Alexander

The sun is warm on my back, battling the chill in the air for dominance over the gooseflesh on my arms. Sage keeps her pace even with mine, determined to keep herself between Bellamy and I. It is pleasing to see that she trusts Illius, to some extent, at least, as she allows him to walk directly to my right without her usual mistrust. She keeps her attention trained on the stranger, waiting for him to present some sort of threat to my well-being, watching him with the same intent as a wolf that stalks a rabbit. 

Bellamy acknowledges her several times with a glance but knows well enough to give her, and myself by association, a wide birth as we walk. It seems the architecture of the city around him is enough to keep his observation, however, and does not seem horribly bothered by Sage's plain suspicion of him. 

"This city is very unique," He muses, following a group of ladies with his eyes as our paths cross. The women blush and slow their steps, turning to look at us over their shoulders as they whisper fervently to one another. I am not certain who they are more interested in- the handsome new Prince or their favorite Captain of the Guard, seeing how their gazes dart between the two with uncertainty. "We do not have anything quite like this back home."

I spare an appreciative glance at the buildings around us, though I cannot decipher whether Bellamy is complimenting the city or the women. He is right about the distinctive structure of my city, however. I must credit my grandfather for the hand that he played in the designing of our Kingdom. Many of the oldest buildings are located within close vicinity of the castle and stables, which are constructed of white or gray marble and laid with matching stone that forms a walkway that connects everything smoothly. The same stone is laid around the castle and the stables, though the farther away from them that we stray, the less impeccable the footing becomes. Soon enough, we will run out of the appealing stone and begin to tread on the ground that serves as roads for the remainder of the city. 

"Thank you," I manage, though my eyes drift to Illius. When we passed the group of beautiful women, Illius did not spare so much as a glance in their direction, other than to dismiss them as a threat to me. He usually entertains them, at least, which leads me to believe that he is in a thoughtful mood, no doubt brought on by this morning's events. 

I subtly inch closer to him until we are brushing arms as we walk, nodding casually to citizens who pause their work to bow towards me. Illius acknowledges my attempt to comfort him with a small smile, glancing down to look at me. 

"Not to seem rude," I say loud enough for Bellamy to recognize that I am addressing him. He pulls his gaze away from a young lady who minds her family's store to look at me, so I continue. "However, I would like to ask you some questions while we walk, if you do not mind." 

Bellamy shrugs a shoulder, allowing his eyes to wander again as we near the end of the stone walk. The buildings near this part of the city are less impressive than the marble ones, standing on stone foundations with sturdy wooden exteriors. The less fortunate of my subjects stay in this part of the city, though I feel no shame in allowing the tour to venture into it. "As you please." 

The dreams that I have had the past two days dwell in the forefront of my mind, so I decide to begin with them. "My Uncle brought me a book about Aes Sidhe. Apparently, my mother has been hiding it since she was a young girl, so it is quite likely that she is aware of Illius' true self."

Bellamy looks past me, scanning his eyes briefly over Illius. His expression suggests that my mother's decision was a brave one, if not mildly entertaining. He makes no comment, so I continue before he has the time to come up with one.

"It mentioned that there are two different sides to the race. How does one decern the members of the Night and Day Court from one another?"

Bellamy gives Illius and I a lazy glance, resting a hand on his sword hilt habitually as he thinks of an adequate response. Sage releases a warning growl at the movement, however, so the Prince rolls his eyes and removes it before saying, "There is no difference, physically. The dissimilarities lie primarily in their personalities, laws, and instincts. I find it safe to say that your Captain is not a Night Court Aes Sidhe. If he were, you would all be dead," He gestures to the people that we pass on the dirt pathway as if to prove his point.

"What about the..." Illius trails off, glancing to the crowded street ahead of us. He pauses and waits for the two of us to halt with him, glancing to be sure that no one else is within earshot. 

"That darkness?" Bellamy asks flippantly, crossing his arms. "Nothing to be concerned about, it is a common trait. In fact, I am impressed that you are able to harness it so well. Most Sidhe become monstrous with the slightest annoyance, so the fact that you only feel it when you are enraged is intriguing." 

