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Tempus Vernum	By : FlayraDowitcher Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers Views: 1527 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. I'm making no money off of this fic.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
***Warning: Suspense, minor violence, language, disturbing scenes

***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. I am making no money off of this fic.

Chapter 13

Arthur couldn't sleep.

He had lain awake in bed after the sudden, sharp-shooting pain that ripped through his chest. It was his heart, and something horrible had happened to someone he loves; either his sons or his lover. Arthur soon threw off the covers, put on his purple velvet robe, and lit the bedside lantern. Gripping the looped handle firmly, the king left his chambers to check on his sons. Some night guards and servants questioned if he was all right or if he needed anything. Arthur just shook his head and silenced them with a raise of his hand. His first stop would be Alfred's room, since his eldest son was the one more likely to get into trouble. Upon arriving at Alfred's door, Arthur swirled his hand in the air and from a puff of green smoke came a set of keys. There were only two keys on this ring, and both of them led to Alfred and Matthew's rooms. His boys liked to lock themselves insides, as apposed to when they were little and Arthur would lock them inside for safe keeping. But a parent should always have a way into their child's room, at least, that was his philosophy. When you were a king and your children royalty, one couldn't take any chances and with all the heartbreak he'd been through over the decades…

Arthur held the lantern by the lock, stuck the key inside and fiddled with it until the click could be heard. Quietly, he pushed the door open, peeking inside first with his lantern. Arthur looked to the bed where two figures were sound asleep, both forms snoring softly. Closing the door behind him, Arthur pocketed the keys and floated over to the bed to stand beside Alfred. He smiled at his son's sleeping face for the boy was a perfect angel when he was asleep. If Alfred knew he was here like this his son would blow up, babbling about having 'no privacy' and to 'leave him alone'. Arthur instead brushed back the bangs and the cowlick to lightly kiss his son's forehead. Alfred shifted slightly on the bed with a smile before nuzzling his face into the pillow. It reminded Arthur of when Alfred was little; the boy would do that all the time when he came in for a late night kiss. Then, he held the lantern a little higher over Alfred to catch a glimpse of Gilbert's sparkling wings. The Winter Fairy was turned away, giving both of them his back. Arthur walked around to Gilbert's side, crouching down to gaze at the sleeping face. Gilbert really was a beautiful fairy; even more beautiful when he was asleep.

'So Alfred is all right. Good.' Arthur glanced through the curtains. 'It's almost dawn…I should leave before they wake up.'

The next room to visit was Matthew's. Using the key, Arthur entered his youngest son's room. Immediately he smiled at the setup his son had; so different from Alfred's, and so clean! To the far end of the room was a tower of various stuffed animals that he and Francis had gotten him over the years. 'Francis…' Arthur said his name to himself while walking over to the bed. Matthew was curled up and bundled tight under the thick blankets, his breathing soft and even. Often, when Matthew was still a baby, Arthur would constantly keep close to him, just to make sure the baby was breathing. Matthew's birth and slow start to life always had Arthur anxious and it made him over-protective of his youngest. But like Alfred, Matthew was well. And with that, Arthur could conclude that the pain in his heart had to do with Francis.

'Where has he gone?' Arthur turned and left Matthew's room to head back to his own. There was no way for him to send out a search party because it would be too suspicious on his end. Arthur retreated back into his room, slammed the door to lean against it, and felt the tears stinging his eyes. 'Francis…are you all right? Where have you gone?' He placed his hand over his heart, feeling the steady beating beneath his palm. The pain had only last a second yet it felt as if a thousand knives were all stabbing him at once. It was gone as quickly as it had come but it was still unexplainable. He needed, no, WANTED to see Francis. He just had to see him. 'Francis, please, come back to me soon!'

For the rest of the early morning Arthur sat at the window, staring up at the sky in hopes of seeing Francis flying back to him. The sun was already high in the sky, covered by the thick gray clouds of the Dark Kingdom. What a dark place this kingdom was. Arthur wanted to stay for the rest of the day but duty calls and he had to be a king. After he dressed and placed on the crown, he decided to make a stop off at Alfred's room to see how his son was doing. Chances are the young prince was still sound asleep, being the lazy night owl that he was. Matthew was always an early riser; the 'good son'. Standing outside Alfred's door, he knocked softly and called his name.

"Alfred? Are you awake?"

"Yeah! Come on in!"

He entered the room, seeing Alfred putting on his prince crown in the mirror yet there was no sign of Gilbert. "Is Gilbert already up?" He asked his son.

"He was already gone by the time I woke up. I think he told me he was leaving…sounded a little frantic, too."

Arthur raised a thick brow. "Frantic, you say?"

Alfred spun on his heel to face him. "Yeah. I don't know where he went but we're supposed to have that important dinner tonight at…what's that lord's house name again?" He scratched his head. "Tuner? Tyler?-"

"Tanner." Arthur gave him the name, having forgotten about the dinner as well. He wasn't invited because it was only for his son and his new 'bride'. "Don't blow it tonight!" He sneered.

"I won't! Sheesh, you never give me any credit!" He turned to look at himself again in the mirror.

