#magic elements

        It's you who screamed and begged for your siblings, your parents, to not take you away. It's you who was institutionalized, made to suffer at the hands of those who were supposed to help you. It's you who tied your sheets into the noose, hands shaking. You who slipped it over your head. You who kicked the chair back, killing your sister.

        You jolt awake, sitting upright in your bed. Your chest is heaving, gasping for air, as you place a hand against your throat. Physically, you're fine. There's no pain in your body. Your mind is a different story. Your jaw wobbles and you pull your knees in close.

 "Keith?" You sniffle and look around the room. You can see the sun trying to break through your curtains on your balcony door. You get up on shaky legs and make your way to them. You lean heavily against the railing, trying to find Keith in the grounds below. You turn around when you can't spot him.

        You see the trail of his Quintessence lead back to the roof tops of the castle. That's good. He had time to get somewhere safe. You should be relieved but a part of you wished he'd stayed closer. Even his stone statue would be able to provide you the comfort you need.

        You rub your face and walk back into your room. Might as well make the most of the day. You could go talk to your sister, hang out with Allura or Romelle. Even see if there's anything you could do with Shiro.

 "The world's my oyster, or whatever." You mumble as you get dressed for the day.

        When you step out, you notice that the guard in front of your door has been reduced to one. Interesting.

 "Where is everyone?" You ask them.

 "Good morning, Your Highness. We've gotten word of another royal carriage approaching the castle."

 "Do you know who it belongs to?" You wonder if it's the rest of your family. Can you even face them after what you did last night? Your stomach churns at the thought. They can never know.

 "Not sure, Your Highness." They apologize.

 "It's alright. Guess I gotta be patient then huh?" You laugh as you make your way through the hallways.

        The dining hall is bursting with activity, a sight you're only used to seeing during a big holiday back home. And also how it was like during the Festival of Embers. You force down the shudder that rolls through you at that thought.

 "Prince Lance, please be careful!" Your guard calls from behind you.

 "Relax, nothings going to happen." You smile at them.

 "I'm more worried about losing you than anything, Your Highness." They say. Now isn't that a thought?

 "I wouldn't be. I completely believe in your ability to keep an eye on me."

        You watch the flow of the people moving about, much like Hunk had shown you all those months ago in the kitchen. You integrate yourself seamlessly into the crowd, following the push and pull of them as fluid as water. You hear the distressed cry of the guard you've left and only feel the smallest amount of guilt for it.

        The cluster of staff you've become a part of exit the dining hall, venturing further into the castle. You only break away as they slip into the kitchen. You take a deep breath and slowly turn around, appreciating the feeling of being unobserved by everyone. Finally, without a guard breathing down your neck in the castle. It's been too long.

        The staff hustle and bustle around you, some you've come to recognize after staying here for so long, others not as much. Must be Raquel's staff, Allura didn't bring any. Before you can ask a passing maid anything a voice rings out.

 "Prince Lance, what are you doing without an escort?" Kolivan storms up behind you. You don't flinch, definitely not, and glare up at him. That was fun while it lasted.

 "Why do I need one? I thought you put the person responsible for my injuries behind bars? Or did you fail?" You know he won't admit to it, and he doesn't even give you the satisfaction of seeing him squirm at your accusation. His expression doesn't change from his anger, his displeasure.

 "You must always have a guard on you. At all times."

 "Afraid I'd do something?" You cross your arms.

 "Is there something I should be afraid of?"

 "Let's cut the bullshit, I just wanted to say thank you for oh so graciously allowing my sister her entourage."

 "I'm not going to overstep a Queen's wishes." He says.

 "But you'll step all over a Prince?"

 "It's for your safety."

 "Like you care about that."

        Kolivan sighs deeply, he's clearly done with your attitude. He pinches the bridge of his nose, before shaking his head.

 "Nothing to say to that?" You prod.

 "I don't have time for your petty squabbles. Come."

 "No thanks, you're not my type."

        You watch him take a deep breath, hands clenching into tight fists. He's really on edge isn't he? You hold you hands up and groan.

 "Fine, just, make it quick. Give me whatever punishment you deem fit for me now. It's not like you can take anything else away."

 "I can assure you that there is plenty to take away from you." He grumbles and gestures for you to walk in front of him.

 "Where are we going?"

 "Throne room." He says and you nearly lock up at the words. You don't want to be in a throne room if you could help it. But you know you have no choice right now.

 "Don't tell me I have to give another testimony."

 "Do you have more information that you haven't shared?" Kolivan asks.

 "You know exactly what happened to me. Why won't you just look Shiro in the eye and admit it?" You hiss.

 "There is nothing for me to admit to."

 "You kidnapped me! Hurt me! And all for what?" You step closer to him, anger boiling up inside of you.

        If he hadn't bottled you up, if he'd just left you alone, you wouldn't have had to meet Honerva through the creepy mirrors. You wouldn't have had to make deals with Entity that you're not sure how you're going to keep. You wouldn't have worn someone's corpse.

        His eyes narrow at you, the only change in his otherwise blank face. Your feet carry you right up to him, the space between you both rapidly shrinking.

 "You were warned, and yet continued. You should have known there'd be consequences." He says.

 "You're too afraid to speak of what you've seen 'beyond the veil' that you can't see the forest from the fucking trees!"

 "And you do?" He challenges. "From where I stand, you are the one calling a singular stick the forest. You know nothing of —"

        Your hand flies out before you realize it, striking Kolivan across his face. Your palm stings and you can see the red mark you've left over his cheek. He isn't looking at you. You watch the way his jaw flexes, they way his nostrils flare out. He's pissed. That… was a really bad idea.

 "You. Are a rock. Dropped into a pond. Causing ripples over its still surface. And I," He says slowly as he turns to face you once again. "Can't wait until you're finally fucking gone."

        Your heart is in your throat as you take a step back. He lunges forward, grabbing you by your arm. You thank all the heavens above he doesn't grab the one with the vambrace tied to it.

 "Let go of me!" You try to break free.

        He ignores your request, dragging you behind him as he marches through the halls. His grip tightens painfully as you dig your heels in and try to escape. Most of the staff look away when they pass. You notice the ones that don't, shake their heads oh so subtly, that you know that they have to be with the Blades.

        He yanks you forward when you're close to a door, pulling you none-to-gently in front of him.

 "Now you listen to me, and listen well." He leans in close to you. "If I catch, even the slightest inclination that you're up to something, it's over. So much as a sneeze at the wrong time, a hair out of place, a toe out of line, and I will have the King bar you from the castle immediately. You will never see the inside of this place again. Do I make myself clear?"

 "Are you threatening me? After everything you've done?"

 "Use that knowledge and know this, I never wanted you to return to the castle that night. We would have made you disappear." He throws your arm at your chest, releasing you.

 "You're insane. You're worse than she is." You cradle your arm close and back away from him.

 "Good. Now, are you going to walk into the throne room of your own volition, or do I need to shove you past the doors?"

        You turn around, despite how your mind screams at you to not and wrap your hand around the door handle. You take a quick breath to steady yourself and shift your posture to match a perfect Prince. Kolivan is far too close to your back, and you know it's going to look strange, but there's nothing that can be done about it. You push the door open and force a wide grin on your face.

 "So sorry I'm late. Guess I overslept." You apologize, eyes sweeping across the room looking for who must have arrived.

 "Overslept is an understatement." Raquel shakes her head. You focus in on the person behind her.

 "There's my favorite nephew!" King Alfor, Allura's father, laughs. It's loud and boisterous, full of the energy that he's known for carrying.

 "Don't let Luis hear that." You smile and make your way over to your uncle. He's looking good for a man in his fifties, small crows feet at the edges of his eyes and laughter lines decorating his cheeks. He has his short white hair hanging loose, much like how Allura does. He pulls you into a warm hug and pats your back with a heavy hand.

 "It's okay, I tell him that he's my favorite too." He says as he lets you go. "And thank you, Captain, for finding and retrieving Prince Lance." You turn to look over your shoulder at Kolivan.

 "Of course, Your Majesty." He's still sporting a red mark over his face, but his expression betrays nothing.

 "And compliments to you as well, King Shirogane. You have a marvelous guard in place, and your Captain truly is one of a kind. I don't doubt my daughter's safety here."

 "Only the best for her and our future line." Shiro smiles and inclines his head.

 "You must show me around. I want to see the layout of this place, if I may at least." Alfor says as he pats your shoulder one last time. "You should join us, a good walk will help wake you up."

 "Oh, I wouldn't want to impose." You hold your hands up.

 "Nonsense." He shakes his head. "I want to hear about how you've been holding up around here."

 "Wouldn't you rather hear about Allura?" You glance over at her.

 "We planned on spending time together during the evening to be honest. If only cause I know you're busy at that time." She winks at you. Traitor!

 "That's… very nice of you."

 "Kolivan, can you help me show them around?" Shiro asks.

 "Most certainly, Your Majesty."

 "Wait, should we have Kolivan showing us around? Doesn't he have, I dunno, Captainly duties he has to take care of?" You glance over at him.

 "My duties are as the King declares." He says. You wonder if anyone else can feel the heat of his look or see the simmering anger behind his eyes as he regards you.

 "It won't be long, Prince Lance." Alfor assures you. "This place isn't nearly as big as the one back home." He chuckles and passes by you to approach Kolivan.

        Coran takes his place as Alfor's shadow, with Allura and Shiro not too far behind. You groan softly and tuck your hands into your pockets and follow the group. Raquel bumps your shoulder with hers.

 "So… What did Kolivan say to you?" She asks.

 "Hmm?"

 "He was asked to find you, he did, and now look at him. It's clear as day that you hit him."

 "I didn't hit him." You glare at the back of his head.

 "That look says otherwise."

 "I didn't. But whoever did, I applaud them. Bastard deserves it." You say. She hums, and you know she doesn't believe you. But she doesn't push it, which is worse.

 "You make it sound like a lover's spat."

 "A lover's — With Kolivan!? No way!"

 "I'm just saying. You seem to be enamored with some guardsman, and of all the people that could potentially be allowed, he seems like a likely candidate." She shrugs.

 "He's married!"

 "As if that's ever stopped a royal." She glares at the walls around you.

 "No. Just, no." You shake your head.

 "So Lance, tell me, how has everything been? Has anything unusual happened?" Alfor asks, pausing in the hallways to let you catch up to him. Raquel nudges your side and you're proud of yourself for not groaning in response to the dreaded questions.

 "Well, the first few nights were a little spooky…"

        Alfor hangs onto your every word, and you're careful with what you share. While Altea is more lax in its views on magick, you know that some of your experiences could cause a bit of a stir. You gloss over some of the more dangerous things that happened, avoid the topic of your kidnapping like the plague, and keep your tales to the facts that everyone already knows.

        Your uncle however, much like your sister, can tell you're leaving some things out. Neither of them pry, royalty have secrets that require sworn oaths and pacts to uncover, family or not. When you finally get to sit down for dinner, you've covered most of the important facts and pass the talking points to Allura.

 "You've neglected to tell him the best part!" She pouts.

