The next morning, just before noon, Ryan poked his head inside the dining room doors. He wondered how Drake had managed to get used to living in a place like this. You could waste three hours just looking for someone that wasn't even hiding.

However, this time he was lucky. He was about to close the door again, when he spotted Drake.

 

 

Drake was waiting for cake… he’d eaten lunch early to avoid his parents, and had been promised cake by one of the chefs… but that had been half an hour ago and now he was glaring at the door to the kitchen with all his might. He was beginning to think he’d been lied to.

 

Drake had his back to the main door, so Ryan was able to squeeze in, and close the door to behind him quietly. He then snuck forward until he was right behind Drake.

“Guess who's here!” He exclaimed loudly, not far from Drake's ear.

 

Drake jumped on to the table, very startled by the noise as he’d already been on edge the whole morning.
He glared at Ryan for a moment, and gave a growl. “Who?”

 

Ryan stared up at Drake wide-eyed for a moment, before bursting out laughing so hard that he nearly fell over.

“Apparently you weren't expecting visitors!” He blurted between being doubled over in laughter and gasping each breath.

 

Drake groaned, knowing he should have seen this coming.
He let it go on for a while, but he really wanted to know what he was supposed to guess! “... Someone here is going to burn, Ryan, and I'm fireproof.”

 

Ryan believed that Drake had forgotten he was on the table, and he didn't much like the threat, or Drake spoiling his little surprise. So he grabbed the tablecloth, and pulled it, hard.

 

Drake stumbled back, not able to keep his balance. He fell off the table.

A second later, he got up and was really not happy.

Someone was going to die. Simple as that, someone was going to die!!!!

He stalked forward, fangs growing, talons appearing where his nails previously were, his eyes glowed and he could feel his fire’s energy rise, excited, begging to be released. A blue flame appeared in his hands.

Then Brahne walked in…

“What an interesting pattern.” She said, looking at the footprints on the tablecloth, which she then pulled off the table. “What is it called?”

“… Uh—.”

“Well, I call it the artwork of my future hubby.” Pricilla purred, slinking into view from behind Ryan.

Drake shifted to his TF before he realized he had. Then, figuring it would be very hard to explain this to the shocked faces now staring at him, he released his fire and killed Brahne, her lard filled body was just asking for trouble, it burned easily.

 

Pricilla was a bit harder.

She shrieked and screamed as her hair was burnt away, her clothes stained with burn marks.
Drake darted forward. He lashed out with his talons aimed at her throat and words would never explain the joy he felt as her life faded away. The blood spatter was annoying and disgusting, but expected. He’d slashed through a major artery, after all. Blood squirted out with every beat of her worried heart… till it ceased to beat.

He felt… released, relieved and oh so happy. Like he had finally freed himself from some heavy chain and need only run for the hills to be free forever.

Drake turned toward Ryan, next.


And then he woke up and wondered why he was on the ground and why his head hurt so bad… noticed the table cloth was still, mostly, on the table, the door Ryan had come through was closed, there wasn’t any blood anywhere and the feeling of being completely out of control in this world returned…

And he damn near cried.

 

Ryan stood, looking shocked at the Prince. He had done so for about forty seconds by that point. He had been shocked at the event. It had been meant as a prank, but Drake had landed wrong and for a great while, Ryan had been terrified by the thought that he had just killed the heir to the throne.

When Drake woke up, Ryan felt relieved only for a brief moment.

He let the edges of the tablecloth go that he still had in his hands. “Uh...” He muttered, and then looked around. Sugar, salt and pepper pots, a vase, and a plate had all tumbled to the floor. “...The table is still standing!” He announced and gave a slight bow.

 

“YOU DIE NOW!” Drake roared.

He jumped up and stalked toward Ryan.

 

“Drake... you clearly don't remember your... uh... accident.” Ryan stuttered, backing off. “It was very silly of you to try dancing on the table you know!”

 

“First of all, when people fall and land hard enough to forget what happened, they don’t remember the fall and I REMEMBER THE FALL! Second, you’re a moron. Third, YOU GET TO DIE!” Drake jumped over the table and grabbed Ryan’s shirt.

 

“Hey!” Ryan objected, and struggled for a moment against Drake's hold on his shirt, but then stopped suddenly. He smiled and seemed to look behind Drake.

“Hello, Empress Pricilla!” He greeted loud enough for the sound to cross the large room easily.

 

Drake held his eyes shut, flinching at that.
No, no, no, no, no! He pleaded in his mind.

“Hello, boys.” Pricilla purred, sauntering over.

Drake released Ryan if for the sole purpose that he couldn't run while hanging on to him. He opened his eyes and took a few seconds to debate making the dream a reality… and turned to face her before he'd fully decided.
“… Empress Pricilla… what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just thought I'd drop by.” She breezed, flicking her hair. “You've been spending so much time in Alexandria; I thought you'd appreciate me dropping by.”