Arthur felt the need to ask Alfred about Francis, even though he knew the boy probably had no clue where his father had gone. "Alfred? Have you heard or seen your papa?"

"Papa? No, I haven't. Is something wrong?"

He smiled. "No, nothing is wrong. I was just wondering if you've seen him since he hasn't been around recently. I'm sure he's off flirting with girls and peeking under their skirts somewhere."

Alfred laughed. "Yup, that would be him! All right! I'm ready to tackle the day!" He said proudly.

"If you see your father, tell him to come and see me, okay?"

"Will do!" He flew past Arthur without a goodbye.

"Ungrateful whelp." With a trembling hand, he placed it over his heart and rubbed the spot there. 'I know something is not right…but what is it? Something has happened to Francis. I just know it.' He took a seat on Alfred's bed, thinking back to the last night they were together and when they had fought. 'Maybe he's just avoiding me because he's still angry. Perhaps I'm over thinking this and that pain was simply his anger being felt through me. Or what if…he ran in to the Light Court fairies?' Arthur grit his teeth, baring his fangs. 'They better not have hurt my Francis if they know what is good for them! There is a beast inside of me that will show them no mercy!'

But how was he to find out if they have Francis? He would have received and ransom note by now, plus, he couldn't just walk onto Light Court territory. No one in his clan could without written permission or invitation. Roderich would not let him in if he asked to see the Light King and accuse him of taking Francis. That wouldn't go over well. But SOMEONE could step foot onto Light Court territory; their envoy Ludwig, as well as his son-in-law, Gilbert. The idea brought a dark smirk to Arthur's lips, and he chuckled to himself. Gilbert would not betray his king without a little 'push'. Arthur's goal was to make Gilbert feel loved and appreciated here so the Winter Fairy would grow to despise the Light King. Gilbert would find the information he needed.

'Best hope my intuitions are wrong, Roderich.' He licked the venom from his fangs.

/

"Quick, hide!" Ludwig whispered to Gilbert, shoving the fairy away from him.

Gilbert scrambled to find a hiding spot; the only place available was behind a couple sacks of grain. Silent as a mouse, Gilbert covered his mouth and listened to the door opening.

"Oh, Monk Terry. What brings you out here?" Ludwig asked the young monk.

"I was just coming to grab a shovel. You know that stray cat we took in? Well, he took a hearty 'you know what' on the dining floor. Somehow I have to be the one to clean it up."

"The shovels are over there." Ludwig pointed to some on the wall.

"Thanks. What are you doing in here anyway? It's too cold to do outside work!" The monk laughed as he chose the necessary shovel.

"I was just out for a walk. Being inside the temple after all that has just happened…I need a moment to myself."

The other monk turned to him with a smile. "You'll be a great head master here, Ludwig. I just know it! We're all looking forward to it!"

"That's kind to hear. I appreciate it. Um…give me a few more minutes and then I shall join everyone inside."

"Sure. I'll see you in a bit."

Ludwig closed the door after the monk left and gave a sigh of relief that he was not found out. "Gilbert?"

The fairy poked his head up from the grains. "I guess this is my cue to go back to the fairy realm?"

He nodded. "I do have a lot of work ahead of me and I want to get as much of it straightened out before I come back. Please let King Arthur and Roderich know, okay?"

Gilbert buzzed his wings as he flew over to Ludwig and kissed his nose. "My heart aches when you're not near…please, don't stay too long?"

Ludwig gave a small smile and raised a hand to stroke the fairy's cheek, watching as the other leaned in to his touch. "I'll work as fast as I can. Believe me, I rather be with you." He wanted to go back with Gilbert and be with him, but duty called here in his world. Being away from Gilbert would prove difficult for him as well. Now that they were 'bonded' he never wanted to be away from him. Ludwig reached up to pull Gilbert out of the air and into an embrace. "I love you."

"I love you too!" Gilbert smiled and squeezed him tight, feeling his whole body alight with undying love for his human.

"I just wanted to hold you once more before you left." They pulled away. "Go now, before my fellow monks get suspicious."

Gilbert gave him a quick kiss. "I'll send Ivan to watch the area and wait for you, okay?"

"Very well." Ludwig opened the door for him.

The Winter Fairy winked. "Such a gentleman! See you soon!" He laughed before flying off into the gray snowy sky.

Ludwig stared up in the sky, watching Gilbert's white form glide and swirl through the snowy clouds that left a trail of sparkles behind. 'That's my fairy.' He said to himself. Seeing Gilbert filled him with a sense of happiness and joy, but that all leaked away when he set his eyes upon the temple…and the troubles that lie within its walls. 'Give me strength…'

/

"Ouch! Kiku, that hurts!" Alfred hollered at the apothecary.

"If it stings then that means it's working." Kiku responded calmly while rubbing the healing salve onto Alfred's burn mark. "Your father entrusted me with your care, but he never said anything about being 'gentle' while doing it."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "Oh please, was that your crack at a joke? Lame."

He sprinkled some herbal flakes on the salve. "I try."

"And you've been entrusted to me ever since I was little!" He grinned. "Remember those days?"