Illius exhales a sigh a relief, resting a hand on his chest. He makes to speak aloud, but Bellamy breaks into the first word of the statement with a vexed sigh, turning his striking gaze to mine. "Why not tell me everything that you already know? Since you said that you have already read a bit on the subject and I am not fond of having my time wasted. This way, I can also determine whether this book of yours was written by a credible source."

I hold his eyes for a very long moment before responding, silently challenging him to step over the boundary that he is toeing. His words are harmless enough, but I am not deaf to the tone in his voice. Regardless of the information that he might have, I will not tolerate the disrespect that colors his tone in my own Kingdom. 

A warning rumble comes from Sage's chest as she stares flaming embers at him, sensing my feelings towards him change from annoyed to irate. I hush her by resting a hand on her neck, curling my fingers behind one of her silken ears, though do not command her to cease her intimidating growls. 

Bellamy gives the black beast a bored look, though I do not miss the nervous way that his grip tightens on the sleeve of his tunic. He swallows before bringing his resolute look to my face, arching an eyebrow as if to show that he is unimpressed by the display of my pet's animosity towards him. 

When Illius takes a step forward, catching on to the tense situation, Bellamy throws his hands in the air like a child who is not fond of the punishment he has received. He seems to understand the gravity of my silence, and realizes that if he does not alter his attitude towards me that he will be doing to opposite of befriending me. "Fine, I apologize, Your Highness. May we continue? We are drawing attention, which is not recommended with the delicacy of this conversation."

 I do not overlook the snide tone in which he addresses me, but decide to take whatever sign of respect that he will offer, considering that he seems to have quite a difficult time showing it for anyone at all. I wonder what sort of man King Kaladin is to have managed to raise such a person as Bellamy. I watch him for a moment more before nodding my begrudging approval of his insincere apology. "I accept your regretful acknowledgment of your wrongdoing," My words evoke an eye roll from the other Prince, but I simply smile and continue, beginning to walk forward once more. "The book mentions the different Courts, appearances of the Sidhe, their opposition to iron and it mentions Glamour, though did not venture into detail about it. How is it that you became aware of all of this information, anyhow? What makes you a more reliable source of information than a text?" 

Bellamy tears his eyes from a group of children that play some sort of game in the street ahead of us to give me a sidelong look. "My father hunted those creatures in his youth."

"Your father? Why?" I inquire. This was certainly kept a secret from my mother, considering that she has never told me stories of any Fae. She would tell me stories about her time spent with the group of Mercenaries every night, though this one was not mentioned once before.

"That business belongs to my family," Bellamy says curtly, cutting a wary glance to Sage to check her reaction to his tone of voice. "I mean no disrespect in saying this, however, I will not explain it to you." 

 I consider this for a moment before offering a nod of understanding. "Very well, I respect the privacy of your family. Will you continue to answer other questions, then? We are nearing our destination." 

Bellamy turns his head to look at me, a frown tugging at his mouth. "Destination? I was under the impression that this was a leisurely outing, supplemented with an interview, of course."

I allow a secretive glance towards him but decide not to answer his obvious question. "Is Illius a danger, or in any danger, himself? You said that your father hunted his kind. If you do not wish to tell me why I may only assume the worst." 

Bellamy huffs a sigh like a child, seeing how I do not elaborate on my business as he wanted. He leans past me to look at Illius, seeming to decide the answer to my inquiry for himself. After several paces, he says, "Not to you. I suppose that he is in no danger, himself, as long as his secret is well kept. Tell me, how do your people view Magic?" 

The group of children that had been playing together ahead of us suddenly notice Illius and I. They promptly forget who is supposed to be chasing who and leave their spot to come to meet us, grabbing onto each other's arms for support in their excited scuttle. 

"Captain Illius!" The small group greets in elevated unison, coming to encircle my Captain with massive grins and giggles. They notice Sage and the stranger beside me and decide to keep their embrace on my right side, wary of getting too close to either of my companions. A boy around five-years-old hugs onto my right leg, grinning his dirty face up at me. 

I smile and ruffle the boy's curly mess of hair as he turns his attention towards Illius, eager to see what his friends are doing.

