The whole room was dead quiet as Shu spoke. His red eyes darted around until they rested upon that familiar violet. Lui gave him a smile, nodding his head and Shu let go of all his insecurities and doubts. "I'd start with an old legend," Shu started, scanning the faces again. He knew there were people in this crowd that would love to stop him the first chance they got. "It's about the four main kingdoms that are said to have existed before our times. People of Fire, People of Ice, People of Sun and People of Moon. It's said that they shared this space and lived in harmony until parts of these clans broke off to make other kingdoms. People of Fire named themselves Moeru" His eyes shifted to his father, "And Chikara, Yokina were descendants of people of Fire. People of Ice named themselves Hyoketsu with kingdoms like Akarui becoming their descendants. The people of Sun Doerin is still regarded as the high kingdom after this old time. But when I went through that legend I found the biggest mystery I had met with all these years. What happened to the people of the Moon?"

"It's just a legend" His aunt retorted,

"If it's just a legend how come all the other three clans still exist?" Shu shot back. "People of ice are there, fire is there and the sun is here with us. But there's not a single word about the People of the Moon. The land they used to be is now a desert without any life to them." Shu looked behind him and nodded at one of the Moeru soldiers. He came back with a wooden box and a rolled map. Shu took the map and unrolled it in front of them. It was massive and covered half of the table giving them a better view of their lands. Shu pointed at the parts where Moon people are said to have existed. All of them had one in common, there was no life in either of them. "See the significance? People tried to civilize those lands for years but none couldn't. I looked through the reasons they presented when people asked why they couldn't live there. All the answers were the same, demons, spirits and inhuman things. None of these was considered with high regard because the rulers dismissed these reasons thinking it's just another naive reason not to live in deserted unknown lands. Everything was fine. Everything was peaceful here for years after the disappearance of the moon race, but thirteen years ago three things happened in Moeru one night" His eyes slid to Itsuki. He already seemed to know what he was talking about.

"Yes," His father said, "someone attacked Shu, killed my brother and broke into the record room"

A heavy silence settled in the room. Shu realized his father's gaze was fixed upon King Shirosagi. Both of them glared at each other. The albino broke their heavy gazes by reaching to the wooden box and popping the lid open. Itsuki inhaled sharply beside him, his aunt stood, the chair rattled by her force. "Why did you bring it here?"

Shu looked at her, "To prove this arrow, the one that killed uncle was not from Hyoketsu." His words were plain and clear. Shu pushed the arrow towards Lui and nodded. The arrows of each kingdom are bound to the land and the royal blood by magic. "If Lui found any connection I'd know. Our power flows are connected, the slighted use of his magic affects mine too." Lui's hand touched the wooden arrow, protected for thirteen years through magic. Shu waited, nothing. Lui's violet eyes reached his own red, locking their gazes together.

"This is not one of our arrows" Lui looked over his shoulder and signalled Aki to bring the arrow that killed his own sister, "There, I brought it too"

Shu opened the second arrow and pushed it towards his father, "And this is the arrow that killed Yuki"

His father's gaze slid to the arrow as his fingers touched the wooden arrow. He sighed, closing his eyes. "This is not ours, is it?"

Shu shook his head, "It isn't"

"Wait," King Shirosagi's voice stopped the albino in his tracks. "What's exactly are you going to prove with this?"

"Thirteen years ago Kurenai Hitoshi died by an arrow. An arrow designed to look like Hyoketsu but with a slight defect of the brand lettering. A year ago Shirosagi Yuki was killed by an arrow. An arrow designed to look like Moeru but with a slight defect of the brand lettering." Shu listed the facts, "Sounds weird? To me it does"

"How did you even find the defect in your arrow in the first place?" King Shirosagi's question made Shu fall silent. He pursed his lips and looked at Lui.