“… Why?”

“Because. I suppose flying to Shivel takes too long, especially since you've already spent so much time in Alexandria. I came here, and I can be here as long as you want.” She smiled at that, making emphasis on the last two words.

“Oh, yes?” Drake asked.

“Mm hm,” Pricilla declared with a nod.

“… I'd like you to go now.” Drake stated, having politely waited a few moments.

Pricilla glared. “… No.”

 

Ryan had never really intended to be in the same room as the Empress, and Prince. Not after what had happened last time, and how much he had grown to loathe the girl's company.
So, while they were distracted, he started to slowly creep toward the kitchen door.

 

Drake reached over and sunk his talons into Ryan's shirtsleeve.

Pricilla started ranting for the purpose of hearing her own voice, so Drake turned his glare back on Ryan.

“You could have said something sooner, you know.”

 

“Well, if you hadn't been so busy trying to kill me...” Ryan countered, trying to get Drake's hand off his shirt again. His clothes would never be the same after this; he was sure.

 

“Which is, again, your fault.” Drake pointed out, “You nearly killed me and I can have you beheaded for that should I ever find a competent guard.”

He watched Pricilla ranting about how troubled her family was since her uncle got stuck in a doorway and they hadn't been able to get him out in three days. “So, we decided when we first saw him there not to feed him. Assuming he'd be forced to lose enough weight to be able to fit through the door, and just for the sake of things we locked Dennis in an empty closet to prevent him from getting stuck in any doors. The doctors say it's a very dangerous diet plan, but they're still alive.”

When she turned around to pace in the other direction, Drake dragged Ryan into a secret passageway behind one of the panting of Drake's grandmother whom was responsible for the awesome, yet scratchy, red dragon sweater in the back of his closet.

“This leads to the stables… I don't think witches can outrun horses, can they?”

 

Ryan pulled his attention away from the passage, which he was quite impressed with. It was so cool! He wished his house had secret passageways.

“Uh... hmm, there's only one way to find out!” Ryan pointed out, waving his hand above his head dramatically.

That is how he found out that there were spiders in the secret passageway...

 

Drake watched as the spiders said 'hi' to Ryan who he didn't think much appreciated the greeting.

“… Secret passage means not regularly dusted, Ryan.”

 

“ARGH!” Ryan bellowed, and flicked the spider off his hand like it was on fire. Then after he was sure it was gone, he started to look around frantically, very paranoid all of a sudden.

 

Drake shoved him forward, “Just walk. And be quiet or you'll wake up the bats. Hey, actually… we could just stay in here! The rats won't mind and she'd never come in.”


Pricilla finished her story and turned to see the two boy's reactions… but… they were gone.
“Where…?”
First instinct, head for the tower, so that's where she went, screaming the entire time about how rude it was to ignore guests.

 

 

Meanwhile, in the secret passageway, Ryan darted along the poorly lit place with his hands covering his head, and doing his best to avoid cobwebs. Despite most of them being empty, and most of the spiders seeming to be harmless species.

 

Drake laughed and ran after Ryan.
Humans were funny.

“Ryan! I'm kidding! … She'd come in here. And the bats! There are no bat—… well look at that, there ARE bats…”


Pricilla kicked in Drake's door and her yelling abruptly stopped.
“… You're not in here.”

 

The suddenly silence in the tower was eerie. Well, even more so than usual. But this was a different kind of eerie. Ellipsis had got used to the kind caused by Eclipse. This new Pricilla kind made him want to hide.

Ryan was not too bothered by bats. Actually, he had never seen one before...

“Where?” He asked, tilting his head up, but still hiding under his hands.

 

Drake pointed at the bats and then walked past Ryan. He walked for a bit and then pushed against a wall, which swung open, leading to the stables.
He glanced around, making sure no one was around, and then stepped out.



Pricilla stomped back downstairs, mad as ever. One window showed the airship was still there, so were the birds… so…
Pricilla groaned. She hoped Drake hadn’t gone to the stables, she hated the stables here! They had freakish animals with hair for tails and fur everywhere like a monster. They stomped their feet, and they had 4 of them to stomp, and round fingernails for feet! She couldn’t understand how they could walk on them without pain, but they did. They were hard to stay on, the ride was bouncy, they made weird noises and were unpredictable, they weren’t very friendly, they were too big, you had to use… strange harnesses, pads, and these leather seat things you strapped onto their stomachs and backs to ride them, it was revolting!

Chocobos were so much better than horses!

Chocobos could fly, run up mountains, ward off monsters! Horses WERE monsters!
They couldn’t be used indoors, they couldn’t be trained to run mills, they were inferior beasts! And mean! They were demonic…

So she ran and hoped to catch Drake before he got to the stables.