 "Have I?" You're almost certain that he wouldn't like knowing about Keith.

 "Yes! The sessions you've been having with High Priestess Honer—"

 "That's not important." You hiss, cutting her off. You give a hesitant glance over to your sister, hoping she wouldn't have caught on. But she does. You can see the curiosity in her eyes, the gleam of wit staring back at you as she thinks.

 "A High Priestess? Will she be officiating the wedding?" Alfor asks from the seat beside you. Your stomach churns unhappily at the thought. After what you experienced last night? You barely manage to keep your shudder down at the thought of her assisting in something so sacred for them.

 "Unfortunately, no." Shiro answers before Allura can. "Kolivan is currently keeping her off the grounds for the time being. I think he might not let her back in until after the wedding."

 "Did she do something?"

 "It's not that she's guilty of anything in particular," He waves his hand with a small smile.

 "Then?"

 "He's been working hard to keep the castle safe for the wedding and all of the guests."

 "Did something happen for him to issue a lock down?" Raquel asks, feigning disinterest as she cuts a small portion of her steak. Your appetite is officially gone. You chew on the inside of your lip and stare at your plate.

 "No, nothing of the sort. It's part of the routine check to ensure the guards and staff know what to do." Shiro's lie comes easily off his tongue. He says it with such conviction that you almost believe him, despite knowing the truth.

        You tilt your head back against your seat as you nudge your plate away. You close your eyes and let the conversation wash over you as everyone keeps talking.

        Honerva said she'd have a better vessel for you tonight.

        The last thing you want to do is go through the mirrors and find her. You don't think you could handle stepping into another dead body and puppet it around like you owned it. It makes your skin crawl at the very notion of doing so.

        While you may have originally started using her to uncover what she was plotting, you're in way over your head. And sometimes, you just gotta know when to withdraw.  "—nce?" Allura calls for you.

 "Hmm?" You tilt your head up and open your eyes.

 "Is everything alright?"

 "I think I'm starting to feel a bit under the weather."

 "Again?" She frowns.

 "Yeah…" You rub the back of your neck and shrug.

 "You should go sleep it off. We wouldn't want you to be ill during the wedding." Alfor says, concern heavy in his gaze. "How's your vitamin D levels doing? Have you been eating enough protein?" You glare at Allura before she could make any sort of comment, your face already burning.

 "I'm doing good on both. And I don't want to be ill durng the wedding either. It's more like a migraine." You laugh and stand up. You feel a rush of warmth travel down along you back. Keith. You notice the way Alfor shifts in his seat, brow furrowing for a moment before he shakes his head with a smile. Did he… sense Keith too?

 "Rest well then, nephew."

 "You too. I'll try to catch you all in the morning." You step away from the table, guards by your side immediately. You frown when you head out, and the men assigned to you right behind you. They've increased the numbers again.

        You want to ditch them, but you can't. Kolivan has four men flanking you. And you bet that they're all Blades without even checking. He's making it look like you've done something. They nearly walk you into your room before you stop them, hand pressed against one's chest.

 "That's far enough, wouldn't you agree?" You look up at the guard nearest to you.

 "The Captain has issued one of us to be posted inside your room, Your Highness." He says.

 "Since when?"

 "This afternoon."

        You did this to yourself. Your groan in annoyance and step into your room. You feel the energy of Keith's sigils tingle against your skin.

 "Actually…" The guard mumbles, almost in a daze. You glance over your shoulder and watch him turn around. "I should… go…"

 '"Huh?"

 "Prince Lance… is asleep…"

 "What are you talking about?"

 "That's right… the moment his head… hit the pillow…" He sluggishly opens the door and steps back out, pulling the door shut behind him.

 "The fuck?"

        There's a tapping on your balcony door, before it creaks open. Keith is peaking in making sure the coast is clear before he enters.

 "Looks like that still works." He says.

 "Did you do something?"

 "One of the sigils I left behind," His claws trace the air. "It turned him around."

 "You messed with his head?"

 "Sorta? It's more like I gave him a strong suggestion and he went with it." You can feel the heat of his Quintessence as he redoes it.

 "You oughta teach that one to me." You laugh.

 "Speaking of teaching… What are you going to do when Honerva's owl shows up?" He asks as he turn his attention to you.

 "I…" You bring your arms around yourself. "I don't want to go. Can we just ignore it?"

 "If you tell me why the guards are trying to be in here?"

        You sigh and make your way to the sitting area. Keith feeds the fire a few more logs. You sit heavily on your couch and he watches you curiously.

 "Well?" He prods.

 "I miiiiiiight have… kinda sorta… slapped Kolivan this morning." You look over at him.

 "…Please tell me you're joking."

 "I'm not."

 "Godson, Lance." He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. "And you were worried about what I was going to do."

 "Oops?"

 "That's… an understatement." He laughs despite it all and joins you on the couch.

 "I don't think he'd believe me if I apologized."

 "I don't think he would either."

        You tell him about the incident that led to you hitting Kolivan, your uncle arriving today, and warn him about using his Quintessence near Alfor. He actually takes it seriously this time. He keeps your mind busy by asking you more about your uncle.

        So you regale him with stories of your youth. The visits you'd make to Altea with your family, the hijinks you'd get up to, and the overall good times you had in your uncle's presence. You don't shy away from the bad either, though. Thing like how he couldn't help get Vero buried in a family plot, how he'd been hesitant about letting you stay for as long as you had, and coming along with Allura here took a lot of pleading on her part.

        You shuffle closer to Keith, settling in his lap with your back to his chest. He brings his arms around you, holding you close to him as he listens. He presses a kiss to the top of your head and you find yourself melting against him.

 "I don't think that trick you did with the guard is going to last." You murmur. "Kolivan's gonna find out."

 "I know. I'll think of something that will be strong enough to keep him at bay too."

 "Is the current one focused on the guards?"

 "It targets whoever makes you uncomfortable." He explains.

 "But not Kolivan?"

 "I have a feeling he's got a much stronger sense of self and will than the average person. He'd be overly aware if something was trying to mess with his head."

 "You think you've got something to fight that?" You tilt your head back and look up at him.

 "I do have some more tricks up my sleeves." He promises with a chuckle. "I just didn't want to show my hand entirely right out the gate."

 "Probably for the best. Who knows what kind of mess we'd be in if you had."

 "A lot."

        You close your eyes and hum softly. There's a lot of things you could have done differently. If you had just outright accused Kolivan in front of everyone, instead of what you've done, where would you be? If you had made it clear that this was the Blade of Mamora's doing, how would that have changed anything?

        Perhaps even, if you had told any of them about who Keith really is, would things have been better or worse now?

 "Keith?"

 "Hmm?"

 "I know I've asked you before and I know you've always been against it…"

 "Oh boy."

 "But what if I just say stuff like 'the Beast isn't the monster you think he is?' No dropping your name or your former title. Just simply saying you're not the villian the people think you are."

 "No one would believe you." He frowns.

 "I'm a very persuasive person."

 "Lance, the Blades would silence you before you even got the chance. You saw what they did to you already. I've not a single doubt that they would just make you —" He snaps his fingers. "Vanish."

 "Vanish how?"

 "The way Pidge's brother did. You'd be missing for an extended period of time, and either never be seen from again, a body closely resembling yours be found, or your actual body be found."

 "And what would they even do with me?"

 "I don't know."

 "Then how are you so sure?" You cross your arms and look up at him.

 "Remember how old I am? I've seen plenty of the end results." Keith growls softly. "To think they'd do this to the King's people, his citizens, and their own."

 "But you don't know what they'd do to me in the meantime?"

 "You're the only person I know of that came back from a Blade Vanishing and lived to tell the tale." His arms tighten around you, pullng you as close as he physically can.

 "Oh." You hate how weak you sound with that single utterance alone. Kolivan's threat and confession from earlier ring loudly in your head.

 "I will never forgive them for that. For hurting you and taking away your magick."

 "…Kolivan said he never wanted me to return to the castle that night. And made it clear that he's willing to kick me out and ban me from returning should I make him think I'm up to something."

 "I'd like to see him try." The fire in the fireplace brightens, the logs popping loudly at the new heat.

 "Easy tiger." You turn around to face him better and drape your arms over his shoulders.

 "I don't want them to —"

 "And they won't. Not as long as I have you. Alright? Let's focus on what we can do right now." You tell him. He sighs and the fire calms down.

 "What can we do then?" He murmurs. You both flinch when you hear scratching at your balcony door, accompanied by a soft hoo.

 "…We ignore that." You say.

 "Agreed."

        You turn back around to head into your room when you catch sight of Keith’s Quintessence in the corner of your eye. You can’t help but follow the trail until you find him. He’s sitting on the ground, head tilted back against the wall as he looks forlorn towards the door. He managed to get one leg pulled up, an arm resting over it, with the other straight out. His wings are raised but are still wrapped around him. 

 “Hey you,” You smile as you crouch down beside him. “Guess my body isn’t all that tired? Like, it makes sense that it’s just a mental fatigue you know? It’s like that one saying, ‘the mind is willing but the body is weak’, just… inverted I guess.” You reach out and cup his stone cheek, it still feels warm under your skin. It’s going to be a long day. You just know it. You glance over your shoulder and make sure the coast is clear before leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips. 

 “I’ll be safe.” You promise him as you get up. 

        You don’t want to leave, you want to stay curled up beside him until the sun sets. However, you have duties that you’ve been neglecting lately. If you’ve got the energy, you might as well try to do them . Your stomach grumbles in protest at the idea of doing anything that doesn’t involve eating first. 

 “Okay, breakfast is needed. I get it.” You chuckle as you make your way to your door. You peak out, two members of the guard stand, at attention, on either side of your door. Only one has their Quintessence free. Kolivan is still watching you like a hawk, huh? With a quick breath you step out of your room. 

 “Your Highness!” The one to your left, with his teal Quintessence, gasps softly. 

 “You’re awake unusually early.” The one to your right, Quintessence hidden from view, comments.

 “Yep! Got to sleep like a baby last night. I’m feeling refreshed for once.” You grin. “Don’t suppose you know if breakfast is in the works?” 

 “The kitchen staff should be doing that right now.” Lefty says. 

 “Are you hungry? We could have someone bring you up some food.” Righty offers. 

 “I am but, I want to go eat with the others. I mean, clearly it’s not every day I feel good enough to join them.” You shrug a shoulder and pull your door closed. 

 “All the more reason to be aware of yourself. You wouldn’t want to go back to being unable to join them.” Righty frowns.

 “And leave my sister to eat with strangers? Pass.” 

 “I think that’s mighty kind of you.” Lefty smiles. 

 “I don’t think --”

 “Wanna escort me to the dining hall then? Maybe you can sneak in a biscuit or something too.” You turn to Lefty, cutting off Righty. 

 “Of course, Your Highness.” He salutes you, fist pressed to his chest and a bow. 

 “Keep the place safe for us, will you?” You pat Righty’s chestplate as you walk past him. 

        Lefty trails dutifully behind you, exactly two paces away and it’s refreshing for once. You open the door to the dining hall and hear an excited gasp.

