Queen has requested your presence at once, it is a matter of emergency.” He said quickly, half stumbling over the words.

Beside him, Caspian frowned, recovering quicker than Rae did from almost being knocked over, “Where is she?”

“The throne room,” the guard replied.

Caspian turned towards Rae and they shared a look, both turning to follow the guard as he turned and started back the way he’d come at just as fast of a pace. The halls quickly blurred together as they moved, and by the time they reached the throne room Rae could hear his heart beat in his ears, a million and one situations mixed with adrenaline pumping through his head.

The room was tense as they entered, Queen Soul pacing the centre of the room surrounded by a few men dressed very formally that Rae didn’t know. Someone in fancy enough armour with a long red braid trailing down their back stood by the throne, speaking to Soul in a way that made Rae assume this was Captain nexus, who he’d only heard of before. A few more guards lined the room, though he didn’t see Rowan.

Centross was there though, standing by Captain Nexus. He looked up as Rae and Caspian stepped into the room, his eyes locking with Rae’s, and he was across the room in a second. By the time he’d made his way over half the eyes in the room were on them, including the Queen. Her eyes were mixed with what Rae could only call pity and concern.

“What happened?” Rae asked, wincing at the way his voice stood out in the suddenly quiet room, “We were told there was an emergency?”

Soul stepped towards him, her lips pressed together and hands held firmly at her chest. Her dress that day was a simple red top with sleeves that came just past her elbow and a silk skirt in a fiery orange colour that looked like flames as she moved. Rae was glad for the stark contrast in her appearance, because it helped him push back the images of the Queen that threatened to fill his head.

“An End messenger arrived today,” Soul started simply, and already Rae could feel his chest tightening, “Queen Enderian was attacked.”

He heard the sharp hiss of breath to his right where Centross stood, his own breath catching in his throat, waiting for Queen Soul to continue.

“Lady Perix has assembled a group of supporters, and at the ball, she made a move. It seems as though she intended to take out both the Queen and, well, the newly named heir to the throne,” she continued. She eyed Rae, and he knew she was trying to give him even the smallest bit of a heads up of what she was going to say next. She had made her conditions for keeping his secret very clear, after all.

She sighed, recognizing the acknowledgement in his eyes, “Lady Perix was apprehended but has managed to escape. I have been informed Duke Sylvester has stepped in as temporary head of state seeing as the Queen is temporarily out of commission and the only heir is missing. I have been asked to provide aid in the search for the End heir. I don’t suppose either of you have anything to share about his disappearance?”

She looked between him and Centross as she asked, Centross’ hand tightening on his arm as she did. Rae took a breath, trying to slow the rising panic in his chest. Soul knew the answer. He knew if Soul wanted, she could reveal him, send him back with an armed escort. Force him to reclaim the very position he’d spent the past weeks running from. But she gave him the choice to lie, and the glint of her eye was softer than his mothers had ever been.

“No, Your Majesty,” he managed to choke out, “Perhaps someone knew of the attack and managed to get him to safety before he was even in danger.”

Soul’s shoulders sank at his words, her smile light and kind as she looked at him before turning back to her advisors. “We must prepare for the option that Duke Sylvester will not adhere to the tentative agreements we have in place with Queen Enderian. Captain Nexus, I want you to arrange new patrols by the border, we do not need Lady Perix entering our lands with us unaware.”

She continued on, going back and forth between various figures in the room, each of which she addressed with a certain calm but straight forward command, many leaving the room with a small bow to go start on whatever she had asked of them.

Beside him, he felt both Centross and Caspian press closer to him, and only then did he realize just how fast his heart was beating. He knew both of them were probably itching to talk about it, but honestly, that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Soul finally turned to him, the room practically empty except for them, Captain Nexus, and one advisor still scribbling away at his notes and barely paying them any attention. “Rae,” Soul began, and for some reason the sound of his name was bitter in his ears, “As the heir to the End, whether you want the title or not, I fear lady Perix will come after you in an attempt to finish what she tried to start. I wish I could offer you the protection that you need, but my kingdom is still grieving their king, they can not lose I or Athena so soon. I will send you with supplies though, and I will have a guard accompany you on your journey to the Overworld.”

He nodded stiffly, “Thank you, your majesty, but I would not want to be more of a burden on your kingdom than I have been already.”

She frowned, an almost hidden movement that stayed in place for barely a second before turning into a look he recognized all too well as pity. “You have not been, I assure you. It has been an honour to host such an accomplished scholar and man within our walls. And it is not just for you. I will be sending Athena to the Overworld alongside you. They are much more fortified than we are, and I fear it is not wise to have both them and I in the same place until the tension in the north settles at least a little.”

Centross shifted beside him, “If I may, your majesty, I would be willing to work alongside your guard to help prepare should the End, or Lady Perix, give you any trouble. I have had the unfortunate pleasure of dealing with many of her associates for some time, though I was not aware she was their leader.”

Soul gave him a small smile, “I appreciate the offer Centross, but I believe you have a much greater duty to your friend. We will be alright here, I just hope that you all will be as well.”

Centross frowned at that but nodded anyway, and Rae didn’t miss the way he glanced at him as he did.

Rae looked back to Soul, taking a deep breath, “Your Majesty, would there be any way for me to send a letter to someone in the End? Duke Cormic was… a friend, during our escape, and I’d like to let him know I am alive. I’m sure he would be willing to work with you to protect his section of the border.”

A weight seemed to lift from the Queen’s shoulders and she nodded, “Of course. I am glad to hear you had more allies within those borders. If you write something up, I will draft my own address to the Duke to put with it. I’ve been hoping for such an alliance for a while but I imagine your involvement will help with that.” She paused, her eyes flicking up towards his, “I was meaning to ask, have you had a chance to visit the medics since your arrival? I’d still prefer they look over your injury before such a long journey.”

Caspian shifted next to him, “We were just coming from there, they gave him the all clear. Had the guard not come to find us, I would have requested a meeting this afternoon to discuss travel plans anyway so perhaps this was some unfortunately good timing.”

“Indeed,” Soul replied, “Well, if that is in order, Rae, I have one more thing I wish to speak to you about, but Centross, Lord Solcrest, I appreciate your urgency in getting here for this discussion. I hope you will both use the rest of today to rest and prepare for your upcoming journey.”

Centross gave her a bow, Caspian copying the movement a moment later. Both of them gave Rae a small nod on their way out, Centross pausing to squeeze his arm gently before leaving the room. Captain Nexus had approached Soul as they left, saying something Rae didn’t catch, getting a response from Soul before making their own leave from the room as well, leaving him and Soul alone.

Soul turned back to him with a small sigh, “I don’t wish to assume your relationship with Enderian, though I can’t imagine it is easy to hear she has been hurt, especially when you were an intended target as well.”

“It… no, it was not,” Rae replied, almost forcing himself to meet her eye instead of keeping habit.

She studied him for a moment, “As much faith as I have in the Overworld, and in King Fable’s defences, I know what it is to have family you feel unsafe or unsure around. Once this blows over, and I hope it does, I would like to offer you a position here as a scholar. I understand that you may have other plans, and I certainly wouldn’t blame you if you simply wished to disappear from the public eye, but should you want it, there is a place for you here. I know for certain Athena wouldn’t mind having you around.”

“Thank you, your majesty, I will keep it in mind,” Rae said, letting a small smile onto his face. He quickly said goodbye, with a promise to have a letter for Duke Cormic written before they left tomorrow, and promptly left the throne room to go find a corner to panic in for a while before either Caspian or Centross found him. Maybe he’d see if he could find the gardens again.

Chapter Text

The library had quickly become a familiar sight despite their short time in the Nether capital. The rows and rows of books felt less looming and more welcoming, much like the ones he’d grown to known in the End, though the lack of chill here was only one of the reasons it felt more welcoming. He found himself at the same table, tucked away from view, staring down at a page that was half started with what was supposed to be his letter to the Duke.

He knew what he needed to say, and he knew what he wanted to say, but he just… couldn’t. It was as if the words were caught in his wrist and couldn’t finish the journey down his fingers and past the pen. Rae sighed, sitting back with a small frown as he stared at the page, then at the table around him. Half crumpled pages lay around him, other failed attempts to convey too much and so little in a single page.

The package he’d gotten from the Duke also sat on the table, remembered that morning as they were packing their things. He didn’t know why he had it with him, but he hadn’t been able to leave the room without it.

Of course, he still hadn’t opened it. It didn’t feel like the right time, though really he wondered if it ever would. The Duke had made it seem so important, something that would need his full attention, and it was hardly like he had that to give it at the moment.

A laugh made him look up, spotting the librarian where she stood by one of the shelves, her arms crossed over her chest and a faint smile on her face. “For someone who has written many words, you seem to be struggling with these ones,” she said, that same warm accent cutting into her words.

Rae looked at her, then looked back down at the page in front of him and the half constructed sentences with a sigh, “I just… don’t know what to say.”

The librarian hummed, moving towards the table and gesturing to a seat opposite his and raising her eyebrow at him. He frowned, but motioned for her to sit, which she did, adjusting the folds of her skirt as they fell over the wood. “Who is it you are writing to?” she asked.

“Duke Cormic,” Rae found himself saying readily, “He helped us on our way, and I want to tell him I’m ok. Or, safe at least. And Queen Soul could use the assurance that the border is secure, so I want to put in a good word, but I don’t want it to seem like I’m using him, like, like…”

“Like you were?” she supplied, and Rae sighed. He met her eyes, as best as he could with only one of his own, and was surprised to find them to be a lovely violet colour that faintly reminded him of Centross. 

She seemed to be studying him in reverse, coming to some sort of conclusion with a small hum, “You are a strange one. At once, of the End, yes, though also of the Overworld.”

Rae frowned, opening his mouth to ask her how she knew when she held up a hand.

“Your eye dear. That blue is not only of the Overworld, but its Queen is almost famous for it. Though I can see the absence of light caused by another. You must truly be something to have survived so long under her reign, even if you share her blood.”

Her gaze drifted, falling on the package, “From the Duke?” Rae nodded. “I am from his kingdom, you know. To me he is still king, and when he passes his son will be king in my eyes. Did he say what it was?”

Rae nodded slowly, trying to imagine the woman in front of him living above the frozen border. “He called it an elytra. Didn’t say much else, and I haven’t opened it yet, but it seemed important.”

A spark seemed to reach her eye, the faintest hints of a smirk pulling at her lips, “Indeed it is. I imagine you will find use for it in good time. Now, those books you were looking at,” She said, pushing herself up from the table. “You mentioned before that you are able to read some of the writing. I must admit, I am surprised. Even before she took over the language was dying, and she did very little to help prevent that.”

“There were a few books in the library,” Rae said, thinking back to them, “I mentioned them to our librarian and he let me keep them when he found out I wanted to learn. I’m still missing a lot of it though.”

She hummed, nodding slowly to herself and reaching behind the shelf she’d appeared around, “Then it is a good thing you will have plenty of time to learn.” She pulled out a bundle, wrapped in brown paper with a simple cord tied around it. “It sounds like your librarian and I had a similar train of thought. As much as I had wished when I was younger that I could carry on these stories for my people, I fear it is no longer a possibility for me. But you, a bright young scholar, why, I feel like our stories will be safe in your hands.”

Rae’s eyes widened as he shakily took the package from her, almost immediately recognizing the feel of the edge of books as he did. Between that and her words he knew instantly what she’d given him. “I can’t- are you sure? I’m sure someone else would be better for it. I don’t even know where I’ll be in a month.”

“I am sure,” she said, ducking her head with a soft smile, “They are memories of a fading people, one who your mother only helped to attempt to make disappear. How, ironic, should her heir see them continue on?”

He looked down at the package again, fingers tracing the rough edges of the book spines through the paper. He looked back up, watching her and trying to understand how she could look at him with such confidence when he barely felt it for himself. “Thank you,” he managed finally, pulling the books closer to his chest, “I won’t let you down.”

She hummed, “I know you will not. Would you like a hand with your letter now? I assume you are to depart shortly.”

Rae winced but nodded, setting the books next to the other package and shifting the page over as she moved around to stand over his shoulder. She made a few suggestions, never spelling it out for him, but rather nudging him into the right wording in a way that made it feel like he did more than he had. It sounded like him though, and as he picked up the final page, he just hoped it was the right thing to say.

Folding the letter neatly, Rae pushed back from his chair, letter held to his chest as he faced her with a small frown. She stood almost a foot below her, and yet he felt like the smaller of the two of them under her knowing gaze. She raised an eyebrow at him, hands held behind her back, “Did you need something else, dear?”

He shook his head slowly, then paused, the motion changing to a small nod. “Can I hug you?” he asked quietly.

She smiled at his request, nodding silently and unfolding her arms to wrap around him as he reached around her. He almost laughed at the faint scent of chorus fruit that seemed to fill the air, though he thought maybe that was a good thing. Once more good memory to overpower the bad. Rae stepped back, trying to subtly wipe away a stray tear.

The door to the library creaked in the distance, Caspian’s voice faintly calling for him from somewhere past the stacks. Rae reached for the rest of his things, bundling them in his arms tightly. He opened his mouth to say something else, but no words came to mind, nothing able to fully communicate the many thoughts spilling through his head in waves at that moment.

The librarian hummed, seeming to laugh softly at his attempt, “Go. You have much ahead of you. I wish you safe travels.”

Rae nodded, words still failing him. Caspian came around the corner, waving to Rae and giving a small but respectful nod to the librarian before turning back to Rae, “Are you ready to go? Centross is itching to get going before it gets too late.”

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Rae replied, sharing one last smile with the librarian before stepping past her, refusing to pass over anything other than the letter to Caspian before the two of them wound their way out of the library. He winced slightly at the shift in light as they stepped into the hall, the late morning sun gleaming through the halls in a way it hadn’t been when he’d entered a few hours earlier.

The halls had become more and more familiar to him in the last few days, especially the ones they walked now from the library. It was aching, in that slow familiar way it had as they’d prepared to leave the  End, to know he’d be leaving to somewhere unknown and new. Unlike the End though, it was the loss of one of the few places he could remember feeling safe, rather than one of the few places he remembered at all.

Caspian took a turn he wasn’t familiar with, leading them in a new direction that soon let out into a small courtyard. Many people walked along the paths, cutting across the open space only to reenter the palace across from where they’d come. They did the same, cutting through until they reached a door that opened to what Rae could only assume was the stable, based on the noises and smells that filtered out.

They stepped inside, the door falling shut behind them as Caspian wound his way through the stalls until they turned a final corner and Centross came into view, talking with a guard with a long yellow braid falling down their back. He spotted them as he approached, saying something to his companion, who turned to face them as well.

“There you are. Caspian, Rae, this is Galahad. He will be joining us as part of prince Athena’s guard, and will be remaining in Crete with them once we arrive.” Centross introduced. Galahad seemed to watch them for a moment, then nodded towards them respectfully. Rae returned the action, catching Caspian do the same out of the corner of his eye.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Caspian said, “You work closely with Captain Nexus, do you not? I believe I have heard your name around.”

Galahad nodded, looking somewhat surprised, “I do. I am part of a smaller section of knights who often get sent on higher risk missions, though when the Captain voiced her concern about the prince’s upcoming journey I volunteered to ensure his safety.”

Caspian hummed, “That is quite honourable of you. I look forward to travelling with you.”

“And I, you, my Lord,” Galahad returned, just as Athena appeared around the corner behind him, dressed in what Rae would describe as riding clothes, though much fancier ones than he had ever had the pleasure to have, given he was never allowed to ride for long.

“Careful Galahad, Caspian isn’t a fan of his title. He hates it almost as much as he hates me calling him old,” Athena teased, smirking at Caspian as he rolled his eyes.

“I am not old,” he muttered, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Keeping telling yourself that,” Athena shrugged.

Centross shook his head, failing to hide a small grin at the pair and turning back to Galahad, “Are your men almost ready? I would like to head out within the hour so we can make some distance before sunset.”

Galahad nodded, “They are. Shall we meet you by the gate within the hour?”

“Works for me,” Centross agreed. Galahad gave him another nod, turning back to Rae and Caspian and giving them a small bow before motioning for Athena to follow them. They did, waving to the three of them before disappearing back around the corner.

Centross turned back to them with a sigh, “I sort of spoke for you, but I assume you two are ready? Rae, did you finish your letter to the Duke?”

“I did,” Rae confirmed. He paused, looking into the nearby stalls then back at Centross, biting at his lip nervously, “I don’t suppose it’s too much to assume that our horses made it here as well?”

Centross grinned, motioning for them to follow him further down the row, until a few familiar muzzles came into sight. Rae beamed, reaching out for Blackberri, who very insistently shoved his nose against Rae’s hand. He laughed, pressing his head briefly against the horses with a relieved sigh. He would have understood, but it was nice to know he’d be on his own horse again.

“From what the staff told me, they’ve been spoiling them rotten,” Centross said, standing in front of his own horse’s stall.

“Good,” Rae said, laughing lightly as Blackberri shoved into his shoulder as he turned, “They deserve it after the long ride it took for us to get here.”

Caspian hummed, turning from where he’d been greeting his own horses, “Luckily, this one will be a bit slower. It should take about the same amount of time, but it’s a shorter distance and we’ll be on actual roads a lot of the time.”

Centross nodded, “That’s basically what Galahad was saying. I forget you’ve done this journey before.”

“Many, many times,” Caspian laughed, “If you didn’t know me you could assume I’d be able to do it blindfolded.”

“Good thing we know you then,” Rae replied, grinning even as Caspian reached over to shove his shoulder playfully. He paused, biting at his lip and turning back towards Centross, “Do you know where the saddles are? We probably don’t want to keep the others waiting.”

Centross frowned but nodded, moving towards the end of the line of stalls, his eyes going wide in triumph as he disappeared briefly around the corner. “Right here,” he said, passing one to Rae and ducking out of view again as Rae adjusted the weigh on his arm and opened the door to Blackberri’s stall enough to slip inside.

It took them a while to get everything fully together, briefly taking a moment to find a spot to open the pocket space so Rae could deposit his packages, but soon enough they were leading their horses out of the stable, following in the direction Galahad and Athena had gone. The high sun hit their eyes as they stepped outside, revealing a bustling courtyard split in two by a path that led up to what Rae assumed was the main entrance.

The group was easy to spot, partially by the spot of pink that was Athena’s hair where they sat atop a small section of wall. They seemed to spot them around the same time, grinning widely and jumping down from the wall. Galahad turned from where he’d been talking to the other two guards, nodding to the group as they approached.

Centross returned to motion, shifting slightly as he looked over the new additions. “Is there anything else that needs to be done or shall we be on our way?”

Galahad glanced at the other guards and Athena, then nodded, “We shall. If you would, join me at the head so we can discuss our route? I’d ask Lord Solcrest as I know he has done this before, but, well…”

Rae couldn’t help the snort that escaped, it only worsening when he caught a glimpse at the appalled look on Caspian’s face beside him. The corner of Galahad’s mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly before he refocused on Centross, the two of them quickly falling into conversation.

Shaking his head, Rae moved around his horse and climbed on. Caspian grumbled something next to him that he didn’t quite catch as he got atop his own horse, the others in their party doing the same. Rae turned back towards towards the castle for a moment, realizing that this was really the first time he was seeing the front of it. He didn’t remember arriving, but he knew he was going to remember leaving.

A shadow shifted in one of the upper windows, and for barely a second he could have convinced himself it was a person, a figure in a long dress with something upon their head, and then the light shifted and Centross was calling his name and he was forced to look away.

Caspian aligned their horses as the group began their way out of the gate, riding in silence for a while until they had well passed the edges of the capital city, the castle a shrinking spot on the horizon behind them. It wasn’t until Athena urged their horse forward to hold pace on his other side that he sort of broke from his thoughts, turning to them with a small smile.

They grinned back, giving a small nod to Caspian, who slowed his horse to fall behind them in response. Rae watched him move, then turned back to Athena, careful to keep an eye ahead of him still. “Is everything alright?” he asked.

“Everything’s fine,” they replied, “I was just hoping for a chance to talk to you.” They reached into a small bag attached to their horses saddle, pulling out a folded piece of paper and offering it to him, “Rowan was sorry that he couldn’t stop by to say goodbye, he asked me to give you this. Don’t worry, I didn’t read it.”

Rae took it gingerly, staring at it for probably a little too long before looking back up at them, “Thank you. I did wonder, but I figured he had more important duties.”

Athena hummed, glancing ahead to where Galahad and Centross rode, “He really wanted to, but Captain Nexus wanted him there for a meeting with the rest of the Nexi. His knowledge of the End will be very helpful with the uncertainty right now.”

He looked down at the letter again, sighing as he slipped it into the little pouch he’d thought to attach to his own horse. His thoughts began to drift again, in that familiar way they did, that familiar way they seemed to when he was alone, even surrounded by people.

Athena sighed, drawing his attention again, “I’m sorry if this is rude, but, do you… miss it?”

Rae frowned, “Miss what?”

“The End?” Athena offered, running their thumb along the leather straps in their hands, “Not, like, the Queen, or anything, but just… being somewhere you know? Knowing where everything is?”

He paused, trying to consider the question. Did he? Did he miss the way he could trace every step of his study, the way he could find his way anywhere, in a million different ways? Did he miss the way he knew the halls so well he could avoid people if he knew where they were likely to be? The way his shoulders always tensed at the sounds of footsteps, no matter how unlike either of theirs it sounded like?

“To be honest, I don’t think I’ve had time to yet,” Rae admitted softly, staring down at his lap with a frown. “I don’t- not all of it. The routine, maybe, my study. The rest? Probably not.”

Athena nodded slowly, their gaze drifting to the road ahead of them.

Rae shifted, “Is there a reason you ask?”

They frowned, but nodded again a moment later, “I’ve been to the Overworld before, for a week or two or even a month, but it was always with my parents, or at least one of them. And it was always definite. I knew when we were leaving and I knew what we were doing each day until we did. But ever since…” they brushed a tear from their eye, “I haven’t been back since it’s just been me and mom, and now I don’t know how long I’ll be there. I’m just… worried, I guess.”

“It’s terrifying,” Rae agreed, almost breathlessly, “Half of what kept me from leaving for so long was, well, the fact that I’d be leaving. I didn’t have ties anywhere else.”

Athena hummed, “What was the other half?”

Rae reached up, brushing a stray piece of hair out of his eye with a small laugh, “My assistant. I needed to make sure I wasn’t leaving them behind to be punished for my actions.” He paused, taking a moment to look over at the prince next to him, “I think the two of you would get along, actually. They may not always understand what I’m talking about, but they’ve helped me a lot. I think you two are around the same age, even.”

“Where are they now?” Athena asked.

“The Overworld, I assume,” Rae answered, “It was safer for them to not go with Centross, Caspian, and I, but we said we’d meet in Crete.”

Athena nodding, turning to face Rae with a grin, “I look forward to meeting them then. Hopefully our trip doesn’t take too long.

“I sure hope not,” Rae laughed, “I was just glad to get a few days rest after our trip from the End.”

“I bet,” Athena replied, falling silent again with a content smile on their face. Ahead of them, Rae could just barely hear pieces of conversation, filtering among the sound of hooves against the road. “Oh, and Rae?” Athena said, “Thank you. I’m glad I’m not alone.”

“Of course,” Rae said, smiling softly at them. A moment later they pulled forward to speak to Galahad, Caspian quickly moving up to replace the space behind Rae. He didn’t say anything, and Rae didn’t know how much of the conversation he may have heard, but it didn’t really matter. Athena was right, he was really glad he wasn’t alone.

Chapter Text

Rae sighed, leaning back against the tree, the rough bark digging into his back as he stared up through the trees at the stars. They’d been on the road for a good few days now, but he found that it wasn’t the road that made him unable to sleep. It seemed the closer and closer they got to Crete, to… the memories waiting there, the more his nights were plagued by nightmares, half finished memories filled with pain and tears.

Each night he went to bed along with the others, but an hour or so later he’d wake up, and after the first time he’d given up on going back to bed. It was fine though, often he just found himself a good patch of moonlight, pulling out one of the books the librarian had given him, and continued to try and translate them. His recent project was a fairy tale about a boy and a white hare that was interesting enough to capture his attention until the others awoke.

Another sigh escaped him. He reached for the book, flipping it open to his marked page and adjusting the spare piece of paper he’d been using to write the translation before starting. The words came easier now, the sentences predictable and simple. This wasn’t any sort of grand research, it was a story. An odd one at that, but still, it was nice.

He got another few lines down, some words uncertain but roughly there, when he heard motion within the camp behind him. Likely, it was someone shifting in their sleep and they’d quiet again shortly, so he ignored it, trying to piece together the next line. The movement only continued, until it changed into the sound of footsteps coming up behind him and he reluctantly dragged his focus away from his work to see who was approaching.

Caspian came up beside him, still looking half asleep as he looked down at Rae questioningly. “Hey, wasn’t expecting to see you up,” he said, rubbing at his eye.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Rae replied simply, hoping he was to tired to hear the lie.

Caspian frowned but didn’t say anything to it, instead lowering himself to the ground and joining Rae against the tree. “What are you working on, then?” he asked.

Rae glanced back at his book, then back at Caspian and the silent sense of knowing waiting there. He shifted, running a finger against the edge of the pages, “I’m translating a fairy tale. It’s easier than some of the other books because its a lot of more common words. And there’s pictures.” He flipped the page from the one he’d been working on, showing Caspian the worn art of a forest scene.

“So what’s it about?” Caspian asked, leaning over to look at the page curiously. He was pressed so close to Rae that Rae could feel the heat radiating off of him, even through his cloak, which he’d elected to throw on as they got away from the Nether’s heat that he’d grown so accustomed to.

Sighing with the smallest laugh, Rae adjusted the book so that it was more between them, keeping his translations closer to him. “It’s about a boy whose village is very weak. They’re almost out of food so he goes into the forest to find food when he meets a hare who talks to him.”

“The hare talks??” Caspian asked, giving Rae an incredulous look.

“Yes, yes it does,” Rae laughed, “The hare tells him to close his eyes and imagine himself with the sight and smell of a fox. When he opens them, the hare is gone, but he does. He finds food and brings it back to his village, where he’s celebrated. Then, his village gets attacked, and in the panic he runs into the forest again, finding the hare again and asking for help.”

Caspian frowned, “Why the hell is he running into the forest in the middle of an attack?”

Rae shrugged, “No clue. Either way, the hare has him close his eyes again and imagine himself with the strength of a bear. I haven’t finished that page yet, but I assume he goes back and fights off the attackers.”

“Is that the end of the story then?” Caspian asked.

He raised an eyebrow at him, “You’re a writer, you should know that’s too simple. Well, to be honest, I haven’t gotten to the ending yet, but there looks to be about four more pages before the next story and I assume something else is going to happen.”

“That is probably a good sign,” Caspian agreed, nodding solemnly. He broke, laughing lightly into the night and nudging Rae’s shoulder with his own, “Wanna tell me why you’re actually up now? As interesting as that story sounds, I doubt you’re up just to translate it, and no more of that ‘I just couldn’t sleep’ bullshit. You forget I’ve lived around you for a few months now, I know your worried face. And this,” he said, poking Rae playfully on the cheek, “is your worried face.”

Rae scowled, batting Caspian’s hand away and trying to hide the smile that threatened to overtake his lips. “You’re just as bad as Centross. I’m fine.”

Caspian gave him a look that he could sense more than he could see, “Someone’s gotta look out for you, and he’s currently asleep, so it’s up to me. So spill, or I’m waking him up.”

“You wouldn’t,” Rae returned. Caspian raised an eyebrow, moving to push himself off the ground. Rae reached for him, tugging him back down with an exasperated sigh, “Ok fine, you’ve made your point. I… had a nightmare. I’ve been having them, the last few nights.”

“What about?” Caspian asked, resettling in his spot next to Rae.

Rae huffed, “I think it would be easier to say what they weren’t about. A lot of it has been about whats to come though, and the message about Perix and, the uh, situation in the End didn’t help much either.”

“Well I don’t think I’d be very helpful with any of the End stuff, but maybe I can help with the ‘to come’ stuff?” Caspian offered, “I have spent a lot of time around Crete, so if there’s anything you want to know that could help, I could probably answer it.”

He eyed him, caution flooding his veins. He tried to force himself to breathe, it was just Caspian, he knew Caspian, it would be fine. “Just, promise you won’t judge me?” Rae asked shakily.

Caspian lifted his hand to his chest, drawing an x over his left side, “Cross my heart.”

Rae sighed, letting the air settle in his lungs before trying to speak, “I have no idea what I’m doing. When Centross and I talked about leaving, it always seemed slightly impossible, like a fantasy more than anything, and even then, if we did, the idea of finding my family, of seeing them again, well that was never more than a dream, like, at all. But now? We actually did it, we left, though in me leaving the End is unstable because its Queen is badly hurt and the only heir is missing, which if you had told me three months ago I would actually be named her heir I would not believe you, hell I still don’t, but not only is that sort of my fault because I left but now I’m about to stand in front of the King of a kingdom that’s been at war with the End since I was little, and I don’t know whether to lie about my identity or beg for shelter, or even what to say! I’m worried for Centross, I’m worried about losing Jamie now that they have their family, and I’m worried I’m going to end up alone again, this time in a foreign kingdom where I don’t even have my own space to be alone.”

He blinked back tears as he finished his rant, leaning back and squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn’t do it, not again. He’d already spent 12 years practically alone or worse, he couldn’t do it again.

“I won’t let you be alone,” Caspian whispered from next to him. Rae frowned, tilting his head back down and turning to look at him, surprised by the raw determination he saw shining in his eyes despite the dark.

“You can’t promise that,” Rae replied almost bitterly, “What if you’re forced to? She did that, eventually people gave up trying.”

Caspian frowned, twisting his body so that he was practically facing Rae. Gently, he reached out, prying the book from Rae’s tight grip and setting it on the ground behind him, replacing his own hands into Rae’s. “You worry that Centross will leave, not by choice but because of what he’s done, and that’s fair. I don’t think it will, but lets pretend for a second it does. You’re worried Jamie won’t have time for you because they found their family, now tell me for a second that you honestly believe they don’t equally see you as family? You’ve practically raised them the last 4 years, and I’ve spent enough time with them to know they adore you and would never.

Rae was about to protest but Caspian gave him a look. “Again, lets pretend for a second they do, what about Athena? Athena, who I’ve heard obsess over wanting to meet their hero not just because of his research but because he wanted to meet the man behind it. Who is a literal prince and would have a hard time not being able to see you, much less the fact that Queen Soul also adores you and would absolutely find some way to bring you back to the Nether if you were being mistreated, alongside Rowan who I swear I was never as afraid of as I was when he came to talk to me about taking care of you.”

“He did what??” Rae asked.

“Not important.”

“But-”

“Later, “Caspian promised, “Anyway, and then what about Ocie and Will, another Queen and a prince who would both defend you, especially Ocie because you protected her nephew, oh and Momboo, who I know you haven’t met but cares deeply about both Jamie and me, so would absolutely be in your corner for that taking care of us both. Do I need to go on?”

Rae sighed, ducking his head for a moment before looking back up to meet Caspian’s eyes. “You didn’t mention yourself in all that.”

He raised an eyebrow at him, “Did I need to? I thought that was a given.”

Rae let out a small laugh, taking a moment to just take in the absolute look of honesty Caspian wore. The filtered moonlight through the trees hit his face just enough to catch his eyes, the colour echoing in his head as blood rushed to his cheeks. For a second he swore Caspian glanced down away from his eyes, not at his hands, though they were still holding his, but then his eyes met Rae’s again. He breathe caught in his throat and he swore he could feel Caspian lean in, just a little, and he found himself doing the same.

“There you two are,” Galahad said, rounding the corner into view. Rae jumped back, dropping Caspian’s hands as Caspian did the same. Galahad watched them for a second, eyebrow raised, but shook his head, “You two weren’t asleep at camp and we thought you’d gotten lost or something.”

Caspian shared a look with Rae, lingering and warm, before pushing himself up and facing Galahad, “Sorry, I woke up and saw Rae through the trees so I came over. We must have shifted out of view without realizing.”

Galahad huffed, but nodded, moving to turn back towards camp. “I won’t disturb you then. But get some rest. We will be reaching Crete tomorrow.”

“Will do,” Caspian replied, both of them watching for a moment as Galahad disappeared back through the trees before bursting out into quiet laughter. Caspian shook his head, turning to Rae with a bright smile, “He’s probably right. Think you’ll be able to sleep or will the nightmares come back?”

Rae shrugged, then, remembering it was still the middle of the night, replied verbally as well, “Maybe? They come and go, though they seem to be worse right now.”

Caspian frowned, “That’s… concerning. But you sleep better when someone else is there right? So if I stick near you, maybe they’ll stay away?”

“How would you know that?” Rae asked, trying to remember if he’d had nightmares bad enough to wake him since Caspian had arrived, then remembered, blushing slightly. “Never mind. Sounds good. It’s late, we should, uh, sleep.”

Caspian laughed, lifting an arm to wrap around Rae’s shoulder and almost forcing him to lay his head against his shoulder. He didn’t complain though, it was nice. Even if he could feel the heat continuing to creep up his cheeks as his eyes slowly drifted shut.

He was awoken what felt like minutes later by the sound of hushed voices, blinking blearily at the morning sun that poked through the trees. Centross stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest as he spoke slightly to Rae’s right. He frowned, only just realizing he was leaning on someone, though the question of who was quickly answered as Caspian responded to something Centross had said.

“…ahad found us sometime last night. Figured he’d let you know, and clearly he did,” Caspian said.

Centross sighed, his eyes flicking briefly to Rae’s, a small grin appearing when he noticed the other was awake. “And what were you two up to before he came over?”

Rae decided that was the time to make himself known, lifting his head from Caspian’s shoulder, stretching as he did. He could hear the others now, probably clearing up their camp and getting ready to head out.

“About time sleepy pants,” Centross commented, grinning down at him, “We’re about ready to head out, thought I was going to have to shake you awake since Caspian was refusing to.”

Out of the corner of his eye he could have sworn he saw Caspian’s cheeks redden. Caspian shifted, clearing his throat and pulling away from Rae as he stood, “I’m going to go see if they need any help packing up.”

Rae mourned the loss of warmth as he left, though he made no move to stand until Centross took the few steps towards him and offered him a hand. He readjusted his cape as he stood, the material having twisted around to his side more than his back during the night. At least he hadn’t woken up again.

“So,” Centross said, catching his attention, “Is this going to become a trend?”

Rae raised an eyebrow at him, “Is what going to become a trend?”

“Me finding you fast asleep on Cas’ shoulder? You seemed pretty comfortable there,” Centross teased.

Blushing, Rae reached over and shoved Centross’ arm, turning away from him in an effort to leave that conversation immediately. Centross laughed behind him, following as he moved back towards the others and their camp.

It was mostly cleaned up already, all the bed rolls already attached to their respective horses, their campfire well put out, the stones shifted from their temporary circle. He spotted Athena leaning against a tree and moved to join them, not finding much for him to be able to do.

They grinned as he approached, “Hii. I didn’t see you when I woke up, is everything alright?”

Rae nodded, “Yeah, I just woke up last night and moved away to not disturb anyone while I got some work done. Ended up falling asleep there.”

Athena raised an eyebrow at him, “Really? Wouldn’t it have been hard to see?”

“It was. I didn’t really have anything else to do though,” Rae replied.

“You could have slept?” Athena offered.

He opened his mouth to respond, but didn’t really have a good answer, so he shut it again, ignoring the amusement in their eyes. Luckily for him, he was saved by Centross waving for them to go join the others, and soon enough everyone was on their horses and ready to go.

Before they left, Galahad told them it would be about 3 hours to the city, and another hour past that to the castle, and suddenly it was as if the very seconds were weighing on his skin. Four hours, 240 minutes, 14 400 seconds, and his life would change, in whatever way it was going to, for better or for worse. Caspian’s words from the night before came to mind, calming him ever so slightly.

He looked ahead to where Centross and Galahad led the charge, talking and laughing like they were old friends. He tried to imagine a scenario where everything worked out, where Centross got to actually let people close, where neither of them had to watch their backs at every second. Where maybe, just maybe, he could be who he was without worrying that at any moment she was going to reduce him back to nothing.

Four hours, good or bad, until they reached Crete. Four hours, and he’d see his family again. Four hours, and maybe, if things went well, he could finally consider a future for himself.

Athena rode beside him and caught his eye, offering a small smile. “Not alone, right?”

Rae nodded, trying to set his gaze forward at the road ahead of them. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He still had time. There was no point worrying just yet, it would be fine. They would be fine. He looked back to Athena, giving them a small smile in return, “Not alone.”

Chapter Text

Rae stared up in awe as they drew closer to the capital, and more importantly, the castle, its shining towers reflecting the midday light in every direction, a kaleidoscope of colours filling the air. It took him a moment to realize the others were slowing, and he quickly tugged at his own reigns to join them. He led his horse next to Caspian, glancing at where Centross and Galahad were talking ahead of them.

“What’s going on?” he asked, frowning slightly.

Caspian raised an eyebrow at him, “You don’t…? We’re splitting up soon, I assume they’re just making sure Centross knows which way we’re going since apparently I can’t be trusted.” He rolled his eyes at the last part, though he didn’t seem too bothered by it.

Rae’s frown deepened, “We’re splitting up? Where are they going?”

“The castle?” Caspian replied, “You know the three of us are stopping somewhere else first, right?”

“No, because apparently Centross doesn’t tell me things,” Rae responded, wondering why his friend had chosen now of all times to keep things from him.

Caspian frowned, “Well, we wanted to make sure we had a chance to rest before we head to the castle, so we’re stopping at my friend’s estate. You remember me mentioning Momboo?”

Rae eye’s widened, “Jamie’s mom, right? And Ocie’s sister?”

“The very same,” Caspian confirmed, “Unless I’m wrong, I’d assume Jamie is there. Figured you’d want to see them, and I wanted to speak to Ocie and Momboo before I have to report to the king.”

Rae hummed, turning to look towards Centross and Galahad again. They’d pulled out a map, Galahad pointing out spots along it while Centross nodded along. The other Nether guards were off their horses, seemingly taking the moment to stretch their legs. Athena caught his eye, steering their horse over towards him and Caspian.

“I guess this is where we say goodbye for now?” They said, seemingly calm, through Rae could hear the slight tremble in their voice, so subtle he knew he would have missed it had he not tried to hide it in his own voice more often than not.

He smiled softy, “For now. We’ll see each other soon enough. I haven’t gotten to tell you about much of my work yet.”

They laughed, “Good, I have so many questions still.”

Centross and Galahad rode over to them, the other guards back on their horses behind them. Galahad nodded to him and Caspian, bowing slightly to Athena, “I believe everyone is set, shall we be off my prince?”

Athena bit their lip, leaning across the small gap between their horses to awkwardly hug Rae, then moving to do the same with Caspian and Centross before turning back to Galahad. “Now we shall.” They said.

Galahad smiled, nodding and turning their horse. Athena looked back at them once more before turning to follow him, the other guards quickly filling in behind them as they were off.

Rae sighed as he watched them go, wishing for a moment that he was going with them if only so they didn’t delay the inevitable. He shook his head, turning back to find Centross watching him. He raised an eyebrow at him, only earning a smirk in return as Centross turned his own horse to face another road that connected to the one they were on.

“Let’s try and be quicker on this part, I want to get the fuck out of this saddle,” Centross called over his shoulder. Rae turned to Caspian, both of them rolling their eyes before beginning to follow Centross down the road.

It was only about an hour later, having sort of skirted their way around the edges of town, that he spotted the high roof of an estate over the trees. He frowned as they got closer, spotting the bricks half overrun by vines and flowers sprouting all around, though a quick glance at Caspian suggested this was normal since he didn’t look at all concerned.

A pair of gardeners in the front looked up as they approached, frowning at Centross in his armour before seeming to catch a glimpse of Caspian. They both lit up, the one closer to them pushing herself to her feet and brushing dirt from her pants before making her way over.

“Caspian!” She called, grinning up at him, “Didn’t expect to see you around here anytime soon. Is the lady expecting you?”

Caspian grinned back at her, dismounting his horse to hug her before replying, “Not unless she can suddenly see the future, though I wouldn’t put it past her. Is Queen Oceana here?”

The gardener nodded, “She is. Arrived about a week and a half ago with young Jamie in tow. We were all very excited for their arrival, and to meet the lady’s missing child.”

“I’m glad they made it here safely,” Caspian replied, glancing to Rae, who had dismounted his own horse as the two spoke. “Would the two of you be able to take our horses to the stables? We’d do it ourselves but I know my friend here is itching to see Jamie again. They spent a lot of time together in recent years.”

The gardener glanced past him to Rae, trying to hide her surprise as she caught sight of his eye. For her part, she did an alright job, but it did serve to remind him that he’d likely have to cover it more if he didn’t want the questions that came with it.

“Of course,” the gardener replied finally, “I believe the lady and the Queen have been spending a fair amount of time in the library the past few days, I would suggest checking there as one of your first stops.”

Caspian hummed, nodding, “Perfect. Thank you.”

The gardener gave him another smile, reaching for the reigns of his horse and moving towards Rae to take him as well while the other gardener stood and took Centross’. The two of them headed around the side of the house, disappearing from view fairly quickly.

Rae turned back to the others, finding Caspian watching him. “Ready to go in?” he asked. Rae nodded, following him as he led them up the front steps, not even bothering to knock as he pulled the grand doors open and let them in.

Another member of staff stood in the entry way, eyes widening as he spotted Caspian and nodding his head respectfully. “Ah, Lord Solcrest. The lady did not inform us you would be arriving today.”

Rae held back a laugh at the way Caspian grimaced at his title. “She wouldn’t have known. Do you know where she is?”

“In the parlour, I believe, along with her sister. I assume you know the way?” The man replied.

Caspian nodded, thanking the man and glancing back at Rae and Centross for a moment before leading them down the left hallway.

Rae took a moment to look around as they walked, talking in the dark blush walls, the flowery curtains lining the windows and the various plants set up every few feet within the corridor. There were a number of paintings too, though most seemed to be of various landscapes, not the overly formal portraits he’d often seen lining certain walls in the End castle.

They stopped in front of a pale green door and Caspian paused to knock, waiting for a faint reply to come from the other side before pushing it open. The room they stepped in fit perfectly with the rest of what he’d seen, pale pink walls with a bookshelf covering one wall, large plush couches laid out around a table. Most importantly though, were the two figures sitting inside.

Ocie he recognized straight away, and she jumped up immediately, rushing across the room to pull Caspian into a quick hug before moving past him to pull Rae into a tighter embrace. “Oh thank fuck, I thought something had happened to you guys, what took you so long?” she asked, releasing Rae from the embrace.

The other person in the room stood, her red hair flowing over her shoulders as she moved to copy Ocie and hug Caspian, who hugged her tightly in return before turning to Ocie. “We got a little caught up in the Nether. Nothing bad I promise.”

Ocie looked like she wanted to question him more, but decided against it, turning back to Rae with a grin, “Rae, this is my sister, Momboo. Momboo, this is Rae, the one Jamie mentioned. Oh, and Centross is here too.”

Centross crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. Rae rolled his eyes at his friend, then, in an attempt to be formal but having no idea what protocol was here seeing as everyone else had been hugging, nodded respectfully to Momboo. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Momboo seemed to watch him for a moment, her expression unreadable, especially with her hair half covering her eyes. For a second he thought she was mad, that she was going to kick him out right there and then, but then she stepped forward, and before Rae could react, pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you for protecting them.”

Rae awkwardly hugged her back, feeling his cheeks warm as she released him. “It was my pleasure, they mean a lot to me, I’m glad I could help them get home.”

She smiled, glancing at Caspian, “Apparently you do that a lot for people I care about. Thanks for bringing this idiot home safely too.”

Caspian raised his arms in protest, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Momboo raised an eyebrow at him, “Ocie told me you got yourself caught in a matter of hours and almost ended up with the she demon of the End.”

Caspian pressed his lips together, ducking his head and silently admitting defeat. Momboo turned back to Rae, a silent laughter in her eyes. “Come, sit down. I’m sure you’re all tired from your travels.”

Ocie quickly dragged a begrudged Centross to the couch she’d been sitting on, while Caspian moved to join Momboo on hers. Rae hesitated, wanting to ask but not wanting to overstep, though his question was interrupted by a soft gasp behind him, followed by about half a second where he started to turn only to be nearly knocked over as a body crashed into his own.

Relief flooded through him as Jamie clung to him, and he clung back just as tight, his hands digging into the soft material of their sweater, now a forest green that was so different, so, so good, compared to the purples they’d worn in the End.

“Hey little cub,” Rae whispered, the words half muffled by Jamie’s hair.

He felt them laugh, tilting their head up to meet his eyes, “Hey science man.”

“We made it,” Rae replied, grinning down at them.

“We did,” Jamie said. They paused, not letting go but shifting to look around Rae and glaring at someone on the couches until he heard them sigh and stand, steps moving towards them. Centross appeared at his side, trying to hide his smile as Jamie looped one of their arms around him as well, pulling him in for a group hug.

They separated a moment later, though Rae grinned as Jamie slipped a hand into his as they turned to face the others. To his surprise, Momboo was smiling at them, though there was a touch of sadness to it as well. Caspian and Ocie were grinning, of course, both of them knew how close he and Jamie were and he figured Ocie had probably had to deal with Jamie missing him like Caspian had about him missing them.

He wasn’t sure if he should say something, caught between wanting to ask Jamie a million things and trying to be a good house guest. He didn’t know if the rules of hospitality differed in a house than a castle, he couldn’t really remember ever needing to know. But he knew Momboo was their host, and that he could figure out. Maybe.

She beat him to it though, watching them carefully for a moment before speaking. “Jamie, why don’t you give Rae a tour? You can ask Easton to help if you’d like, I know you probably don’t know your way around yet.”

Jamie frowned for a moment, but quickly switched it to a smile, looking up at Rae for confirmation before turning back to their mom, “Sure, as long as you don’t need us?”

Momboo smiled and shook her head, “No, go enjoy yourselves. Dinner will be at the usual time.”

Jamie gave their mom another uncertain look, but before Rae could ask them about it, they were tugging him out of the room, back down the hall we’d walked with Caspian and Centross barely 10 minutes ago. They paused in the lobby, dropping his hand and wrapping him in another hug, somehow tighter than the first. “I’m so glad you’re safe,” they whispered, and for the first time since they’d said goodbye, Rae truly let himself realize that there was a chance he would have never seen them again.

They pulled back a moment later, looking up at him with a blinding smile, “Come on, I want to show you my room, it’s huge!”

Rae laughed as they pulled him up the stairs, revealing a hallway just as decorated and full of life as the one below it. It was almost amazing, to see such a large space feel so much like a home. Jamie walked past a few fairly plain doors, stopping in front of one that had a simple wreath of flowers hanging from it, pink tulips, orchids, and daisies strewn among leaves.

They hesitated for a second, grinning as Rae looked over the wreath, then pushed the door open, leading him into a space far bigger than he’d imagined. It had to be at least the same size as his old study, if not bigger, with a large bed against one wall, floor to ceiling windows on either side that filled the room with sunlight. In the corner there was a small sitting area, a couch and a few chairs circling a fireplace.

More plants filled the space, some simple ferns and flowers, many of which he didn’t know the name for. He could see a book sitting on the table, set down as if someone had left it there just for a moment. His eyes were drawn to one of two doors on the other side of the room though, which sat barely more than a few inches open, yet it drew his curiosity.

“Mom told me she put it together back when she and Easton first moved in, you know, in case they ever found me. She wanted to make sure I had a place,” Jamie explained, watching him almost nervously, “It’s a little outdated, which makes sense, she hadn’t seen me for like four years, but it’s nice. It reminds me a bit of your other room, though I don’t have a garden. I do have a balcony though!”

Rae couldn’t help the smile that took over his face as he listened to them, basking in their excitement. He began to wander the room, listening as Jamie explained certain things, like how they’d had to adjust some of the furniture because they were taller than they’d been when they got separated, or how Momboo was planning to have a painting done of the three of them to go in the living room downstairs, now that they were back together.

