Prince Tyfin spoke as if he were repeating a textbook.

"Lady Alice, known also as `The King's Cannon,' was actually rescued over thirty years ago during my grandfather's war with the rodent kingdom to the west. She was reportedly being held captive at the time and was freed during the siege on their capital. She doesn't have a family name, as far as anyone knows, and she doesn't care to discuss her history very much, but that isn't too uncommon in that part of the continent. Regardless, she's indisputably the most powerful mage among our ranks now, and she has been nothing but loyal to Alora since her freedom was given to her."

Rust looked back towards the wagon, having even more questions. He turned to the prince once more, finding himself intrigued now.

"So, how did we free her? Doesn't seem like much could keep her down... Not before anyway."

Prince Tyfin looked off a bit in embarrassment as he answered.

"I don't know much more than that, honestly... My knowledge is a bit limited by textbooks and reports."

Aster released a small laugh, catching both beasts off guard as they turned to him. He elaborated for the pair.

"Sorry, it's just a bit surprising that I'm the one with the answer there. My father told me about it once, when he was having me educated about the different houses and Elite Guards. He's actually the one that freed her at the end of the siege. They had her chained in the dungeons, in an area far away, kept in a dark room, cut off from everything and everyone. They had her bound with five chains, one on each arm, each leg, and around her throat... It always seemed excessive to me, but I guess it is Alice we are talking about. If I made an enemy of her, I'd be certain to take all precautions myself."

Rust looked back toward the snoozing cat with a sense of synpathy, the fox commented his thoughts after.

"She must have been very lonely like that... Do you know what she did? Why they were holding her?"

Aster shook his head before answering this time.

"No... To tell you the truth, I've always wondered about that myself... But apparently, nobody knew what the charge was. When my father discovered her confinement, he fought against and killed the only guard that even knew about the room, not that anyone realized as much at that time... There was no record of anything about her. No mentions of her prison in the earliest layout of the castle. No hints to her name or even references of a feline prisoner at all. She didn't exist as far as anyone knew, and they were questioned under infallible truth."

Rust was staring at the wagon with a furrowed brow by this point. The young fox muttered out, more to himself than anyone else.

"How strange..."

Prince Tyfin chuckled a bit as he answered the rhetoric.

"Lady Alice is certainly an enigma in many ways, but I've known her my entire life. She truly is a wonderful person to learn from. She excels at pestering and is famously impatient, that's for certain... But she has a strong sense of guidance and a drive to share that guidance with anyone she takes an interest in... I just hope she finds her way back to us soon. Alora could use some guidance right now..."

As the prince trailed off, Aster stepped a bit closer to him, reaching a reassuring hand up to the lion's shoulder.

"If Alora gets you back on that throne, we will have all the guidance we need, my king."

The prince looked down to the human, smiling benevolently as he replied.

"As long as I have hearts like yours to stand with me, I'm learning to believe that such unified guidance will never steer us astray, Aster."

The human smiled back, turning away a bit in his embarrassment. When he did, his eyes briefly caught those of Oust staring from a short ways away. The tiger quickly turned his head away, resuming his conversation with the larger bear walking beside him. A small frown crossed Aster's face, and Rust made a comment about it.

"You and Oust still butting heads?"

Aster turned to the fox, answering defensively.

"No... Actually, I should go thank him... He is sort of the only reason I made it back to Stahl last night... I don't know what changed, really, but he's different now. It's like he's..."

Aster trailed off, the words eluding him. Prince Tyfin finished that sentence for him.

"It's like he's starting to emerge from that pained shell of his. He's opening up finally... Or at least to you, anyway. Perhaps you've already changed the first heart of many, Aster?"

The human looked down a bit embarrassed. A moment later, and he had another question for the prince.

"Do you know much about his past? About what had him so angry and hurt before?"

Tyfin went silent, thinking on that question for a bit before giving his reply.

