Author's note: A little heads up - this chapter is divided into two POVS. First is Eleni's and the second half is *drumroll* RALPH'S POV. You will see by the end of this chapter why I preferred to put these two POVS in one single chapter. It's a whole short story within itself. Enjoy the fireworks.✨

***

Walking back to the great hall of the palace from the study, I heard raised voices. Doran's already panicked eyes met mine and we jogged off quickly towards the stairs.

"Shut up!" Ralph's roar was audible down from the hall. My breathing faltered.

"No, no, no, no! I was afraid of this," Doran muttered in a whisper-scream as he took in the scene. He ran down, his brown hair bouncing a little and urgency rippling on his face.

"You had one job. One job!" Una's voice rang in the room and my heart thundered. I watched aghast from the top-most stair, frozen.

"Last I checked, I don't take orders from you," Ralph spoke, his hands tightly clasped behind. His back faced me, and still I knew that a different kind of storm brew within him.

"What is wrong with you two?" Doran joined the chaos.

Una gritted her teeth and pointed a finger at Ralph, "This fire-boy is chickening out."

"Hey!" Ralph took a step ahead, and Doran put a hand on his chest, stopping him. "And what are you doing, rocky?"

"I am at least, not sitting and getting dead-drunk till my eyes pop out of my head." Una snarled, chewing her words.

"What?" I gasped, jolting out of the initial shock, and hurriedly climbed down the remaining steps, two at a time. My eyes roved over the table, with half-a-dozen empty bottles of some liquid, laying atop. Dead-drunk?

Lord Orlon was sitting at the far end of the table, sipping through his tea ever-so calmly as if this was a normal routine. How many such fights had he witnessed to be so unhinged?

"Ralph?" I walked over to him, and the unmistakable stench of liquor hit my nose.

"Eleni, um, let me talk to them both." Doran whispered and pulled me away from Ralph. Away from the reek. My mind numbed down.

"We have to convene at the High Panel's convention and look at him." Una said, crossing her arms. Doran turned to her, and gestured with his eyes to shut up. Una berated yet, "He was supposed to go talk to Orella, before we got the Enigma. I would have gone myself, but I am not friends with her like you are. One job! And look at him. Drunkard." She stressed on the last word, as if spitting a swear word.

"I don't take orders from you. From anyone. Shut up." Ralph snapped, taking a deadly step towards Una, and she stepped ahead, raising her chin.

"Ralph... what's going on with you?" I whispered, my heart thundering as I saw the white of his eyes, turned blurry red just like his irises. This was so unlike him. Una, yes. Him, no.

Ralph pointedly ignored me, his eyes still affixed on Una, "You... you talk too much. That too standing in a Summer Palace. Be grateful and mind your tongue, earthling."

Una cocked her head, smiling, "Your sister is an earthling, too." Her smile made her words stung harder.

"Shut the Hell up!" Ralph growled.

Doran stepped back to me, and whispered urgently, "He is just not himself, Eleni."

"D-Does he d-drink like this a lot? Will he be okay?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"He had given up a long back but I don't know. Don't worry, though." He squeezed my shoulder and retreated.

"Ralph, please tell me you didn't finish all the drinks in the palace. You owe me now, alright?" Doran laughed, nervously and pulled him back from Una.

Serena stealthily put her hand in Una's making the Defensor stagger back, going stiff. "Una, you said you were going to drop me to my embassy, right? Let's go."

"What? Why?" I asked. Serena was going?

"I... I, well, articles to write." Serena shrugged, apologetic. She had a job and...I didn't.

"Let's go indeed," Una tightened her grip on Serena's hand and made to walk.

Ralph suddenly laughed, a laugh so not his, the voice booming in the room, "Oh, this is interesting. Queen of the Autumn Realm, or should I say law-breaker?" His gaze lingering where their hands met, and a smirk playing on his lips.

My hands flew to my mouth at his implication. Una looked conflicted and she hastily let go Serena's hand, turning around slowly. Serena stepped away, and her bitter coffee eyes met mine. Similar thoughts ricocheted between us. Law-breaker.

Ralph was against this. The King was against this. His father had done the same. And of course, he was against this!

I found Doran's gaze already on me and we stared at each other, the chaos of the rigid laws and feud burning bright around us, the sting of Ralph's words like twin daggers flung at both of us each. Not the beginning. Only the end.