He reached the door he’d noted earlier, pushing it open. Jamie quieted behind him, and it was easy to tell why when he finally looked inside the room. It seemed to be some sort of closet, with minimal pieces of clothing hanging along one wall, their old tattered purple sweater among them. The thing that stood out though, was the small nest of blankets and single pillow that were nestled against the other wall, looking much more recently disturbed than the bed had when he’d passed it.

Jamie wasn’t even trying to hide their expression when he turned, their head ducked slightly and a hand picking at the stray threads along the edge of their sweater. “The bed is too big.”

Rae let out a small laugh, “We stayed in the Nether for about a week, the only times I actually slept in the bed was when Centross was there, otherwise I slept on the couch. The mattress was too soft, the air was too warm.”

He watched as their shoulders sagged in relief, nodding as they stepped closer to him. Rae wrapped a protective arm around their shoulders, pulling them close. “Was it worth it?” He asked them quietly, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it.

They nodded, paused, then nodded again. “Yeah. I like being here, I like seeing my mom, and my sibling, even if they’re annoying, and its so green. Mom has a giant garden out back that I’ve been sitting in a lot. I always find the orchids.”

They pulled away slightly, just enough to look up at him, “Is it weird to say I miss the study? I mean, we were there for so long, and I mean I was only there for four years, but, it was kind of home, even if the rest of the castle was scary.”

Rae smiled softly, shaking his head, “Not at all. I think I miss it too, in some strange sort of way.” He paused, thinking again of his time in the Nether, “Oh! I wanted to tell you, I met the prince of the Nether while I was there. They’re around your age, I think you two would really get along. They’re going to be in Crete for a while so hopefully you two can meet.”

Jamie perked up at that, grinning up at him, “That sounds great! You’ll have to tell me all about the Nether, we only really passed through the Overworld on our way here.”

“We’ll trade stories then,” Rae replied.

Jamie nodded, their eyes suddenly lighting up with an idea, “Do you want to meet Easton? I’m finally taller than them and they’re really annoyed about it,”

Rae laughed, shaking his head fondly, “Sure, I’d love to.”

Chapter Text

By the time Jamie announced they should head to the dining hall for dinner, Rae swore he’d seen more of the estate than he’d seen of the Nether castle. Their first stop had been Easton’s room, where he’d been introduced to the sibling Jamie had spent hours telling him stories about. He wasn’t entirely sure what to think of them, their standoffish-ness reminding him a bit of Centross, though he could see the protectiveness in their eyes as they looked him over, the way they moved towards Jamie just a little.

Together the two of them had led him all over, through various halls, another parlour, a small library, and all the way through the gardens Jamie had mentioned earlier. It had been a little strange to see so many plants blooming under open sun instead of a false one, but it was a welcome change from what he was used to.

The others were already in the dining hall by the time they found their way there. Momboo sat at the head of the table, with Ocie on her right with Caspian next to her and Centross on his other side. Easton moved along the table, claiming the seat to their mother’s left. Jamie glanced at him before moving to follow their sibling, claiming the seat by their side and waiting until Rae took the one on their other side.

Rae felt a small nudge against his ankle, looking up to find Centross looking at him. He raised an eyebrow at him, which Centross returning, his gaze flitting to the two next to Rae. Already Easton and Jamie had started to talk about something, bickering but their tone light, almost playful. Rae turned back to Centross, giving him a small nod.

Momboo stood from her seat, drawing their attention. Her smile was easy, though there was a sort of tension in her shoulders Rae didn’t quite understand. “I hope you all don’t mind, but I’d like to say a few words,” she started, her gaze trailing between each of them, “Just a few short days ago, the impossible happened: Jamie came home. I hate to admit it but when I lost them as our village burned, I thought that was it. I hardly expected my sister to return from her mission with the missing piece of our family, but I couldn’t be more thankful. So, to Jamie, and to Ocie and Caspian, who helped bring them home”

He frowned at the words, but still joined the small bit of applause that followed as she reclaimed her seat. On cue, servers appeared through a door on the side of the room, setting plates of mouthwatering food in front of them. Some he knew, more basic dishes that he’d had at banquets before, but there were a few he couldn’t remember having, despite their lingering familiarity in his mind.

Jamie leaned towards him, pointing at one of the dishes in front of them, “That one is really good, they made it on my first night here.”

Rae grinned, “I’m glad you haven’t had an issue adjusting to the food,” he half teased, grinning wider as they rolled their eyes at him despite the smile on their own face. Around them everyone else began digging in, serving themselves from the larger dishes in the middle. It was odd, but almost nice, especially as he saw Caspian scoop a very large portion of some sort of soup into a bowl.

He started with the dish Jamie had pointed out, grabbing just enough to try it before reaching for another and doing the same. After about three he paused, trying to subtly glance around and see if anyone was watching him, but they were all well distracted by their own food and the light conversation that had started, so he continued.

About three bites into one of the foods, he felt something knock against his leg, quickly identified as Centross’ foot when he spotted him staring across the table. Centross nudged his leg again, sparing a glance to the head of the table before resting his right hand on the table, and began tapping. He didn’t bother with the code names first, but his message was still clear, “Weird feeling, talk later.”

Rae frowned, lifting his left hand to rest on the table across from Centross’, “Weird bad?”

He saw Centross frown slightly, shaking his head so subtly he almost missed it, “Weird odd.”

Beside him, Caspian let out a loud laugh at something Ocie said. Rae frowned, turning back to Centross and tapping again. “LO?”

“Not yet,”  Centross replied, letting his hand drop back beneath the table.

Rae moved his hand as well, intending to go back to his food, but he suddenly found himself a lot less hungry. He knew Centross, he knew his friend wouldn’t worry him if he thought it was nothing, though he also knew Centross could be weirdly accurate when he thought something was off. It had saved them on more than one occasion within the End palace.

Of all people, Ocie seemed to be the one to notice his sudden lack of appetite, catching his eye from her spot down the table and raising an eyebrow at him in question. He tried to force a smile waving her off as best as he could, though from the look on her face he could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced. Regardless, she went back to her food, easily responding to something Momboo said without missing a beat.

By the time everyone else had finished, he’d at least managed to eat most of what he’d taken, but the slightly sick feeling in his stomach remained. Maybe she senses his discomfort, or maybe she was still thinking about when she’d caught his eye earlier, but Ocie stood once their plates were clear, stating something along the lines of being tired and offering to show them to their rooms, since they were probably tired from their travels.

Rae nodded graciously, standing to join her as Centross moved to follow. He gave Jamie’s shoulder a light squeeze, then walked as calmly as he could from the hall. Ocie remained quiet as they walked, though it was a comfortable silence. Rae could tell she felt more at home here though, which made sense, given it was her sister’s estate. There was still some edge of alertness in the way her eyes seemed to watch the halls around them as they walked, but he dismissed the thought. She was probably just wary after being in the End for so long.

They headed up the same set of stairs Jamie had led him up earlier, though they turned the other way at the top. “I asked Momboo’s staff to put your rooms near mine, I hope that’s alright.” Ocie said, breaking the silence as they approached a set of tauntingly lavender doors.

Beside him he could just see the way Centross scowled, confirming his own distaste for the colour wasn’t alone. Ocie looked back at them, then back at the doors. Rae barely caught the hint of a wince before she spoke again, “I promise the rest of the rooms aren’t… that colour. Just the doors.”

“Good,” Rae replied, not bothering to hide his relief, “If I never have to be in a purple room again it’ll be too soon.”

Ocie laughed, shaking her head, “I can imagine. Caspian-“ she paused, looking over them with a small frown, “I assume he told you his name at some point? I swear if he didn’t, I’ll punch him.”

Rae nodded, then glanced at Centross. He actually wasn’t sure if or when Caspian had told Centross, but it had at least seemed like he wasn’t surprised when Ocie said it. “It took him until we were in the Nether capital, but yes, he told me.”

“Dumbass,” Ocie muttered, “Anyway, Caspian had one of the servants bring up your stuff, though I think he kept most of it tucked away for now. Also, if neither of you are too tired, I was hoping we could speak?”

Rae frowned, turning to Centross in question before turning back to face Ocie, “I suppose, what about?”

She bit at her lip, glancing down the hall nervously before reaching for the handle of one of the doors, pushing it open and leading them into the room behind it. It was set up fairly similarly to Jamie’s, though the touches of green were replaced with a lighter blue, mixed with an almost cyan colour that reminded him greatly of the flag of the Eastern Isles.

He heard the door click shut behind him as Centross pulled it closed, the two of them following Ocie to the small seating area and taking a seat on the couch. In that moment it really came to mind that the woman in front of him was in fact a Queen. It seemed so odd, given most of the time he’d know her she had hardly acted like she was in control of an entire kingdom, and yet now, away from the false identity, she looked every bit the part.

“I hope you don’t mind the colours,” Ocie said, breaking the silence, “These rooms are usually used by any of my partners that come with me when I visit Momboo.”

Centross shifted in his spot on the couch that he’d claimed next to Rae, “That’s very generous of you to let us use them then.”

Ocie smirked, “Well they are the nicest besides all of the familial ones, and I’m hoping it’ll send a message.”

“What kind of message?” Rae asked, frowning slightly.

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. She seemed to think for a moment, considering her words, but when she did speak, he could hear the thin layer of ice laid over the words, “I’m hoping that the King will understand that you are under my protection. He is many things, but he is not an idiot.”

Rae paled, “Do you really think we’re at that much of a risk if we meet him?”

Ocie shrugged, “I’m not, honestly. I know the second he has the violet reaper within his grasp he’ll struggle to decide what to do with you. On one hand, executing you publicly would send a message to the End, but then if word spreads of your betrayal he’ll be seen as cruel. On the other hand, if he gives you a chance, there will be distrust from those who hate the End the most, but it’ll send a message to the End all the same, that one of their Queen’s pawns has turned against her.”

Beside him he could tell Centross was tense, fists clamped tightly in his lap. Rae reached over, wrapping one of his hands over Centross’ as he turned to Ocie to respond. “And you think your protection will lean him in our favour?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice from shaking.

She nodded, her face serious, “It will, if he knows whats good for him. Crete sits on a large lake, you’ll see it when we get to the castle, and that lake opens out into the ocean, but you have to go by my islands to get out. He won’t risk losing access to his shipping routes just for this. But Rae, you have to know that telling him your real name would be a terrible idea.”

“I figured as much,” Rae replied, trying to make sense of all these pieces in his head. “Queen Soul figured me out right away, but I think that was because of her powers. I think I need a better cover, too many things link me to my name, especially if anyone in the castle has read my reports, because apparently that’s a thing.”

Centross rolled his eyes, looking across to Ocie, “Apparently the Nether prince is a fan of his work. It was kind of cute.”

Ocie laughed, “I forgot about that. I’ve been subject to a few of Athena’s rants about your work, I’m sure they were very happy to meet you.”

Rae nodded, twisting a strand of hair between his fingers, “They were, even if I only said I was my own assistant at first. I’m starting to think I need a fake name, like you had.”

“Oh gods please never mention that again,” Ocie replied, “Will teased me the whole way here. I swear I was going to think of something else, but then we were meeting with you and I’d forgotten. I couldn’t very well use my name, it’s not exactly a common name.”

“Speaking of,” Rae said, frowning slightly as a realization hit him, “Where is Will? I hope he’s ok?”

Ocie nodded, waving him off, “He’s fine. A summons from his father was waiting when we got back so he set off. He’ll likely be back for the Queen’s festival in a few months, if not before then.” She paused, looking between them for a moment and tilting her head slightly, “How would you feel about pretending to be brothers?”

“What?” Rae asked, frowning.

Ocie shrugged, “It would make sense, wouldn’t it? Some sort of hidden younger sibling explains Centross’ willingness to stay with the End the same way your friendship does, but then also we could use your injury as a reason no one knew about you, of course that would be if we claim it’s older than it is. It looks better by the way, I assume the Nether medics had a look at it?”

Rae just sort of nodded, still clinging to Centross’ hand and slowly trying to process her words. To be fair, her story did make sense. The only thing they’d really be lying about is Rae’s parentage, which barely anyone knew about anyway. Only a handful of people knew he was Enderian’s son, let alone his connection to the Overworld royal family. Centross was practically his brother too, and with what Caspian had said about thinking he was older, it would help draw a line between himself and, well, himself. 

He turned to Centross, “My initials would still be RM.”

Centross huffed, fighting back a fond smile that threatened to overtake his lips, “Really, that’s what you think about? Either way I’m down for it. Rae’s already like my little brother, so it shouldn’t be hard to pull off.”

Rae bit his lip, a thought coming to mind that he wasn’t entirely sure about. It could help, especially if he wants to keep his identity secret, but it could hurt, if she doesn’t react like he hopes she will. “Ocie,” he pauses, realizing if he’s going to go through with it, she isn’t the only one who deserves to know, “I have something to tell you, but Caspian should be here too.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, but stood all the same, walking towards the door and poking her head out, likely calling for someone to get him. Beside him, Centross turned, giving him a knowing look deeply mixed with worry. Rae tried to give him the most confident smile he could, but even he knew it was weak.

Ocie returned to her seat, and a few minutes later there was a knock on the door, followed by Caspian stepping inside. Rae turned to meet his eye, ignoring the way he raised his eyebrow at him. “Is everything ok?” Caspian asked, sitting on the edge of the last seat.

“Yes. Sort of,” Rae replied. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his heart before going on, “You two have been a lot of help, from getting us out, to getting us here, and I think it’s only fair I tell you something about myself, so that you know what you’re actually dealing with.

He felt Centross squeeze his hand in warning, but he ignored it. “The truth is, I’m Enderian’s son. That is why I was able to help Caspian, and that is why she named me her heir. I don’t know who my other parent is, but I know I ended up with her sometime after the war. I think, maybe, at the beginning, she cared, and I don’t know what changed, whether I did something or what, but she hasn’t cared in a long time. I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner, but only like 3 people within the End castle knew, and one of them is in this room.”

He was staring at his lap at this point, unable to force himself to look up, to see their reactions for himself. It wasn’t until arms surrounded him, both ones covered by a growingly familiar jacket and ones covered in soft rich fabric did he really let himself breath, the tears beginning to fall with no hope of stopping them.

One of the arms moved, gently shoving him, and he felt Centross pull him closer before Ocie seemed to shift and fall into the created space next to him. When he finally looked up, Caspian had moved to sit on table in front of him, his hands holding Rae’s hand tightly. He turned to Ocie, still expecting to find hatred despite her silent actions, but finding none.

“I may not know you very well,” Ocie started, her voice soft, though he could hear a sliver of anger not directed towards him in it, “but I know you are nothing like her. Do I wish you had told us earlier? Of course. But I am so happy you trust us enough to tell us now.”

Rae nodded, leaning into her as she offered him another hug.

“You have to promise me one thing, though,” she continued, and this time he could hear the worry in her words, “You can not tell Fable.”

Rae pulled back, looking up at her with a frown, “I didn’t intend to, but why?”

She shook her head, sharing a look with Caspian before sighing, “I mentioned Fable isn’t particularly kind to those from the End. I don’t think it would matter that you technically betrayed her, or ran away, I think the second he realizes you’re her flesh and blood he will try to use it over her. He may even just kill you as ‘revenge’ for the loss of their youngest.”

“I thought Fable was a good King,” Rae half muttered, looking between her and Caspian for any sign of confirmation.

Caspian shifted, rubbing his thumb along the back of Rae’s hand before looking up at him, “He is a great King to his people. The Kingdom has done really well since he was forced to take over from Queen Isla. And his powers have given people the chance to explore new forms of technology, but he gets a little blinded by his anger when it comes to Enderian. You didn’t hear it from us, but, there’s a few of us that think it runs deeper than her and the Queen having a child, and the war. It just doesn’t explain it.”

Rae glanced at Centross, wondering just what exactly they’d walked into. He didn’t regret telling them that half of his secret though, especially since Ocie had already shown she would protect them how she could, but just knowing his own, what, father? Step-father? Would potentially kill him if he knew he was Enderian’s son? Maybe it was for the best that he’d already been planning on using a false name.

“So I’ll be Rae Mistvale,” he said, going back to their earlier conversation, “and with both of you vouching for us, hopefully the King will decide to be kinder, despite us being from the End.”

“That’s the plan,” Ocie replied, thought he could tell she felt just as uneasy about it as he did.

He nodded, slipping his hand from Centross’ to wipe at the remnants of the tears across his cheeks. “Can we talk about this more tomorrow? I think I’d like to sleep.”

In front of him Caspian frowned, but nodded, dropping his hand and standing. He offered a hand to Ocie, pulling her up from the couch and looking back towards Rae. “Momboo had one of the servants look over our stuff to get a loose size and should have had a few things delivered, so there should be some clean clothes in the drawers if you want to change.”

Rae hummed, only half glancing at the dresser across the room as Caspian gestured to it. He didn’t know if he had the energy to stand, let alone change, right now. The couch moved as Centross pushed himself up. Rae looked up at him, trying to meet his worried expression with a small smile. He knew Centross could tell there was more on his mind, but either his friend was as tired as he was or he knew they would talk later, because he moved to join the others as they headed towards the door.

It wasn’t until he heard the sound of the door click shut behind them all, until he heard the door across the hall open and close, and until the sounds of Ocie and Caspian’s voices drifted off down the hall, that he let himself collapse fully on the couch. It was still warm where Centross had sat a moment earlier, and he tried to focus on that, that feeling of safety that he associated with Centross, as he closed his eyes and drifted off, not caring that his back would ache in the morning.

Chapter Text

Rae jolted awake, blinking into the darkness of the room with a small frown. The sound of a knock at the door filtered into his ears as his eye adjusted, and he had about half a second to realize he was still on the couch when he heard the door squeak open.

“Rae?” A voice whispered, faint but familiar.

He sat up, “Over here.”

The door pushed open further, and he could just make out Jamie’s faint outline as they slipped inside. They glanced around, seemingly spotting him in the dark and making their way over. Rae shifted on the couch, creating a space next to him which they gladly took, snuggling close to him as he wrapped an arm around them in a familiar motion.

He was still only half awake, but that was awake enough for something they’d done a million times. “Nightmare?” he asked, trailing his hand up and down their arm gently. They nodded against him, not saying anything. “Silence or story?” he asked. 

This time they didn’t answer right away, then a moment later he heard a mumbled ‘story’, and nodded, trying to think of something. He decided to tell them about his time since they’d last seen each other, telling them all about the Duke, the ride through the snow, those first steps across the bridge that took him out of the End for the first time in over a decade.

By the time he got to them reaching the town where he’d collapsed, he could feel their breathing slow, and when he glanced down, their eyes were shut tight. Rae smiled, glancing around the room in the dark and finding the bed. It probably wasn’t good for either of them to sleep on the couch, especially since he’d been sleeping on the ground for the last week and they’d been sleeping in a closet.

He carefully removed his arm from around them, pushing himself up and blinking away the spots that filled his vision before bending down to lift them. He grunted, shaking his head as he barely managed it. They were hardly the tiny 14 year old they’d been when he met them, but he was at least glad he could still manage. Rae made his way over to the bed, carefully setting them down and adjusting the blankets before climbing in on the other side.

Maybe it was the fact that he hadn’t fully woken up, or maybe it was the fact that Jamie was right there, that the other person who he would dare to call family was finally within reach again, but he quickly found his eyelids feeling heavy, drifting back off into sleep without a second thought.

The next time they opened it was to bright sunlight streaming in through the windows. Jamie was still curled up next to him, and he took a moment to just stare at them before lifting his head, finding Centross as he threw open another set of curtains. Centross turned, catching his eye with a fond smile, his gaze drifting to Jamie momentarily.

“What time is it?” Rae asked quietly, trying to figure out just how long they’d slept.

“About 10,” Centross replied, keeping his voice low, “You missed breakfast, but I think Momboo is planning a big lunch so you should be fine.”

Rae frowned, shifting in bed so that he was sitting up, still careful not to disrupt Jamie if he could help it. “Does that mean we’re leaving again today?”

Centross paused, crossing his arms over his chest, then nodded, “With the arrival of Athena yesterday, the King will be aware that we were with them. If we don’t head out soon, Ocie and I worry that he’ll send a force to collect us. Plus, it’ll look better if we go willingly.”

“Makes sense,” Rae replied, “Who all is coming?”

“Us, obviously, and Caspian,” Centross started, “Ocie is going to come I believe, and she’s trying to convince Momboo that Jamie should come because they came with us from the End, but that’s not certain yet.”

He nodded slowly, looking back down at Jamie. He’d give just about anything to keep them away from another castle, even as different as this one may be from the one they’d left, but he could see Centross’ point too. Momboo’s child or not, they’d been living in the End for over four years, so it would make sense if the King was wary of them at first, just as he was almost certainly going to be wary of him and Centross.

“When do we leave?” he asked finally, wanting to figure out how much time he had to prepare, both mentally and physically.

“I think Ocie wants us to go by 2 at the latest,” Centross replied, “It should only take us about an hour to get to the castle, which will be a nice change from our usual travel times.”

A knock drew both of their attention to the door, Rae looking to Centross with a frown before Centross moved across the room to pull it open. A moment later he stepped aside, letting Caspian slip in alongside what sounded like yelling. His eyes immediately found Rae, darting momentarily to the other half of the bed where Jamie still slept, and his shoulders seemed to sink in relief.

“Oh good, they’re in here,” he said, giving them both a half smile as he and Centross walked back over towards the bed.

Rae frowned, “Why? Is everything ok?”

Caspian winced, “Sort of? Momboo isn’t exactly… eager, to have Jamie leave, but she refuses to go to the castle, so Ocie is trying to convince her that they’ll be fine.

“Fine with what?” Jamie’s sleepy voice came from beside him. Rae turned, finding them rubbing at their eye as they sat up. They paused, seeming to realize how many people were there and raising an eyebrow, “…Why is there a meeting happening?”

Rae shared a look with Caspian, then turned back to Jamie. “We’re leaving for the castle today.”

They frowned, then nodded, “And I’m coming with you. Or, I’m supposed to, but my mom doesn’t want me to? She thinks I haven’t noticed but I know she’s been fighting with Ocie about it.” They seemed to notice something else then, looking around with a confused look on their face, “Wait, when did I get in the bed?”

Rae laughed, shaking his head slightly, “I carried you over a little after you fell asleep on the couch. Which wasn’t easy by the way, you’re heavier than you were when we first met. But I figured neither of us should sleep on the couch all night.”

“Makes sense,” they replied, giving a small shrug before turning to Caspian, “How’s the weather?”

Caspian scrunched up his nose, his arms crossing over his chest, “Stormy on both fronts, chance of lightning close to home.”

Rae looked over at the window that Centross had pulled the curtain away from, frowning as he saw nothing but sun outside. He looked up at Centross, finding him just as confused. They both turned to look at Caspian, who just laughed at their expressions.

“Weather is code for Momboo and Ocie’s moods,” He explained, “Both of them are extremely talented with magic relating to weather and nature, and sometimes that manifests when their emotions are strong. I know they’ve been using the system even before the wave hit and they got magic so I assume Momboo taught Jamie when they were younger, and obvious I’m close to both of them so they taught me.”

Something in that statement rung some sort of bell in Rae’s head, but it made enough sense that he decided to ignore it for now, instead focusing on the meaning behind the phrase, now that he knew it was code. “So, both of them are pissed but Momboo is more likely to, what, make it worse?” he asked.

Jamie nodded, “Pretty much? I don’t think we used lightning a lot before I got taken, but from what I remember they used it when they were more likely to lash out at the people around them. Mom used to use it when she needed a minute without me or Easton following. We’d usually go play in our tree house until she came and got us.”

“Not a bad way to tell your kids to fuck off for a bit,” Centross added, earning an eye roll from Rae and a laugh from Caspian.

“Either way,” Caspian continued, “If anyone can get through to Momboo, it’ll be Ocie, but I also wouldn’t say no to hiding in here until that happens.”

Jamie shook their head, pushing themselves off of the bed and heading for the door. “If we’re hiding, I’m going to go rescue Easton first.”

“I’ll come with,” Centross said, moving to join them as they paused to wait for him to catch up. Just before they slipped out the door, Centross looked back and winked at Rae, causing a flush of heat to race up his cheeks as the door fell shut behind them.

He looked over at Caspian, who luckily didn’t look like he’d noticed anything as he stared towards the door. “It’s nice seeing Jamie and Easton together again,” he commented, “Easton would sometimes joke about what a pain they were, but it was obvious they missed them a lot, just like Momboo did.”

Rae nodded, ducking his head, “I wish I could have gotten them back sooner.”

Caspian turned back to him, his eyebrow raised, “Considering you’re the reason they came back at all, I think you did a pretty damn good job.” He paused, then sighed, crossing the small distance and sitting on the edge of the bed. “You’ve really got to give yourself more credit Rae, you’ve done a lot for people, especially those you care about. I can only imagine what you went through, what she had you do, but you are not her, you don’t have to fix all of her mistakes.”

The words but I’m her son flooded into his head, but even though he’d told Caspian and Ocie, he couldn’t get himself to say that, so instead he said, “But I’m her heir. I don’t want to be, but she named me as such. Even if I don’t take the throne, she’s tied me to her, and that’s all everyone is going to see.”

“Not everyone,” Caspian replied, reaching out to take his hand.

Rae stared down towards the blankets, letting his eyes linger where their hands met, the way Caspian’s finger was tracing slow circles over the back of his hand. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, and he reached his other hand up to brush them away. He looked up, meeting Caspian’s eyes and finding nothing but honesty shining through them, along with a half quirked grin that appeared as their eyes met.

For a moment he thought about leaning forward, about taking that chance, about letting himself read into the situation just a little. About truly letting himself hope Caspian felt the same way.

Then the door opened, and in came Jamie, with Easton and Centross trailing after them. Caspian pulled his hand back, making room for Jamie, who flopped on the bed between them with a groan. “Ugh, I knew Momboo was a force when she was bad, why do the two of them together have to be worse?”

Caspian laughed. “Because 1 plus 1 is 2?” he offered, giving Rae a small questioning look over their back.

Rae gave him a small smile in response, glancing up at Centross who had come to stand next to him while Jamie complained to Caspian. Easton was leaning against the bed post behind Caspian, watching their sibling with amusement. He could just make out the edges of the argument happening downstairs, but he focused on the familiarity of the situation in front of him instead.

This may not have been his study, and that was still something he had to process every day, but his people were here. He knew Centross had his back, he knew Jamie was safe, he knew Caspian cared, and even if he didn’t know them well, he found himself trusting Easton, if only because he maybe saw himself in them just a little.

Jamie pushed themselves up, twisting so that they could look at everyone and leaning back on their elbows. “I know Caspian has been here before, but what do you two think of the manor? It’s bigger than I expected it to be.”

Easton snorted, “That’s because we lived in a tiny shack with mom last time you lived with us.”

“Well yeah, but I also didn’t know she was a princess of whatever, so it’s not like I even could have expected this,” Jamie replied, rolling their eyes.

“It’s nice,” Rae commented, cutting in between the sibling banter, “Definitely a lot brighter than anywhere else I can remember being, and the gardens are nice.”

Centross nodded, folding his arms over his chest, “I’d been to the north parts of the Overworld, and honestly some of their big buildings are just concrete bricks. The sun’s nice.”

Rae shook his head, “Says the only one here who has only ever lived above the snow line.”

Centross reached over, shoving Rae’s shoulder playfully as Jamie snickered. “Those are fighting words, Science Man.”

Rae went to retort when he realized the noise from the hall had gone quiet. He frowned, opening his mouth to say something when a knock came from the door. They all shared a look, then Easton pushed off the post they were leaning on to answer it. Ocie stood on the other side, looking tired but satisfied.

“Oh good, you’re all here, that makes things easier,” she commented, following Easton back across the room to join them. She turned to Jamie, addressing them first, “Your mother has finally agreed that its for the best that you come to the castle with us, but she made it extremely clear that the only way she’s allowing this is if you stick with me of Caspian the entire time, and unless something happens that requires her to come up to the castle, Caspian is to bring you back here in 2 days max.”

They frowned, but nodded, pushing themselves up to sit on the edge of the bed. “Makes sense. I’m just glad she agreed.”

“Me too kid,” Ocie sighed, turning towards Rae and Centross next. “Now that that’s done, we’re set to head out within the hour, does that work for you both? You’re welcome to leave anything you don’t want to bring with you here, but make sure anything that’s coming is packed up by then. Same for you Jamie, and Cas.”

Rae shared a looked with Centross, then turned back to Ocie and nodded. “We can do that. Anything else?”

She paused, seemingly running through a mental checklist. “Nope, you should be good. Just be in the front hall in an hour.” With that she turned and left, muttering something in a language Rae didn’t recognize, though he would guess it was Telchin considering her origin.

Caspian sighed, pushing himself off the bed, “Well, I guess I should go pack.

“Same,” Jamie said, accepting Caspian’s hand as he pulled them up from the bed. They paused, looking at Easton, “Walk back to our rooms with me?”

Easton hesitated, giving Rae a subtle but questioning look. He frowned slightly, but nodded. “I’m gonna hang here for a minute. I’ll come bug you soon though.”

Jamie raised an eyebrow at them, but nodded, following Caspian out of the room. Centross stood up as well, squeezing Rae’s shoulder gently and giving him a knowing look before following them out, and suddenly it was just him and Easton.

Rae bit his lip, trying to figure out where to start, though he knew the best place to start was probably the beginning. “Did you want to talk about something?” he asked, trying to watch Easton’s reaction carefully.

They opened their mouth like they were going to respond, only to snap it shut again a moment later. They hung their head, sighing for a second before looking back up at him. “I was really determined to hate you when I met you.”

That… was not what he was expecting them to say. “Uh, ok?”

Easton shook their head, “Look, When Ocie returned, with Jamie, and told us the situation, It just sounded like you’d been keeping them for selfish reasons, like them being with you was better than with their family. I think mom still kind of thinks that, I’m sure you’ve noticed she’d a little cold towards you.”

“I… have,” Rae admitted, remembering Momboo’s speech at dinner the night before. “So what changed?”

“Jamie,” Easton replied honestly, “Ever since they got back, we’ve been swapping stories, and the more they talked about you, the genuine worry. I didn’t like it but I realized it was a good thing they were with you.”

Rae nodded slowly, “Is that what you wanted to tell me then?”

They pressed their lips together, “Not entirely. Just… can you promise me to look out for them in the castle? I’ve hung out with the prince, and I know they mean well most of the time, but they get a lot of their behaviours from their dad and, well, I’m sure you’ve been warned about him enough. I just don’t want to lose them again.”

He wanted to swear it in an instant, wanted to promise he would protect Jamie with his life and everything he had, to promise that they would make it home safe, but he’ had so little control over his own life, even recently, that he knew there was always a chance something would happen that he just couldn’t stop. “I will protect them as best as I can, just like I have since I met them,” he promised instead, and was relieved when he saw some of the tension drain from their shoulders.

“Thank you,” Easton said, turning to walk towards the door. They paused with their hand on the knob though, turning back to look at him, “I’m glad they had you,” they added, slipping into the hall and leaving Rae to his thoughts as their steps faded away.

An hour later, he’d managed to pack the few things he’d taken out since arriving, and was heading for the foyer to meet the others. Ocie led them outside, and soon they were leaving the property, back on the dirt roads he couldn’t wait to get a break from, on their way to his uncertain fate.

Chapter Text

Rae knew the second they’d been spotted, a guard high up in a watch tower turning away from the road, and suddenly it was as if the entire castle came abuzz. By the time they reached the gates, there was a small group of guards on horseback waiting for them. The one in front clearly higher ranking than the others, gave Ocie a low bow, which she returned with a curt nod.

“Your Majesty,” he greeted, “The King has been expecting your arrival. He is glad to see you and Lord Solcrest return in good health.”

Rae snuck a glance at Ocie, once again amazed at how regal she looked, and her ability to change between Ocie and Queen Oceana seemingly on a whim. She regarded the guard coolly, “There were a few hiccups, but nothing we couldn’t manage. I hope King Fable will accept my apologies for our lack of notice, but my guests and I have had a fairly rushed few days.”

He could see the way the guard looked surprised for a moment at her words, though it was gone again in a flash. “Of course. He is meeting with his advisors at the moment but I was instructed to show you and your… guests, to him as soon as you arrived. Word should be reaching him shortly so he will be expecting you all by the time we get there.

“Thank you Captain,” Ocie replied, confirming Rae’s assumptions of his position. “I assume your men will be able to take our horses? You can keep the others alongside mine and Lord Solcrests, if anyone has issues with that they can come to me.”

The captain nodded his head, “That can certainly be arranged Your Majesty. Come, the King awaits.”

Rae was in awe the second they stepped inside the palace, with tall ceilings and large windows letting in a seemingly unnatural amount of light. He was very aware of the pair of guards that stood on all sides of them, and if Centross hadn’t been right next to him he was sure he would have been sick. They turned a corner, and for a brief second a flash of familiarity played through his mind, and he remembered that he had once called these halls home, even if those memories were well buried.

He didn’t miss the way the guards beside him kept glancing towards him, especially towards the mark around his eye, which was unfortunately facing them. Out of habit, he reached for Centross’ hand, feeling relieved when he took it without question, giving his a little squeeze as they ventured further through the palace.

Their journey was much shorter than he’d expected, though to be fair he wasn’t sure when the last time he went from the front of a castle to the monarch’s throne room had been. He certainly hadn’t in the End, and in the Nether he didn’t even remember arriving in the first place. Either way, their group of guards stopped outside of a large wooden door inlaid with gold, curving over the surface like vines. He reached for his neck, his fingers slipping around the familiar necklace Jamie had given him what felt like a lifetime ago. It was comforting to be wearing it again, even if he wished he didn’t feel the need to.

The captain spoke in a hushed tone to another guard standing outside, whose eyes widened considerably as they looked over their group. They said something in response, then slipped inside the door, returning a moment later and motioning for them to proceed. The doors drew open to let them through, and Rae could have sworn he felt his heart drop to his stomach, an achy feeling running through his skin that he hadn’t felt in a few months.

It wasn’t until they were in the room that he even realized the throne was empty. The guards had retreated a bit, leaving Ocie and Caspian revealed at the front, though a few still flanked behind him and Centross, whether for their protection or to keep them there, he didn’t care to know. If he had to guess though, it was probably the latter.

Ocie, having not shifted from her regal demeanour, cleared her throat, then turning in a direction just left of the throne, where Rae finally noticed a man stood by a large window. “King Fable.” Ocie said simply.

The man turned, and Rae was hit with a sudden flash of panic as he took him in. Everything, everything, from the point of his nose to the crinkles around his eyes, and the shade of his inky black hair, screamed Her. And suddenly he wasn’t a man who had just travelled across the continent in hopes of finding his family again, he was a twelve year old boy, staring at the face of the woman who claimed to be his mother but ended up being nothing more than his captor.

“Queen Oceana,” the man, the King replied, giving her the smallest nod. And gods, his voice. It was deeper than hers, but it had that same lilt, that same slight accent that was just out of place enough to know he wasn’t from around here.

Centross squeezed his hand, and only then did he realize he’d been panicking, his breaths coming in shaky and quickly. He spared a glance at his friend, catching the concern in his eyes before focusing on his chest, watching the steady rise and fall and trying to match his own breathing to it. He missed a formalities Ocie traded with him, but by the time she was drawing his attention to them, he no longer felt like he was about to explode.

“I am sure Lord Solcrest has a more formal report of our journey through the End, but for now, I am pleased to introduce Jamie, Lady Pine’s youngest, who we were able to find and safely bring home, as well as Centross and Rae Mistvale, both of whom were incredibly important in ensuring our safe return.” Ocie said, her tone sharp and edged with a threat, though it was not pointed towards him so if anything it made him relax slightly.

King Fable turned towards them, scanning them over. Rae hadn’t missed the way his lip had twitched as Ocie had said Mistvale, though even more obvious he definitely didn’t miss the way Fable’s eyes seemed to widen ever so slightly for a fraction of a second as they connected with Rae’s. But just as quickly as it had happened, his calm expression was back, and he turned to Ocie once more.

“It is wonderful to see the youngest Pine returned safely,” Fable said, shifting to look at Jamie, “I am sure your mother is thrilled, though I can imagine she did not wish for you to depart so soon after your arrival.”

Even though he couldn’t see their face, he knew Jamie was in shock. They had never once been addressed by Enderian personally, Rae had made sure of that, and had probably expected the same from Fable.

He could also see Ocie gently nudge them, offering them a small smile of encouragement, which seemed to be enough to shake them from their stupor. “Y-Yes, your Majesty. I am very glad to be home, b-but it wouldn’t have been possible without Rae and Centross.”

Fable glanced at them again, this time his attention focusing on Centross. “Ah yes, the Violet Reaper. I must say I was very surprised when Prince Athena had mentioned him upon their arrival yesterday. So tell me, Reaper, why has one of Queen Enderian’s most loyal pets finally decided to break its leash?”

Centross stood up straight, his face neutral, though Rae could see the bitterness in the stance. “My brother, your Majesty.”

“Right, you did say they were both Mistvales, did you not, Oceana?” Fable replied, sparing a glance towards Ocie, who nodded. “Curious, I thought the Mistvales only had one son.

“They certainly like to pretend as such,” Centross replied, letting some of the bitterness slip through. “Rae… suffered a number of injuries during the war. It did not align with the imagine our parents wished to present, so they’d rather he simply didn’t exist.”

Fable nodded thoughtfully. “So where has your brother been all these years, if not in the public eye?”

“In the Queen’s service, under Lady Perix.” Centross replied, catching Rae off guard slightly. This hadn’t been part of what they’d discussed, but he had to admit it fit well with the story they had come up with, and they certainly needed something. “I believe it was my parents intention, and the Queen’s, to keep him… I use the word safe very loosely, so long as I followed orders. I cannot say I am proud of what I did in her service, but I would do it again if it meant protecting him. I was just relieved when Queen Oceana and Lord Solcrest offered us a way out.”

Fable stared at him for a long moment, as if he was waiting for Centross to crack, but he did not, and finally Fable just gave him a slight nod. “While I feel it would be unjust that you see no retribution for your actions, I will certainly keep in mind your motives when I discuss it with my council later. I must ask though, how exactly did the youngest Pine get involved with your plans?”

To probably everyone’s surprise, it was Jamie that spoke, “That was Sir Morningstar, your Majesty. Rae and I often passed messages between our bosses, so we were familiar with each other. Sir Morningstar was handling the trade agreements with Ocie and Will, uh, Queen Oceana and Prince Will, so he caught wind of their plan. Next time Rae came with a message, he just asked if they would take me with them.”

The King seemed caught off guard by their response, but recovered quickly, nodding again. “I see.” He turned, motioning to a shadow in the corner of the room, from which a guard appeared as if they had spawned in at his summon. Fable turned back to them, an almost too perfect smile resting on his face. “Oceana, I trust you and Caspian can find your usual chambers alright, and I will have the servants do up your sisters for your nephew.”

Ocie dipped her head. “And for my guests?” she asked, emphasizing the last two words.

Rae barely caught the hint of a scowl that seemed to cross his face. He was good at concealing his emotions, but not as good as his mother, and he had learned long ago to read her. It had been necessary, after all. 

“I’m sure you’ll understand that I am not yet comfortable having members of her court so close to my family just yet. They will be given rooms in the guest wing on the far side of the castle.” Fable replied.

“Of course,” Ocie said, “And assuming some of my men are still here, I’m sure you’ll have no issues if they took up guard outside of my guests rooms, both for their comfort and for the comfort of those within the castle?”

Rae had to bit back the smile pulling at his lips. He’d seen Ocie quick talk a few End nobles during her stay, but it was something else truly to watch her work as a Queen. He imagined if they weren’t already, that her and Queen Soul would be very good friends. Maybe he’d have to ask her later, assuming he got the chance to speak with her at all.

Fable also seemed to realize they’d reached an impasse, ducking his head slightly, his smile tightening. “I would expect no less. Have someone deliver their schedule to my Captain and he will assure no one questions their authority on the matter. Now I’m sure you must all be tired from your travels, surely you’d all like to go rest.”

“I was actually hoping to show my nephew around, and I know Caspian had hoped to show our guests around as well,” Ocie replied, and judging from the expression on his face Rae knew Fable was reaching the edge of his limits, though he could also tell it was not so far that he could deny it without just cause without digging himself into a hole. He’d seen Perix pull the same trick on numerous nobles in his mothers name.

“Very well,” Fable bit out, “But I must insist you have guards accompany you, I am more than happy to have some of mine do so so that you need not bother yours.”

Ocie waved him off, “No need, I know your men are busy guarding the castle and your family. Mine have had a bit of a vacation while I’ve been gone, it will do them no harm to be asked to accompany myself and the others.”

As she and Fable had been speaking, Caspian had slipped around them back into the hall, and he reentered just as Ocie finished talking. “Speaking of,” he said, cutting in with a small nod, “I asked one of the guards to find your head guard, and I have been told she is on her way.”

“Thank you, Caspian,” Ocie replied, giving him a small smile and sneaking a glance back at Rae and Centross, waiting until Rae gave her a small nod before she turned back to Fable. “I assume we will be expected for dinner, and I look forward to meeting then to further discuss our journey and our discoveries.  For now, I would ask that we are dismissed?”

Fable pressed his lips together, but nodded, “Of course, Oceana. Do not hesitate to ask for anything you shall need during your stay. It is a pleasure, like always, to host your family.”

Ocie gave him a small, slightly more formal, curtsy, then turned, motioning for them to move back out into the hall. Rae did so without question, dropping Centross’ hand as they moved. He knew better than to ask anything when they were still so close to the King and actively surrounded by his men, but he was itching to hear how they thought the meeting went.

A guard dressed in an almost shimmering blue set of armour drew his attention though, and his suspicions of her identity were confirmed almost immediately as she ducked into a deep bow as Ocie appeared. “My Queen, it is very good to see you return safely.”

Ocie smiled, probably the most genuine smile that she had in the last hour, if the tone of her and Fable’s conversation was any indicator. “Caris! You’re certainly a sight for sore eyes. I assume you’ve been informed of the King’s plans for our lodgings, and the guard rotation I will need you to set up?”

Caris nodded, “I have been. Why they insist on splitting you up and requiring two rotations though, is beyond me. Either way, I have been given the exact rooms the Enders will be staying in, if you would like me to show you to them.”

Ocie glanced over at them, then nodded, “That would be great, I would like to know where they’re staying before we split up.”

Caris nodded again, then turned and began to lead them down the halls. At one point, they reached a large central room, where a large tree sprouted through the floor tiles and reached up towards the glass panes well above it. Rae was hit by a sudden sense of nausea, but it seemed to disappear as they left the room, so he brushed off Centross’ concerned look in favour of drawing as little attention as he could to himself.

As the King had described, their rooms were rather tucked away, and definitely on the smaller side if he was comparing them to the other rooms he’d stayed in, well, other than the one in his study, of course. What bothered him most though was that despite the small size and general lack of rooms in the hall, his and Centross’ doors were still quite far from each other. He didn’t think Ocie’s guards would prevent them from visiting each other, but he did worry what Fable’s guards would think if they happened to be watching the hall, which he had little doubt that they wouldn’t be.

Once they’d seen them, Ocie and Jamie said goodbye before following Caris back down the hall. They’d picked up another of Ocie’s guards on their journey, though he seemed happy to just watch them from afar rather than being part of the conversation like Caris had been. Rae glanced at him curiously before looking back to Caspian, who was frowning at one of the paintings on the wall.

“I would definitely remember if I had ever been down this hall before,” he said, gesturing to the portrait of a man with a rather large and unfortunately shaped nose and a very receding hairline.

Rae laughed, shaking his head as Centross looked up at the painting, his eyes widening when he saw what Caspian was referring to.

Caspian shook his head, looking back towards them with a grin, “That meeting was certainly something, huh? Either way, anything you guys want to see first or should I just lead the way?”

“Can we… go back to the tree?” Rae asked, biting nervously at the corner of his lip.

Caspian raised an eyebrow at him, but nodded, then turned to their guard. “I’m going to make the probably safe assumption that you know your way there better than I do. Mind leading the way.”

The guard smirked, “Of course, Lost One.”

Rae couldn’t help but laugh at the absolute bafflement on Caspian’s face as he sputtered at the guard’s use of his nickname. Caspian composed himself muttering something about Ocie under his breath before turning to follow the guards lead as he took them back towards the centre of the castle.

Now that he was paying more attention, he could feel the nausea start to build in his chest even before they reached the tree, which made it much easier to bite it back so that he didn’t worry either of the other two. As they reached the room, he realized the tree was much bigger than he thought it was, standing taller than even some of the tallest pines he’d seen back in the End, and those had easily been twice as tall as most of the buildings in the city.

There was a small plaque in the ground, and he wandered up to it curiously, frowning as he noticed the deep tendrils of blackish purple spreading out from it.

‘When he was twelve, the self proclaimed Queen of the End stood here as she erased almost all memories of our beloved prince. We leave her mark as reminder that he existed, with hope that he may one day return.’

He couldn’t move, couldn’t blink, couldn’t breath, couldn’t think as he realized what it said. As if a switch had been switched, it was like he could see it, could see a decade younger version of Her standing there, hear her agony as she screamed at the skies as magic poured out of her and over the tiles, swirling tendrils of grief and rage and everything, could see the guard off to the side who was holding a smaller version of him, a mix of awe and horror on their face as they watched their queen.

And then there was a hand on his shoulder, and he couldn’t help it, he just ran.

Chapter Text

Tears ran hot and heavy down his cheeks as he ran, the pounding of his heart in his ears drowned out only by the sound of his steps against the floor. He shouldn’t- he shouldn’t have come. He never should have returned, not only because of that but. It was a mistake. It was too much, Fable, Enderian, all of it was just- more than he could handle.

He hadn’t known what to expect of the king of the Overworld, of his- his father, no matter how much the others had said. Step-father really, but the man had supposedly raised him for over a decade.

And then to see Her grief, so clearly and so raw…

Of all the things he’d thought though, he had never expected Him to look so much like Her. The curve of his jaw, the angle of his lips, the calculating look in his eyes that he’d seen one too many times. It didn’t matter how nice he was, how willing he was to accept them as refugees, even with Ocie’s barely concealed threats. He’d believed their story without question, at least, none he said out loud.

Rae looked up, realizing in his hurry to get away he hadn’t paid attention to where he’d gone. He frowned, finding a window nearby and peering out. A courtyard sat on the other side, simple grass lawns laid out between paths of tiled stone, a few tall trees providing shade to most of it. And there, on the far side, sitting on a stone bench and watching the leaves sway in the wind, sat a woman with golden blond hair.

He didn’t know if it was some far off, locked away memories, or hours spent staring at his own reflection in a mirror, or maybe even the wave of new memories that had seemed to flood in that weren’t his own from the tree, but within a second he knew that he knew her, somewhere deep and aching that no one had been able to take away.

His breath caught in his throat, and before he even really knew what he was doing he was moving, heading down the hall until he found a door, tears already drying against his face. A subtle breeze brushed his skin as he stepped outside, but all of his thoughts were on her. As he got closer he could see more, could see the way the material of her sky blue dress draped over her limbs, the small braids that lay among her hair, the easy smile on her face and the almost absent light in her eyes.

She did seem to notice him, at least, when he got close enough, looking towards him, even if it felt more like her gaze went right through him. “Oh hello.” She greeted, her voice warm and soft, tugging at something buried deep in his heart and in his memories. “It’s lovely out here, isn’t it?”

“It is,” he managed, the words passing like a ghost through his lips, “Can- may I join you?”

She hummed, her smile growing even as her eyes seemed farther away, “Please do! People rarely join me anymore.”

Rae sat on the other end of the bench, fighting the part of him that ached to reach out and touch her hand, “Did they used to?”

“Used to what?” she asked.

“Join you,” Rae stuttered, “Did people use to join you out here more?”

