Chapter Nine

They continued in the morning and passed a couple of small towns without stopping over the next few days. Sébastien didn't seem interested in doing anything else sexual, but if they got in the water, he didn't mind the close proximity while naked which meant he'd gained some trust.

That small amount meant the realm to Remus. He kept replaying the small sounds Sébastien had made. The way he tensed as the orgasm rippled through him. His hand on Remus's cock, jerking him to the same feeling. The stinging of his bite and how damn, fucking good that felt.

It always threatened to make him hard again at random times when the memory popped into his head, and he could lightly feel the mark on his neck. He was careful to let Sébastien guide things when they bathed after that day in case he thought that once meant they had to do it all of the time and made him trapped. It didn't. It wouldn't be worth ruining the trust he'd gained. He seemed to be rather fascinated by Remus's muscles, and if he only wanted to touch and hug, so be it.

It was worth it to feel the Prince's body relaxing against his.

It grew hotter the farther south they traveled. They spent one night in a city to stock up on supplies and sleep in an inn. Having proper beds was nice, although Remus had gotten used to Sébastien sleeping next to him on the blanket surprisingly fast and missed his usual presence. He wanted to go down to the common room of the inn, drink a little, and try to get news.

He didn't dare since sitting at a table with people looking at his face for too long made him uneasy. What if they guessed who he was? It'd be stupid to get that far and fuck up because someone recognized his features by chance. If word got back to Quintus…no. When they came to Norraco as a group, it had to be a surprise.

It was a bit silly to think of the Prince back in Rowland and sitting in a random, common inn, but why risk it?

Four more days down a well-used road through a forest took them into what was usually called the last stretch by locals if one was heading south. If they went west or east, it'd take far longer to reach the coasts in those directions. Remus took them to the last, closest town to buy supplies again.

After that, it was three days of plains choked with thick plants, weeds, vine trees, and the occasional herd of sheep with a lone man watching them. They passed a herd of rainbow sheep in the afternoon of the second day. Their multicolored coats against the varying greens of the plains drew the eye. A man with a crook was a dot in the distance.

"Won't someone wonder why we're coming this way?" asked Sébastien.

"There are no towns, but if you leave the main road, there are a couple of fisheries and such. Some will even take werewolves around the coast a bit. Others travel to South Sea to visit werewolf friends or sightsee. The werewolves help out drifters too."

Sébastien's head rested on his back. Remus had grown used to that pretty quickly too. Whisper pranced by the rainbow sheep as if the herd cared, and he galloped again on the open road once they passed.

They came upon one lone traveler the next afternoon, and Remus dared to stop him. If the guy realized anything, it'd be a while before he could tell anyone.

"What's the news lately?"

The man wiped his forehead and adjusted his pack. "I just came from South Sea, and not much is going on there. I didn't go too far south."

"What about Rowland? I've been away lately."

The man squinted. Hadn't they ridden through Rowland to get there? "Well, a lord was hanged in the east. Erm, I think it was Lord Costa. That was before I went to South Sea."

Remus remembered him. While he'd never been particularly close to the Rizzo family, he'd been known as an upright man. Damn Quintus. "Why was he hanged?"

"Supposedly, he had something to do with the Crown Prince killing Regent Lupo."

"What? That doesn't make sense. I heard he did it all on his own, not that I believe it."

"Supposedly, a couple of suspicious letters were found among Prince Remus's things after he was shipped off."

That sounded like Quintus, having rushed before, was scrambling and trying to tack on a few extra bits of "evidence" to make it sound real. That meant he must know his situation was precarious.

"Where's his Countess Costa?"

"Some said she was hanged in the prison too, but a few are saying she managed to get away. I'm not sure which to believe. Either way, I don't believe he committed treason. That's ridiculous. Rowland's got a sack of shit on the throne now."

"Ah…I heard Quintus gave his twin to the Soleilian."

The man rolled his eyes. "Damn scum is what he is. I hope Prince Remus kills that damn frog and returns."

"Maybe he will. Not the killing part."

"Why not? Screw Soleil."

"Let's not start another war."

"I also heard Logan was seen up north in Nerva, and they might be starting a war," said the drifter. "Er, I mean Prince Logan."

Remus shook his head. "Prince Logan died a decade ago. They found his body." It hadn't been pretty according to the rumors that had traveled south all those years ago.

"I got this from a werewolf who heard from it another who was up north, so the news is likely quite old by now, and I don't know what all is going on. Soldiers with the Nerva crest were near the border of Mataro. He didn't stick around to see what happened, but that's where he supposedly saw Prince Logan. The man himself said who he was."

"Hmm," hummed Sébastien. "And we found our unicorn at the bottom of a rainbow."

"I'm just saying what was told to me."

"It was probably someone who looked like him," Sébastien said once they were on their way again. "I highly doubt he's been in hiding for a decade."

"Yeah. Maybe it was a soldier having a laugh to be a dick."

"I'm sure we'll hear news later if anything's going on. It'll be a while."

