The Realm of Realms

He races over to where a nearby mirror is and picks it up off of the wall. Hiding behind the large mirror and hiding his voice, he calls a servant over and tells them that King Reynyx had requested this mirror. The servant nods and opens the door to the throne room, stepping inside.

“My King, the mirror you requested has arrived,” the servant says softly, their smile unwavering.

“Mirror? I do not recall requesting one, but I shall allow it. Where is it?” Reynyx says, turning his attention away from Chase, the latter man’s eyes a violent purple even as he smiles and dances about.

Jackie stays just outside the throne room, still holding it up to block himself from being seen. Thankfully, Reynyx wouldn’t be able to see him if he put the mirror down. Jackie politely calls over another servant and has them hold the mirror instead, telling them that King Reynyx would like the mirror in another room. The servant nods and walks away with the mirror, catching Reynyx’s eye.

Jackie sinks behind the wall, out of sight.

“Where are you going with my mirror, servant?” Reynyx says, narrowing his eyes. He stands up out of his throne and marches out of the throne room after the servant carrying the mirror.

Reynyx marches right past Jackie and the latter man slips inside the throne room, looking over his shoulder to ensure Reynyx isn’t there.

“Put the mirror down, servant,” Reynyx commands, watching as the servant places down the mirror in front of him, smiling all the while.

Upon sight of himself in the mirror, Reynyx’s attention becomes transfixed upon it. “I am gorgeous, aren’t I? Praise me.”

The servant kneels and bows their head, praising Reynyx like a god.

Jackie ignores all of that, using it as a distraction as he approaches Chase, who’s still dancing faster and faster, even as he’s bound tightly in chains.

“Chaser…?” Jackie asks, trying to get Chase to stop dancing, but nothing seems to work.

Chase’s empty eyes land on Jackie, but no recognition exists behind them. He keeps dancing, even as his body aches. He can’t remember the last time he was allowed scraps to eat.

Jackie cups Chase’s head in his hands and bonks his forehead against Chase’s. “It’s Leo… remember?”

Chase’s eyes land on Jackie’s again and recognition appears with mention of that name. He whispers: “L-l-l-l-L-Leo…?”

Jackie nods. “Leo. I’m gonna get you out of here, okay?”

Chase nods, shakily offering his wrists, which are bound in chains to the floor. Jackie breaks off the chains easily, the collar, and anything else keeping Chase here. He scoops up Chase in his arms and hurriedly runs away to the closest place he can: the garden.

He keeps Chase close, holding him protectively and lovingly and races as far into the garden as he can. That should give them a good hiding spot for now and a place where Chase can feel happy.

“L-l-l-l-Leo…” Chase repeats, his eyes turning from a violent purple to a soft pink. Little flowers start to bloom around them.

“I promised I’d come hold you again, Guiding Star,” Jackie says, smiling and nuzzling into Chase’s shoulder. “I’m here. I’m here.”

Chase holds him close, holds him tight. “M-m-m-missed y-y-y-y-you…”

“I missed you, too. They’re never gonna take us back, okay? We’re safe. We’re safe.”

Chase nods, mumbling “safe” repeatedly.

“Thanks, Greed. Almost there, I know it.”

Jackie sees elegant and extravagant doors to a large room and hurriedly approaches them. He approaches the doors cautiously and sinks back against a corner when he hears a loud crash and a shout from the other side.

“I said dance, stupid thing! Faster, fool, faster! Do not stop!” Reynyx screams, then another crash sounds from within the room. It sounds like a teacup breaking.

Guess that answers where Reynyx is.

And where Chase is.

Great.

Jackie winces from the sound. Gods, he wishes he could march in there and kill Reynyx right then and there, but he can’t. He has to think of some way to get Reynyx out of the throne room and unable to come back in for a long time. He’s so, so close.

He nods, ducking behind a corner for a moment as a pair of guards go passing by. Upon looking at the guards, he sees the pairs’ golden eyes, and… wait a second.

The guards’ armor looks like obsidian metal—something only found on Spades— and an engraved ‘R’ in cursive—easily mistakeable for meaning Romulus and/or Reynyx—is on the back. The ‘R’ looks like a sword, then a wisp made into the rest of the ‘R.’

Upon an even closer look, the shoulders are very protected and the chest is encased with obsidian metal.

Oh.

That’s his dad’s signature. The ‘R’ is for Rhodes—Sterling Rhodes—his father. His father is making the army’s weapons and armor. Shit, he’s been so obsessed with finding Chase, he forgot about his own father! Gods, he has to get them both out of here.