Kiku closed his eyes. "How could I forget? Matthew was a sweet child to look after. You, on the other hand, were a terror."

Alfred chuckled. "A terror that you couldn't get enough of!"

The smaller fairy scoffed at the words. "Alfred, I was happy to get RID of you. When I was finally able to drop you off back with your father, I swear I would dance a jig back to my room."

"Now you're just being mean! That's when I was really little! But what about when I got bigger? Too big for a babysitter. Remember THOSE times?"

Kiku finished bandaging Alfred's arm. "Yes." He responded softly. "Although I try to forget. Yet you said that we were going to sail away with Francis on his ship and that you wanted to be with me. Do you remember what my answer was?"

A hurt pout. " 'Alfred, I'm old enough to be your father. The answer is no. I'm sorry. Good day to you.' " He quoted Kiku's words to him perfectly. "You were my first kiss too! You robbed an innocent of his first kiss!"

"Who kissed who again?" Kiku moved away from the prince, chuckling silently. "I want you to find fairies in your own age. You've been doing it for such a long time now. Why do you keep coming back to me?"

Alfred flopped himself on one of the sofas. "Isn't it obvious? You're the only fairy male I can't properly woo!"

"And so that plagues me in to having you come by all the time when I'm here?" He started fiddling with the tops of some potions bottles. "You always seem to forget that you are a prince. I'm just the royal family apothecary."

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You know who my birthfather is. My father would have no issues with who I'm with."

Kiku brushed past him. "You're married to Gilbert now, and yes, he is a commoner. But you know full well the reasoning behind the marriage." He straightened out a picture frame of a fairy maple leaf. "If King Roderich and Queen Elizaveta have a child, your marriage to Gilbert will be null and void."

"Oh, I hate this! You sound just like my father!"

Brown eyes turned to him. "Is that why you are attracted to me?"

"What? No! I-" He gave him a raspberry. "I have to get ready for that stupid dinner party! I can't be wasting my time here listening to you nagging me!"

Kiku smiled sweetly in amusement. "Enjoy your dinner. Mind your manners."

"UGH!" he stomped his foot. "You know what's super annoying about you, Kiku? Even when you're nagging or scolding me, you're still incredibly cute! Good day sir!" He spun on his heel and left Kiku's room.

Kiku rubbed his temples and sighed.

/

In Alfred's chambers…

"Are you ready yet?" Alfred asked Gilbert from behind the changing curtain.

"Almost! I can't get these damn toggle buttons to loop properly! Who the hell needs over twenty tiny toggles on their doublet?"

Alfred crossed his arms. "Your guardian, King Roderich." He rolled his eyes. "Do you need help?"

"Nah, I'm almost done. This thing sure is uncomfortable though. How long are were dining with these assholes?"

"Longer than we need to. But look on the bright side, we get a good meal and my father's not breathing down our necks. We're big boys now!" He laughed. "Say, are you still planning to act the 'good wife' tonight?"

Silence, and then, "I guess so. I promised your father and Roderich I'd be on my best behavior."

"Ah, good. We shouldn't have any trouble then!" Alfred neglected to tell Gilbert about how much the Tanner Family hated Light Court Fairies. He thought it would be best to play dumb because he knew how Gilbert was, and if the fairy got offended then all hell would break lose before they even got there. He might just go in to dinner with a chip on his shoulder and say something to get them both in trouble. Some things are better left unsaid.

"Okay, I'm finished!" He stepped out from the curtain with a sneer on his face. "Sometimes I think Roderich should be hanged for his taste in clothing."

Alfred gave a lopsided smile. "Well, it's certainly…loud." The long tunic was bright green with golden toggle buttons running from the collar down to the bottom hem. Spotted on the fabric were darker green medallion patterns.

"I only picked this because it was a neutral color of our courts. If I wore anything white or gold…well, I don't want to 'offend' the Dark Fairy nobility."

"No, that's my job!" Alfred laughed. "Get your circlet on and let's get moving! The sooner this dinner is done the sooner we get home!"

Gilbert placed the silver circlet on his head. "Alright 'husband', let's get our game faces on!"

Long after dinner, in the carriage…

"Your father is going to be PISSED when he finds out about this." Gilbert said as he watched the stone city buildings go by from the carriage window.

Alfred lazily picked at his nails. "So let him be pissed. I couldn't stand the way they were looking at us! Even their stupid kids seemed to have an attitude with us. They're the ones who invited US. That's what so ironic about tonight."

Gilbert glanced at him. "I shouldn't have gotten up and walked away like that. I'm 'supposed' to be the shrinking violet so the Dark Fairy people come to love me. At least I didn't mouth off to them, which I really wanted to do. I was THIS CLOSE," He showed it with his finger "from flipping the table over. The way they insulted me, I think, was way out of line!"

"Well, when they insult you they indirectly insult me, as well as my father." He fondled with his sapphire ring. "I shouldn't have said what I did, either. We're both at fault, I guess."

"Thanks for coming to my defense, though." Gilbert turned to face him with a smile. "You didn't have to."