I heard Una retaliate, snapping me out of my misery, "I only had your best intention at heart, fire-boy. We don't want you missing the Finale now, like your father, or do we?"

Ralph's face turned ice-cold, and he placed his hand on the table beside him, as if supporting himself. Stung. I glared at Una through my tear-soaked eyes. Too far. Both of them.

"Don't." Doran said, standing between them. "Now is not the time. Get your frustrations out later."

"Please don't tell me, you cohort with the enemies, Doran." Ralph's nostrils flared. He sat down on a chair and picked up a bottle.

"Enemies? Really, Ralph?" I found myself speak, my heart on the verge of exploding. "Why does the feud matter so much to you people? Can't you just get along for once?" I almost screamed.

Ralph snapped his head towards me at that, "You, Spring Realmer, won't understand. So, keep out of it."

I took a stunned step back. Ralph lowered his gaze, tightening the hold on the bottle. His eyes were angry! Angry at me!

Doran banged a palm on the table beside Ralph, rattling a few bottles, "Ralph, for Heaven's sake stop drinking. You always let the liquor get to your head." He turned to Una, pointing a firm finger, "And you...you started this, you are no better than he is either. Idiots, both of you." He raked a frustrated hand through his hair, and his searing eyes found mine again. "We have other important things here."

Worried yet assuring. He saw through me. Saw all of my naked fear. But there was nothing we could do. Nothing he could do. This was the reality, out of his study - A world divided by hatred, a world that treated a magic Born of Two Realms as evil, a world divided by laws that broke hearts in all the Realms alike, a world divided by prejudiced history.

Una's eyes dropped low and Serena dragged her out for good, blinking reassuringly at me once. Silence followed as they left. But the after effects of the verbal duel still itched me. The King and Queen of the Enemy Realms, under one roof - of course it blew up. There was no hope for the enmity to recede. Ever.

"Um, Ralph, when are you needed at the High Panel's meeting?" I asked, cautiously, trying my best to remind myself, that he won't hurt me, more than he already had.

Doran answered, when Ralph didn't, "In an hour or so, I suppose."

"Well, then, why don't you try to...clean up?"

Ralph slowly turned his head to me again, eyes half-closed, voice slurred, "No one tells me what to do and what not to, got it?"

"Okay, that's it!" Lord Orlon got up from his seat and plucked out his serviette from his collar. Pushing his chair back, he took in a deep breath and walked over to Ralph.

"Get up, boy." He said, putting a firm hand on Ralph's back. "Izora will kill me before she kills you, if she finds out what you've been doing. Even the Throne won't be able to bless us if it comes to that. Get up."

Ralph raised his head at him and Lord Orlon gently took the bottle from his hands. "I know you are my King now, and so with all due respect, get your arse up and sober down. You have a big day ahead, Your Majesty."

I gulped at the dig, but Lord Orlon looked sure of himself and my body sagged with relief, when I saw Ralph get up from his seat, silent as a lamb. He looked at Doran, and spoke in a gruff, drunk voice, "I'll talk to Orella. You carrying on with whatever it is you're doing with the Eclipses?"

"Already done." Doran said, crossing his arms, standing as tall as Ralph, disappointed eyes blazing.

"Perfect." He nodded, and walked past me, as if I were invisible.

With bated breath, I watched him go towards the main door and not the stairs to his given room. "Where are you going?" I called out. Doran had his hand clutched at my elbow and I shirked it off, my heart hammering wild.

"Ralph..." I walked on ahead, my heart slowing. Was he still mad at me? Was this all because of me? Because I didn't tell him about the Eclipses... but I had to keep him away from my mother...

He turned around swiftly, making me miss a beat. "Stay in the palace." The red of his eyes glowed differently - they never scared me till this moment. I wanted to step away from him, but I didn't. Couldn't. My father's lost boy was... indeed lost.

"Where are you going? Won't you clean up?" I tried again. "Will you be okay? Do you not want to..."

"Stay. In. The. Palace." He raised his voice, glaring.

I stared at him back, not budging. "Are you saying this as my brother or as my King?"

He closed his eyes, jaw tight and without another word, turned around and stormed out of the palace.