"I showed it to him," Lui spoke, turning to his father. "When I went to the ice palace to look at the arrow again I noticed the defect in the lettering but I knew a scholar kingdom like Moeru is highly unlikely to do a mistake like that, especially on that arrow they used to kill someone important"

Shu nodded, "And that played in my mind after I arrived in Moeru and when I see the same mistake done in the one that killed Moeru I found it weird. It's almost like the killer is asking to be found, leaving clues in the smallest things and Doerin didn't get affected by anything either. So, naturally, my initial suspicions went straight to Doerin. They were unaffected by wars and had immense power that could do anything. But it didn't make sense either. Why turn us against each other? Through the past centuries, Doerin hasn't attacked a single village and haven't attempted to conquer any foreign lands. If they wanted our lands under them, they could've done it centuries ago."

King De La Hoya gave him a small smile, "Go on"

Shu nodded, "Then I did a memory reawakening to remember what happened to me thirteen years ago"

Itsuki punched the table, "What?"

"Yeah."

"What's a memory reawakening?" Zac chimed in. "Something like we did back with Kurt?"

Shu nodded, "Yes but a bit different. Here you walk through your memories alone and the father they are the harder they are to get."

"And the bigger the price you have to pay" Itsuki finished, "Just after a year you grew immune to your own medicine. Sounds like quite the price to me"

Shu blinked, that was one of the pieces of the puzzle he didn't fit until Itsuki said it out loud. "Oh"

His father rubbed his eyes with a heavy sigh, "What am I going to do with you, son?"

"But I found some really valuable information," Shu defended himself. "Like really valuable"

Lui raised his brow and Shu felt the nagging urge to punch that smug face. "Anyway, as I was telling, I reawakened the memory when I was two. There I listened to the conversation these men had when in my room just before they dragged that hot poker over my eye."

"Excuse me?" Free said, raising his brow. "The what?"

Shu waved his hand away, "That's not important. What's important is that I heard them talking about Uncle's death. They said he knew something he shouldn't and the price he has to pay is his death"

Itsuki clenched his fists, Shu stopped for a moment realizing how hard it is to talk about him even after all these years. How hard it must be for Itsuki to listen to all this. "Hold on," Valt said, frowning. "It was thirteen years ago that you got sick too. As far as I know of course"

Shu agreed, looking at his father. He nodded proving his point. "It's just two days after the incident. It was a simple fever at first, we thought it was because of the trauma you faced through the incident. Physicians tried various medicines but nothing worked except for the Katuseki flower. But none of them was able to find the exact name of the sickness. It was nothing they had seen before"

"Yeah. So, thirteen years ago someone brought into the record room too but nothing was stolen. Everything inside it was right there. And we assumed it to be the Hyoketsu soldiers, making a distraction so they would have more time to kill uncle Hitoshi. My attack was also considered a distraction but the truth was that they indeed looked for some records but they weren't in the record room."

"Which people?" Xander asked.

Shu closed his eyes for a second, he knew they wouldn't believe a word even though he would reveal the names of the attackers. "People from Dark Continent"

"What bullshit is that?" One of the commanders spoke up, baffled by his idea.

Shu knew this was coming, his eyes scanned around the room to see surprised and suspicious faces. He stopped the commander who just spoke up. "Maybe if you wait till I finish, that would be appreciated" Lui was surprised by how cold Shu's voice sounded. His eyes were icy and settled. The murmurs died down, "Two years before he was killed, uncle went on an expedition, am I right, Dad?"

His father nodded. "Correct"

"He usually comes and talks with you about his adventures and foundings but after this one, he didn't speak a word but spent days inside his study without no good reason"

His dad nodded again, frowning. "How did you find all this?"

Shu smiled, "Servants and butlers. They see everything. After finding out about this Dark Continent, I couldn't believe it myself. The Dark Continent was supposed to be a legendary place by no means real. So, I went into my Uncle's room. It was closed after his death and no one was allowed inside. Everything was just the way it was."

"No one was allowed" His dad repeated, looking at him from the corner of his eyes.

"Yeah" Shu confirmed, "But I went anyway. I searched through his shelves and found nothing but then I happened to see the records right behind his shelf, in a secret space between the wall and the shelf. You'd only find it if you knew what you were looking for." Another soldier came in carrying four leather-bound large books. "These are the records he wrote the years before he died, the perfect descriptions and information about a legendary place that no one knew existed. Dark Continent"

"You read it all?" Free tilted his head to take a good look at the four books.

