All day Nico had avoided the princess like she had a contagious disease.
Though he attended all the classes and brought her meals, he never lingered long enough for her to start up a conversation. She tried to apologize multiple times only to receive stoney silence in return.
This had been going on for about two weeks before the princess managed to catch him on his way out to the gardens.
"Is there a reason you're avoiding me?" Kaya asked, folding her arms. "What have I done?"
Nico balled his hands into fists at his side, biting back the snarky remark sitting on the edge of his tongue.
"Are you ever going to speak to me again?" Kaya pressed. "What have I done to offend you? Whatever it is...I wish to make amends."
"What game are you playing?" Nico growled, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm not playing any game."
Nico threw his head back and laughed. "Oh really? Then do tell me why you're so concerned for my well-being. Are you trying to win favor, or gain attention? Am I just your good deed?" he folds his arms. "So, I'll ask again; what game are you playing."
"I'm not-"
"Good day, princess." Nico moved to go around her, but Kaya moved with him. "Is there something else you need?"
"I'm not finished."
Nico fought the urge to roll his eyes. "By all means, do go on."
"I'm not playing any game with you, honest. I'm not playing with your feelings or trying to use you in any way. I swear." Kaya held up her hands.
"That's not answering my question."
Kaya sighs. "Alright. Fine. Master Lee said it'd be good if I-we became friends." She shrugs. "So I've been giving it a shot, multiple ones actually, but you make it so hard to talk to."
"I'm hard to talk to!" Nico spluttered.
"Yes!" Kaya shot back, face reddening.
Nico chuckled, taking a couple of steps away from her. "Like I said. You don't give a damn about me or any other elf."
"How can you say that when-"
"You're only talking to me because someone else suggested that you should." Nico snarled. "if you really cared, you would've done this on your own accord. Good day, princess."
Kaya put a hand firmly on his chest. "What makes you think I pity you?"
"I don't want to go into this right now." Nico pushed her hand away.
"I do."
Nico pursed his lips, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He cursed himself for not leaving fast enough.
"I don't pity you. I pity the situation my father has put you and your fellow elves in. That I had to stand by and watch this unfold." Kaya's chest heaved. "Do you think I want this?"
Nico bit the inside of his cheek, his gaze scanning the hallway never once looking her in the eye.
"I don." Kaya snarled, answering her question. "Many people just went along with this because they're scared."
Before Nico could say anything a guard approached them, bowing in Kaya's direction.
"Sorry for intervening but the king has requested both of you to the throne room."
Kaya nods and followed the guard down the hall. Nico trailed behind, wondering what happened.
...
The throne room was full of people wearing fancy, flashy robed standing on the edge of the room chatting amongst themselves.
Kaya wrung her hands and licks her lips clearly nervous.
Nico's gaze landed on the king who was sitting back in his throne wearing all black and a fur-lined robe.
Standing in the corner were Zander and the other elves. Leaving Kaya, he approached them with his brows raised.
"Have you any idea why we were summoned here?"
Zander shook his head and glanced at Ronnie who was bitting her fingernails. "There have been explosions in the mines. The king's guards believed they have found who was responsible."
"Oh." Nico whispered.
Ronnie started pacing. "I just hope it's not my family."
Emmani looked up at Ronnie with wide eyes, she grabbed her hand and squeezed slightly.
The kings booming voice had Nico whirling his head back in his direction. "Bring the accused forward!"
The doors were thrown open and an Elven family of three were dragged inside, all wore tattered clothes caked in back soot. Their hair was a matted mess on the top of their heads and they were looking around in fear.
Ronnie gasped and started forward but Zander held her back.
"Ma! Pa!"
The little boy looked over at them and his eyes narrowed before widening in surprise. "Ron-Ron?"
"Well, this is quite the surprise." King Kojo chuckled. "Perhaps you'd be willing to help clear your families name?" he cocked his head in Ronnie's direction.
"Don't," Zander hissed. "You're only going to make this wore than what it is."
Ronnie bristled. "I'm not going to stand by and watch my family be punished." She wrenched herself from Zander's grip and stumbled forward.
She stood next to her brother as they were shoved forward to their knees.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ronnie demanded, turning a furious gaze on the king.
Murmurs rose from the people surrounding them. King Kojo raised a hand and silence fell. "As you are all aware, there were explosions in the mines. This caused many of my men to fall, and citizens to be affected by all the smoke and debris."
"How has that got anything to do with my family?"
"Your family was caught sneaking away from the damage with a bag full of blasting jelly." King Kojo leaned forward, sneered. "Explain that."
"We-we didn't know it contained blasting jelly." Ronnie's mother whimpered. "And even if we did know, we wouldn't have started an explosion!"
"Did you perhaps think to ask them how they acquired the bag before dragging them in here?" Ronnie spat, hands trembling at her sides.
King Kojo hummed. "We did."
Ronnie's father spoke up. "Before the explosions went off, me and my family were eating a meal before starting our shift. An elf had given the bag to my son. We had no idea that there was blasting jelly inside."
"It sounds to me that someone used them as a scapegoat." Ronnie snarled.
Nico swallowed. If Ronnie didn't control her temper, she could be joining her family's punishment. His gaze fell on Kaya, who sat next to her father with her hands clasped in her lap, brows furrowed.
"And yet, there were written plans in your father's things. And blasting jelly was the key ingredient." King Kojo rubbed his stubble. "The last question I have for them is are they working for the Revolution?"
Ronnie's parents flinch and look down at the ground. "I thought as much. I'll spare your brother to persuade him from following the footsteps of his parents. Can't kill child for the mistakes of their parents, can we?" King Kojo smiled. "But as punishment, you will both be forced to be present for their execution."
Ronnie's face drained of all color and she gawped at King Kojo. Her brother was shaking his head repeatedly.
"Please..sir. Have mercy...my parents-"
King Kojo pierced him with the deadliest of glares Nico had ever seen. The boy clamped his lips together. Smart boy. "Unless...you'd want me to reconsider my offer."
"We'll take whatever punishments you throw at us." Ronnie's father snarled, spittle flying. "But one day the Revolution will take you down and kill every last one of you pathetic creatures."
The guard beside her father backhanded him so hard that he knocked him out. Ronnie's father fell on his side.
"Well," Zander muttered. "That was....interesting."