 “Lance! You’re up early!” Allura is standing up and making her way over to you. Shiro rises when she does but he stays in place with Ulaz at his side, just as surprised as she is. 

 “I sure am.” You grin and hold your arms open. 

 “What happened to being an early riser?” Raquel chuckles as she slowly gets up. 

 “I’ve been staying up late since coming here. Been doing a lot of studying.” You admit to her. Allura’s hand is warm when she presses it to your forehead. 

 “Have you actually slept?” She asks. 

 “Yep. I did,” You lie. “Since I haven’t seen Thace for classes and I finished all my other coursework I just… went to bed early.”

 “Did your guard get a shift change then?” She teases. You roll your eyes and pull her hand off you. 

 “I also wanted to spend more time with Raquel.” You bring her into a hug when she’s close enough. 

 “Mhmm. Sure you do.” Raquel chuckles and playfully tugs at your ear. 

 “Why don’t you believe me?” You ask her as you guide her back to the table. 

 “If this guard of yours did get a shift change…” She trails off as she sits in her seat. “Maybe you just want to see him.”

 “I never said that he got a shift change.” You groan and plop into the chair next to her. 

 “My offer still stands, Lance. If you tell me who he is then I will happily let him return home with you, full honors.” Shiro reminds you. Ulaz twitches ever so slightly at the words, clearly remembering the disguise Keith wore the other night. You wonder how Shiro would let Keith keep his title, his honors, should you break his curse. 

 “I’ve been thinking about that.” You admit. “Both of us really.” Raquel clicks her tongue softly, in disapproval. How much more would she hate it if she knew you planned to marry Keith already? Even if he remained cursed?

 “I am a man of my word.” Shiro swears as he finally sits in his chair. 

 “I know, I know. We’re still in the thinking stage of what to do right now.”

 “When you do know what you want to do…”

 “I’ll tell you, promise.” You cross your heart. “On a unrelated note, wanna play a game of hypotheticals with me?”

 “He said, meaning this is very related.” Allura teases you. 

 “No, I genuinely mean it’s unrelated.” 

 “What hypotheticals are you going to hit me with today?” Shiro chuckles as he moves to let the house staff set food down for him. One immediately scurries back when they see you, probably to make sure you have a plate. 

 “Let’s say, you were a prince. And you had this magick potion that let you live for over a thousand years.” You start with.

 “Did I get demoted somehow or would this have been before I became king?”

 “Before your coronation. You were only a prince.” 

 “And I’m assuming I drank this potion.”

 “Bingo!” You shoot him a finger gun and lean back for your food to be set in front of you. “So you’ve lived as a prince for over a thousand years, however , the public kinda… forgot you existed.”

 “Did they forget when he drank the potion?” Allura asks.

 “Sure. So you got immortality but no one around you remembered who you were.”

 “Where are you going with this Lancin?” Raquel raises a brow. 

 “I’m getting to it!”

 “It sounds pretty lonely.” Shiro hums.

 “My point is! The kingdom moved on without you. A new royal family was established with no blood ties to you. A new king and everything. How would you go about reminding them who you were, assuming you don’t want to usurp their throne?”

 “Well that would depend on the king and how long it’s been since I was forgotten. Wouldn’t I have been able to remind everyone of my existence before the new family?”

 “Has his imagination been this wild since coming here?” Raquel asks Allura.

 “Yes, it has. He's been reading like crazy.” She chuckles as she takes a bite of her meal.

 “It’s been over a thousand years, and when you tried to tell people who you were immediately after the potion no one believed you.” 

 “This feels more like a curse than a potion.” Ulaz comments and Raquel squints at him.

 “But like, what would you do to convince everyone you were who you said you were?”

 “I don’t think there would be much I could do? Even if I were to list every staff member by name, every minor and major event I’d seen, it’s possible I’d be seen as some historian rather than a prince.” Shiro frowns. You groan and let your head tilt back against your seat. It’s just what Keith said too.

 “I think I’d try to show off some talent that only I could have done.” Allura chimes in.

 “But everyone forgot you.” Raquel reminds her.

 “Ah, that’s true. But surely there should be some archive somewhere that would prove my existence.”

 “That is possible. It would depend entirely on the record keeping of the castle though, and if it was stored safely.” Shiro nods. 

 “Okay, new one. Sorta.” You sit up and lean closer to Shiro.

 “Oh?”

 “Inverse the situation. You’re the new king, and a prince that time’s forgotten is trying to get himself known again. Keeping in mind that he doesn’t want your throne, what would you do?” 

 “He just wants to be known?”

 “Get his title of prince back, but not challenge you, y’know?” You say. Shiro hums as he thinks. 

 “I wouldn’t know if I’d be able to trust him. I’d probably have him interrogated heavily.” Raquel says. “He was forgotten for a reason after all.”

 “Cold. But understandable.” You tell her.

 “I’d go back to the archives again, people don’t suddenly stop existing without something being left behind.” Allura says. 

 “Best cousin.” 

 “I would need to seek counsel with the appropriate people. Make sure there wasn’t going to be any lasting damage done if I did make this person a prince again. It wouldn’t be a simple task, plenty of verification steps would have to be done along the way, but I don’t see why I wouldn’t be able to give him back something that was his by birthright.” Shiro answers. It’s not the best outcome but it’s better than Raquel’s solution. 

        The benefit of Keith being as old as he is, his room being a place people got rid of things, and his own scratchy notes is that there should in theory be plenty of archives of his existence like Allura was suggesting. You hum as you contemplate all the answers you were given. 

 “What about you?” Shiro asks and you jolt.

 “Huh?”

 “What would you do in these hypothetical situations? Both as the prince and as the king?”

 “Well… I dunno?” You answer honestly.

 “You asked and you didn’t have your own answer?” Raquel looks at you.

 “That’s why I was asking!” You point out but she shakes her head. 

 “Consider it then, what would you do?” Allura asks. 

 “If I was the prince…” You nibble on your food as you think. “I’d be pretty pissed for one thing that I was forgotten. But, after enough time I dunno. Maybe I wouldn’t even care that much about it anymore.”

 “Then why would you approach the king for your title back?” Ulaz questions. You don’t know if to be honest about it or not. Putting you in the position of the forgotten prince is hitting a bit too close for comfort, all things considered. Even with you falling back on what you know about Keith this feels far too telling of a conversation to be having now. 

 “Maybe I missed it? Or maybe I felt like I needed it?”

 “What would a forgotten prince even gain from having his title back? There’s a lot of power behind it, you of all people should know. It’s not something that should be handed back all willy-nilly. Especially for something as low as nostalgia or desperation.” Raquel says and it makes you frown. 

 “It’s not like that.”

 “Like what?”

 “You’re making it sound like he’s a villain , when it was never his fault. He didn’t --” You cut yourself off. They don’t know who you’re defending. They don’t know that Keith exists. You sigh heavily and look up at the ceiling. Things would be easier if everything was placed, face up, on the table. But this is Keith’s secret, one that you’ve told to enough people. 

 “He didn’t …?” Shiro presses gently.

 “It’s nothing.” You shake your head and smile at him. “It’s all from some story I read. Guess I got a tad passionate about the character.” You chuckle and rub the back of your neck in a facsimile of embarrassment. 

 “I’m curious now though.” He tilts his head.

 “...He didn’t do anything wrong . Or at least not what everyone thought he did. He was innocent.” You toy with your fingers. 

 “Well then, if he was innocent, it would definitely be more in his favor to gain his title back. At least in my opinion.” 

 “What book was this? Did you finish it?” Allura asks. 

 “I haven’t finished it, not yet.” You push your empty plate away. 

 “You should let me borrow it when you’re done. It sounds like an interesting read.”

 “I just hope it has a happy ending.” 

 “You always read stories with happy endings.” Raquel points out. “Even if you didn’t know they would end up that way. And the ones that don’t, you find some sort of silver lining for.” 

 “I try my best.” 

 “It’s a good quality to have.” Shiro says.

 “Speaking of good quality,” Raquel waves her hand at a house staff when they hesitate by her side. “Could one of you give me the colors for the wedding? I hear that Lance’s cape isn’t done.” The house staff quickly snag her empty plate before scurrying away. 

 “ What? ” Allura looks at you with betrayal. 

 “I told you about that! Kolivan wasn’t gonna let me out to the tailor for it, remember?” You cross your arms over your chest.

 “I’ll take care of it. All I need are the colors.” Raquel says as she stands. Everyone rises with her. 

 “I have the swatches back in my room.” Allura says. 

Raquel links her arm with yours before you even move. Looks like you’ll be joining them . Allura bids her goodbye to Shiro and he smiles fondly at her. 

 “I’ll be seeing you later.” He promises, kissing her knuckles before letting her go. Raquel hums and you nudge her gently. She looks away from the pair and tugs you out of the room. 

 “Have they been like that this whole time?” She asks you. 

 “Like how?”

 “So… close.”

 “I mean, it’s a good thing isn’t it? They’re in love.” You shrug. She frowns and looks at the paintings in the hallway. 

 “Perhaps it is. But they should be careful with how close they seem. Especially in front of the family.”  

 “They always have at least one chaperone with them at all times.” You try to reassure her. 

        You wave to get Allura’s attention when she steps out shortly after, with two guards a few steps behind her. She leads you to her room with small comments about the food, the weather, and plans for the day. You tune most of it out, only offering a few words when prompted. 

 “Do you know how long the cape needs to be?” Allura asks as she opens her bedroom doors.

 “Longer than that cloak I’ve seen him in.” Raquel looks at you. 

 “Where did you get that, by the way? It looks more like it was meant for someone… smaller.” 

 “I found it. And it’s kept me plenty warm, thank you.” You say as you step into the room.

 “I don’t know how.” 

 “It looks like the clothes I first saw you in.” Raquel says as she drops your arm. 

 “Did your guard gift it to you?” Allura asks.

 “And if he did?” You go to feed a few logs to fire in the fireplace. 

 “ Lancin. ” Raquel’s voice is a warning and you tilt your head back and groan.

 “You want the room to be cold?” You ask her. She doesn’t respond and Allura twists a lock of hair around her finger nervously. 

 “It’s plenty warm. Thank you.” Raquel says and you roll your eyes. You tuck your hands into your pockets and take a deep breath. There’s no need for you to be butting heads with her. You know, deep deep down, that she’s right. It’s improper of you to be doing the things you have been. It doesn’t stop you from wanting to though. 

 “Here are the official color swatches that the two of us decided upon.” Allura grabs a bundle of cloth strips, tied together with a golden ribbon. She offers it to your sister and you sit on the edge of Allura’s bed. 

 “Oh these are beautiful,” Raquel says as she looks through the colors. “What colors are for the tables?” 

 “These here.” She points out. 

 “Lance, what armor did you bring?”

 “Kyo͞obən ceremonial.” You tell her. 

 “Good, good, Apa was going to be wearing the same. What is this color going to be used for?” She asks Allura. 

Whatever awkward air they had before has vanished. They chat and exchange some quiet gossip about their home countries. It brings a smile to your face to see them shed their restricting crowns and be people for a moment. You walk over when Raquel waves to you. 