Alfred grinned. "Did you see the look of fear on Fat Daddy Tanner's face when I pointed the steak knife at him?"

Gilbert threw his head back and let out a laugh. "He was ready to shit himself! His wife would have had the baby right then and there!"

"You know why they invited us to dinner, right?"

"To get on our good side when you gain the throne?"

"Exactly. So screw them. I didn't take kindly to their insults so I don't want them as 'friends'."

Gilbert reached over to pat at Alfred's knee for his 'husband' chivalrously defended his honor and status when it was questioned or insulted. Okay, maybe 'chivalrously' was too high a word for it, but Alfred could have still just ignored them. Instead Alfred defended him, and in a way, it was nice to have someone else taking care of him. Gilbert always had to fend for himself since he was a boy, so this was a nice little change of pace. It's not something he would want all the time, though. Still, he bet Ludwig would have acted differently than Alfred. Ludwig could get his point across by just a look alone, whereas Alfred had to loudly voice his displeasure. Alfred handled himself well, but the fairy would still get a sound scolding from his father.

"What are you thinking about?" Alfred asked him.

"Hm, just that maybe us being together like this isn't so bad."

"I was only doing my 'husbandly' duties. I know full well that you can take care of yourself and you don't need me. But, appearances are everything, and you held yourself together well. I'll take all the heat from father so don't worry. IT could be worse, right? I could be married to Mrs. Tanner and you to Mr. Tanner."

Gilbert mocked a gagging noise. "You'll make me lose my dinner!" The carriage suddenly gave a violent jerk and slid to a halt. "What was that?"

Alfred looked out the window and gasped when he saw their entourage of guards begin attacking some civilians. "Something's going on outside!" The carriage began to rock on its left side as a group of Dark Fairies were trying to tip it over. Alfred fumbled with the door handle trying to get it opened. Their weapons had been stored away in the travel trunk when they arrived at the Tanner's so they were unarmed. He wasn't expecting an attack so late like this.

"ALFRED!" Gilbert shouted his name as the carriage was finally lifted and pushed onto its side, slamming them both into the window glass. Gilbert felt pain shoot through is head where the broken glass must have cut him. He pressed his hand against the painful spot and pulled it back to find dark blood on his palm. "Alfred!"

"My ankle! I fell on it!" he hissed while trying to push himself into an upright position, his face also slashed from broken shards. The fight was still going on around them, but now they were trapped. "Watch out!"

Above them the carriage door was ripped from its hinges by the angry mob. Some jumped onto the carriage and smashed the windows, causing the glass to rain down upon them. Both had to shield their face with their arms. The fairies were taunted them to try and escape, but flying out of the carriage wasn't a safe option. The other fairies would grab them the moment they tried. They were trapped, unarmed, and wounded. Gilbert felt his hearing start to dull and his eye blur on his right side. IT felt like he was in a fog and the forms surrounding them up above were black spots. He could hear Alfred shouting his name as someone or something lifted him from the carriage wall. The Dark Fairy forms were growing bigger, with their mocking tones and laughs echoing in his head. He only had one thought on his mind.

'Ludwig! Ludwig…I'm sorry…' his body was viciously jerked up by his hair and he let out a cry as the force intensified the pain in his head. Gilbert couldn't see or hear what was going on. Still, he struggled with all his might, kicking his legs and swinging his arms in a desperate need to escape his assailants. He heard Alfred's voice calling his name, but it was all still a blur. He had lost track of time, even forgetting where he was or what was going on. All his felt was his body being jerked around and the constant throbbing pain in his head.

Nothing was making sense, until his body was rocking, or rather bouncing, up and down. Something hard was pressed in his gut with the constant bouncing threatening to make the bile rise in his throat. Blinking his eyes open, he could see that the blurriness had faded a bit, and beneath his vision was a moving cobblestone street. It was then he realized that he was slung over someone's shoulder, but judging by the clothes it was not Alfred. 'Am I being kidnapped?' He wondered.

"Where are you taking us?" Came Alfred's voice in his good ear.

"Someplace safe!"

'Whose voice is that?'

"Fly low to the ground! They'll be looking for both of you! Turn here!"

"W-What's happening?" Gilbert asked.

"Sh!" Said the unfamiliar voice. "Don't talk; we're almost there."

Gilbert let himself fall limp again in the stranger's care as they were taken to who knows where. He could still hear the stranger speaking.

"Move that board! We'll hide in this house until they clear. Don't worry, it's abandoned."

Gilbert felt himself lifted from the stranger's shoulder and placed on something soft yet lumpy. The stranger was cloaked in a dark robe that shielded the face. Judging by the voice the stranger was a male. Something like a cloth was placed against his head where the wound was.

"Hold it there." Said the stranger.

"Alfred? Where's Alfred?" Gilbert asked for his husband.

"I'm right here." Alfred answered and fly above Gilbert's form so the fairy could see him. His ankle was twisted so he couldn't walk on it and had to fly. "This guy saved us from the mob. We should be alright now."

The stranger spoke then. "Once the artificial sun begins to rise, I'll fly you both back to the gates. That will give the mob some time to clear out before we attempt to fly."