***

That piece of boulder! I kicked a large stone in my path, and watched it go careening down the slope.

My head hurt, muscles ached, clothes sticky with the liquor sweats. I rubbed my palms on my face, trying to walk straight. Looking around, I realized I had taken the wrong turn, and I swore loudly, scaring a bunch of pigeons on the roadside. Shut up - I groaned as their cooing tugged at my spiraling brain. An eatery, that's where I was supposed to go. My mind whirred slightly as my eyes found a coffeeshop.

After a whole clean year, busy preparing for the Conquest, I had let myself finally succumb to the sweet mother of holy liquor. Never had I been so wrong in my whole life before! What was I thinking? Well, I wasn't thinking.

The man behind the counter stunned in surprise as he saw me entering in. And before he bowed or something, I walked in, searching for the coldest water this darned Winter Realm had to provide. In a far corner, I saw a washing area, and staggered towards it. Dripping my hand inside a tattered wooden bucket, I scooped the icy water.

Splash!

We don't want you missing the Finale now, like your father, or do we?

Splash!

You always let the liquor get to your head.

Splash!

Drunkard!

Splash!

Are you saying this as my brother or as my King?

The cold water burnt my hands, instead of freezing. I crouched down, my face drenched, but the cobwebs of insanity were clearing away. I swore loudly yet again - it always helped - making an elderly woman who had approached me with a cloth to dry myself, jump.

"A-Apologies, miss. Just a bit on edge," I took the cloth from her, "Thank you for this." She bowed, and walked away from me. Ran away, to be precise!

Great, Ralph, just great! You are the perfect King of the Summer Realm! Bless the next ten years of Igniskee!

All dried up, I walked to the counter to return the cloth, a hand along the wooden edges supporting me. I looked at the bearded local coffeeshop owner, and blinked several times. What was I doing here?

"Your Majesty, do ya need tea, coffee or perhaps something to...um...freshen up? Lemonade?"

I blinked some more and shook my head, clearing off the strange ringing in my ears. And it hit me like a heatstroke - I was drunk, right before the Final Round's initiation! I was supposed to be getting ready for receiving the Enigma at the High Panel's convention. I was supposed to be at home, sitting in a carriage, making my way to the amphitheatre. But here I was, yet again a drunken mess.

"No, thank you, got to dash, mate!" I sprinted out of the eatery's door. My brain still fogged up.

Look at a King running like a fool in the evening hubbub.

Mother would kill me, if she saw me now! Stopping in my steps, I pulled my doublet down, adjusted my collar that was slightly wet with all the splashing of water, roved a hand through my hair and crammed my palms into my eyes, breathing away the dizziness. I probably still looked like I hadn't slept in years and drunk to the last nerve of my body. Standing in the middle of a busy street, I shook my head like a pig emerging from a gutter.

Somehow, I reached. I reached the amphitheatre, asking for directions, bumping into a kid and scaring the crap out of him, dodging out of the way of a group of ladies at the last moment. Hiding my face. My eyes roved around the grounds of the amphitheatre, looking for the carriages of other three... rivals? I'd have to see that earthling again, wouldn't I? And well, Neo!

Neo, that piece of rat-shit!

I slapped myself on the cheeks, the drunkenness oozing out - I needed to be normal if I crossed paths with either of them. But I slapped myself harder once - I had let Eleni see me like this.

She wasn't supposed to. I had been sooooo careful. My grandmother had once told me that I resembled father, and she need not see his son being a lost cause. Eleni need not see my maniacal side, a side that bubbles up faster than a kettle over-heated. A side that makes me want to punch random guys at random taverns when I lost the smallest of bets, a side that makes me forget that I am a royal, a side that made me see a Mind Healer for most of my life. A side that had me drowning in ales, wines and malts, every time I had a spat at home.

Eleni was not supposed to see what a mess I actually was!

But the fact that she was hiding something crucial from me, triggered me. Was I really a disgrace as mother always labeled me to be that my sister didn't trust me too!

It was all in control, until my father's lover came into picture. The Chief of the Eclipses! That woman needed to give me answers. How could she just announce that my father was dead? No, she was hiding something. And I'd get to the bottom of it.