 “It’s a shame that the juniberries are so sensitive to the cold. I bet they would have been lovely.” She tells Allura. 

 “It is but, it’s alright. There are some hardier flowers that grow here that are just as beautiful.” Allura says. Raquel nods and holds the color strips up to your face. 

 “What color does this go to?” She taps a soft lavender.

 “A few of the decor items.”

 “I like it, it’s a pretty color.” 

 “Shiro is who picked it.” Allura smiles, her fingers tracing the engagement ring on her hand. 

 “Well… I suppose he has a good eye.” Raquel pulls the strips away from your face. 

 “Raquel… may I ask something?”

 “Hmm?”

 “How did… how did you feel on your wedding day?” She asks and Raquel chuckles softly.

 “Oh it wasn’t the wedding day that worried me. It was the wedding night .” 

 “How so?” Allura’s face is bright red. Here you thought that the two of them had gotten up to something already. 

 “Well, first of all, I was…” Raquel trails off and looks at you. 

 “Do I need to leave?” You ask her.

 “Yes.” Allura and Raquel both say. You give them a salute and walk out of the room. 

        You walk around the halls for a moment before stepping outside. The sun is nowhere near its apex. What are you going to do now? You don’t want to be tired for your lessons with Honerva.

 “Will I even be tired?” You ask aloud. 

        You find yourself walking over to the pond where you and Keith had some of your first lessons. There are no glowing orbs floating around right now, which makes sense but you still miss them. You sigh and brush the snow off the bench and sit. You almost kissed him for the first time here . 

        You can’t help but wonder what would be different if you had. Would you be any closer to breaking his curse now or would you be just as lost as you are currently? Maybe it really did need to be your first kiss? You shake your head to rid yourself of the thought. Perhaps it has nothing to do with kissing, it clearly doesn’t have anything to do with… other acts of intimacy. Your face burns at that. 

 “Lance?” You hear a voice call. You jolt and whip your head over. 

 “Oh, uh, hey Shiro!” You smile and get up. 

 “What are you doing out here?” He chuckles as he comes over.

 “Just enjoying the sun.”

 “It is a nicer day out. It should be getting warmer here soon.” He waves a hand and the ever present guards by your side walk further away. They move to hang back with his, giving you two ample space to have a moderately private conversation. 

 “Everything okay?” You ask.

 “I’ve pardoned the majority of those who were wrongfully imprisoned on your behalf.” He keeps his voice low. “Some continued to plead guilty, despite testimonies and evidence showing their innocence.” 

 “...I see.” You aren’t sure what to say about that. You frown and look out at the frozen water. 

 “Kolivan isn’t happy about my kindness to them but he’s the one who put them in there.” 

 “Have you talked to Ulaz about your theory?” Your heart is beating rapidly.

 “I have.”

 “And?”

 “I’ve cut down on the amount of guards posted inside the walls and had them put back to their original places.” Shiro says after a moment, changing the topic. Interesting .

 “I doubt Kolivan was happy about that.”

 “No. He wasn’t. But with everyone arriving, bringing their own guard? Everyone needs space to move about and breathe.”

 “Honestly? I’m glad you beat me to it. Kolivan would be more willing to tolerate you telling him to back off than me.” You can’t help but chuckle. Shiro raises a curious brow.

 “What would you have told him?”

 “Something like, ‘Hey, tone it down a bit so you don’t scare my family’ or even a, ‘I’m not made of glass, I don’t need to be watched like a hawk’. Y’know?” You shrug and he hums in response. He looks you over and you keep your body relaxed and loose. It’s like he’s trying to figure something out. Unfortunately, you don’t know what pieces he wants to see.

 “Out of curiosity, that book you mentioned earlier…” Shiro starts and you force your hands to stay uncurled. “It doesn’t sound like it’s Altean in origin. Was it from here?” 

 “Oh, no, it’s from Kyo͞obə.” You laugh softly. “I can see why you’d think it, though. Very fitting for some of the stories I’ve heard.”

 “So then, magick is only allowed in stories back home for you?”

 “Perhaps not for the wider public but, the crown is allowed to bend the rules for their own libraries. Wouldn’t you agree?” Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why is he questioning you now? What did you say?

 “That can be dangerous. Bending rules is a good path to eventually breaking them.” 

 “I mean, I kinda am . I’ve been learning magick here, which is technically forbidden back home.” You pause, blink, and look away; draw your shoulders up, kick the ground . “Or well… I was learning. I guess I can’t now. At least my parents will be happy I can’t do it anymore.” You flex your jaw, draw your brows together, and release a shaky sigh. 

 “...I’m sorry, Lance.” Shiro says softly. Gotcha.

 “It’s… It’s okay.” You look up at him with a weak smile. “I really shouldn’t have been learning in the first place. But… It was nice while it lasted. It made me feel free.” 

 “It is nice. When you can safely do it.” He agrees with a small smile of his own. 

 “But enough about the sad stuff. C’mon, you’re gonna be getting married in a month. Are you excited?”

 “More nervous than anything right now.” Shiro laughs. 

 “Hey, save the cold feet for after the honeymoon.” You tell him. 

 “Ah I know. I guess my nerves come from meeting the rest of the guests and housing them in the castle. As much as I do believe in giving everyone access to their own guard, I won’t lie, it makes me feel a bit unsteady.”

 “Unsteady how?”

 “Like anything could happen. Anything bad. To her especially.”

 “You don’t fear for your own safety do you?”

 “Why should I?” Shiro asks as he looks over at you. There’s a hint of seriousness behind his eyes, a challenge there.

 “Well like, as worried as I am about you two, more so now that you’ve mentioned your own fears, I worry about my own life a bit more. No offense.”

 “None taken.” He dismisses the concern. 

 “But seriously, I think you should be more concerned for your own health. Allura would appreciate it, I'm sure.” You tell him. 

 “Can’t help it, I’m afraid. I want to make sure she’s okay more than anything.” He hums and looks out at the frozen water. 

 “She’s capable of taking care of herself y’know?”

 “Oh, I am more than aware.” He chuckles softly. 

 “Then?”

 “I just… want her to be safe. If anything were to happen to her, I don’t know what I’d do.” 

 “Sounds like you love her.” You tease him.

 “I do. Deeply. I’m thankful that King Alfor allowed her to come visit during the lead up to the wedding. But, even if he hadn’t, I still would have gotten to this point.” Shiro says. 

 “How romantic.” 

 “... And what about you? Do you think you would have fallen so quickly for your guard had you two arrived later?” 

 “...I think so. Maybe it would have been a lot more rough, and we’d have a lot less experiences, but I do believe I could see past it all.”

 “I hope to see you dance with them at the wedding.” 

 “... I do too.” You tell him. You close your eyes and tilt your head towards the sun once more. It’s a gentle quiet between you two, disrupted by the sounds of Shiro’s guard calling for his attention. He politely excuses himself and you wish him the best. It’s probably time for you to head back inside too. 

        You go through the motions of your average day, albeit with some minor modifications. Instead of locking yourself away for hours in your quarters, you go to a drawing room with Raquel. She hums a soft song while working on some embroidery project and you flick through your astronomy books you’ve been neglecting. 

        You guide her back to the dining hall when lunch is prepared. You talk with Romelle and Allura. Shiro and Ulaz are absent, no doubt continuing to work on freeing the other falsely accused people. Raquel sends you a few disapproving looks when you joke or give Romelle a compliment. It is a bit improper, but you’re not about to change who you are, especially not when it makes Romelle genuinely smile. She needed the pick-me-up.

        You pace around your room after lunch. You need to be here if Hunk or Pidge are allowed a breather. The three of you haven’t had a moment to talk about any new updates. 

 “They might not have even been able to look into other resources for Keith’s curse either.” You murmur to yourself. Thace has been working them to the bone, grinding every last ounce of energy out of them as possible. 

        Your body finally starts to tire out on its own. You know sunset should be happening in the next few hours, along with dinner. Your bed looks so inviting however, and who are you to deny it?

 “Just a short nap.” You murmur to yourself as you crawl under the covers. “Nothing too long now. Only enough to get my energy back.” 

        You’re out cold the moment your head hits the pillow.

        There’s fingers combing through your hair, a warmth swaddling you up from behind. Your eyes are heavy and it takes considerable effort to open them up. Keith’s arm is wrapped around your waist and holding you close. 

 “Keith? What time is it?” You yawn and he kisses your shoulder. 

 “You missed dinner. I gave the excuse that you were tired, which is true.”

 “How?” You turn around in his grasp to look at him. 

 “Illusion. Disguised myself as you, made you look like the average guard from the other night.” He says. You groan softly and hide your face in his chest. 

 “They’re gonna think we’re fucking.”

 “They wouldn’t be wrong.” He chuckles

 “No but… I can’t let Raquel know that. She’ll judge me hard core.” 

 “Well, let’s hope they can keep their mouths shut. C’mon, I have the food on the table keeping warm.” He nudges you. 

 “Food sounds amazing right now.” You sit up and look over at the sitting area. Keith pulls you out of the bed and carries you over there. He sets you down on the couch and drags the table closer. 

        He lifts off the cover on the plate and you waste no time digging in. He laughs softly at your eagerness. 

 “One would think you’ve been starving all day.” Keith says.

 “Mmm, no. It’s the only meal I’ve missed.” You slow down and offer him a bite. He leans down and wraps his lips around your fork. You listen to the drag of his fangs over the metal, catch the sight of his tongue cradling it, and your face burns when he gives you a wink. 

 “Tastes good.” He says. 

 “Oh?”

 “I’ve had better, though.” His eyes roam your form. You set the plate in his hands and get up to your feet. 

 “R-right! Well, you can have the rest. I’ve had my fill.” 

 “Is that so?” He stands with you, setting the plate back onto the table. “Not even room for dessert?” Keith’s hand cups your jaw. You’re a weak man.

 “Well… maybe a little nibble.” You murmur as you step closer to him. His lips meet yours halfway. You’ll never get tired of kissing him, even if it never breaks his curse or if it one day will. 

        His hands have learned where to hold you, where to touch and press. The flick of his Quintessence against you is pleasantly warm, enough to stave off the chill you could feel in your bones. Your hands slide up along his chest and your fingers bury themselves in his hair. 

        There’s a gentle tap-tap against your balcony door. Keith makes a noise of complaint in his throat and you pull yourself off of him, despite your desire to push him against your bed.

 “Every time.” He murmurs darkly under his breath.

 “Not every time.” You pat his chest as you walk over to your balcony door. You peek out and see the little owl sitting on the ground. Keith scoops it up and carries it to your bathroom. 

 “You have the vial still?” He asks you. 

 “Uh…” You don’t remember him ever giving it back to you. You follow him into the bathroom and spot it on the counter. Kova has settled on his shoulder, beak pecking through his hair. It’s kinda cute , you suppress a laugh at the sight. You pluck the vial up and hand it over to him. 

        He fills the sink with water and squeezes two small drops of Honerva’s essence from the vial. 

 “Didn’t you need to do the incantation?” You ask him as he swirls the dark liquid around. 

