"Big Brother! Wake up!"

"Hnh..?"

His vision still hazy from sleep, Ukara's eldest son felt someone shaking his body. He squinted as he felt the sunlight penetrating his room, spraying on his blanketed feet.

"Oh, it's just you, Iru..."

"Wake. Up!" She again shook him, more violently this time. "What's with that 'it's only you', huh? Come on now, breakfast's ready!"

Iruha unhesitatingly tugged on his right arm, dragging him up, to which Azu groaned.

"You're sure you have not gobbled them all yourself..?"

"How rude! I wouldn't do that with the food being rationed and all, and the people still under siege ending who-knows-when. We may have to fast again tomorrow, at that... Oh, now, you better not try to change the subject!"

He sighed after yawning while arching his back, smiling drowsily. "Alright, alright. See, I'm up. You can go now while I wash my face. Tell Savis I'm heading his way as well, before he gets too worried."

After a mild protest, Iru obeyed with a huff.

"Three minutes!" She used her fingers to make the point.

***

The smell of warm porridge invaded Azumi's nostrils as he entered the dining-living room. Savis and Ukara were already there, while Iru and Eara still busied themselves with the tea. Such a dish had been the staple of numerous families ever since the mayoral decree. A few demonstrations did take place, but by appealing to reason as there were still enemies lurking outside the walls, Yasnar had so far managed to keep his people in line.

He knew, however, like any other citizen, that something groundbreaking must be done in the near future... lest the city would implode.

"Say, have you folks heard about the western triumph?" Ukara began as they tied in to the meal following short prayers.

"What triumph is that, Dad?" Savis asked with his usual curiosity while playing with his wooden spoon. Beside him, his elder sister had already seen to almost half of her large bowl's contents almost in three blinks.

"General Urdin had successfully dealt with a Skandian field army yet again, it is widely said, as well as having part of the Vasmirian host defect to him! What kind of charisma it must have taken him to pull off such a feat!"

"If that's the case," Azumi replied stoically as he took his seat, "will you be resuming your active duty in Elbar again, as part of the general's rebuilt army?"

"Oh, take off that glum look, Azu. Things might yet be different this time."

"Different how, Dad?"

His father leant in, smiling. "Mayhaps I'll be taking you all to Elbar to begin a new life together, hmm? You did say you want to see the palace grounds, not to mention realizing your dream of someday standing in my place. What do you say?"

Eara, who had begun to enter the room and happened to catch part of the last line of what her husband had said, squealed with surprise, almost dropping her wooden tray containing five stone mugs.

"You're... serious about that this time, husband?"

Ukara straightened up, looking at his wife. "No regulation against it, you see. Besides, after Elbar is re-conquered, there'll be a fair chance of land redistribution. We might get to pick where to build our new house at bargain cost."

She thought it over and a smile slowly began to form on her face.

"Let's hope so..."

"Meantime," Savis piped in in obvious delight, "we'll sail through the Sarsan Strait, right?! Oh, how I have waited to see a real ship from up close, not to mention travel on it!"

"Patience, son." Ukara reached out again to pat him on the head. "For now you'll have to bear with eating porridge for days on end, it appears."

"I wouldn't mind!"

As that family was finishing their dishes, knocks again resounded on their front door.

"I'll get it," Iru said, happy for once not to have to wash the utensils.

The rest of her family waited, expecting it to be the familiar female aide again. Instead, from his voice, the guest this time seemed to be male.

"Yes, Officer?" Iru asked.

"Apologies for the early hour," the visitor smiled. "Is your father around, girl?"

"As it happens, he is. Please come in, good sir."

The officer muttered "Excuse me" as he made his way in.

"Dad, a visitor for you."

Further pleasantries were thus exchanged, seats were offered and taken, more warm tea served.

"Been a while, Hnakir," Ukara began. "I heard another raid was repulsed under your watch."

"Nothing to gloat about, Velandis, really... and I'm not here to impart battle nor evacuation plans, in case you suspect it. No, I came here on a more personal matter."

"If there's any service I could still render outside the logistical field, I will."

Hnakir looked at him oddly. "No objections on your part, then?"

"None whatsoever. Ask."

"Very well. It's about your eldest son."

Ukara straightened up. "Azumi? What of him?"

"How old is he, if I may?"

"About to go fourteen this year. Why?"

"Ah. An aspiring youth, I presume?"

"He's been taught to have great aspirations and to realize them. Where are we going with this?"