It was a trigger, a trigger so bad that my hands snaked around a bottle until my mind doused into oblivion, out of reality. Father had left and mother had moved on quicker than she moved on from her favorite piece of clothing, after having shed a few tears for the world to see. But I didn't. Maybe never would. I had to do everything in my power to keep Eleni away from my mother. The incident that had followed at home after Eleni was taken to the dungeon, still stung me hard...on the flesh.

I was pissed at everyone for what they did to me and apparently also to a strange girl of the Spring Realm, who was supposed to be my father's daughter - father's shirked off responsibility. She deserved better.

How to be a brother to a girl whom you never knew? How to be a... brother?

This emotion was new, and for days I hadn't been able to stop thinking how Eleni had saved me, and landed herself in a dungeon. Sweet little dimwit. I would have been injured otherwise, somewhere lying unconscious on an infirmary's bed, definitely would have missed out on the Final Round of the Conquest, too - like our father, but not dead.

And I had just yelled at her, so out-of-line - I deserved more than a slap and a permanent ban from liquor. Maybe not as a brother, but as the King of her Half-Realm, I could give her a better life. But she was an Eclipse for Heaven's sake, part Earth to add into the trouble, and I was utterly powerless against the laws. I had spent hours looking for a loophole somewhere, but there wasn't any. Doran was right - the titles were indeed useless.

I recalled how months ago, he had told me about some girl with his eyes dazed, whom he had wanted to ask for a dance at the royal ball, and I had laughed till my eyes watered, looking at his solemn face. Well, joke's on me - because they both probably hated me now.

I took three deep practiced breaths, but my mind didn't stop spiraling deeper into the trappings of overthinking - Of course, father chose his daughter over me. 

Like an out-of-season snowfall, a speeding blue carriage, threw around a splash of mud, making me stumble back. I would have cursed aloud, but well - Talk of entrances!

"Ya doing okay there, Ralphy?" Orella's voice called out. I squinted into the evening's daze as she hopped down her carriage. Well, finally something was going right.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" I shouted into the distance back, blinking my eyes to ooze out the remnant of bleariness.

"Don't remember, don't care!" She shrugged, as she walked towards me. Her white braided hair and silky blue tunic glimmering in the faint glow of lavender skies. People called her Snow Queen, but between friends she was just a 'fashionable snowflake.'

"Wow, you look like shit!" She exclaimed, coming closer, her bright blue eyes scrutinizing me from head to toe.

"I want to say likewise but I won't, because you're a crybaby. Now come on, I was looking for you anyways."

She sniffed near my chest and let out a laugh, "You drunk, again? Like seriously?" Of course, she laughed.

"Yes, now shut up and come with me." I spoke through a numbing pain at my temple.

"I am not going alone anywhere with a drunk man who talks like that," she said and whistled.

Bumping my shoulder against hers, I smiled despite myself. As I pulled her to a secluded spot inside the many back-entrances to the ring, I gestured the stationed guards to clear the coast for us. "Woah, you're serious. This better be good, Ralphy. We getting late." She tutted.

"Listen," I whispered and cut straight to the chase, "do you meet Nova often?"

But she didn't hear a word I said. Her eyes suddenly twinkled and face broke into a huge grin, as she looked over my shoulder. "Speak of the devil, and the devil is here!"

And without having to turn, I knew why she had lightened up like Winter Gala's meteor shower.

"Her Highness looks extremely cheerful today."

I heard his voice and massaged my temple, and exhaled a huge breath before turning around. With a smile. The Throne bloody bless me!

"Hey Nova, Ralph was just about to tell me something," Orella said and walked over to - Neo or was it really Nova?

He put an arm around her shoulder and she slid hers around his waist. "Ralph, include me in the fun, come on." 

I smothered a scowl and kept my face coated with a smile. "Just for Orella's ears."

"Oh, please. Spill the tea." Orella wiggled her brows.

Horrified, I watched him raise his sly hand from Orella's shoulder and slightly twirl a finger around a loose strand of her white hair. His eyes affixed on me in challenge.

Never had I ever felt such a strong desire to punch someone senseless, as I did in the moment. Of course, it was Neo.

He was smiling - Nova's perfect smile. His eyes used to be silver and golden hair trimmed short, but now - everything about him had an air about Nova. No wonder he had fooled us all.

