Burning torches trembled in their holders as he slammed the door to the royal quarters shut. In the flickering light, he collapsed to the floor and buried his face in his arms. Alex couldn't be dead; Lord Simon had promised to return her safely to Sundale in time for the tournament. Her body couldn't be at the bottom of the Jade Sea, serving as kibble for the fish.

"Oh, God of Diligence, why weren't you more persistent?" he muttered to the heavens. He had been against her departure; why hadn't anyone listened?

Footsteps approached him.

"My Lord?"

Sebastian glanced up. Captain Jonathan.

"I'm fine." He sobbed. Keeping his gaze fixated to the marble floor, he rose. "I was on my way to my chamber."

"Of course, My Lord," the man replied, formal and polite as always. "My condolences. Miss Alexandrea meant a lot to you."

"The news doesn't mean anything," he snarled. "So, Lord Simon lost his ship—she could have gotten away." Then he added, not knowing whether he was talking to himself or the Captain, "She has gotten away. I just know it."

"Believe it, My Lord, if that eases the pain." Captain Jonathan laid his hand on Sebastian's shoulder, awkwardly patting him. "But if you excuse my boldness, don't utter these words out loud. Not many, but enough people are aware of your father's... condition."

"I'm not a magician," Sebastian hissed.

Captain Jonathan tensed. He removed his hand. "Perhaps not, but you are stubborn, prone to the God of Wrath and notoriously long periods of sulking."

Sebastian shrugged. "Yeah... yeah, I'm a weakling. So what? I'll still be King."

"That is not a guarantee."

"Of course it is. I'm the only heir."

Captain Jonathan pursed his lips. "Can we go to your chamber, My Lord? You and I need to talk."

He agreed, pretending to be curious. If the Captain were to insult him or his father more, he would send him away. Still, he had learnt that the old officer spoke more honest than anyone else in the castle.

When he entered his chamber, Bear leapt up from the windowsill bed and jumped down. All blankets and cushions were on the ground; some torn apart. A wet spot on the carpet. Uttering yips of happiness and wagging his tail, he darted towards Sebastian. He was no longer wearing his leash.

"Hey, Bear, did Storm take you here?" Sebastian asked. Bear's leash laid on the thick law books on his desk.

Bear arfed, as if he had understood that question. He placed his front paws against Sebastian's knees and sniffed.

"Sorry, Bear. No meat when you pee inside my chamber."

The pup cocked his head, his big eyes wide. He uttered a low arf of disappointment.

"Interesting creature," the Captain studied him from afar. "Prince River gave you a fine gift."

"He did. At first, I didn't know what to do with a dog, but River told me he needed a name—didn't he, Bear?" Sebastian picked up his pup and let him lick his face. "No, no meat for you, you silly dog."

A wave of sadness overwhelmed him. He sniffed, pulling Bear into a hug. The pup was another reason Alex couldn't be dead; she still had to meet Bear and curse the God of Greed that she didn't have a dog as incredible as him.

Sebastian swallowed his tears away. He gestured the Captain to sit down. "What is it that you wish to discuss with me?"

"The General," The Captain said after they both had taken a seat. Sebastian offered him some water, which he dramatically refused, as if it were a sin that a prince served an officer. "Since his departure, he wrote a status report every two days and sent it by pigeon to Sunstone Castle. The last letter we received from Whitepeak discussed the incident with young Master Nicolas in detail. Since then no word nor bird. It has been six days—I am deeply concerned."

"That is concerning," Sebastian agreed. "But I can't help. You'll have to take this up with Uncle Tom."

"I have voiced the matter to His Majesty, this morning, yesterday, and the day before. He seems reluctant to take action."

"Maybe he will in a few days."

The Captain arched a brow. "But what if by then, it is too late?"

"Captain Oswald then. He has taken over George's duties."

"Captain Oswald's position is a position of courtesy. I do not wish to discuss delicate state affairs with him. Not lest the next capital of The Greenlands be the Port."

"What do you mean?"

Captain Jonathan's voice turned to a whisper. "As I said, your succession to the throne is no guarantee, My Lord. The Greenlands is not one country. It is a union of four countries bound by a royal house. The union is only as strong as its King, and right now it is more fragile than Her Majesty's collection of porcelain."

Sebastian had heard that history lesson before but wasn't aware of the imminent threat. He returned the whisper. "Do you think Lord Simon is after the crown? That he had Alex deliberately killed, to hurt me and Uncle Tom further."