"Just who are you, anyway?" Alfred asked the stranger. "And why did you help us?" Gilbert tilted his head towards the stranger, waiting to hear the answer as well.

"…a friend. That's all you need to know."

Alfred eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of friend? Our friend? Or a friend of a friend?"

"I said a friend! No more questions, alright?" He grumbled incoherently.

"Hey! If you saved us then you must have wanted to! Were you acting alone in that mob or were other's helping you? I am your prince and you will answer my questions! If not for me then for my wife; who is not a Dark Fairy!"

The stranger crossed his thick arms but kept his face hidden beneath the hood. "I don't care for the royals, least of all you, Prince Alfred." Alfred glared at him. "I don't have to like you, but someone else does…so I did it for them; not you. Now don't ask me any more questions. Tend to your 'wife' instead. I'll stand watch."

"Alfred," Gilbert whispered, "Don't cause trouble…please? He helped us…just let it go."

Alfred floated down to sit beside him on the moldy mattress and took his hand. "It sucks this had to happen. I thought we would be safe with the guards. When we get back Kiku will fix you up. Just rest now, okay?"

The stranger spoke then. "If you don't want a repeat of tonight then I suggest you tell the king not to have a parade in the city streets. No one here wants to congratulate you on becoming the next king."

Gilbert looked up at Alfred with his good eye and saw a mixed look of anger, hurt, and disappointment.

/

Ludwig felt a strange aching in his chest with a sense of distress. For what reason he did not know, but it made him uneasy.

Ivan sensed the sudden change in Ludwig's mood and turned to look at the human on his back. They were on their way back to the fairy realm. 'Ludwig, what is it?'

"I don't know. Something just felt…eerie. I'm not sure what it was. Probably nothing." He cleared his throat. "I'm under a lot of stress. Let's just continue on to the Dark Court. I need to see Kiku immediately."

Ivan kicked his back paws in the dirt and took off down the run towards the portal.

/

Kiku was sitting at his desk, taking inventory, when there came a knock at his door. He figured it was Alfred coming back to bother him again, so he put on his best smile and answered the door. He was surprised to see Ludwig standing at his door.

"Oh, Ludwig, so good to see you again." Kiku bowed politely. "How may I assist you today?" Ludwig entered the room with the sack. "Are those new robes?" Kiku was questioning the now dark red monk robe adorning Ludwig's form. It was the same as the brown one; only this had green trim on the sleeves with a leafy print.

"Yes, this is new. I've moved up in the monkhood order. But that's a story for another time. Right now I have to speak with you."

"What is it? I sense there is something on your mind."

Ludwig held out the sack with both hands. "I have a manner of great importance I must share with you. But I beg you, do NOT let it leave this room! The sky may just be torn apart should this leak out to anyone!" Kiku, concerned, took the sack and sat on the couch. "I warn you. It's a gruesome sight."

With another uneasy look at Ludwig, Kiku turned to the sack, untied the toggle and opened the flap. His mouth was open in a silent gasp as he stared at the remains of an infant fairy. "Ludwig…by the Green Mother's robes… where did you find this?" He had tears in his eyes as he turned to look at the monk, fearing the answer.

"This is why I am here. I'm hoping you can help me to figure this out. There is a monk at my temple, in my world, with the ability to see mystical beings. One night he saw Ivan, but it was not his turn to die. There is something strange about him; something that is not human. And then, I was told by my head master to search this monk's room for a 'terror'. Well, this was the terror that I found. This monk, Monk Jasper, had this in his possession. My question to you is…has he used this baby's body as a way to obtain the power of sight? Or does it mean something else? If Jasper can see this fairy, then he must know about all of you. My other questions would be, where did he get it, from who, and why."

"Is that all?"

Ludwig turned away. "Well, I do have a theory…based on what I know from living here in this court for a short while. I know Arthur had a baby, a stillborn. He's told me about it. I also remember Arthur saying something about only his family having 'odd' qualities, like horns." He swallowed. "If you…look at the baby's skull…there are the beginnings of horns. Perhaps I do not know much of fairy anatomy…but it was a conclusion that I came to. I pray that I'm wrong."

Kiku stared down at the form for a short while, studying each bone carefully. Without a word, he got up and went to the bookshelf, running his finger along the spines. There was a particular book he was looking for, one which would hold the answers to Ludwig's questions. Kiku had an inkling that Ludwig's suspicions may be right, but he prayed they were both wrong. His finger grazed the worn out spine of an ancient book, one that Francis had found on their many journeys. It was large in length and had Kiku carrying it with both arms. He plopped the book on the table, raising a cloud of dust with it. "The answers we seek should be in this book."

Ludwig stood up and joined Kiku at the table, staring down at the old book as the fairy flipped through it. "Do you have an idea at all?"

"I do…yet I hope I'm wrong. But if this book confirms it…then we will have a tremendous issue on our hands." He glanced up at Ludwig. "It won't be good."

"All the more reason to keep it to ourselves."

Kiku continued to flip through the book, running his finger down certain pages as he searched for the answer. He started to grow a little aggravated when each page was turning up bare for the answer he sought. Perhaps the answer was not in this book, but then why would he think of it? He must have read the answer somewhere.