"I had time" Shu murmured, "Yeah"

His dad took the top record and flipped through it, his eyes lit up with the recognition of the slanted letters mounted together. "There are clear descriptions about the places and the tribal groups he visited back at Dark Continent and I knew even if I speak about these things no one would believe me. I don't blame you. I'm fifteen years old and have no experience of the world. So, I found another person who knew about all this. It was accidental actually, when I was going through the records I found a character my uncle had described quite well. He had met this person in the dark continent. A person who stumbled to that land out of pure coincidence. Our headmaster"

Everyone's eyes turned to the man as he approached. Shu crossed his fingers behind his back, if he didn't speak the truth now everything would be settled to chaos but he trusted the man. He wanted this too. "That is true, '' the headmaster said. "I met lord Hitoshi back at a place far away from the seas but we had to part ways because of circumstances''

"How did you end up there?" King Shirogane asked, simply curious.

"We were going on an expedition to check upon the sudden disappearance of fishermen in the seas near Moeru. I joined the Moeru soldiers because I was curious about these disappearances and one of my kin was among them. We sailed for three days and crossed the normal area where Moeru fishermen go fishing. The storm was almost sudden, none of us even predicted it despite our experience at sea. We got shipwrecked, almost all the crewmen died and I woke up in a land I've never been to before. The land was fascinating, with different people, creatures I've never seen before but the danger was a thousand times worse. It was simply chaos"

Shu nodded, "Gladiatorial fights, child slavery, oppressive, power-hungry rulers. They find amusement in killing commoners. That's their entertainment"

Headmaster sighed, "It was a pathetic sight"

"Thank you, sir" Shu smiled, relieved to have living breathing proof that he's not lying. "Before you all ask, I'm telling you the headmaster didn't speak a word because that was the wisest decision. If he did, he'd be killed but that didn't stop him from further investigation. His son Natsu himself went to the sea looking for the sea and came close once but didn't find the place."

Natsu hummed, "You can see the land from afar but when you get closer, there's nothing there. It was like a mirage in the middle of the sea. One time I was sure I came close but nothing. I don't even have a memory of what happened."

Shu nodded, "That's why everyone thinks it's a legend. There's no proof and it's almost like an illusion in the sea. But it does exist. These records and the headmaster's words are proof for the existence of this place. As my uncle has recorded, there are two rulers in the dark continent and they find amusement through war and death."

"You mean-" Itsuki started.

"They raged this war for their amusement and there could possibly be another reason but the record ends there. Before he could complete the fourth book, uncle was killed" Shu bit his bottom lip, the other reason could easily be guessed. It's that they wanted their lands and to be the sole rulers of all these kingdoms. They wanted Hyoketsu and Moeru to burn themselves out and then attack Doerin when it was vulnerable after the raging wars.

"But why Yuki?" Lui's voice was shaking as he spoke, his eyes were raging. Shu dropped his gaze to the wooden table for a second.

"She found out too," Shu said quietly. "I did a separate investigation with that. I sent Moeru spies to find the people Yuki talked to in her last days and I found a group of men who had seen their princess talking to three men dressed in black. They said it looked like they were fighting and Yuki was furious. The men had disappeared just when they had their backs turned on them. Yuki was fidgety those days, didn't she?"

Aki nodded, "She was. She found this new obsession to find about the dark continent. She read the legends obsessively and one time when she was exhausted after all the reading she asked me whether I believed it, I said no, naturally" Her voice cracked, "But she told me that place was true. She said she met men from there"

Shu pursed his lips, "The two kingdoms were at peace and the Princess of Hyoketsu had found out about them, the best chain of events for them to stir up a conflict again."

Everyone around them broke into a cluster of emotions. Shu didn't stop. "Someone tried to kill me back in Hyoketsu" He confessed, looking at Lui. They fell silent, "Then, prince Lui was poisoned with Crimson Nightshade. The ultimate weapon of Moeru in any war. I was framed as the killer and put to execution and Lui found the real culprit. Mitsuba. The same woman who treated me back when I was attending the school in Akarui"

"When did all this happen?" His dad asked, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Mitsuba?" Zac asked, blinking. "But she-"

"She killed herself" Shu's voice was tight.