"That I do not know." The Captain raised his hands. "But the Port is the richest city in all of The Greenlands, far-far more than Sundale. Lord Simon is well aware. He demands more power and to pay fewer taxes, to allow more wealth to blossom. He's a fool—the economy doesn't work that way. In any case, Captain Oswald mustn't know—I don't trust any of the southerners."

Sebastian stroked Bear behind the ears, letting the thoughts sink in. It gave him a headache. He wanted to grieve Alex, not be concerned with affairs he barely understood. "I'll take the matter directly to Uncle Tom. I'll remind him that George is his best friend."

The Captain clasped his hands together and brought them to his chin. "That is not quite what I had in mind, My Lord. Pardon my boldness, but I was thinking of something that would help improve your reputation as well."

"Does it need to be improved?"

"What do you think, My Lord?" Captain Jonathan countered the question.

"That I value your honesty, Captain."

He took a deep breath. "There were... concerns about you when you came to the city. There were lads that doubted you were really you. I received a four-page essay from an overly industrious Cadet who wished to prove that My Lordship was a peasant taking the identity of Prince Sebastian. He went as far as claiming that Laneby was your doing."

"But I did not. And I am Lord Brandon's son."

"You know that, My Lord. I know it, the General, His Majesty. Doesn't matter to the Commonfolk."

Sebastian glanced from the Captain to Bear and back. "What else do the army lads say?"

"They mock you, especially since your little horse-stealing adventure. They find you spoiled, unstable at best and crazy or insane at worst. I overheard one of the patrol leaders talking to his younglings. He tried to convince them King Ariel invading Sundale would be a blessing for the country. I had the Lieutenants arrest him and flogged at the morning assembly. He's no longer a Serjeant either. Nor is the Cadet who wrote that essay still part of the Academy."

"So no longer a problem then," Sebastian concluded.

"When I was but a lad, Captain Gregory taught Civil Law at the Academy. There is one of his lessons I still teach my pupils to this day. He told me that for every criticism that is said out loud, ten others have thought it." The Captain paused. "It means I can remove the critics from the Academy, but I can't stop their ideas from spreading. The people of Sundale find you weak, My Lord. They look at you and see no future King."

Just when Sebastian needed him most, Bear jumped down from his and began to sniff the floor, and then Captain Jonathan's shoes. The Captain shifted in his seat, visibly uncomfortable by the dog's presence.

"Come here, Bear." Sebastian tapped his leg. The pup continued sniffing, then gnawed at the man's trousers. "Bear!" Sebastian said more firmly.

The pup turned his head, yipping in confirmation.

"The Captain and I are talking—come here," Sebastian explained. The pup yawned, stretching wide, then returned to Sebastian's lap where he pulled the animal close. Bad news hit less hard with Bear as a shield. "What do you propose I do, Captain? Join the army to prove the lads wrong? Uncle Tom will never approve."

The Captain edged closer and lowered his head. "What I am about to ask you won't be with His Majesty's approval."

"Now you surprise me, Captain," Sebastian said with a grin. "Go on."

"I want to send a small patrol to Whitepeak, two or three new recruits, troubled lads," the Captain started. "I want them to assess the situation and intervene if needed."

"Intervening meaning?"

Captain Jonathan looked around in the room, then turned back to Sebastian. "Captain Frank has been trouble since the day he set foot in the Academy. Smart and cunning lad who always assured others got the blame. A young Cadet in the patrol he led mysteriously died during a training camp. I've never been able to prove it, but I am certain the fatality wasn't an accident."

"Murder?"

The Captain nodded. "He was banished to Whitepeak, rose the ranks there and turned it into his own little kingdom. There's a reason His Majesty sent General George, and I doubt Captain Frank was pleased. Now that there's no news from the General, I keep thinking he was—"

"Murdered," Sebastian whispered back. He pulled Bear closer into his arms. Why was the world so cruel? Why couldn't people live along and let each other be?

Bear gawked at him, as if to remind him that he too had given the order to kill Fox.

Sebastian looked away. He felt light in the head. "Captain, I fail to see how this can restore my reputation."

"If my hunch is correct, you'll be able to avenge the General. The people will see you in a different light—they'll talk about it for months, years on end: the prince who took matters into his own hands. He snuck out of Sunstone Castle and risked his own life to capture a killer. It'll be a story for the history books."

"That I want Nick to write," he said without thinking. He blocked Pride from entering his mind. "But what if your hunch isn't correct, Captain?"

