Ilsandra's room was grand - and you could tell it was hers based on all the royal blues and purples with accents of gold here and there.
It was lovely, and now Alhazier was more than convinced these weren't just some average every day princesses. Princesses weren't allowed to leave on ships. Princesses weren't afforded just nice rooms fit to their personalities. Princesses didn't have lots of history books, maps, and freedom to explore.
So who were they? Was he about to find out - or was this just another game the 'Captain' had to play in order to keep her sanity and feel of control? Part of him hoped he was wrong - and the other half was excited by the prospect of adventure.
Azrianna and Amyra had insisted on being there with their leader and Alhazier, just in case things got too heated, and the beautiful red-head decided to toss him out a window. They couldn't afford that.
"So for whatever reason, the rest of my sisters think that you can be trusted. They think you're more than a stupid party boy and a petulant child."
"Ouch. Am I talking to my dad here, ooooor?" Azier started with raised eyebrows as he tried to not take this seriously, despite the fact he wanted to shout at her that she had no idea what he was capable of.
None of them did.
You see - he had a secret of his own as well. One he kept guarded. One only two other people knew about, and both were dead.
Alhazier could use magic.
It was so scary, so unheard of, so....so abnormally scary that his mother and older brother Xander had warned him to keep it to himself.
Hell, he didn't even practice. He buried it deep, deep down in his wretched little soul. However, it would seem that now it would be handy and a good bargaining chip should he need it.
So they could keep their secrets.
"I'm sorry, did the truth hurt your feelings?" Ilsandra asked with as much contempt in her voice as one could manage.
"Nah. I've been called worse by better, so your words mean nothing," Azier answered easily like they were having some sort of casual conversation about the weather.
"Funny." She spat back coldly.
"You don't have to insult him, Sandy." Amyra pointed out with steel in her expression and sound.
"Listen - whatever it is you have to say, just say it. I'm pretty sure the whole 'potion' thing was a cover up anyway. Besides, that would have been so boring and plain. I'm waiting on pins and needles here," Azier said with a sigh of irritation.
"I don't take orders from you," Ilsandra argued back and put her hands on her hips.
What he suspected was just a mere wall seemed to be an actual hatred she had for him. There had to be some reason - and he was sure he would find out either now, or later. It didn't matter. She was beautiful, that was certain - but she was not a woman he would have happily married if forced to.
She would however have fit with his brother, Dagon. He too, was a stickler for rules - and a fantastic leader whenever given the chance.
...Azier hadn't realized how much he missed him until now...
"Okay, fine." He gave up quickly and stared at her without hiding his contempt for her in return.
"Pardon me, Ilsandra - but I believe you're being rude to someone you have never met. It's unbecoming of you. You usually have more control," Azrianna said softly, but her gaze was stronger than usual as she met eyes with her older, taller counterpart.
"I agree. Can you take it down a little, please? You're being very intense for no reason other than your preconceived notions about who Alhazier is. Sit and talk with him for an hour or so and you'll see," Amyra insisted and then crossed her arms tightly as her eyes peered through her large lenses.
"Gross. What spell did he put on you with his gaze? I told you not to look into his eyes," Ilsandra growled.
"I like him on my own volition, thank you." The scholarly woman replied curtly.
"You should understand my feelings," Azrianna uttered and adverted her gaze again as sadness veiled over her face once more.
Whatever it was Azrianna was talking about - or perhaps it was her crestfallen face - it made Ilsandra go quiet and take a long, calming breath and a brief pause.
"Why did you drink that damn potion, anyway?" She finally asked and looked at Azier with disapproval.
He would have shaken his head better had his shoulders been attached to him, but alas, he looked like he was bobbing from side to side in Azrianna's cool, soft grasp.
"You really want to know? Would it somehow make you trust me?"
"I want to know. I'm not sure if anything will ever make me trust you, Alhazier."
"That name..." he muttered at her use of his proper moniker.
"He prefers Azier. He doesn't call you Sandra or Sandy - so maybe offering the same courtesy is a good idea right now..." Azrianna bravely spoke up in his defense.
Ilsandra glared at the black-haired alchemist and coldly gave in with a, "fine."
"Thank you, Azrianna. You're a beautiful rose," he said with pleasure and truth in his words as his eyes rolled up towards her.
"Yech," the red head quipped again.
Amyra shook her head towards the eldest of them in shame and rolled her eyes at the 'Captain's' behavior.
"I took the potion because my brother Azrael told me that it was potent blood wine. I had never gotten to try any like the rest of my siblings because I was grounded for being me." Azier started with solemness in his expression.
"After being informed of the past, I am most certainly sure he did so in order to stop my father from living forever. Azzie may have been the middle child of our brood, but he had always been the most ambitious. I'm not sure if he knew I was going to be punished so harshly, but I do know he was smiling as my father cut me to pieces," the Prince informed with no-nonsense in his explanation.
"I just wanted to stick it to my old man, so all I wanted to do was drink what I missed out on, pull in a maid or something and enjoy my night...but now look at me...I can't die no matter what happens, and it has been a curse rather than anything positive." Azier finished and even though he looked like he had more to say, he didn't utter a word afterwards.
"He's a victim of Azrael just like the rest of the world - can't you see that?" Amyra asked and gave her 'sister' a good, long look of steel.
Ilsandra wasn't sure what to say now. She hadn't considered that (or so he was starting to think). They must have been close to the now Supreme Lord or whatever it was the bastard called himself.
"He wants revenge as badly as anyone else," Azrianna added gently, and couldn't help but brush Azier's silky black threads like she had a cat in her lap.
"Very well. I'll give him the gist. The rest of you fools can tell him whatever you want afterwards, as long as my name and past stays out of your lips. Got it?" The leader gave in.
"Why would we do that?"
"We've never betrayed one another before. We wouldn't dare start now."
Amyra and Azrianna said at the same time.
"Very well, then. If you haven't guessed by now, what I told you was a lie. We are here to get your body parts and bring them to Azrael. He wants to use your blood for something - and before you ask, no, I don't know. All I do know is that he wants all of your body parts and he wants us to keep them separate in different crates."
"That makes me think that he fears Azier for some reason - otherwise why was he so specific?" Amyra posed the question in hopes it would only strengthen their argument to put the prince back together again. Regardless if her tactic worked, she continued.
"Leaders in the past always kept their enemies at a disadvantage. To keep Azier in parts is most certainly a hindrance. Otherwise, he wouldn't care. He's the most powerful creature alive. If you truly weren't a threat, Azier - he'd ask for you back whole."
"What I'm trying to get to here is that we would like for you to help us defeat Azrael and in return, we will return you to your former glory," Ilsandra cut back and looked to Amyra to scold her silently.
"Alright, I'll bite. What are your terms?" Azier replied with intrigue and gave her a dashing grin.