"She said some people gave her money to do all this. She tried to kill Shu but it didn't work" Lui rubbed his temples. "And then she sought to kill me"

"Imagine the situation. I was taken as a prisoner in Hyoketsu. Many expected king Shirosagi to end the first chance he got, but sadly for the conspirators he didn't. So, they decided to accomplish the task themselves" Shu felt awfully calm while speaking about everything. There was not a hint of fear in his voice. "If they were actually able to kill me, Hyoketsu would be framed to my death and the war would rage upon right at that moment. If Lui dies, king Shirosagi would certainly lose his patience and kill me. Either way, it's going to rage war between the two kingdoms more vigorously." Shu turned to king De La Hoya. "After I found out about all these, I wrote to the king of Dorien asking him to exercise his power to stop them and that's how we end up here." Now that he had said it, everything seemed to be too realistic. "My conclusion is that Dark Continent exist and People of Moon are still living there"

"It fits the description too" Itsuki spoke, "Even in the legends the people of the Moon are known to be crude. They practised dark magic, necromancy and many other things. If they wanted to hide their actual habitat, they could easily do that"

Shu sat down, feeling drained. He really did use all the energy he could to stand up before them and speak all that he had found. "That was brilliant," King Shirosagi said. Shu looked at his admiring eyes. "You found all this alone?"

"Lui gave me the lead. I just followed it"

"Are we really going to believe all this?" His aunt was standing. Her eyes are hard and icy cold on his skin. "He's fifteen and has a big imagination."

King De La Hoya calmly looked at her, "There's the proof from your late husband's records, the proof from Prince Yuki, Natsu and Headmaster himself. I think Prince Shu had skillfully convinced us all about the lurking danger far away in the sea. We all have to get together to suppress and destroy this danger." He turned to Shu. "I suggest we all go to Moeru and discuss the plans of attack. Moeru is the closest to the northern sea. Can I put this burden on your shoulders, Prince Shu? Judging by your brilliance, I assume you're the best person to lay out a plan to take them down"

Shu blinked, "Me?"

Free smiled, "Yes, you"

"Okay, I'll do it"

King De La Hoya stood up. The others followed his actions. "Moeru and Hyoketsu kingdoms can lead the meeting from now on and discuss your future actions. I will be leaving. You all are welcome to stay in the castle today." The Doerin soldiers walked out of the room with Free and his father taking the lead.

After his farewell, everyone fell into a deep silence. No one knew what to say or even what to do in the situation. It was clear for all of them that, if they needed to survive they had to call a truce and get together to meet their common enemy but the truth was that it was hard for them to form an alliance after all this time of hatred and war. The king of Akarui, Zenkuro, cleared his throat. He had been a close friend of Kurenai and Shirosagi when they were young and after the quarrel, he had been forced to pick a side. "I think it's best if we finish everything here and walk out just like the old times."

"If it's the old times they'd have to go at each other's throats" King Aoi commented.

"Ah, good old times," Zenkuro smiled, shaking his head. "But I believe the two princes have a better relationship than that. I met them at the Lunar festival"

Shu choked on his own saliva, averting his gaze. Zac snickered as Lui just rolled his eyes. "But I thought no one was allowed to leave the school" Shu's father frowned, looking at his son. Shu averted his gaze and stared at the table in front of them as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"We snuck out," Xander said, shrugging. His father looked at him with wide eyes.

"Epic failures because we got caught" Lui leaned back in his chair.

"And probably" King Shirosagi talked a smug grin on his lips. "Did the Kurenai kid get drunk somehow?"

"How do you know?" Zac asked in surprise. "That's what exactly happened"

"Dad, hold on" Shu blinked, "Did you-"

"That was a long time ago and I didn't know that milk had alcohol" He was speaking right to Shirosagi's smug face.

"Milk is milk in Moeru '' Shu muttered under his breath, huffing loudly. He was glad his aunt was not there for this conversation. The only ones left in the main council room was the kings and the princes. If Aunt Itsuki finds all these, she's going to skin him alive. King Kurenai massaged his temples with an exasperated look.

"Why are we reopening old wounds again?"