 “No, it’s already activated.” Keith explains as he seals the vial once more. He hands it to you and you place it back where you found it. 

 “And here I thought I’d get to hear it again. It sounded… very pretty last night.”

 “I can always entertain you with proclamations that aren’t spells.” He says.

 “Or saucy poetry?” 

 “...Or that.” He looks away with a blush rising to his face. You laugh softly and nudge his shoulder with yours, careful of Kova perched there. 

        When the mirror is fully dark, you look nervously at Keith. He takes your hand and wraps a strand of his Quintessence around your pinky. It burns as brightly as it had before, a ring of warmth around your finger. 

 “Be safe. And remember, not a word inside there.” He reminds you, nervously. 

 “I promise.” You seal the deal with a kiss. Keith’s hands settle on your waist, holding you close to him, not wanting you to go. 

        Hoo . 

 “We’re going, we’re going.” You hum and step out of Keith’s grasp. He helps you onto the counter and catches your body as you cross over. 

        It’s as disorienting as the first time. You watch him hunker down for the night, cradling your body close to him, wings drawing up and around the two of you. Kova flies into the mirror and circles around you, waiting for you to start moving. 

        The snippets of people living out their lives are almost a comforting thing as you pass by each mirror. The ground ripples beneath your steps, the perfect harmony between the space above and the space below disrupted. A small hand tugs at your leg, a child’s laugh as they run past. You don’t like this place .

        But there is no word from the creepy voice, no sign that he’s here with you. You twine the red string between your fingers anxiously. You’re grateful when Kova swoops through a mirror, Honerva standing on the other side. 

 “Welcome back my Prince.” She says. Her arm raises and the owl perches on it. She then gestures to the hooded figure in the chair just below the mirror. You glance down at it curiously and reach out to touch, remembering how to do this from stepping in and out of the wooden body. 

 “Wait a moment.” Honerva tells you, placing Kova on its stand. “You’ll need to enter this one a bit differently.” She says and you wait. She scratches under the owl’s chin and makes her way over to you again. She tugs the hood of the cloak off and tilts the head back. 

        You look down at the figure. It’s a handsome subject, you won’t lie. It has flawless skin with a light smattering of freckles over the face. You trace the straight slope of its nose, over the bump in the bridge, down to its bow shaped lips. Its wavy, dark hair is swept off its face, small ringlets still stubbornly cling to its ears. It’s statuesque and a marvel to behold. The amount of craftsmanship Honerva had to put into this is beyond you.   

 “Through the mouth, and you want to connect to the root.” Honerva holds the jaw open. You stare down at the glass eyes and back up to her. She raises a challenging brow and you hesitantly slip out of the mirror. 

        You pour yourself down into the body through the mouth. It’s different from when you entered back into your body. You’re sliding in and down, falling almost, until you reach down and connect with the root. A searing heat blazes through you, one that you cannot control. It hurts, and you want to pull back. 

 “Now, step fully into it.” Honerva says.

        You comply with her instructions, pouring more of yourself into the body before you. The wildfire spreads over your arms and legs, up to your chest and throat. It feels like magma coming out of your mouth as you pitch forward. 

 “Excellent.” She pats your back and you take your first breath in your new body. “How do you feel? I did my best to accommodate you.” 

        You’re breathing . It feels just like it does in your body. Your eyes feel dry and itchy, your throat hurts, and you can feel the weight of her hand on your back. You can feel the warmth of her palm against your skin, the pressure of your weight against the chair. 

        It feels… oddly comfortable. 

 “It’s so much better than the wood.” You say in a voice that doesn’t belong to you. It sounds rough, deeper than yours and unused. 

 “I’m glad you like it. I got it done this morning.” She smiles as you look up at her. 

 “I’d ask if it was marble. I mean, it looked like it at first.”

 “Not quite, no.” 

 “Then?” You ask.

 “Give me your hands please.” She doesn’t answer your question, which only has you more curious. You will your arms to move, lifting your hands up to rest in her open palms and freeze. 

        While you know how detailed a carving can be, there’s something just inherently wrong. You bring your hands closer to your face, intaking the texture you can see in the light. You can see the color of the veins just under your skin, and watch your knuckles turn white as you make a tight fist. Your skin feels a bit dry and when you pinch at the skin it hurts . 

        Dread coils in your gut. You can feel the panic start to overtake this form, this body , in a way different from your own.  

 “What… is this?” You whisper, throat knotting up.  

 “It’s a body.” She says.

 “I know it’s a body ,” Your voice rises.

 “There isn’t anyone inside, if that’s what you’re intending to ask.” She moves back to her owl and leaves you in the chair. 

 “...What?” 

 “I harvested it this morning but I’d been preserving them, keeping the rot and decay away.” Kova lifts its leg and Honerva offers her hand to it. 

 “I’m in a corpse ?” 

 “Yes. You are.” She then walks to her desk and inspects some papers. “Go ahead and stand up, move about, the muscles are probably stiff from rigor and you need the mobility.”

 “Rigor…” Your fingers twitch, the joints ache. “Hells below, I’m possessing a dead person!” She sighs deeply and looks over at you. 

 “There’s no time for this. Either stop panicking or get out of the body and be done.” 

 “I think the average person would freak out over being inside a dead person. Can’t you cut me some slack?” 

 “No, no I don’t think so.” She glares at you from where she stands. “I don’t think you understand the gravity of our situation here.”

 “No, I’m fully aware that this is the desecration of a corpse!” 

 “It’s more than that. If either one of us gets caught, you know what they’ll label us as?”

 “It doesn’t matter what , it’s more of the punishment of the crime!”

 “We’re going to be labeled as traitors to the crown, or be seen as terrorists, perhaps both.” She continues, ignoring your words. She storms over to you and grasps your jaw tightly in her hand. Her nails dig into the skin and you hiss when they break it. She regards you with contempt, anger simmering in her eyes. 

 “I have had enough of your behavior. You’re truly living up to your title as a spoiled little prince. The reality here is that I have sacrificed a lot to be teaching you all of this. So make it worth my while, show me you deserve this.” She pushes you away and wipes off the blood on her hand over your chest. 

 “I…” Your mind is reeling.

 “My Prince,” Honerva says, overly sweet. “You are very used to getting everything on your silver platter. But magick is not something you can serve neatly at the dinner table.” She tugs you up out of the chair. Your knees complain at the motion, your body feels heavy, and you stagger to find your balance. 

 “Magick is something you go find, and hunt, and claw into, eating it then and there. It’s not pretty. It’s why people are so scared of it. It’s pure power,” She manipulates your body across the room with her not-so-gentle hands guiding you. “If you can master magick, you can master your mind, your very soul. So act like it.” Her hands push your shoulders back and your chin up. 

 “High Priestess…”

 “You are a very powerful vessel, if you’re willing to accept the power I’m giving you. All you have to do is trust that, unapologetically. I’ve been teaching you this sacred craft that we have been doing for many, many years. I will not have you continue to disrespect it or my teachings.” She lets go of you and steps away, leaving you to flounder without her support. “Are we clear?” Honerva asks. 

        You feel sick to your stomach, is it even your stomach if this belongs to someone else? Your body aches, it feels cold, but your Quintessence is burning up and boiling inside this husk. Honerva holds her head high, looking down at you. She’s always been like this, hasn’t she? You feel a panicked laugh bubbling up inside you and you cover your mouth. 

 “I asked you a question. Are. We. Clear?” She repeats. You grab every ounce of willpower and push down every little thing. You ignore the fact you’re in a dead body, ignore the disgust and panic, ignore it all. You close your eyes and disconnect from every feeling in your heart and pull on your perfect mask, one you haven’t needed to use since coming to Stoneheart. It feels too confined, too stiff, but it’ll have to do. You look up at her and take a quick reassuring breath.

 “I understand, High Priestess.” 

 “Good.” She smiles. A sick, twisted thing .

 “What’s the first step?” You ask her. 

 “How is the body feeling? It draws its power from a different source. It was the best I could find on short notice.”

 “Will I be bound to this one now?” You ask her 

 “There are ways to do that but, as it stands, no.” She answers. 

 “What kind of ways?”

 “It’s ideal that you find one that’s the most compatible with your original body. It’d be better if I could find a blue Quintessence for you but as I said, it was short notice.”

 “Then what?” You pretend you’re listening in on a military meeting, gaining the knowledge needed before launching any attack.

 “You’d need to perform a specific spell to tie yourself to your new body. Souls are notoriously slippery little things.” 

 “And then you live on as that person?”

 “As that body , yes.” She corrects you. “You don’t have access to the donor’s memories, so you couldn’t be able to be that person ever again.”

 “But what if you don’t like it? Could you cut the ties and snatch a different one?” You walk around her room, finding the motion getting easier the longer you do it. 

 “Now, Prince Lance, while I appreciate the sudden interest. We should be focused on our lesson. Shall we?”

 “Of course, High Priestess.” 

        She quizzes you on what you know, what you’ve learned, all the while she has you moving about to get you more connected to the person you’re in. She has you pick up objects with your Quintessence and throw them to designated areas or manipulate them so delicately. You feel sluggish and drained further the more she asks of you. 

 “I’ve seen you perform better, but alas. That’s what happens when you’re in an incompatible body. It takes more effort to do the simplest of tasks.” She clicks her tongue.

 “I’m doing my best.” You feel out of breath and the body you’re in is heavier. 

 “Oh I know, and you’ve passed the oral exam.” 

 “Joy.” 

 “But there is one final question I have for you.”

 “Okay?” You look at her warily. 

        Honerva asks you something that you can’t understand, her voice taking on a melodic lilt to the words. It’s the same way that Keith’s did when casting her spell. It’s an old Galran. You stare blankly at her and she raises a brow.

 “I -- I’m sorry, could you repeat that? A bit… slower?” You request and she does. You try to grab onto any words that sound similar, force context to appear in your mind. But none of the words she says mean anything to you. Your own native tongue shares no root words with Galran, no loanwords, its family tree on an entirely different field. It doesn’t even come close to common either. 

 “I uh… I don’t quite understand what you’re asking of me?” You try to make it sound like you understood her words, but not the meaning of the question or the instructions. Her eyes narrow on you and her lips twitch ever so slightly up. 

 “It’s alright, it was more of a rhetorical question anyway.”

 “Oh, um…”

 “You should return back now,” Honerva walks you back to the chair. “You need to rest and recover from taxing your Quintessence in the wrong alignment.”

 “Right.” You laugh awkwardly. 

 “And tomorrow night, I’ll find a better one for you. One more suited to you.” She brushes a lock of hair out of your face and tucks it behind your ear.

 “Okay…” You hold as still as possible as her hand trails down to your jaw. She tilts your head back and you stare up at the ceiling. 

 “Now disconnect from the source of this body, the root.”

        You close your eyes and reach deep into yourself. You feel the source of the painful heat that you’ve been ignoring and pull harshly away from it. You’re free floating in the middle space, your Quintessence naturally pushing up to the throat. 

 “Crawl out of the mouth.” Honerva guides you. You shove a hand past the teeth, then your arm, your head, and draw in an attempt at air. Your lungs don’t fill, you have none like this .