"If all is well, you'll be the one bringing long-awaited news from Whitepeak. I'll take the blame, and you would have had the opportunity to spend time away from this castle and befriending some of the lads," the Captain said.

Sebastian didn't want to say yes, but he didn't want to decline either. "But how will you smuggle me out of the castle without half of Sundale knowing it the next day?"

"They'll know the next day, but if it coincides with Prince River's return to Ice, I can buy you a few hours."

"How so?"

"The army has promised an escort to the border," the Captain explained. "Sunstone Castle will be so busy preparing for his departure, your aunt and uncle will think you're in your chamber, sulking. By the time, they find out you're gone, you'll have long left Sundale."

Sebastian wasn't entirely convinced. "But what about you, Captain? This is treason."

"Please do not worry about me, My Lord. I can handle Wrath taking hold of His Majesty."

"If you say so." Sebastian shrugged. He played with Bear, touching his belly and nose while receiving hitting paws in return. "Can I take Bear?"

"Bear?"

"My dog," Sebastian frowned. "I've said his name like five times."

"Pardon me, My Lord." Captain Jonathan shook his head, confused. He furrowed his brows "Whitepeak mountain ain't no place for a young pup."

"He's a mountain dog from Ice."

 "Why don't you ask Young Master Nicolas to look after him? The lad has always been good with animals—made a habit of coming to my classes reeking of horse."

As Sebastian chuckled, reality stomped him in the chest. Billy. Though he had been in his right to give the horse away, it felt more and more wrong. He could imagine Alex rowing away from the wreckage, but Billy would have been chanceless.

But to give Bear away? 

"I need to have a think," he told the Captain. "What you're asking—it's huge."

"Of course, My Lord. Sleep on it. I'll propose to His Majesty that you require an additional tutoring session in two days. I'll be expecting your answer then."

"Two days," Sebastian mused. "Will I be part of an actual patrol?"

Before the Captain could answer, Bear leapt down and darted towards the door. He yapped.

When the door swung open, it hit Bear right in the nose. With loud yelps, the pup stormed under the couch—the shortest way back to Sebastian—and jumped back on his lap.

Uncle Tom walked in.

"You scared Bear," Sebastian said full of accusation as he petted Bear.

Uncle Tom didn't seem to care. He looked at the Captain, bewildered. "Jonathan, I wasn't expecting to find you here."

The Captain shot up and lowered his head. "Prince Sebastian was grieving the loss of Miss Alexandra. I brought him here. We talked."

"We did," Sebastian added. "Good talk, man to man."

"Always beyond the line of duty. Thank you, Captain," Uncle Tom said. "Now, if you could excuse us. My nephew and I have private matters to attend to."

"Certainly, Your Majesty." Captain Jonathan nodded. "Prince Sebastian shows a keen interest in martial law. I wish to tutor him."

"Permission granted. Inform Lady Viviane when and where you wish to meet Seb."

"That I shall do. I'll take my leave." The Captain bowed. "Your Majesty, My Lord."

The Captain left and Uncle Tom took his place on the couch. While he poured himself a glass of water and drank it, Sebastian continued playing with Bear. The pup tried to catch the buttons on his jacket, and Sebastian tried to stop him.

"Can you stop with the dog?" Uncle Tom asked, sounding irritated.

"No," Sebastian said, for the sake of displeasing his uncle. "Why are you here? I don't want to talk about Alex."

"We do. Her death is unf—"

"She's not dead. She's Alex." Sebastian grunted, which gave Bear the opportunity to set his teeth to an unfortunate button. He was too late to stop the pup from wandering off with his trophy and laying it by the head of the bed Sebastian didn't use.

"Is that what you and the Captain discussed?"

"Yes," Sebastian said. It wasn't a lie. "Can we stop talking about her now?"

"Fine." Uncle Tom sighed. "Then let's discuss Nick."

"There's nothing to say. I tried being friends with him, but he doesn't want to see me again. And frankly, he won't ever see me again."

"You're being rude, Seb."

"He's rude and blind, Uncle Tom. I don't think he can be my General anymore. I need to get to know more people, make new friends."  He smiled. "Is there any chance I can join the army after all?"

"Out of the question," Uncle Tom looked at him as though he was insane. "But your aunt and I have come up with something else."

Bear arfed. He had climbed onto the sycamore green duvet and had grabbed a pillow. He briefly growled at his new enemy, then attacked.

Sebastian chuckled.

"Seb." Uncle Tom snapped his fingers. "Eyes here, not on the dog. This is important."

