"The only person who gets me is my father, Logan," Fletcher complained loudly. "But he's never around, he's always working for King Roman."

Skol smiled sympathetically. "Yes, I understand. So, I assume you're close to the royal family, son?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty close, I get along well with King Roman and Prince Virgil." Explained the boy lazily with a shrug. "I often see King Janus too, but he hasn't turned up for a few weeks, he's been staying in his palace. It's been killing Duke Remus." He chatted idly.

Since they had met outside Philip's' grave, Fletcher had found himself relying on the man too much. But he was there, he listened, he didn't interrupt. He was curious about what Fletcher had to say, he asked questions and he never defended stupid Patton. Stupid, dumb Patton. He didn't care if Fletcher lived or died!

In the week he had known Skol, Fletcher had discovered so much about him. He was a Dark Realm citizen and he didn't have a child of his own, Fletcher was as close to his son as possible, hence his nickname.

"What's making King Deceit act so weirdly?" Skol asked gently.

"For starters, he's being publically affectionate of Duke Remus," Fletcher grunted. "It's odd, he's being too jumpy whenever someone asks him a vague question and he didn't tear off King Roman's' head when he found out that Ro proposed to Virgil."

Skol hesitated with an intelligent nod. Skol was smart. "That's definitely curious. Would you like to walk with me for a bit? My old legs shouldn't be sitting down for so long, they'll hurt."

Fletcher laughed and jumped to his feet. "Yeah, you're old. Come on, we'll go for your stupid walk."

The man just smiled and nodded. "Yes, you can tell me about your family, son. Unless it's a sensitive topic. You don't have to say anything if you're scared to admit-"

"Scared?!" Fletcher snapped, taken aback. "I'm not scared, I just know you won't understand how I feel. I mean, have you ever been forgotten by your own dad because your sister's' robotic arm started to get heavy? No! And what about your father always insisting your dad is right even though your dad is stupid?! It doesn't help that Roman and Virgil who used to listen to me are now too busy making out whenever I come around, and Roman's getting insecure over their marriage, Logan keeps saying he's moping around! I mean, come on, you'd never understand how I feel!" 

The boy continued rambling crossly.

And Skol smiled as the child told him what he wanted to know.

.:*:.

"Fletch, you're late," Scolded Patton as Fletcher breezed through the front door, sitting down grouchily at his chair at the kitchen table. Patton lay a plate down beside him. "It was starting to get cold-"

"Where's Father?"

Patton glanced up at Fletcher's' cold, unforgiving glare. "H-He's at work... For dinner, we've got- Fletcher!"

But the boy had already left from his seat, walking away.

"Fletcher, come back here right now, you need to eat!"

Fletcher spun around on his heel, still walking away. "Give it to Amai, why don't you?"

Patton's' heart broke as he glanced back to his daughter, who kept her eyes firmly on her plate, pushing the food around gently with her fork. Amai didn't deserve this. Fletcher didn't. Logan didn't. Why was the family so ruined all of a sudden? Patton sighed, reverting to his strict parent mode, which he had one hoped never to use. "Fletcher Hart-Croft, get back here right now and eat your dinner! Apologise to your sister!"

"Make me!"

"Fletcher!" Patton snapped, balling his fists. "Don't you dare walk away from me, come back here!" His son flung open the door. "Fletcher!" He was more desperate than angry now.

"Bye, Patton." Sneered Fletcher, voice filled with venom. He slammed the front door shut, and Patton knew he wouldn't be seen for the rest of the day.

Amai glanced from her dad to somewhere else, trying not to be caught staring as she pushed away her plate and hopped down from her chair. "I'm going upstairs, Dad... I'm gonna loosen a few of this screws before bed." She said slowly and carefully, as if Patton were something so fragile, he'd crumble at the sound of a normal voice. Amai whispered a quiet goodnight and disappeared upstairs to sort out her robotic arm.

Patton struggled to hold back tears as he stood still in the kitchen.

.:*:.

Remus slumped against the large bed, feeling the dust along the back of his neck. People rarely went in here, he only knew of one other person who visited King Philip's' room and that was the man's' son. Remus didn't have many friends. He hadn't expected to make one in the form of a grouchy, old codfish.