“Ah,” she replied, turning from him to look up at the trees once more, “Yes, I suppose they did. That nice man did a lot. He told me lots of stories, said I was the one in them, but they never really sounded like me. Oh, and my child, but they’re busier now.”

Rae nodded, clasping his hands in his lap in an attempt to get them to stop fidgeting. “The nice man, do you mean King Fable?”

She frowned, “Probably. He calls me his Queen, but if I’m honest I don’t think I would ever end up with a man like him. He’s handsome, but there’s just something about him. Shadows.”

She trailed off, glancing back at Rae and tilting her head ever so slightly, “Do I know you?”

“I-I…,” Rae stuttered, his words tripping over his uncertainty. Part of him wanted to say yes, if only to see what would happen, if, maybe, she would remember. But if she didn’t, and she mentioned it to someone, his cover would be blown. “I only got here today,” he settled for instead, wincing at the technical lack of a lie.

“Pity,” she replied, sounding almost sad, “I’ve been told I’m not great with faces, but yours felt familiar. Though I suppose your hair is much darker, now that I think of it.”

He couldn’t do this. He… fuck, it had been a mistake to come out here. Rae stood abruptly, wincing at the way the movement seemed to surprise her. “I’m sorry, I should be going, but, but it was nice meeting you.”

The way she frowned nearly killed him, and he couldn’t help but wonder just how many times Jamie or Centross or even Caspian had seen that same expression etched across his face. “Oh, alright.” She replied simply. The frown didn’t leave her face, but she turned away from him, staring back up at the trees as she had been when he’d arrived, even as he fled down the path and back through the door he’d come from.

Tears were already burning their way back down his face when the door fell shut behind him, and he had to stop for a second, leaning his weight against it as he struggled to control his breaths.

Footsteps came pounding down the hall, joined by the call of his name, and he barely had a chance to look up before Centross came into view around the corner, his shoulders slumping with relief the second he spotted Rae. He raced over, wrapping Rae in a hug, which he melted into like it was a lifeline.

“Are you ok?” Centross mumbled, not letting go of him.

Rae nodded slowly against his shoulder, then paused, and shook his head. He leaned out of the hug a little, turning to look out at the garden where she was till staring up at the trees. Centross followed his gaze and Rae could hear the way his breath caught in his throat as he realized.

“Is that…?” he asked.

Rae just nodded again. “I spoke to her,” he said, his voice cracking.

“How’d it go?”

“She said she thought she recognized me.” Rae admitted, trying to hold back more tears that threatened to spill down his face.

Centross pulled him back in closer, and Rae took the chance to try and steady his breaths again, trying to match his to Centross’, even as all he wanted to do was cry and scream because fuck, the realization that She’d stolen this from him had never hit as hard as it did right now.

Centross shifted, still holding him just as tight. “We need to get back to the Caspian and the guard before anyone else finds out we ran off.”

“I have no idea where we are,” Rae replied. He wasn’t ready to move, but he knew Centross was right.

“Lucky for you, I paid attention when I ran off after you,” Centross replied, pulling back enough for Rae to see the playful smirk on his face. He freed one of his arms, using it to shove Centross playfully before stepping back fully, running a sleeve over his face to try and get rid of the tears. Centross watched him patiently while he did that, then reached for his hand, gently tucking him under his arm and tugging him back down the hall in the direction he’d come from, and well, the direction Rae had come from too.

They turned a corner and the hallway grew brighter, then another turn and the tree room came into view again. Rae could see Caspian and the guard stood together, talking in hushed, panicked voices, each wearing a frown. Caspian’s head shot up at the sound of footsteps, and he visibly relaxed once he saw him and Centross approaching.

“Are you two ok?” He asked immediately, hurrying to meet them at the edge of the room, which was just as well as Rae wasn’t sure he wanted to be too close to the tree at the moment.

He managed a nod, not trusting his voice. Centross squeezed his shoulder, looking at Caspian. “I think it would be best if we just went back to our rooms for now. It’s been a long couple days.”

Caspian frowned, like he wanted to argue, but just nodded. He turned back to the guard, who was watching them warily, though he straightened up when he noticed Caspian. “Can you lead them back? I think… I’m going to go find Oceana.”

The guard nodded, giving him a small bow before motioning for the other two to follow him. Rae managed to give Caspian a small smile as they passed by him, hoping he didn’t get him in any trouble for running off. He hadn’t seen anyone in the halls, but if someone had seen him, he knew Caspian and Ocie would be held responsible for it.

Centross tapped a finger against his shoulder as they walked, drawing his attention back in. He looked up at Centross, blinking the code back since he didn’t have an easy surface. Centross raised an eyebrow at him, but Rae just shook his head, glancing towards the guard still leading them silently down the hall. Centross huffed, but nodded, his grip tightening around him.

When they reached their rooms, they were met by another guard who took a brief moment to explain the rotation Ocie’s captain had set up for them. After confirming that, both guards took up their posts on either side, leaving Rae and Centross standing between the two doors. Centross stayed silent, looking between the two for a second before tugging Rae towards the one that led to his room.

The second the door clicked shut behind them, Rae collapsed. Centross caught him, lowering him carefully to the ground and wrapping both arms tightly around Rae as sobs began to wrack his body. He buried his face in Centross’ shirt, struggling for each breath like it would be his last, his hands shaking as they pressed over his face.

He cried out of homesickness, out of loss, of love, fear, and of so much more. He cried for his mothers, both of them, even if he didn’t entirely know why. And the whole time Centross held him, and he had to force back that stupid quiet voice in the back of his head that told him that Centross, that all of them would be better off if he wasn’t in their lives. His entire existence was full of conflict, and seeing that, what, mirage? Memory? Whatever it was today, had basically confirmed what he’d already known.

Eventually his breaths began to steady and he ran out of tears to cry. Centross waited until he was done before gently nudging him to stand, leading him over to the bed where they both collapsed against the comfort of the mattress. Rae sighed, staring up at the ceiling as exhaustion flooded through every inch of his body. It felt like he could lie there and simply sleep for days, except his mind was wide awake, too many thoughts swirling around his mind and fighting to be heard.

Centross shifted beside him, his voice quiet when he spoke. “What happened at the tree?”

What had happened at the tree? It hadn’t felt like an illusion, he’d seen enough of Perix’s to know those, but it wasn’t like he was reliving a memory either. He may have been there when it had happened, asleep and tucked into the guard’s arms on the edge of the room, but what he had experienced didn’t feel like he’d been watching from the outside.

He’d felt like he was Her, like he was witnessing her thoughts, her memories, her emotions. A grief that weighed heavy and a bittersweet memory that made him question a number of things that he barely even wanted to consider.

Rae took a deep breath, staring up at the ceiling and focusing on the wooden slats and beams, on the grain and the colour as he spoke, trying to keep his voice as calm as he could, for his own sake more than Centross’. “I… thought I’d felt something when we walked by earlier, but nothing big. But I kept thinking about it, so I asked if we could go back. The second I stepped closer, I just… I guess I unknowingly stepped to the spot where She had been when… and then I saw it, like I was Her, and it was weird, because obviously it was her, but… she felt different.”

“When you say Her, you mean…?” Centross asked.

He nodded, hoping Centross could feel the motion, because he didn’t have the strength to say it, already fighting back a fresh wave of tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks.

Centross sucked in a breath. “I can see how that would be… alarming. But then how did you end up where I found you? Did you see that too?”

Rae frowned, but shook his head, “No, that was… I was going to say it was a coincidence, but… I feel like I know that garden. Which may be stupid considering I apparently lived here for half my life, but I don’t remember it, not really. I just sort of… went there. And found her.”

He could feel the bed shift again as Centross rolled onto his side, moving closer to Rae and wrapping an arm over his chest in a quick hug. He blinked back more tears, his breath stuttering in his chest. “I look so much like her,” he said, his voice cracking. “I think I knew that, but to actually see her…”

He shifted, turning his head so he could look at Centross. “What if she never remembers me? Or worse, what if she does? Would she been proud of who I’ve become, or would she be disgusted by me? I hate that I know more about what Enderian thinks of me than what she should.”

Centross raised an eyebrow at him, pulling his arm back and using his other one to prop himself up a little. “I think there is no world where she is disappointed in you Rae. In herself, maybe, because I know how it feels to feel like you failed those you care about, but disappointed? Never, not when you’ve done so much, not when you’re the best man I’ve ever known.”

Rae could feel the tears threatening to start again, and this time he didn’t stop them, letting them roll down his face and land softly on the blanket below him. He searched Centross’ eyes for any sign of a lie, of a half truth, of any deception at all, but he knew he’d find none. Centross simply stared at him with a fixed look of utter belief, the words he’d said true to him even if others, Rae himself included, would disagree.

“Thanks you,” he managed finally, “Even if it’s fake, I’m glad I get to call you my brother.”

Centross half grinned, rolling his eyes and nudging Rae’s shoulder gently, “It’s only fake biologically. I’ve told you before, you are my brother Rae. There’s no changing that. I’m like a stray dog, you fed me once and were nice to me, so now you’re stuck with me. Forever.”

That surprised a laugh out of him, and he shook his head fondly as he stared at his friend. He paused, turning his head to stare back up at the ceiling. “Why did we even come here? I know Caspian had to meet up with Ocie and report to the King, but could we have just stayed in the Nether? It felt much less confusing there.”

Centross huffed a laugh, turning so he was once again on his back and facing the ceiling as well. “Less confusing, yes. Hot as fuck, also yes. But we both know you would have been haunted by what-ifs if we had. I know we haven’t had a great start here, and like fuck did I expect it to be, but it’ll be good that we did. This way at least you can decide if you want to try to be part of your family again. And if at the end of the day the answer is no, well Queen Soul did offer you a place in the Nether, and I’m sure Ocie would snag you for her court in an instant.”

Rae let out another half-hearted laugh, his expression bitter. “Funny, isn’t it, that the two kingdoms where I feel the least welcome are the ones where I’m in line for the throne.”

Centross snorted, though he was cut off from replying by a sharp knock at the door. They turned to look at each other for a second questioningly, then Centross pushed himself up and off the bed, crossing the room to answer the door as Rae sat up as well.

He pulled the door open, and Rae could just make out the form of a guard standing beyond the doorway, though he also caught a glimpse of Ocie’s seal, which made him slightly less panicked. The guard gave Centross a small nod, “Her Majesty Queen Oceana had requested the two of you to join her for dinner in her chambers. I am to wait should you need to prepare, and then lead you there.”

Rae raised an eyebrow, catching Centross’ eye as he glanced back towards him, and shrugged. He had no doubt his eye was red and puffy, and he had no clue how the other one looked, but that could be fixed quickly enough. Centross turned back to the guard, “We’ll be out in 5 minutes. Thank you.”

The guard gave him another small nod, then turned and walked a few steps down the hall as Centross closed the door behind him. Rae took a deep breath, standing from his spot on the bed and crossing the room to examine one of the other doors that led out of the room, luckily finding the bathroom on the first try. He leaned over the sink, wincing at the ring of red that encircled his good eye, then noticed the basin didn’t have any water in it. Not wanting to have to ask for a servant to bring some, he drew from his magic, summoning a small stream and using it to fill the basin about halfway before releasing the spell.

With that he cupped his hands, scooping up some water and splashing it over his face, relishing in the coolness it brought to his burning skin. He stood, turning to find Centross already holding a small towel out to him, which he took with a small grateful smile, shifting out of the way for Centross to wash his hands, then passed him back the towel.

Centross set it down on the edge of the basin with a sigh, turning to Rae with a grim expression. “You ready?” he asked, in a way that suggested that if Rae said anything other than yes, he’d figure something out to get them out of it.

But Rae simply nodded, knowing it would be for the best that they act as normal as they can, so with that they headed for the hall, finding the guard and following him as he led them back through the labyrinth of unknown that was the castle he’d used to call home, somewhere deep in his memories.

Chapter Text

Rae woke the next morning blearily, blinking in confusion at his surroundings until the memories of the day before finally began to filter into his head. The sun was barely peaking out behind heavy curtains he must have drawn at some point last night, which made them his first target as he slowly sat up and pushed himself off of the bed.

He winced as the intense morning sun hit his face, then wandered towards the single chair in the corner of his room where he’d dumped some of his belongings the night before. Dinner had been nice, even if he’d been trying to avoid both Caspian and Jamie’s looks of concern. At least Ocie had recognized that he clearly didn’t want to talk about it, and had filled the space with idle conversation and some basic information about the Overworld.

Caspian had also opened the magic closet space thing and they’d grabbed a few of their belongings, including some clothes and in Rae’s case, a few books. He’d asked Caspian to keep the rest of his work in his room for the time being, thinking they’d be safer there than in his, especially since the King didn’t seem to trust him or Centross just yet. He would have preferred they stay in the pocket space, but Caspian was returning the artifact to the prince the next day.

Rae grabbed a fresh set of clothes before crossing his room to the small bathroom, quickly changing them and repeating the spell he’d done the night before to fill his basin with water. He paused, remembering something Centross had told him the night before as they’d returned to their rooms. No one in the Mistvale family had magic, the closest being Centross’ somewhat immunity to minor harmful spells, but it was a reminder that once again he was not free to use his magic as he wanted. If he was to be a Mistvale, he had to act like he couldn’t do any magic, let alone show off his research.

A knock came at his door as he left the bathroom, followed by a soft whoosh as something was slid under his door. He frowned, walking over to it and picking up the envelope that lay there. His name, just his first, luckily, was written across the front in a deep red ink, giving him an idea as to who it was from.

Just as he guessed, when he opened it, he found a letter from Athena inside, saying they’d heard he’d arrived at the castle and hoping he’d be interested in joining them for lunch. They also mentioned that they’d invited Caspian and Ocie, and to please ask Centross to come as well. He briefly wondered why they hadn’t just sent Centross his own letter, but he figured they had their reasons, and if he really wanted to know, he could probably ask them when he got there.

The letter said noon, and according to the clock in the corner of his room, it was just past 9, meaning he’d have some time to kill before he was expected. Time that would likely be spent either I  his room or in Centross’, as he wasn’t sure the King would be thrilled to hear they’d gone anywhere else without some sort of escort or permission.

He stepped out into the hallway, grabbing the attention of one of the guards standing nearby, and showed them the letter. The guard confirmed that they’d be able to escort them to Athena’s rooms when the time came, and would ensure no one would bother them about it, so with that Rae thanked them and continued across the hall, knocking on Centross’ door and waiting a moment before slipping inside.

As expected, his friend was wide awake, standing by the window with his arms crossed. He turned as Rae entered, offering him a small smile and relaxing his posture ever so slightly. For all the time Rae had known Centross, the only time he’d seen him truly off guard was while they were travelling through the Nether, but only once they were far enough from the End.

“Athena sent me a letter,” Rae said as way of greeting, moving to join him. His window looked out over a section of the castle that faced the town in the distance. The castle was closer to the town than the End castle was, and it was almost strange to be able to make out the distant shapes of people going about their day, knowing they each had their own worries, their own joys, and likely not when of them knew his name, and maybe never would.

Centross raised an eyebrow at him, shifting to sit on the edge of the window sill. “What did they want?”

“To invite us to lunch,” Rae replied, offering him the letter, “I don’t see any reason why not to, and I already asked one of the guards and they seemed happy to take us over there when the time comes.”

Centross nodded, reading the letter over quickly and handing it back. “It’ll be interesting, that’s for sure. Pretty sure Jamie’s going to freak out over meeting the Prince of the Nether.”

“And Athena’s going to freak out over meeting my actual assistant,” Rae countered, making them both smile.

They went over their backstory a little, trying to make sure they knew what parts they’d have to tell Athena to go along with, and who knew what about Rae’s actual identity. The more they talked, the more complicated Rae realized this was becoming.

A knock at the door made them both jump, though Rae quickly remembered the invitation as one of Ocie’s guards poked their head in, giving them both a small bow and asking if they were ready to go. They looked at each other, then followed the guard back out of the room.

They were led to yet another new part of the castle, one that tugged at threads of memories in the back of Rae’s head. He spotted Galahad, who was standing outside a door he figured led to Athena’s rooms. His thoughts were proven correct when the guard leading them stopped in front of Galahad, greeting them with a low bow.

Galahad gave them a small bow in return, then turned to him and Centross with a faint but pleasant smile. “As expected given the distance, you two are the last to arrive. The Prince is quite excited to see you again.”

He opened the door for them, motioning for them to go through before pulling it shut behind them again. Rae had barely set foot into the room when Athena seemingly appeared in front of him, grinning widely. “You made it! Ocie said you would, but I never know with Fable.”

Rae smiled back, “I’m glad we could. Galahad said we were the last to arrive?”

They nodded, turning back into the room where Rae could now see everyone else gathered. Caspian was lounging on one of the couches, looking very much like he was exactly where he was supposed to be, while Ocie and Jamie shared one of the other couches, Jamie half tucked behind Ocie and eyeing Athena warily.

“Ocie told me that you guys came up with a better cover story,” Athena said as they led him and Centross further into the room, “Probably not a bad idea, but also your issue might have also just been me and my mom, specifically.”

Rae laughed, shooting Jamie a small smile and nodding to Ocie before claiming a chair between the two couches. Centross followed him, perching on the arm, and not letting down his guard despite them being surrounded by allies. Actually, about half of his allies were in this room, which, considering a year ago he’d have considered his total number of allies to be, well, 2, was a sizable feat.

“I don’t think I could have gotten away with being my own assistant here,” Rae agreed, glancing at Jamie specifically as he said the next part, “Especially considering my actual assistant needed that particular story.”

He didn’t miss the way Jamie rolled their eyes at him, but he hadn’t been expecting, well ok, he’d expected it, but not to this extent, the look of surprise, shock, and… star struck ness? That seemed to be on Athena’s face when he turned back to them, finding them plopped on the couch next to Caspian.

Rae watched as they looked between him and Jamie, connecting the dots he’d laid out for them. “You’re that Jamie?” they asked excitedly. Jamie nodded shyly, which only made Athena’s eyes go somehow even bigger, “Wait, so you’re both Momboo’s missing kid, and the assistant of the Sir Morningstar? Which like, yes, obviously I’ve met Rae, but still.”

Jamie just sort of stared at them, looking to Rae for help, but all he could do was shrug. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he was a little glad to have Athena’s attention not be on him. Which, was quickly rectified as Athena turned back to him.

“I have so many questions, but I promised myself I wouldn’t ask all of them now, so I have five.”

Rae sighed fondly, “How about two?”

“Three?” Athena countered, to which Rae just shook his head but motioned for them to ask anyway.

“Ok, one, what actually is your base power? Your reports talk about all the magic you’ve done, but nothing is ever said as like, your base?” they started, focusing on Rae.

Rae shared a look with Jamie, and he could feel Centross tensing over his shoulder. “I… would rather not answer than one, if you don’t mind.”

Athena frowned, but moved on without questioning him. “Ok, uhh, shoot, I should have written these down. Oh! What’s your magic mark? None of your reports ever mentioned it, and obviously I know its not the bruise around your eye because you told my mom how that happened.”

“It actually is- was, my eye,” Rae said, wincing as he switched to the past tense for his eye. “It… looked a lot like the Queen’s, Queen Enderian, that is. Green, with a black slit pupil, except I think my eye was lighter than hers are. Hers look more like the pine trees, these two always said mine was more mossy.”

Jamie surprised him then by speaking up, “As the only one of the three of us who had seen anything but snow in a while when I said it, I stand by my statement.”

Rae rolled his eyes, but Athena seemed satisfied by the answer. “That’s so cool! I don’t think I know of many people with similar marks. Second question then, do you know if that’s why you ended up in that castle?”

“I think that’s what she told people,” Rae replied truthfully, fairly certain that that had been her cover story.

Athena gave another nod, then, surprisingly, turned to Jamie. “How did you end up working with him? From what Easton has told me, they kind of all thought you were dead or in prison.”

“Athena, that might be a little sensitive,” Caspian spoke up, gently nudging their arm.

Their eyes widened as they looked between him and Jamie, “Oh! Shoot, sorry, science brain got excited. You don’t have to answer that.”

Jamie shook their head, though Rae could see them reach over and take Ocie’s hand. “It’s ok. I think I would have been, but Rae spoke up and asked if I could be his assistant instead of me going to… uh, what was it you guys called her?”

“The she-demon of the End?” Ocie offered.

Jamie nodded, “Yeah, that. Anyway, I guess we got the Queen on a good day, because she agreed, and I got to stay with Rae instead.”

Rae looked over at them, smiling fondly as he remembered the rest of that day. Gods, they’d been so scared, even after they were in the study, but then an hour later it had seemed to finally settle in, and they’d practically collapsed in his arms, crying until they fell asleep sometime later. It hadn’t been a good day for either of them for a number of reasons, but finding each other had been the one shining light in it.

Athena seemed more than satisfied with that answer, though a familiar scowl had appeared on their face when Perix was mentioned. “Well that’s my three. I promise I’ll try my best not to ask any more today. I get really curious, especially because the End is such an unknown since Queen Enderian came to power, but Caspian’s right, its a sensitive topic for you guys, so lets just enjoy the food, aka the entire reason I asked you guys to come!”

As they spoke, the door to the room opened again and Galahad slipped in, holding the door open as a pair of servants dressed in dark and olive greens came striding into the room, trays of food in hand. They set them down on the low table between all the couches and chairs, giving a small  curtsy to Athena, then Ocie, and a small nod to Caspian. 

They both paused for a moment, looking at Rae and Centross. He didn’t miss the way one of them seemed to stutter back in surprise at seeing his injured eye, but he did his best to ignore it as they hastily gave them each a small nod as well before backing out of the room again.

Athena dug right in, Caspian following shortly after. Ocie seemed to wait until Athena was done, leaning in to pick a few things for herself, then casting a glance towards Rae. She raised an eyebrow at him, gesturing as if asking if he was going to take anything. He did, hesitantly, grabbing something he recognized from Momboo’s house.

Centross and Jamie seemed to follow his lead, each reaching over to take something before settling back into their spots. Rae had half expected Centross to find his own seat now that they were eating, but he stayed where he was on the arm of Rae’s chair, like some sort of overly protective parrot. He had to stifle a giggle at that, not wanting to have to explain the image that had just popped into his head. He’d only really seen parrots in books, but the image of Centross with the beak and talons of one was a little ridiculous.

The conversation started up again, thankfully centred on things not concerning the End, and Rae took the chance to just sit back and listen. He learned more about what Caspian typically did, which was a lot of message carrying and observation missions. Athena asked Ocie how the East Isles was doing, which was how Rae learned that Ocie had not only a husband, but two other partners, as well as a son, who were all very used to her being gone for long periods of time, but all of whom she missed quite a bit.

Rae couldn’t help but feel bad that he was part of the reason she’d been gone for so long, which she must have seen, because she immediately told him that it was worth it to be here to help them. It did little to ease his guilt, but he tried to put on a braver face than he felt, and went back to his passive listening.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when a knock came at the door, then Galahad came in once more, bowing politely to Athena as he did. “Your Highness, King Fable requests that yourself and Queen Oceana sit in on a planning meeting he is holding with his council.”

Athena frowned slightly, looking across to Ocie who looked just as confused. They turned back to Galahad, “When is the meeting?”

“In half an hour,” Galahad replied, “Though His Majesty has asked that you arrive in ten minutes time so he may speak to you before it begins.”

“That’s not odd at all,” Ocie mumbled, but gave Athena a small nod.

Athena covered a small laugh at Ocie’s statement, focusing on Galahad, “Will you assure King Fable that we will be there at our earliest convenience?”

Galahad bowed, a small smirk on the edge of his lips, “Of course, your Highness.”

With that he ducked back out of the room, leaving them all in silence. Athena sighed, setting down the glass they’d been drinking out of. “Well, I guess that cuts our lunch short. I’m glad you were all able to come, and it was really nice to meet you, Jamie.”

Jamie looked up in surprise at being addressed, “Oh, uh, you too, your Highness.”

Rae could already see the look of distaste on Athena’s face at the formality. Honestly, it was kind of hilarious how many people in this room had a title and yet didn’t like being addressed by said title unless necessary.

“Call me Athena, please. Unless you want me calling you Sir Pine?” Athena replied, raising an eyebrow at them.

Jamie shook their head, “Definitely not. Then, it was nice meeting you too… Athena.”

Athena grinned at that, then pushed themselves from their seat. They gave Ocie an overly dramatic bow, offering their hand to help her up, which she accepted with a small laugh. She dropped their hand, brushing her hands along the fabric of her skirt.

She looked at Rae and Centross, “I assume my guards escorted you here? I’ll let them know to let you explore a little if you’d like, I know there’s certain parts of the castle Fable doesn’t like people to go, but a lot of it is supposed to be open to the general public, so there’s no reason you can’t go there too.”

Rae grinned, slightly excited at the idea of seeing more of the castle he’d been raised in. “Thank you Ocie.”

She gave him another smile, then moved to join Athena as they headed for the door. Once they were gone, Caspian stood, his nose crinkling as he stretched his back. “I don’t know why Athena likes the couches so soft, there’s no support in them.”

“Old,” Jamie muttered, grinning as Caspian turned to glare at them.

Rae held back a laugh, and he could just feel the chair shake as Centross laughed silently behind him. Caspian turned to them, and Rae just lifted his hands in his defence, “You kind of set yourself up for that one.”

Caspian sighed and rolled his eyes, then looked up a Centross. “If you don’t have anything else you want to do, want to come see the training grounds? I can arrange for a few of the guards I trust to meet us there, I promise you won’t have a repeat of what happened in the Nether.”

Jamie frowned at his words, but otherwise stayed silent. Rae turned to look over his shoulder, finding Centross seemingly contemplating the words. Rae sighed, nudging Centross’ leg with his arm, knowing exactly what was going through his friends head. “You should go, it’s been a bit since you’ve been able to punch something. I’m probably just going to go back to our rooms or see if I can find the library.”

Centross let out a snort at that, “You and your books. But if you’re sure… That sounds good Caspian. Like Rae said, I could probably use a good spar if any of your guys are up to it.”

Caspian grinned, reaching over to offer an arm and pull Centross to his feet, then led him towards the door as he began to tell him about some of the guys they’d be meeting there. Rae thought he heard something about a guy with spikes growing out of his arms, but then the guys were too far away for him to hear any more.

He looked over at Jamie, who was still half pushing something around on their plate, their feet tucked up beside them on the couch. “Hey, cub,” Rae said, getting their attention, “Are you going to be ok if I go wander off too, or do you want me to hang around for a bit?”

They thought about it for a minute, but shook their head. “Nah, go find your books, I think I might try and nap.”

Rae nodded, pushing himself to his feet and stepping over to pull them into an awkward hug before heading for the door. The guard who had escorted him and Centross there was still waiting outside, and they gave him a small nod when he stepped into the hall. Rae gave them a small smile, “Can you take me to the gardens?”

Chapter Text

He hadn’t been sure what to expect when he asked to see the gardens. He’d seen some of them through windows, and he had a bot of an idea what to expect based on Momboo’s gardens, but when the guard stopped just in front of two large glass doors not unlike the ones that had led to that little courtyard…

His breath left his chest, and he almost mindlessly pushed the doors open, taking in the smell of perfumed air as he stepped out onto the cobbled paths of what could not be accurately called a garden. He heard a small chuckle behind him that must have been the guard, but he paid they no mind as he continued forward.

What lay before him was a seemingly endless field of flowers and plants of all colours, which somehow ended in a wall of hedges so far away he was sure he could run for hours without reaching them. Realistically, they probably weren’t that far, but he let himself believe they were anyway.

It was breathtaking though, and a warm breeze soared over the rows of plants, wrapping around him like a gentle blanket. He shrugged off his cape, folding it over his arm as he began to wander further down one of the paths. He could still feel the guard trailing after him, but they seemed content to just let him walk, and he wasn’t going to question it. Ocie had said she’d tell them to let him go to any of the public sectors of the castle, so he’d hopefully be ok out here, unless there was some sort of secret garden he happened to stumble upon.

Something poked at his elbow as he adjusted his cape and he frowned, reaching into the folds of the fabric and letting out a small ‘oh’ as his fingers found the folded edge of a paper. He pulled it out, smiling down at it, holding it close to his chest as he continued farther into the gardens.

He almost laughed when he found a section filled with orchids. A bitter laugh, for the years where that was the only name he knew for her, and for the woman she’d become because of his mother. There was a bench along the path, so he sat, watching the guard he’d silently deemed ‘his’, at least for the time being, as they found a spot nearby but out of spot. He hoped they didn’t mind being out here, it might just become a habit for him.

His thumb ran along the paper again, his thoughts drifting to when he’d first read it. He’d intended to read Rowan’s letter while they were travelling, but he’d never found a good moment alone where he felt like he could process it. 

In the end, he’d found a small moment of time while they were on their way to the castle. Momboo had refused to let them take their horses, so she’d lent them a carriage, and a fancy one at that. It had had a human driver, but he was separated from them by a wall, and even then, the inside of the carriage had been split into two sections, with the main sitting area where the five of them had started, and a smaller back room that had what he’d guessed was a bed for if the people travelling inside where expecting to be on the road for longer. Or maybe for the driver if he didn’t get a room wherever they were staying.

Either way, Caspian had caught the way his hand kept itching at his pocket, giving him a knowing look and asking if he wanted to lie down for a bit since he hadn’t slept well. Rae was fairly sure everyone, save maybe Ocie, had known he’d actually slept better than he was used to, but still none of them had questioned it when he slid into the back and finally allowed himself to read the letter.

There was the sound of gravel shifting under foot, drawing his attention away from the letter and back to his surroundings. He looked up, catching the eye of a stranger who seemed just as surprised to see him there as he was to see them. There was something vaguely familiar about them, brown hair cropped just under their ears, one eye as gold as ore and the other a stark violet, almost like Centross’. Their clothes were formal too, noble, at least.

“Oh! Hi, sorry, I didn’t expect anyone to be out here,” they greeted, pausing awkwardly where they were.

Rae gave them an awkward smile, trying to figure out why they seemed so familiar. “I can go if you’d like?” he offered, moving to stand.

The stranger quickly shook their head, “No, uh, you’re good. Mind if I join you though?”

He motioned to the other half of the bench, pulling his cape off the bench and into his lap. “Go ahead.”

They gave him a small grin, nodding in thanks before sitting. Rae fiddled with the corner of the paper, trying to figure out what the person was doing. They seemed like they had a purpose in being out there, not just wandering like he was, and yet, he saw no obvious sign of what they were doing.

His question was answered a minute later though, when he heard the faint sound of humming carried over the breeze, and he saw the stranger tense. Then there she was, wandering through the flowers that matched her nickname. Just like the first time, he could feel the way his breath caught in his throat, though he held back the tears he could feel threatening to spill. He didn’t know this person, and they didn’t know him, it wasn’t worth it.

She seemed to notice them then, and she smiled at the stranger fondly, almost expectantly, like she’d known they were going to be there. They she noticed him and she brightened even more, which surprised him. He saw the stranger smile back to her, then turn to Rae with a questioning look.

“I was going to ask if you were new around here, but it looks like you’ve already met my mother.” They said, way too casually for the spiral of dread and realization the words sent him on.

Fuck. Of course that was why they looked so familiar. Not only were they the fucking prince, but this was his… brother. That word felt almost wrong in his mouth not being associated with Centross, but it was true. Fuck, he was not ready for this. He thought he’d have at least another day. Ocie had mentioned thinking Fable would call them all in tomorrow, he’d assumed he’d meet them there.

They must have noticed his panic, but luckily for him, they took it the wrong way. They laughed quietly to themselves, “Sorry, I guess I assume people just know who I am, especially since I look so much like my father. Don’t worry, you haven’t done anything wrong.” They paused, squinting at him slightly, “Probably. Do I know you?”

Rae shook his head, trying to keep his voice level as he spoke, “I only arrived yesterday with O… Queen Oceana.”

They frowned, and Rae could see their thoughts racing as they tried to place who he was, or at least, who they’d been told he was. “You’re one of the End people then?”

Rae nodded hesitantly, both trying to gauge their reaction to that and also see if they’d mention Centross. To his surprise though, they just nodded, humming slightly. “You don’t look murderous, so I assume you’re not the Reaper, so you’re… Rae? Lady Perix’s ex-assistant?” they asked, though it was really more of a statement.

He nodded again, wincing slightly at the mention of her. It was both a reflex and a cover, because he was definitely not her biggest fan, far from it, but also he knew from seeing those of her assistants who survived long enough to leave that working for her was truly an awful sentence.

Then they did something that surprised him. They turned slightly, so that their body was facing him a bit more, and offered their hand. “I suppose I should properly introduce myself then. Prince Icarus Loren of the Overworld, though call me Sherbert. Everyone but my father does.”

“…Loren?” Rae asked, because he knew that his last name was his mothers, but he hadn’t considered that if he had it, they didn’t, so he hadn’t been expecting the name.

Sherbert laughed, “My father’s name. I would use my mother’s, but I’m sure you’ve heard the story. Can’t use what you don’t remember.” There was a touch of bitterness in their words, and he couldn’t tell if it was at Enderian, at their own memories, or even something else. “Most people refuse to use last names for us in formal ceremonies out of respect to my mother’s family line, but father insists we have one in case hers is never rediscovered. Or at least, that I have one, I guess.”

Rae frowned, nodding slowly. It made sense, of course it did, but something about Fable insisting Sherbert take his last name instead of following the lead the rest of the people had taken felt… off to him. Not necessarily evil spirited. Just… off.

It also kept hitting him that this was… his brother. His older brother, that shadowy figure in those weird dreams slash nightmares that he could barely remember at all, let alone anything about them. He couldn’t help but watch them closely, trying to take in every detail and make it stick. Their pants were plain, black, but their top half was considerably fancier. They had on a canary yellow long sleeve button up shirt, with a deep purple vest pulled over it that was almost surprising, given the usual associations of that colour.

Though, he supposed, typically the End was associated with a lighter purple, like that of the purpur in the older buildings and in the older parts of the castle. They also wore a number of pieces of jewellery, ranging from silver rings across their fingers to a few simple chains hanging around their neck, and even an earring or two in each ear.

He knew about their eyes, so that didn’t catch him quite as off guard. One was a lighter purple-blue colour, almost like their mothers, just tinted slightly, but the other was a brilliant shining gold. Rae held back a pained laugh, realizing the irony that they’d both inherited Isla’s eyes but magic had made them both match their other parent by force.

Sherbert was watching him too, and he had to wonder just what they thought about him, if anything in their memory was remembering him the way Rae was trying to get his to. Then they turned, looking back over to Isla, who was still standing among the flowers. “I’m sorry if this is rude, but can I ask… have you ever met my brother?”

Rae froze, caught off guard by the question. His thoughts went immediately to what he’d told Caspian, and while it was probably safest to stick to that story, his heart ached for just a minute to tell them the truth instead.

“Yes,” he said simply.

“Is he alive?” Sherbert asked next, surprising him again.

Rae considered his answer carefully, “…Yes.”

He was surprised to see what looked like another flash of bitterness cross their face, quickly replaced by maybe anger, then guilt as they hung their head and sighed.

“Can I tell you a secret?” they asked, not turning to look at him.

Rae frowned, but nodded, though he didn’t think it mattered what he said, it looked like they wanted to say it regardless.

“I hate him sometimes,” Sherbert confessed, and oh those were not the words Rae had been expecting to hear.

“…Why?”

They shrugged, “Everything just got so messed up when he was taken, and even before that, and like, yeah its not his fault, but I won’t be mad at my mother, because she’s suffering worse than any of us, and I can’t blame my father. I blame Enderian plenty, but…” they sighed, “I’ve read the meeting notes from the few times she tried to negotiate with my parents before… everything. Father would be mad if he knew I had, but I did it anyway. All she wanted was to be able to see him. Though little good that did her apparently, since she named her precious ward who isn’t even her kid as her heir.”

Rae winced again, trying to cover it up by quickly reaching up to adjust his hair. Without even realizing, in doing so he exposed the injured side of his face to them. He only realized when he heard them suck in a breath, and he looked up to find them staring at the side of his face. He flushed, pulling his hair from behind his ear and letting it fall over the mark again.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare,” they apologized quickly, grimacing.

“It’s fine,” Rae replied, trying to look literally anywhere else.

“What happened?” they asked, the eagerness clear in their voice despite the effort they were putting in to sound polite.

Rae let out a small scoff, pulling his arms around his chest. “Parting gift from the Lady herself.”

They winced, giving him a sympathetic expression. “I know it’s probably a sore subject, but I’d love to hear about her research at some point if you’re willing to talk about it. I’m a bit of an alchemist myself, when Father doesn’t have me in other lessons, so I’d be interested in hearing what kind of work she was doing. Maybe I can even find decent ways to defend against it so we can stop losing troops to her madness.”

He didn’t give them a yes or a no as a response, instead he just let out a small hum, turning to look out over the flowers again. His fingers played with the edge of the letter again, the soft page keeping him grounded and as calm as he could be right now.

Of course, him playing with it drew their attention to it. Not that he really remembered them at all, but he didn’t remember them being this nosy. 

“From your parents?” they asked.

Rae shook his head, a small fond smile finding its way onto his face. “Maybe a father figure, if that. I got to reunite with him briefly, but I had to leave again to come here. He’s the closest thing I have to a parent who cares.” He almost said to a parent, period, but last second realized that might lead to inconsistencies in their story if he was supposed to be a Mistvale.

Speaking of, if he did end up working with them on some of Perix’s research, which he luckily did know a decent amount about, he’d have to be careful to not imply that he could do magic or actually do any. The Mistvale family doesn’t have magic. This was all getting way too complicated. He wondered briefly if his life had ever been simple or if being born as a bastard to a Queen meant he was just destined for chaos.

Sherbert gave him a half grin, something truly sympathetic and happy. It was probably the most genuine expression they’d given him in the entire time they’d been out here. “Sounds like a good guy. I hope you get to see him again soon.”

“Me too,” Rae agreed, glancing down at the letter with a small smile.

The sound of ruffling plants grew louder and they both looked up, finding Isla walking towards them. Sherbert stood up immediately, crossing the distance between them to help her step over the small wall at the edge of the flower bed and onto the path.

“Thank you darling,” Isla said, beaming up at Sherbert, who was easily a good few inches taller than her. She looked towards Rae, her eyes lighting up, “I saw you the other day! Or was it last week? Either way, it’s nice to see you again!”

Sherbert looked at him again, remembering where their conversation had started, “Oh right, I never did hear how you’d met my mother already.”

Rae pressed his lips together, “My brother and I were being shown around, and I got a bit lost from the group. I saw her sitting in a courtyard. I thought maybe she’d be able to tell me where I was, but I quickly realized that was unlikely. My group found me shortly after either way.”

They frowned, but nodded, looking at Isla again, her hand still on their arm. “Mom, this is Rae. He’s from the End. He said he knew our Lost Prince.”

He could see the way her eyes unfocused more as they spoke, like she was in some far off world instead of standing right in front of him. Sherbert sighed, giving him a tired look. “I should make sure she gets back to her rooms alright. It was nice meeting you Rae, hopefully we’ll talk more at some point.”

Rae nodded, standing and giving them a small bow, then turning slightly and giving one to his mother as well, which made her giggle slightly. He could imagine her then, two and a half decades ago, a young woman falling for a man, then a slightly older woman losing herself only to find herself in the arms of another. The struggle she must have faced upon realizing what had happened, mixed with having two young children and a Kingdom to take care of.

Sherbert gave him one more small smile, then gently led Isla back towards the way they’d come from, Rae watching them longingly until they disappeared somewhere along the paths. He sat back down, letting out a long sigh and turning to look out over the orchids again. Sometimes he wished he’d never learned her actual name, maybe then she could stay who she had been in his head. Orchid was a lot simpler than Isla was, but maybe he owed it to Isla to find out, or, remember, who she is too.

He stood again, looking around for his guard until they made themselves known and he asked them to take him back to his rooms. They gave him a look, but nodded, and they set back off down the paths. He just about managed to make it to his room and close the door before the tears started, and there was no stopping them after that.

The door opened at some point, and he could feel the weight of someone else joining him on the bed, so he twisted, just enough to bury his face in his brother’s chest. Centross wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. He didn’t ask any questions, even though Rae knew he’d end up telling him later either way, but for now they just stayed like that. Centross comforting him, and Rae feeling guilty that he’d replaced his brother despite knowing he wouldn’t have survived if he hadn’t.

Chapter Text

He woke very abruptly to the sound of a fist pounding against his door. He shot up, bleary blinking sleep out of his eyes as a voice finally registered alongside the banging. “Get up and get ready! The King moved forward your meeting with him and it’s in fifteen minutes.”

That woke him up, panic registering in his head as he scrambled to throw off his covers, quickly finding his bag where it was kind of messily spilled over a chair and grabbing his clothes. He paused in the wash room long enough to braid his hair over his shoulder, not having time to properly brush it or put it up, then gave a once over to his usual white button up and dark pants that he’d taken to wearing since arriving.

The knock came again, and this time Rae moved to the door to open it. The guard looked relieved to see him ready, and just behind them he could see Centross emerging from his room in a similarly rushed fashion.

“Good, you’re both ready. Come on, I’ll explain what I can along the way,” the guard said, barely giving either of them a second to think before setting off down the hall, leaving them to simply follow as fast as they could.

“The Captain came by in a hurry about 5 minutes before I knocked. You were scheduled to meet with the King at 11, but he has decided that he must speak to you two at once, so he moved the meeting to 8. Apparently he sent one of his guards to come get you two, but he was intercepted, so the Captain suspects he didn’t plan to tell our Queen. She should have done so by now though, so if we’re lucky, we will be meeting her and the others there,” the guard explained, leading them around another corner.

Rae spared a glance to Centross, who looked just as concerned at this as he felt. He couldn’t help but wonder just what Fable would have tried to do without Ocie there, and he really hoped the guard was right and he wouldn’t have to find out.

They turned another corner and the guard slowed, giving them all a minute to catch their breath as they spoke to the Overworld guards stood outside the doors. Then they turned back to him and Centross, giving them a steady but hesitant nod as the other guards pulled the doors open, and the three of them walked in.

And oh Gods, Rae was glad he hadn’t been given any time to eat, because he was sure it would have all come right back up in that very second. Fable sat at the end of the room in a sort of throne, vines of gold twisting around a wooden frame that looked like it might have once been elegant instead gaudy. It stood out so blatantly from the room, in fact the only thing that matched it was Fable himself, eyes of molten gold staring them down  as they entered.

Ocie was not there. In fact, no one else was there. It was just Fable, them, and the single one of Ocie’s guards who had brought them here. And before the doors could even shut them, Fable was motioning for the guard to leave. They hesitated, and Rae silently begged them to stay, but then Fable motioned again, and they turned and left the room, casting one more worried look in their direction before doing so.

Rae reached for Centross almost on instinct, his pinky barely brushing against Centross’ hand before Centross had linked their two pinkies together. The gesture was small, but it was hopefully covered from view by the table, and it made him ever so slightly more confident, or maybe less scared, of whatever was to come.

But Fable didn’t speak. Instead, he sat there in silence, seemingly just…watching. There was no disguising the hate in his eyes, even if it seemed like he was trying to hide it to at least some extent. He itched to move, to say something, anything, maybe to try and convince Fable they meant no harm, or beg him for forgiveness for something. Anything to stop the silence that left him with nothing but his own thoughts.

“Of all the kingdoms, why here?” Fable said finally. His voice was cool, calculating, but not as lifeless as it had sounded in Rae’s head in those moments before he spoke.

“What do you mean by that, your Majesty?” Centross asked in return, saving Rae from speaking.

Fable raised an eyebrow at him, “You had save haven in the Nether, and you could have passed through my kingdom to reach the East Isles without ever seeing me. And yet here you are. Why.”

Why had they? Because they could? Because it was technically a mission from Fable that resulted in them escaping? Or because Rae had been so desperate to find what he had lost but was so scared of losing it again he’d probably never even have a chance? Because he couldn’t accept a Queen who acted like she cared, a father figure who did care, and a place where he would have been safe, all because he wanted to play house in a kingdom he barely remembered?

Centross had at least followed a similar line of thinking, to a certain extent, “Your people saved us, your Majesty. As odd as the whole situation was, had it not been for you sending Lord Solcrest, along with Queen Oceana and Lord Will, we would not have escaped. It seemed only fair to offer ourselves to your service first and foremost.”

“From what Lord Solcrest told me, you did not need much of their help,” Fable retorted, watching them coolly.

“Perhaps not,” Centross agreed, somehow staying calmer than Rae could have been. “But while Rae and I had been planning for us for some time, there were many complications. Besides, we would not have been able to help the young Pine without their help, and we are truly happy that we could return them to their family.”

Fable stared at them, barely even a flicker of emotion crossing his face. He opened his mouth to say something further when the pounding sound of steps drew all of their attention to the doors. They burst open, a very pissed off Ocie coming through, followed by Caspian, Athena, and Captain Caris of Ocie’s guard.

Caspian and Athena stopped when they reached Rae and Centross, their worry clear on their faces as they looked the pair over. Rae found Caspian’s hand slipping into his own, and he certainly didn’t mind in that moment. Ocie however continued past them, until she stood mere feet from Fable. Despite being a good few inches shorter than him, he seemed to shrink at her sudden and angry appearance.

“You have some nerve,” she said, causing Rae to hold back a gasp. “It is good fortune that I was already awake when my captain came to tell me that you had moved forward this meeting, or I would be less willing to hear your reasons as to why I, nor Lord Solcrest, were informed that you had changed it at all.”

Fable started to splutter a response, but his focus was drawn to Caspian, who leaned in to whisper to him. “Jamie is ok by the way, I left them a note by their bed and with the guard outside their room. We got here as quick as we could once Caris came and got us.”

Rae gave him a small smile, his nerves still standing on edge. “I’m glad you made it.”

“What did he say before we came in?” Caspian asked, and Rae barely held back a wince, though judging by his expression, Caspian had caught it.

“He wanted to know why we were here, why we hadn’t stayed in the Nether or gone to the East Islands.” Rae said, sneaking a glance to where it seemed Ocie and Fable had engaged in a full blown argument.

Caspian frowned, “I don’t know what you told him, but I’m certainly glad you’re here.”

“Hey dumbasses,” Centross muttered beside them, “Less flirting, more focusing on not pissing off the King, yeah?”

Rae flushed, feeling the heat crawl up his cheeks as he ducked his head. He could hear Athena giggling under their breath from their spot beside Centross. He turned his attention back to Ocie and the king, the mood immediately darkening again as their arguments filled the air.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing at Fable, but you would do well to remember your place,” Ocie warned, “Do not forget that just because we are small, it does not mean the East Isles could not take you down if necessary. We have always had a peaceful relationship with this kingdom, do not be the ruler to ruin it.”

Fable snarled, “Do not think to threaten me Oceana, especially when an enemy to me and mine stands within my walls supposedly asking for sanctity. The younger one I can forgive, for he has not hurt mime directly, but if you expect me to sit quiet and trusting when the Violet Reaper, a man who has taken the lives of so many of my people, roams free in my castle, then you are not as smart as I thought you were.”

“He has already promised to work with you to redeem himself, and he has proven himself not only multiple times in my eyes and the eyes of Caspian, but even here in this very castle. Just yesterday he showed some of your men how to defend against a move the End soldiers have been using against us for ages!” Ocie retorted, somehow still managing to look composed despite the clear rage storming within her.

Rae’s eyes drifted slightly when he saw a back door to the room open, and Sherbert slipped in. They seemed surprised at the scene in front of them, and yet not at the same time. Calmly, they walked towards their group while Ocie and Fable continued to argue, placing themselves along the wall not far from where Rae stood with the others, in their father’s view.

“Hundreds of lives can not be forgiven in a few short days,” Fable barked, not quite looking as regal as Rae assumed a king would, especially with Ocie across from him.