It's important for you two to know we were happy too back then. You were once close friends. We all worked together. Everything is now open to everyone. Since nobody is at fault and you have no reason to fight, why not go back to the old days?" Everyone was watching king Zenkuro as he spoke the words: "If we are to win, we need everyone together.". For a while, the words lingered in the air around them. Keeping quiet, they let the truth sink into their hearts. He was right, this war was pointless. King Kurenai was the first one to stand up and King Shirosago followed his movements. After staring at each other for a while in silence, the two kings finally spoke.

"I, King of Moeru hereby announce an official truce with Hyoketsu." He offered him his hand, his crimson eyes guarded but friendlier than their previous encounters.

"As the high king of Hyoketsu, I agree to this truce. Let the peace prevail for now" He took his hand and shook it, agreeing to their temporary peace.

A smile broke out of King Zenkuro's face. It was almost as if the initial tension had been eased. Shu let out a relieved sigh and leaned back on his seat, closing his eyes for a moment. He did it. He stopped the disaster before it went too far. "Shu'' His dad's voice snapped him out of his trance. "I need to talk with you in private"

"Yes Dad," Shu said, standing up. He took a quick glance at Lui who gave him a chin tilt in return. He followed his father out of the council room to a private hallway. There were no maids or any servants lurking around. This must be one of the royal quarters, Shu thought, looking around at the massive chandeliers and the beautifully crafted walls adorned with gold and yellow gems. "I'm proud of you"

Shu looked at him, the very man he admired for years for his brilliance and his skill. He was finally proud of him. "Thank you"

He placed a hand on his milky white locks, "The way you presented the truth to the crowd was brilliant. I'm sorry I ever doubted your skill, son"

Shu shook his head, "It's alright. Considering my situation, it's quite normal for one to think I might not be capable of many things. Besides, I still don't truly believe I am."

"Even after all these things?"

"Yeah" Shu averted his gaze to the ground, "I know I haven't been much of a help in the battlegrounds. It's just something I'll have to bear all my life."

He heard his father sigh, "About Prince Lui. Do you truly believe this will continue the same way, Shu?"

Shu gazed at his father as he continued. "Prince Lui is the heir of Hyoketsu and you are the heir of Moeru. There's no possible way you two can end up together in a situation like this. Both of you have responsibilities in your own kingdoms. You'll have to provide heirs to continue your respected bloodlines. What are you going to do, when something comes up and you have to take the throne of Moeru?"

Shu was silent for a moment. The arguments were logical and valid. It would be a lie to say that these things didn't cross his mind. It did, and now after his own father spoke about them, Shu was hit by a sudden whir of emotions. Their situation suddenly seemed impossible. "I know" Shu bit his bottom lip, "I'll think through everything."

Kurenai nodded, "Of course, son. I'd be leaving for the main chambers now. I have been invited to have lunch with the rest, and you?"

"The princes are having a feast in the garden pavilion. I'll be there"

He nodded and ruffled Shu's hair one last time with a sad smile. Shu bowed quietly, watching his father walk past him towards the main chambers of Dorein. The albino turned, making his way to the pavilion. The rest of the guys were there, toasting to their peace. "Shu!" Itsuki waved, spotting him.

Shu smiled back and sat down beside him, his eyes darting around to find the figure of Lui, seated just beside Gou at the end of the table. He raised his brow at the apathetic stare and Shu dodged his look turning to the delicacies scattered around. "For Shu" Natsu raised his drink to the air. "For the peace he brought"

Itsuki laughed beside him, raising his own. "For Shu!" He echoed as the rest of the group followed with their own enthusiastic ways. Shu smiled in gratitude.

"Thank you"

"But we can't yet relax," Free said, idly pushing around his food. "The dark continent seems like a harder challenge"

"From the current information, I can assure you it might be" The whole group fell into a serious discussion about the dangers they might face there. Shu stayed quiet, playing with his drink as his mind was stuck in a storm of thoughts. His father was right. This seemed almost impossible now that he thought about it logically. Someone tapped on his shoulder. Shu broke his gaze from his drink to see Lui standing behind his seat. The others hadn't noticed anything because of their deep discussion. But Itsuki looked right between them.