Luckily, Nerva and Mataro were in the north, and a war there likely wouldn't mean much for them in the south, especially when Remus and Sébastien had their own issues to worry about. As for the supposed Prince Logan, he'd been murdered roughly a decade ago at the age of thirteen. Nobody returned from the dead. A story passed along to others can also grow quite twisted.

"People will make up the wildest things," muttered Sébastien.

"Like you being a sort of side villain in people's minds? I'll have to make sure the people know you're not a Soleilian pig. Or a frog."

"Eh." Sébastien shrugged against him. "The drifter doesn't believe Quintus. If we talked to more people, and they weren't afraid, you'd probably see a lot don't believe this crap. If you started going to villages, towns, and cities, you could probably collect an army."

"True, but that's not enough. I'm not gathering an army of peasants with pitchforks to face Quintus. Lords might not be so ready to lend their men either, and it could lead to a civil war. I'm sure Quintus does have some lords who'd stick with him because they got this far."

"He might give up if he realizes there's a real threat."

"Or he might not," said Remus. "We're twins, and he's a bit stubborn like me too. He's also gotten this far and finally achieved his secret dream."

"And you don't know which lords to trust. Anyone can pretend to your face and stab you in the back a second later."

It still stung that he'd worked with the Regent, plotted everything out, and betrayed the last two members of his family for a damn crown. Lately, Remus had been more focused on their tasks and getting to the next one, not on the emotion and true anger he felt toward his twin. He still needed to do that and not break down inside or they'd never get shit done.

Sébastien squeezed him. "I'm sorry."

"For what? You didn't do anything."

"I meant Quintus. Family shouldn't do that."

Remus patted his hand. "I know. It's not your fault."

They neared the Span Bridge before nightfall, although Remus didn't think it was a good idea to cross yet. Whisper paused without urging, clearly interested in the sight before them. The bridge had been built ages ago and was supposedly the longest in the realm. Long ago, a land bridge used to connect Rowland and South Sea, but it had grown narrower. Concerned it would disappear entirely in water too deep for a wingless fairy or a cart to cross, they'd used the land to build a massive stone bridge.

Ten years after its completion, the land bridge had been rendered unusable and could no longer be seen. The stone bridge had remained, and even after South Sea fell, it had been kept up, although it wasn't in the best shape anymore. No South Sea Royal Family was partly funding its upkeep anymore.

They made camp on the beach, stripped down, and got in the water. No boats were around, and the bridge appeared empty. Remus's eyes kept being drawn to the white strip that stretched out toward a vague land across the way.

If one traveled through South Sea, reached the ocean again, and continued south, they'd eventually hit the Mists that surrounded the realm. Whether the edge of the world lay beyond or hideous monsters, nobody knew because no one could explore it and return. Some had tried, and they'd never been found again.

"We should put the Regent in a boat, shove him toward the Mists, and tell him happy exploring," Remus said as they stood in the water and allowed the swells to caress them.

Sébastien shook his head. "If there are some hideous beasts that way, they'd get indigestion from eating him. What do you think is really beyond there?"

"Honestly, nothing. Or if the realm is actually round, the Mist goes on forever, and it's nothing but ocean. Ymir did part of the world."

"Why only part?"

Remus shrugged as Sébastien came closer. "I imagine building this place for the Goddess took a lot of work and time. Maybe far more time that we fairies can easily grasp."

Sébastien took Remus's shoulders and adjusted himself in the water so their bodies were flush before wrapping his arms around Remus's neck. Remus put his arms around him and looked down to admire the feather tattoos covering his entire back.

"I think-" Sébastien rested his head on Remus's shoulder. "-that there's a golden dragon beyond the Mists."

Remus paused and chuckled. "That wild tale?"

"Mhm." Sébastien snorted. "Just kidding."

Remus had caught a rumor that someone had been on a boat with the Crown Prince Aurelius of Nova to Ash Island, and a massive golden dragon had been spotted. It was so wild, he'd laughed as soon as he heard it. It was beyond ridiculous since if dragons existed, someone would have seen them by then, and it wouldn't be content to sit on some useless island.

"I can't believe that rumor stretched so far."

"Because it's entirely insane and laughable," said Sébastien. "I have a feeling whoever started it was on turf or some kind of drug."

His body was particularly relaxed even though the proximity was making Remus hard. He wanted to slide his hands down and squeeze each cheek. Sébastien, with his head facing west, must have been watching the sun sink below the horizon. Red and orange bled into the sky and tinted the patchy clouds.

Remus had seen a lot of sunsets before, and if he had his way, he'd see several more with Sébastien.

"You know, I keep thinking of you as Prince, but I'll have to change that and think of you as King," Remus murmured.

"Hm. I don't think of you as a Prince."

"I'm not sure if I should feel insulted or not."

"I don't think Father looked at anyone as equal. Well, except for family and a few friends. I wouldn't exactly say he was a snob, but I don't think he looked at other men and simply thought of them as equal in the way of two men. That's how I look at you now. As another man who's equal when you take away our titles and see us . It's not meant to be insulting."