“Then give them time!” Ocie retorted, throwing her arms in the air in frustration. “Centross can continue to work with your guards, to help them defend against End troops. And Rae worked alongside Lady Perix, if anyone knows how to defend against her attacks it would be him. Surely that knowledge is more valuable that the simple revenge their deaths would bring?”

Wait, deaths? Rae suddenly regretted tuning out parts of their conversation. He knew Fable was beyond pissed, and he and Centross had both known… that, was an option for him when they arrived, but he hadn’t thought the conversation was going there, no matter how angry Fable was at the moment.

To his surprise though, Fable seemed to finally realize the situation in full. He stood up straight, regaining his composure, though his face still held all of his rage. Rae watched his gaze catch Sherbert where they stood, then turn back to Ocie with a resigned but bitter expression. “One month,” he spat, “One month I will allow them to stay, to share their knowledge as payment for what the Reaper has done to my people, and then to yours or to the Nether I don’t care, but I will not allow them to remain in my kingdom longer than that.”

Ocie quirked her head at him, but gave a small nod, “I suppose that is all I can ask. But, I must insist that one of my guards is to stay with each of them at all time, and I am to be informed first should they be required at any meetings, understood?”

Fable barely held back another snarl, “Those terms are agreeable, I suppose.” Then he turned to Sherbert, “Icarus, take the younger Mistvale down to your lab. If they insist on helping us, I don’t want to waste any time.”

Sherbert gave him a bow, then looked at Rae and quirked their eyebrow. Rae glanced towards Centross and Caspian, biting at his lip. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Sherbert, but, well, Easton’s words were ringing in his head, and he’d just seen what Fable was like when he was angry.

He saw Ocie and Caspian share a look as well, then Caspian turned to him and turned his head to whisper to him, “I’ll come with you. Ocie and Athena can watch Centross.”

Rae gave him a thankful smile, then Caspian looked up at Sherbert and nodded to ask if they should go. Sherbert gave him a look, but nodded back, moving towards the main door to the hall. They paused briefly outside for Caspian to talk to some of Ocie’s guards and for one of them to split off to join them, then they were off.

It was only when they’d gotten some distance away that Caspian spoke, causing them all to slow. “Your highness, would you mind if we stop by my chambers before we go down to your lab? I’m supposed to take Jamie back to their mother later today and I figured Rae would like to say goodbye.”

Sherbert turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow at Caspian. “I’m going to assume the title is because we’re still potentially in range of my father, but yes, that should be fine. Even if my father is, I’m not in a rush.”

Caspian gave them a small smile, then they started moving down the hall again. It was barely two seconds after they knocked on Jamie’s door that it flung open, revealing a very relieved looking Jamie who immediately stepped forward to wrap Rae in a hug. He hugged them back, once again thankful for the little bit of familiarity they brought with them.

“I’m so glad you’re ok,” they said into his shirt, “When I saw the notes, I mean, I know he isn’t… her, but still. I didn’t know what to think.”

Rae grimaced, not being able to help but feel the same way. Especially since something about Fable just struck a little too similar to his mother. “Me too cub, but I’m ok. Ocie, Caspian, and Athena got there before much happened.

They nodded, some of the tension slipping from their shoulders as they pulled back a little. They looked up at him, still looking hesitant. “Are you going to be ok if I leave? Caspian is supposed to take me home today, but I’ll stay! I don’t care what my mom says, if you need me, I’ll stay.”

Rae gave them a soft smile, shoving down the part of his heart that immediately screamed for them to stay, not only for the support but because he didn’t know what to do if they weren’t around. Even on the road, when he hadn’t seen them in weeks, he knew there was a next time. He knew he’d see them again. If-When, they left today, he didn’t know when the next time would be. But he also knew he couldn’t keep them from their family.

“I’ll be ok, I promise,” he replied, squeezing their hand gently, “Ocie and Centross will still be here, same with Athena.”

Jamie didn’t look like they believed him, not that he really expected them too, but still they just let out a sigh and nodded. They looked over to Caspian, who had chosen the wall opposite Jamie’s door to lean on while the two had been talking. “When do we have to leave?”

“Hour or two at most,” Caspian replied, “Your mom wants us there for dinner, but I have a few things I need to do around the castle first.”

They nodded again, turning back to Rae. “I’ll see you before we leave, right?”

“Of course,” Rae promised, hoping the guard following him could help him keep track of time if he and Sherbert did end up getting into something. He wasn’t sure what to expect out of this just yet.

Jamie gave him another nod, then another quick hug. Then Rae turned away, looking to Sherbert where they stood at the end of the hall with Ocie’s guard. Sherbert noticed him looking and stood up straight. They gave him a slight nod, then waited for him to join them before setting back off down the halls.

He heard the sounds of doors behind him, telling him Jamie and Caspian had retreated into one of their rooms. He kept his focus on Sherbert, on the prince, on his brother. A person he felt like he should know a million things about and yet could barely say two.

They walked to a part of the castle he hadn’t been to yet, and then to his surprise, they were met with a set of stairs that went… up. He wasn’t entirely sure what to expect of his brother’s lab, but maybe part of him had assumed it was underground, the same way his had been in the End. Even Perix’s lab was underground, and yet as they climbed the stairs and he visibly watched tension drip from their shoulders, he knew this was definitely the better fit for them.

There was another door at the top, which Sherbert unlocked with a key from around their neck, and then they stepped foot inside. It was a large circular room, windows spanning almost the entirety of the walls, broken up only by small posts and a few colourful mosaics in each of the cardinal directions. To the north, an image of the sun, full of vibrant, bright colours that shone in the now midday sun. South held the moon, with dark navies and indigo's that cast an almost purple light on the table below it. East and west both held constellations, though not ones he could name off the top of his head. Maybe if he got the chance he should copy them down, if only to be able to later sate his own curiosity.

Sherbert was watching him with a slight hint of amusement to their expression, a sort of softness that made him wonder if his brother wore just as much of a mask as he did.

“Your lab is beautiful,” Rae said, doing another spin to take in the rest of the space, the tables littered with notes and ingredients, and weird stands that he vaguely recognized from Perix’s potion work.

“Thank you,” Sherbert replied, seeming pleased. “It’s probably not as advanced as the Witch of the End’s but it does what I need it to.”

Rae turned to them, raising an eyebrow, “The Witch of the End? Do you mean Lady Perix?”

Sherbert let out a small laugh. “Yes, it’s one of the many nicknames we have for her. I’m sure you’d understand why no one really wants to say her name.”

“Definitely,” Rae agreed, letting out a slightly bitter laugh. His hand drifted mindlessly up towards his eye, only noticing when he caught Sherbert looking at it.

They immediately averted their eyes upon being caught, looking guilty. Rae sighed, debating it internally for a moment before deciding to tell them. One small step towards getting to know his brother again, right?

“This was her, if you’re wondering,” he said, motioning to his eye again when they looked back over at him. “Her daggers, mostly, but the medics in the Nether seemed to think she must have struck out with her magic at the same time, which caused the colour.”

Sherbert nodded, visible curiosity bubbling under their skin. It was strange, when they’d met in the garden, they seemed like such a prince, but just like he always had, they seemed to come alive in their lab, like the last piece of a puzzle snapped back into place. 

They looked like they wanted to ask more about his eye, but then for just a second, that mask slipped back, and they were suddenly Prince Icarus again. “Father wanted us to discuss some of her common weapons. We’ve been losing men to her potions for a while now, anything you can give me that might lead to a cure or vaccine would be great.”

Rae pressed his lips together, frowning slightly, but then he nodded. He moved over to the work bench they’d gone to, claiming a stool tucked underneath it, and got to work. He may not have actually worked with Perix, but he’d read her reports, just as he was sure she’d read his. And he’d be damned if sat by and let her hurt more people if he could do something about it.

Chapter Text

He was really tired of being woken up to someone banging on his door. Still, when he managed to push himself out of bed and cross the room to answer it, he was still surprised to see who was on the other side. Ocie stood in the hall, her expression grim when they locked eyes. A moment later Centross’ door opened as well, then she motioned for all of them to step inside Rae’s room.

“Is everything ok?” Rae asked, trying to shake the last of the sleep from his thoughts.

Ocie shook her head, pulling a folded piece of paper from her pocket. “Not exactly. A messenger arrived this morning with a letter from my Kingdom saying they needed me back urgently. I’m already making plans to head out within the hour.”

Rae frowned, “Do you know what’s going on?”

“Not really, but it’s from Casus, so I have to believe it’s truly urgent. I sent her a letter from Momboo’s letting her and Vorago know I’d be here longer than I expected, so she wouldn’t ask for me unless there was no other option.” Ocie explained, her brows furrowed.

Centross shifted, folding his arms over his chest, “So what does this mean for us? After yesterday…”

Ocie nodded, “Yeah, that was my first thought too. I’ve already been to see Fable. Needless to say, he’s pissed because yesterday I was fighting for him to let you stay and then I said I would like to bring both of you with me.”

“What did he say to that?” Rae asked, not liking the look on her face.

She sighed, “He said he would ‘allow me to take the Reaper’, but that I couldn’t take you when you and the prince had just started your work on defending against Perix’s attacks.”

Rae frowned, hearing Centross swear under his breath. “So what do we do then? I don’t think it’s smart for Centross to be here without you, but if you both leave…”

“It’s not happening,” Centross cut in, “Whatever he has planned for me I can deal with. I’m not leaving you alone.”

Ocie shook her head, “I think we have to though, Centross. Look, I don’t like it either, but Caspian gets back tonight, and you still have Athena. They may not have quite as much power against Fable, but they’re still a powerful ally for you. And I’ll be leaving some of my guards here, so you’ll have them. It’s not ideal, but I don’t trust Fable to not murder Centross the second I leave.”

He considered her words, frustrated by how much sense she made. If they left within the hour, and Caspian was due back that evening, that would give him maybe 8 hours alone. Likely, he could just go spend that with Athena and be fine, or maybe with Sherbert if he wanted to try and stay on Fable’s good side while he waited for Caspian to return.

Beside him he could tell Centross still wasn’t entirely sold on the idea. Rae reached over, placing his hand on Centross’ arm. “I think this is the best we can do. You’ll be safer going with Ocie, and I know neither of us like it, but I can handle myself for the few hours until Caspian gets back. Everything will be alright.”

Centross frowned, but didn’t protest. Instead he just sighed, hanging his head slightly, then nodded. “Fine. But only because Caspian gets back today. I still don’t like it.”

Rae nodded, relieved he wouldn’t have to argue to get him to agree. He wasn’t a fan of the plan either, but it was all they had. Ocie had to go if her people needed her, as figure headed as her reign was, and Rae was safer here without her than Centross was. It would be fine. Not great, but fine.

Ocie looked between them, then nodded. “I’m going to stop by Athena’s rooms to make sure they know what’s going on. Assuming they have no other pressing plans, you should be able to spend most of the day with them if you want. Centross, I’ll send my captain for you within the hour, be ready to go.”

They both nodded, then Ocie and Centross headed for the door. Centross paused, giving Rae one more questioning look, which he answered with a weak smile, then pushed out into the hall. Rae moved over towards his bed, sighing heavily and flopping backwards on it.

There was that familiar, annoying, ache in his chest that longed for a simpler time, but then he reminded himself his life had never been simple. The longer he spent in Crete, the more he knew for certain this part of his life wasn’t as easy as he’d always fantasized it was in his dreams.

He let out another sigh, pushing himself back off the bed and towards the chair where his bag sat. He pulled out some fresh clothes, changing into them quickly then moving to the small desk and opening the story book he’d been translating. He’d made some good progress on it since arriving at the castle, though he’d mostly been working on bits of stories here and there. The pages fluttered open, landing on one he’d bookmarked, and he pressed it open with his hand to try and remember which one this was.

The small illustration of a hare gave it away, and he smiled fondly as he remembered telling Caspian about it. He still hadn’t finished it, some of the words being too complicated for him to place, even in context. Briefly he wondered if there was any chance the library here would have any Ender in it, but then remembering the King’s hatred for the End, figured any that had existed here was probably long gone.

Another knock on his door some time later pulled him from his work. He slipped the page with his translations into the book, then set it on the table as he stood to go answer the door. He had been expecting a guard, or maybe Athena, but instead Sherbert stood on the other side. Rae tried to hide his surprise, ducking into a shallow bow.

Sherbert gave him a weak smile, “There’s no need for that, please. I was wondering if you were busy? I had some ideas last night based on what you told me, and was hoping you might be able to help me out?”

Rae raised an eyebrow at them, but nodded. “Of course, I’d be happy to help. I was sort of expecting a message from Prince Athena though.”

They grinned, something more genuine than their previous expression. “Oh, well we could see if they want to join us? They’ve been up to my lab plenty of times, and if them being there would make you more comfortable?”

“I’d love that,” Rae replied, smiling back. He was still worried about 3 of his allies being gone today, but if he could spend it with Athena, and doing something bot useful and out of Fable’s view, then maybe he’d be alright.

Sherbert gave him a small nod, then awkwardly half turned and nodded down the hall. Rae nodded back, making sure he didn’t need anything from his room before following them out into the hallway and pulling the door shut behind him.

He was relieved to hear the familiar steps of a guard follow them as they left the hall he and Centross were staying in. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed it was the same guard that had been following him and Centross during their time here. They gave him a small smile in return, and he turned forward again.

Sherbert paused as they passed a set of Overworld guards, whispering something to one of them that Rae couldn’t quite make out. Then they started walking again, until they met up with the path Rae recognized from the day before as the way to their lab. As with the day before, his guard stayed at the bottom of the stairs, along with one who had been tailing Sherbert who had appeared from the shadows as they approached the lab.

Rae wondered about Athena. He didn’t think Sherbert would lie about inviting them, so he couldn’t help but be a little confused as to why they hadn’t gone to their rooms first. His question was answered when they reached the top and Sherbert spoke.

“Athena should be here soon, I asked one of our guards to invite them,” they said, moving to the bench they’d been working at yesterday. They picked up a book with thick pages, flipping it open to a page that was covered in doodles and notes.

Sherbert looked up at him, a grin playing at the corner of their mouth before they made their way back across the room and held the book so he could see the pages. The left was almost entirely covered in notes, which Rae realized after a moment were things he’d told them the day before about one of Perix’s weapons. The second page was mostly taken up with a doodle of the weapon that they’d done based on his description, with little notes around it about what it could be made of, based on appearance and what it did.

“You mentioned you didn’t know how these were activated, right?” Sherbert asked.

Rae nodded. The weapon was a sort of paralyzing agent turned into almost a bomb. He’d been horrified when he read the initial report about them, and even more so when reading the reports of them being used against enemies to easy take out dozens without any opposition. The only reason there were survivors was because these bombs only worked short range, and the Overworld had some damn good archers.

“She wouldn’t even tell me,” Rae replied, only lying slightly, “As far as I know, she only told the troops who were going to carry them, and they were demanded to die before risking exposing the answer.”

Sherbert frowned, but nodded, moving back towards the table. They opened a small box, pulling out what Rae was horrified to see was a smaller, less put together version of the bombs. Seeing his expression, Sherbert rushed to assure him, “It’s not active, I promise! You mentioned some of the components, and I figured out which one makes the paralyzing effect, I think, so I swapped it for a less harmful compound in this so I could try and figure out how to activate them.”

Rae eyed them warily, but nodded for them to continue.

“I was trying to figure out how it could affect everyone in the area except the person who set it off, and initially I thought maybe it was just End genetics, except especially up towards the boarder, we’ve had lots of End citizens mix with the old Kingdoms for centuries, so they should be just as resistant,” Sherbert explained.

He frowned, “So how do you think she did it? Do you have an idea?”

Sherbert nodded, their eyes glistening with a familiar spark. He had to wonder just how often Centross or Jamie had seen that exact spark in his own eyes. “I think it’s blood.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Rae asked, a little taken off guard.

They laughed, “Blood. It would make sense. This is a lot of chemistry, but it’s also alchemy, and alchemy, just like magic, uses a lot of intent to determine what it does. If her intent was that whoever’s blood is used to activate it is safe from its effects, then it would explain why they don’t get paralyzed along with everyone else near them.”

Rae thought about that for a second. It was a very Perix move, he wouldn’t put it past her to use blood as the key to unleashing these things. And if Sherbert had figured that out so quickly, well, maybe his brother was smarter than he could have guessed, and, maybe he could actually help the Overworld defend against her, especially if she tried to take the End throne again in his absence.

“So how do we know for sure?” Rae asked, still hesitant.

Sherbert smirked, reaching for a small knife on the table. “We test it.”

Rae instinctively took a step back, “Uh, are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“About 80%,” Sherbert replied, face serious until they saw the look of terror that flashed across Rae’s face. “I’m kidding! I haven’t figured out how she made the paralyzer yet, so this is just filled with a healing potion. Plus, this one isn’t glass, I couldn’t figure out how she made it sturdy enough to not break in transit and yet break against any other surface.”

He was still wary, but hesitantly he nodded for them to go ahead. They grinned, steadying themselves and taking a deep breath before launching the makeshift pouch towards the ground. It hit, exploding into a cloud of swirling red that settled around their feet. Rae had never actually used a health potion before, but he could feel the second it took effect, a sort of tingling sensation running along his skin in search of any injuries.

The cloud lasted for a minute or two, then began to disappear. Rae looked up, meeting Sherbert’s eyes with a mix of shock and awe that was mirrored on their face. “Holy shit, I think you did it.” Rae breathed, still not entirely believing it.

“I think I did,” Sherbert replied, their grin growing even bigger. They turned toward their desk, grabbing for their book and a quill and scribbling furiously on a fresh page. Neither of them even noticed when the door squeaked open, not until Athena spoke and was suddenly right next to Rae.

“Whatcha guys doing?” They asked, causing Rae to nearly jump out of his skin. From their spot by their desk, Sherbert threw their quill in surprise, all three of them watching for a moment as it clattered to the floor on the opposite side of the room.

“Hey Athena, knock next time?” Sherbert said, recovering from the scare and moving to grab their quill.

Athena raised an eyebrow at them, “I did. Multiple times. I figured you two were too busy being nerds to hear me so I just came in.”

Rae went to protest but paused when he realized Sherbert had as well. They looked at each other, silently acknowledging the truth behind Athena’s words, then ducked their heads.

Athena laughed, shaking their head, “Two of a kind, I swear. So are either of you gonna actually answer my question then?” They pulled a stool from under one of the desks, plopping down in a motion that felt very practised and familiar.

Not needing to be asked a third time, Sherbert launched into telling Athena about what they’d been showing Rae. For his part, Rae just claimed a different stool and let them talk. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to or couldn’t contribute, but he couldn’t help but feel extremely out of place here. The second he let it his mind had begun to wander.

He kept thinking of what ifs, of what could have been if he’d never been taken to the End. Sherbert and Athena had a practised comfort here that he knew was similar to him and Jamie. He couldn’t help but wonder if it would have been the three of them had he been allowed to stay. How many afternoons would they have spent up here? Would Rae have his own spot here, or would he have a lab of his own? Would he even want to research?

In the end it didn’t matter, because he’d never know, but that haunting thought of what if would not leave his head. It tied itself like a neat little bow around his neck, slowly choking the air from his lungs the longer he sat there, watching them, watching what could have been for him.

He stood rather abruptly, muttering something about needing fresh air despite the large open windows around the room, then hurried out the door and down the stairs. He paused just long enough at the bottom to find his guard, who stepped away from the wall the second he came out the door. “Can you take me back to the gardens?” He asked, his voice wavering as he spoke.

They nodded, only frowning slightly before moving down the halls. They arrived at the doors outside soon enough, and those first steps out into the open space felt like the steadiest he’d taken all day. He gulped down breaths of air, chest heavy. He moved to the wall next to the door, leaning against it before slowly sliding down until he was sat with his back pressed against the bricks.

His guard was hovering, and he could tell they were debating between breaking form and joining him or staying where they were. He didn’t know which one he’d rather right now, but they were interrupted before either of them could decide.

Quick footsteps came down the hall on the other side of the wall, followed by the doors to the garden swinging open as Athena stepped outside. Relief washed over their face as they spotted him, turning to concern as they came closer. They hesitated for a second, then sat on the ground opposite him, setting their crutch down next to them.

They didn’t say anything at first, the silence both suffocating and comforting. Rae stared down at his hands, hoping above all else that he hadn’t fucked up too badly. Fuck, he’d run out of the fucking prince, and brother or not, they didn’t know that, and they could easily go tell the king, and then-

“Hey,” Athena’s voice broke through his thoughts, soft and calm and tinged with concern in a way that was too familiar for the person it came from. “You did nothing wrong.”

And those words broke him. Tear streamed down his face, carving trails down familiar paths, just as silent as ever. He did fuck up, he knew he did, they didn’t need to pretend for his sake. But in the short time he’d known Athena, they hadn’t lied to him. Their mom had been the most truthful ruler he’d met, why would her child be any different?

But that couldn’t be true, because that just didn’t fit right in his head.

There was a hand on his, causing him to look up. Athena caught his gaze, smiling softly. “I get it, ok? I may not know all of it, but I know enough. Right now, Sherbert is equally worried that they did something wrong as you are. But I’ll tell you the same thing I told them. Neither of you did anything wrong, there’s just a lot going on right now and that can mean some weird stuff.”

Rae stared at them, trying to let their words sink in. Slowly, hesitantly, he nodded.

They grinned, pulling back and resting their hands on their lap. “I need to go back and make sure they don’t blow something up because they’re too busy worrying, are you going to be ok?”

He nodded again, not entirely believing it, but believing it enough that it convinced both himself and them.

“Good. Let me know if you need me, yeah? I got Ocie’s note saying she and Centross were leaving. I know Caspian will be back tonight, but you’re my friend too. If you need me, I’ll be there.” Then they pushed themselves to their feet, adjusting their crutch on their arm.

“Thank you, Athena,” Rae managed.

They gave him another grin, “Of course. I’ll see you later.”

He nodded, watching as they made their way back inside. He listened to the sound of their steps down the hall until they faded into the distance, then he leaned back, letting his head hit the rough bricks. He closed his eyes, trying to take a few deep breaths and calm the pounding of his heart. Fuck, this was going to be a long day.

Chapter Text

It was dinner, and there was no sign of Caspian.

Athena had invited him to their rooms for dinner, which he’d gladly accepted. After his panic attack in the garden, he’d gone back to his room and tried to drown himself in his work, which worked for a time, until his stomach started growling and reminded him he hadn’t had lunch.

He’d hoped that maybe Caspian was just running behind, and that he’d appear partway through their meal with some joke about how he got lost, and everything would be fine. But when the sun began to set and there was still no sign of him, that was when Rae allowed himself to start to panic just a little bit more.

Still, there wasn’t much he could do. He paced around his room for a few minutes, trying to think of anything, while also trying not to assume the worst. In the end he found himself sitting at the desk again, opening his notebook to a fresh page. He wrote out a quick note, then carefully tore the page from the notebook, folding it in half in his hands as he stood and made his way towards his door.

He poked his head out, catching the attention of his guard.  “I was wondering if you knew if Caspian was back yet?”

The guard frowned, and shook their head, “I’m sorry, I haven’t heard if Lord Solcrest has returned. The Queen left a message for him from what I know, asking him to come see you, so I’m surprised he hasn’t come by yet.”

Rae frowned, “Me too.” He glanced down at the paper in his hands, “Would you be able to get this with Queen Oceana’s note? Just in case he gets back really late, I’d hate to make him come all the way down if his travel got delayed.”

They raised an eyebrow at him, but took it, tucking it into a small pouch hanging off their belt next to their sword. “I can certainly do that. Is there anything I can do to ease your mind in the meantime?”

Rae smiled at them, “No, thank you though. I know you’re following orders, but I appreciate how kind you’ve been.”

“It’s not hard,” the guard admitted, smiling slightly, “My Queen speaks highly of you, besides, you have proven yourself a good person in the short time I’ve been assigned to you. I am glad my Queen has you as an ally.”

“Thank you,” Rae managed, a little taken back by their words, “I’m incredibly thankful to have her as not only an ally but a friend too I hope.”

The guard’s smile brightened, “I of course do not speak for my Queen, but I have seen her with many people in my time in her service, she treats you like many of her closest companions. And, if it’s not too much, I see a potential spark between her and your companion.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at them, “Centross?”

They didn’t say anything in response, just winked, then moved back into position watching over the hall. Rae took the sign to head back to his room, new questions flooding his head in place of the ones he’d had before leaving.

Ignoring the last part of what they said, the guard had said that Ocie treated him like a close friend, and he had to imagine a Queen did not have many of those. There was a small flush of pride in his chest that he had managed to gain her trust and friendship in such a short time, though it did definitely make him miss her steady presence within the castle. Just knowing she wasn’t there to stand between him and Fable, especially with Caspian still gone, left a weight in his chest that refused to leave.

That thought stuck with him when he finally forced himself to bed, a certain unease lingering in the pit of his stomach that something was wrong.

Then the next thing he knew the door was being slammed open, guards, dressed not in East Isles colours but Overworld ones, came pouring in as he bolted up in bed. He had no idea what time it was, but judging by the still dark sky through the curtains, it couldn’t have been more than a few hours since he’d gone to bed.

A few of the guard spread out around him room, beginning to go through his things roughly, tossing anything they weren’t interested in to the floor. Another approached his bed, his dark eyes lacking any of the kindness or sympathy his guard usually held for him. “The King demands your presence in the hall immediately. You have five minutes to get dressed.”

Rae’s eyes widened, but recognizing this for what it was, hurried to comply. He grabbed some clothes that one of the guards had discarded, slipping into the bathroom to change and trying to ignore the sound of books hitting the floor as they emptied out yet another of his bags. He was just glad Caspian still had all of his notes.

He took a single second to look at himself in the mirror, wincing at the wrinkles in his white shirt, the sleep still in his eyes from having been so violently awoken. He took a deep breath, then stepped out of the bathroom.

He had to hold back a gasp at the utter disarray the room was in. He didn’t have much to his name, and most of what he did have was now thrown around the room like it didn’t matter. And well, maybe to these guards, it didn’t. The guard who had approached him before stepped forward, giving him a disinterested look over before grabbing roughly at his arm and half dragging him towards the hall.

There was no one in the halls as they walked, no sounds other than the scrap of his own shoes against the floor and the gentle clank of metal of the guards around him. Then there was a shout, and he turned, finding his guard running down the hall towards him, pure anger in their face. But then two of the Overworld guards stepped forward, drawing their swords and blocking his guard from getting any closer to him.

They snarled, looking past the two blocking their way to the one who still had his hand on Rae’s arm. “You are disrespecting Queen Oceana’s requests with your actions. Your King made a promise to treat her guests properly, and to not meet with them unless she or Lord Solcrest were there.”

The guard holding him still looked indifferent, lifting his chin slightly so he was looking down at them as he responded, “I do not take orders from your Queen, nor do I see her here. The King has demanded an audience with the Endling, so that is what we will do. This is none of your business.”

His guard went to speak again, but the one holding him waved them off. At the last second Rae caught their eye, trying both to reassure them that he’d be fine and make sure they saw it when he mouthed Athena to them. For a second he thought they hadn’t, but then they gave the smallest nod, and backed down just enough for the two blocking them to lower their swords.

Rae wanted to keep looking at them, but the guard holding him dragged him further down the hall, and soon they were out of view completely. And then they arrived at the same set of doors he’d been at just two days prior with Centross. Except this time, he was alone. Gods, this was starting to feel familiar in a way he did not like. His only solace, if anything, was that He did not have Her powers.

The guard pushed them through the doors, then the only holding his arm half shoved half threw him forward so hard he fell to his knees, the floor solid and cold under his hands.

He looked up to see feet walking towards him, following them up further to find Fable approaching him. He heard the slam and click of the doors behind him that told him that he was now completely alone, and trapped, in a room with a man who may very well want to kill him, and probably had the power to get away with it.

Then Fable’s hand was on his chin, jerking it up further so that they were locking eyes. His gaze was intense, angry, though at what, Rae couldn’t actually quite tell. He knew what it looked like when someone was angry at him, but this didn’t feel quite like that.

“I’ll ask again, now that you don’t have your protector here, why are you here?” Fable asked. He kept his voice low, even, but still it felt like poison dripping into his ears.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Rae replied.

Fable snarled, dropping his chin and walking a few steps away. Then he turned, staring down at Rae, “Don’t play games with me! I know you’re hers. Now why are you here? To spy on us? To kill my son? What has she sent you for?”

Rae frowned, trying to keep his face calmer than he felt. “I’m not here for anyone other than myself. I don’t wish you or your family harm, I just want to help if I can.”

“Bullshit!” Fable yelled, “Don’t tell me it’s a coincidence that you show up here, with the Reaper of all people, her prized pet, and you aren’t here to do something! I know you are Enderian’s, your other parent may be prominent, but I know her well enough to tell.”

“What in the maybe three times you spoke to her in your life?” Rae shot back, not trusting that this wasn’t a trap to get him to confess to something he didn’t do.

Fable scoffed at him, a knowing look flooding his eyes that set Rae’s skin on fire. It was like he’d just learned new information as was laughing at Rae for not having caught on just yet. “You don’t know then? My, I would have thought she’d tell her spies.”

“I’m not her spy!” Rae replied, pushing himself to his feet, “Whatever you think you know, you’re wrong.”

His words didn’t seem to affect Fable though, the man was still smirking at him. He turned, facing towards one of the windows that lined the room. “Oh, but I know for a fact I’m right on at least a few accounts. One, the only person the Reaper would be loyal to other than his Queen, is, perhaps, his prince, and two,” he paused, turning back to look at Rae, “I’d know my sister’s child anywhere.”

Rae froze. If he didn’t know better, he’d even say the whole world froze. But there was no one else in the room, and he doubted anyone in the hall could hear the way his whole existence shattered from a single sentence.

“…What?” he managed, the words barely more than a whisper.

Fable was relishing in his surprise, looking very much like a predator circling its prey. “So you truly did not know, interesting. Yes, Enderian is my sister, regretfully. I own many of my early years to her, but I was the only one of us that sought something more in life, and she refused to listen. Then of course, once I’d made something of myself, she had to come in and try and take it for herself. Truly, I can not fault her for her ambition, after all it is how I got where I am, but she should know better than to underestimate me at this point.”

He felt sick, hundreds and thousands of things, thoughts, questions, flooding through his head like a storm. He looked at Fable, images of her, of his mother, flashing over top of him. The curve of their jaws, the flash in their eyes when they knew they had the upper hand, even the same damn inky black colour of their hair. Fuck feeling sick, he was going to be sick.

Fable had moved back towards the centre of the room, still wearing that fucking smirk as he watched Rae. “Hm,” He mused, “Perhaps I can believe you aren’t here as a spy. I do have one question you can answer to prove it though.”

Rae was sure the room was spinning, his head certainly was. Still he had enough experience with this sort of thing that he heard Fable’s words when he spoke. He looked up, not even bothering to hide his bitterness in his eyes, “What question could that possibly be?”

Fable met his eyes, pure gold broken only by inky irises that did nothing to ease the sick feeling in his gut. “Is my wife’s bastard alive?”

And if he had thought things couldn’t get worse.

“Why do you care?” he spat. The man in front of him had transformed in his eyes. No longer a step father, or a potential parent, no, the anger in which he talked about his sister, and the venom with which he spat the word bastard, told him far more than he needed.

Fable snarled, “Because he is a threat to my kingdom, and if you want to prove you are not, answer the question.”

Rae stared him down, swallowing the growing lump in his throat, “He’s gone.”

Fable narrowed his eyes, “That is not the answer I asked for. Is. He. Alive?”

Fuck. Fine, if he wanted to play it that way. “Yes. He’s alive. Though he doesn’t remember shit. Our mother fucked his memories to the point where he’s barely there some days. He’s no threat to you.”

“I will be the judge of that,” Fable scoffed, “But you have proven yourself. For now. Now go, my son will come to fetch you in a few hours. And I shouldn’t have to tell you that this conversation remains private, or else there will be consequences, understood?”

It took everything in him to just nod. He just needed to get out of here, maybe then he could talk to Athena, make a plan, figure out what the hell he was going to do until Ocie and Centross got back, or where the fuck Caspian was.

He barely even remembered the doors to the hall opening, the same guards from before coming in and practically dragging him out and back down the halls. 

He was practically tossed into his room very unceremoniously, landing on a pile of clothes left over from the earlier search they’d done. For a long minute, he didn’t want to move, didn’t want to think, or breath, or exist. His entire world was spinning and he just needed it to stop for a second so he could collect his thoughts.

The cloth under his left hand felt warm, and with a quick glance, he realized it was his cloak. He pulled it out of the mess, simply bringing it to his chest and holding it there. The heat from it was soothing, comforting. He sighed, carefully throwing it over his shoulders and clasping it around his throat. Then he picked another piece of clothing from under his hands, pulling it from the pile and folding it carefully before setting it to the side.

He repeated this process until the pile he’d landed on was gone. Then, carefully he pushed himself to his feet, grabbing the stack of folded clothes and moving them to the table. He looked around the room, wincing when he noticed one of his books sitting on the floor upside down. He moved to pick it up, trying to keep as many of his bookmarks as he could, but he could tell some of them had been dislodged when the guards had thrown it, he’d need to fix those at some point.

One of the pages makes his pause, the simple illustration at the top of the page catching his eye. It was the story he’d showed Caspian, the one of the talking hare. This was the page where the hare was telling to boy to channel the strength of the bear, and gods, did he wish in that moment that this was more than a story in a book. He may not have been entirely weak in that meeting with Fable, if it could even be called a meeting, but he certainly hadn’t been strong.

He didn’t know how to be strong by himself. He’d relied on the people around him to make him strong, or to be strong for him, but now he was alone, in a strange kingdom where his very existence was a threat to their King, apparently. He had no idea what he was doing, and no one to talk to about it.

Rae flipped the page of the book, finding the next section half translated, though he could guess what the rest said based on the previous parts. This time the hare was telling the boy to take on the flight of a bird. The text didn’t specify which bird, but the drawing was of a snowy owl. The boy was trying to get help from a neighbouring village, but the roads had been blocked.

He wondered briefly if he could send a letter out after Ocie and Centross, telling them what was going on, but he already knew it would never work. If he was right, which he was sure he was, then Fable’s guards now stood outside his room, and he highly doubted they or their King would allow that message through.

A thought flashed into his head, and he couldn’t help but let out a low, bitter laugh. He may have escaped one cage, but he’d walked right into another, and it took him losing all his allies to even realize it. Because as gilded of a cage as it had seemed, it was still a cage all the same. And he was alone.

Chapter Text

He didn’t exactly remember moving. Sometime, maybe a few hours after he’d be half dumped back in his room by the guards, a new, softer knock had come from his door, and this time Sherbert stood outside. They said something about continuing their work, but all Rae could think of was not being alone with his thoughts anymore, so wearily he’d followed them back to their workshop.

Part of him had been hoping Athena would already be there, or would get there at some point, if only to tell him what had become of his guard. As scared as he was for his own sake right now, he couldn’t help but be worried for them too. They didn’t have Ocie there to defend them either, and while they may have more diplomatic immunity than he did, he still didn’t know how safe they’d be, especially after the earlier events.

But no, instead he sat on a stool by the wall, the faintest of early morning breezes trickling in through one of the windows, the rising sun slowly pouring into the room, accompanied by the gentle clinks of glass as Sherbert moved some vials around.

He got the sense that Sherbert at least knew of what happened that morning, if not the whole picture. They seemed stiffer than usual, less comfortable in the very space Rae had begun to thought he’d seen the real them. In a way, it made them seem more like their father, which was not a comforting thought at the moment.

Rae looked up, his voice barely a whisper when he spoke, “Is Athena joining us today?”

Sherbert froze, then sighed, turning to him with an odd expression on their face, “No, they won’t be. We’ve been too informal in our time, and they are an unnecessary distraction to our work.” They repeated it like it was a mantra drilled into their head, the words stiff and lacking of any emotion except maybe doubt.

He let out a small sigh, “Sherbert, please-“

“It’s your Highness,” they snapped back, “Like I said, we’ve been too informal. Besides, I have been told not to allow you anywhere without direct orders, and the Nether prince is busy either way.”

Half out of instinct, he felt his arms rush to cover his face. Of course, he realized a second later that all they’d done was shout at him, but when he went to mumble an apology he noticed they’d suddenly gotten incredibly pale.

They sat there for a second, Rae with his arms still half raised, Sherbert frozen in place and pale, neither saying a word. Rae slowly lowered his arms back down to his lap, chewing lightly on his arm as his brain tried to process what to say or even do.

The sound of feet pounding up the stairs snapped them both out of their trance. Sherbert shot Rae a look, setting down the vial they had been holding and rushing towards the door. Rae just caught a glimpse of pink before they pulled it shut behind them, though the thin wood did little to muffle the arguing that began behind it.

“Sherbert, what the hell is going on?” Athena asked, their voice full of frustration.

“It’s none of your business,” Sherbert replied.

Athena scoffed, “The hell it isn’t! I barely heard that Ocie had left, then suddenly I can’t find Caspian and no one will tell me why, and now no one will give me any information about where Rae is other than the fact that he’s in the castle! My mother sent me here so that if something happened to her, the Nether would still have their heir, not so that I could be completely hidden from the world, let alone my friends!”

“Like I said,” Sherbert repeated, that same odd coldness to their tone, “It is none of your business. My father is hosting you because our kingdoms are allies, it does not entitle you to stick your nose in the goings on of our kingdom.”

He heard Athena sigh, “Fine. If I can’t find Rae, can I at least watch you work? I’m going insane being limited to my room most of the time.”

Rae tensed, trying to figure out how Sherbert was going to reply. Part of him wanted to shout to Athena, to let them know he was here, but the other part of him was still living through the memories of that morning, and anything he was going to say died in his throat.

“…No,” Sherbert answered finally. It half sounded like a question, and if he didn’t think he’d believe them even if he didn’t know the truth.

It seemed like Athena didn’t either, because fast as a blink the door was slamming open, and Rae finally saw them. Athena appeared to have ducked under Sherbert’s arm, making use of their crutch to slam them in the leg just hard enough to distract them while they slipped past. Well, it was either that, or Sherbert was holding their shin for a different reason.

Athena let out a sigh of relief when they saw him, crossing the room as quick as they could and pulling him into a hug. Despite the fact that he was sitting, he was still just a little taller than them, so as he returned the hug he buried his face in their hair, letting the relief of seeing them wash over him.

They pulled back a second later, giving him a small smile before whipping around to glare daggers at Sherbert. “Sherbert Icarus! What the hell!”

Sherbert winced, though that disappeared into a much colder expression almost immediately. “Athena, you can’t be in here.”

“And why not?” They shot back, keeping an arm over Rae’s shoulder.

“My father-”

“Since when has your father stopped you from letting me in here?” Athena cut them off, raising an eyebrow at them.

Sherbert scowled, “It’s not you that’s the issue. My father requested that Rae and I finish the work we were doing, and that I was not to allow anyone to distract us.”

Athena frowned, “Where’s Caspian? Surely he wouldn’t approve of this.”

“Lord Solcrest is not here at the moment,” Sherbert replied, “My father, the King, might I remind you, had urgent business he needed him to take care of. He will be gone for at least a week.”

Rae could feel the colour drain from his face, the knot of panic in his stomach growing larger by the second. No wonder Caspian hadn’t come to see him, no wonder he hadn’t interrupted when Fable had him dragged from his rooms. It didn’t make him feel any better, having confirmation that all but one of his allies were not in the castle, but it at least told him that Caspian maybe hadn’t chosen to abandon him here.

Sherbert let out a sigh, crossing their arms over their chest. “Are we done here? I need to return to my work.”

Athena glared at them, “Yes, I think we are. I’ll be taking Rae with me though.”

“You can’t-”

Athena snapped, a tiny flame appeared above their fingers, which they held towards part of Sherbert’s desk that was littered in papers. They raised an eyebrow at them, as if challenging them to try and stop them.

Sherbert stared between them and the desk, attempting to make a small step forward only to stop as Athena moved their hand closer to the desk. Finally they sighed, rolling their eyes and waving them off before moving to sit back down at their desk with a huff.

Athena watched them for a moment, as if trying to assure themselves that Sherbert truly wasn’t going to stop them, before tugging Rae until he stood and the two of them began to make their way back down the tower stairs.

Rae expected to find Fable’s guard at the bottom, but to his surprise, only Galahad awaited them when Athena opened the door out into the castle. The knight’s shoulders visibly relaxed as he caught sight of them, bowing shallowly to Athena and giving Rae a polite nod. Athena gave him a nod in return, then glanced at Rae before setting off down the halls.

They walked silently for a while, seeing the occasional staff, but no guards. At least, none he could see. Maybe it was the hours spent hyper aware of the rough clank of metal shifting outside his door instead of the almost gentle shift of Ocie’s guards, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him, someone that wasn’t on his side.

Athena slowed by an unfamiliar door, though once they pushed it open and the three of them stepped outside, Rae recognized it as another entrance to that same grand garden he’d found himself in quite a few times since he arrived.

They walked down one of the paths, passing fields of roses, daisies, and tulips, before reaching a pavilion surrounded by alliums. Athena turned to him, tugging him down to sit against the cool stone walls as Galahad paused just outside, turning to watch the way they came. Rae sat, then tipped his head back, taking a deep breath and feeling less tense than he had in over a day.

Athena sat next to him, their crutch carefully placed to the side as they leaned against his shoulder. Rae closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling on his chest rising and falling as he tried not to think about what the king might do to him because of Athena’s actions.

He opened his eyes, staring straight across the pavilion. There was the slightest breeze winding its way through the garden, and he shivered as it ran across his neck. “Athena…” he asked slowly, “Am I safe here?”

He felt them shift against his shoulder, so he turned, looking down at them as a small frown developed on their face. “I don’t actually know,” they replied, “I would have thought so… but with Ocie gone, and Caspian being randomly sent out when he usually gets a good break after he’s gone as long as he was, not to mention what Cadence told me-“

It was Rae’s turn to frown at them, “Cadence?”

Athena looked up at him, their eyebrow raised, “Ocie’s guard? The one who has been watching you? You did tell them to come find me, right?”

Ah, and now he felt embarrassed. Was it too much to assume he could have asked if he really cared? They’d been around him almost constantly since he’d gotten there, and they cleared cared enough to try and fight Fable’s guards to help him, and yet he hadn’t even asked their name?

“I’m glad they found you,” he replied, his voice quiet. Images of them struggling to get past Fable’s guards reentered his head, and he couldn’t help but wince slightly.

Athena hummed in response, then shifted away from the wall so they were sitting crossed-legged in front of him. “Rae… you know you’ve done nothing wrong, right? We knew there were risks coming here, which is why my mother offered for you to stay, but everything that has happened since we arrived… that’s been Fable.”

He tried to nod, to agree, but he couldn’t. It was the End all over again. People, Centross and Jamie then, Athena now, may say it isn’t his fault, but isn’t it? If he was just better, or different, someone different even, then it would be ok. And once again he couldn’t help but curse the fact that he was born to a Queen who only saw him as a trophy of her victory, stolen from a family who may never fully know him.

Athena nudged him, making him look up and meet their eyes. “Your hair is a bit of a mess you know,” they said, reaching out to tug at a strand hanging over his shoulder.

That startled a small laugh out of him, and he reached up half self consciously, running a hand through his hair and almost immediately getting it caught on a knot. “Getting woken up suddenly and dragged around does tend to do that,” he muttered.

Athena frowned at his comment, but decided to ignore it as they shuffled over under they was sitting behind him, their smaller hands reaching up and beginning to run through the long dark strands of his hair. At first he tensed, but he relaxed quickly, the gently motions of their hands repetitive and slow. He sighed, lifting his chin to allow the longest parts of his hair to drape into their waist, grinning at the giggle they emitted at that.

They sat like that for a while, Athena gently combing knots from his hair with their fingers, the sun peaking through the arches in the pavilion and slowly warming the stone. Athena said something, sparking a soft conversation about the Nether, and the two fell into idle chat about things that had nothing to do with the world currently around them.

As much as he tried though, those thoughts kept creeping into his mind, lingering on the edge of his vision like a shadow, waiting for a single moment to swoop in and tear open his throat. He swallowed thickly, sitting forward just enough to gently pull his hair from Athena’s grasp, turning half to face them.

“Athena… what do I do if it happens again?” he asked, his voice shaking.

Athena was silent, though when he glanced at them he could see them worrying at their lip. They sighed, “I really wish I knew. I thought I knew Sherbert pretty well, but how they were acting today… I know they’ve always been a little desperate to live up to their father, but they still had a spine. I don’t know what changed.”

Rae frowned, string down at the stone floor of the pavilion, following one of the cracks with his eyes. “I hate this. I thought I left this behind when we escaped.”

He felt arms wrap around him, and almost subconsciously he found himself hugging them in return, in a manner that reminded him of many nights curled up in the study with Jamie at his side. Athena didn’t say anything, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted them to. All they could really say would be empty promises, denying what they both knew.

“…Maybe that’s what you have to do.” Athena said finally, drawing Rae back from his thoughts.

He looked down at them, raising an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

Athena shifted, pulling their arms back and scootching around to sit in front of him. “I mean, if, lets say, Fable does call you for another meeting, or maybe even before he does, you escape. Get to town, find someone who can give you directions to Momboo’s estate, or find a tavern that will give you a room in exchange for simple work. A lot of places will let you stay if you can help them magically, especially with your level of power. You could hide long enough for Ocie to get back, and I could tell them where you are so they don’t worry.”

Rae considered this, trying to imagine having to escape yet another castle. He thought about Momboo, about her coldness towards him, and what Easton had said about her disliking him. There was also the fact that the king would probably search there first if he went missing, and there was no way he was putting Jamie in danger again. Though, they’d probably get in trouble either way if he went missing. They may have some protection from Momboo, but he had no idea how much that would stand up against the king.

“I don’t know…” he muttered, picking up a fallen leaf from one of the many plants around them and rolling it over his fingers.

Athena reached over, resting a hand on his leg. When he met their eyes, he saw for the first time what seemed like genuine fear. He hated it, hated that he was the reason it was there, hated the reason that he and his stupid problems kept getting everyone around him involved, kept dragging him into the shit show that seemed to be his life. He tore his eyes away again, unable to look at them.

“Please tell me you’ll consider it,” Athena asked simply, the slightest waver to the words.

He gave them a non committal shrug, glancing up suddenly at the sound of footsteps. Galahad paused before the steps, giving them each a small bow before addressing Athena. “Your highness, I believe it’s best we return Rae to his guard lest King Fable decide to revoke his hospitality.”

Athena frowned, glanced at Rae, then nodded. “Unfortunately, I think you’re right.”

Almost on cue, the sound of two more sets of footsteps came from behind Galahad, though Rae was relieved to see Cadence was one of them. They gave him a small nod, then a more formal bow to Athena.

Rae nodded back to them, then pushed himself to his feet, smoothing out his clothes before reaching out a hand to pull Athena to their feet as Galahad passed them their crutch. Athena gave him a quick hug, then he walked over to the two guards waiting for him. Much to his relief, Fable’s guard took the lead, leaving Cadence to walk behind him as they began to work their way back through the gardens and through the castle.

He felt something press into his hand as they walked, and he glanced back, noticing Cadence gently shoving a piece of paper towards him. Rae grabbed it, slipping it as subtly as he could into his belt to read later. That seemed to be what they wanted him to do, as they gave a small nod before slowing to walk behind him again.

They reached his rooms, and his relief continued as neither of them followed him in, instead they both paused and turned to watch the hall, leaving him to slip inside alone. The second the door clicked shut behind him, he pulled out the paper, unfolding it to reveal a short note written in a quick, semi messy scrawl.

He scanned it quickly, smiling faintly at the words. Cadence explained, in simple words, how they’d managed to make a deal with Fable that they could return to watching him if one of Fable’s guards accompanied both of them at all times. They expressed annoyance at this, but Rae was just relieved that they were safe, and that he sort of had one of his allies back.

Another thought came to mind, one that he’d considered briefly before his meeting with Fable, though it was one that felt more pressing given the day’s events. He reached for the necklace around his throat, the one Jamie had given him so long ago, the one he’d never gone without in the End castle, just in case.

