I woke up today and I knew it wouldn't be a good day.
First, I woke up at sunrise, to my windows wide open and a fireplace with no fire. Typical of Nasir, waking me up this way so we can finally talk, and how I'm dreading this talk.
Secondly, breakfast was served in the dinning hall, which is to be expected, but so is meeting other guests there, a certain knight as well. What I did not expect however is to see his hand severed and wrapped with what looked like a used shirt. The knight called Staveros- or so I think- took one look at me before escaping the hall at once, and I was left there with a hundred questions in my head. How did Hebron handle it yesterday?
Later I was joined by Amo, who did not look his usual cheerful self, I think he's got affected by Nasir afterall. He sat by me and focused on his food, filling his mouth as much as possible to leave no room for talk, I guess he was saving it for later. Fine, I can handle them all at once. I can totally do it.
Last but not least, the dreaded meeting finally happened after Amo escorted me to Nasir's room. The three of us gathered, Nasir standing in the middle of the room wearing his official court uniform, looking sharp as ever, and very overdressed for a friendly brotherly talk. Me and Amo however still had signs of sleep on our faces, both of us looked like we had a rough night.
We scattered on his couch, sitting as comfortably as possible for what's impossibly comfortable, and without any further delays Amo started: " So, dear okheti*, why don't you start telling us what's going on with you and that man?"
I looked down at my interlocked hands on my lap, bracing myself for what's yet to come, then I said in my best anxious voice:" I have a confession to make, but I want you to listen to me, until I am done explaining."
Nasir took the chair facing us, he responded calmly:" Sure thing, go ahead. Explain."
I took a deep breath, making sure I sound as apologetic as one can be:" I... I lied to you. well, not exactly lied but I hid some things from you."
" What do you mean by that?" Inquired Amo.
" Remember how me and the duke can't stand one another?"
Nasir responded:" You mean to say, how you killed his bird and stuffed your pillow with its feathers? Or how mixed his food with dirt and let him choke while on dinner with the dean of the academy, who might I add, is my mother's uncle? Or do you mean that once he embarrassed you in front of the whole graduation committee and diplomats attending the celebration, as well as the royal families of three powerful empires?"
I coughed, not shocked that he remembers all of these but surprised he is holding onto them that dearly.
" Yes. That, I mean that. As you can see that wasn't the whole picture."
" Of course not," he answered " your fights rivaled the king of Esteria and his brothers' in their intensity. We had several meetings with the Esterian delegates to ensure it wouldn't get out of hand, yet you two still found a way to break a crisis everytime we took counter-measurements."
" Allright, yes, we really argued. But that wasn't all there is. We also helped eachother," I said defensively, feeling overprotective over me and Ron," he and I had a different type of bond, and it was only years later that we realized our true feelings and talked about them."
" You mean to tell me, that you caused disasters away from home, and you tried to hide it, yet it was the gossip of every social gathering across the globe. However when you *talked* to him right under our noses we had no clue?" Said Nasir suspiciously.
" I can't believe a word you say!" snapped Amo, deciding to take the less-diplomatic approach.
This is not going to be easy.