And I realized, Orella really didn't know - didn't know a thing! Panic hit me.

"Orella," I said, grinding my teeth, through a smile, "Can we please talk?" Get away from him.

She pouted. "Nova, this seems important. Could ya give me a moment?" Her brows furrowed as she looked at me, concern flickering in her eyes.

She knew, my history, of course. We all met annually. For either the Winter Gala, the Summer Masquerade, or the Spring Fete. Orella made a great drinking partner, even after everyone would be full to the brim. Her tales would range from a tantrum over a broken long nail of her finger to the longest air-trip she had over Oyster to how deep she dived in her mer-kingdom down in the Winter Realm's oceans.

And she, like Doran, always stood by my side even as kids, when my mother was in the picture.

In three elegant strides, the Snow Queen was in front of me, swirling her fingers from my head to chest. Her beautiful blue healing magic swooshed around me, and I felt a flicker of wispy vapor unclogging my insides. And just like that I was fully back to my senses. Un-drunk!

"Feel better?" she asked me.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Neo asked, with an affectionate smile.

"Nova, how could you ask me that?" she chuckled in surprise, turning around a little. "Didn't you and Milan come up with this spell? You taught me."

And I laughed. I laughed like a maniac, my eyes holding Neo's. Busted!

"He doesn't remember much nowadays, does he?" I gripped a firm hand around my unaware friend's wrist. Stay away from him, Orella.

"I know, right? The Conquest messed up our boy," she laughed, soft and blissfully oblivious.

Neo chuckled along with her, "Oh, that reminds me. How's your sister, Ralph? She escaped, last I heard." He feigned worry, upping his game.

Like cold water over a bonfire, my laugh died in my throat. Always a step ahead! If he could enslave his own twin, there was no saying what he would do to others. To my sister.

"I wanted to ask but..." Orella trailed off, playing with a loose thread of my sleeve, her eyes guilty. She had suggested, to have Eleni executed in the ring that day but well, she apologized later.

"We need to hurry up with the Eclipses mission, if we want to find her." He added as an afterthought, clicking his tongue, "Eleni, right, her name?"

Saying this Neo, showed me his reality, while Orella had her back to him. His eyes half-lowered, and a one-sided smile stretched on his face of pure menace. How had Eleni faced him all alone!

"Or perhaps you already met her? Just don't let Lady Izora find out,'" he cocked his head to a side. Teasing. Baiting. Challenging. Threatening. He knew where to hit.

"Let's talk later and don't do anything stupid till then," Orella whispered, sensing something was off with me, more than usual.

"I am restraining myself, Orella. Believe. Me." I said, my eyes fixed on Neo.

A gong rang in the ring. She smiled at me, but her eyes roved over my face. Unsure and questioning.

He isn't the boy for whom you have harbored unrequited love for years! Stay away from him, Orella.

I smiled back and did not let her wrist go, vowing to not leave her side until I told her the truth.

"Oh, look, there's Una. Great. We all four together. Good to see ya, girl," Orella piped, in her sweet voice and walked beside me.

"Give my regards to Spikes, would you?" Neo said, as he passed by her, without a hint of menace in his words. Putting on his Nova voice.

Filthy lying, conniving jerk. How dare he talk about Spikes!

I watched earthl- Una, blink her eyes, fists clenched, holding in a whirlwind of vengeful sorrow. And I felt my heart breaking, my own body numbing with her pain. The urge to slap myself once again was stronger - I had sparred with Eleni's friend, who had taken her under her wing and kept her secret all this time, who had just lost her beloved dragon.

She had clearly heard him talk about Eleni. And he had Nova enslaved somewhere. She was holding in the rage, just like I was. My eyes held her dark ones and I knew she was thinking the same -

There was a thin line between allies and enemies.

And the Summer King and Autumn Queen were teetering over its border.

***

Author's note yet again:

And here we have, a marvelous drawing of our handsome Ralphy, made by none other than - EternalSu I was going to tell her to throw in a bottle or two as well lol. And I am mesmerized by the skill of this artist - *sighs* The red eyes, the dimple and the rings - ooof!!!!! Cannot thank her enough for this beautiful gift!❤❤ You can also check Chapter 11 for Eleni's art she's made. At this rate, I might have to make a new chapter of drawings altogether. *cries with happiness*