 “Keep going.” She says.

        It’s like trying to pull yourself out of the mud. It's heavy and thick and each motion feels like a slog through it. You get your other arm and torso out but your lower half is still trapped inside. You look down at the body, its glassy eyes staring back at you with judgment. What have you done? What has Honerva made you do?

 “Careful now.” She warns as you start to slide back into the corpse . “I’d rather not have to force you out.”

        You put your hands on his cold shoulders and push down against them. You manage to free the last of yourself and tumble onto the ground in a wet splat. Honerva lowers the hood back over his face.

 “Congratulations.” She applauds. “You’ve now learned how to manipulate a body that isn’t yours. It’s a rare technique and one that’s hard to master. You should be proud .” You’re anything but .

        She steps back and uses her Quintessence to lift the chair and body up, moving them out of the way of the mirror. You push yourself up and stagger over to it. 

 “See you tomorrow, Prince Lance.”

        You nod, numb, and step through the mirror. 

        You collapse onto the ground and curl up. Perhaps being lost in this between-realm isn’t the worst of places to be. There’s a pulse of heat around your pinky finger and you stare at the red string that ties you to Keith. Could you cut it?

        Your fingers trace the line, threading it through them. It feels like a braided rope, the kind that would be used to make jewelry back home. It could be broken . It burns hotter, brighter and you hiss, letting it go. 

        No, if it gets broken you can’t find Keith! You have to get up and find him! You pat your face and get up. There’s no time to be here, Keith is protecting your body with a time limit!  

        You pick your way back to your bathroom mirror, following the red string into the dark. And when you get there you find Keith, setting your body down in the tub. He turns around and jolts when he sees you. 

 “Lance?” He asks and you nod. He steps closer to the mirror, brows pinched together with determination. His hand reaches through to you, brilliantly red and closer to your size. You take it, noting how nicely it fits in yours. 

        He pulls you back through but before you can hop down from the counter he scoops you into his arms. He carries you to your body and sets you on top of it.

 “Do you remember how to do this?” Keith asks and you nod. Oh, do you know how to do this .

        You slip in past your teeth and along your tongue, trying desperately not to think about doing this to the corpse. You can hear Keith murmuring soft words of encouragement, gentle and calm. When you’re fully inside of your body you fill your lungs with a desperate gasp of air.

 “Welcome back.” Keith says, brushing your hair out of your face. “I got worried for a moment there. I thought… I thought I’d have to go in after you.” 

 “Keith…” Your body feels stiff, stiff like the corpse had , as you try to reach up to him. He takes your shaking hands and presses a kiss to the back of them. 

 “Easy, easy. You weren’t gone for that long, I still have time.” He tells you. 

 “I can’t.” 

 “Can’t?” 

 “Out,” You glance at the mirror. “I need out of here.” 

 “Can do.” He pulls you up, cradling you in his arms once more and steps out of your bathroom. He closes the door behind him, his claws tracing a bright sigil into the wood. 

        Keith sets you down on your bed and your jaw wobbles. He doesn’t leave you though you can tell he’s confused. 

 “Are you okay?” He asks softly. “I felt something back there, something bad tugging on the string. Did you get hurt?”

 “What do you know about jumping bodies?”

 “...What?”

 “I feel so gross . Last time I went there I was in a wooden body, a puppet.”

 “Okay that… makes sense I guess?”

 “This time I was in a corpse .” You feel the bile rising in your throat. Keith goes still.

 “You… did what?”

 “I possessed a dead person!” You force your body upright and he follows you.

 “That’s not pos--”

 “I did it! I did it and -- and had to use my Quintessence in that body. She said she was proud of me!”

 “But… you’re alive. You… you have a body. I don’t -- I don’t understand.”

 “You said that the mages who traveled through the mirror would come back wrong!”

 “Yeah, because a spirit would take over them! You’re not a spirit, Lance!”

 “...I can’t go back. I just… I can’t. She said she’d have a better one for me. But I don’t want to do this again.” You feel the sob rise up.

 “You won’t have to. Whatever she thinks she’s teaching you, I can do it better. You’ll never have to do that again.” Keith swears and pulls your close. You tuck your face into the side of his neck and break. His wings wrap around you both, keeping you safe and far away from the travesty of what you’ve just done. 

        They’re silky soft against your fingertips, harkening to their high quality. After all, no expenses are ever spared when it comes to dressing a royal. The same can be said for every little detail sewn in and every bright color pieced together with another. 

        It makes you think of the tailor you went to with Romelle for your festival outfit not too long ago. You wish your life would be more like that—festivals and laughter. 

 “But... life also comes with funerals and frowns.” You say as you start to piece together an outfit to wear out of your new clothes. Not only would wearing them immediately be seen as polite, but you’re sure that Raquel will take it as a thank you . 

        Once you’re happy enough with it, you pull it on. They fit you perfectly, as you expected from Raquel. She’s always had a good eye for your sense of style and fit. 

 “What do you think?” You ask your friendly mirror entity as you show off your outfit. It doesn’t respond, and you click your tongue. It’s probably busy elsewhere, doing the spying thing you had asked of it. 

        You head to the dining hall to see if you can catch anyone there. Breakfast has long since ended based on how empty the space is. You’re used to having slept in at this point, and approach the table. There are a few bowls of fruit spaced out on the surface, and you snag one before walking away. 

        You ask various staff members if they know your sister’s whereabouts, most not knowing at all. You’re about to give up when the latest staff member snaps their fingers.

 “Oh, yes! She requested to have tea in the gardens, she did.” They recall. 

 “Sounds like her alright.” It’s a vague answer, but it’s enough to get you in the right direction. 

 “Of course, Your Highness.”

 “Do you think you could have someone bring me a proper meal out there as well? I don’t think a small bowl of fruit is really gonna cut it.” 

 “Yes, Your Highness! Not a problem.”

 “Thank you.” You smile, and they scurry off to pass along the request. 

        At least the gardeners are able to more accurately guide you to your sister once you’re outside with them. Your new clothes don’t offer much warmth, clearly made more for the temperatures you face at home. You find yourself wishing Keith were here to keep you warm. 

        Raquel sits in one of the ramadas in the hedge maze, much like you and Shiro once had. You recognize that the guards stationed around her are dressed in the armor typical of her kingdom. A smirk breaks over your face at the sight. Oh, Kolivan must not be too happy about that . 

 “Good morning, Prince Lance.” They call out to you. 

 “Good morning, guys.” 

 “Gods above, look at you! Now that is a nice outfit.” Raquel smiles as she spots you. 

 “Aw thanks. I had the most wonderful, charming, loving --” You press a hand to your chest.

 “Mhmm.” She rolls her eyes but nods along to your words.

 “-- Bestest, bestest, sister, bring it to me.”

 “You’re welcome.” 

 “You have a whole squadron surrounding you.” You laugh as you approach her table in the ramada. She clicks her tongue at the comment.

 “My husband’s orders.” She sighs as she sets her tea cup down. “At least I also got my personal staff with me as well.” Bet that really ruffles Kolivan’s feathers.

 “How’d King Shiro take that?” You ask as you step into the ramada.

 “King Shirogane didn’t mind at all. His captain had them all fill out extra paperwork, though. It really was a waste of their time, that paranoid bastard.” 

 “Kolivan just… wants to do a good job.” 

 “If that’s how he treated my staff, he’s likely to lose favor with Apá.”

 “Then immediately be proven right with Luis.” You joke, and Raquel finally smiles and laughs deeply.

 “Ay Lacin, ven acá. Sit with me.” She gestures to the seat next to her. “Are those peaches? In this weather?”

 “Sure are.” You set your bowl of fruit down as you take the spot she’d offered. 

 “Can’t remember the last time I had one. They’re so sensitive to the cold.” She snags it and holds it close.

 “They have a greenhouse here. It keeps their plants healthy and warm through the winter.” You tell her, and she hums. 

        You lean out of the way as one of her maids rests a cup in front of you, filling it with tea shortly after. You thank her and take in the spread of bite-sized sweets and bread on the table. 

 “I did ask the staff to bring me a meal over when they could too.” You tell her. 

 “Good, this isn’t exactly filling .” She gestures at everything. 

 “I’m sure it could be if we ate all of it.” You nudge her shoulder with yours. She taps your face with the peach in her hand. 

        You subtly cool your tea with your Quintessence, just as you had practiced with the mirror. Raquel is far too distracted consuming the peach to notice your trick. Not to mention her guards are all facing away from the two of you. 

 “Did you not sleep well last night?” Raquel asks as she dabs the peach’s juices off her face. 

 “Hmm?”

 “You woke rather late . And I can hear how bad your voice is. Did you catch something, perhaps?”

 “Oh no, I slept fine . I was just up most of the night.” You chuckle and wave your hand dismissively. You load your small plate with a few of the finger foods.

 “And your voice?”

"I, too, am sensitive to the cold.” You rest your hand on your chest. “I was probably too close to the fireplace last night, that’s all.” 

 “You should be more careful…” She frowns but takes your response at face value. You take it as a stroke of luck that she doesn’t look further into your response. You nibble on some of the finger foods and wash them down with the tea.

 “You know something?” She says.

 “What’s up?” 

 “If you had mentioned, at any point , that you had changed your tastes to more... vintage looks, I would have picked up a different selection of clothes for you.” Raquel tosses you a teasing smirk, and you groan. 

 “It was a last minute thing; I hadn’t meant to fall asleep in it.” 

 “Of course not.” 

 “Honestly, though, I loved every piece of what you got me. They’re going to be so comfortable to be in back home. Thank you for the gift.” You tell her, and she smiles warmly at the gratitude. 

 “And that’s why you're my favorite brother.” 

 “Aw, you’re too kind.” You laugh and lean out of the way of more staff setting your meal down in front of you. “I think there was even a cape in there that I could use to finish my outfit for the wedding.” 

 “...What?” 

 “Hmm?”

 “What do you mean ? Didn’t you leave with your complete ceremonial armor for this?” Raquel asks.

 “Well… I have most of it. Allura had just,” You wave a hand around. “Wanted parts to match the colors that she and Shiro were going to use.”

 “That will not do. Who is the tailor around here, and where is he? You needed that done yesterday .” She snaps her fingers at one of her closest guards and asks him the same questions.

 “The tailor I’ve seen is out in town. He’s pretty fast, actually; I’m sure if we send for him, he’d probably show up with something completed for me by the end of the day." You tell her. 

 “Have someone at this Godforsaken place notify that man then.” She tells the guard. You pass along the instructions on how to get to the tailor’s shop in the first place. The guard salutes both you and your sister before scurrying off to accomplish his task. 

        You offer Raquel a tour of the place when you’ve eaten your meal and your fill of tea snacks. She declines the offer, telling you she’d already been given one upon her arrival. 

 “Don’t get me wrong, I love the architecture of this place; however, I did notice it’s made of a few different materials throughout.”

 “I’ve been told the castle was torched once.” You shrug. 

 “Hmm. I suppose that does explain some of it.,” She looks over to you. “Do you know what happened?”

