“Arthur! Hey, Arthur!”

           Arthur turned, raising his eyebrows as Kiel stopped a few feet from him, his cheeks flushed. Once he caught his breath, Kiel straightened and gave Arthur a huge smile. Arthur returned it with a small one of his own.

           “Good morning, Kiel,” Arthur greeted, “Was there something you need?”

           Kiel’s grin widened and he inched closer.

           “Yeah, I’ve got something to tell you! I just found out!”

           Arthur raised an eyebrow, and Kiel waved him closer. Hesitantly, Arthur leaned down so that his face was level with Kiel’s.

           Kiel rose on his toes and whispered,

           “I heard Volkanon has…. A girlfriend!”

           Arthur’s eyes widened and he pulled back.

           “Are you serious?”

           Kiel giggled and laughed.

           “Yeah!”

           “Where did you hear that?” Arthur asked.

           “Well, Bado said something about it… I don’t really remember,” Kiel said, and then brightened up, “Maybe we can go ask! C’mon!”

           He grabbed Arthur’s wrist and tugged him off, despite Arthur’s protests. Eventually, though, the prince gave in and allowed the shorter man to pull him down the street and into Bado’s shop.

           At the counter was Bado, and leaning against it, whispering in his ear, was Frey.

           They both jumped apart when the two walked in.

           Kiel stared curiously, while Arthur looked away politely.

           “…I’ll see you later,” Frey called, smiling. Bado grinned and waved.

           On her way out, Frey gave Arthur and Kiel sheepish hello’s before ducking out.

           The moment the door was shut, Kiel hurried to the counter, tugging Arthur behind him.

           “Bado!” Kiel announced, “Tell Arthur what you told me!”

           Bado stared at him, while Arthur attempted to tug his hand free. Kiel had a surprisingly strong grip for such a small guy.

           “You know,” Kiel insisted, “About Volkanon.”

           Bado’s eyes lit up, and he reached up to rub the back of his neck.

           “Oh… yeah…. He was in here earlier, buyin’ some jewelry. He had some flowers with him, too, from the flower shop.”

           “Yeah, that’s it!” Kiel said, and turned to Arthur, his brown eyes blazing with excitement, “See? Volkanon has a girlfriend!”

           “Kiel…” Arthur began, “Don’t… jump to conclusions… Though I have to say, it certainly does look that way...”

           “It couldn’t be anyone in Selphia, could it?” Kiel asked, his brow knitting in concentration, “Everyone’s way too young for him.”

           “’Cept Blossom,” Bado cut in, “But I don’t really—“

           Kiel gasped.

           “That’s it! It has to be!” he said, “Let’s go!”

           Before Arthur could protest, Kiel was hauling him out the door again, Bado waving them off with a chuckle.

           Watching them leave, Bado rubbed the back of his neck again.

           “Pro’lly shouldn’t have said that…” he muttered.

              “Kiel,” Arthur called, “Where are we going?”

           “To see Blossom!” Kiel said. Arthur’s eyes widened.

           “What? Why?”

           “To see if she’s dating Volkanon,” Kiel announced.

           Arthur sighed.

           “Kiel—don’t pull so hard. Kiel, I highly doubt that Blossom and Volkanon are—“

           Before he knew it, they were in the General Goods shop. Behind the counter was Blossom, and before her, holding a small bouqet of flowers in his hands, was Volkanon.

           Both young men stopped dead. Arthur stared in disbelief.

           Kiel was the first to recover.

           “I knew it!”

           Blossom blinked and she and Volkanon turned to the door.

           “Hmm? Oh, good afternoon, boys,” Blossom greeted.

           “Ah, sir Arthur and Kiel,” Volkanon said, “What are you two up to?”

           “It’s nothing,” Arthur said quickly, covering Kiel’s mouth with his hand as he began to speak, “Just passing by.”

           Volkanon raised an eyebrow before smiling.

           “Ah, I see. Well, I’m just here to drop off these flowers. Here you are, Ms. Blossom. Be sure not to let them die to quickly, like the last ones.”

           He exchanged the flowers in his hands for a few dead ones in a pot on the counter. Blossom smiled and handed him a few coins.

           “Thank you very much!”

           Arthur blinked.

           “Oh.”

           In his surprise, he allowed Kiel to push his hand away.

           “Wait,” Kiel started, frowning, “So… you’re not dating Blossom, Volkanon?”            Volkanon blinked before both he and Blossom burst into laughter. This ended with Blossom coughing, and Volkanon rubbed her back gently as he spoke.

           “No, no, dear boy,” he said good-naturedly, “What would give you that idea?”

           “Well, Bado said—“ Kiel started. Arthur covered his mouth.

           “It’s nothing,” Arthur said, “Just some silly rumors, is all. We’re sorry to have bothered you with it.”

           Volkanon laughed.

           “Oh no, you didn’t bother me. Be wary of rumors, though, the both of you. They can be dangerous things, and often false.”

           “Yes, sir,” Arthur said, and Kiel as well once he’d pushed Arthur’s hand away.

           The two hurried out of the shop, Kiel frowning and Arthur simply relieved to have all of his limbs back to himself.

           “So I guess he doesn’t have a girlfriend,” Kiel mumbled.

           “As he said, Kiel,” Arthur said, straightening his cufflinks, “Rumors are often wrong.”

           “But then what about the jewelry Bado said that he bought?” Kiel protested.

           They both paused.

           Kiel spun on his heel at the same time Arthur’s arm came up to bar him from the shop. The shorter man looked up at Arthur in surprise. Arthur held in a sigh. He was not about to go bother Volkanon again—his patience had been tested already, and he really didn’t want to push the butler any more.

           “How about some hot cocoa in my office, hmm?” Arthur suggested, “You can… tell me all about the other rumors around Selphia.”

           Kiel paused only a split second before grinned and reaching for Arthur’s wrist, presumably to drag him off again.

           “Okay!”

           Arthur withdrew from his reach and grabbed Kiel’s other wrist.

           “I’ll lead the way this time,” he said with a small smile, “Hmm?”

           Kiel observed him before giving a bashful smile.

           “Yeah, sure. I’ll follow you.”

           Off they went, though Arthur was a lot gentler of a leader than Kiel had been.

            Inside the shop, Volkanon chuckled.

           “Silly kids,” he said.

           Blossom smiled.

           “So?” she asked, “Do you have what you wanted me to get delivered?”

           “Yes, of course,” Volkanon said, pulling a small parcel out of his jacket. He handed it over to Blossom, who heard something jingle inside.

           “Jewelry this time?” Blossom asked.

           Volkanon nodded and straightened his tie nervously.

           “I… picked something out that I thought she would like,” he admitted.

           Blossom smiled gently and placed a hand on his.

           “I’m sure she’ll love it. I’ll have it delivered to you. And, hopefully, one day she’ll be able to come to Selphia.”

           Volkanon laughed.

           “Yes, hopefully,” he said, and sighed with a large smile on his face, “What a day that will be…. Thank you, Ms. Blossom.”