"Any luck?"

"Sadly, no. I fear that- oh! Wait, I believe I found it!"

Ludwig looked at the page that adorned strange writing but beautifully illustrated pictures in the corners. Yet at the bottom was a frightening illustration of a red, monster-like human eating a baby; a fairy baby. His eyes were unable to leave the picture. "What does it say? I'm afraid to know."

"It's as I thought." He ran his finger under a few sentences, mouthing the words first before relaying them to Ludwig. "If a human is not born with the sight, then they can obtain the power by consuming the flesh of a fairy. The strongest and purest form of this would be a fairy infant."

Ludwig's brows furrowed. "But, that doesn't make sense. If a human can't see them, then how can they know to eat them?"

"One moment." Kiku continued reading on, turning to the next page. "Here. It is said that only a fairy with enough power can offer the human the power of sight for a short time while the body is consumed. In other words," Kiku lifted his eyes to look at Ludwig. "A powerful fairy handed this infant over to Monk Jasper, where he must have consumed the flesh."

"Who? Who would have the power to do so? And why?"

"It can only be the Pure Bloods." Kiku offered, his tone a whisper. "They are strong enough for something like this…yet why would they choose that human monk? What is their purpose?"

Ludwig turned away from the table, beginning to pace the room in deep thought. The whole discovery of this infant's death had him anxious. "What could it be? Why would they give him that power?" He pounded his fist into his palm. "Wait! I had a thought!" He turned back to Kiku. "My temple is built near the ancient fairy battleground! The fairies have been trying to stop us from expanding into that sacred place! Monk Jasper is, if I remember correctly, against expanding the temple! Perhaps he was approached by these Pure Bloods and given the infant. Of course, that is just a shot in a dark, but it seems logical."

"Yes, but that still doesn't explain where they obtained the baby, or if the baby is Arthur's stillborn."

"What happened that day? The day Arthur lost the baby? Where did it go? Do you know?"

Kiku lifted his eyes from the book. "I wasn't present at the time, but I heard from F- a friend."

"Francis." Ludwig corrected him. "I know. Francis told me everything. Please, continue."

"Well, the baby was carried away from Arthur once it was known to be dead. Arthur was not in the greatest state of mind upon discovering that his, or rather her, baby was dead. A servant carried the baby away to be prepared for burial. That's all I know. There is a gravesite where the baby's body is buried."

Ludwig swallowed hard as he spoke the next words. "Are you certain the body is there?"

Brown eyes slowly widened. "I…I don't know. The undertakers take care of the funeral preparations…I know there was a coffin and a small funeral."

"Yet no one actually SAW the contents of the coffin, if anything were actually in it." He stroked his chin. "Do we know who the servant was? The servant that carried the baby?"

Kiku shook his head. "Arthur's had many servants tending to him since then. They come and go like the seasons. It could have been anyone. We would have to ask Arthur who it was, and if we do that, the king will grow suspicious. But if the Pure Bloods DID hand the baby over to Monk Jasper, then why did they do it? How did they plan it? And why did they choose him in particular. Your theory is valid, yet it is still only a theory. We won't know for sure unless we find out. And…there's only one way to know if that body is Arthur's stillborn…"

Ludwig felt his face turn white. "You mean to check the grave."

"It's dishonorable, to unearth the resting spirits of the dead, especially of one so young. But we have no other choice."

"Something happened between the time the baby was carried off and the funeral. Shouldn't we see the undertakers first?"

"No, that will only cause suspicion; and the undertakers are a hidden force. They speak to no fairy unless that fairy is accompanied by someone dead. Our best bet is to dig up the grave…and check the coffin."

Ludwig clenched his fists to keep his hands from shaking. "Do you know the way to the grave?"

"Yes, but let us wait until nightfall when the castle is asleep. Let it only be us two that go."

"I will not breathe a word of this. May I ask you to keep the body here? I don't want to be seen carrying it."

Kiku closed the flap and tied it. "I'll hide it here. When the moon is at its highest, meet me at the front castle gates. We shall journey to the royal graveyard together, but be forewarned, Ludwig. This fairy graveyard is unlike any of the human world. You have to promise me you'll keep your wits about you."

"I promise." He didn't like the sound of Kiku's warning.

At the castle gates…

Ludwig concealed his body in a thick black cloak to blend in with the dark stones of the gate walls. He kept his staff hidden inside the cloak so the light would not give him away. He waited anxiously for Kiku, wondering where the fairy could be. He'd been here for awhile now, and the thought occurred to him that possibly Kiku had forgotten, or had fallen asleep. Ludwig decided to wait a little bit longer before going back inside to try and find the apothecary. He was torn between wanting to find out what was in the coffin and finding an excuse not to go. Something flew overhead of him, forcing him to duck close to the ground. Was it Kiku? Another cloaked form landed in front of him, but he dare not move in case it was someone other than Kiku.

"Ludwig? Is that you?" It was Kiku.

"Yes, it's me. What took you so long?"