"Want to go talk?"

Shu looked at Itsuki who nodded with a smile, "Go ahead, I'd cover for you"

"Thank you," Shu said, stepping out of his seat and following Lui out of the garden. When they were out of earshot, Lui stopped. With a confused look on his face, Shu stopped. "Lui?"

"What's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You can't hide anything from me, Snowflake" He stepped forward and placed his hands on his cheeks, squashing them together. "You got your thinking face on"

Shu reached to take Lui's hands off his face but didn't let go of them. He took them on his own and intervened with their fingers. "They fit perfectly" He murmured, swinging their hands back and forth.

Lui sighed. There was no use asking for details about what happened right now. Instead, he decided to take another turn. "Want to go visit those two back at Christina's place?"

This took Shu's attention. The albino nodded eagerly, "Yeah" He looked around, "But we don't know the way"

"We'll find it, '' Lui assured, leading them out of the castle. But as Lui thought, it was not easy to find it. His pride didn't let him accept defeat and ask anyone else for the road. They took numerous roads but often ended up on the same street or back at the castle entrance. After which it felt like hours, Shu scowled.

"That's it. I'm asking for directions" Lui huffed, annoyed but didn't say anything. By now, he had realized there was no use. The streets of this damned kingdom were like a maze. Shu smiled as the woman directed them towards the correct path. He took Lui's hand and walked down the path. It folded and twisted several times, guiding them towards a massive house overlooking a clear lake in front of it. The two of them shared a look before walking to the front door. There was an open living room. They could see it from outside. Christina answered the door, her face broke into a delighted smile.

"Come in"

"Thank you" Shu smiled back, walking in. Lui followed him to the open living room of the house. They took a seat in the room as Christina walked towards them.

"Have you guys eaten lunch?" Shu blinked, realizing he didn't eat anything before Lui asked him to talk. Lui just shrugged in return, "I'll take that as a no. You're all welcomed to join us-" She was cut off by Aki who launched himself into the room.

"Shu-Kun," He screamed, leaping into Shu's arms. Shu let out a soft oof sound wrapping his hands around him. "I missed you," The younger said, snuggling to the albino. Shu chuckled, ruffling his dark hair. Aito quietly walked into the room, bowing his head with a shy smile. It was as if he had put down his act of maturity and started behaving like a child again. The scars have faded by now. Shu took in the appearance of the boy with a happy heart. He was glad Aito had finally found a good family.

"You've gotten taller," Lui said, patting the seat beside him. Aito sat down between them with a nod.

"Yeah, I guess. You two have changed too" Aito replied.

Aki nodded, "Yeah, Shu-Kun has gotten prettier! And Lui-Kun'' He stopped, squinting at Lui.

"What?"

"You've gotten grumpier but handsome" He grinned, looking at Shu for a second opinion. "Right?"

Shu placed his chin on top of Aki's head, taking a good look at the White Tyrant. Aki was right, Lui indeed has changed. His face had matured throughout the year and damn he looked strong and handsome. His cheeks flushed at the ongoing thoughts. He nuzzled his face against the raven locks of the younger boy. "Yeah, you're right."

"Which part?" Aito wondered aloud, "Handsome or grumpy?"

Shu scowled, looking at that smug face. "Grumpy"

"Really, Snowflake?" Lui said. He raised his brow with a judging look passing through his eyes. "The blush on your face says otherwise"

Shu hugged Aki closer, sticking out his tongue at him. "I'm not blushing"

Aito shook his head, "Nuh huh, you are"

"Exactly," Lui said, wrapping one of his arms around the younger's shoulder. The afternoon was spent running around with the youngsters and playing around. Aito and Lui got together to play a game of tag with Shu and Aki as the opponents. In the end, Shu ended up running around carrying Aki in his arms. By the sunset, all of them were exhausted. Shu and Lui finally decided it was time to leave. They had already overstayed their welcome. Christina insisted on letting a guide lead them to the palace. Aito and Aki made them promise to visit again when they come back. Lui and Shu promised, but in the back of their minds, both of them knew it would be long before they could come again. The battle in the Dark Continent was going to be a disaster and it would be quite the time before they could visit again.

