Quentin checked the mirror again.
Today was the day, he was going to meet the child who brought flowers to life.
He was nervous. His father's voice rang in his ear as he continued to scrutinize his suit for any minor wrinkles or stains.
"Quentin, this family is one centered around knighthood, and it will most likely stay that way long after I am gone. If you develop the talents I know are inside you, you might grow to work closely with the royal family. Well, all I'm trying to say is... get along with him."
Quentin had nodded in all seriousness, that white haired kid was important. Someday it might be his job to protect him.
With one more glance over his reflection he was out the door where his father was already waiting for him.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
- - -
"Azra are you sure you're not dying?"
"Cal!"
Callum turned to his annoyed father with teary eyes.
"But he's been sitting down since we got here and he keeps coughing!"
Scott scrubbed his face and turned to Matteus sitting at a table off to the side tending to paperwork. The man didn't even turn to glance at him, instead taking a sip from the teacup that was constantly getting refilled.
"Azra just takes a bit more time to recover from a cold. He's fine! He's perfectly fine!"
Callum moved to cling onto his father's leg, rubbing his runny nose and wet cheeks all over his pants.
"Liar! Daddy's a liar! Fix him daddy! I only just made a best friend, I'll blame you if I lose him already! Fix him! Fix him! Fix him!"
Scott shook his leg insistently but his child had a death grip on him.
"Callum calm down, as Azra has told you over and over, he's fine. Can you please stop acting like this? The Kingsleys will be here soon, at least have the decency to look proper in front of them."
Instantly Callum was off of his father, looking up at him with his top lip curled in disgust.
"Kingsley? Quentin? He's not coming here is he?"
Azra perked up from the small couch he was seated in, and in a soft voice interrupted the bickering father and son.
"Who's Quentin?"
"He's a nice kid."
"He's a meanie!"
They both spoke simultaneously.
"You come here!"
Scott took hold of Callum's ear and dragged him out of the room, leaving it almost eerily quiet with Matteus and Azra.
"Dad?"
Matteus was instantly by his side, picking him up into his arms to feel his forehead. The nights were becoming colder, Matteus reminded himself to make sure his room was warmer for the months to come.
"What's wrong? Is it your fever coming back? Do you not feel well?"
Azra shook his head with slight difficulty as his father continued to observe him from various angels.
"Have you met Quentin?"
"I have not but I do know his father, if they are anything alike I'm sure you will have nothing to worry about."
Just as Azra began to relax from his father's assurance the door once again opened.
"Look who I found wandering the halls."
"I was not wandering, and you really shouldn't be so casual with His Majesty."
Scott was back in the room, an unamused Adam behind him. Callum continued to throw backward glares at the black haired child while Quentin simply blinked at the pink haired menace.
"Oh come on, we both went to school together, this is a gathering between friends. You should loosen up Adam."
"I am loose."
"Right..."
Scott was scared to see how he was when he was serious if this was his version of relaxed.
Completely ignoring Scott's teasing Adam stepped forward, bowing before Azra who was still held in his father's arms.
"Your Highness, I am Adam Kingsley. It is my pleasure to meet you and may I introduce my son Quentin Kingsley."
Azra wiggled his way out of his father's hold to stand in front of the taller boy. Moving just the way teacher Carmen told him, he introduced himself without bowing, as royalty should never bow. (Carmen's words not his.)
Quentin blushed, realizing that the prince was much more mesmerizing up close. Especially when he smiled.
With jerky movements he wordlessly held his arm out in a request for a handshake. He had seen his father do the same things with many people. Adam later told him it was a way to ask for them to get along without using words.
Azra mirrored his actions shyly, slightly confused but curious all the same.
Before the two could touch Callum was there, swatting Quentin's hand away. He leveled the other with a glare that screamed superiority.
"Quentin,"
"... Callum."
Azra looked between the two, wondering what kind of history they shared. They must have been quite close to address each other so casually.
"Now, now boys. Get along."
Scott chuckled as he ruffled his own son's pink hair. Adam simply looked at his son, fortunately it seemed as though he wouldn't be bringing up what he saw in the garden.
A knock at the door had everyone turning to Matteus, who tilted his head slightly, allowing white hair to drape over his shoulder.
"I have not invited anyone else."
The door opened at his allowance and a knight bowed to the prominent figureheads gathered in the room. It was slightly stifling to have the three pairs of eyes on him but he managed to spit out his message.
"Senior Knight Elric has sent word along with his location. He has found a person of interest."
Faster than the three children could blink, their fathers said goodbye. Leaving them in the care of Anna before leaving in a hurry. While they held a smile before their sons, it dropped from their faces once they were out of eye shot.
Matteus was the first to question the knight. His hands clenched in barely restrained anger. This was his mistake, his lack of vigilance that put Azra in danger. Whoever was behind this would be made an example of.
"He is in the noble residential area."
"Take us there," Scott smiled, though his eyes held no humor or happiness in them.
- - -
Jackson squirmed against the tight magic enhanced rope bindings, letting out a hiss as the rough texture peeled away the skin of his wrists.
"Hey! Aren't you taking this too far? I've already told you everything I know."
"I truly doubt that. There are several eyewitnesses that have confirmed seeing you meet with Nicolas Reed not once but twice."
Elric stood as he watched the man squirm insistently.
"So I saw him once or twice! That doesn't make me a fucking accomplice!"
Elric sighed, Jackson had been dancing around his questions for the past hour now. He had long decided that in order for him to get any proper response, he'd need more... motivation.
"- really didn't need to come."
"No, I will see him with my own eyes and make my decision."
"Something tells me you've already made a decision."
The knight stiffened as the familiar voices echoed into the room. Elric had asked for additional knights in order to question Jackson more thoroughly. He did not expect this.
Three hooded figures entered the room and upon revealing their faces Jackson broke out in a cold sweat. Immediately he was talking, spitting out words faster than his brain was able to comprehend them.
"Y-your Majesty! I really didn't mean any harm. He forced me out and tried to-"
Matteus' golden eyes narrowed into slits.
"Silence. I will ask the questions and you will answer them."
A draft enveloped the room, forcing everyone to puff out breaths of steam upon their exhalation. As if they knew what was coming Scott and Adam backed away from the King. Dragging Elric with them.
"How long have you been gathering information from Asteri and selling it?"
"Never! Never... before this..."
"Who did you sell the information about the Prince's magical cognition to?"
"Just two, I didn't tell anyone else. I swear it on my life."
At this point Jackson felt his lungs were being frozen, unable to expand to give him air. Although he wasn't sure if that was better or worse, breathing felt like he was inhaling sharp needles that grated against his dry throat.
"Who?"
Jackson let out a cough as he opened his lips which were turning blue.
"Who?"
"Nicolas... and... the p-people of Amaryllis."
Though his gaze remained on the man slowly numbing from frostbite his question was address to Elric who out of his range of his magical output.
"What about his family?"
"He has alienated himself from his family. They have not spoken to him since he has been assigned to Asteri."
"Perfect."
"I really should have done this from the start. I cannot trust your words, you must know that. As for the punishment of selling sensitive information and putting my son's life in danger, you die."
Jackson crocked as his eyes dried and began to crystallize from the frost. He couldn't feel the hand on his throat. His senses faded slowly as he finally stopped struggling against the rope.
Matteus sighed in irritation as he pushed the chair back and watch the man crackle and break into pieces like brittle chalk as he hit the floor.
"Ah, I was supposed to make an example of him."