Azul laughed out loud.

"Ah. Ah. Ah. Seven years have passed and you're still as cranky as ever, ain't you? Be a little sunny for me, can you? Hm, Estil?" The corner of his lips were raised for a mischievous grin as he dipped his head lower and whispered, "mi Estella."

Estil shivered. 'Same old antics. Same old antics', she thought as she raised her face to meet his gaze.

"I see you haven't gotten tired calling me with such endearment. But unfortunately, I didn't come here to play with you or call names with you. I came for an official business."

Azul's smile widened, but he straightened his back as he observed the woman opposite him.
"Official business, you say? And with whom?"

"Am I obliged to tell?"

Still the toothy grin. "You are obliged to let an empire's officer know what your business is before I allow you access inside the Castle."

"And who says I am requesting an audience with His Majesty the King or any of the Royal Council?"

The smile broadened even more, revealing the pearly set of his white teeth, a stunning contrast to his crown of obsidian hair and set of deep blue eyes. "Let me guess," he said, still grinning. "Re-establishment of the House of Lumierre, reclaiming of the title and the land, perhaps a request of getting the same servants back, a position among the ton, and an acquittal for the crime of the late Count Ishid. Did I get that right?"

Estil looked around the place, her gaze following the path towards the Castle Square where knights and random people are loitering about. The sight of the masses made her feel certain her mission would be impossible to accomplish without any help or guidance, then she sighed at the growing annoyance towards the man whom she knew would be the only person who can help her accomplish her objective.

Her eyes went back to Azul and caught him following the trails where her eyes had wandered, and he looked back at her with eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, am I right?"

"I'll let you think whatever you think my wish would be. But let me remind you, my late father's crime can never be acquitted. An abomination towards the royal family is probably the most serious offense there could ever be. Now," Estil grabbed the man's arms as she tried to draw him near her but she couldn't make him budge. "I know you never get along well with people from the Lower Kingdom but please be useful to me at least once."

Perhaps it was when Estil mentioned the Lower Kingdom which made Azul's smile turn sour. His already cool eyes dropped to a freezing point and stared down at her.

"You came all the way here to look for someone from the Lower Kingdom?"

"Yes. And you know him very well."

The smile disappeared.

"Look, Az. I know you're aware that I'm rather good with swords, but we both know that this isn't going to be a typical game. Remember that hero whose name everybody sang in nursery rhymes? He died in this game, and there's no telling I will survive if I don't request his assistance in clearing the game."

He glared at her. "Then ask for my assistance instead."

Estil glared back. "Really? You? Why, has your territory in the eastern border turned peaceful where no more monsters go berserk?"

He clucked his tongue in annoyance.

"Come on, guiding me to him is the least you can do."

His expression was still bitter as he took her by the arm. "How am I supposed to cheer you when that bastard will be on your team? Besides, don't you hate that scheming son of a bitch?"

"I don't. I understand why he had to do it, " she replied, allowing herself to be dragged by him as they made their way through the crowd. She adjusted her cloak around her head with her other hand, making sure that the blunder earlier will not happen twice.

"No, you don't understand. That guy is a snake. You should not trust him." His head was floating above the sea of crowd and it was no wonder given the fact that he stood taller, not to mention broader, than the rest. Azul was an enigma. And he was a total head turner. Ladies swarm him by nature like a moth dancing around fire. And he would have been perfect if only he wasn't a jerk.

He was saying something but she could not comprehend due to the noise of the surrounding. Finally he stopped walking, but instead of heading straight to the castle ground he ushered her into an alley where it was more quiet and less crowded. Azul bent towards her until their eyes were on the same level. He then removed the cloak covering her head, his fingers running through the blue strands of her hair.

"They're still blue," he murmured.
Estil was frowning. "Of course they would be. What are you doing?"
"I've always wondered whether these strands will turn ash-gray like the rest of your hair."
Estil shot him an incredulous stare. "Just like how your eyes are blue and how your hair is black as your heart, don't go questioning my genetic features."
He grinned. "Your eyes are still smoky gray. I like it." Then he rearranged her cloak and straightened his back afterwards. "Believe me when I say never trust the man. There are things you don't know which I can't bring myself to tell you yet." He motioned for her to follow, and despite her confusion, Estil followed after him.

They finally entered the castle grounds and the amount of people swarming the area was overwhelming. Just when she thought their feat was an impossible task to accomplish, it didn't even take a minute for the man to locate their person of objective. Estil couldn't help but admit a little admiration towards Az when she noticed how the knights and people in general greeted him with sheer respect as they made their way towards the western hall of the castle grounds.

"There he is. That annoying freak of a nature white hair, ah, how I long to cut his head with my blade."

Estil couldn't help herself but smile at his remark. The two were never compatible in nature. And as both of them were as talented as the other, they were polar opposites in character.

Her eyes thread over the crowd, and she spotted the glorious white hair that seems to reflect the lights from the chandeliers floating over the roofless hall. Seven years. That's how long she hadn't seen him.

Just as Estil was about to move, she felt Azul's hand catching her elbow. "Remember my words. I'll be watching over you from a distance. Shout if you need my help."

She nodded, and smiled at the man in gratitude. "You have proven yourself useful today."
He smiled. "Yes, and now you owe me." Then he nodded at her, as he motioned for her to go. "I'll wait here. Now go, and ask whatever it is you want to your late father's executioner."

His words reminded her of the events seven years ago. And as she stared at his beautiful white hair, she asked herself if coming here was the right decision indeed.