Upon arriving at the castle, the two Princes were informed about the formal dinner they were invited to with their father's. Lui and Shu shared a look, already knowing the topic of the dinner. Their relationship. "Lui" Shu talked when they started walking to the dining hall. "You saw it, right?"

"Saw what?" The White Tyrant questioned.

"When you were connecting your flow with mine back at your tent. You saw that thing, right? The red eyes and all"

Lui fell silent, "So, it really was something bothering you, huh?"

Shu's gaze dropped onto the ground. "It looked like a demon, didn't it?"

Lui wrapped one of his arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. He didn't care about the maids rushing past them giving them weird looks. He didn't care what the world thought at all. At that moment, what only mattered was Shu. The albino looked at him. "Maybe I am really possessed"

"Who cares?"

"I do," Shu mumbled, "I don't know Lui. Maybe my sickness is not a sickness. It's something that has to do with the Dark Continent."

"Think about it positively. If it's not a sickness, we can cure it. We would be able to find a way in Dark Continent"

Shu gave him a tight-lipped smile, "Thanks"

He nuzzled his cheek, "Stop thinking too much. Things will be okay."

Shu hummed. They both parted from each other walking to the room. As he expected, their father sat there, accompanied by Itsuki and Natsu. Thankfully, his aunt was not inside the room. Natsu smiled as they arrived, "Itsuki was crippled with anxiety. So, I accompanied him"

"I was not" Itsuki grumbled, resting his face on his palm. "You were asked to come here to report your findings from those creepy trips."

Shu's eyes slid to his father who stared back at him with a passive face. He walked to the seat beside him and sat down, feeling awfully self-conscious of his behaviour. That was a first. He had never been this careful when he was with his parents. He felt like it was the only place he could be himself but now, everything seemed to have changed. The door opened again, surprising the albino. A pit formed on his stomach as he saw two women entering. One was his own aunt and the other was a commander from Hyoketsu. Shu frowned, he hadn't seen her much in the council. "That's my aunt," Lui mouthed, gesturing at the woman. Shu took a long look at her and recognized the familiar features. They both took the corner seats. The dishes were served and everyone started their meals in silence.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Shu," The other woman said. Shu looked up from his food.
"I'm Shirosagi Kei"

Shu dipped his head in a bowing motion. "Nice to meet you too, I'm Kurenai Shu" Shu bit his tongue, there was no point in introducing himself because she already knew him. She was a soft-spoken woman with kind violet eyes and striking black hair. She almost looked like Shu stopped his thoughts as his image rushed into his mind. She looked like Kira. It should be Kira's mother. "Are you Kira's mother?" He blurted out.

Kei blinked, "Yes, I am"

Shu looked at Lui who just shrugged. His words echoed inside his mind. His confession and how sad he sounded that day. Shu frowned, he hadn't had a glimpse of Kira throughout the whole day. Which also meant he is not around. Why? "Kira disappeared," King Shirosagi said. Shu flinched, startled at his voice. "That's one of the things I wanted to talk about"

Lui gazed at Shu. "Apparently, the two of us are the last ones to see him. After he attacked you that day, he just disappeared. No one even heard of him. Nobody found, just nothing."

Kei sighed, "After you talked about the Dark Continent, I thought maybe he-" She stopped, her eyes narrowed on the food. Shu turned to his own food, thinking through. Kira on the dark continent? How could've he found it? Even Natsu couldn't.

"Kira was an enthusiastic person, there is a chance he actually found the place." He glanced at Kei. "Forgive me for being insensitive, but I believe he is somehow involved in these things. He's a mystery, that boy"

Kei nodded, "Don't be sorry. I couldn't even figure out my boy. He disappeared for a long time even before. I heard he even tried to frame Prince Lui for murder"

"What?" Itsuki blurted out.

Shu nodded, "Yeah, I remember that. Remember what he said that day?"

Lui nodded, "He said he's going to take revenge from the Hyoketsu royal family" He clenched his fists. "And then-"

A sick feeling took over Shu. And then Yuki died. Then his words again flashed in his mind. He did say he would never hurt anyone he held close to. He said about some plans and something about being human. Just what the hell do all these mean? "Were they close?" Shu asked, his voice quiet.