 “Someone didn’t like the ruling family at the time, snuck in, and lit it on fire. Pretty cut and dry there.” 

 “Do you know if they survived?” She asks. You chew your cheek and play with the lip of your tea cup.  

 "...No one did, Riqui.” 

 “...Oh.” She frowns, and her hands rest on her stomach. “That’s… sad.”

 “It is.” You agree. She closes her eyes, and you can bet she’s offering a silent prayer for the lives lost that day. You tell yourself you can feel guilty about the small fib you told her later. 

        Raquel hums softly and looks over at you. Out of all your siblings, she’s the one who looks the most like you. You both have the same blue eyes, the same tan skin, and the same dark hair, and you had often wondered what life would have been like if you had been born as twins instead. But that thought leads you to wonder if she would have taken Veronica’s place in the hospital or Veronica’s place in the grave.

 “Why is everyone moving around a lot here?” Raquel asks, snapping you out of your morbid thoughts. 

 “I mean, they’re setting up for the coming wedding. It makes sense.” You shrug. 

 “This isn’t just the staff, Lancin. The number of guards posted around inside the castle seems excessive. It’s making this place feel more like a prison than a palace.” 

 “Well… They want to make sure that everyone is safe in the castle. Especially with multiple royals coming to visit.” You tell her. She shakes her head.

 “I asked one where I could find a drawing room, and he didn’t know the layout of the castle. He was originally posted outside the castle walls. And now he’s been brought in .” 

“Where else would they get the extra security?”

 “And just leave the walls unguarded? That seems to make it worse .” She clearly doesn’t like the situation that Kolivan has created. You can’t blame her, either. You hate it too, although for different reasons. 

 “There’ve been some bumps these past few days, but things should be smoothing back out now that people are arriving.” You tell her. You might have to bite your tit and set up some sort of meeting with Kolivan, Ulaz, and Shiro. You would like there to be peace amongst the guests and for the tension around here to dial back down. 

        That does, however, mean you would have to talk to Kolivan first. What would you even say to him? It’s not like you’re giving up, especially with Honerva reaching out to you sometime tonight. You’ll need to figure out what he needs to hear to back off. What everyone needs to hear. 

        Because, as tempting as it is to simply call his bluff in front of Shiro and Ulaz, you can’t do that without putting a much larger target on your back. Shiro might be more willing to take your side now, especially given the conversation the two of you have had lately. But that doesn’t mean you’re safe from retaliation.

        You look out at the gardens and search for Keith’s statue up along the towers. Your eyes eventually find his frozen form clinging to one of the spires by his old room. He’s looking back to your room, as if he’d like to go back to you. 

        One day, hopefully soon, he’ll be able to be by your side. He won’t have to leave as the sun rises, and his curse will be broken. You and him could sit along the beaches back home and watch as the sun breaks the horizon. Maybe you could teach him how to swim in the currents of the ocean, show him seashells and sea glass, and teach him the art of building sandcastles. 

        You bet he’d burn in the sun for the first time in forever, and you would have to be the one to teach him how to care for it. You’d be the one to teach him how to prevent it from happening again. You want to feed him some of your comfort foods and see what he thinks of them. If he’d like the difference between the bananas here at Stoneheart versus the plantains you grow back home, maybe he’d side with you when you say mangoes are better than guavas.

        But nothing would compare to the first few storms he’d experience with you. The wind, the rain, and the large cresting waves that scrape the castle walls are vastly different compared to the snow here. The humidity alone is different, and the heat would require some adjusting to as well. It would be so worth it. 

        Every day with him here, at home, wherever, as long as you were together. You still stand by what you told him last night. Your heart belongs to him now, and you will continue to love him even if you can’t break his curse. He’s woven himself into the very core of your being, sunk deep into the marrow of your bones. The beat of his heart is what pushes yours to continue on despite everything that has happened. 

        Keith is your everything, as you are his. No curse could change that. 

 “What’s with that blushing smile?” Raquel’s voice cuts through your thoughts, and you jolt. 

 “What smile?” Your hand moves to your face as you duck away from her. She tugs at your hand, and you whine. She gestures to her guard around her.

 “Which one is your type?”

 “Riqui…”

 “Oh, I know how you are, Lancin. Tell me! One of them had to have caught your eye to have you like this.” She teases, and you shake your head. “You’ve always been a lover boy.”

 “Riqui stooooop!” Your face is burning now. She was always a massive gossip. 

 “So say it isn’t one of my men. There has to be someone here at this bleak place who has made you light up.”

 “I can’t hear you!” You stand up and cover your ears. You doubt she would take kindly to the thought of Keith, the Beast , being your partner. She tuts and gets up alongside you. 

        Raquel joins you on a stroll through the gardens. You’re just glad to have some fresh air for once without the guard here breathing down your neck. You happily show off the various statues and plants, telling her what you’ve learned about all of them. 

        She notices you rubbing your arms to stay warm, and she shakes her head. She’s quick to unclasp the cloak around her shoulders and drape it over yours. 

 “Raquel, no --”

 “I’m not going to listen to you complain about being cold. Nor you getting sick later.” She smooths the fabric down along your chest. 

        It’s longer than the one Keith gave you, but definitely smaller in the shoulders. It’s also a lot thicker than Keith’s and has fur lining its edges. It makes sense, considering her kingdom is much farther north compared to here. 

        She tugs the hood up and nods to herself. You have to admit, it feels perfectly warm against you. It smells like her perfume and makes you think of home and being together. 

 “Thank you…” You say softly. 

 “Of course. What are big sisters for?” She chuckles. “That's why I’m the best one.”

 “You’re my only sister.” You tease her.

 “...Right.” 

        The silence that falls between you two feels heavy. You know she must be wondering how different things would be if Vero was still around. You know you do. Although the frequency of the thoughts has gone down the longer you’ve been here at Stoneheart; the longer you’ve had to be with Hunk, Pidge, and Keith, and being allowed to explore the things she wanted to.

 “Lancin?”

 “Yeah?”

 “Do you... think our dad was right about Veronica?” She asks you softly.

 “What do you mean?”

 “That she shouldn’t have been playing with Naipes or Quintessence ?” You aren’t sure how to answer that for her. To you, the answer is an unequivocal no . It was wrong of your father to send Veronica away for learning about magick. But to voice that, out loud, to Raquel? It’s toeing a line of a different game that you’ve been trying to avoid. 

 “Riqui…” You sigh

 “I’m serious. He’s always said it’s bad. What if it wasn’t ?”

 “...Maybe it isn’t, but I don’t think you could change his mind on it in a day.” It’s not exactly how you ever thought this sort of conversation would get brought up in your family. You were raised with such intense fear of other abilities that you considered your gift a curse for most of your life instead of embracing it like Vero did.

 “What has you changing your tune?” You ask.

 “Amá has been… helping me with something recently.”

 “Oh?”

 “I don’t want to say just yet, but... I feel good about it for once.”

 “Color me curious.” You lead her inside and knock the snow off your boots.

 “ Lancin .”

 “What? Can you blame me? You, out of all the siblings, are the last one I’d expect to be so willing for magick to be okay.”

 “ Hush .” She hisses and smacks your arm. Her eyes flick to one of the guards passing by, fear in her eyes.

 “Riqui…”

 “Don’t… say that word so loudly.”

 “What word?”

 “The ‘ M ’ word.”

 “Magick?”

 “ Yes .” She glares at you.

 “Raquel, the people here don’t mind that stuff.” You walk through the halls.

 “They… don’t?”

 “Shiro says some of the people in the castle are more sensitive than others to it, so to be mindful.” You shrug. “As long as you… take heed and leave things be , they won’t bother you.” The Blade’s warning feels heavy on your tongue as you say it out loud to her.

 “Why do I get the feeling you know that so well?”

 “So I’m a little nosy and like to explore.” You laugh it off well enough. Raquel doesn’t buy it; her eyes narrowing on your face. You do your best to hold your casual posture in one piece.

 “Lance…”

 “I haven’t been doing anything I shouldn’t. Promise.” You cross your heart like a liar. She frowns but shakes her head, knowing you won’t go further yet.

        You spend the rest of the afternoon with her in one of the drawing rooms. You tell her the latest gossip from Altea that you heard of, along with some of the other court dramas there. In turn, Raquel tells you about some recent events in her life as Queen of the frigid north. 

        It’s nice to be with your sister. It’s familiar and comfortable, despite some of the culture clash the two of you have. Her place is very different from both Kyo͞obə and Altea. If anything, you expected the culture to be similar to how it is here, but you couldn’t have been more wrong. Maybe you should go visit Raquel at her place more often. 

        One of Shiro’s staff members comes to find you both to let you know dinner should be ready momentarily. You thank them and pass Raquel back her cloak.

 “Wanna join me on the walk to the dining hall?” You offer her your arm as well. 

 “Dinner seems to be early.” She hums and walks alongside you.

 “It’s usually around this time.” You shrug it off. “Maybe it feels early to you?”

        You smile and greet Allura and Romelle as you enter the dining hall. You let your sister take your usual spot, pulling out the chair for her. Coran and Ulaz enter not long after, the two chatting softly. 

 “No Shiro?” You ask the pair.

 “He is wrapping up a final hearing, but he should be here momentarily.” Ulaz tells you.

 “A hearing? What happened?” Raquel asks. The silence in the room is palpable, and you feel everyone’s eyes on you. Even Raquel turns to you when she notices. 

 “Nothing too serious, Riqui. I wouldn’t worry about it.” You smile.

 “You only say that when I should be worried, you know.”

 “I mean it, though. It’s being taken care of.”

 “That means something happened.” Her eyes narrow in on you.

 “Raquel, please --”

 “Sorry about the wait.” Shiro strides in, and you are thankful for the distraction. 

 “Glad to have you join us tonight.” You say, and he chuckles.

 "Well, it wouldn’t do me any favors keeping you all." He stands beside Raquel’s chair. “Especially not since we have new guests here.” He holds his hand out, and she rests hers in his palm. He kisses her knuckles.

 “It’s nice to meet you, King Shirogane.” She says.

 “As it is to you, Queen Raquel. And please, Shiro is plenty fine; after all, we’ll soon be family.” He smiles and lets her hand go. You can see the way her eye twitches at the thought of being so informal, but she still smiles at him. Shiro moves to his place at the head of the table, and Allura instantly chats with him about some wedding plans. 

        It’s the second thing that has Raquel hum a soft, disapproving tone. You, thankfully , are the only one who catches it. From the informal way of talking Shiro does with Allura, to the two of them blatantly talking about last minute plans for the wedding in a communal space, you can tell your sister will have a lot of adjusting to do. 

        It smooths over easily enough when the food gets brought out. It’s another stew-based meal, which you don’t mind. You bet Allura would actually eat this one compared to last time.

 “Oh… is this kalops ?” Raquel asks.

 “I had asked your staff if they could share any recipes from your home with my chefs. It’s nice to have a familiar meal when you can in a strange place.” Shiro tells her. 

 “...Thank you. It’s very kind of you.” She says and he nods. 