"I don't care, Uncle Tom. I tried to patch things up with Nick. You know I did. But too much has happened between us, and now with Billy. I don't think he'll ever forgive me."

"I'm aware of your difficulties, and I know you do care, deep down. I stand by what I said when I sent Nick to Whitepeak. You two need some time apart." Uncle Tom was finally making some sense. "Which is why Nick will be joining River when he returns home, to Ice. We've agreed that he'll go to a school there. The School of The Four Other Senses."

Sebastian shrugged. By the bed, feathers were flying everywhere as Bear alternated between tearing down the pillow and chasing the feathers. The dog took one glance at him, before continuing.

"Focus." Uncle Tom snapped his fingers again. "I'm trying to tell you that Nick will stay in Ice for years."

"I'm fine. He can stay there forever," Sebastian mumbled. 

His insides were churning with regret. Fox dead. Alex lost. Nick in Ice. The Captain's question got a different meaning. Giving Bear to Nick wouldn't be a temporary measure. The mountain pup would return to Ice. Not only did Nick not deserve Bear, but he also couldn't miss his dog anymore. Bear was the only good thing happening in his life.

But he also wanted to be seen as a hero and not be stuck between the stone and marble walls of Sunstone Castle.

"Bad dog!" Uncle Tom suddenly shot up from the couch and sharply grabbed the pup by the collar. Bear tossed his head back and forth, spitting out the feathers to utter squawks of angry panic.

"Let him go. He was just playing. It's a pillow, for Greed's sake, Uncle Tom," Sebastian left the couch to fetch his dog. On his lap, Bear would behave.

"Bad... bad dog," Uncle Tom repeated. There was growl in his voice. He raised his finger.

One second, Bear's big eyes were following Uncle Tom's finger. The next his teeth latched onto it.

When Uncle Tom let out a loud moan, Sebastian knew that his pup hadn't gone for a soft nibble, but a full-blown bite. Blood came pouring down from Uncle Tom's index finger and the knuckle of his middle finger.

The God of Wrath shone in Uncle Tom's eyes as he dropped Bear, the pup plunging the floor where he recoiled and cowered, yelping.

Not knowing what an enraged Uncle Tom would do, Sebastian threw himself in front of Bear. "He's just a pup, Uncle Tom."

"A pup who bit me." He pushed his bleeding fingers into Sebastian's face.

"That's your own fault. River said Mountain Dogs only obey their master, and since I've named him, I'm his master."

"Then train him not to bite people, Master," Uncle Tom snarled. "I swear to the Gods, if this dog causes more problems, I'll have him turned into Bear sausages."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Don't test me, Seb. I get bitten once—I'm the muttonhead. I get bitten twice—I kill the dog."

"You can't!" Sebastian raised his voice. "He was a gift from Prince River."

"River won't stay forever."

"I can write him letters. I'll tell him you killed my dog. Gone will be the deal with Ice."

"If you believe that, you're a bigger fool than I thought you were. Focus on the pup, boy. Leave the politics to the men."

"I am a man. I am the Crown Prince, and I will be twice the King you are," he shouted.

Uncle Tom didn't react. He stormed off, and not much later Lady Viviane briefly popped in to sweep up the torn-up pillow.

Peace returned to the chamber when she was gone too.

Sebastian laid on his fortress of pillows, Bear sprawled on his chest. "I'm sorry about me and Uncle Tom. We both tend to let the God of Wrath." Sebastian sighed. "Which is happening a lot these days, I guess."

Bear nuzzled his head into the nook of Sebastian's neck.

"I wish Alex were here." His voice broke. "Then I could have told you to be kind to her when I left you in her care. She would have taken you along on her errands in the city. You would have gotten so many treats, you would need a nap in the royal garden to recover. And, on a good day, she would have taken you hunting in the royal forest—if she got Lana on board." He sniffed, but couldn't prevent tears from falling. "You would have loved Alex. She was perfect. And I can't believe she's dead. I don't want to believe it."

Bear arfed.

"I regret giving Billy away. His death is my fault, more so than Abby's. It's like the more I do, the more mistakes I make, and I wanna do something right for once. To show everyone that I can be a good King. I don't wanna be the fool that people laugh about in the taverns. Or the villain that people grow to despise. I wanna be a hero, Bear. But I can't leave you here, not with Uncle Tom. I don't trust him."

Sebastian loosely wrapped his arms around the pup. "What do I have to do, Bear?"

The pup closed his eyes.