He crossed the room, grabbing one of his notebooks and a quill, and began to write. He hoped with all his heart he never needed it, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared.

Chapter Text

His knees hit hard against the cold marble, sleep still fresh in his eyes as he once again looked up at the man in front of him. Knowing what he knew now, it was hard to imagine he’d even thought he could consider this man a father to him.

His hands were bound behind his back, and he could sense the cool edge of a steel sword pointed towards him, daring him to try something. They didn’t have to worry, he wasn’t that dumb.

Fable stared down at him for a long, agonizingly quiet minute, nothing but pure hatred flashes in his golden eyes. Rae let some of his own shine through, figuring that whatever caused him to get dragged here the second time wouldn’t be made worse by a bit of a glare.

Then something hit him hard, and his cheek was stinging and his eyes were watering, all while he slowly processed that Fable had just slapped him. As calmly as he could manage, he turned back towards the King, giving him a look of cool indifference, taking a slight amount of joy at the way his anger seemed to grow at that.

“You vile bastard,” Fable spat, sneering down at him. “I thought I made myself clear. You were to behave. And yet I get news of you prancing around my castle with the Nether prince while you were supposed to be helping my son and doing something useful for once in your pathetic life.”

The sting in his cheek was starting to calm, though it was still there, biting at his skin and reminding him he was far from safe right now. “They came to me. Prince Sherbert and I were practically done by the time they showed up.”

Fable’s sneer deepened, “That is not the point. You say you are no threat and yet you blatantly disrespect my rules, and what’s worse is you are turning the Nether heir against me as well! My kingdoms alliance with the Nether is still new, I simply cannot stand for anything that would threaten our peace.”

“So what now, then?” Rae asked, “You have to known that doing anything to me would risk not only your alliance to the Nether but to the East Isles as well?”

Fable rolled his eyes, “I am well aware of that boy. You’ve wrapped Oceana quite firmly around your finger, makes me wonder if you have similar powers to your mother. Must be quite strong, too, to also have one of my Lords, my most loyal citizens, so… infatuated. It’s almost disgusting. Still, something must be done to prevent you from ruining everything I’ve built here.”

Rae felt himself brace, his body knowing what happened next. Except… he didn’t. With Enderian, he knew. With Enderian, it was always the same, he knew what happened next.

This wasn’t Enderian.

And all of a sudden he was afraid again.

Fable got a mad grin on his face, as if he could sense his fear. “You could simply take a little visit down to the dungeons. And, if perhaps, during you time there, there was a riot and your were killed in the process, well, Oceana certainly cannot blame me for such a thing.”

He felt the blood drain from his face. Before he could even think, Fable motioned to the guards behind him, footsteps approaching him as he struggled to stand, to move away, his efforts falling as he was yanked up, his bound hands forcing him forward. He lifted his head, glaring at Fable with all the hate he could muster. “You won’t get away with this.”

Fable raised an eyebrow, motioning for the guards to pause, then walked up to him, bending over so they met eye to eye. “You poor, pathetic fool. I already have.”

With that he waved to the guards again, and they yanked Rae back again, the loud doors into the room opening behind him. His mind was filled with panic, trying to think of something, anything he could do. This wasn’t what he was used to, he didn’t know what to do, what would happen, how to save himself because at this point he didn’t have anyone else to do it for him.

The metal of his cuffs dug into his wrist as one of the guards tugged on them. His thoughts slowed, the pain drawing his attention to his hands, which were getting warmer by the second. His eyes widened, snapping back up to look at Fable with a determined look, before letting his magic flow through him.

The cuffs melted away in seconds, the guards holding him jumping back at flames licked over his skin. He could feel it singing the hair on his arms, but he didn’t care at the moment. Rae saw the second Fable registered what he’d done, his eyes widening first in surprise then turning down as he frowned, stepping forward with a wave of his hands.

Rae saw the sigil form in the air, figuring it out just in time to dive to the side as new chains shot from the floor and towards him. He ran through his list of spells as fast as he could, cursing himself for being so reliant on his books for the more complex ones. He panicked as he saw Fable form another sigil, flinging his hands up in defence, the floor following the action and forming a wall as the spell bounced off of it.

“What in the world?” he heard Fable mutter, followed by the sound of clanking armour as guards finally snapped out of their shock. Hands grabbed at his arms, and he whipped around, hands shooting out and casting the first thing he could think of, which turned out to be more of the flooring ripped up by a breeze spell similar to the one Ocie had shown him what felt like forever ago.

He shoved himself to his feet, hurriedly backing towards the wall. He held his hands up in anticipation as guards began to form a semi circle around them, though none dared to get closer than a few feet away. A gap was made between them as Fable stepped forward, his golden eyes ablaze.

Fable’s hands waved again, a bright light blinding Rae as he felt rock collide into his side. He hit the floor hard as a result, more of the rock hitting him as it fell alongside him. He pushed himself up, though he was quickly knocked back down as more chains emerged from the floor, this time not only wrapping around his wrists but his waist, legs, and feet. He choked as a final chain snaked his way around his chest, his body lifting until he was hovering a few inches off the floor, his arms yanked in opposite directions.

Fable stepped forward, looking indifferent as Rae struggled for breath through the thick iron on his throat. “I will say this, no one else has managed to escape my chains, nor have I seen anyone use magic from both my kingdom and another. You are something special for sure, I’m almost surprised we share blood.”

He turned, looking around at the ring of guards who surrounded them, all poised and ready to attack. Rae choked again, tears welling in his eyes as the cuffs around his wrists pulled harder and harder. Fable looked back towards him, rolling his eyes slightly. “Still, you are perhaps more dangerous than even I gave you credit for, this may be easier than I had hoped.”

He flicked his hand, the chains suddenly whipping around and wrapping Rae tightly, then as if a giant hand was holding him up, Rae found himself being dragged along behind the King as he began to walk. His mind was rushing, thoughts and panic storming inside him, both from Fable and from the lack of oxygen in his lungs.

Rae tried to to summon the fire again, but the cold iron only dug deeper into his skin as he did. He tried to pull at the metal itself, but he could hardly think long enough to summon the right sigil. Fable walked through the halls, guards flocking on every side as they moved towards what Rae was sure was his death.

They passed another intersection, and for some reason, his eyes were drawn up, towards the end of the hall they were passing, where just the slightest flash of gold and purple met his eyes before he was dragged away.

Then his hand slipped through the chains.

Then his other hand.

And in a flash he had control over the chains, halting their procession in its steps. He saw Fable turn with a glare, though it didn’t last long as the chains went flying from Rae’s body, his lungs desperately gasping for air as he watched the chains latch onto anything and anyone who happened to be in their paths. Several hit Fable, dragging him down and sinking into the floor until they pinned him there. 

The guard who weren’t hit froze, like they couldn’t decide if they should go after him or help their King and friends. Rae didn’t wait for them to decide. He raced for the nearest window, running through his list of spells before blasting the glass away with another breeze and jumping the sill in one mostly swift movement.

He heard the guards and Fable yelling behind him, but he didn’t care. The second his feet hit the ground, he was sprinting as fast as he could. He was still within the outer walls of the castle, but he could see them looming not too far away.

The sound of footsteps pounding after him filled his ears, along with the sound of blood rushing through his veins as his feet hit hard against the rough stone of the path below him. There was shouting and yelling and someone calling his name, their voice loud and angry, but he pushed on, barely sensing an arrow flying towards him until it was almost too late, ducking dangerously to the side and half stumbling before regaining his footing and continuing on.

The outside walls were getting closer, and only now did he consider how the hell he was going to get over them. His eyes scanned the stones, knowing it would take too long to try and scale it, but there were no entrances nearby, or anything he could climb.

The guards behind him were getting closer, he knew if he faltered for even a second, they’d be on him. And he really didn’t want to find out what Fable would do to him after this.

A plan came to mind. Not a very good plan, but the wall was fast approaching and he really didn’t have the time to think of anything else.

He braced himself, putting on another burst of speed and gathering his magic in his chest. Already he could feel the strain, not used to using it this much in a single day, let alone the what, twenty minutes it had been?

About two feet from the wall, he threw out a burst of magic, squeezing his eyes shut as he ran into it.

Except he didn’t hit it. Well, he hit it, but he felt it as the bricks fell away around him, crashing outwards and to the ground behind him as more yelling filled his ears. He didn’t dare look back to see the damage he’d done, the second he felt the ground beneath him change from stone to grass all he could focus on was getting as far away as he could before he collapsed.

He hadn’t even made it out of view of the walls when he heard something that sunk his heart though. Horses pounded through the thin woods, along with the bark of dogs, and the yelling of the men who must of sat atop them.

Rae just about froze, terror consuming him even more than it had already. He felt his last dreads of hope beginning to slip away, thoughts of giving up creeping at the edges of his mind. He couldn’t escape then on horseback. He knew he couldn’t.

But then he thought of Centross, of his best friend, of his brother. He imagine him getting back to the Overworld and coming to find him, only to hear that he was dead. Or maybe not even getting back, maybe someone would send him and Ocie a letter telling them. Maybe that would be better, then Centross could stay where he was safe. At least then one of them would be safe.

That wouldn’t happen though. He cursed under his breath, knowing if Centross heard he was dead, he would stop at nothing to avenge him. He could not let his friend fall back into the cycles he’d lived under the Queen’s control. Missing was better than dead. Centross could find him. Centross would find him.

He also thought of Jamie, of his assistant, his friend, and he knew he couldn’t abandon them. They had their family back, but he’d seen how they were when he first met them, and he knew despite himself, they were his family. He knew losing him would wreck them, and he couldn’t do that to him.

And then he thought of Caspian, of his rich red eyes, of his goofy grin, of his uneasy confidence. And gods, he wanted so desperately to see him again, to tell him everything he’d been putting off out of fear. He couldn’t do that if he was dead.

He steeled himself, taking a shuddering breath and pushing himself harder. He knew he would regret it later, but he needed to make sure he had a later, and if those horses got any closer, he knew he wouldn’t.

Mentally, he flipped through his list of spells again, knowing he needed to use the last of his energy as effectively as he could if he was going to do this right. He eyed a couple trees up ahead of him, a thought coming to mind. The spell began to take form in his head, until it was done, and he forced it into existence and attached it onto one of the trees he’d marked.

He’d been so distracted doing that though, that he hadn’t noticed the root sticking up in front of him, and in less than a second he was tumbling to the ground, his ankle twisting unnaturally as he landed hard on his arms.

He tried to push himself to his feet, crying out in pain the second he tried to put any weight on his left foot. The horses were closer now, and he knew any second now, he’d see them through the trees.

And just his luck, it was then he heard a growl. His head shot up, locking eyes with a majestic black wolf, whose eyes glowed an unearthly yellow, its fangs bared as it watched him.

Rae raised a hand to it hesitantly, “Please, go while you can. I don’t think they’ll be any nicer to you than they will be to me.”

The wolf stared at him, the only sign that it was even alive the slight twitch of its ears as the sound of horses grew louder.

He didn’t turn as they grew closer, but he could tell the exact second they’d reached the spot he’d made, several yells and thuds echoing over to him as riders were thrown from their horses. That’s when he turned, barely managing a small smirk at the knee high wall that had erupted from the ground when the spell was triggered. That one had been fun to figure out.

One of the men still on his horse glared at him, dismounted his stead and carefully stepping over the wall, his sword held out and pointed towards Rae. “By the order or King Fable, you are to surrender yourself peacefully to be taken into custody.”

Despite his fear, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes, just a little. “What part of any of this has made you think it’ll be peaceful?” he asked, a little exasperated, and more than a little exhausted, though he was doing his best not to show that part.

The man’s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, “You’re injured, and I’ve seen how much magic you’ve used. You may be more powerful than we were told, but even the most powerful magic users would be depleted by now, especially after your little trick with the wall.”

Rae twisted his body, wanting to force himself to stand but not knowing he shouldn’t give the guard an opening to stab him or overpower him. He glanced to the side, surprised and slightly concerned to see the wolf still watching him, its teeth bared fully into a snarl at this point. He wondered briefly if the wolf would nicer to him in death than these men of Fable would likely ever be.

More of the guards were recovering from their falls of helping their comrades to their feet, slowly filtering around the now disintegrating wall in a loose semi circle behind their captain. Many of them were looking at Rae warily, not sharing the same potentially stupid bravery as their captain seemed determined to keep.

He glanced between them, counting eight, maybe. He knew he couldn’t take them all, but if they were determined to drag him back to his doom, well, maybe he could at least give them hell first.

Rae met the captain’s eye, giving him a look that in no uncertain terms told him he would not be going peacefully. The captain’s lip twitched up in a snarl, then he barked a command to his men, and all of them began to move in on him.

Rae channelled the same spell he had earlier to make a shield from the castle floor, this time using it to trap three of the guards’ legs, a few of the others briefly distracted as their friends gave out small yelps of surprise.

Then there was a sharp sting across his face, under his damaged eye, as the captain swung his sword at him, leaving a long thin cut on his face. Rae quickly shoved him back with a gust of wind, it coming out weaker than he had intended.

He could feel his head starting to spin, from both physical and magical exertion, but he had to keep going, he had to…

There was a louder yell from one of the non stuck guards, and through half closed eyes, Rae could just see the wolf from earlier clawing at him, a large gash already formed on the man’s leg. When that guard went down, it moved onto the next, expertly avoiding their swords and doing just enough damage to take them to the ground without spending too long on any one.

Rae heard more yelling, this time from the captain again, as he called for his men to retreat. Vaguely, he heard them run back towards their horses, followed by the sound of horses running off, but his eyes were so heavy, and he could feel the warm stain of blood dripping down his cheek.

The last thing he saw was the wolf stalking towards him, its same yellow eyes staring at him with an emotion that was almost too human for a wild creature. He met its eyes, giving him a small bow as best as he could. “Thank you…” he muttered, then collapsed to the ground.

Then, he could have sworn he saw the wolf begin to change, but darkness took over his vision before he could linger on that thought.

Chapter Text

He woke slowly, and… peacefully, which was odd considering the last thing he could remember was anything but.

There was sunlight streaming through a canopy of trees above him, hitting his eyes and causing him to wince as he pushed himself up. Rae blinked, then twisted around, trying to take in his surroundings. He was on a small patch of what looked, and felt, like hay, with a thin rag of something that almost passed as a blanket thrown over him. His boots sat next to him, stood neatly like someone had placed them with greater care than he would have been in any condition to do.

There were stone walls most of the way around him, with what looked like one side fully missing and large holes in the remaining sections. He looked up, finding a small corner of wood right above his head, which had likely been keeping the sun out of his eyes until he had sat up. His bleary mind suggested that this was some sort of ruins, maybe of an old building or something, but that still didn’t answer how he got there or what had happened.

As he woke up fully, he became aware of an almost numb feeling coming from his left eye. It wasn’t quite stinging, but it was enough that he noticed it. His ribs were also increasingly sore, which he at least did recognize as the result of him overusing his magic. It had only happened once before, and the shock of it had knocked him out for a full day. He remembered Jamie’s panicked expression when he finally woke up, their rambling of everything they’d done to prevent anyone from realizing something was wrong in the time he’d been unconscious.

It was then that he could feel what felt like a pair of eyes on him, making him turn and nearly jump when he finally noticed the person leaning in the crumbling remains of a door frame opposite him. They were tall, with dark skin and even darker hair that curled in waves down to their chest, and a mask that covered most of their face in the shape of a wolf. A wolf with… dark fur… and yellow eyes…

“You’re awake,” they greeted gruffly, before he could think of anything to say.

Rae frowned, “What happened? Where am I? Who- who are you?”

He titled his head slightly, almost questioningly, but did not move from his spot leaning against the stone. “You were being attacked by the Gold Guards, you put up a good fight but they were about to overpower you. I stepped in, then brought you here once they left. As for where this is, it’s some old building I found a while ago.”

His frown deepened, especially at the mention of the fight. He tried to remember it as best as he could, the way he’d tripped, the way the guards, the, Gold Guards? As he called them, had been surrounding him, and… the wolf.

He looked up at them again. “You were a wolf.” He didn’t say it like a question, and he could tell by the way the man let out a small chuckle that he didn’t take it as one.

“Still am, technically,” he replied, which answered exactly zero of Rae’s thoughts and only gave him more questions. There was also a stinging sense of familiarity to them, but not enough that he bothered focusing on it for long, given the circumstance.

“You only answered two of my questions,” Rae replied, “I still don’t know who you are.”

He tilted his head. “I don’t know who you are either. I answered two of your questions, answer that one and I’ll share.”

He wasn’t sure if their attitude was annoying or assuring yet, but either way, Rae let out a long sigh, brushing back a piece of hair that had fallen over his face. “My name is Rae. What’s yours?”

“Don’t have one,” the stranger replied, the edge of his lips curling up in a small smirk just under his mask.

Rae rolled his eyes, his thoughts trailing briefly to Centross, and how this stranger was so much like him when they’d first met. “Ok, then what do I call you?”

The man seemed to consider this for a moment. “Wolf,” he settled on, “You can call me Wolf.”

“Fitting,” Rae replied, adjusting himself to try and push himself to his feet.

“I wouldn’t-“ the man, Wolf, began to warn, right before Rae collapsed back to the ground with a hiss as his ankle angrily reminded him that he’d most likely sprained it.

Wolf shook his head at him, then moved towards a spot along the stone wall that Rae hadn’t noticed, pulling out what looked like scraps of fabric, and something else he couldn’t identify. Then Wolf began to walk towards him, and it was only the reminder that he’d saved him that kept Rae from flinching away.

Wolf paused in front of him, giving him a questioning look. Rae gave him a hesitant nod, then Wolf kneeled down in front of him, gently pushing up the leg of his pants and revealing his very red and swollen ankle. He winced at the sight, and at his own stupidity for it almost being the reason he got caught, and would’ve been if Wolf hadn’t been there.

As he cursed himself, Wolf began inspecting his injury, frowning deeply. “I was just going to wrap this, but you should probably put something cold on it first. There’s a stream nearby, but I don’t have a bucket…”

Without even really thinking about it, Rae cast the glyph for a simple ice spell, regretting it instantly as the ache in his ribs returned. Wolf startled as the ice landed next to his hands, though he reacted quickly as he grabbed one of the pieces of fabric, which he wrapped around the ice before gently pressing it against Rae’s ankle.

He hissed as the cold hit his skin, but that was soon overshadowed by the relief that flooded through his veins as the stinging began to subside. After a minute, Wolf removed the now half melted ice, pulling it from the fabric and gently tossing it on a nearby patch of grass before reaching for fresh fabric and beginning to wrap Rae’s ankle.

Rae watched him silently as he worked. His mind was still buzzing with a million thoughts, a thousand worries, and a few dozen questions that he barely held back from spilling out of his mouth.

Wolf shifted, reaching for another piece of fabric as the one he’d been using ran just short of finishing the job. “If I’d realized you had an ice pendant on you, I would have just asked instead of suggesting the stream,” he commented.

“I don’t have an ice pendant,” Rae replied, his hands finding his way to his collar, where he was relieved to find his necklace still sat.

Wolf tied the final knot of the makeshift bandages, sitting back and looking at him again. “I assumed because of the magic that you used yesterday that you’d need one for ice. You must have a lot of hidden charms for the spells I saw you use.”

Rae shook his head, still absentmindedly playing with his necklace, “No, I’ve never really been a fan of them, they make my magic feel clunky, especially the more complex ones.”

“I’m no scholar, but doesn’t that break multiple rules of magic then?” Wolf asked, moving to sit and lean against the wall next to Rae.

Rae shrugged, “Maybe. I didn’t even know there were rules until I was told I was defying them.”

Wolf let out a small scoff, shaking his head. “I can see now why the Gold Guards were after you, I can’t imagine the King likes someone around who is more powerful than him.”

This time it was Rae’s turn to scoff. “That actually has nothing to do with why they were after me. Also, he’s the King of the Overworld, one of the strongest magic users that came out of the blast, I highly doubt I’m more powerful than him.”

“Care to explain then?” Wolf asked, “It must be something important for him to send such a force after you, and if I’m going to continue helping you, I’d like to know what.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at him, “Continue helping me?”

Wolf shrugged, “I doubt they’re going to just give up on coming after you, I didn’t leave a trail when I brought you here, but who knows how long you have until they manage to find you. And with your ankle, it seems like you could use the help.”

“I’ve done nothing to earn it,” Rae replied, already cursing himself for somehow dragging yet another person into his problems. Maybe Wolf would be less stubborn than the others and save himself.

“Maybe not,” Wolf said, “But I want to. I have my own grievances against the King, and he I, so it does me no harm to help.”

Rae studied him for a moment, trying to figure out if he was telling the truth. It was hard, since he couldn’t see more than a hint of the man’s mouth below his mask, and none of the rest of his face. He found himself wanting to trust Wolf though, which made him wary, but at the same time, if he hadn’t followed his gut like this back when he met Centross, he was sure his story would’ve taken a much different path.

He sighed, brushing back a strand of hair that had fallen into his face. His eye still felt numb, but it had faded into the background much like the sting of it had during the weeks of travel between the End and the Nether. “My mother is Queen Enderian of the End. I… left, over a month ago now, with the help of some visitors from the Overworld and East Isles. I was hoping that I could come here, and maybe help, or get help, to learn about the other side of my family. Clearly, I was wrong.”

Wolf watched him silently as he spoke, only letting out a small scoff as he finished. “I suppose anyone seems better than a tyrant until you actually meet them,” he commented, then paused. “I am… also from the End.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at him, “You are? Would we have ever crossed paths?”

Wolf shrugged, “I have no idea. I only have vague flashes of my life there. I was cursed some years ago into my wolf form, and it was just over a year ago that I finally gained the ability to switch between it and this form. Besides, if you really are her son, I doubt I ever crossed paths with someone of your status.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rae replied, grimacing slightly. “And for the record, it was not common knowledge that I am hers. before I left, I’d say only four people knew besides me, at least, as far as I was aware.”

Wolf hummed, “I see. May I ask who? Obviously Queen Enderian for one, but I’m curious who else would be close enough to her to know, especially if so few did.”

Rae ducked his head, pressing his lips together. He paused for a moment, thinking, before replying, “I guess, technically, I only knew of three. The Queen, Lady Perix, and Centross, my best friend. The fourth would have been the grandson of one of the old Kings, but, well, he… passed, many years ago now, so I guess he doesn’t really count. Actually I found out while escaping that the old King, Duke now, actually knew the entire time, and is apparently why his grandson knew? I had always assumed he overheard something, but I guess not.”

Wolf nodded along. “I guess I should have expected Lady Perix. I’ve seen her along the Overworld End border, even from a distance anyone could tell she is not someone to be messed with. I am curious about your friend, Centross, was it?”

A small smile found its way onto his face, “Yeah, Centross. He was a guard, actually he was originally assigned to guard me, which was a polite way of saying he was there to stop me from running away. He was a bit of an ass when we first met.” Rae smiled, remembering the early screaming matches he’d gotten into with his friend.

“Is he not now?” Wolf asked, looking bemused beneath his mask.

Rae shrugged, “Less of one, at least. Anyway, I eventually got it through his thick skull that I wasn’t his enemy, an we became pretty close after that. He was, unfortunately, forced to leave the castle for long periods of time once the Queen noticed the shift, but she didn’t kill him, so that was already an improvement over the last time.” He could hear the sourness in his tone over those last words, not even bothering to try and stop it. He didn’t entirely know why he was telling Wolf all of this, but it felt good to talk openly after all his time since leaving the End being somewhat cloaked in lies, especially his time in the Overworld.

“Where is he now, then?” Wolf asked, breaking him from his thoughts. “He sounds like a good friend, I can’t imagine, from the little you’ve told me, that he would willingly leave your side. Is he in trouble?”

Imagines of Centross in chains, or in a cell, or Stars forbid, dead, flashed through his head, but he shook them off. “No, at least, I hope not. He left with Ocie for the East Isles a few days ago. As long as he’s still with her, he should be perfectly fine.” Hopefully.

Wolf tilted his head, “Ocie? Would she perhaps be related to Queen Oceana?”

Rae’s eyes widened. Right, it was strange that he was on a nickname basis with the Queen of the East Isles. “Uh… yes?”

Wolf let out a low chuckle, shaking his head, “You certainly are a strange one, Rae. I would almost say it was worth helping you for that, if not to get one up on the Gold Guards.”

“Oh, so is that why you helped me?” Rae asked, half teasingly, half worried it was the truth.

Wolf shrugged, the edges of a smirk poking out from under his mask. “Always a reason to do something. But also, you looked kind.”

Rae blinked at him, taken aback by his words. He had been called many things in his life, at least, the parts of it that he remembered, but he didn’t think he’d had a stranger say he looked kind. He knew what the nobles in the End thought of him, and he’d learned that some of the staff had said he was nice, but they knew him, to some degree, at least.

Wolf laughed, a rough but smooth sound that shook him from his stupor. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you’re not all that used to compliments.”

Rae blushed, ducking his head and pressing his hands to his face, feeling the growing warmth of it as he pressed further into his palms. “They weren’t exactly common for me in the End, alright!”

Wolf’s laughter stopped, a hint of a frown forming before it was gone again. “Tell me more about your life there, if you don’t mind. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything about the End, the good or the bad.”

Rae looked at him, wondering what his life had been like there. If he felt that sort of hollow ache for a life you knew you had but couldn’t remember that Rae had for the Overworld. He nodded slowly, trying to think of where he should start. His mind went immediately to Jamie, so he started with them. Then, he told Wolf more about Centross, and his research, about the study, and the garden in his formal rooms. He even told him about the seamstresses, and the cape that they’d made him that he knew he would miss once the night chill reached them.

Wolf listened to it all, nodding along, asking questions here and there. Rae could tell he was enjoying it, not only for the story, but for the bits that must have felt like home. When Rae mentioned Caspian, the way the man had sort of snuck into his heart without him even realizing, he could feel the blush creeping up his face, and he was just glad Wolf didn’t mention it.

The sun had just begun its descent when Wolf stopped him, pushing himself to his feet, saying something about getting them lunch, before disappearing back through the half crumbled doorway he’d first approached from after Rae had woken up.

Being left alone with his thoughts for the first time since waking up, Rae had to consider just how lucky he’d gotten that Wolf had rescued him, let alone been there at all. He didn’t want to imagine where he would be now if the King’s guards, or the Gold Guards as Wolf called them, had gotten him.

He just hoped he could find some way to tell his friends he was safe. Already he could imagine Centross coming back to find him gone, and he feared for the trouble his friend would get himself into with no way to know Rae was safe. Well, not no way, but none that he would use if he could help it.

He turned, staring at his boots for a minute before deciding to put on the one for his non injured foot. Already his ankle was feeling better, but he just hoped that it would heal quickly. He may have Wolf by his side now, but Wolf had said it himself, he had no idea how long it would be until someone foudn him, and he wasn’t sure if he could survive another fight.

It was certainly not something he wanted to find out.

Chapter Text

He woke up a few days later with an intense stinging in his eye and the eerie feeling that something was going to happen. He glanced across the ruins, his eyes landing on Wolf, who was leaning against the opposite all, tending the glowing embers of a new fire, some sort of small animal spinning above it.

Wolf must have sensed him move, glancing up to meet his eyes as he pushed himself up, readjusting to lean against the wall behind him.

“Good morning,” Wolf greeted, giving him a small nod, “This is almost done, if you’re hungry.”

Rae nodded, frowning softly. Something was different. He couldn’t quite tell what, but something was slightly off. “Did you… change anything after I fell asleep?” he asked, thinking that may just be it.

Wolf shook his head, “No, why do you ask?”

He bit his lip, squinting his eyes to see if it made any difference, still unable to figure out what exactly was bothering him. “Never mind, I’m sure I’m just being overly anxious.”

Wolf looked at him skeptically, but shrugged, turning his attention back to his fire. They sat in silence for a minute, Rae still half trying to figure out why he felt so off, when Wolf spoke again. “How’s your ankle doing?”

Rae paused, pulling up the leg of his pants. They’d kept his ankle wrapped the last few days, and he had mostly, reluctantly, relied on Wolf to get their food, water, and fire wood. It had been frustrating, but aside from the initial pain from the adrenaline drop, it had started to hurt less and less each day. He could tell it was still slightly swollen, but if it continued at this rate, he might be able to walk on it in another day or two. He didn’t think he’d be able to run for another week at least, but he also really hoped he wouldn’t need to.

“Looks a lot better,” Wolf commented, confirming Rae’s own thoughts, “Do you think you could stand on it yet?”

He shrugged, but began gentle pushing himself to his feet anyway, using the stone walls as support until he managed to steady himself on his good foot. Gingerly, he put a bit of weight on his ankle, pleasantly surprised that it felt more uncomfortable than painful. He put a bit more weight on it, letting out a small hiss when he found his limit, shifting most of his weight back to his good foot.

“I don’t think I could walk, but I can hobble?” Rae said, shrugging.

Wolf let out a low chuckle, “I don’t think you can out-hobble someone chasing you, but at least its getting closer to being healed.” He paused suddenly, his head snapping up, staring into the woods around them. A low growl came from his throat, the hairs on Rae’s arm raising in response.

“What is it?” he asked, trying to keep his voice low.

Wolf raised a finger to his lips, motioning for him to push further into the corner. His form blurring for a second, shifting slowly until emerging in the shape of a wolf. He stalked forward, suddenly darting off to the left before Rae could even blink. He debated poking his head around the edge of the bricks, to see if he could spot what had put Wolf on alert, but he decided against it, thinking of the conversation they’d been having just before. That was, until he heard-

“Rae?”

…

Centross?

Rae frowned, knowing that right now, his friend should be far away, in the East Isles with Ocie, but also that the only person he knew with the ability to mimic voices that well, should be even farther away.

“Rae? Are you here?” The voice called again.

Slowly, hobbled towards the edge of the wall, finding a crack just big enough for him to look through without exposing himself. When he did, his thoughts were confirmed. Centross stood a few feet away, his brows creased in his oh so familiar frown. His armour, however, was new, no longer the simple, plain metal he’d been given from the Duke, now some of the same armour he’d seen during his time in Fable’s castle. 

He was wearing the armour of the East Isles guards.

Centross turned to face the forest, and Rae made a split second decision he hoped he wouldn’t regret, hobbling to the edge of the wall but keeping a hand on it to steady himself as he stared at his friend.

“Centross?”

At his name, Centross whipped his head around, relief washing over his face when he spotted Rae among the ruins. He moved to step towards him, but Rae held up a hand, using the hand still on the wall to tap out their code where he knew Centross could see it. SF.

Centross glanced at his hand, understanding flashing in his eyes. He lifted his arm to his chest, resting in the arm slot like he had so many times before, then tapped back. SM.

 Rae could have collapsed from relief, just managing to stop himself when he spotted piercing yellow eyes in the trees behind Centross. Following his gaze, Centross turning, stuttering back a step when he spotted the wolf. He glanced back at Rae, his hand on his sword, though he frowned when he saw Rae’s lack of concern.

Rae gave him a half grin, waving to Wolf in a way that he hoped conveyed the fact that it was safe. It must have worked, because a moment later Wolf began to move towards them, stopping as he passed Centross to growl slightly, then came to stand beside Rae. He didn’t turn, but he knew by Centross’ reaction that Wolf had turned back into his human form.

“He is not one of the Gold guards,” Wolf commented.

Rae glanced back at him. “He’d rather die. Wolf, this is Centross, the friend I mentioned. Centross, Wolf. He helped me escape Fable’s guards.”

Centross eyes Wolf warily, but nodded, finally moving towards him again. He eyes Wolf the entire time, though when he was about two steps away his attention shifted to Rae, pulling him into as good a hug as he could manage with his armour on. 

“I am so glad you’re alive.” He said.

Rae laughed bitterly, “Me too. It was… closer than I would have liked. How did you find me?”

Centross grimaced, “Later, I promise. Do me a favour?”

“Of course,” Rae said, frowning slightly.

Centross reached for a small bag hanging on his hip, pulling out what almost looked like a bird made of metal. “Ocie said it could be enchanted with the breeze spell she showed you, made me take a few before she’d let me leave to find you, so she’d know I found you and that you were alive.”

Rae took the metal bird hesitantly, examining it for a moment before channelling his magic. It still ached to pull on it, but his ribs no longer screamed at him as he did. It wasn’t just his ankle he’d been resting the last few days, after all.

With a quick burst, the bird all but leapt from his hands, the breeze being captured inside of it as it soared into the sky, then off into the horizon. He looked back to Centross, a thousand questions racing in his mind. He could still feel the tension radiating off of Wolf, and a dull ache in his ankle told him he’d accidentally been putting too much weight on it, but just before he could open his mouth to suggest they all sit, Centross frowned at him.

“What happened to your eye?” he asked.

Rae frowned, “Uh, Perix? I told you that before.”

“No-“ Centross pausing, sighing, “I meant what else happened to your eye? The weird purple bruise is still there, but it’s green again. Can you see out of it?”

He was about to say no, of course not, he would have realized if he could, but then he remembered the odd feeling of something being off when he’d woken up that morning. He reached a hand up, covering his good eye, a startled laugh escaping him when he could still see.

“Huh, that’s new,” he commented.

Centross was staring at him with an exasperated expression, and honestly, Rae couldn’t blame him. It really shouldn’t have taken Centross pointing it out for him to realize, but in his defence, he’d only been working with limited vision for a short time. His vision had felt different when he woke up, but not new.

A small ache from his ankle reminded him of what he’d been about to say when Centross interrupted. “Can we sit? As Wolf and I figured out before you got here, I still probably shouldn’t be putting too much weight on my ankle, it’s starting to hurt.”

Wolf, having been silent the entire time Rae and Centross spoke, let out a snort from behind him. “No kidding. And unless he is more of an ass than you let on, I should probably get us more food. I believe ours may be a little on the burnt side by now.”

Rae glanced over to where their small fire still burned, wincing as he confirmed that the animal Wolf had been cooking had darkened not beyond edible but beyond enjoyable.

Centross cleared his throat, drawing their attention, “Let me help you. I’ve hunted plenty on longer missions.”

He could just see the corner of Wolf’s mouth slip up into a grin as he considered Centross carefully. “I am a far better hunter than you could ever hope to be. Stay, reconnect with your friend. I will return shortly.”

Rae stifled a laugh as Wolf slipped back into his wolf form, running off into the trees at a much more relaxed pace than he had earlier. He had no doubt Wolf would be keeping an ear out for them just in case, but for now at least, they had a moment to speak privately.

That settled, Rae shuffled back to the corner, lowering himself down to the ground and sighing with relief as the pressure was taken off his ankle. He summoned a bit of his magic, just enough to pull the heat from his skin, a handy trick he’d figured out just the day before. Centross watched him questioningly, but lowered himself down to lean against a section of the wall not more than a foot away.

“So,” Centross started, resting an arm against his leg, “Just to clarify, did you run or were you chased?”

“Chased,” Rae answered, to which Centross gave a small hum.

“Fucking knew he was spouting bullshit,” Centross said, shaking his head slightly. “I suppose I should start at the beginning, then you fill me in on what happened on your end?”

Rae gave him a shrug, his fingers finding a blade of grass to fiddle with as Centross readjusted and began recapping their time apart.

“Ok, uh, well, obviously Ocie and I left for the East Isles, and it was like, a day-ish on the boat? Which was wild by the way, I’ve been on canoes and shit but that thing was massive- not the point. By the time we got to the capital and Ocie found Casus we could tell something was wrong, because she seemed shocked to see us. She apparently never sent a letter, which immediately made us worry and want to come back, but we’d just travelled for a day and a half so they made us stay the night. We tried to plan a bit but didn’t know what we’d be coming back to, which is when Ocie had the idea to knight me, because that would give me a lot more diplomatic immunity, and we kinda figured I’d need all the help I could get since we didn’t know what condition we’d find you in either.”

As he spoke, Rae tried to line up the timelines in his head. If he was right, they had only just reached the capital by the time Fable had tried to have him locked in the dungeons. If that letter was what he thought it was, it was almost too perfect.

Centross shifted again, the corner of his lips tugging down into a frown. “When we got back to Crete and there was no sign of you or Caspian, we knew something bad had happened. Personally, I wanted to go beat the shit out of Fable until he told us what had happened, but Ocie said we had to find your guard first. Can’t remember their name for the life of me, but they told us they’d seen his guards drag you to the throne room and then hadn’t seen you since.”

Rae winced, recognizing Cadence as the guard Centross was talking about. He didn’t realize they’d still been watching him, but he supposed he was glad they had been. “I’m sort of surprised they missed it, it wasn’t exactly a peaceful exit.”

Centross let out a snort, giving Rae a curious lopsided grin before shaking his head and continuing his story. “We found Athena too. They filled us in a bit more with the prince being weird, and Fable’s orders, as well as where Caspian was. At that point we pretty much figured you had had to leave, but we still didn’t know if it was your choice to or not. Ocie decided to confront Fable about it.”

“Let me guess,” Rae said, sarcasm lining his words, “He very willingly told you everything that happened, including his multiple threats to my life!”

Centross raised an eyebrow at him in an expression Rae knew very well meant that they’d come back to that, then shook his head. “He tried to claim you were in the dungeons because you’d committed serious treason against him, and would need to be held in contempt for it and punished, but Ocie called him out on his bullshit so he backtracked and said he’d caught you but you injured multiple of his guards and ran away before he could ‘rightfully imprison you,’” he said, doing air quotes around the last few words.

“That was his plan,” Rae commented, a chill running down his spine as Fable’s words flooded through his head again. “Though the only treason I committed was walking around the castle with Athena and being Enderian’s child. Which, he knows by the way. Did you know they’re siblings?”

Centross whipped his head around to stare at Rae. “No??? What do you mean?”

“Apparently, Fable is not only my step-father, but my uncle,” Rae replied, his gentle fiddling with the grass turning lightly aggressive, “He pegged me as her child the second I walked into the castle. He didn’t seem to know I’m also Isla’s child, because he asked me about his “wife’s bastard,’ but that may have changed since I left.”

Centross was silent for a long moment, leaving Rae to stare at the patch of earth he was slowly clearing of grass out of nervous habit. Then Centross laughed. “Goddamn, and to think I thought your family was weird enough already! That does explain why no amount of peace negotiations from their councils has ever worked.”

Rae couldn’t help but let out his own laugh at that. He shook his head, silent relief running through his veins. He hadn’t wanted to think it, but part of him had been worried Centross would eventually get fed up with how insane his life was, and he was worried that would be the final straw.

“Back to my story I guess,” Centross said, pulling them back on topic, “After her, ‘chat’ with Fable, Ocie decided it would be safest if we weren’t in the castle and under his direct control for a bit, so we retreated to Momboo’s estate. I don’t think she likes me, by the way.”

“I don’t think she likes me, either,” Rae replied, giving him a small shrug.

“Way to one-up me,” Centross complained, reaching over to shove Rae’s shoulder playfully. “We left a letter with Athena for Caspian whenever he gets back, in case he goes to the castle before going to Momboo’s, because apparently he stops there most of the time on his way back. Then I… located you, and set off to make sure you were still alive.”

That made Rae pause, his eyes drifting to the barely visible chain of the necklace Centross always wore around his neck. He looked up, meeting Centross’ eye with a questioning look, though he knew the answer even before he saw the slightly regretful look on his face. Rae sighed, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have done that for me. What if it had gotten out of control? What if they’d seen you? You know how much of a risk it is to try without someone watching you, and please don’t tell me you told someone-”

“I didn’t,” Centross cut in, soothing at least one of Rae’s worries. “And I know, but it had been almost a week since I’d seen you, and with no one knowing what had happened after Fable had his guards drag you out of your rooms, I had to see you. I had to know if I was looking for my brother or his corpse.”

He wanted to argue, but he could feel all his resolve sinking out of his body. Whatever he thought, Centross had already done it, and he as here, safe. Both of them were. Later they’d have to come up with a plan, and tomorrow they’d probably have to head back towards Crete to find the others and figure out what to do next, but for now? For now they were here. For now, Wolf would come back with some fresh meat for them, they’d eat, they’d talk, and Rae would rest easier with his oldest friend next to him.

They’d get through this. He’d get through this. He had to.

Chapter Text

Rae was leaning against one of the crumbling walls of the ruins, all his weight on his good foot as Wolf and Centross watched him. They were both still wary of each other, but he could tell they had some sort of mutual agreement to keep things civil, which he appreciated. He needed all the allies and friends he could get right now, even if he doubted Wolf would come back with them.

He glanced towards them, giving them a nervous smile before hesitantly putting some weight on his foot. He managed to get it just about even before the dull throb returned, forcing him to shift some of it back onto his good foot to avoid making it worse.

“So?” Centross asked, arms crossed over his chest.

Rae shook his head, “It’s better, but I think it would be another day at least before I could walk on it, and at least another two before I could walk any long distance. How long did you say you thought it would take us to get back?”

Centross shrugged, “Maybe 6 hours? It took me like double that, but I was also taking my time and covering a lot of ground because I was trying to find you.”

“We should probably plan for twelve then, It would probably be a good idea for me to take a lot of breaks, I don’t want to make it worse than it already is,” Rae replied. He hated that they’d have to wait to rejoin with their friends because of his injury, but he knew he would only make it worse if they didn’t.

Wolf shifted against the wall. He hadn’t talked much since Centross joined them, so it surprised Rae when he spoke, “How long do you think it would take if you had a horse?”

Centross raised an eyebrow, sharing a look with Rae. “Maybe 2 to 3 hours? More if we stopped for breaks.”

Rae turned to him, “You’re not about to tell me you have a secret horse stashed somewhere, right?”

Smirking, Wolf shook his head. “I was going to suggest you could ride on my back in wolf form. You’re definitely light enough, that’s how I got you here, and it would reduce breaks if you aren’t walking.”

“Wouldn’t that be counter productive? For you to come with us just to turn back?” Rae asked,

Wolf tilted his head, “Who said I would be turning back?”

“I didn’t exactly think you’d be coming with us,” Rae replied truthfully.

“Why not?” Wolf asked.

Rae could feel his stomach start to knot, the question bringing emotions to the surface that he had been trying so hard to keep down. “Because this isn’t your fight.” It came out as more of a snap than he’d intended.

Wolf seemed taken aback at that, his mouth slipping into a small frown

“Rae-” Centross tried to interject, but Rae waved him off.

“No, listen, please. Wolf, this isn’t your fight. I know you mean well, but don’t. I appreciate all your help, hell I would be dead or worse without you, but I will not let you get involved in this any further, ok? I’m not talking about this further.” Rae said, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning on and wincing as he hobbled away from them. He just needed a minute to clear his head.

He heard them start to talk in hushed voices as he moved farther away, but he didn’t dare to look back until he’d finally managed to duck into the tree line. He practically collapsed against the first tree he could, hissing as he finally took the weight off his ankle. A quick snap later he’d at least summoned some ice for it, lessening the burning enough for his head to focus on the conversation.

Fuck. That was all he could think as hot tears began to cloud his vision. He knew Wolf meant well, he knew that, but he couldn’t let him get involved. He’d already ruined too many fucking lives by letting them get involved in his issues, in his mistakes. He couldn’t- he couldn’t-

His breathes were getting heavier, tears creating trails don his face as he sat clutching his chest, gasping from breaths and trying to be quiet enough that he couldn’t be heard.

He used to think that things would be alright if he kept the number of people he cared about to less than a hand, but somewhere in the middle there he’d broken his on rule, the number growing until he wasn’t even sure how many people he’d wrapped up in his fucking problems. Maybe she was right, maybe he was just a waste of space after all. A waste of resources, something not even worth considering.

A shadow moved over him, then before he could even glance at it, he felt the familiar weight of Centross next to him, strong arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders. Rae leaned his head on his friend, listening as Centross took long exaggerated breaths, trying his best to copy them.

They sat in silence for a long moment as his breathing began to return to normal. He could still feel bitterness in the back of his throat, but he needed this moment, so he choked it back.

Somewhere in front of him, a breeze found its way through the canopy, picking up the odd leaf here and there and causing them to dance among thin beams of sunlight before landing once more on the forest floor. It was hard to believe he had spent so long surrounded by snow when a world like this had existed all that time.

Finally he let out a sigh, his breath hiccuping softly. “He’s not coming with us,” he muttered, not even daring to look up at Centross.

Centross shifted next to him. “Why not? I hate to say it, but we could use the help, and he seems like a decent guy.”

Rae shook his head, knowing his friend wouldn’t see it from his side. “I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me. I- I can’t have any more blood on my hands.”

He felt Centross’ scoff more than he heard it, in the way his chest gave a quick rise before falling back into steady breaths. “You are one to talk about blood on their hands. You do remember that I’m nicknamed the ‘Violet Reaper’ for a reason, right?”

“That’s different,” Rae countered, “You had a say in it, even if it wasn’t good.”

Centross shifted, and Rae could feel his gaze on the top of his head. “Are you seriously trying to say I had more choice in killing innocents than you do in your friends wanting to help you?”

“Well when you put it that way…”

Centross let out a laugh, though there was a hint of bitterness to it that made Rae frown. “Rae, for someone so smart, you are such an idiot. You think for a second any of us would be here if we didn’t want to be?”

Rae opened his mouth to answer but was quickly interrupted as Centross continued. “No, we wouldn’t. I certainly wouldn’t. You know what my mindset was before. I fucking loved being her soldier, thought I was doing something noble, because I was practically raised on that bullshit. You showed me I was wrong. You showed me empathy, and kindness, and made me see the kind of man I wanted to be, which was a weird as hell thing to process about a guy younger than me, by the way. But it was all you. You made me want to stick by your side. I am here because I want to be, no other reason.”

“You’re just one person though, you can’t say for certain that the others feel the same,” Rae replied meekly.

“Try me,” Centross challenged. “Let’s go chronologically here, k? Jamie. Ok, admittedly, they were forced a little in the beginning, but once we got them back to their mom they could have easily given up there, but when I saw them before coming after you, they tried to insist on coming with me. Said it was always the three of us. Took me, Ocie, Easton, and their mom to convince them that you’d rather they were safe and that I’d be back as soon as I could.”

Rae bit back a smile, trying to hold onto his argument even as he felt it slowly start to crumble underneath him. “You two don’t count,” he tried, “I helped you escape just as much as you helped me.”

He could practically feel Centross’ eye roll. “Fine. Who’s next then? Caspian? If you haven’t noticed already, that man has the fattest crush on you. Even if he didn’t, he’s a nobleman, one of Fable’s inner circle. You don’t think life would be much simpler for him if he stuck to his own issues and followed his king without question? And yet what has he done? Stick his neck out for you. Because he cares, because he wants to. Same for Ocie by the way. A foreign Queen has no reason to help you if she didn’t want to. Clearly, she wants to help.”

His argument was ash in the air at that point, but Rae couldn’t ignore the way the guilt and anger still seemed to brew in that same spot in his chest. “I just- no more. I didn’t mean for any of them to get involved, and I get it, they want to be here, but I can’t- I don’t want to get anyone else involved. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

“People get hurt, Rae. It’s not your job to stop it.”

Rae sighed. “I wish my head would let me agree with you.”

“It will,” Centross said, leaning his head on Rae’s, “Someday.”

They sat in that moment for a minute, though Centross’ words kept looping in his head, and after a minute, he couldn’t help but let out a small giggle, “You know you’re a real poet sometimes?”

He felt Centross grin. “Yeah? Think I could make it big if this whole soldier thing doesn’t work out?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Rae replied, lifting his arms and pretending to frame a title in the air. “I can see it now, ‘The Violet Reaper returns, poet extraordinaire’.”

Centross shook his head, laughing as he leaned away, though he left one arm rested across Rae’s shoulders. “Now that would be quite the sight. In the meantime, how about we get back to Wolf? I know you said you don’t want anyone else to get involved, but from how I see it, he already is. And it’s safer for him to work with him than have him try and help you from the sidelines.”

“…I hate when you’re right,” Rae said, earning another laugh from his friend.