"It's not important. Come, we must hurry. I brought the shovel." Kiku unlocked the gates to let Ludwig out, then tried to close them without any noise by moving slowly. The gates still screeched, but the sound was too faint for anyone in the castle to hear it.

"Is it far?"

"No, it's just a little ways up. Follow behind me, and mind your step."

Ludwig followed him through the dark forest until they came upon another gated stone wall. This wall had crystal pikes all along the top, covered with dead ivy and spider webs. The moment he neared the structure there were sounds coming from beyond the wall. Kiku seemed unaffected by the sounds, or perhaps he was used to them? The sounds appeared to be voices, or faint gurgled moans. Ludwig wasn't one to be frightened easily, but this was a fairy graveyard, not a human one. He was certain that fairy graveyards harbored magic, and he was grateful for the thick robes that hid his trembling form. Kiku pushed the gates open and they moaned pitifully. The other fairy waved him in, and Ludwig hurried after to stay close to Kiku.

The royal graveyard was large with each tomb or grave marker spread wide. Ludwig paused to look at one tomb of a fairy woman wearing a crown similar to Arthur's. The statue's eyes opened to peer at him, and Ludwig actually made a little squeak of fright in the back of his throat. He was not expecting that to happen! Yet that was all the statue did before closing her eyes once again. Turning to his left, he saw a small grave with a statue of a cat adorning wings like that of a bird. Ludwig stopped to stare closely at it, wondering if it too would move. Suddenly, the tail twitched, and so did he. The cat's head turned to look at him. Ludwig froze, and then frowned when the cat statue titled its head from its body, as if it were tipping its hat to him in greeting.

"Ludwig, have no fear. These spirits won't hurt you."

"The statues and tombs move."

"Yes, it's part of the magic here in the royal graveyard. Look over there; do you see the statue of that unicorn?"

Ludwig looked in Kiku's direction, seeing the said statue of a rearing unicorn; the only difference was that it had dragon wings protruding from its back. "I do."

"That is where Arthur's parents are buried. The wings symbolize their status as King and Queen." Kiku smiled then. "Oh look, it's coming to greet us."

"What?" Ludwig looked back at the statue and sure enough, it had moved from its stand to come trotting over. He felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.

The unicorn statue, although made of stone, moved as if it were made of flesh and blood. It stared at Ludwig curiously, snorting, and sniffing.

"It's concerned because you are a human on sacred fairy ground."

"Will it try to hurt me?"

Kiku chuckled lightly. "No, as you can already see it's accepted you. It's going back to its stand." The unicorn returned to its stiff rearing form.

"I see. Um…where is the grave we're looking for?"

"Over this way."

Ludwig followed behind, but had to look at each gravestone as he did. Some moved, others remained still, and a few even had what appeared to be ghosts hanging around them. He had to take Kiku's word for it that the dead will not hurt him here. There suddenly came a wailing cry from somewhere above, and both men looked up to see what it was. Walking along the top of the stone wall was the transparent ghostly figure of a young fairy woman. Her hands covered her face as she wept, wailing the words, 'where are you my beloved?'. Ludwig's blood ran cold.

"Kiku…what is that?"

"That is…one of the lost souls in the mist…she has loved a human that has either died or denied her feelings. If she is there, then that must mean the mist is outside the walls. They won't hurt us, we not even see them when we leave. Ludwig? Ludwig, are you alright?"

Ludwig was staring at the ghostly form, wailing and suffering for the return of her human lover. He suddenly pictured the ghostly form was Gilbert's, wandering the dark wood in a mist of pain and sorrow for him. If anything were to happen to him, then Gilbert would suffer an eternity of grief. Kiku's voice and a pained slap to his face jerked him from the thoughts.

"Ludwig! Don't stare at her!" Kiku scolded. "If you stare too long at them you'll lose yourself in the sorrow as well. Leave her be."

"I'm sorry." He rubbed his stinging cheek.

"We've come to the grave site. This is where the children are lain to rest." Kiku pointed ahead to a small rectangular area encircled by a crystal pike fence. "Tread carefully."

The grave markers were small, each one baring a name of a fairy child. Kiku stopped at the newest one, its stone surface lighter than all the others. He handed the shovel to Ludwig. "This is sacred ground. I am forbidden to touch it, so you must do it."

Ludwig took the shovel from him in a trembling grasp. He'd never had to dig up a body before. He had buried a dead bird one time when he was younger, but never went back to dig it up. But this was something that had to be done, and like Kiku said, there was nothing to fear. And so, he set on to dig up the loose soil. When he was about knee deep in the small hole he had dug, the blade of the shovel scraped against something hard. Ludwig used his hand to brush away some of the dirt to reveal the top of a coffin. Quickly, he dug around the length of the small box until he was able to lift it from the earth. Placing it on the ground outside the hole, he stepped out and stood beside Kiku, both of them staring at the small black box.

"You open it." Kiku said. "Twist the latches on the sides to open it…and pray to the Green Mother that there is a body resting peacefully inside."

With a gulp and shaking hands, Ludwig knelt on the soft ground beside the coffin. He turned each handle to unlock the lid, pausing for a moment before slowly opening it. Both men peered inside.