 

The sunlight that flooded into the secret passageway woke the bats that Ryan had been staring at with fascination. They squeaked, flapped their leathery wings and started to dart about, causing Ryan to cry out and then dash for the exit that Drake had just used.

Once the wall was closed, Ryan calmed down. He was no stranger to horses. They were much more common on that continent, and Chocobos rarer. Still, he didn't ride them that often, and wasn't really sure how to get the horse ready.

 

Once they arrived at the stables, Drake flagged a stable hand over and told him to get
Constanta and Ruxandra ready.

“You can ride Constanta; she’s less likely to eat you.” Drake smirked, walking toward the two horses being saddles.

 

Ryan glanced over at the horse. She almost seemed to be glaring at him. Plus, he wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not, but the stable hand looked like he was very... jumpy.

“How likely is 'less likely'?” He asked.

 

“She’s never bitten anyone.” Drake elaborated, getting on his horse.

Constanta was a gold Morgan with a white mane and tail.

Ruxandra was a black Friesian.

 

Ryan followed Drake's example, and got on his own horse, perhaps a little less expertly. He made sure to stay a good distance from Ruxandra. Just in case Drake's warning wasn't exaggerated.

“Ah!” he exclaimed, now having a slightly better idea, but was still not erudite on the subject by a long shot. His efforts deserved a fanfaronade, but he was still on the riparian of the knowledge river.

 

Pricilla entered the stables just then. “HEY!” She screamed.

“I’m officially bored here; let’s go to your house.” Drake suggested, giving a click as an order for Ruxandra to move.

 

“Okay...” Ryan said, trailing off. He had a harder time getting his horse to move. He wasn't sure if it was him, or if the horse was scared of the loud obnoxious girl who was standing in the doorway. But eventually he managed. “Do you even know the way?”

 

“Yes I do.” Drake replied, slowing Ruxandra to a trot. “There is a map in the castle that tells where everyone on the continent lives… Creepy, hu? I’m not sure what it’s for, but I have a lot of theories.”

 

“Is one of those theories that it belonged to pizza company so that they could deliver pizza anywhere, but they went out of business because their pizza sucked?” Ryan asked, as he pulled up alongside Drake. “If not, it should be!”

 

“Hm. Could be… I figure it was so we’d know where everyone was the day the palace decided to hold human sacrifices. When I was younger, I thought it was so we’d have a valid count and location of everyone so that it would be easier to be sure we’ve destroyed everyone in a family so there was no one to get mad and later get revenge.” Drake stated, looking back to be sure Pricilla was not trying to follow.

“You have a very disturbing imagination, you know that?” Ryan asked the prince, staring at him. “You never thought it might just be for taxes?”

 

“… You ever thought about how we worship murderous dragons?” Drake countered.

The tax idea had never crossed his mind…

 

“Murderous? I thought the Dragon Lord of Daguerreo was meant to have been incredibly kind and wise.” Ryan recalled the legend.

Drake stared at him for a while.

Then he stared some more.

Then he pointed at a dragon that was eating someone’s cow.

 

Ryan shuddered and turned the horse so that they were heading away from the dragon a little bit more directly.

 

“Point taken,” Ryan commented, his voice slightly quieter. Perhaps it was a blessing that he had been forced to skip breakfast, otherwise it would be trying to make a reappearance. “I was talking about the legends, that’s all… I know in reality dragons are just monsters that are usually rather hard to fight. They’re dangerous.”

 

Drake laughed and turned Ruxandra the way Ryan was now headed.

“I believe mass stereotypes and suspicions do not inhere in the being.” He explained, speeding Ruxandra up. “For instance, my advisor doesn’t advise me and is simply the creepiest person in existence—perhaps the creepiest to have ever lived. So, perhaps there are nice dragons, but I highly suspect the map is so we can slaughter people.”

 

Ryan shook his head, speeding Constanta up to keep the pace with Drake. “I don't know... Have you seen those dragon claws? I don't think even nice ones would be inherently good at cartography.” He pointed out. “Either way, you need to show me this map when we get back to the castle.”

 

Drake laughed, “Deal.”

He sped Ruxandra up even more and kept her going faster and faster, mostly to see if Ryan would keep up.



Pricilla went home… unhappy, of course. She stomped to her airship declaring that she’d never return… at least not for a few weeks.

 

 

 

Ryan did notice Drake speeding up, but lucky the terrain was pretty easy, so he was able to keep up.

“I don't think Pricilla is going to catch up, you know.” Ryan pointed out after he caught up again.

 

Drake looked back as if being sure Pricilla wasn’t following them, perhaps by riding a broomstick or being carried by monkeys with wings.

“Probably right…”

 

“And you're sure she doesn't know where my house is?” Ryan questioned. He was pretty sure she wouldn't, she'd never been there, and although that map could tell her, he doubted she could read a map anyway.