“Only because you hate being wrong,” Centross replied, pushing himself to his feet before offering his hand to Rae. Rae rolled his eyes, but accepted the hand, stumbling as his ankle angrily reminded him that it as hurt and he had dared to walk on it.

He felt a hand slip around his waist, Centross steadying him, just like he always had. Rae reached his arm over Centross’ shoulder, allowing him to carry his weight, his burden, as the two of them slowly made their way back over to the ruins where they’d been staying.

To his surprise, Wolf wasn’t anywhere in sight. Centross helped him get back to the corner he’d started to think of as ‘his’, noticing his curious look.

“He wanted to give us some privacy,” Centross explained, not that it explained much. “Apparently he has really good hearing, so he didn’t want to accidentally listen in.”

Rae nodded, his thoughts drifting to little moments over the last few days that suddenly made more sense knowing that. Then, for whatever reason, his thoughts drifted back to the conversation they’d been having when he ran off.

“Do you think it would work? Him carrying me on his back in wolf form?” he clarified.

Centross pressed his lips into a thin line, a hesitant look in his eyes. “Probably. I don’t know anything about how he even changes between the two, I doubt it’s something he’s told you either?” Rae nodded. “So while I don’t entirely love the idea, it would probably be the fastest way to get back, and the best way to let you ankle heal fully, especially after today.”

Rae reached over, shoving his friend playfully for that last comment. But he considered his words carefully. Truth be told, he had been so focused on what Fable had done, he had barely given what Wolf could do a second thought. “I think we have to trust it though. Trust him. I hate it, but you said it yourself, it would take us hours, especially with how much I can walk.”

“It’s still going to take us hours,” Centross said, “We can only go as fast as I can walk. I can maybe run a bit, but not nearly fast enough to make any difference, especially if I end up needing to rest more because of it.”

Rae paused, his thoughts taking that idea and running with it before he could even really think about it. “What if…” he started, flipping through his spells in his head, “I could make you faster?”

Centross raised an eyebrow at him, “I’m almost scared to ask.”

“Give me your shoes,” Rae said, making grabby hands.

Centross gave him a weird look, but then chuckled and complied, passing his shoes to Rae and watching him curiously as he looked them over.

Rae turned them over a few times, finally deciding the soles would be the best place to try and attach the spell. He only had a vague idea of what he was going to try, but hey, that’s how most of his discoveries had happened. He just wanted to see if he could do it.

He focused his energy, moving slowly due to the residual ache that refused to leave even days later. Then, he cast Ocie’s breeze spell, catching it mid air and binding it to the soles, giving a satisfied hum when the magic didn’t immediately explode in his face. That had only happened once. Twice. Ok maybe like, five times, but it hadn’t this time.

With a grin, he handed the shoes back to Centross, who almost reluctantly put them back on. When both were on and his feet were back on the ground, he looked back at Rae expectantly. “Well?”

Rae rolled his eyes, “Take a step.”

Centross gave him another look, then did as he was told, though the second his foot touched the ground again, he was suddenly slamming into the crumbling wall opposite of where he’d been. Rae choked back a laugh as Centross steadied himself, eyes wide in shock as he processed what had just happened.

“Did I just-”

“Yup.”

“And you-“

“Mhm.”

Centross stared at him. “You are insane. The hell did you do to these things?”

“Breeze spell,” Rae shrugged, trying to suppress a giggle at the shock on Centross’ face.

Centross looked at him, then down at his feet, then squinted his eyes, before attempting to take the smallest step back towards Rae. To both of their surprise, he managed to only move about halfway across the space.

“Do I want to know?” Wolf’s voice suddenly came. Centross stepped back on surprise, causing him to go flying back and smack against the far wall, a small cascade of pebbles falling to the ground as he hastily starting taking his boots off, grumbling as he did.

Rae, muffling a laugh at his friend, turned back to Wolf. “We were trying something. I ant to apologize for earlier though, it was wrong of me to snap at you like that. I don’t like seeing people put in danger for me, but I also know that I should allow you to make your on decision on the matter, so, if you’d like to come with us, we would be happy for you to do so.”

Wolf raised an eyebrow, shooting a glance at Centross, who had succeeded in taking off one boot and was halfway through getting the other one off. “I appreciate it,” Wolf said, turning back to Rae, “I know we haven’t known each other long, but beyond my own dislike to the king and his guard, I do wish to help you. I would like to know why Centross seems to have a grudge against his shoes at the moment though.”

This time Rae couldn’t contain the laugh that bubbled up, turning to look at Centross, who was in fact scowling at his shoes. He looked up, meeting Rae’s eyes and sticking his tongue out, causing Rae to laugh again, before he turned back to Wolf. “You had mentioned giving me a ride so that I don’t have to walk, we were discussing how fast Centross could go so that maybe our trip could be shorter, so I tried attaching a breeze spell to his shoes. Clearly it had a greater affect than I thought it would.”

“Be honest, you didn’t even know if it as going to work,” Centross said, having picked up his shoes and carried them barefoot across the space to sit next to Rae. “Also, fuck you, smacking into those walls hurt like hell.”

Rae rolled his eyes, reaching over to pat Centross’ arm in mock sympathy, grinning as his friend batted away his hand.

Wolf watched them, amused. “Do you think it will work?” he asked.

Rae turned to Centross, who seemed to consider it for a moment, before looking up at Rae. “Do you think you can lessen it a little? If it was maybe, I don’t know, half as powerful, then I could probably get the hang of it alright.”

He motioned for Centross to pass him his shoes, humming as he tried to see how his magic had stuck to them. After a moment, he could just see where the glyphs had stuck to the soles. He tried to think of a way to lessen them, but found himself at a loss. Instead, he just removed them, handing the shoes back to Centross with a small shrug. “I can probably figure out, but give me a bit to think on it. Don’t worry, I removed the magic for now.”

Centross took the boots hesitantly, looking them over despite the fact that both of them knew he wouldn’t be able to tell if Rae had actually removed the magic even if he wanted to, before slipping them back on. He stood, taking the smallest step forward, and when he only went as far as that step, nodding approvingly.

“How soon can we leave then?” Wolf asked, “Since we don’t have to wait for your ankle to heal, that is.”

Rae frowned. “Tomorrow, probably, assuming I can get the spell. If not, we can still go, but it will be slower.”

Both Centross and Wolf nodded at that, then began to discuss other travel plans. Rae tried to keep up, but slowly found himself zoning out as he considered what the next day would bring, and just what he was supposed to do about this whole mess he'd found himself in.

Chapter Text

Rae readjusted his grip, his fingers digging into the fur at Wolf’s neck. It felt strange, not only sitting atop a wolf, but knowing that that wolf was someone he’d started to think of as a friend. Wolf had told him he may need to fully hug his neck hen he started running, but for now he was content how he was, silently hoping he wasn’t going to fall off.

Beside them, Centross was testing out his shoes. Rae had figured out a way to split the spell across both shoes, rather than casting it on both individually, which essentially cut the max speed in half. Between that, and a couple quick tests the night before, Centross was falling over a lot less often. Their main concern now was the trees, which was what Centross was testing now.

As if he could hear his thoughts, Centross looked up at him, giving him a small, determined nod before carefully taking a step forward and stopping a few feet away. He grinned, “I think I’m actually getting the hang of this.”

Rae laughed, “Good, we didn’t really have a backup if you weren’t. Think you’re ready to go then?”

“Should be, do we have everything?” Centross asked.

Rae nodded, pausing to glance at Wolf, who nodded as well. It was a strange movement, hat with him being in wolf form, but it got the message across.

That settled, Rae readjusted the small pouch on his shoulder, then reluctantly leaned forward, rapping his arms around Wolf’s neck. He could practically hear Wolf’s low chuckle as he turned and nodded to Centross, who nodded back before starting forward.

Wolf waited a few seconds for Centross to get a lead, then started into a run.

And Gods was it a strange feeling.

Rae had ridden horses before, plenty of times even, especially in his time since leaving the End. This, this was very different to riding a horse. For one, he was tucked down on Wolf’s back, practically lying on him, rather than sitting up like he would on a horse. For another, unlike a horse’s usual canter, Wolf’s movements were both more and less fluid.

He risked looking up, staring in awe at the way the forest seemed to race past them. Up ahead he could just catch a glimpse of Centross in the distance, though he was certain that as more than enough for Wolf to keep track of him. He quickly decided he liked it better when he couldn’t see, turning his head back down and squeezing his eyes shut as Wolf continued to run.

By the time they stopped, he’d completely lost track of how long they’d been running. He looked up as he felt Wolf slow, spotting Centross leaning on a nearby tree. Rae could see the quick rise and fall of his chest as he attempted to catch his breath, though the wide grin on his face assured Rae that that was a good thing.

Rae slid off Wolf’s back, trying to steady himself as he felt Wolf shift back to human next to him, his own breaths quick as he looked between him and Centross.

Centross nodded at him, moving off the tree as his breaths seemed to steady. “How long of a break do you need if we wanted to go that distance again?”

Wolf seemed to consider his question for a moment, “15-20, maybe. It’s easier to run than I thought with a person on my back. Then again, the only other time I’ve tried, I also had to make sure Rae didn’t fall off my back, which made it much harder.”

Rae crossed his arms over his chest with a small huff, earning a laugh from his companions. Centross rolled his eyes, focusing on Wolf again, “I can probably make that work, but then I think we should have a longer break, see if e can find something to eat. If we stop for maybe 30-45 minutes, then run another hour, that should pretty much get us there. I’d suggest we just push through with another short break, but I can already feel the energy draining from me, and I can imagine you’re the same, Wolf.”

“Definitely,” Wolf agreed. He paused, tilting his head upwards ever so slightly, “I smell running water to our east, we should go get a drink before we rest.”

Rae and Centross both nodded in agreement, though Rae mostly did out of empathy. After all, he hadn’t been running. Before he could even move, Centross was at his side, looping an arm under his and behind his back, helping to support him off his bad ankle as Wolf led them through the trees.

Their second run ended up being a little slower, especially towards the end. He could tell both of his friends were getting tired, though he hoped a longer rest would be enough for them to be able to make it the rest of the way. He didn’t love the idea of staying in the woods over night, especially so out in the open, and what he assumed was much closer to where Fable’s guards patrolled than those ruins they’d been at.

To his surprise, once they’d stopped the second time and they’d eaten the food Wolf caught, both Centross and Wolf fell asleep. Wolf as almost immediately, leaning against a tree, his head slumping to his chest. Centross had taken longer, and a bit of convincing from Rae, before he finally drifted off.

The idea of being the only one awake to defend them was slightly terrifying, but he argued that both of them were light enough sleepers that it would be barely a moment until he had backup. That, and, he could see how much energy they’d lost from running for just over two hours. If it took them a quick nap to be able to continue on, then he could manage.

They had been running again for what must have been close to an hour at that point when Rae felt Wolf begin to slow. He lifted his head, blinking as his eyes readjusted to the light. A smile began to spread across his face as he spotted the looming building in front of them, and the sprawling gardens that lay between them and it.

He could just make out the shape of someone next to one of the flower boxes, realizing who it was just as they looked up and spotted him in return. He saw the way Jamie’s face flicked from confusion to shock to joy, watching as they threw their gloves to the ground and immediately started running towards them.

Beneath him, he felt Wolf tense, so he leaned forward again, “That’s Jamie, they’re a friend, don’t worry.”

Wolf relaxed a little at that, though Rae could still sense his hesitance as they finally reached the edge of the garden, Rae carefully slipping off his back as Jamie crossed the last bit of distance between them.

He barely had both of his feet on the ground before Jamie crashed into him, squeezing him so tight he’d have thought he’d been gone for years rather than days. All he could do was laugh and hug them back though, and try to blink back the tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

Jamie shifted against his chest, “Please stop leaving me,” they muttered, their words so soft he would have missed them had he not been paying attention.

Rae hugged them tighter, the tears winning and falling down his face, “I’m not trying to, cub, I promise.”

“Jamie?” Someone called, a figure appearing in the doorway to the garden, “Is everything- Rae!”

Rae looked up just long enough to see Caspian’s eyes widen, grinning to himself as the other sprinted across the garden. Jamie barely had enough time to smirk at Rae and get out of the way before he was nearly toppled for a second time as Caspian collided with him.

“I missed you,” Rae whispered, hugging him back just as tightly as he had Jamie.

Behind him, Wolf gave a low growl, causing Rae to look up. He as still in wolf form, though he was staring at the manor, where Rae could just make out the shapes of people crowding the doorway.

Rae pulled away from Caspian reluctantly, giving him a small apologetic smile as he did, and turned to Wolf. “I did warn you there was a lot of them. Should I introduce you as a wolf or are you going to turn back?”

He could feel the strange looks both Jamie and Caspian were giving him, which he ignored in favour of keeping eye contact with Wolf. Finally, Wolf seemed to give a reluctant huff, rolling in eyes, which as incredibly weird to see a wolf do, then shift back to human. Caspian and Jamie both jumped as he did, though Rae’s lack of surprise must of assured them, as neither said anything.

Rae frowned, looking around and finally realizing they were missing someone. He turned back to Wolf, “Where is Centross?”

Wolf looked Caspian and Jamie up and down, a combination of his mask and his stance making him look much more intimidating that the Wolf he’d gotten to know. “Patrolling the perimeter. He’s just west of us, should be here in a minute.”

Rae hummed, nodding as he turned back to Caspian and Jamie. “I promise we’ll explain everything, but should we go in? I’d rather only explain this once, and I think the others are hesitant to join us.”

Caspian glanced over his shoulder, eyes widening as he finally spotted the small crowd gathered at the door to the manor. He looked back to Rae sheepishly, “I suppose running out the door yelling your name tipped them off.”

“Just a little,” Rae agreed, giving a small chuckle. Almost out of instinct he reached to Wolf for support, letting him help take the weight off his bad ankle. He caught the look Jamie was giving him, and tried to give them a reassuring smile. “I sprained it. It’s almost healed, but still sore. Come on, let’s get to the others.”

They got about halfway across the garden, Caspian hovering by his other side and Jamie not far ahead of them, when he saw Centross catch up to them. He stopped just long enough for Caspian to yelp when he noticed him, then sped off ahead of them to the house, surprising the others as well before leaning against the house.

He was grinning at Rae by the time their little group made it to the door. Centross gestured down to his boots, “You mind? Think I might have a harder time once we’re inside.”

Rae rolled his eyes at him, then attempted to pull the magic off the boots, having success on his second try. Centross took a step, making a face when he only went a step forward. “Feels weird now,” he commented, earning a laugh from Rae and Wolf and a confused look from everyone else.

Ocie stepped forward from the group as Rae let go of Wolf. She gave him a much gentler hug than Caspian or Jamie, though she still hugged him tight enough to let in just ho worried she’d been. She pulled back, meeting his eyes with a mix of concern and fury in her own. “Rae, what happened?”

He winced, glancing between Centross and Wolf, then turning back to her. “Can we sit down? It’s a bit of a story.”

She frowned, but nodded, taking over as his support as Momboo hurriedly led them through the house, pushing open a door into what Rae recognized as the parlour from the first time he’d been there. 

Ocie lowered him onto one of the couches, then moved away to claim one of the other ones, where she was joined by Momboo. Jamie and Easton claimed the third couch, Caspian claiming the spot next to him, while Centross perched on the arm of the couch next to Jamie, and he saw Wolf claim a spot against the wall behind him.

He tried his best to recall the events of the days since he’d seen any of them last, trying to leave in the important details and leave out the worst of it, but then someone would frown, or Wolf would give a disapproving grunt from behind him and he would go back and add in the detail he’d left out. By the end of it, no to expressions in the room were the same.

Ocie looked absolutely furious, and he was sure if it wasn’t for Momboo, equally furious but somehow calmer, beside her, then she would already be half way to the castle to kick Fable’s ass. Caspian had grabbed his hand at some point, and was now squeezing it so tight Rae wasn’t sure if he was ever going to let him go again. Easton almost looked like they were going to be sick, excusing themselves in a small voice, though the way they slammed the door on their way out gave Rae some hope that part of it was anger rather than disgust towards him.

Jamie and Centross’ faces haunted him the most, though. He’d told Centross most of it, but he had left out some details, and he could see renewed anger on his friend’s face. A venom so dark and dangerous that Rae wondered not for the first time if this was the version of his friend that had named him the violet reaper.

He could tell Jamie was drawing similarities between what Fable had done and what Enderian had done. He could see it in the slightly haunted look in their eyes, the way their eyes kept tracing his entire body, as if they were searching for any small injury, anything physically different or wrong, the way they would each time he came back to the study. Ready to help, ready to heal.

Rae met their eyes, giving them the smallest nod, though he knew they recognized it for what it was, because almost immediately they stood and crossed over to him, and Rae felt the familiar tickle of their magic as it felt for his, the way they’d done in lessons in the study a few times. He knew they were looking for anything wrong with him, any cracks to fill, and he hoped they’d be relieved with how little they found.

He felt their magic stop, their face falling into a frown as they met his gaze again, their focus slightly to the side. “What happened to your eye?” They asked.

Rae’s eyes widened, having already forgotten that part of everything that had happened. “Not sure, actually. I can see out of it again.”

Jamie’s frown deepened, and he felt the tickle again as their magic reached towards him. When that once again must have turned up nothing, well, besides the eye, they returned to their seat, though not without staring at Centross until he moved off the arm and into Easton’s empty spot.

They all sat in silence for a moment, and had it not been for Caspian drawing small circles on the back of his hand, he as sure that the silence would have driven him mad.

He moved his gaze to Ocie. She seemed to have tempered her anger for the time being, her face having shifted into a calculating expression, a look he could recognize as her planning something.

“What now?” he asked, his voice coming out barely above a whisper.

To his surprise, it was Momboo who answered him. “Now? You rest. Fable is not making any sudden moves, he doesn’t even know you’re here yet. You just told us that you burned out your magic so much it hurt, sprained your ankle, and, quite frankly, ate way too little over the last few days. You will rest, we will get our allies into the loop, and we will wait. Honestly you all should have just stayed here instead of going to the castle in the first place, at least now you’re out from under his watch.”

Beside her, Ocie grimaced, but nodded. “She’s right. You need to rest, Rae. We made some miscalculations with Fable, and I’m as eager as I’m sure you are to set them right, but we can’t do anything if you’re at risk of hurting yourself just by walking weirdly.”

A large part of him wanted to protest, but the rest of him could feel the energy draining from him, a long day following a long week and not a lot of rest or food finally catching up to him, his adrenaline finally settling as both his mind and body came to the same realization. He was safe. What a strange feeling.

He gave them a small nod, pressing his lips together in grim defeat. 

Ocie gave him an empathetic look. “Why don’t you go sleep? Centross and, sorry in all the chaos, I didn’t catch your name?”

It took him a second to realize she was talking to Wolf, and by the delay in him responded, it would seem he also took a second to notice. “You may call me Wolf.” He replied gruffly.

She raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “I’m sure Centross and… Wolf, can fill in any details you may have missed or answer any questions we may have.”

Rae wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep for a few days, if not weeks. He glanced between everyone in the room, hesitating mostly on Centross, Jamie, and Wolf, though the look on all of their faces told him he should do exactly hat Ocie had suggested.

It was Caspian nudging him, their hands still interlocked, that finally got him. He leaned in, whispering so low that in a normal room, only Rae would have been able to hear, but he was overly conscious of Wolf behind him. “I can come sit with you if you’d like? That way when you sleep you don’t have nightmares?”

He could feel heat crawling up his cheeks at the offer, but found himself nodding anyway, feeling not entirely there as Caspian helped him to his feet, gently supporting his weight as they said goodbye to everyone and headed out of the room.

He vaguely remembered making it up the stairs, making their way to a room he didn’t recognize but that was decorated in soft reds and navy, and onto a bed so plush he felt like he was lying on a cloud. He was only semi aware of Caspian climbing onto the bed next to him, or the way Rae leaned against him as his eyes began to drift shut. The last thing he remembered before everything fell into darkness was Caspian’s arm around him, and a feather light pressure on the top of his head.

Chapter Text

He woke up slowly, wrapped in warmth and with a sense of calm that had evaded him for weeks. He could feel fingers tracing circles on his shoulder, the arm connected to them tucked behind his back. He kept his eyes shut, letting the memories of the day before filter slowly into his head. Mixes of relief, warmth, joy, and guilt bubbled through him, waking his limbs and his mind until he had enough strength to finally open his eyes and figure out who he’d accidentally fallen asleep against.

He was less shocked than he thought he’d be when he turned ever so slightly and caught sight of Caspian. His hair was slightly askew, like he himself had just woken up and hadn’t had the chance to fix it. His jacket was gone, leaving him in a plain white t-shirt, the thick blankets covering him from the waist down. His arm was in fact wrapped around Rae, though in his other Rae noticed a book, an older one bound in what looked like leather, no noticeable title, with a softness to the edges that told him it was well loved.

Caspian glanced away from his book, meeting Rae’s eyes with a lopsided grin. “Morning.”

“Hi,” Rae replied, gently pushing himself up until he was sitting, unfortunately causing Caspian to pull back his arm in the process, “What time is it?”

Caspian glanced towards a small clock hanging on the wall opposite them. “Just past 9. I’m surprised you’re up so early.”

Rae shrugged, “I was waking up with the sun for the last week, I’m kind of surprised I wasn’t up earlier.”

Caspian chuckled, “Fair enough. Did you sleep alright?”

“Really well, actually,” Rae answered, surprised by it. “I can’t remember the last time I slept through an entire night.”

“You must have needed it,” Caspian replied. “I’ve only been up for maybe 20 minutes. Ocie poked her head in, apparently she got a letter from Athena this morning. They’ve gotten permission from their mother to stay here instead of the palace and should be arriving this evening.”

He felt yet another wave of relief at that. “I’m glad. I doubt Fable found risk hurting them right now and losing another ally, but it’ll still be nice to have them out of his reach. Queen Soul has been the nicest ruler I’ve met, beside Ocie, I’d hate for her child to be hurt because they got caught up in my mess.”

Caspian raised an eyebrow at him. “Your mess? Rae, I’ve long since learned that you take on way more of the burden than you need to, but do you seriously think that the growing tensions right now are just because of you?”

Rae shrugged, trying not to shrink under Caspian’s words.

Caspian reached over, taking Rae’s hand in his, and meeting his eyes with such earnestness that for once Rae allowed himself to maybe believe what he said next. “The kingdoms have been tense for years, Rae. Yes, some of it has been Fable and Enderian, but also, King Netherum died last year, and Queen Soul broke off the Nether’s alliance with the End. Ocie and Momboo have never liked that Queen Isla married Fable, or that he took over the kingdom, but they’ve stayed peaceful for their peoples sake. Even before Enderian, the northern kingdoms were always tense with each other. Maybe not on the brink of war, but tense. You are not the root cause of all of these issues. You may have been the straw that broke the peace, but it was coming, one way or another.”

Rae turned his head, staring down at the blankets, and their hands, really anywhere but Caspian. He knew it was true. He knew the End had had tentative peace with the Nether and Aether, and had been fighting with the Overworld for years. He knew that there had been commotion about Fable taking the throne instead of Icarus in Isla’s absence. But he also knew that Enderian, his… mother, had done a lot of what she’d done because of him. Even if he wasn’t responsible for all of it, his birth had been the caterpillar that transformed into the butterfly of a mess they were in now. Maybe he was taking too much blame. But he still deserved a lot of it.

Caspian leaned over, nudging his shoulder with his own and jarring him from his thoughts. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you go freshen up from your travels, and we can have a late brunch in the gardens? The cooks here love me, I’m sure they’d be happy to put something together.”

Rae looked at him, his face softening at the excitement on Caspian’s face, admiring the dimple that formed on his cheek as he grinned, the dust of a tan across his face from his recent travels to the Nether. Rae let out a breath, and nodded, his own grin slipping into place.

The smile on Caspian’s face grew even bigger, looking just as bright as his last name would suggest, before he let go of Rae’s hand, pushing off the blanket from his lap and standing from the bed. “Great! I’ll go make sure everything is in order. You can use the bathroom in here if you want, or you can go find the room you stayed in last time.

He waited long enough for Rae to give him a small nod, then he was off. Rae didn’t know what exactly had happened to make Caspian act like this, but he had to admit, it was nicer than being treated like he was fragile, like he was about to break. That may have been the truth, but he didn’t need someone else reminding him of that.

A few seconds later, when the sound of Caspian’s footsteps had faded down the hall, Rae pulled himself to the edge of the bed. He looked down at the clothes he was wearing, cringing at the torn and dirt stained state of them, hoping Caspian would forgive him for sleeping in his bed with them. He went to stand, being reminded of his ankle as he did and shifting so that most of his weight as on his good foot.

Caspian’s room was, surprisingly, about the same size as the one he’d stayed in. Smaller than Jamie’s, but still larger than he thought one person probably needed. It took him a minute to hobble over to the door he thought was the bathroom, a small triumphant hum escaping him when he was correct. 

He went to cast a water spell when he noticed a metal pipe emerging from the wall above the sink, with what looked like a small lever on top of it. Curious, he flipped it, laughing to himself when water began to pour from it into the basin. The scientist part of his brain was immediately fascinated, wondering what combination of nature and magic made this work, but the human part of his brain was just happy to save the energy, turning the lever back off once the water filled about half way.

It would be easier and better to clean up fully if he had a change of clothes, so for now he settled for splashing water over his face, taking relief from the coolness of it. He could feel a layer of grim coming off as he did, wincing again at the fact that he had slept in Caspian’s clean bed like this.

After cleaning what parts of his skin he could see as best as he could, he left the bathroom, making his way towards the hall, hoping to run into someone who could direct him to… well, anywhere, frankly.

As it happened, just as he stepped out of the room, he found Momboo walking down the hall towards him, both of them seeming equally surprised to see the other. Momboo looked between him and the room he’d come from, raising an eyebrow at him. He felt his cheeks flush, dipping his head to try and hide it, but knowing he failed when he heard her laugh.

“Good morning, Rae. Sleep well?” She asked, an almost teasing tone to her voice.

“Very,” he replied, still not wanting to meet her eye.

She hummed. “I’m glad to hear. Though I must ask, is there a reason you’re still in those clothes? I would have assumed Caspian would have been a better host and gotten you some clean ones.”

Rae glanced down at his clothes, “I fell asleep very quickly last night, and Caspian set off to ask your cooks to make us brunch, apparently. I think it must have slipped his mind.”

Momboo rolled her eyes, the gesture clearly fond. Now that he was slightly less worried about her hating his guts, he got the sense that that was just who she was. Fond, teasing, warm. Everything seemed to suggest it, from her home to the people she cared about. “Of course it did,” she said, that same fondness in her voice, “Come on, I’ll help you find something. I know how good it feels to be clean after spending some time in the dirt.”

She very quickly spun and began to make her way back down the hall in the direction she’d come from. Rae snapped to follow her, hurrying to not lose her as she started towards the other wing of the manor.

Soon they found themselves outside of the room he’d stayed in the last time he was here, Momboo pushing the doors open and heading for the previously unused closet. To his surprise, when he peered in after her, he saw not only his small bag and clothing that he’d had at the castle, but a few other items that he didn’t recognize, though they looked new.

Momboo looked back at him, smiling at the questioning look on his face. “I had our seamstress work on a few things for you and Centross while you were gone. I had intended them to be an apology for how coldly I treated you when you first arrived, though with everything that happened with the King, they got put in here until we knew if you were even alive still.”

Her face fell slightly as she finished speaking, but then she shook her head, her smile returning as she reached for one of the shirts, a white one with long sleeves, similar to many he’d worn before.

Rae accepted it when she passed it to him, slightly in awe of the lightness of the fabric. Even the shirt he currently wore was a thicker cotton, more built for the End’s winters than the current climate. Momboo was still sifting through some of the other items, though she turned to him with an eyebrow raised. “Are you going to try it on? I want to make sure it fits. You can just put it over your current one for now if you’d rather.”

His eyes widened, his hands moving to unbutton the shirt in his hands. He slipped it on, surprised to find it was only a little snug. Once he took off his other shirt, he imagine it would fit almost perfectly.

“Jamie gave me your measurements, if you were wondering,” Momboo commented, answering the very question that had just popped into his head. “Something about hanging out with your seamstress in the End a few times, I think.”

She moved back to her sifting, pulling out the rest of an outfit for him before ushering him into the bathroom, telling him to take his time. When he emerged almost twenty minutes later, feeling cleaner than he had in ages and once again marvelling at his new clothing, he was surprised to find her on one of the couches in the room.

She turned as he approached, grinning as she looked him over. “There. Much better. I checked in with the staff by the way, it looks like its going to rain shortly, so they’ve advised Caspian to use the greenhouse for your brunch instead. Apparently he’s up there setting it up as we speak.” There was a hint of amusement in her voice as she said it, and Rae could see her grin grow as he felt his own cheeks heat up in response.

He bit his lip, debating if it was worth asking her. She seemed very close to Caspian, especially based on what he’d said, and he had a feeling she was probably his best source for advice on this sort of thing.

Momboo was watching him, a knowing smile on her lips. “I know that look. You forget I have two kids. And a Caspian. What do you want to ask?”

Rae paused, shaking his head and laughing a little. “Sorry, um. How do you know if you like someone?”

Momboo raised an eyebrow at him, then pat the spot on the couch next to her. He walked over, sitting down hesitantly and watching her anxiously as she thought about his question.

“I think it’s different for everyone,” she started, “When I was younger, I feel in love with a librarian of the royal archives in the Aether. Falling in love with her, well, it was soft. Light. It more felt like I slipped into love with her, rather than falling. I knew it was love though, when one day she was visiting the Isles, and she came into the room, her eyes bright and full of joy, spouting facts and information so quickly I barely caught a word, and all of a sudden, I just knew.”

His thoughts drifted as she spoke, picturing moment after moment. Some of them felt close, but…maybe not quite. “What happened, between you and her?” he asked, trying to remember what he knew of the  East Isle royals and their partners.

Momboo smiled softly, though there was a gentle pain in her eyes too. “We married. She took over our archives, though she still made frequent visits home to visit her family. She lived a long and fulfilling life, but she passed, many years ago now.”

Rae frowned, looking at the woman next to him. The way she was talking, it would imply she was much older than she seemed, though how…

As if she heard his thoughts, Momboo gave him a small smirk. “The East Isles has know magic much longer than the main land, and both Ocie and I have lived more lifetimes than you could likely imagine.”

Before Rae could wrap his head around her words enough to ask anything, there was a knock at the door, followed by it opening when Momboo called for whoever it was to enter.

A servant appeared, a woman in a long floral print dress, an apron tied around her waist and another piece of fabric holding back her hair. She curtsied in the doorway, looking to Momboo as she spoke. “My Lady, Caspian has asked me to inform Mr. Rae that he is waiting for him in the greenhouse.”

Momboo nodded, “Thank you, Alice. I can show him the way.”

The woman, Alice, curtsied again, then retreated back out the door. Momboo hummed, pushing herself off the couch before turning to look back at Rae. “I wish I could give you a better answer to your question, but all I can say is that you’ll just know. Now come on, the greenhouse is lovely, and I’m sure you don’t want your food to get cold.”

To his surprise, instead of leading him down and out of the house, where he could see it had in fact begun to rain, she led him to another set of stairs. They went up, revealing a part of the manor he imagine didn’t get a lot of visitors, and yet was still just as brightly lit and decorated as the halls below them. 

At the end of it, he could see a wall made of glass, with a door into what reminded him of the garden attached to his formal rooms in the End. Though, instead of fields, and a fake sky, he could see dozens of shelves covered in plants, with even more hanging from hooks on the ceiling.

And in the center of it all, standing next to a small table, covered in food, was Caspian. He could tell Caspian hadn’t seen them yet. He was staring out one of the glass panels along the side of the greenhouse, his hands working worriedly in front of his chest. He was biting at his lip, the hanging lights above him casting a halo of light through his hair, and, oh…

Yeah, Momboo was right. He knew.

Behind him, he heard a small laugh, turning to see where Momboo had stopped, several paces behind him. He hadn’t even noticed she’d stopped. She gave him a look, motioning for him to go on, then heading back for the stairs they’d come from.

He watched her go for a minute, then turned back to the greenhouse, trying to gather what was left of his courage before it escaped him and had him running for the stairs. He was seriously considering that option, but then Caspian turned, his crimson eyes meeting his in a way that made his heart feel like it was about to jump out of his chest.

Then his lips twisted up into a grin, that same, stupid, goofy grin. The one that made Rae know, in that moment, that no matter what happened, he was truly and completely fucked.

Rae crossed the rest of the distance between himself and the door, pulling it open as calmly as he could, and crossing the space until he stood a few feet from Caspian. He paused, taking a moment to look around. At the food, at the plants, at the rain gently beating against the glass walls around them.

“Hey,” Caspian said, a slight shake to his voice.

Rae looked at him, a smile slipping effortlessly onto his face. “Hi.”

“I realized after I left that I don’t really know what you like, so I asked them to make a few different things. Jamie helped a little too, they recommended some stuff they thought you might like, and if you don’t find something you like we can always go raid the kitchen for something else, I just-”

Without even thinking, Rae closed the distance between them, reaching up to hold Caspian’s face as he pressed their lips together desperately.

It took Caspian a second to react, but then he was kissing him back, his arms finding their way around Rae’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer. And gods, was it even better than he could have ever imagined. Caspian tasted like chocolate and hope, like nothing in the world, not a king nor a mage, could come even close to touching him.

It was a long moment later before they pulled back, not fully, but just enough for them to breathe. Rae leaned forward, resting his forehead on Caspian’s, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear. His arms dropped from his face to his neck, hanging there loosely, no sound between them except their breath and the rain.

“You know,” Caspian started, his voice barely above a whisper, “If I’d known you would be that grateful for a picnic, I would have done it ages ago.”

Rae laughed, tilting his head back to stare at the roof. When he looked back down, Caspian was watching him with a smile of his own plastered across his face. He reached a hand up, brushing back a piece of Rae’s hair that had fallen over his face in his rush to reach him, tucking it gently behind his ear.

Rae bit back a sigh, reality leaking into the edges of this blissful moment. “I know this is probably the worst time possible to even consider this, considering I am actively wanted by the rulers of two separate kingdoms, plus who knows how many other people, and neither of us have any idea how the next few days are going to go, let alone weeks-”

Caspian silenced his rambling with another kiss, this one fast and sweet. “I would rather have you for whatever time I can get, that risk never getting to be with you, Rae.”

He knew he could argue, he could refuse, he could take their one, well, two now, kisses, and call it at that. He could close off his heart in hopes of keeping Caspian as far from all of this as he could. But then he could hear Centross in the back of his mind, and he knew there was no point. He deserved to be happy. So, as much as he wished he could wait until it was safer, until his life wasn’t a constant mess of danger, he knew, if anything, this, whatever this was, would only make him fight harder.

He let out a breath, gave Caspian a small nod, then kissed him again.

Chapter Text

Just like the morning before, Rae had woken up in Caspian’s bed, the other man’s arms wrapped around him, though without the hesitancy he now realized had been there the first time. It was hardly the first time he’d shared a bed with someone, having spent many restless nights with Jamie or Centross, or even both on the rare occasion, but it had been the first time he’d spent it with someone who was… more, to him.

They’d managed to go most of the evening without anyone seeming to catch on to what had happened in the greenhouse. Momboo had given them a knowing smile, but hadn’t said anything to them or anyone else it would seem. Centross looked like he heavily suspected it, but with Athena’s arrival, he was too distracted to try and get Rae alone for a moment to confirm anything. Not that Rae was sure he would have told him yet, any way.

When they’d finally retired to Caspian’s room, they’d spent a long time talking. Caspian had told him the full story behind the streak of white in his hair, his months spent imprisoned by Wither soldiers in the northern parts of the Nether, how it had been Momboo who found him there.

In turn, Rae told him the full truth of his identity. How Fable knew, how Soul knew, how everyone in the world seemed to know more about himself than he did, and how fair it wasn’t. He had half expected Caspian to take back his earlier decisions, but he’d simply taken Rae into his arms, holding his closely and whispering promises until they both fell asleep.

Now, Rae sat in Jamie’s room, Jamie themselves leaning against him side as he continued working on translating one of his old Ender books. Athena sat across from them, their legs pulled up under them as they scribbled in their own book, occasionally throwing questions his way, which he answered as best as he could. Every once in a while, Jamie would answer before he could, and it made his chest sell with just a little bit of pride.

The scratch of their pen paused, so Rae looked up, recognizing it as the sign that they were likely about to ask another question.

“What’s a memory block?” Athena asked, a slight frown on their face.

Rae felt Jamie go tense against him, reaching a hand down to give theirs a comforting squeeze before turning his focus back to Athena. “Its when magic is used to block a persons memory. They can be self imposed or imposed by others. Mainly the Queen, though, given her abilities.”

“Yeah, and they suck,” Jamie added with a small huff, pressing deeper into Rae’s side.

Athena looked at them, their frown deepening. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

Rae sighed, letting his book rest on his lap as he met their eye. “It’s alright Athena. Luckily, Jamie was never subject to that… specific treatment, by the Queen. But they helped me a number of times after I self imposed them to protect myself from Her. It was never… pleasant, to say the least. After all, she is also the reason I don’t remember much from before my time in the End.”

He picked up his book again, rereading the passage he was working on, though he paused again when he realized he hadn’t heard Athena start to write again. He looked back up at them, raising an eyebrow at the contemplative expression on their face.

They noticed him watching, hesitating for a moment, before sighing. “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to. But…if you’re able to break the ones you put on yourself, would it be possible to break the ones she made? Or would she have to do it?”

Jamie pushed themselves up from where they’d been laying, moving so they were now sitting next to Rae. They had a frown on their face, but they were also looking at Rae curiously, as if this was something they had wondered but never asked.

Rae bit at his lip, his finger tracing along the edge of his book. “I… don’t know. The ones I make, they are inspired by her magic, gods know I’m familiar enough with it to use the same principles. But I’ve always made mine with the intention for them to be broken, so there’s some sort of key that unlocks them again. I can’t say for certain, but I doubt she would make a key in the same way.”

“…Would it be possible to just, like, force it open?” Jamie asked hesitantly.

He considered this, trying to imagine how exactly it would work. The basis for it was there, but he really had no idea what the barrier felt like from outside of it. If they were going to attempt to force it open, it would require someone who knew the feeling who wasn’t the one the barrier was being broken for. Unfortunately, or probably fortunately, really, he didn’t know anyone else who had been subject to the Queen’s magic like he had.

After a minute, he shook his head, pressing his lips together. “Theoretically, yes, but I doubt I could do it on myself, and even if I could, I have no idea what I’d even be looking for. It’s a good thought, but improbable without someone else willing to let me practice on them. And it would have to be someone who the Queen blocked too, or else it could be completely different.”

Both Athena and Jamie frowned at that, a somewhat defeated slump to their shoulders. They sat in silence for a long moment, then Jamie shifted again, turning so that they were facing Rae, their previously defeated expression replaced with a somewhat mischievous smirk.

“So… Rae, care to explain where you’ve been sleeping the last few nights?” Jamie asked, a teasing tone to their voice.

Immediately he felt his cheeks flush, ducking his head slightly just as Athena whipped their head over to stare at him, a matching grin forming on their face. Rae coughed, turning his attention back to his book in an attempt to get out of this. “My room, obviously."

Before he could even pretend to read again, his book was plucked from his hands, a protest leaving his mouth. Jamie very dramatically showed that they bookmarked his page, then passed it to Athena who set it on the table well out of his reach.

Then they turned back to him, nodding and giving him a look that told him that they did not believe him for a second. “Interesting, interesting. Care to explain why I went into your room last night to find you, and not only were you not there, but the bed didn’t look at all disturbed?”

Athena hummed, tapping a finger against their cheek. “You know what, now that you mention it, he and Caspian did seem awfully touchy at dinner last night. I kept catching them staring at each other too.”

Jamie let out a big dramatic sigh, a smile beaming across their face as they looked to Rae. “No! Finally??”

“Finally what?” Rae asked, trying to decide whether to laugh or to attempt to escape.

“It’s so obvious!” Athena exclaimed, “You and Caspian are finally dating!”

Rae spluttered, trying to spit out some sort of excuse, but by the looks on both of their faces, he knew they had him completely figured out. He crossed his arms, letting out a playful huff. “I never should have introduced you two.”

Athena shrugged, sharing a look with Jamie. “Probably not. But I’m glad you did. Now, spill!”

Shaking his head, Rae tried his best to give them a brief, highly edited version, of the previous day’s events. Though, the second he finished, the other two started talking about all the times he and Caspian had apparently been flirting before now, which was honestly news to him, but he just sat and listened, trying to enjoy this moment of normalcy where two people he cared about, especially Jamie, felt safe enough that the best thing to talk about was his, very limited, love life.

As they continued on, his thoughts drifted back to Athena’s question, going over a list of people in his head who would even potentially be able to help. He imagined most people that had been hit by Enderian’s blast would have some effect, or maybe those in the castle specifically would be better, since more of their memories would have been blocked.

Really, his best bets were all in the End as far as he knew. He only knew of a handful of people from the End that lived outside of it, and he could mentally strike out each one. Centross was an obvious no, his family’s lack of magic had a side effect of making him resistant to most magic, including Hers. Rowan was a no, so was the librarian whose name he had already unfortunately forgotten, and Wolf-

Huh.

Was it possible?

He stood, waving away Athena and Jamie’s questioning looks, then headed for the door as the two returned to their conversation. He inced slightly as he put pressure on his ankle, but it was doing much better than it had been. It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise, but proper food and rest did wonders for helping it heal.

Rae hadn’t seen much of Wolf since they’d arrived, which, given he’d spent most of that time with Caspian, was overly surprising. Gods, no wonder those two had caught on so quickly. Any way, the times he had seen Wolf, he’d been hanging around Centross, and he would be much better at guessing where his friend was.

It took him a few minutes, and more than a few wrong turns, to finally find a door that led out to the back gardens. It was a different one than the one they’d come in through a few days ago, this one leading out onto a slightly larger stone surface, where, as he’d guessed, Wolf and Centross were currently sparring.

Centross caught his eye, giving him a slight nod before turning his attention back to his opponent, dodging a strike to his head before countering with a sweep at Wolf’s legs. It didn’t do much, though it did give Wolf an opening to grab at Centross, and in a blink he had him pinned to the ground, Centross grimacing as he banged the ground in surrender.

Wolf released him instantly, offering a hand and helping Centross to his feet. Centross made sure he was steady, then pointed at Wolf accusatorially. “I am going to win one of these.”

Wolf chuckled, shaking his head, “You’ve said that the last five times.” He turned, spotting Rae and giving him a small nod in greeting.

Centross turned to Rae, giving him an exasperated look. “Can you please tell him I am in fact a very capable soldier? Just because he’s like, supernaturally strong and keeps beating me doesn’t mean I can’t hold my own normally.”

Rae couldn’t help but laugh, knowing that as much as he disliked his title, Centross had always been proud of his combat abilities. “I dunno, if Wolf can beat you so easily, maybe you were just getting lucky?”

The glare that Centross shot his way was lethal, sending Rae into another round of laughter. They locked eyes for a second, just long enough for Rae to silently ask him to make himself scarce for a minute, which Centross raised an eyebrow at, but nodded nonetheless.

“I’m going to refill my water,” he said, grabbing a bottle that had been tossed into the grass, “Can I do yours too, Wolf?”

Wolf gave him a nod, then turned to Rae as he left, clearly catching on to their silent conversation, at least in part.

Rae sighed, the words sticking on his tongue. “You… mentioned, when we met, that you’re from the End. And that you were cursed with your wolf form, and don’t remember anything about how it happened. Right?”

Wolf frowned, but nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yes. There are definitely flashes of something, but nothing concrete before the wolf. Why do you ask?”

“Do you think… it’s possible the Queen did that to you?” Rae asked, bracing himself.

Even through the mask, Rae could see the way Wolf’s eyes shifted as he said it, could feel the tension that wound into his shoulders, into his very being. “As in…?”

He nodded. “The wolf part doesn’t seem like her, but the memories… I’ve studied a lot of magic and ways it manifests in users. She is the most powerful mentalist known to exist. If you are from the End, and that’s where it happened, it would make the most sense.”

“So what about the wolf then?” Wolf asked.

“Maybe Lady Perix?” Rae offered, hating it but knowing that if anyone was capable of it, it would be her.

Wolf let out a huff, looking down at his hands. “Then probably. It’s a better theory than any I’ve thought of. Why do you ask, though? As nice as it would be for me to know who cursed me, I’ve gotten to know you well enough to know there was probably another thought behind this one.”

Rae winced slightly, realizing he probably should have realized Wolf would figure him out. Was he really that transparent to the people around him? All those years of being a blank slate in the End castle, and yet here he was, suddenly surrounded by people who cared enough to learn his tells.

“Athena was asking me some questions,” Rae explained. “They mentioned mental blocks, which led to us discussing the difference between mine and the Queen’s. I make what are essentially keys for mine, but we doubted she would do the same, so there was a thought that it would maybe be possible to… I don’t know, force the barrier open? I can’t exactly try it on myself, and, well, no one else has enough experience under her magic to try it on mine.”

Wolf nodded slowly, putting together the rest of Rae hadn’t said. “So, if the Queen is behind my lack of memories, you could potentially practice on me?”

“…Yes?” Rae said, already feeling the guilt crawling in at even thinking about asking. After all, he had no idea how risky this would be, or if it would even be possible, or if he’d only end up making things worse.

“Ok.”

…Huh?

He looked back up at Wolf, who looked way more confident than Rae had probably ever felt.

“If there is a chance that it could work, that I could have my memories back, and you could learn how to help yourself and others in the process, then yes,” Wolf said again.

“Ok…” Rae replied slowly. “I-I think I’ll need a day or two to prepare, but maybe late tomorrow or the day after we can try? Would you mind Jamie being there? And maybe Athena? Jamie knows the most about mind barriers and opening them beside me, and I think Athena will probably insist on being there so they can potentially help more in the future.”

Wolf let out a low chuckle, glancing over Rae’s shoulder in a way that told him Centross was likely hovering, waiting to see if their conversation was done. “Take your time,” Wolf said, turning back to Rae. “And your two assistants can join. I would actually feel better if they did, so we have back up in case something happens. I trust you, but I do not trust whatever magic was used against me.”

Rae nodded, finding no faults in Wolf’s logic. He decided to turn, finding Centross leaning against the door frame and drinking some water as he watched them. Centross gave him a small grin, taking his queue to come back over and join them, passing Wolf his water as he did.

He stayed long enough to watch them set up to spar again, then set off with the intention of returning to Jamie and Athena and letting them know about his conversation with Wolf. He made it as far as one of the sitting rooms when he paused though, hearing muffled voices through the door that sounded oddly like the ones he was looking for.

He moved to knock, but paused, leaning in to press his ear to the door as he picked up on Jamie speaking. “-either of you are very subtle, you know.”

Rae sighed, hanging his head. He knew exactly what was happening. Now the question was, does he interrupt and join Caspian in the teasing, or does he leave him to it?

“How do you two even- it hasn’t even been a day-” Caspian managed, sounding just as nervous as Rae had earlier.

“We have our ways,” Athena said, at the same time Jamie answered with “Rae.”

He had to hold back a laugh at that, deciding he kind of wanted to see how this went, but that wouldn’t be possible if he got caught.

After a brief pause, Athena started talking again. “Look, Caspian, Lord Solcrest, Uncle Cas. You know I care about you. You’ve been there for me a lot. But that’s the R. Morningstar! I know you know how many rants I can go on about his research, and that was before I ever met him! If you hurt him, I will never forgive you. Got it?”

Another pause. “…Got it?” Caspian replied, sounding somewhat bewildered.”

“I think it goes without saying that he and I are very close,” Jamie said, their voice much softer than Athena’s. “But I also care about you. I want you two to work. I know Rae needs someone like you, and from what Athena’s told me, you could use someone like him. I just… please, I can’t lose him.”