Philip had just... accepted the terms and conditions. They didn't hang out or do anything, really, but they had been friends. They talked whenever they ended up running into each other.

If that old idiot was still here, he'd be helping Remus. Even if gay relationships still made Philip a little awkward, he helped Remus plan anniversaries and he listened to Remus when the Duke just wanted to rant about how beautiful his husband was. Now he couldn't do that anymore. He didn't have a friend and Dee didn't seem to want to listen to Remus's' reasons why he loved him.

Dee wasn't acting the same anymore, ever since he told Roman that he could marry Virgil. For starters, he was ignoring Virgil and Remus had originally thought it was just because he was being sulky and cross about the traditions. It had been a few weeks and it seemed to be more than that.

"Remus?"

The Duke jolted and quickly grinned to hide the pain. Okay, that was kind of cliche... "Hello, King Roman! Didn't expect to see you here!"

"I... often come here..." Roman said slowly, not moving from the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Missing my only friend. You?"

"Missing my only father."

Remus winced, glancing away. "Right... I can leave if you want-"

Roman shook his head, finally moving inside. "I trust you not to murder me while I silently cry on the other side of the bed, despite my instincts saying I should not be trapped in a room with you."

"Don't worry, you ain't my type." Remus joked thinly

"I should hope not," The King chuckled sadly, sitting on the other side of the bed. "I'm marrying your brother-in-law."

Remus shrugged. "I guess." They sat in silence for an agonising minute until Remus said, "Virgil's really excited, y'know."

"Huh?"

"For the wedding. It's all he's talking about, even the Heathers are getting bored of teasing him about it. You're all he talks about, he's completely obsessed."

Roman didn't respond for a while. "Oh."

That concerned Remus. He frowned, protectiveness growing in his chest. "'Oh'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I didn't know he was so excited... I thought he'd be having second thoughts about marrying me."

Remus sat up, jumping to his feet and spinning around to face the back of the King's' head. "Are you serious? That boy is completely wrapped around your finger, do you really think he'd have second thoughts when you're all he can think of? I swear, if you decide to back out on this, it'll break him and he'll break you-"

"I'm not backing out on this..." Roman mumbled, making Remus turn silent. "I'm just scared he will."

The Duke just stared. "Oh..."

Roman simply nodded and Remus couldn't think of what to say. So he just sat back down.

.:*:.

Skol waved off Fletcher, keeping the friendly, loving smile on his face until the boy was finally gone. The child had run back to him only minutes after he had left, complaining that Patton had been lecturing him over nothing and was being so bratty. So Skol had put up with him until Fletcher decided it was time to go back, to meet his father.

The man waited and felt something sharp press lightly against his spine.

"Hello, boys," He purred, smirking.

"You've been told to stay away from Cabina City after what you pulled at Dragon's' Creek," Growled a guard, digging his sword harder as Skol was surrounded.

Skol simply smiled. "Well, I can't help but see such a beautiful city at night, it's truly exquisite."

The soldiers bristled furiously, all holding their weapons carefully, poised to attack the man. "You've been banned from entering the Light Realm, due to anti-unionism ideas. Go back to the hole you crawled out of, Dark Realm filth."

The man's' smile grew darker. "So, you're anti-unionism now too?"

"What?!" Snapped the guard, lowering his weapon briefly. "No, I'm not!"

"Calling me 'Dark Realm filth' has been marked as an offensive slur, my good man. It has anti-unionist meanings and interpretations. You are saying I'm filth because I was born in the Dark Realm. Would you say that to King Janus? Or Prince Virgil, who happens to be marrying your King?" Skol asked innocently.

The soldier narrowed his eyes. "The royalty of the Dark Realm are good people."

"And I'm not? Is it because I'm a commoner?"

"It's because you're a madman! And an anti-unionist! You've been banished from the Light Realm, now get away from the city!"

Skol smiled. "Of course. Have a good night, boys..."

And he walked away. That was the real him. And Fletcher wouldn't see it until too late.