/

Roderich stared at the preserved form of Francis now safely hidden inside one of the abandoned castle rooms. It had taken the entire day to move the form carefully, even with his magic. Elizaveta came up to stand beside him, slipping her arm into his.

"So…what do we do about this?"

Roderich tapped his fingers on his chest. "A number of things. I'm just not sure which route I want to go in."

She looked up at him. "And those routes are…?"

"Well, the first thing I should do is offer the terms to Arthur that Francis relayed to me." He pulled away from her to pace in thought. "Chances are, Arthur will deny them and toss my terms into the fire. Fair enough. There is an easier and more surefire way to obtain what I need and I keep my hands clean, as well as the reputation of the Light Court."

Elizaveta clenched her eyes shut. "In order to keep your hands clean you need someone else to do your dirty work…"

"I know. There are a few ways to go about this. First, I can tell Arthur of what happened to his lover and force him to surrender if he wishes to see Francis live. BUT-" He stopped his wife in mid protest. "Neither myself nor Sadiq have the magic required to spare Francis' life, and I will not offer a broken promise. The second way would be to expose Arthur and Francis' relationship, thus proving, publicly, that his sons are illegitimate. The Pure Bloods will see Alfred and Matthew slaughtered in their beds. And then, I shall be king of both the Light and Dark courts." He stopped her protest again. "But I won't do that either."

She gave a breath of relief and smiled. "I knew you wouldn't stoop to that level. It's dishonorable. Despicable."

"It's effective." He turned to her. "But because it is effective doesn't make it right." Roderich looked up at Francis' form. "Alfred and Matthew didn't ask to be born into this life. If you ask me, Arthur was stupid to not have married that lord, whatever his name was. Everything would have been easier for him. All he, rather SHE, needed to do was sire one or two royal children, and then have a bunch of illegitimate ones with Francis. Best of both worlds." He looked back at Elizaveta. "Bastards among powerful families is nothing new. And yet, Arthur had to be stubborn and make his life, as well as the lives of his children, a lonely living Hell. However, I understand why he chose to at least love whom he wanted." Roderich turned back to Francis. "Arthur had inherited a shithole in which he had no control over. Choosing his lover was the only option he had that was entirely his own. It's nice in theory, but foolish in reality. As we can plainly see." He motioned his hand towards Francis.

She placed her hands on her hips. "And you're not stubborn?"

"I'm stubborn in a smart way." He smirked.

"So we have three options so far, two of which we have voided." She crossed her arms. "Let's not forget the forth."

"Forth? And that is…?"

"Arthur is understandable. We should just tell him the truth. Francis acted on his own with all good intensions, offering terms that we mean to honor. He was accidently attacked, but we preserved him in hopes of finding a way to keep him alive; to save him from death."

Roderich gave a snort. "My queen, just how would you speak of this? You can't just hand Arthur a fruit basket, give your sympathy, and expect him to smile and say 'it's okay, accidents happen'."

"Of course he will be angry! But I think it is best that he knows we had nothing to do with Francis' murder! And what if Ludwig happens to tell Arthur about what he's seen? Don't forget, Arthur has our Gilbert under his roof."

"He won't do anything to Gilbert. He's not that kind of person. Although…Gilbert is guilty by association because he is married to Alfred. Should the Pure Bloods have any inkling of this…Gilbert will be slaughtered right beside Alfred." He sucked his teeth. "I wish we could get rid of those Pure Bloods. Their kind is not needed anymore. They have too much power over us."

"Roderich…please-" she walked up to him "we don't need another war."

"I understand that. I don't want another war either. The other option I have would be to meet with Arthur, privately, and tell him of what has befallen Francis. If I speak to him in person, perhaps I can persuade him to surrender his crown and save the lives of his sons, as well as earn back his lover." He looked to Francis again. "Arthur will refuse, of course. He has a lot of pride and a big ego. However, I have Francis in my possession. And that will work to our advantage." He took Elizaveta's hand. "I have the power to control Arthur right here." He lay his hand upon the crystal. "I can keep Arthur from attacking, from going berserk, and keep him from calling his army to war. All the power for peace lies right here."

"But that's-"

"Cruel, I know. However, if it is kept between only Arthur and I, and you, then no one else has to know what goes on here. This is a matter strictly between kings. If we keep this hidden and quiet, Arthur's sons will be allowed to live full lives."

"And…if he refuses altogether?"

Roderich took a deep breath. "Then he'll never see Francis again. Alive or dead."

She gasped. "That opens up the gates to a war, Roderich!"

"Yes, and I want to avoid that. Let's hope he accepts the peace terms I offer first. If he denies them…then I will go and speak to him personally." He squeezed her hand. "Don't even entertain the thought of going by yourself without my knowledge! That's what Francis did…and you can see what happened to him."

She searched his eyes. "Deliver the terms for peace. Those are OUR orders."

He smirked. "Toris is writing them up as we speak. Let's hope the Green Mother is on our side."

End Chapter 13 TBC

***I love my cliffhangers, don't you? ^^
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