It took all of his strength to not throw open that door that very second and hug Jamie as tight as he could, but he really wanted to hear what Caspian said.

“I want us to work too, Jamie.” Caspian said finally. “I promise, I will do everything I can to make sure that both of you make it out of this alive. Centross too.”

There was a shifting of fabric, then, in a voice so quiet, Rae almost missed it, Jamie mumbled “Thank you.”

Rae stepped back from the door, going to knock now that they seemed to be done, but stopping himself. Instead, he headed for the stairs, aiming for Jamie’s room. He needed a moment to think. He had a future to consider, after all.

What a strange thought.

Chapter Text

The forest floor raced under foot, flashing of trees blurring past his vision as he ran. Each bound sent him farther and farther into the woods, farther and farther from the men in gold, lost somewhere behind him.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, how long it had been since he left the snow, stumbling over unfamiliar legs, watching too close to the ground, his movements feeling unnatural, but not remembering anything else.

He didn’t know how much time had passed since he changed again, into a form still unfamiliar but less so than the other. He barely remembered the Golden gates, the piercing stare of their leader, then the forest again.

And suddenly Rae was snapped out of Wolf’s memories as Jamie threw water at his face.

He blinked, trying to ground himself back into this reality instead of the one he’d been in. His hand reached up to wipe the water from his face, then he turned to look to where Jamie was watching him while Athena checked on Wolf.

Jamie tilted their head, raising their eyebrow in an ever familiar silent question. Rae nodded, blinking as he tried to hold onto the memory of what he’d just done. It was already slipping from his head, the way that a dream does the second you wake up.

In front of him, Wolf was accepting a glass of water from Athena, looking very similar to how Rae felt.

They’d been at this for close to an hour, sitting huddled in Jamie’s rooms, though that was by far the most progress they’d made. The first few times Rae had tried, he had ended up in his own head, once deep enough that Jamie had to help pull him out. They’d used magic that first time, but then they’d discovered, accidentally, that some sort of sudden physical change helped too. Hence why Rae’s water was on his face instead of in his glass.

Still, they must be making progress. He’d managed a few flashes before, mostly of, strangely, himself, but through Wolf’s eyes. This time, even as it slipped from his memory, he knew he’d gotten deeper, further back in Wolf’s memory, to when he’d first been cursed. He had to have been close to the block.

He was still so dazed that he barely even realized Jamie was holding out a cloth for him. He frowned at them hen he saw it, taking it but knowing what it was for.

Jamie sighed, glancing at Athena before looking back at Rae. “Your nose is bleeding dummy.”

Rae lifted a hand to his face, somewhat surprised by the red on his fingers when he pulled it away, despite Jamie telling him it was there. Feeling more blood rushing to his cheeks, he raised the cloth, holding it there until he was fairly certain it had stopped, then doing his best to wipe the rest up.

“Was that why you pulled me out?” Rae asked, finally trusting his words again, though there was a strange metallic taste in his mouth as he spoke. Not blood, he knew what blood tasted like. Strangely similar, but different, too.

Jamie nodded, scrunching up their nose for a second as they cast the spell to refill his glass with water, offering it to him. “That and you started to sway, which like, didn’t seem like the best sign. How far did you get?”

Rae glanced to Wolf, who looked like he’d pretty much recovered from their latest attempt. Rae sent him a silent question, to which Wolf replied with a small nod. “I believe I saw Wolf’s early times as a wolf, it was strange, it was like I was seeing it from your perspective, wolf. The world looked so strange, not to mention that I could feel hat you felt when running.”

Wolf gave him a half grin, taking another sip of his water. “Yeah, I could tell what memories you were seeing, but it felt strangely distant, like I was seeing it from out of my own body.”

There was a flash of regret in his head, a wince as Wolf described exactly how it had felt to have the Queen go through his head. “Sounds about right. Do you know how close I was to the beginning of your memories? We might be close to reaching the block.”

He tilted his head, frowning slightly, but then nodded. “About a year, maybe less. It was a few months between leaving the snow and figuring out how to shift between human and wolf. Then I was in tentative communication with the Golden for a month, before I had to run again, which I believe is what you saw.”

So not as close as he had hoped, but maybe with some sort of timeline, he could focus on pushing backwards until he found where Wolf’s memories stopped.

“Oh no,” Jamie said, crossing their arms over their chest, “I know that look, Rae. You’re not trying again for at least an hour.”

Rae went to protest, but Jamie cut him off with a shake of their head. “You just got a nose bleed from trying! If you keep pushing yourself, you could seriously hurt yourself. I know you might not care, but you’re also risking Wolf here. So go, I don’t know, kiss you boyfriend or something, and we can try again later. Ok?”

He heard Athena giggle at Jamie’s suggestion, shooting them a look that only made them giggle more. Wolf for his part looked somewhat confused, given Rae and Caspian still hadn’t actually told anyone else yet. He had to admit Jamie (and Athena) were probably right though. He was perfectly fine continuing through, even if he was pushing himself, but he couldn’t do that to Wolf.

Seemingly recognizing his resignation, Jamie grinned, pushing themselves up off the couch and reaching a hand out to pull Athena up from theirs. Somehow, Rae had blinked and the two had become friends, hanging out whenever he tried to find one or both. He didn’t know what they talked about, well, beside his love life apparently, but he was glad they were getting along. He knew Jamie in particular could use someone their age to be around.

They both said goodbye, then left the room, already saying something about food as their voices disappeared down the hall. Wolf looked to Rae, raising an eyebrow at him. “Boyfriend?”

Rae ducked his head, “Please don’t tell Centross, I haven’t told him yet.”

Wolf hummed, turning to look out one of the huge windows. “Is it the lanky one with the white streak in his hair? He did seem particularly worried about you when we arrived.”

“He’s- he’s not that lanky-” Rae sputtered, earning a laugh from Wolf.

Wolf shook his head, pushing himself up, pausing before heading for the door. “I will keep your secret, don’t worry. I imagine you don’t have long before Centross finds out, though.” Rae pressed his lips together, nodding in resignation. “Come find me when you want to continue this, I am… hopeful, given our progress so far.”

With that Wolf left the room, much the same way Athena and Jamie had, and Rae was alone. He sat there for a long while, mulling over all of their attempts, their words, and any wayward thoughts that managed to make themselves known.

He stood up, moving to the door and down the hall silently, until he found himself in front of a door he’d become increasingly familiar with these past few days. His intention was to grab his notebook from where he’d left it on the table next to Caspian’s bed, but when he pushed the door open, he changed his mind.

Caspian had lifted himself into the sill of one of his windows, one leg tucked under him and the other hanging over the edge, swinging gently as he scratched at the book in his lap. He looked up at the sound of the door opening, his face splitting into a grin hen he saw Rae.

In one quick motion, he was down from the sill, ready with open arms as Rae crossed the room. He pressed his face into Caspian’s shoulder, burrowing deep into his chest as warm arms surrounded him, the feather light pressure of a kiss on his head.

He, as he’d found out rather quickly, could spend hours just like this, curled up with Caspian, safe in a way that felt so rare to him, protected, loved, untouchable.

He felt the soft shake of Caspian’s laugh, pulling his head back enough to meet Caspian’s eyes. Gods, they were gorgeous. A deep red as bold and brilliant as the autumn trees they’d passed in the nether, as crimson as blood.

“How did it go?” Caspian asked, referring to their trials with Wolf’s memory.

“Decently,” Rae replied, “I finally managed to actually get into his memories. Jamie’s making me take a break though, my nose started bleeding.”

Caspian raised an eyebrow at him, one hand leaving his waist to lift his chin, worried eyes inspecting ever inch of his face until seemingly satisfied. Rae found himself just letting him do it, the motion reminiscent of when he would replace the bandage over his eye when they were on the road. Except, this time, he could kiss him in return, which he did. Caspian met him half way, their lips touching for a brief and gentle moment before they pulled apart again.

A small cough came from behind him, Rae turning quickly in surprise, especially when he saw Centross in the doorway, hand still on the knob. Centross met his eye, raising an eyebrow at him and looking like he was trying his best to hold back a grin.

“Centross!” Rae squeaked, his hands dropping to his side as he almost unconsciously stepped in front of Caspian.

Unfortunately, this only made Centross actually laugh, shaking his head at them. “Wolf told me you were taking a break, so I thought I’d check on you, but clearly you’re busy.”

“It’s not- I mean- oh shut up,” Rae replied, his face burning as he felt Caspian lean into his shoulder from behind, his own giggles racking through his body.

Centross raised his hands in defence, a mischievous grin on his face, “Hey, I get it, don’t worry. I mean I’ve only been trying to get you two to fucking realize you liked each other since we left the End. As long as you’re being safe and using pro-“

“Centross!!” Rae yelled, fighting the urge to die on the spot as his best friend gave him a shit eating grin from the door and Caspian only laughed harder into his back.

With one more look at them, and a wink just for dramatic effect, Rae was sure, Centross stepped out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him. That didn’t stop Rae from hearing his snickers as he walked down the hall though.

“Well,” Caspian said, stepping around Rae to be next to him, lacing their hands together, “At least he knows now?”

Rae groaned, letting go of Caspian’s hand and turning towards his bed, slumping face first onto the mattress.

He felt it sag as Caspian joined him, giving himself another minute to wallow before turning to lie on his back, accepting Caspian’s hand when offered. He shifted, moving so he could lay his head on Caspian’s shoulder, staring stubbornly at the ceiling.

“I hated that,” he said.

Caspian laughed, “Yeah, not exactly how I thought he’d find out.”

Rae groaned again, running his free hand over his face. “I was going to tell him.”

“I know you were,” Caspian replied. He paused, lifting their linked hands and pressing a kiss to the back of Rae’s, making him smile.

Their conversation shifted after that, Rae telling him more about their tests, Caspian telling him about the new book he’d thought about, neither of them daring to move just yet.

About an hour later, there was a knock on the door followed by Athena entering, clearly not worried about walking in on them like Centross had. They grinned as Rae sat up to greet them, Caspian not far behind him.

“Wolf said he’s ready to try again if you’re ready,” Athena said in lieu of a greeting.

Rae nodded, unlacing his hand from Caspian’s as he pushed himself off the bed. Caspian caught his hand, slowing him for long enough to press a gentle kiss to his cheek before letting him go. Rae smiled at him, then turned to follow Athena out of the room.

Jamie and Wolf were already back in Jamie’s room by the time they arrived, a small tray of food set out on the table. Jamie caught his eye, clearly noticing the confused look and matching it with a knowing one. “I know for a fact you haven’t eaten since breakfast. Unless you want to tell me you actually got food during our break?”

“…Fair point,” Rae replied, reaching for one of the sandwiches and taking a bite, trying to pretend he didn’t feel the very clear hunger in his stomach now that he remembered food was a thing.

He turned to Wolf as he took his spot on the couches, noting the change in his appearance that suggested he and Centross had taken to sparring during their break. Well, after Centross had come to find him, that is. “I was thinking, now that I know how to get to your memories, it might make it easier to find the block if you can describe the first thing you remember. That way I have a more clear goal when trying?”

Wolf nodded in agreement, quiet for a moment before he replied. “It’s very blurry, but I remember a lake. Definitely in the End, or just outside of it, because it was frozen. And just the absolute urge to get as far away from it as possible. Then it’s sort of blurry until I cross the snow line.”

Urgency. He knew that feeling all too well. He could definitely work with that. A lake came to mind as Wolf spoke though, one he himself had spent too many hours staring at. Honestly, between that, and only being able to think of one person cruel enough to place this sort of curse on someone, Rae was beginning to wonder more and more if Wolf had been one of many sent down to be one of her play things.

If he was, well then he definitely knew what he was looking for.

He didn‘t say any of that out loud, instead just nodding at Wolf’s words, both of them settling into position, Athena and Jamie watching each of them, and Rae tried again.

This time he felt himself slip into Wolf’s memories almost immediately, back in an unfamiliar body, too low to the ground, senses too keen. He could see the edge of the snow line ahead of him, not as harsh as it was between the End and the Nether, but still almost like a wall, where the total winter of the End met the currently summer weather of the northern Overworld.

He was too far forward. He tried to imagine a lake, the lake, nearly jumping as time seemed to reverse, then there it was. There was an aching in his limbs, so fresh and raw he wanted to scream, and he could only imagine how agonizing it was in reality. But there was also another strange feeling, like… he wasn’t entirely in a memory any more.

He tried to turn, to get a better look around him, and suddenly he wasn’t Wolf anymore. Wolf was still there, still a wolf in the snow, dark fur sticking out against the white, but he was… himself? Something moved out of the corner of his eye and he turned, surprised to find the version of Wolf that he knew standing against a tree, seeming just as surprised to see him as he was.

“Wolf?” he tried, his words sounding like he was underwater.

Wolf shook his head, beckoning for Rae to follow him before turning and walking into the trees. Rae moved after him, struggling to keep him in sight until suddenly they stopped, a thick, yellow wall of energy stopping them from moving any further.

Rae stepped towards it curiously, slowly reaching out a hand and pressing it against the wall. To his surprise, he could actually touch it, a strange humming emitting from it as he did. He leaned forward, cupping his hands between his face and the wall, attempting to see through it. He wasn’t going to risk trying to straight up break it just yet, but if he could see something…

Two scenes seemed to float on the other side, each encased in syrupy amber. He recognized one right away, the walls of her lab far too familiar, confirming his thoughts. The other though, was unfamiliar, and he could vaguely make out a young woman dancing with a younger boy, her head tossed back in laughter.

He tried to call for that memory with his magic, beckoning it forward as memory Wolf watched him curiously. Then the memory hit the wall. And went through it. And suddenly Rae had a glowing orb in his hands, the memory playing on repeat inside.

It was surprisingly warm to the touch, like a small piece of sunlight sitting right in his hands. As carefully as he could, he turned, holding out the memory to Wolf, who reached out hesitantly to take it. The second his hands touched it, however, Rae was pulled out of his memories so quickly he could feel his head spinning.

Jamie and Athena snapped to attention as he did, though his focus was on Wolf. Even through the mask he could tell Wolf was startled, his breaths coming heavy and quick. They locked eyes for a moment, Rae’s full of questions he knew Wolf probably couldn’t answer, but the big one; did it work?

Wolf stared at him, then nodded so subtly Rae wasn’t entirely sure he saw it, before he stood and practically bolted from the room.

Rae immediately went to follow him, ignoring Jamie and Athena’s questions as he did. He got just outside of the room when his attention was forced away from Wolf, as voices drifted up from downstairs.

“Prince Sherbert! I didn’t know you’d be stopping by, sorry, I must have missed your letter,” Momboo said, her voice louder than he’d heard her.

“I didn’t have the time to send one, Lady Pine. I hope this isn’t a bad time? I was hoping to speak to you about someone,” The prince replied, their voice sending a shiver up Rae’s spine.

“Oh? And who might that be?” Momboo asked.

He heard Sherbert sigh, “The man Lord Solcrest and Queen Oceana rescued from the End. I figured you of all people might be my best chan-“

Without even meaning to, Rae had drifted to the edge of the stairs, looking down at where the prince, his- his brother, stood by the doorway. He only noticed when the prince stopped speaking, their eyes having drifted up, locking onto Rae’s.

Their lips pressed into a thin line, something akin to doubt creeping into their eyes. “Hi.”

Chapter Text

“Hi.”

This was such a mistake. They shouldn’t have come here, why had they come here? They’d thought, maybe, Momboo would be able to clear some of the crazy theories running through his head. Because try as they might, they couldn’t get Rae’s face out of their head.

There was something so familiar about him, yet so foreign. And despite their father saying they would not see him again, and that he was a threat, they couldn’t help but be curious. They hadn’t exactly expected to find him here though.

Who were they kidding, where else would he be? Athena had come up to their lab a few days ago, telling them they were leaving, that they no longer felt safe in the castle. Sherbert had seen the way they’d defended Rae, of course they were going where he was.

Speaking of, seconds later Athena appeared behind him, along with Momboo’s youngest, coming to a halt so quickly they must have been running. Sherbert winced as Athena’s eyes widened first in surprise then hardened into suspicion. “Sherbert! What are you doing here?”

“My father doesn’t know I’m here,” they responded, because otherwise they didn’t know how else to respond right now. “Can I, um, Rae, can I speak to you?”

They hated the way he tensed at that, so they supposed they couldn’t blame him. He’d heard about his fight with their father, and while they doubted the details, the greater picture was there. They glanced at Momboo, who was watching him much too closely for someone he’d know most of his life, someone he would have hoped was a friend, but who seems to have taken a different side.

That’s why they were here, wasn’t it? Besides tendrils of doubt that had been slowly taking hold of him for years, they’d seen how people changed around Rae. They’d seen Caspian and Ocie return from their mission, prepared to defend him. They could tell Caspian had a crush, the literally puppy dog eyes not helping his case, but while Ocie never missed an opportunity to rib with their father, it had been a whole new level when Rae had appeared. It made them remember the Queen she very much was.

Then Athena. That one had hit him weirdly. They’d grown up together, taken lessons together and spent countless afternoons running around in the gardens or through the halls. They’d been there for them when their memories were first struck by Enderian, and helped them regain some sense of normalcy when most of what they could remember was altered so much.

When they forced their way into the lab, going against them, and their father, to help Rae, Sherbert really knew something was going on. It didn’t help that the dreams had returned. Or nightmares, depending on the night.

Just after Enderian stole their brother, they couldn’t sleep for months, always awoken by partial memories, of cries of a faceless boy begging them to save him. There were sweet ones, of a shorter figure following in their footsteps, and as annoying as they had been back then, the memory at least felt nice. To remember that their brother was out there, somewhere. Hopefully.

But recently they’d been different. Every once in a while, for a second, they swore they could see their brother's face, so clear and obvious there was no doubt in their mind it was him, but it would slip away the second they opened their eyes, back into the oblivion that was their memories.

It had started when they met Rae. That didn’t necessarily mean he caused it, but after years of their father saying the only way to fix it was to kill Enderian, then maybe he knew something else that could help them.

They realized everyone was still talking around them. They could see Athena and, gods he needed to remember their name, Momboo’s kid, whispering to Rae. They turned back to look at Momboo, who, surprisingly, had softened her gaze towards them. Clearly she’d seen something that assured her they meant no harm.

It was really unintentional that they could even hear the whispered conversation happening on the stairs, but given no one else was talking, and they were no longer stuck in their thoughts, they couldn’t help but overhear.

“-n’t know Rae. I trust them, but I don’t trust their father.” Athena said.

Rae frowned, “I think I should hear them out. You don’t have to be far, if anything goes wrong, I trust you’d be there in an instant. Jamie too.”

Ah, Jamie. They really needed to remember that. Still, Athena had a point. They’re not sure they would have trusted themselves right now, if they were anyone else. As it was, they were pretty sure they were the only person they could trust, which was, well, bad, even for them.

The conversation seemed to stop, Rae looking to Momboo. “Is there a room where I could speak to the prince undisturbed?”

Momboo nodded. Of course she did. Her manor was quite large, and given she wasn’t the most social, most of her rooms went unused. They knew that from the many hours they’d spent here with Easton. “The parlour you saw your first day here is relatively sound proof. There’s also a door from it to the room next to it, if those two want to wait there for you.”

Rae gave her a grateful smile, then turned and muttered something about a wolf to Athena, before sighing and coming down the steps. He paused a few feet away from them, lips pressed into a thin line. Then he gave them a curt nod, before leading the way down the hall.

They stepped into the parlour, the door clicking closed behind them, though neither made a move towards the couches. They stood, in complete silence, for long enough that Sherbert was beginning to doubt their choices again, having to stop themselves from pulling the door open again and pretending they were never here.

Then Rae sighed, his shoulders slumping as he turned to them. “Why are you here, Sherbert? I can’t imagine you don’t know about me fighting your father.”

“…I do,” they admitted, “To be honest, you confuse me.”

Rae raised an eyebrow at them, “I do?”

They nodded, swallowing a lump in their throat, “Yes. I- as you can imagine, I have a fair amount of memory issues from my childhood. But I remember what my mother was like before. And I remember what my father was like. He’s changed, since Enderian took our memories, and for the longest time, I’ve just thought it was his grief. I think it goes beyond that, though? And I have no idea who you are, really, or why he seems so angry at you, but you seem to know more of the story than I do, and at this point, I’d really just like someone to fill me in.”

Rae watched him, then nodded, gesturing for them to sit. They claimed spots near enough to talk, but far enough to maintain that careful distance they’d been holding. “I can’t promise I know everything,” Rae admitted slowly, “I’m guessing at some of it as much as you are. But I can tell you what I do know. So, ask away.”

Sherbert nodded, grateful he was willing to help them. A thousand questions rushed through their head, trying to decide what to ask first. One question stood out though, one they’d been wondering since the first time Rae appeared in their life. “Who are you?”

The question seemed to startle him, though he quickly settled, ducking his head briefly before raising it to meet their eyes. “I am Rae Morningstar. First born son and heir of Queen Enderian Nightwing. I am also, Rae Morningstar, second born of Queen Isla Morningstar, step son of King Fable Loren. Your… brother.”

…

…

What?

They stared at him, trying to imagine his face in place of the emptiness that filled their head any time they thought of their brother. It was strange, as close as they’d come to remembering on their own, now the two images seemed to flicker over top of each other, not quite fitting… but for seconds details stuck. Dark hair, their mother’s eyes, her quiet concern…

“…how?” they managed, it barely coming out as a whisper.

Rae frowned, his hands hovering over his lap. “Can… can I try something? I promise if it doesn’t work, it’ll seem like nothing happened at all.”

Sherbert probably shouldn’t have trusted him, but this was the closest they’d been to answers, to- to their brother? in years. So of course they nodded.

He lifted a hand, hovering it in the air between them, then muttered something.

Then they were standing in their bedroom. Except… their bedroom hadn’t looked like this in years. A door sat open to the balcony, a gentle breeze floating into the room, tossing the curtains playfully as it did. Their covers were thrown open, likely to earn a talking to later about proper etiquette. And-

Rae was standing by the door. The very version of him that had sat in front of them moments before. A Rae they knew had never seen their room, let alone this version of it. Except now that they looked, this Rae was almost…glowing, a mix of green and purple that seemed to hover in the air around him. And the door… well it wasn’t really a door, so much as a gold and purple shimmering wall where the door should have been.

Beyond it, they could make out some sort of orbs, hovering and swirling behind the glimmer. They walked forward hesitantly, stopping just next to Rae, who seemed much less surprised by their surroundings than they were, if only just.

“What is this?” They asked, staring into the strange wall.

“From what I’ve learned? Your memory block,” Rae replied, looking somewhat surprised at their words, “The thing Enderian put into place to trap your memories. I’ve been… trying to figure out how to break them.”

Sherbert hummed. “Any luck?”

“A little,” Rae admitted. “To be fair, the only person I’ve been able to try this on doesn’t remember anything from his past, and I had no idea what I was looking for. Yours was definitely easier to find.”

They turned, glancing at the room around them, then back at Rae. “So, now what?”

Rae took a deep breath. “We find out if I’ve gotten better at this. Think of a memory, if you can. One that feels close to the surface, preferably one with both of us in it if possible.”

Sherbert frowned, but turned their attention back to the wall, thinking for a moment before deciding to close their eyes. A memory with their br- with Rae, supposedly. One came to mind almost instantly, surprisingly. Maybe it was because it was one their father had parroted back to them a number of times. The moment when magic found its way through their castle.

They heard Rae gasp softly, opening their eyes in time to see one of those orbs floating closer to the wall, coming more and more into view. Then, to their surprise, Rae reached into the wall, pulling it out carefully. Honestly, they hadn’t even considered that the wall wasn’t solid. It just seemed like the kind of thing that would be.

But then Rae turned to them, the orb- no, the memory- in his hands, images moving inside of it silently. Sherbert moved to reach for it, but Rae pulled it back, a hesitant look in his eyes. “Um, just, before you do this, the last time I restored a memory, it seemed like a lot, so, you know, brace yourself?”

Sherbert stared at him for a moment, then nodded, reaching forward again to take the memory, except before Rae could even let go of it, they could feel both of them being pulled into it.

Familiar walls rose on either side of them, the floor to ceiling arches matching this to one of the upper corridors that father adored. They turned, finding Rae next to them yet again, looking just as confused to be there as they were to see him. Well, it was his memory too.

Ahead of them came the sound of laughter, causing both of them to turn and head towards the sound. It wasn’t long until they found the source, a man with dark hair, dressed in a suit, and two young children. The older child was balancing on one of the many benches that lined the circular room they’d come into, their face scrunching into focus before the leapt to the next one in their path.

The smaller boy stood closer to the man, their dark hair in almost identical cuts, though their eyes betrayed their differences. While the man had warm, honey brown eyes, the little boy had eyes as blue as the sky, or of the mother whom he so much resembled. Sherbert knew in an instant who it was. One look at the man beside them, who seemed translucent compared to these characters, told them Rae had told them the truth.

They watched silently as the younger Sherbert continued their antics, calling cheerfully for their father to watch them, or to help them across particularly large gaps between the benches. Young Rae clapped for them from the ground, a grin splitting his face. This had been months before Sherbert’s ninth birthday, Rae being maybe six at the time.

And then it happened, just as their father had an arm wrapped around little Sherbert’s waist to help them across a gap. A whining so loud it sounded like sirens blared through the open air, causing Fable and both the older versions of the boys to look up towards it.

What greeted them was something that had never been seen before and would likely never be seen again, though at the time, no one had known what it even was. A beam of pure, golden light shot towards them, cracking and yelling in the wind. It knocked into one of the arch posts, sending rocks crumbling to the ground.

Their father’s eyes widened, dragging little Sherbert with him as he wrapped his other arm around little Rae, turning his back to the beam and holding them both close to his chest.

Sherbert saw the moment the beam struck, in a way they hadn’t when they were young. They saw the way it seemed to pierce their father’s body, striking the younger versions of both them and their brother in the face. Then it was gone.

They remembered what happened after that. Leaving their brother with their father as they ran for help, screaming as loud as they could, half blind, tears blurring their remaining vision.

Then they were back in their bedroom, an equally breathless Rae stood right where he’d been before the memory. Sherbert was glad it hadn’t gone any further, they knew now what happened after that. He and Rae had been seen and quickly determined alright, even as over the next few days their powers and eyes developed, but their father?

It had taken months for him to wake up, for the doctors to gather enough reports of others who had been struck by smaller blasts in order to determine what had happened to their king. That blast had left him one of the most powerful magic users in the land, but it had nearly killed him in the process.

In as stable a voice as they could manage, they asked, “Can we go back to the parlour now?”

Rae nodded, muttering something else, then their surroundings were quickly changed from their room to the familiar parlour in Momboo’s estate.

They stood, pausing to steady themselves as a wave of vertigo hit them. They waved Rae off when he moved to stand. “Thank you. That was… more than I could have hoped for. I need to think over some things, but I’ll be in contact.”

Rae frowned, but nodded, and Sherbert hoped for the life of them that their pure panic wasn’t showing as much as they thought it was.

Momboo was in a very similar spot to where they’d left her, talking quietly with Jamie. They managed to mutter something about her garden, to which she nodded, then they were off again, following a familiar path until they burst out of glass doors, still not stopping until they found a spot in the back, surrounded by tall trees and hedges, where they finally collapsed.

Because, and they didn’t say this lightly, but fuck.

They’d come here hoping to figure out why their father hated Rae so much, and they’d only gotten more questions. Since Rae had unlocked one memory, more and more kept flooding in, each one filling out with Rae’s face, his laugh, his pout, his wide eyes as he followed them around. But that wasn’t the issue.

The issue was that the memory they’d seen was far from how their father had told it. He’d always said he’d been too far to get to Rae, that they’d been out in the gardens and their brother had wandered off. That they’d been having a discussion about their role as future King.

The father they’d seen in the memory though… That was the man they thought they’d remembered. A man who genuinely cared, who treated their brother no different despite his parentage. A father that had laughed, that had cared. A father who wasn’t focused on revenge. A dad.

They knew now, why their father hated Rae. Maybe he had the whole time, and raising him had simply helped to push that hatred aside. They were tempted to hate him too, for being the piece that tore their family apart. But they couldn’t. Not when they could finally remember not only his face, but just simply their brother.

It took them a minute to even register the tears beginning to fall down their face, but once they started there was no stopping them. As they sat, they began to question, not for the first time, not only what their life would have been had Enderian not taken their brother, but what else their father had lied about in the process.

And what the hell were they going to do now?

Chapter Text

If it hadn’t been for the warm pressure of Caspian’s arm wrapped around him, Rae was sure he wouldn’t have slept at all. Even then, he slept restlessly, waking up every hour or so and staring at the ceiling before finally drifting off again. When he’d finally given up and decided to get up, he’d found Easton down in the kitchens. 

He hadn’t seen much of them since arriving, and almost left, but they had locked eyes with him, gesturing for him to join, then got up to grab him the same thing they were eating. The drink was warm and herbal, with a fruity hint that he found he really enjoyed, while the pastry seemed to crumble in his hands, though the buttery softness made up for the way Easton laughed as he tried not to make a mess.

They’d been interrupted by some staff coming into the room, some clearly just waking up, while one, who Easton whispered to him was the baker, looked like they’d been up longer than even Easton. They’d all given Easton a small bow, giving Rae a polite nod, before beginning on their work, clearly not surprised to find either of them there.

Easton had gotten them both another mug of the drink, then suggested they get out of the staff’s way, leading Rae down a hall he hadn’t seen before. They pulled out a key from their pocket, unlocking a thick wooden door at the end of the hall that creaked as it opened. Easton set down their drink on a table, visible only by the light coming in from the hall, then disappeared into the dim room for a moment before light from a window poured in as they pulled back a curtain.

Rae had stared around in wonder, looking over walls full of maps, another with shelves full of odd bits and pieces, and another here books on things such as law and economics were stacked high. Easton came back to collect their drink, giving Rae a silent go ahead to look around, before moving to flop in a chair by a desk. They fit so perfectly into the scene that there was no question, if there even had been, that this was their space.

He decided to start with the maps, sipping at his drink, the mug pleasantly warm in his hands, as he stared up at them. There were maps from all the major kingdoms, and ones that depicted the smaller kingdoms that had made them up in the past. There were hand written notes pinned next to some, noting differences, similarities, and legends with the meanings behind the various symbols that littered them.

For the first time, Rae really got a sense of what their world looked like. He had seen a map of the End maybe once or twice in passing while he lived there, but it was rarely more than a vague scribble meant to show where an artifact had been found. The one the Duke had given Centross had been better, with more detail to help them find their way here, but he’d barely seen it, let alone understood it.

Everything he’d known about their world had come from passing comments, things he’d desperately written down in the early days in hopes that maybe, eventually, they’d help him escape. To see it lain out like this, so clear and so… the End capital was closer to the border than he’d thought. She’d always told him it was days south of them.

He shook his head, glancing around the room and hoping to find anything else to take his interest. He landed on a table in the middle of the room, covered in papers and scrolls and a few books. The first one he looked at revealed a sort of building drawn out on it. It was also covered in notes, in the same small scribble as the maps, noting the material of various parts, as well as scale, supports, and anything else it could possibly need.

“So…” Easton’s voice came from behind him. Rae turned, finding they’d turned their desk chair towards him, pulling their legs up onto it. “I have to ask, were you ever going to tell us?”

Rae frowned, “Tell you… what?”

Easton’s face was surprisingly sad, maybe resigned… hesitant, for sure. “That you’re the missing prince?” He knew his face must have switched to a look of pure fear, because Easton raised a hand, “I haven’t told anyone. I’m still sort of processing it myself. And before you ask, no one told me, I figured it out.”

He wanted to deny it, to cover it with lies and half truths, to not let his secret slip even farther out of his control. Some little, deep, dark part of his mind even suggested making Easton forget, but he shook that off, horrified by the very idea.

He could no longer count the number of people who knew on one hand. And maybe that was a good thing. It certainly didn’t feel like a good thing, but almost everyone who knew was someone he trusted. They deserved to know.

So he sighed, pressing his lips into a thin line as he looked at Easton. “I didn’t have a plan to, but I should have. It’s… relatively new information to me, honestly. I only realized when Caspian was in the End. He was telling Jamie the story, and, well, something just clicked.”

“Is that why you left?” Easton asked, their voice softer, less accusing, than it had been moments before.

Rae shook his head, paused, then tilted it in a way he hoped meant kind of. “I was already planning to leave. I’d known I was her son, and even if I didn’t, blood didn’t do me any favours. I probably could have left years ago, but I needed to get Jamie out. I made Caspian promise to take them even if I didn’t make it out. When I learned, I half wondered if I even deserved to leave.”

Easton frowned, a phrase half on their lips that was quickly forgotten as the sound of pounding feet and yells came from the hall. They exchanged a worried look, both pushing up from their chairs and heading for the door in near silence, Easton beating him there by less than a second as they reached to push it open.

Down the hall he could see people running around, and as he and Easton walked down the hall, he could hear what some of them were yelling.

“Rae.”

Why were they calling for him? Easton sent him a confused look, one that he could only mirror as they made their way towards the foyer. When the main room finally came into view, he spotted a worried Momboo standing by the doors, talking to a member of staff and glancing nervously at a piece of paper hanging from her hand.

“Mom?” Easton called, moving towards her.

Momboo’s eyes shot over to them, turning her attention to them as the staff turned to direct others gathered nearby. “Easton! Have you seen Rae? We can’t find him, and at this point we’re fearing the worst-” she cut herself off as she spotted him behind Easton, her expression quickly melting into relief. “Oh thank the stars. Logan, he’s here, tell everyone they can stop looking.:

The staff she’d been talking to before turned to them, his eyes widening as he spotted Rae, his own relief clear on his face before turning back to the other staff.

Rae frowned, watching as they scattered, likely to spread the news that he’d been found, but he still had no idea why they’d been searching for him so desperately. Had he wrongly assumed that he was allowed to wander the house? Even if he had been, he’d been with Easton. Was he in trouble?

Momboo had come over to talk to Easton, who was explaining their morning, still just as confused as he felt. Momboo sighed as Easton explained they’d showed him their study, then looked up to meet his eyes with that strange but comforting look that told him she knew what was going through his head, no mind powers required.

“A letter arrived from the castle. We’ll need to properly discuss it, but essentially, Fable knows you’re here. He said if you do not surrender yourself by noon in two days time, he will be forced to send his soldiers to take you by force. When no one could find you, we assumed the worst,” Momboo explained, the paper in her hands now a burning beacon that he found he couldn’t look away from.

Fable knew. He shouldn’t know, but he did.

…Sherbert. Intentionally or not, Sherbert had probably led Fable right to him, and now, everyone here was at risk, because of him.

He almost wished he had truly disappeared already. Jamie had pointed out the stables to him, he knew his horse was still there. He could slip away, surrender himself, and this whole thing would have been over before anyone even knew. One life for potentially dozens of others, depending on how violent Fable decided to make this fight.

Nails dug into his skin, snapping him back to reality. Easton was facing him, their hand gripped tightly on his arm as they stared him in the eye. “Do not tell me you just saw how worried everyone was when they thought you’d gone without saying anything, and now think you should. I might have to question how smart Jamie said you are if you did.”

Rae pressed his lips together, not trusting himself to answer, but found pretty quickly that he didn’t need to, as there was a thudding down the hall above them that drew their attention. Caspian appeared at the top of the stairs, Centross not far behind him. Both of them stopped to stare at him for a second, before launching themselves down the stairs and all but tackling him.

Centross pulled back first, like he was going to say something, but was interrupted when Caspian suddenly grabbed the back of Rae’s neck, pulling him forward into a crushing kiss that left him dizzy, a giddy, happy smile forming on his lips where Caspian’s had just been.

There was a wolf whistle from somewhere in the room, followed by a few giggles, but Rae was too busy raising an eyebrow at Caspian to see who had made either noise. Caspian just shook his head in response, pausing for a moment to rest his head against Rae’s, before stepping back and allowing him to see Centross again.

His friend had a knowing smirk on his face that suggested he had been the source of the whistle, but there was still an underlying look of relief that made Rae only regret his thoughts more. Had he not been the one to beg Centross to stay once he settled down? Had he not been the one to say he’d fight for him to be accepted here if it meant they stayed together?

And yet here he was, finding out they’d all thought he’d left them, and thinking that he should have. He could still taste Caspian’s lips on his, and for the first time in who knows how long, he wondered if he was truly as expendable as he’d thought.

“You know,” Centross said, drawing his attention, “I was going to chastise you for making us worry, but I think your boyfriend managed that already.”

He could see Caspian’s cheeks heat up out of the corner of his eye, and he was sure he was turning just as red, but this was Centross. “Oh yeah? So you don’t want to kiss me about it?”

Caspian gave a small squeak of indignation, but Centross just lifted an eyebrow, looking Rae up and down like he was considering it. “Nah, you’re just not my type. I’ll leave the kissing to Cas here.”

Rae was going to retort, mentioning the fact that Centross had literally agreed to marry him, but then Momboo cleared her throat, both grabbing their attention and reminding them of the others still in the room. “Well, now that we know Rae is safe, we should discuss this properly. Ocie is already setting up in the meeting hall, if you want to show Centross and Rae there, Caspian. Easton, you’re welcome to join us, but don’t feel you need to.”

He spared a glance to the eldest Pine, surprised to fine them looking back at him. They didn’t say anything, but a moment later they nodded, following their mom and she headed down the opposite hall. Rae watched them go for a minute, then turned back to Centross and Caspian, the three sharing a look before Caspian took off after Momboo and Easton, leaving Centross and Rae to follow him or risk being left behind.

What he was starting to think of as the usual crowd were seated around a long wooden table when they finally reached the meeting room. Momboo took her place at the head of the table, with Ocie sitting at the opposite end, and Easton on Momboo’s right. Other than those three, there seemed to be no formal spots, though Jamie claimed the one next to their sibling rather quickly, with Athena taking their other side.

Caspian moved to take Momboo’s other side, Rae trailing after him mostly because he was still worried about somehow getting in trouble for choosing the wrong seat. To his surprise, Centross didn’t follow them, instead taking the seat on Ocie’s left, as who Rae recognized as Ocie’s Captain of the guard took the one on her right.

As he was trying to figure out who they were missing, Wolf came in, sliding into the seat between Athena and Centross, then, to his surprise, another familiar face came in. Wearing increasingly familiar East Isles armour, Rae let out a small gasp of relief as Cadence came in, giving him a smile and a small nod before claiming the spot next to their captain.

That must have been everyone, because Ocie stood, a seriousness in her eyes that told of trouble ahead. “We all know why we’re here, Fable has threatened this estate and everyone in it should Rae not turn himself in.”

“Which is obviously not an option,” Momboo added, Ocie nodding in agreement.

“Exactly,” Ocie said, “From his… threat, we have two to three days at most. I’ve already pulled all my soldiers from that castle, and they’ve been staying nearby, so they should be here by morning. I would suggest we go to his council, as I’m sure none of them want to risk a war with the East Isles, but I worry about what lies he’s fed them. They may very well believe Rae is dangerous enough to risk war for.”

Ocie’s Captain, who’s name was escaping him, nodded along with Ocie’s words. “I have already sent scouts to the Nether and the Aether informing them of the situation. Of course, prince Athena has assured me the Nether stands with us, but we need confirmation from the Queen herself. As for the Aether, our relationship has always been positive, so we can only hope they’d side with us should Fable push for war.”

“Thank you, Caris,” Ocie said, nodding to her Captain. She continued talking, discussing battle strategies, ways to fortify, and other things Rae didn’t quite hear over his thoughts.

He knew war meant death. It meant damage, it meant lives lost, it meant blame. Blame that may eventually turn to him, no matter what those in this room would say. He could only imagine the reaction of the general public if the kingdoms went to war because of a supposedly dangerous End citizen. No, if he could help it, there would be no war. He needed another plan…

“What if I do turn myself in?” He said suddenly, cutting off whatever Ocie had been saying. She met his eye as protests came from multiple people at the table, though the look she gave him told him she saw this wasn’t some guilt ridden solution.

She raised a hand, silencing the table. “Rae, care to explain you thoughts?”

Rae nodded, standing in an attempt to make it seem like he was more confident than he was. “We all know what war would mean, especially if the other kingdoms got involved. The best way to avoid war, is if I give myself up. The second best, would be to remove him from the throne.”

This time it was Momboo who seemed to catch on first. “Isla.”

He nodded, swallowing a nervous lump in his throat. “It’s not the best plan, but I don’t think I’d be able to get into the castle unless I surrender myself. Then, someone would have to get in and let me out of wherever Fable locks me. Once I’m out, I can find her and try to get her memories back. She is the rightful Queen of the Overworld, no matter Fable’s claims, if she is functioning, he has to answer to her, right?”

Ocie frowned, but nodded, “Yes. Call them what you may, but the people of the Overworld are very strict on who inherits their throne. Technically, Sherbert should have inherited it from their father the second they turned of age, but they haven’t challenged him for it, and anyone who brings it up is silenced.”

“That would be Fable’s doing,” Easton piped up, shrinking a little as attention turned to them, “Uh, well, Sherbert used to talk about taking the throne when we were younger, but a few months before their 18th, they suddenly stopped, and snapped when I mentioned it. I managed to get them to say their dad did something, but nothing past that.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Ocie muttered, then turned back to Rae, “Your plan is solid, but my concern is whether or not Isla would even take our side on the matter. She may very well agree with her husband that you are a threat.”

Rae bit his lip, glancing at Easton, then Centross, and finally Caspian, before letting out a small sigh. “She'll take our side. I’m… her son.”

He saw Ocie’s eyes widen slightly, then narrow as she shared a look across the table with Momboo, but that was the only sign that she’d been surprised by his statement. “Alright then. If you truly believe you can restore her memories, and that she’ll be on our side, then I think we should go with your idea. Caspian, you know the palace best, do you have…”

Her voice drifted into the background as Rae retook his seat, allowing the conversation to flow around him. Of all the faces, he found himself staring at Jamie, trying to figure out how his assistant was reacting to the news. They had the most right to feel betrayed, after all, he’d known them the longest beside Centross, and even though he hadn’t known when he’d met them, he’d had plenty of opportunity to tell them, and hadn’t.

It’s like Easton had asked, he didn’t know why he hadn’t, nor if he would have had this not happened.

Across the table, Jamie met his eye, a small smile on their face. They glanced down at their hand, drawing Rae’s attention to it as they tapped a quick message onto the table, just two letters. I K.

Chapter Text

“Again,” Wolf gritted through his teeth, his hands gripping the edge of the chair so tightly Rae thought the wood might splinter. He frowned, but did it anyway, diving back into Wolf’s head and forcing another memory free of the barrier that held them back.

It was getting easier each time, to the point where he barely felt the strain on his magic that he had when they’d started.

After the meeting the day before, Wolf had come up to him, asking to speak. He’d agreed, and he and Wolf had gone to his rooms, where Wolf told him about the first memory he’d gotten back. He told him about his sister, the shock he’d felt, as well as the longing and the hurt that he had directed at Rae for no reason other than he’d been the one to give him the memory back.

Then they’d started practising again. They didn’t have time to take it slow like Rae had wanted, but they hadn’t needed to. After the attempt with Sherbert, he’d mostly figured out what was going on. They even found that if Rae could find a core memory, dozens of smaller ones would be freed with it. He still had no idea how to fix his own memory, but it should be enough.

He hoped it was enough.

Rae tugged another memory free, seeing a glimpse of an almost familiar hall before he snapped out of Wolf’s head, mind Wolf turning back into real Wolf as the memory broke free. He expected Wolf to tell him to go again, prepared himself to do just that, only to be caught off guard when Wolf simply sat there, silently, for a moment.

“Everything alright?” Rae asked, worried he’d hurt his friend.

Wolf nodded, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips. “Do you remember, when we first met, and we wondered if we’d ever met before, in the End?

He frowned, but nodded, “Yeah, you said probably not, because I spent almost all my time in the castle. Why, what did you see?”

“I saw myself walking with my grandfather,” Wolf replied, his smirk growing slightly, “Through the halls of the castle.”

Rae froze. “What?”

“He was telling me about you,” Wolf continued, his smirk fading ever so slightly, “About… your family. About how to help you escape, should you want to. Rae, I’m sorry, I should have been able to help you, I should have been stronger, I-”

Rae threw himself forward, crushing his friend, his oldest friend, in his arms. Wolf hugged him back, and something in that simple motion did it. Suddenly a piece clicked into place and dozens of memories filled Rae’s head. Time spent wandering the castle, Wolf by his side, or time spent huddled in his study, staring at maps of the castle, making plans, trying to match guard rotations to what they could see.

Without even realizing he knew it, a name slipped out of his lips. “Fenris,” Rae whispered, with more importance and certainty than he knew he could.

Then Wolf- no, Fenris, sucked in a breath, and when they pulled apart there was a knowing look in his eyes that told Rae that he knew. Not just the scattered memories that they’d managed to free so far, not the half finished thoughts that lived in his head, but everything.

He’d done it. He’d completely freed someone’s memories after Enderian had blocked them. And not just anyone, but his friend he’d long thought dead.

“I did it,” he whispered, his own disbelief clear in his voice, even as laughter started to bubble out of his throat, “I did it!”

“You did it,” Fenris replied, a goofy grin across his face, “You really did it, Star.”

The nickname hit him like another ton of bricks, barely even noticing as tears began to fall down his face. “Oh, I thought you were dead! Your family! Your grandfather-”

Fenris reached over, resting a hand on his shoulder. With his other, he did something Rae couldn’t have predicted; he reached up and pulled his mask off.  And there, just as he’d remembered, with eyes as gold as the sun, was his dear friend. Almost. Around his right eye was a large off-white scar, shaped almost like a starburst, its points reaching across his face like a web.

Rae lifted a hand to it, tracing the edge where it reached towards his ear, guilt pooling in his stomach. Fenris caught his hand, meeting his eyes with a serious look. “Rae, I know what you’re thinking. This,” he motioned to his scar, “Is not your fault. I knew what I was getting into when I decided to help you, my grandfather made sure of that. And yes, it wasn’t ideal, but not only have you found me again, but you’ve given me back the greatest thing you ever could. When this is all over, I can find my family again. For now, I’m going to finish what I started all those years ago. I’m going to help keep you safe.”

All he could do was nod, too busy trying to re-memorize his friend’s face to answer properly. He hesitated for just a second before pulling him in for another hug, one that was filled with relief, joy, and apologies for time lost.

When they pulled apart again, Rae bit his lip, a question coming to mind. “Are you going to tell the others? You don’t have to, of course, well, at least not the full story.”

Fenris considered it, a familiar expression on his face that Rae hadn’t even realized he’d missed. It was a thoughtful expression, one that he’d seen so many times, sitting together in his old study, worrying about plans, or just considering what magic could do.

“Probably just that I have my memories back,” he answered finally, “My name, maybe. But not my face. Not yet. That still feels a little too personal.”

Rae nodded. “We should go find the others, then. Ocie did say she wanted to get to the castle by dark if possible.”

Fenris nodded in response, then the two stood and made their way back into the main part of the manor, finding their way to the meeting room from the night before. There they found Ocie and Momboo, along with Ocie’s captain, Centross, and Cadence, all of whom were standing over a map of the castle. Momboo was speaking as they entered, though she paused to look up at them, a curious expression on her face.

Rae gave her a nod in confirmation, knowing they’d told everyone what they were going to do before leaving them all to finish preparing. A grin spread across her face, finally causing Ocie to notice their entrance, her head snapping up to meet his gaze with a similarly questioning look. Figuring it was better to just say it, Rae glanced at Fenris for confirmation before clearing his throat, gaining the attention of the rest of the room’s occupants.

“Our attempts were successful. What else can we help with before we leave?” he said, keeping it vague to give Fenris the chance to fill in the details as he wanted.

Centross glanced between them, mostly at Rae, and then what Rae could only claim as understanding passed across his face. Everyone else gave them a brief congratulations, or just a nod, then Ocie asked Wolf to look at something on the map. Centross excused himself quietly, pausing by the door long enough to motion for Rae to follow him, before disappearing into the hall.