Jackie hurriedly and quietly sneaks past the music room before replying, “Yeah… Gods, I hope the throne room is close. It’s only a matter of time before I’m spotted, y’know?”

Jackie reaches the main hall and continues wherever East should be. He stays as out of sight as he can, trying not to get noticed by guards making their rounds or servants moving to and fro.

He mouths: “I’m panicking,” and darts around the nearest corner, staying out of sight. He can’t fucking believe he almost ran into Romulus’ arms. Holy shit, he can’t believe he thought Romulus was Chase.

He races around a corner to hide, pressing his back far against the wall as he can.

Romulus steps outside of the music room and looks around for any sign of who made the noise. He walks down the hallway to the left—far from Jackie—and then searches down the hallway to the right—where Jackie is—and walks to the very edge of the hallway where Jackie hides right around the corner. Romulus pauses for a moment, listening, then returns to the music room, once more playing the piano.

He gives you a wide-eyed panicked “no kidding” look, and tries to run, but he’s frozen in place. C’mon, c’mon, now’s not the time to freeze! He presses his back as far as he can against the wall so he won’t be seen and he breathes hurriedly, worried.

Romulus’ footsteps draw near, the boots pounding slowly, rhythmically against the marble floor. They sound like an axe swinging down upon Jackie’s neck in slow, rhythmic intervals.

“It’s worth a shot?” Jackie says, then slowly approaches the room where the beautiful piano music is coming from.

Oh, he can imagine it now: his lover’s eyes a gorgeous pink, sandy-brown hair falling in his face, but he doesn’t care as he plays the most beautiful somber tune. Jackie can imagine Chase’s beautiful, slender hands pressing the keys with such grace and expertise.

Staying cautious, he peeks into the room, hoping to catch sight of Chase, so he may finally be reunited with his partner.

Upon peeking into the room, he catches sight of someone with black hair and the faintest of blue undertones.

That’s.

That’s not.

That’s not Chase.

That’s.

That’s.

Oh.

He almost gags when the realization hits: that’s Romulus.

That’s fucking Romulus!

Oh my fucking god, he almost ran in here and into Romulus’ arms thinking he was Chase! Holy fuck, that was close! He quickly ducks out of sight, his shoes squeaking a little on the clean marble floor. His eyes widen as the music comes to a halt and the piano bench squeaks as it’s pushed backwards. The bench creaks softly, but loud enough for Jackie to hear, as Romulus stands up.

Oh shit.

“No clue!” Jackie says, shrugging his shoulders.

He seems to be getting closer to whatever mid area lies beyond the west wing, but as he seems to near the end of the west wing, he catches sound of the most beautiful piano music.

It’s almost melancholic, somber. The notes are light, but the mood is heavy. Someone’s playing melodically all the same.

Maybe that’s Chase?

He smiles a little at the sound of the piano, even if the mood isn’t joyful. He’s hoping that maybe Chase is the one playing the beautiful instrument. He follows the sound, almost entranced in it. Gods, Chase always knew how to play the most beautiful songs.

Maybe they’ve let Chase graduate from playing his lute to the piano. Maybe he entertains them that way? Fuck, he should’ve asked.

Gods, he should go running into that room that has the gorgeous grand piano and right into his lover’s arms. Chase has to be playing the piano, right?

“That’s true… I don’t know if they’re like… alarms or something, so… best to not find out,” he agrees, and runs around the servants—out of sight—before they can process who or what just happened or might have happened.

And sure enough, the servants just stand there, still smiling and looking forward with dead, empty stares. They stay standing, smiling, and looking forward even after Jackie is far away from them.

“Maybe? Your guess is as good as mine, ha,” Jackie says, chuckling awkwardly as he continues to move through the west wing.

There’s rows and rows of several different rooms, some open and some are not. As Jackie travels down the west wing, he spots several servants with blank, smiling faces up ahead.

He considers asking them for directions.

He watches and listens for the two guards to pass, then gets going out of the study again. He nods, saying quietly, “Yeah! We did it!”

“I hope so, too. Maybe… maybe when this is all over?” Jackie says, hopeful. He reaches the top of the stairs, and looks around.

“Left it is!” Jackie says happily, heading down the left path.

As he travels down the left path, plenty of torches line the walls and Jackie places the one in his hand in an empty slot, no longer needing it.

“Biology, huh? That’s cool!” Jackie says, still heading down the path.

Eventually, the hallway widens a little and he arrives at the base of the dungeons stairs, which lead upwards.