"I don't know the full story, and I don't think it's my place to tell it off rumor alone... But I know he and his sister are the only two surviving cubs from the Candori line. His older brother was lost a few years back. He and their mother just disappeared one day... It was reported that the two had run away, but nobody has seen or heard from either since... That led many to wonder about the validity of such a rumor."

Aster looked back towards the tiger as he answered.

"So... You think his father had something to do with it then?"

Prince Tyfin didn't answer out loud, but he locked eyes with the human and nodded slightly, confirming his suspicions. Aster looked off to the tiger once more and felt something within himself yearning to ease such pain. Oust had been there for him through a very low point the night before, and Aster wanted to return such kindness however he could.

Suddenly, that pain became very real, and Aster felt something stab at his heart for a moment, physically jolting him as he clutched at his chest, halting his pace as he doubled over a bit. He was visibly straining in place as he had the most odd sensation come over him.

For just a second, before the feeling faded entirely along with the pain, Aster could've sworn he felt a shield raise up, as if he were holding one up himself. The prince and the fox both gave the human a worried glance, but Aster brushed it off without much thought, and instead, they simply marched forward in idle conversation. The group of beasts continued onwards until nightfall before camping. They would reach the thicket in the morning.

___

Cortist was sulking in the darkness, still angry about being forced to watch the recent battle without being allowed to help his brother. Cortist could've made a big difference in the battle. He could've prevented such needless loss, but despite his pleading, the demon would not allow him to leave, never even answering his questions.

The demon was fond of silence it seemed, as Cortist soon discovered his questions would stay unanswered, more so considering the creature had departed shortly after the battle, closing up the windows and leaving the panther alone in the darkest solitude for quite some time. Finally, the young mage stood, screaming at the top of his lungs in his despair, his words swallowed into the void.

"I KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING! WHY AM I HERE? WHY MUST I WATCH HELPLESSLY! WHY MUST MY BROTHER FIGHT ALONE? ANSWER ME, YOU STUPID FUCKING GO-" That whispery voice of his master filled the silence, chuckling at his exasperated young envoy before he ever finished cursing the god of death.

"My... Such an impatient child. I suppose your mother is to blame for that... Your separation is temporary, until the shield bearer knows. You may rejoin him after he has chosen... My daughter is already meddling more than I can allow."

Cortist jumped at the unexpected answer but recovered plenty fast enough to answer that voice.

"Until he knows? HE ALREADY KNOWS! He has learned everything he possibly could about himself! What more must I wait for?"

Death laughed once more.

"Oh? Will you feign such ignorance with me? You know what he must discover, for it is the very thing that led you to me, that led you to learn how to call for me, my child."

Cortist shuddered, answering death regardless.

"The blood magic... Did you put that there? Was it you that cursed, my brother?"

The voice replied a bit tauntingly.

"Yes, I did, as part of a bargain. A deal was made, and that's the only reason you even have him for a brother at all. He would have perished over twenty years ago, were it not for me. Solis Aureus was mine to claim. The last shield bearer was mine to drag into the darkness. The world was mine to drag into the darkness after him... But I made a deal. I gave your world one last chance to fix the imbalance of the gods... To see the folly of your ways. The boy will make his choice soon, and you may run to him then, my child... If there is anything left to run to."

Cortist screamed out at the voice once more, finding himself tired of such half answers.

"I'M NOT SURE WHICH IS WORSE, YOUR VAGUENESS, OR THE DEMON'S SILENCE!"

Death answered this as if it were a question, too.

"My soldier does not answer you because I do not allow him to. I've forbidden him from speaking on certain things. If answers are what you seek, I have already told you, call upon my power, call upon my name. I can tell you many things, my child... But you too shall be forbidden from speaking on them until I allow it."

Cortist scoffed, not feeling very compliant as he replied in a tone laced with resentment.

"I am not your puppet."

Death laughed loudly, its echo carrying endlessly into that vast darkness, amused by such ignorance.

"Speak your name then, my child, and I will free you from your service to me."

***

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