#rplloyd

“That’s all I need to hear.” Colette said bitterly. “I’ve learned quite well that you’re just like Zelos!”

She’d said that and stormed off, refusing to speak to Lloyd for the rest of the night, which was easier said than done in Zelos’ manor house. The Princess had been safely returned and had made a promise of hosting a grand party to celebrate her safe return and Zelos’ name being cleared. The party was set a few weeks away and it would take time for their outfits to be finished, yet Colette couldn’t bring herself to be excited. What Lloyd had said, it hurt just too much. Yet, Colette knew she was the foolish one, as her feelings for him still held fast, despite the sharp thorn in her heart.

— Geh. He’d been caught. He didn’t hold anything against Regal in terms of kindness, of who he was— No, if anything, he was almost like the older brother, or perhaps father, figure he’d had, but never really— had. But, being given out to – he wasn’t particularly fond of that, either.

“R-Regal—!”

He was supposed to be resting. As high-energied as Lloyd was, even he should understand the importance of resting while sick.

Well, he hadn’t tried to dodge.

“Um, Colette? There’s only two of us.”

“Huh?” She pulled back from the hug, though her arms were still around Lloyd. 

“Shhh.” Lloyd hadn’t even really heard him. He was too busy tracking the configuration of the wires. “One of these has to be the hot one. Why’d they do them all in black?”

Lloyd felt along the edges of the wires cautiously, finding where each was attached. There. He reached for his wirecutters. “Isaac, you’d better find some cover. I know you said Aeon will bring you back, but death still hurts, doesn’t it? I don’t want anything to happen to you in case I screw up.”

To make it harder to diffuse? Isaac thought as he watched the brunette work. Despite his anxiousness, Isaac managed to keep still as to not distract Lloyd further. He should have his uncle teach him how to disarm bombs sometime. 

{Pffft XD Wow, should have seen this coming! Hello!}

"Umm, excuse me Sir," the twelve year old blond spoke a bit hesitantly as he approached the older man. "I'm looking for a place called Lhant, do you know how I would get there?"

The prince thought he should have been there ages ago, and it felt like so long since he'd seen anything familiar. He'd only been to Lhant once but... surely he should have been able to recognize something by now.

It was with no small level of bitterness that Windor's prince walked the halls. He was not ignorant, far from it, Richard knew the comings and goings of the castle better than most. Much of his life had been spent within its walls and with his father growing more and more ill by the day, his lessons grew ever more gruelling. Everyone was preparing for the day the king's health would fail, that he would be expected to rule in his stead. 

This was not new; for years Richard had watched Cedric slip poisons into his father's food, give him toxins when he should have received medicines, just as he had watched the same thing happen time and again to him. The only difference was that Richard had been able to recover, the King, however, was deteriorating. No, that was not what had the prince in so foul a mood. What angered him more than anything was hearing that there was to be an audience today, and that his father was still ill in bed. 

Cedric had grown bold indeed if he thought to act in the king's stead. It was bad enough his uncle already handled all affairs of state, that already he did not consult with the King as he should, making decisions for himself and using his father's health as an excuse. Now they thought to arrange an official audience without his father present? Richard only simmered all the more, his gaze dangerous as he walked down the hall, everyone more than eager to get out of his way. 

Cedric was not this country's king; and he never would be. Not if Richard had anything to say on the matter. He would not suffer that man's treachery for much longer.

Finally he came upon the one that he sought, or at least so he assumed. This was the only person whose face he did not recognize, whom he knew not to live within the castle. The doors were not open for the public to come and go as they pleased, thus he must be the one with business here. Burying his bitterness within, the prince dawned a more polite smile.