        You happily enjoy the meal and divert any conversation about the hearings away. It’s going well enough that even Kolivan showing up halfway through doesn’t detract from the positive mood. He leans in close to Ulaz and Shiro, murmuring something that has the pair exchanging looks. With a subtle nod from Shiro, Ulaz politely excuses himself and follows Kolivan out of the dining hall. 

        Raquel hums next to you, though she doesn’t say anything. She most certainly found the interaction interesting, if nothing else. You shrug and look to Shiro for any explanation. He simply watches the pair leave, eyes narrowed on Kolivan’s back. 

        Keith’s Quintessence brushes against you. You melt into the warmth and can’t stop the smile from spreading on your face. 

 “Are you having a moment with your food?” Allura asks.

 “What can I say? It’s delicious.” You laugh. “You gotta show the cooks back home the recipe for this.” You tell Raquel, and she shakes her head. 

 “I’ll have someone write it down for you, though perhaps I won’t hand it over until after you come visit me up north.” She tells you.

 “Godson, I'm going to turn into a popsicle at your place.” You whine. 

 “Nothing a little time spent by a fire can’t fix.” 

 “Yeah, that’s true.” You hum. “I guess it’d be worth it.”

 “Of course it would be.” She pinches your arm and your laugh. Curiosity clings to another wave of Keith’s Quintessence. You glance back at the windows behind you and spot his shadow. You wish you could reach back out to him without alerting anyone.

 “And this is when Lance will run off to his room.” Allura says, and you turn back to her.

 “I don’t run ; I walk. In a very dignified manner too.” You push your empty bowl away and stand up. 

 “Mind walking me to mine, then?” Raquel asks as she gets up.

 “Oh, of course.” You nod and offer her your arm. She takes it and wishes the others a good night. 

        You lead her through the castle at a slow pace. Raquel looks around at the halls, at the staff that rush past, and at the guards posted at regular intervals. 

 “Very busy.” She murmurs. “Too busy for a simple wedding.” 

 “They’re just doing their best, Riqui.” You tell her. She shakes her head as you pause. 

 “Is your room in this wing of the castle?” You gesture down to where yours is. 

 “Yes, it is.” She says.

 “That makes it easier for me.” You chuckle and walk that way. 

 “Is that so?”

 “Mine’s over here too. So are Shiro's, Allura’s, Coran’s, and Romelle’s.” You tell her.

 “Please tell me King Shirogane and Princess Allura’s rooms are… separated.”

 “Coran is in the room between theirs.”

 “Ah. Well, the only benefit to that is that he treats her like his own daughter. She won’t be able to sneak around that easily, then.”

 “They’ve been very well behaved, I promise.” You chuckle, and she huffs a soft laugh.

 “I know it can be hard. Especially with your loved one right there .” 

 "Oh, gross, Riqui.” You scrunch your nose, and she shoves playfully at your shoulders. 

 “It’s the truth. You’ll see.”

 “I hope not.” You say. You pause again in the appropriate hallway.

 “Which one’s yours?”

 “Right there.” She gestures to the room across from yours. Very convenient .

 “Wanna show it off to me?”

        Raquel takes charge and walks up to her door. You recognize that the guards posted on either side are dressed in the armor typical of her kingdom.

 “It’s not much, but since we won’t be here for too long, I figured I wouldn’t spend too much time decorating the place. Unlike someone.” She gives you a pointed look.

 “Hey now, I’ve been here since the fall!” You hold your hands up. She shakes her head with a smile and gestures to her room.

        With the exception of her luggage placed neatly against the walls, it looks much like yours did before you touched it up. Empty, lifeless, and ready to be vacated once the wedding is over.

 “It’s always nice to decorate,” you tell her as you step further into her room. You find yourself walking over to her fireplace, checking on the logs the staff has stored for her to use.

 “Oh really?”

 “Never know how much time you spend in a room until you do.” You look over your shoulder at her. "Plus, it makes it more comfortable to sleep in.”

 “...So you do stay in your room often.” She crosses her arms over her chest.

 “Riqui…” You groan and pluck a few logs out of the rack to feed the fire.

 “So much so that you’ve gotten very comfortable doing staff’s work?” She asks as you stand back up to face her.

 “It’s better than letting the room get cold.” You shrug.

 “Mhmm.”

 “They’re busy, Riqui. Everyone here is. Sometimes they need just a little bit of help.”

 “How busy could they possibly be?” Raquel asks as she sits on the edge of her bed.

 “You remember Shiro’s advisor?” You sit beside her.

 “Barely.”

 “He doubles as a medic.” And triples as a secret society member. You tell her, and she rolls her eyes.

 “Well, maybe King Shirogane needs to hire more staff.”

 “I’m not about to tell him how to run his castle.” You hold your hands up, and she shakes her head.

        She tells you a bit more about her travels here, her kingdom being a bit further away than yours. She’d been on the seas far longer than she would have liked to be and dreads the return trip.

 “The seas have always been kind to us.” You tell her.

 “I still don’t want to be stuck on a ship for another handful of months.” She frowns.

 “Then hopefully there will be good currents and wind to get you home quickly and safely.”

 “I pray for it.” Raquel murmurs as she looks around her room. “But enough about my trip; tell me, how has it been here? What have you been up to?”

 “Oh well…” You think of what you can tell her without her freaking out too much. 

 “You said you’ve been here since the fall?”

 “Yeah. It was super cold a few weeks ago. There was snow everywhere.” 

        You tell her about your studies with Thace involving astronomy and astrology. She clicks her tongue when you mention Hunk and Pidge and how they’ve become close friends with you.

 “Having two commoner friends is bad enough, but our parents will lay an egg when they find out about you studying astrology .”

 “I bet they would.” And that isn’t counting your studies with Honerva and Keith either. “Good thing they’re not going to find out.” You shrug nonchalantly. The good thing about talking to Raquel first is your ability to test the waters of certain topics. More so with her change of opinion about magick.

        You float a couple of other topics to her, gauging her reactions. The ghost stories you’ve heard about the place. The history that serves as a basis for those. Your opinion on the weather and the citizens you had the pleasure of meeting in town. The confession you gave to the High Priestess.

 “Wait… You gave a confession?” Raquel interrupts; she seems surprised. “How did you… feel?”

 “It felt good. Plus, it’s also a part of their celebration for the winter solstice.”

 “...The solstice.”

 “It’s not like that. They just confess the things that have been bothering them all year — secrets they want to share. You give gifts to celebrate the life you’ve shared together. And then there’s this big masquerade party! It was a lot of fun. They call it the Festival of Embers.”

 “Mhmm.”

 “Allura said it was similar to the Fest of Petals.”

 “That’s different. That’s for the bountiful crops and rearing of healthy animals.”

 “And this one is about leaving the past in the past, letting go of the worst of you, and accepting the new. It isn’t bad. Heck, even in the past, there were ceremonies you could do too.”

 “Oh really ?” She doesn’t seem entertained by the idea. 

 “Yeah, like one called ‘The Ceremony of Acceptance’. It’s meant to help you accept the things that trouble you and find that in others when you seek help from them.”

 “...When did you become a history buff?” Raquel asks you.

 “...Huh?”

 “You never cared for it before. I remember you even complaining about how boring it was. And here you are now, the history of this place memorized.” She leans closer to you.

 “I just... have a good tutor.” You stammer out and look away.

 “Is it Thace too?”

 “...Uh.”

 “Ah, I see. Who is it then?”

 “Well, he isn’t a teacher per se . He just knows a lot and has been sharing that knowledge with me.”

 “A knight, then?” She raises a brow. You cover your face with a groan, and she laughs softly.

 “What makes you say that?” You look over at her from between your fingers.

 “Knight’s have to know their history.” Raquel says. “That and, well, I know you. Remember?”

 “What does that mean?”

 “It means I know you liked the stories of knights rescuing damsels and lords in distress.”

 “Who doesn’t?” Your shoulders creep up to your ears.

 “...You do know that it’s just stories, though, right?” She says gently.

 “I – I know.”

 “Even the highest-ranking knight wouldn’t be allowed to take your hand. We’re worlds apart.”

 “I know, Riqui.” You drag your hand down your face. “Just… let me have fun for a bit longer?”

 “...Just don’t confuse fun for love.” She tells you.

        Your stomach churns unhappily. The benefit to Keith, you suppose, is that he is a prince. His rank matches yours. As long as everyone recognizes that, then there shouldn’t be a problem.

        But calling him the Prince of Daibazaal is a bit of a tricky issue. Keith and Shiro share no blood ties. He’s even told you he doesn’t have an interest in taking back the throne from Shiro either. What is the rank of a prince without a title?

        What would Keith be after his curse is broken?

 “...You’re in love with them, aren’t you?” Raquel’s voice breaks you out of your thoughts.

 “What do you want me to say?” You look at the dying fire in the fireplace.

 “Lance, you’ll need to let them go when the wedding is done.”

 “Shiro said he could let them come home with me, full honors.” You get up and grab a few more logs.

 “And what then, Lance? You’ll still be expected to take on a proper spouse. It wouldn’t be fair to have a paramour like that.”

 “Weren’t you trying to set me up with one of your guards earlier?” You feed the fire. 

 “I was teasing . There is a distinct difference between joking and being serious about something.”

 “Maybe it is serious, Raquel.”

 “Come on, it can’t last.” She sighs.

 “Why not? It’s not like I have a promised one!” You turn to her and huff. She looks away, her jaw flexing and her lips pursed tight. She knows something you don’t. Your heartbeat skyrockets at what it could be. 

 “...I don’t have a promised one. Right ?”

 “Not anymore.” She says softly. As fast as your heart was racing, it comes to a jarring halt at that. You walk closer to her.

 “ Anymore ? So I did have one?”

 “Yes.” She nods. “But Apá canceled the agreement. They would have had you leave Kyo͞obə for one thing. Secondly, they weren’t honest in their deal, and the culture is very relaxed around magick.”

 “When?”

 “When what?”

 “When did he cancel the agreement? How long were they promised to me?” Your voice inches higher and higher. 

 “Calm down, Lancin. It was many years ago. You must have just turned fifteen when it ended.”

 “Godson…” You run your hands through your hair. Your nerves are shot to the hells below. It takes a warm wash of Keith’s Quintessence down your back to pull you out of the panic. You latch onto the feeling and look to Raquel’s balcony. You think you can just make out Keith’s form behind the sheer curtains.

 “Lancin?”

 “It’s fine. Honest. I just… need to go lay down. It’s getting late after all.”

 “Lance…” She stands up and follows you to the door.

 “I promise Riqui, I’m fine.” You cross your heart. 

 “...Okay.” Raquel frowns, and you know she doesn’t believe you. You simply hug her and wish her a good night’s rest. 

        You slip into your room and beeline straight for your balcony. You dive right into Keith’s arms the moment he touches down. He wraps his wings around you and holds you close.

 “Hey you.” He brushes your hair back. “Everything okay?”

 “No…”

 “Want to talk about it?” Keith asks.

 “...Yeah. Maybe it’ll get my head on straight for Honerva’s message.” You sigh and lean away from him. He follows you into your room, leaving your balcony door open for your owl friend.