Illius' mood seems to brighten when he sees his fans and the smile that claims his face is genuine. He leans down to pat the head of the young girl closest to him, making her giggle with delight. "Why, hello there, Maty! Are you being good? Is Timothy looking after you well?" Illius addresses the fawn haired girl's older brother, who happily abandons his place by Illius' left side to push through the other children to stand in the front beside his sister. 

"Of course! We're just like you and Prince Alexander!" Timothy makes a swishing motion with an imaginary sword, beaming proudly up at me before turning his attention back to Illius. "Nothing is strong enough to come between us!" 

Illius and I share a smile at the statement. The boy who clings to my leg turns his head to call behind him, making me follow his gaze back down the dirt pathway. 

"Mommy! It's Illius and Prince Alexander! They've come to see us!" His words are broken by a hiccup brought on by his excitement, but he does not let it deter him. 

A young woman steps out of the doorway of her shop, wiping her hands on a stained apron that is tied around her waist. She smiles when she sees the gathering, but waves her hand to beckon the children back to her. "I see, how exciting! Come in now, lunch is ready. Let the Prince get back to his business!" 

The children groan at the woman's orders and reluctantly release Illius and me. 

Timothy takes his sister's hand and turns to leave, but turns back to crane his neck up at Illius again. His smile is determined as he says, "Just wait for me, Captain. I'll be just like you someday!" Before turning away and pulling his sister into a run towards their caretaker. 

Illius smiles and calls after the headstrong boy, "I look forward to it, Timothy. Work hard!" 

The woman, Kristabeth, ushers the children into her shop like a mother hen and waves a hand at us. "I apologize for them, Your Highness. They are just so fond of you and your Captain. I hope they did not disturb you." 

"Certainly not," I respond, waving in return. "They are a delight."

The woman bows before ducking back into the store to tend to the children that she looks after, leaving us in the street to our business. 

Bellamy had remained quiet throughout the flashmob spectacle, watching with amusement. I turn to him and respond to his last question as we begin to continue down the street. "They know of the existence of Magic, though if they are anything like my Grandfather, they fear it like a Leapor." 

"They seem to like Illius well enough, at least," Bellamy says, glancing into the doorway as we pass the shop that harbors the children. They press their small faces and hands against the glass of the windows, fogging it up and waving vigorously as we walk by. "As long as your people do not discover anything, I do not think he will be in any danger." 

I press my lips together in solemn contemplation, wondering if my citizens would really make themselves a threat to Illius, should they discover his true identity. If they think he may be a threat to their children, would they attempt to harm him? I turn to check the traffic of the street before and behind us. Aside from vendors outside of buildings and their few customers, there is no one about besides us, none of which are within earshot of our conversation.

Illius brushes his arm against my own, sensing my distress at the consideration. "It will be fine." He promises, his voice just above a whisper. I am grateful to see that the children have lightened his mood and eased the tension from his shoulders. "We will just have to keep it hidden."

I nod in response, praying that keeping his identity a secret will be enough. To Bellamy, I say, "We are going to see a Magic User. Assuming that the servant we asked was correct, that is. We have several questions to ask them and you are welcome to ask your own, as well." 

-

Author's Note

I'm sorry that it's a little late, but I'm very determined not to give up on updating weekly, even if it does happen a bit off schedule. It is good for me to have a weekly goal as a writer, and I am excited to see this story developing. Since this is only the first draft, I am equally as blind to how it will unfold, and it's quite thrilling! I thoroughly enjoy allowing my characters the freedom to guide me through the story and seeing how it all plays out. 

I hope everyone is doing well! I managed to snag floor tickets to the BTS concert and I couldn't be happier (I may cry happy tears often just thinking about it). Having something to look forward to is what keeps me going, so I hope that all of you have some things to wait for, as well. Hopefully, my anxiety stays in line and doesn't act up again, now that I have one less thing to stress about. I also got my second tattoo two weeks ago, which is the cover art for the Love Yourself: Her albums. I love it so much, it really keeps me motivated and enlightened! 

Please keep yourselves happy and healthy. God and I love you! 

Until next time (Hopefully, it will be on time this round),

-A.