Being the second highest in Soleil and always viewed as a man to get something from, it was no wonder he felt like that. Remus had been with other men in situations where they weren't royalty. He'd been Remus to the friends he'd grown up with before they moved away, died, or grew apart. Not just a Prince.

Sébastien hadn't been just Sébastien to anyone in years.

"Mother let me have a commoner friend who used to be allowed to come and play at the Palace with me when I was small," said Sébastien. "I think Father disapproved. He stopped coming after a while. He was a merchant's son and quite well off, but I guess that wasn't good enough."

"I don't see the problem with letting Royal children have common friends. It teaches them that they're not so different in some ways."

"Father didn't feel quite the same. I wouldn't have cared about someone's station later if I'd had them as a friend in my teenage years."

How lonely to have no friends for so long. Remus kissed a shifting feather that didn't quite come up over his shoulder and squeezed him.

"Can we just keep it like this?" Sébastien asked. "And nothing else today?"

"Yes."

***

Remus awoke at dawn, and Sébastien shifted a little. It was another marker of trust that Sébastien had gone to sleep in his drawers and a shirt. If he'd left off his trousers, he must have felt safe that Remus wouldn't try to roll over on him in the night or do anything to frighten him.

"Remus?"

"Hm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"You always can."

"I didn't bring this up before because it's kind of odd…when I get particularly mad, I get a pain in my chest over my heart."

Sébastien rubbed a spot, and Remus suddenly vaguely remembered seeing him do it a couple of times. He'd always thought it was an itch and never thought twice about it.

"Do you mean pain like a heart attack?"

"No. It's not my heart. It's above it here." Sébastien poked his chest. "It's not a rash either. That never happened until at some point when I was fifteen. It's not harmful. It's just something that happens if I'm angry enough. It doesn't impede me. I think the cuffs are responsible for it."

"You told me that your Mother said anger only hurts the wielder."

"She did. I don't think she ever thought I'd have to worry about such a thing."

"Well…since they do seem to have something to do with your anger, I guess it's part of the curse, and it's not...off of you yet. Is it agonizing?"

"No. I'd rather feel that over being bitten by one of those damn trapper plants." Sébastien made a low noise of disgust.

"Does it feel like it's less painful?"

"Mm…no, but I haven't felt it as much. I also haven't been as angry lately, and I'm not around the Regent or anyone to piss me off."

"If it keeps happening, we should tell Maxime later." Remus sat up with him. "I wouldn't advise telling people in general you've been wearing cursed cuffs. I think he'd keep his mouth shut and not judge you. If he can do anything, he'll help you."

"I suppose that can't hurt. It might be permanent. Not something that will kill me, but a lingering effect."

"A consequence?"

"Basically. Like a reminder to not get angry. Mother did tell me that anger hurts the wielder, and she certainly wasn't the first to think of that."

"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"

"Because I figured you'd be annoyed and worried. It's clearly not doing anything truly harmful to me."

"Please don't keep things from me because you're worried. I know you're used to hiding stuff and saying nothing, but you don't have to do that with me. If it grows worse or different, tell me."

"I will," said Sébastien.

"Oh, I meant to ask you once, and bringing up Maxime reminded me."

"What?"

Remus looked at him. "Maxime thought a lord touched you."

"I imagined he suspected another man. Not Uncle. Which lord?"

"He said he'd noticed a lord talking to you quite a bit. He left and when he went to war, he died. He didn't give a name. I guess it was because he wasn't sure and didn't want fingers pointed in case he was wrong."

"I think I know who he was talking about," said Sébastien. "He didn't do anything. He talked to me a few times after Mother and Enzo's death because I thought he was trying to be nice. I guess Maxime saw us, and later, he suspected worse had happened in secret."

"You thought he was trying to be nice?" That sounded like there was something else there.

Sébastien rolled his eyes. "He wanted money to help with some investments. I couldn't give him that kind of money, and he thought I could speak to Father about it. If I mentioned it, Father might grow curious. Get to the oldest through the youngest. I don't know if he thought I had Father wrapped around my pinky or what. I told him I wasn't going to ask Father, and he stopped talking to me since I had no use."

Remus made a face. "Oh."

"He didn't care that much that our family was grieving. Not with a spice business in the Windswept Isles that would make him richer." Sébastien scoffed. "Anyway, I guess Maxime wouldn't suspect the actual truth."

"He did care. It probably didn't seem like that."

"I wanted him to poison the Regent, not that I could ask that. I couldn't tell him either. After Remere's reaction…"

Elira, how Remus wished there was some set way to ease the past and get rid of the weight Sébastien said he felt. Even if he healed to some point and had another willing to help him bear it, he shouldn't have to feel it at all. Everyone had abandoned him.

It wasn't like an enemy was threatening to harm him with a weapon. Remus could deal with them or help Sébastien in that while it was happening. He couldn't go back in time and protect him.

He put his arm around the Prince. Sébastien leaned into him, and they both watched the gentle waves running in and out, always reaching and never getting as far as they wanted.

To think, Sébastien never would have allowed such an action weeks ago.

"We should get ready and go." Sébastien made no move to do anything.

Remus shifted so he could gently cup one side of the Prince's face and kiss him.