Rae followed him silently, frowning as his friend led him out to the back gardens, where the only person in sight was a gardener off in the distance, taking care of one of the flower beds.

“You knew him, didn’t you?” Centross asked in a low voice.

Rae turned to him in surprise, though really, he should have known Centross would be able to read him like that. “Yes.”

Centross nodded slowly, “Was he the duke’s grandson? I can’t think of anyone else that you would have such a reaction to seeing again.”

“His name is Fenris,” Rae responded quietly, “I thought he was dead. His family thinks he is.”

“We’ll have to fix that, then,” Centross replied, his voice heavy and sure. “After we deal with our current situation, of course.”

Rae hummed, glancing back out towards the gardens. “Speaking of, how was the planning going?”

“Well,” Centross replied, “Both Ocie and Momboo have spent enough time in that castle to know the layout well enough. Ocie is confident that both of them showing up will distract Fable enough that you’ll be taken by his captain to the cells rather than right to him. After that, Caspian and Cadence are going to come get you, and, well, you know the rest.”

It wasn’t the best plan, but it was the best they could come up with in such a short time. There were so many parts that could go wrong, so many things that could ruin it entirely. They were betting on Fable being a creature of habit, of him being too driven by his emotions to think. If he, or anyone, considered that Ocie and Momboo demanding to speak with him was a diversion, they were fucked.

It almost didn’t feel worth it. All of it made him want to turn and run, to escape to the Isles, or to the Nether, and to just disappear. Pretend that Rae Morningstar was dead, or that he had never even existed.

But he couldn’t.

He wouldn’t.

He owed himself more than that, let alone everyone here who had already done so much for him.

No, he would go to the castle, their plan would be successful, and by the end of the day his mother would have her memories and her kingdom back. What came after that… well, try as he might, he couldn’t try to predict anything.

They spoke for another minute before heading back inside, meeting with the others to finalize the plan before separating to change. Rae stared at his old, torn clothes, mind racing back through everything he’d been through in them. As much as part of him craved the simple comfort of the clothes Momboo had had made for him, he needed to keep up an appearance for their plan to work.

The door opened to his room, clicking shut a second later as soft footsteps walked towards him. He didn’t bother turning around, his hand playing with the torn cuff of his shirt until arms surrounding him from behind, Caspian pulling him closer as he rested his head on Rae’s shoulder.

“Are you ready, love?” he questioned softly.

Rae sighed, twisting in his arms to face him and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. “No, but I have to be, so I am.”

Caspian gave him a sad smile, pulling back but offering Rae his hand. “Come on, they’ve got the horses ready.”

With another sigh, he took Caspian’s hand, following him downstairs and to the front of the manor, where everyone who as going with them was gathered. Athena and Jamie stood by the door, along with Easton. Athena had fought to go, but had been talked down to staying here because of their role as a representative of the Nether. Neither Jamie or Easton had tried to come, but Rae doubted that was because they didn’t want to. He’d known Jamie long enough to know they had probably realized this wasn’t their space in this fight, and from what he knew of Easton, they’d probably had a similar thought.

He was grateful for it, either way. He was going to be worried enough about those who were going, even without some of their younger members coming along. Reasonably, he knew they could all handle themselves, but it was a habit that died hard, and he wasn’t bent on killing it.

Caspian pointed him towards a pair of horses whose reins were being held by a member of staff he hadn’t seen before, but ho gave them a polite nod as they approached. She had an understanding in her eyes, and Rae had to wonder just how much Momboo had chosen to tell her staff.

He blanked out at some point, going through the motioned mindlessly as they gathered and prepared to leave.

Ocie, Momboo, and their guards, including Centross and Wolf, left first, followed shortly by Caspian, who leaned across the gap between their horses, to press one more kiss to his cheek before setting off. They had no idea how much of the road Fable was watching, other than the fact that there hadn’t been any spotted immediately around Momboo’s estate, so they had decided to leave as separate groups to play up their cover.

One of the staff nodded to him when it had been half an hour since the first group left. Just long enough that even if he rode fast, he wouldn’t arrive until about 10 minutes after they did. He took a deep breath, glancing around at the staff that still stood in the courtyard, at Jamie and Athena, still standing by the front door, then at the road ahead.

This was going to be one rough ride ahead.

Chapter Text

He knew the second he’d been spotted, guards yelling and running along castle walls as they alerted others. The gate opened at his approach, which he took as his sign to dismount his horse. Rae lifted his arms in the air in surrender, watching as the nearest guards approached him, weapons pointed to his chest, suspicious laced deep in their eyes.

Once they seemed sure he wasn’t going to attack, two of them stepped forward, grabbing his arms roughly and yanking them behind his back so hard he had to suppress a wince. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one take the reins of his horse, though soon his vision was blocked as a dozen guards swarmed around him, and the sharp press of a weapon to his back urged him forward.

The halls passed in a blur, all sense of direction lost as his arms were yanked painfully and the weapon, a spear, likely, dug deeper into his back. Sharp, but not breaking the skin. Yet.

Suddenly they came to a stop, someone shoving him hard from behind as he was forced to fall to his knees, his arms twisting painfully as they refused to fall with him due to the guards’ hold on them. He heard talking, then yelling, then a face he only recognized as the captain from the day he escaped. The man stared down at him with disdain, saying something to his men that Rae could only hope was orders to take him where he needed to be.

Then he was yanked to his feet again, moving roughly through the halls until they reached a door that revealed a long, dark set of stairs. Rae could have sighed in relief had he not been trying to maintain a cover, or suppress a further wince as one of the guards knocked into his elbow as they began their descent.

It wasn’t until they reached flat land again, and they’d been walking for longer than they should have been, that Rae knew something was wrong. He lifted his head just enough to see the last of the cells he thought he’d be in, then the wall changed back to pure stone, stone that got darker and darker the farther they walked, until it was an almost sparkling blue.

Then, there, in a part of the dungeons he was sure hadn’t been on the maps, was a circular chamber with five cells lining the walls like a hexagon, with their hall being the sixth side. He didn’t know what it was, but something about the room made his head start to feel dizzy, like the walls were closing in around him.

He barely registered the clanging of metal as one of the guards opened a cell, then all he felt was the rough ground as he was tossed inside, landing hard on his hands and knees before slumping as a wave of nausea threatened to over take him.

At some point he looked up and found the room outside his cell empty, though he had no memory of the guards leaving. He lay, curled on his side, fighting waves of nausea, trying and failing to count the minutes until someone came for him. Part of him didn’t even care who it was at that point, he just needed out.

But he wasn’t in the main cells like they’d planned. He wasn’t even in a part of the dungeon the others knew existed. What would happen to him if Caspian and Cadence couldn’t find him?

…

…

How long had it been?

…

…

Another wave of nausea hit him, his nails digging painfully into his palm as he silently begged for it to stop, his arms aching from their earlier mistreatment and the rest of him just simply aching.

…

…

…

There, so quiet he almost missed it over his choked breaths, were footsteps.

Someone had come.

He forced his eyes up, begging for a glimpse of one of his friends, though who he saw was neither friend nor foe.

Sherbert

Rae knew the second they spotted him, worry creasing their brow as they rushed over, a muttered “shoot,” escaping their mouth. They fumbled with a ring of keys in their hands, briefly pausing to lift a hand to their mouth before returning to their task.

The second the door opened, they were by his side, desperately whispering for him to get up, to come with them, but his limbs felt like bricks, each one weighing him down and grounding him to the floor of the cell.

With a resigned huff, Sherbert half lifted him, looping his arm over their shoulder and wrapping their other arm around his waist, half helping half carrying him out and away from the cell block. They paused part way down the hall, breathing heavily and glancing around. Rae matched their breaths as his head began to clear, the remnants of the nausea forcing him to bend and expel them against the wall before sitting against the cool stone.

“The hell is that place,” he managed, his voice scratchy and verging on tears.

Sherbert winced, “Father’s ‘special’ cells. About a year ago they found an ore that reacts badly with magic, makes you all, well, yknow. Didn’t even know he’d built a prison out of it until recently. Now come on, we need to get you out of here before someone comes to check on you and finds you gone.”

The science part of his brain desperately wanted to know more, but the rest of him was so tired from the seemingly endless nausea to do more than listen to their directions. He pushed himself roughly to his feet, wincing at the pile of sick he’d left before stumbling after Sherbert.

They led him back into the main cells, then paused in front of one, reaching for the ring of keys again and unlocking it. They motioned for Rae to follow, and he briefly considered that this was some sort of trap, especially as they reached back and locked the cell behind them. But then, to his surprise, they pushed against a stone in the wall, and a section no bigger that a crawl space opened.

Rae gave a silent moan at the thought of crawling right now, but still ducked into the space as Sherbert motioned for him to, then paused long enough to ensure they were behind him before continuing on.

He didn’t know how long he’d been crawling, but soon enough the space grew, until eventually he could crouch, then stand, and then it opened into a small square room with crates lining two of the walls, and a door on the third.

Sherbert moved to go right for the door, but Rae raised a hand in desperation, flopping against a clear spot of the wall and just breathing until his vision finally came back into focus. “The hell is going on?” he managed, both out of general confusion, but also confusion as to why Sherbert was even helping him.

They glanced at the door, pressing their lips together, then sighed, leaning against the wall opposite him. It was only then that he realized they weren’t in the usual finery he’d seen them in. Instead, they wore what looked like riding gear, though the obvious gold trim still marked them as much fancier than most.

“You want to tell me what you’re doing here first?” Sherbert bit back. “I mean, I knew you were a little reckless, but come on, you had to have known Father’s threat. How have I become the responsible one of us? Weren’t you always the one keeping me in line? Some older brother I was.”

Rae froze, looking up at them slowly. It took a second, but he could tell the moment they realized what they’d said, wincing as they turned away. When Rae didn’t say anything, they eventually turned back, meeting his eye for a second before sighing.

“Look, we can talk about that later. I saw Ocie and Momboo arrive, and because I know Momboo well enough to know she wouldn’t try to bargain with Father, I figured you were also here, ” they explained, “Then when I saw Caspian get stopped by one of the guards in the hall that led towards the cells, I kind of put the pieces together that he was supposed to be your escape. Few questions later and I knew where you were. I-I don’t exactly know where we stand yet, but I’ve been down there before, I know how much being in there for even a minute sucks, let alone the close to twenty you were. I couldn’t just… leave you, yknow?”

Rae stared at them for a moment, trying to fit this new piece of his brother into the growing jigsaw of what he remembered, and what he’d learned. It didn’t quite fit, but it as close.

“Thank you,” he said finally.

Sherbert gave him a curt nod, “You’re welcome. You gonna tell me why you’re here now?”

He sighed. “I’m going to try and get mom’s memories back. Not only because she deserves them back, but, well…”

“Because she’d the rightful ruler and Father will be dethroned,” Sherbert finished for him.

Rae nodded slowly, “Yes… you don’t seem mad about that.”

Surprisingly, Sherbert just answered him with a bitter laugh. “If I was less of a coward, he would have been dethroned years ago. I love my father, and he was a good king. But he is not a good man. If you really think you can get Mother’s memories back, then I’ll help however I can.”

In all truth, he was too tired to do much more that nod, pushing himself back to his feet and following Sherbert as they opened the door out of the room. It led to a set of stairs, with another door at the end, though once they pushed through that, Rae was somehow surprised to find they were back on the main floor of the castle, down a thin dimly lit hall he didn’t recognize from his brief time in the castle.

Sherbert led him quietly through the halls, pausing as guards or servants passed, until Rae began to recognize where they were. A turn later, and they stood in front of that same tree he’d found the first time he’d come here. Well, first time since he’d been taken, that was.

The nausea started to come back, though not the same nausea as he’d felt in the cell. No, this nausea was from Her pain, the pain that still radiated from the tree, though, somehow, it felt, less, than it had before…

The sound of footsteps around the corner made him freeze, both him and Sherbert whirling around to face the newcomer, only for Rae to sigh a breath of relief as Centross came into view. His face was one of matching relief, coming forward to briefly hug Rae and eye Sherbert before stepping back.

It had only been a couple hours since they’d seen each other, and yet Rae knew they both looked older. He could see the worry creasing Centross’ face, something no amount of relief could erase. Then a thought occurred to him, and just to check, he tapped their signal against his arm with his other hand. Centross returned it in an instant, and immediately started speaking.

“Cadence came into our meeting, so we knew something was wrong. I offered to go with them, and when they and Caspian explained both their issue getting to the cells and then your absence, well, obviously we worried.” He explained.

“How did you find us?” Rae asked, glancing back at Sherbert.

Centross pressed his lips together in a grimace, which told Rae everything he needed to know. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly, before looking back at his friend. “Never mind then. You can help us find Isla.”

Sherbert took that as their cue to continue, leading their now slightly larger group down another hall. Every once in a while they’d pause by a window, glancing out at various gardens and green spots, though each time their frown confirmed Isla’s absence in them. The further they went, the more worried they seemed to be, as if her absence was unusual. Given the few times he’d seen her had been in such a space, Rae was inclined to believe their silent worry.

When they finally arrived at the doors to the large garden at the back of the castle, and a quick scan shown no one but a worker or two among the plants, Sherbert turned to him with a slightly helpless look. “I don’t get it, she’s normally here. In all the years since the spell, she’s always with the flowers.”

“Is there a chance she’s deeper in the garden?” Centross asked, looking past them to outside.

They shook their head, “No, she prefers the orchids. If she was here, she’d be by them, see?” They pointed to a section of blue flowers well within eyesight from their spot by the door. Rae frowned, trying desperately to think of what to do next, where to look next.

This castle was huge, not to mention, to be crawling with guards looking for him shortly once they realized he was gone. They needed a hint, a direction, a sign…

He looked to Centross, who met his eye like he’d just had the same thought. Sherbert looked between them, confused, but stayed out of their way as Centross reached for Rae’s hand, then carefully slid his necklace off, passing it to Rae’s free hand, and shutting his eyes.

Rae heard him mutter hello to the souls, and felt the grip on his hand tighten as Centross fought not to be overwhelmed by their voices. He could practically picture the scene going on in Centross’ head, soul-like beings, new and old, swirled across his vision, filling it with images of past, present, and future, one on top of each other like a raging storm. He knew his hand was the anchor, keeping him steady, keeping him afloat

Then he saw what he was looking for, the smallest of nods from Centross, which he took to slip the necklace back over his friend’s head. Centross’ eyes shot open, the purple glow just fading from his eyes as he breathed a sigh of relief, the necklace cutting off his magic as the pendant hit his chest.

Centross turned to Sherbert, his voice hoarse, “Some kind of sitting room, gold, but mostly blue. West, I think, I could see the sun out the window.”

Sherbert just stared at him, eyes widened in shock, though in their defence, they recovered from it much better than Rae had the first time he’d seen Centross’ power unleashed. Without a word, they nodded, spinning on their heels and leading down yet another set of halls, ending in one that… that he’ seen before.

He caught Sherbert’s eyes glancing briefly to a door before turning back down the hall, but when Rae followed where their eyes had gone, he paused. The door was simple, well worn flowers painted across the wood, but it was what sat by it that caught his eye.

Something akin to a memorial, a, an altar, almost, sat in front. Toys, trinkets, and a vase of fresh flowers sat in front of it, and through it all he could see a dark scorch mark, similar to those by the tree, across the handle, spreading out into the wood of the door and the frame.

His room.

Or, what had once been his.

Rae understood why Sherbert rushed past it now. He wondered how often his brother had looked at it, how many times they’d stared at it, missing him, wondering about him, hating him. He shook his head, turning his focus back to the task at hand, ignoring Centross’ questioning looks as he followed Sherbert to another door at the end of the hall, one that sat on the same side as his old one.

Sherbert turned, eyes meeting Rae’s for a brief second before they pushed the door open, sunlight pouring into the hall as the three went in.

The first thing he registered was a large room, painted a soft blue, with silver accents everywhere but in the furniture, where gold stood out from every corner of the room. The second, was the scurrying of guards as they spotted not only him, but Centross.

To his relief, one move from Sherbert and they hesitated, lowering their weapons cautiously. “Wait outside,” Sherbert ordered, their voice more sure than Rae had ever heard it, “We have business with the Queen and wish not to be disturbed.”

For a moment, neither of the guards moved, then the one on the left cleared her throat. “Uh, your highness? We were given strict orders to, well, captured, the End criminals if they were seen. Surely we can’t just leave them with the Queen?”

In a move that made them look much too similar to their father, Sherbert raised an eyebrow at the guard. “Are you questioning my orders? I assure you, these two are of no threat to me or my mother. After all, I highly doubt my brother would come all this way just to kill her.”

Both the guards and Rae froze at that, startled by what Sherbert had said. The guards looked at him, and with a slight wince, he stepped forward slightly to be in line with Sherbert, giving them a small nod in greeting.

He could see the exact moment something about the magic blocking their memories broke, especially in the older one, who let out a small gasp. She sheathed her weapon, dropping into a kneel, her head bowed towards Rae.

“My prince, I-I can hardly believe it. But, how?” She managed.

Rae offered her a small smile, motioning for her to stand as he’d seen Her do far too many times. “Later, I promise. For now, I’m going to get our mother’s memories back. Can you please go in the hall and make sure we aren’t disturbed?”

Both guards nodded, sparing another glance to Centross, though neither said anything as they moved past the trio and into the hall, pulling the door shut behind them.

Then Rae was finally able to look for her in the room, and there, sat on a chair in the corner, watching them all curiously but absently, was his mom. Orchid, his Mother’s fairy tale. Queen Isla, a fairy tale all of her own. Isla Morningstar, his mom.

“Well, it’s now or never,” he whispered, looking to both of his brothers before heading towards her, this time as her son.

Chapter Text

Isla was humming a simple tune as he approached, one that rang in the back of his head, but wouldn’t sit anywhere. She grinned widely at Sherbert, no doubt recognizing them. Sherbert smiled back at her, then knelt by her chair, taking her hands in theirs and looking up at her softly.

“Mom, do you remember Rae? You met him in the garden a few weeks ago,” they said softly.

Isla’s eyes seemed to light up, something that surprised Rae, and, amazingly, Sherbert. “Oh! Yes, I saw him before that too, at my bench. His face is familiar. Do I know him?”

Rae could see the breath that seemed to shudder through Sherbert’s body, though they were doing an excellent job of keeping their composure. Being raised as a Prince would do that to someone, especially under someone like Fable. He considered not for the first time the irony of their non-shared parents being siblings, the habits they’d somehow both gotten from them.

“You do,” Sherbert told her, nodding to Rae, “He’s here to help. You know how your head hurts? And your dizziness? We think he can fix it.”

Their words seemed to send her into her own head, her eyes gaining that far away look to them, before coming back to them. Not fully, like they hopefully would after this, but as close as she seemed able to come right now. She smiled at them, staring at Rae for a moment with a look that was so, so close to recognition. “Ok.”

Sherbert looked to Rae at that, giving him the silent go ahead. Rae took a deep breath, moving to take Sherbert’s spot crouched by their mom while Sherbert moved to the chair next to her, still holding her hand. Rae debate asking them to let go, but remembered when he’d freed some of their memories. Maybe the proximity would help, more than it would hurt at least.

Rae lifted his hand, hesitating for a fraction of a second before resting it against the side of her hair, and just like he had with Fenris, with Sherbert, he let himself slip into her mind.

For a moment when he opened his eyes, he didn’t think it had worked. The room was exactly the same, the late afternoon sun pouring in through open windows, shining against gold plated decorations, and he was in the exact same position, kneeling in front of his mother- except, why was he looking at himself?

He heard a soft laugh, and he turned, finding another Isla standing beside him, watching him with a warm, knowing, look. “…Mom?” he managed, the words barely a whisper.

Isla, the one standing, smiled, opening her arms to him and enveloping him in a hug the second he stepped forward. “Hi, baby.”

Rae forced himself to step back, though just far enough to look her in the eyes, not out of reach. “What-, I was expecting, I mean, you recognize me?”

Isla’s smile grew sad, her hand that wasn’t holding Rae’s reaching up to cup his cheek, “Oh darling, I always have, and always will. Your mother may be a powerful mage, but to erase, or at least hide, so much of me, even from myself? That would have required far more power than even she could wish to hold. Instead,” she sighed, looking past him to the version of her he’d come to know, “I am simply locked in my own mind, able to see everything going on, unable to say anything, unable to make myself hold you or your brother, though my arms have ached to do so for so long.”

He couldn’t help it, he leaned in again, holding back tears as she once again held him in her grip and letting out a small laugh. Hen he pulled back again, he had to use his sleeve to clear his blurry eyes, his facade he’d been keeping in front of his friends falling away. “I’m going to fix it. This, I mean. We need you. Not just Sherbert and I, but your people. Fable, he-“

Isla squeezed his hand, nodding slightly. “I know. By the gods I know. Had I been able to see past his surface, I would have never married that man. Later, I hope you and your brother will understand why I did, but for now, I will help with whatever plan that brilliant mind of yours has come up with, and simply be thankful that if anything, marrying him gave me the both of you.”

She motioned between him and Sherbert as she spoke, and Rae had to brush back fresh tears before he could dare to respond. “Thank you,” he said, his voice cracking slightly, “We need to find the wall holding back your memories. It- it should be big, probably somewhere significant.”

Isla nodded, opening her mouth to speak, though despite her lips moving, not a sound came out, and Rae suddenly realized the world around him was shifting, rapidly pulling him away from his mom. His last glimpse of her was her reaching out to him, worry and confusion etched across her face, then, he was gone.

That is, until familiar brick walls rose up around him out of the void, painfully familiar purple banners lining the walls, though half of them were torn in two or entirely on the ground, one was even in flames, a line of charred bricks trailing up to where it sat smouldering on the wall.

A familiar figure sat on the throne in front of him, though she looked much worse for wear than the last time he’d seen her. Enderian’s dress as ripped to shreds around her legs, a long, thin cut tracing over the right side of her face and down her neck until it disappeared below her neckline. She was battered, and bloody, and bruised, and yet she sat tall and proud, that look of fierce determination on her face.

He wondered if this was the woman his mother fell in love with.

He didn’t know if she could see him, or even how he’d gotten here, until he went to move from where he’d appeared by the wall and he heard the familiar hiss of Enderian’s voice as she spoke to him. “Stay there.”

Rae turned to her, biting back his shock and desperately trying to keep the waver out of his voice as he responded. “What’s going on? Why am I- how am I here?”

Enderian’s hand’s curled on the arms of her throne, her gaze never leaving the door. “You are only here mentally. I need someone to witness what is about to happen.”

“And why does that have to be me?” Rae replied, surprised at his own boldness, “I owe you nothing. And I was in the middle of something-“

“Yes, yes, I know,” Enderian snapped, “you were attempting to free Isla’s mind. How do you think I brought you here?”

Rae frowned, about to reply when she sighed, a small measure of her steely exterior melting into something almost akin to… remorse? “I am aware that I have wronged you Rae, but if you will not do this for me, do it for the people of the End. If you do, I will send you back with the key to freeing Orchid’s memories. Now stay there, please.”

Something in her tone made him pause. This was not a version of her he’d ever seen. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost say she was… worried? Scared? And what the hell was about to happen?

His question as answered as Enderian tensed again, only a brief sound of steps in the hall as a warning before the doors to the throne room burst open, a large group of oddly dressed soldiers pressing inside, with none other than Perix at their head.

Unlike his Mother, this was exactly the Perix he remembered. Her lips were twisted in a cruel, satisfied grin, her bright hair tied up in a ponytail that flowed over her back, and her clothing covered in soot and blood.

She paused halfway between the door and the throne, her eyes locking onto Enderian’s as her grin grew. She dipped into a mock bow, her sword swinging in the air haphazardly. “Your Majesty. Do you surrender?”

“Not to you,” Enderian growled.

Perix raised an eyebrow at her, “Why Your Majesty, such a harsh tone. To think you use to adore me.”

Enderian scoffed, “Hardly. You were a convenient play thing at best. And a fool if you think I would ever give up this kingdom to the likes of you.”

Rae watched as Perix’s face contorted briefly in rage, Enderian’s words clearly stinging deeper than he could have guessed. Then she slipped back into her cocky grin, lifting her chin in the air so that she could look upon the Queen. “And how exactly do you plan to stop me? Your soldiers are detained or dead, your advisors imprisoned. Even your heir has abandoned you.”

Enderian’s eyes flicked to Rae for a millisecond, and to his surprise, a renewed sense of certainty seemed to cross over her face. Then, she surprised both him and Perix; she laughed. She met Perix’s eyes again, finally standing from her throne and moving slowly towards her as she spoke. “You can take the crown, the throne, and the title, but it will only ever be in name. You rely solely on fear, on battles, on blood. But one day, today, or some time later, fear will run out, and you ill run out of blood to shed. You may take my crown, but you will never be queen. Not while I live and breath. And we both know you can’t afford to kill me.”

He could see the hatred bubbling in Perix’s eyes, and in a flash and the time it took him to blink, her sword slashed through the air, and Enderian fell to the floor. It was all Rae could do to muffle his shock as he caught a glimpse of the gash across her chest, the fabric around it already blood soaked by the time she landed.

Then Perix reached down, grabbing Enderian’s chin roughly and yanking her head up until she met her eyes. “I may need you alive,” she taunted, “But you’d do well to remember what exactly I’ve been doing in that little lab of mine. I can make your existence quite painful, your majesty.”

For the first time in his life, Rae saw pure, unbridled fear in his Mother’s eyes. Perix’s lips twisted up into a grin, dropping Enderian’s chin and allowing her fall back to the floor, pressing desperately against her chest. Then Perix motioned to two of her soldiers, who moved wordlessly to grab Enderian, and slowly drag her from the room.

For just a brief moment, Enderian looked towards him, her words audible despite her silence. “She will be worse than I ever was. I’m sorry.”

Then the room startled to disappear around him again. His shock wore off just enough for him to start to run to her, barely catching the whisper of a sad smile that crossed her face as he faded back to the void.

A hand on his made him just back, blinking rapidly as the sitting room, and most importantly, Isla, filled his vision once again.

“Rae?” Isla questioned, her voice quiet and concerned.

He couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, could barely process what had just happened. Was that- was that real?

“Darling?” Isla tried again, finally managing to pull him back to reality. Or, whatever version of it they were in. He was fairly certain he was still in Isla’s mind.

“I was- she- I-,” he tried, his words failing him.

Isla rubbed her hand along his arm, worry creasing her brow. “Are you alright? You were here, talking about a wall, and then you were gone. What happened?”

All he could do was stare at her. “I- I don’t know.” 

Wait.

The wall. He was supposed to be freeing Isla’ memories, he needed to find the wall.

But… no…

He turned, looking back to where the Isla he’d met upon arriving sat, a version of him still kneeling by her feet. What had Isla said? Enderian hadn’t been able to block her memories, but she had trapped her in her own mind. So what if…

Rae looked back to the mind version of Isla, taking her hand and pulling her over to where their real life counter parts sat. He could see the plan forming in his mind, though he had no idea here it came from. Hesitantly, he stepped towards himself, humming in relief as he seemed to pass right through himself. Good, his real self was in the way.

Isla was just watching him curiously, though she didn’t object as he gently nudged her into position. Now she stood just in front of where her real self sat, facing Rae as he glanced between the two versions. Then he took her hands, gathering his magic in his stomach and slowly, as if he ere painting, drawing strokes in the air between the two, pulling memories from the one that stood before them and anchoring them to her living form.

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was doing, and maybe he imagined it, but he could have sworn he saw her body’s hand twitch just as she moved hers. When all the strings were attached, each memory flowing between body and soul, he met her eyes, taking a deep breath and then nodding to her. Slowly, she sat down, sitting into her body and letting go of Rae’s hands as her two halves fell in line.

Rae let himself be pulled back to reality too, blinking his eyes open back in his body. He lowered his hand from her face, waiting nervously and ignoring Sherbert’s questioning look hen they noticed him.

Then Isla gasped, sitting up suddenly and looking around with an expression of pure disbelief and joy. She lifted her hands in front of her face, smiling at Rae for a moment before turning to Sherbert, who had yet to moved an inch. Isla lifted a hand to their face, brushing her thumb over their cheek. “Hello, little bird.”

That made them break, practically collapsing over the arms of the chair as they fell into Isla’s grasp. “Mom,” they managed, a sob shuddering through their body.

Rae watched them silently, knowing he’d had his moment of reunion already. His brother deserved theirs.

When they finally pulled apart, Isla turned to him, her face already twisting into one of grim determination. “Alright, what do I need to do?”

He looked between their group, now one stronger, then looked back to her, his own determination clear on his face. There wasn’t much to their plan at this point, but he explained what he could to her and Sherbert, both nodding along as he did.

Then Sherbert asked a question he honestly didn’t know how to answer. “What if he doesn’t surrender?”

Their voice cracked slightly as they spoke, reminiscent of the young child who had grown up under Fable, especially after both their mother and brother had disappeared, one physically, and one mentally. They knew better than the rest of them what Fable was like, what he was capable of, and while Rae was preparing as best as he could, he was still mostly guessing.

It was one thing to admit their plan was shaky, another to admit it was based entirely on guesses, but if they wanted to stand their best chance, he needed to be honest with them. “I… don’t know. I know he’s powerful, but between all of us there, Momboo, Ocie, her captain, me, we should have enough to force him too, but I can’t say anything for certain.”

Sherbert frowned, but nodded. Isla reached for his hand, not having let go of Sherbert’s, and gave them both a squeeze. “Regardless of what happens, I am so incredibly proud of both of you. I wish I had gotten more of a chance to see you both grow into such fine young adults, but when this is over, I will settle for seeing the rest of your lives. Now, lets go find my husband.”

Rae blinked back tears at her words, moving to stand with them. Centross eyed him as he moved towards the door, but Rae just gave him a weary smile, knowing his friend would understand. Later, they had things they needed to do.

The guards were still outside the doors when they emerged, both immediately dropping into deep bows as Isla stepped into the hall. She smiled at them gracefully, motioning for them to stand. The older of the two, the one who had recognized Rae first, started to speak, but Isla stopped her. “There are many conversations to be had later. Namely, know that I have never blamed you for what happened that night. Now though, we must find Fable. Escort us, and ensure no one tries to stop us.”

Both of the guards nodded at her words, a sliver of awe in their expressions as, for the first time in too many years, they looked at the Queen, not just her shell. Then they turned, beginning down the hall and leaving them to hurry after.

Rae expected their journey to be harder, knowing both him and Centross were essentially wanted men, but as they walked through the palace he saw something he hadn’t been expecting in the eyes of every soldier, staff, or visitor they passed.

Recognition.

And not just towards Sherbert or Isla, though many were staring at their Queen with shock and awe, no, this was recognition of him. Not as a criminal, not as an End citizen, not even as the man he was. No, he could see in their eyes that for the first time since he arrived, they were seeing the little boy who had spent hours roaming the halls, who had trailed his brother to all his lessons, who had walked with his mother in the gardens on many clear summer nights.

Somehow, in freeing Isla, he had freed them all.

More guards fell into line with them as they walked, murmured whispers passing plans around to them as they did. Between them, their added strength not only in numbers, and the knowledge that he had been enough, for once, to save someone he loved, Rae held his head a little bit higher.

The fight ahead likely wouldn’t be easy, it wouldn’t be his life if it was, but he was hardly facing it alone.

Chapter Text

By the time they reached the throne room they were over 50 strong, a few dozen guards and knights flanking their sides, the rest a mix of servants, advisors, and others from around the castle that had joined them on their way.

Rae had seen each of their awe, then their determination, as they’d joined the group. Understanding rippled through the crowd with little more than whispers. The people of the Overworld were fed up with Fable; they were standing behind their Queen.

Out of the corner of his eye, he’d seen Sherbert whisper something to Isla before departing down a side hallway. Rae bit back a lump of panic as they did, trying desperately to remember them as they had been all day, not as the miniature Fable they’d been presented as. They were just as much Isla’s child as he was.

The first person to spot their approach was one of the guard standing outside to ensure no one interrupted the meeting. Though, unlike many of those who had joined their group, for the first time Rae saw… hesitance. His grip tightened on his weapon, his face twisting into a frown as he got the attention of his partner.

Rae slowed, unsure what to do here, and the group slowed behind him. He heard several of the guards shift, their own weapons in hand as if they were prepared to fight their supposed allies if the need came. Isla, in her grace, stepped forward, standing just as regal as the paintings Rae remembered lining the halls.

“Excuse me gentlemen, we have business in the hall,” she said, polite but firm.

The two guards eyed each other nervously, the second, taller of the two coughing anxiously, not quite meeting her eyes as he spoke. “Err, can’t do that ma’am- uh, your hi—majesty, uh, orders from the King that no one is to disturb his meeting.”

Isla raised an eyebrow at him. “Both as his wife, and as the rightful Queen and Ruler of this kingdom, Fable will understand.” 

Despite themselves, the guards didn’t move, still eyeing each other anxiously, their weapons held tight in their grip. Rae frowned. The shorter of the two was definitely younger, and likely hadn’t been a guard when Isla was queen, but the taller one was older, and he had vague memories of seeing him in training right before Enderian attacked.

He could see Isla about to try again when a voice came from their left, many in their group turning in time to see the Captain of the guard approach. “What seems to be the trouble here?” he said, a forced smile on his lips.

Isla looked him up and down, a barely concealed look of disgust on her face. “Marson.”

The captain managed to simply raise an eyebrow at her, his eyes hardening as they slipped past Isla and landed on Rae, Centross standing steps behind him. He looked back to Isla, a cheshire grin across his face. “Your Majesty! That is a dangerous criminal next to you. Come, let us get you to safety while e detail these men. Clearly, they’ve bewitched half the castle alongside you.”

He made to reach for her arm, which Isla yanked out of his reach before he could touch her, her disgust, and anger, now evident on her face. “You know very well who this is, Marson. Now tell your guards to move before we make them.”

Just like that any hint of friendliness, real or fake, vanished from the captain’s face, his own grip on his weapon tightening as he looked at the crowd gathered behind them. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, King’s orders.”

Isla glared at him, then turned to Rae, mischief sparking in her eyes. “My love, we both know we mean these men no harm, but we really need to get in there. Could you…?”

Rae caught her hint, thinking for a second, then nodding, holding back his own grin. The captain and the guards looked at each other, turning to him with their brows furrowed. They made to move towards him, but only made it about a step before finding their limbs covered in vines. Vines, that were growing taller and thicker by the second, already too thick for them to cut through by the time one of them tried.

He heard a few snickers from the crowd behind him, as well as some whispers, but he was too focused on pining the mens’ arms to their sides with the vines to try and figure out what was being said. Isla was holding back her own laughter at the sputters of indignation from the three men, reaching over to squeeze Rae’s arm approvingly.

By the time he finished, all three were wrapped head to toe, their weapons having been dropped to the floor. Some of their guards stepped forward to claim them, then all but two stepped towards the door, waiting for Isla’s signal to open them. The other two positioned themselves by the now entrapped guards, a hint of amusement in their eyes as they watched to make sure they couldn’t escape.

Isla nodded approvingly at her men, then turned to Rae. “Are you ready?”

Was he? He didn’t necessarily feel it, but, it was now or never, wasn’t it?

He took a deep, shaking breath, steadying himself and his magic. “Yes.”

Isla pulled him into a quick hug, then nodded to their guards, glancing back at the crowd behind them. “Whatever happens beyond these doors, I thank you all for joining us. It has been hard simply watching all these years, and I can only hope to undo my husband’s wrongs in time.”

There was a flutter of warmth through the crowd, many people tightening their grip on their weapons, of whatever they had on hand. Rae recognized a few with magical markings seeing the way their hands flexed, ready to shoot of spells if needed.

Then the doors opened, their guards spilling in and spreading out, going between the few guards in the room in an instant. Whether they joined them or were restrained, he didn’t focus on. Rae moved forward with Isla, watching Fable as his brow turned down at their entry, confusion morphing to shock and then anger as he saw who led the crowd.

“What is the meaning of this?” Fable growled, standing up.

Isla lifted her chin, looking every bit the Queen he remembered from his childhood. “Fable Loren. As the rightful Queen of this land, and your wife, I demand you step down from the throne at once, for crimes against the crown and its people.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Rae saw his friends stand, both Ocie and Momboo smirking at their little parade, before moving to clearly stand with them on Isla’s other side.

Fable’s face twisted, his anger growing to fill the room like a smog. “How dare you! I have ruled this land justly and rightfully for years. I am more rightfully king than you. You’ve barely known your own name for over a decade.”

Isla raised an eyebrow at him. “My name is Queen Isla Morningstar, daughter of King Raemond Morningstar and King consort Everett Morningstar. I am one of three living Morningstar heirs, of which you are not one. Now relinquish my throne, or face the consequences.”

He was the first one to see the power shooting from Fable’s hands, shoving his mother out of the way before the golden beam could hit her. It struck him across his shoulder, a flash of pain cracking through his arm before fading, though maybe that was just the adrenaline as he shot back his own attack.

There were shouts all around them, yells of ‘he tried to attack the Queen!’ or ‘he attacked the prince!’ rushing past him as Fable dodged his blast with ease. Isla pulled him back as most of the crowd rushed forward, soldiers with weapons at the ready and other spells appearing at random. Gusts of air or water rushed past them, the ground shaking but not falling, though Fable dodged all of it.

Isla fretted over him quietly, silently asking if he was alright. He offered her a pressed smile, unsure how to feel about the attention but also not wanting to worry her. Ocie caught his eye, waiting until Momboo guided Isla away from the fight before coming to his side.

“Break anything?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No, I don’t know what he threw at me, but it just hurts. What do we do now?”

She glanced over to where their group was fighting, Centross, Fenris, and the others having joined. Many were laying on the ground, no visible injuries, though they looked so still that only the gentle rise and fall of their chests assured Rae they weren’t dead. “We have to restrain him,” Ocie replied finally, “And anyone else who tries to side with him. He’s powerful though, I don’t know how we’ll do it, I was hoping he would just surrender when he saw Isla.”

“We all did,” Rae said sourly. He paused, his eyes briefly finding Centross in the crowd where he as shielding some of the non-powered staff that had joined them.

“Rae?” Ocie said, watching him with concern.

“I have an idea,” he replied, then darted off into the fight before she could say anything else. He dodged around people, blocking incoming spells and shooting back his on towards Fable when he could. For one man, he was doing a good job of keeping everyone back. To his credit, he wasn’t going for the kill. That is, until he seemed to spot Rae.

“YOU!” Fable yelled, his voice tearing through the crowd. Rae snapped his head around, eyes wide as he watched Fable send a blast in his direction so fast he didn’t have time to react. He braced for the hit, only for it to never come, instead bouncing off a sword suddenly in its path and hitting the wall a few feet away, stone crashing to the floor.

Rae looked up at the person holding the sword, recognizing them as the guard who had been in front of Isla’s room. She shot him a thin smile, moving again to deflect another blast Fable shot his way. He vaguely saw someone of Fable’s other side throw themselves towards him, distracting him enough for Rae to continue on his way.

He reached Centross out of breath, deflecting pieces of rubble falling from where stray blasts hit the ceiling or walls.

“Are you alright?” Centross asked over the noise of the fight.

Rae nodded, freezing a chunk of stone midair and shooting it back towards Fable, who simply exploded it before it could hit. “We need to restrain him.”

Centross grabbed him, pulling him to the side in time to avoid another blast sent his way. “How the hell do you suppose we do that?”

Rae pressed his lips into a thin line, not wanting to even say his plan. He didn‘t have to, though, because he could tell Centross figured it out. Centross grimaced, but nodded.

“We can find another way,” Rae offered, though it sounded weak even as he said it.

Centross shook his head. “No time. We just need to get close enough.”

Their group had thinned considerably, many now focused on getting their allies and friends out of the way while those who could still fought. Momboo had created some sort of barrier at the back of the room, herself, Isla, and Caspian helping to pull anyone injured inside it. He could see the turmoil on Caspian’s face, knowing he wouldn’t be much help in the fight, but wanting desperately to be part of it. In an attempt to ease his mind, Rae sent a small burst of magic to circle him, drawing a small but worried smile from him before he returned to helping the others.

Ocie had joined the fray too, seemingly taking the brunt of Fable’s force and attention. He couldn’t help but just watch her for a moment, watching as she dodged and danced around Fable’s attacks, wordlessly shooting back small hit after hit that nicked his side, or his leg, or even his face, clearly angering him. Her movements spoke of years, decades, of practice, a grace so wordless she looked like the tide itself. Fable looked like a clumsy child in comparison, not a single one of his hits finding its mark.

There was no way they were going to beat him in pure strength; he had them in spades there. Ocie was keeping his focus, so if they could just get close to him…

Rae looked to Centross, motioning for them to begin their approach. They snuck through the remaining crowd, ducking out of Fable’s view whenever he looked their way. He watched as Fenris took a hit, biting back his pain as he lifted two more unconscious bodies and hurried towards Momboo’s barrier. The field was thinning a lot.

Then Fable sent out a wide blast, knocking all those who were still standing to the ground, including Ocie. Rae landed half on top of Centross, pushing himself up as quick as he could. His eyes searched for Ocie, shock coursing through him when he saw her knocked out cold, though that didn’t last long as Fable turned his attention to him.

Rae threw up a barrier, blocking Fable’s attack. He extended it to cover where Ocie lay, gritting his teeth as it took hit after hit after hit until some of the remaining guards managed to carry Ocie behind Momboo’s barrier. Centross was helping others to their feet, urging them back to safety. He’d come to the same conclusion as Rae then; this was their fight now.

He’d been watching Fable’s attacks, counting the seconds between breaths, between bolts, between yells. The second he finished his current round of assaults, Rae dropped his own barrier, focusing his magic and sprouting vines from the walls, the stalks wrapping around Fable’s arms and pulling.

Then they were gone, and he had barely enough time to block as Fable shot back his own attack. His next one went wide, arcing towards the ceiling in what he would have called a miss, except seconds later he heard the rumbling of stone, chunks of ceiling crashing to the ground around him. Shouts from behind him sounded alarmed, then muffled, a thick wall of debris separating the once throne room in two.

His eyes found Centross, who had picked up a fallen sword and now stood next to him, bracing for the next attack.

However, instead of attacking, Fable… laughed.

“I should have known you would be just as stubborn as your mother,” he taunted, a malicious grin across his face. “And I must admit, it was ignorant of me to not realize you were the bastard.”

Rae didn’t dignify him with a reply, simply standing at the ready for if he did attack again. But he just continued speaking.

“I must ask though, why in the world did you think it was a good idea to come here?” he asked, an almost teasing tone to his voice, “Surely you knew of Isla’s, well, previous condition. Did you really expect to be welcomed? To be loved? As if you are not the very reason this kingdom was almost torn apart, the reason I had to step forward as King, to save it from the ashes you left it in?”

He bit back a strangled sob, trying his best to block out his words. A few months ago, he would have given in at them, but he’d learned. He’d been forced to learn. It was not his fault, and he was loved.

However it was not him that moved first. In a blink of an eye Centross had thrown himself at Fable, landing a small hit to his shoulder before Fable caught up, waving a hand and throwing him back into the pile of rubble. Rae made to move for him, his heart hurting at the faint groan his friend let out, but he was forced back into the defensive as Fable shot another spell at him.

“It is curious as well,” Fable continued, barely phased despite the small trickle of blood now dripping from his shoulder, That you have gained such loyalty from a mutt like him. Though I suppose, I did hear of your brief engagement, perhaps there is more in it for him than simple loyalty.”

He stepped towards Rae, his grin returned to his face, like he could see the cracks starting to form in Rae’s mind and his heart. His words meant nothing, and yet…

Fable shot another blast at him, and this time, his barrier fell, his mind too blurred to keep it up. He clumsily knocked aside Fable’s next few attacks, but he could feel the day wearing on him.

Then one of Fable’s blasts hit him square in the gut, forcing him to double over in pain, his knees crashing to the hard stone floor. He was yanked back up a second later, two vines, mimics of his own, wrapping around him and lifting him back to his feet.

And Fable, in that way he seemed to adore, pressed a finger to the under side of Rae’s chin, forcing him to look up and meet his eyes.

“Your story will end here, little prince. Tomorrow, the kingdom will be told of your attack on its King, an attack led by the son of the feared Queen of the north, who took control of the minds of innocents, who sullied their beloved missing prince’s image to claim it as his own, and who murdered their Queen.”

Rae’s eyes went wide, but Fable wasn’t done. “Tomorrow, there will be no one left to challenge my rule, and you will forever be known as the villain of this story.” His face twisted into a fake pout. “It was a good try. But it was not enough.”

With his free hand, he pulled a sword from the ground, the weapon flying through the air before landing in his hand.

“Goodbye, Rae Morningstar.”

Thunk.

Fable slumped to the ground, the sword clattering on the stone beside him. Behind where he had stood seconds ago, was Sherbert, their hands gripped tightly on a trident, still lifted high in the air from where they’d hit Fable over the head.

Rae felt relief flood through him as the vines unfurled around him, his body falling back to the floor. Sherbert rushed towards him, stopping him before he crashed completely, their trident now discarded alongside the sword. He could see their mouth moving, but it seemed the adrenaline was finally leaving his body, and he quickly slipped into darkness.

Part of him was surprised when he woke up again, his memory so fuzzy he could barely remember what all had happened in the last… however long.

His eyes blinked open slowly, a tall, decorated ceiling towering above where he lay on, well, a bed, but whose bed, he had no idea. He twisted his neck, spotting Caspian in a chair by the window. His hands worried in his lap, his brows creased in a way that was surprisingly endearing. 

Rae cleared his throat, his voice coming out weak and hoarse, “Any pretty birds out there?”

Caspian’s head snapped towards him, relief flooding across his face as soon as their eyes met. “Rae,” he breathed, pushing himself off his chair as Rae attempted to sit up, meeting his lips with his on in an instant. He could tell there was so much that needed to be said, and he had so many questions to ask, though the one about whose room he was in was now answered, at least.

When Caspian finally pulled back, he didn’t move far. He helped Rae sit up properly, then sat on the edge of the bed, holding Rae’s hand in his own.

“How long was I out?” Rae asked, almost scared to know.

Caspian pressed his lips together, “Close to a day. You weren’t the only one, though, basically anyone with magic was out for a while. Ocie woke up a few hours ago, though she was forced back to sleep after she initially woke up after the battle. She took a nasty hit to the head.”

“And the others?” Rae asked, fearing the worst.

“There were no losses,” Caspian answered. “Some decent injuries, but the medics here are really good. Everyone is expected to make a full recovery. Queen Isla’s been busy making sure the record is set straight, and that anyone loyal to Fable is rounded up. I’m sure she’ll want to tell you all of that herself, though.”

That was good. That… was better than he’d expected, honestly. It was just their luck that Fable only wanted to kill him, then.

“…Fable?” he asked, fearing the worst, or maybe the best, he wasn’t sure what to think about his step-father/uncle.

Caspian squeezed his hand. “In the dungeons. We had to call a blacksmith to temporarily set Centross’s pendant into a set of cuffs, but he’s already given Sherbert the materials they need to make more so it’ll be a more permanent fix. I assume you knew about that though?”

“The pendant?” Rae clarified, nodding when Caspian confirmed. “Yes, I did. His father made it. It’s… he doesn’t like talking about it, but his magic is unusual. His mother almost went insane from it. I’m glad Sherbert is able to make more, I know he hates being without it for long.”

Caspian leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “I’m not here to pry open all of his secrets, don’t worry. He’s done more than enough to prove to me that I can trust him. And even if I didn’t, you do, which is plenty for me.”

He pushed himself off the bed then, and Rae already missed the warmth of his hands as he moved towards the door. “I should let the medics know you’re awake. I’m sure everyone will be eager to talk to you.”

The door clicked shut, and he slumped back into the bed, a sense of numb awe settling in his chest. He was home, properly home. His friends were alive, his family was safe. He’d reached the end of the road.

They’d won.