Hnakir cleared his throat, took a sip of his tea, and put the mug down with a thunk.

"Your son's attendance, it appears, is desired in the castle. The sooner the better."

Ukara gasped, quickly covering his mouth. "Wha... why? How..? Who sanctioned this?"

"The prince himself. Why the surprise, now?"

"But... why Azu, of all else?"

"How would I know? If he's got the prince's attention, you're bound to be in for something big. Leave it at that. I was only requested to deliver the message."

"May I see him off at the castle?" Ukara inquired with ill-concealed formality.

"Nothing against it. Now, where is he?"

"A moment." Ukara stood up, making his way briskly to the back, his voice echoing in the short corridor. "Azu!"

Hnakir waited in casual silence for almost five minutes before his host came again, tugging at a youth. The visitor stood as if in respect.

"You came for me, Officer? I'm not in trouble, I hope? Been good and all."

"Said nothing of that sort, young man. Let's just say you have a noble admirer."

Azu squinted as if he was face to face with a seven-headed serpent.

"Me, famous? Please, sir, I've heard enough jests about me already."

"Are you insinuating that our prince is jesting?"

"Our prince is of my sister's age, I heard. He might be, especially when his dear city is under close siege."

"Azu!" his dad cut in from behind, "mind your manners."

The youth seemed to ignore him. "Does the prince say why he wants me, Officer? Why not any of my siblings?"

"He might, if you would just come to his presence."

"And if I refuse? I can do that when not being under arrest, yes?"

"Then the prince will likely be disappointed." Hnakir resumed his seat, feigning disinterest. "Is this indeed your final say?"

The youth fidgeted. "I... have never even been to the castle. I might get lost."

"I'll take you to the prince's presence. You might even get the chance to greet personally his lady mother. What say you?"

***

"I wasn't told you'll be coming as well, Dad," Azu grumbled as they made their way through the maze of streets and houses being repaired here and there. Having no better clothes, the youth chose to present himself in his usual daily garb. The same could not be said of Ukara, resplendent in his military attire.

"What urchin could grumble with an escort, eh?" his father returned, snickering. "Two, if you count Hnakir there."

"I'm not an urchin!"

"That's how others would likely regard you in that garb. Told you to find something nicer."

"Iru is seeing to its washing. Kinda sudden after all, this visit."

"You'll say so to the prince?"

"Dad, please. The prince this, the prince that. He's just a child!"

"So are you, Azu," Hnakir, walking ahead of them, interposed. "I advise you, be gentle with him. He too had endured the feeling of losing ones dear to him, not to mention technically bearing the fate of an entire city on his young shoulders. If one of those he's professing to protect is this uppity, well..."

Azu muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing you ought to be concerned about, Officer."

Said officer clicked his tongue. "The hothead type, are you? Such traits will likely find little tolerance in an army where General Urdin would be at the helm, mind you."

"He is that selective, huh?"

"Yes," Ukara replied, somewhat sternly, "with proven results. Now would you be quiet. The castle is up ahead."

***

"Are you sure it'll be a nice idea to allow them entry, sir?" one of the castle's pair of outer gate guards whispered. "One of them is Sir Ukara, one of your comrades back in Elbar, but that unpromising kid..?"

"His eldest son," Hnakir replied, shrugging. "Can't help it. He may not look like much, but I don't want to negotiate with the prince's displeasure. Trust me in this, Ren."

"If you say so."

So was the pair allowed entry. The process was repeated twice more, at the inner gate following a short walk on the castle's courtyard and at the mouth of its main corridor.

"So many guards," Azu commented as they made their way through said corridor.

"Security measures," came the reply, "at least until the raids subside."

"So, how does this prince look like?"

"Silvery hair, deep azure eyes, oval face. A little taller than your sister..."

"Yet so unlike her in character," Ukara added.

"So both of you have met the prince?"

"More like glimpsed. He likes to train himself, at either the courtyard or one of the towers... but today's apparently a day off."

"Ah, we're here." Hnakir stopped before a door and knocked at it thrice. It was opened from inside, and to Azu's surprise it opened up to a spacious study. In the visitors walked, to face a lady who was looking away from her book.

"My Lady Alista," Hnakir commenced, inclining his head. "May I present your humble servants Ukara Velandis and his first son, Azumi."

The former bowed slightly, soon copied reluctantly by the latter.

A brief awkward silence followed.

"What are they doing here?"