On the thought of where his house was, he noticed that he didn't actually know where he was. Though he was quite sure Drake knew where he was going and was fairly certain himself that they must be heading in roughly the right direction, he didn't recognize this land in-between. He had always stuck to the roads.

 

“I’m sure.” Drake stated, “She doesn’t go anywhere near peasants.”

Drake got bored and spurred Ruxandra on to a full gallop.

 

“Hey!” Ryan protested before he reacted and struggled to keep up with Drake. “I'm a noble remember?!” He added, his voice fighting the wind. “...Not that I'm complaining about her not coming to my house...”

 

“She doesn’t know that!” Drake called back, “And she won’t leave the palace and go where there are people. Thinks it’s dangerous or something. I’m not sure, I usually stop listening when she starts ranting like that. I don’t see how she can stand living the way she preaches. People around all the time—I’d hang myself… no, I’d slaughter them first. Trick them into running their horse off a cliff…”

 

“You'd need to trick them to make them do that? I got the impression that they'd have needed assistance to find their arses.” Ryan countered, though it was true that Ryan had never met the people that generally occupied Pricilla's castle. Drake had tricked him into actually meeting Pricilla, but he was desperate not to let the Prince trick him into actually going to her kingdom.

 

“Shivel is, indeed, an interesting place… You don’t need an I.Q to survive; you just have to know not to drink poison.” Drake snickered, turning Ruxandra down a mostly hidden path that lead to the manor belonging to Ryan’s family. “You should come with me next time I tick off Eclipse enough that he makes me go visit; sometimes the morons are fun to watch.”

 

“I'd rather take trigonometry,” Ryan said sarcastically with a lopsided smirk at Drake, but had to whip his head back around so that he could keep an eye on where he was going. He wasn't exactly as comfortable as the Prince was riding at those speeds.

 

Once the manor was in sight, Drake slowed his horse down to a canter and then a slow trot. “I’m sure your tutor would love to hear that,” he snickered.

 

“Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone, and trick him into going there.” Ryan suggested, nearly salivating at the thought. He was a little relieved as his manor was revealed from behind some trees. The rest of the modest estate soon came into view. The lands relatively small, but well kept.

 

“Couldn’t hurt to try.” Drake laughed and rode up to the manor, dismounting and watching to see if Ryan could get off Constanta.

 

Ryan could get off Constanta. Though that would only be generally speaking, as it was more of a fall, or plummet, and the stable hand came to offer him some help up. Apparently, either Ryan’s family only had one stable hand, or the others were hiding. Whichever it was, Ryan did not elaborate on.

 

“You’re a klutz.” Drake grinned, rolling his eyes. “Maybe you should get one of those giant chickens to ride; I hear they’re much easier.”

 

“Yeah, but they scare monsters away, so I'd never see you again.” Ryan growled in response. Then he paused and thought about it for a moment. “Nor Pricilla, so it wouldn't be all bad.” He added.

 

“Ooooouch.” Drake put his hand over his heart as if he were wounded, “I should’ve given you a horse that bit.”

 

“I was surprised that you didn't,” Ryan replied as he turned, and started to head toward the commodious manor. He brushed some of the dirt off of his trousers as he walked. Luckily the ground wasn't wet so the dirt had the texture of dust, and was about as easy to brush off.

 

Drake trotted after him, deciding to ignore the previous statement. “If I was going to kill you, I’d have done it by now, Ryan, or have at least tried much harder…”

 

Ryan almost shivered at the thought that Drake was probably being serious. “So what do you want to do here?” He asked, as it seemed like a good time to change the topic. “No sticks to steal that haven't already been stolen.

 

“It’s your house, you’re the host.” Drake corrected, looking around. “Surely there’s something to do here, right?

 

Ryan blanked out for a second. Whenever he got bored, he went and bothered Drake… he’d never thought about what would happen if the situation were reversed.

 

Drake rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers in front of Ryan’s face. “Snap out of it! What’s that sound?”

 

Ryan glared at Drake, and listened. “What sound?” He asked after a moment. The common-looking boy was so used to living here; he didn't hear anything out of the ordinary.

 

Drake started walking, following the noise. “That sound… that… loud sound.”

 

“Oh!” Ryan gasped, as if someone had jabbed him in the back with the answer. “Come around here!” He instructed, and took off at a half-jog towards the front of the house. When they had arrived on the horses, they had approached the house from a direction that deposited them at more or less the back of the house, so Ryan had to lead Drake around the side.

 

Drake ran to catch up with Ryan and then stayed at a somewhat fast speed, trying to urge Ryan to go faster. “What is it? Ryan? What is it? Ryan, what is it?”

 

“Wait and see!” Ryan cheered merrily as he rounded the corner of the house.

 

Drake slowed down slightly, trying to be patient but waiting just made him even more curious. “Fine…”