I noticed the severe lack of Leo that afternoon while waiting for Koharu to arrive. My world was… quiet. I didn't like that as I picked at a dilapidated piece of wallpaper. As much as I seemed to bicker and push others away, I yearned for the bustle and noise around me to add color to life. When the yellows and pastels weren't there, everything was sulky and gray.
*It's not the kind of beautiful rainy day I adore...*
Akiyoshi wasn't there either, but I didn't notice his presence missing as much. He was much more silent, a small stain rather than a stroke of oil paint, but his conversations still kept my mind from getting dusty.
I figured the two of them must have been busy. But with what? Leo and Sinclair were commonly seen together, and Akiyoshi kept to himself more so than usual lately.
To speak of the devil, I spotted Sinclair's chariot as I ambled out one of the smaller sets of doors, dragging my hands along bumpy walls that morphed into bricks.
A curly-haired fairy sat, peering aimlessly at a bush while sitting on a stone bench decorated with amethysts.
"Sinclair?"
I was shocked to see them alone. That was never the case before every time I saw them at the castle.
They smiled softly and sweetly said, "Hello, Ophelia."
*You're finally getting the hang of calling me by my first name.*
"What's up? You waiting on Leo?"
They nodded, almost sadly. They seemed like a bird waiting for its companion to fly back as it straddled a branch.
"I have been for a while. He's rather late today. Do you perhaps know why?"
I shrugged. "I was about to ask you the same. I guess we're both clueless here. If I had my guess,"—I plopped down beside them as they scooted over—"he's with Akiyoshi."
"What gives you that suspicion?" They perked up, not pushy or irritated like Jisoo was earlier.
"They've both been missing all day. It's too damn boring around here." I placed my hands beside me on the bench.
They chuckled. "I think you're probably right." Then, they paused, examining my stiff posture. "Where's your princess?"
I smiled at their phrasing.
"Her letter said she had a few meetings to arrange in the other kingdom regarding some educational program Hikaru's trying to implement. She'll be here in about an hour hopefully."
*There's no telling with her. I guess that's half the fun.*
"I see."
There was a bit of awkward silence. I had never been alone with them except for that one time before, but Leo saved me then. I turned to them.
"Hey, Sinclair."
"Yes?" Their attention was drawn from a sharp pebble on the ground.
"Do you know why the royal children can't leave the castle?"
*Some things still haven't lined up.*
"How much do you know about their situation already?" They were caught a little off guard as I watched their winged shoes tap against each other.
"I know there's a petty magician on their butts and that their parents are strict, but that's all I know."
"There's your short answer." Sinclair kicked around the rocks on the ground to watch them roll. "They always keep an eye on the nobles somehow. They're omniscient. The only place they can't monitor the siblings is in the castles because the buildings are cursed and have Leo nearby, so naturally, Inei and Hikaru try to keep their kids in unless they're with a parent. They don't want the children fooling around and getting caught."
"And if they're caught?"
*Everyone tells me the same things as you do, but nobody can answer that for me. Don't you know anything as a fairy?*
"Firstly, I think it's unlikely, but if they are caught, I wouldn't even know." Frowning, they tilted their head. "My apologies. I'm not a good resource on that matter."
I wanted to groan, but I had come to expect getting nothing but more of the usual. It was useless of me to wish for more. I should have known that.
"It's fine," I told them, but I then grinned. "Thank you for what information you could give."
They nodded with a goofy smile. "Of course. That is some of the reason why I reside in this castle lately. I often have all the answers, but it's impossible to know everything. Is there anything else you're curious about?"
The reflection of the light from a candelabrum off something that shone like the colors of the rainbow caught my eye. I noticed this object previously, but it never occurred to me to ask about it until then. It felt like a footnote among everything else, but sometimes, the extraneous details at the bottom provided the most valuable information.
"Yes, actually," I replied, and they nodded for me to continue. "Is there any reason you always wear that bracelet?" I pointed to a thin gold band with an opal in the center. "I find that people who wear jewelry often have a reason for doing so, especially with how impractical it is in handiwork."
They angled their neck downwards to look at it, furrowing their brow to think over their response.
Sighing with an upturned lip, they said, "If I could tell you I got it from fighting a creature and winning a battle, I would, but I simply found this in a parcel with no name. I decided to keep it for myself since I had nothing else to do with it." They placed a finger under their chin. "Now it makes me think: I wonder if that person ever got a bracelet like this."
*So much for getting anything useful out of that.*
"I hope so," I remarked. "That's odd, though—that someone would simply forget something like that. It looks expensive."
"Mhm," they hummed as a thought hit them. "Pardon my rudeness, but I need to get back to work. I've got a few letters to deliver to Orbis in the Terrestrial Kingdom." As they stood and shook their head, they giggled. "Those citizens are impatient, what with their new ways of communicating. Soon enough, they might not even require my services anymore."
They turned to walk off before peering over their shoulder. "I hope you can find someone who knows something about the royal children, but I think it would be wise of you to avoid the king if you do not wish to lose your job so soon."
*Well… even Jisoo said nobody would probably get fired, but I'll heed your warning.*
I nodded in affirmation, but a higher voice shouted from a distance.
"Sinclair!" Leo yelled from somewhere across the courtyard as a door slammed open and hit the stone siding of the clearing.
"Perhaps you'll have a change of plans," I joked, "now the person you've been waiting for is here."
Sinclair smiled slightly at me before flying lightly above the ground to greet the boy. I walked quickly to the other door to exit the area, leaving the two to do as they pleased.
*They always seem so happy together.*