Lui nodded, "They were. Yuki almost worshipped Kira. She loved him so much" Her name hung in the air for a moment. Shu closed his eyes.

"That matters aside," King Shirosagi said, changing the topic. Shu knew it must be too hard for him to talk about his dead daughter. "About what happened back on the battlefield"

Here it comes, Shu thought, suddenly losing appetite. He set down his chopsticks and waited for them to talk. "Are you two in a relationship?" Lui looked at him and Shu stared right back at the White Tyrant and gave him a small nod.

"We are" Lui answered for both of them.

King Shirosagi sighed, "I figured. Do you two have any idea what this means? As crown princes of two leading kingdoms, you have responsibilities etched onto your fates from birth. What are you two going to do when you have to lead your own kingdoms?"

Shu reached for his water. His mouth was dry as sandpaper. "And besides what happens when you had to produce heirs for the kingdom, Prince Lui?" Aunt Mitsuki asked, gazing at Shu. Lui frowned, why is she only talking to him? "Besides, maybe it's okay. It won't last long after all. He had grown used to Katsukei flowers. Who knows how long he will last?" Shu choked on his drink and started to cough.

"Mom!" Itsuki snapped, reaching for Shu. King Kurenai was already patting his back, trying to tone down his coughs. The three on the opposite side just stared, bewildered. "I'm fine," Shu finally said, wincing. "I'm sorry"

King Shirosagi was too stunned to speak but just nodded. "Watch your mouth, Mitsuki"

Shu touched his father's elbow and shook his head. The last thing he'd want his father to snap at his sister in front of the rest. Itsuki rubbed his palms against his face, letting out a frustrated groan. Mitsuki was unfazed by everything. She sipped on her soup with a satisfied smirk. "Why there, brother?" Her sickly sweet tone uttered, "Truth hurts, but that doesn't mean we can ignore that all our lives. He had disgraced our bloodlines enough"

"What disgrace?" Kei spoke up. "All I've heard about Prince Shu is how brilliant and competent he is. Your soldiers admire him so much"

Mitsuki's gaze slipped to Itsuki. He instantly knew what she was coming at. "No, mom. Just stop"

She shrugged, leaning back on her chair. "To be honest, I wonder what Prince Lui sees in him. As far as the stories reach he's a determined, strong person. You would have made any person fall in love with you, Prince Lui. Not a weak-" She stopped when Shu suddenly stood up. His eyes were dull and lifeless as he turned to his father.

"Can I be excused from the dinner table, your highness?" His tone was stiff. He didn't make eye contact, he just stared. King Kurenai knew this mode of his son. He just let go of all of his feelings and just embraced the emptiness. That's what it was. He nodded. Shu walked out of the room without another look at any of them. His bangs fell over his face shadowing his eyes. He closed the door behind him and took a dash to the quarters given to him by the king of Doerin. Even he needed a timeout from all the insults she threw at him.

"What are you saying, mom?" Itsuki asked before anyone could talk. "What are you going to do? Haven't you hated enough? He is not even at fault for anything! What's wrong with you?"

Mitsuki stared at her son for a second before standing up. She took a generous bow. "I have told all my opinions if you excuse me" She walked out of the room.

King Kurenai sighed as Shirosagi spoke. "She hasn't changed. All these years"

Natsu looked at Itsuki. "What do you mean by it's not his fault?"

"Mom still believes Shu is responsible for the death of dad. She thinks if everyone did not fess over him that day, they would've found him early and saved his life. And also," He touched his neck almost self consciously, "for something else"

Lui was quiet for a second, "Pardon my language, but she's always such a bitch to him"

Kei choked on her food. Natsu almost spits out his. "Lui '' His father hollered watching his son innocently shrug. Itsuki snorted, looking away. He should be more responsible, maybe even angry, it was his mother he was insulting. But Itsuki knew it was the truth.

King Kurenai just stared at Lui, "You really don't hold back, do you?"

Lui raised his brow, meeting his eyes, "I don't. Truth is a truth no matter the word choice. That's what she is to him, isn't she?"

The rest of the dinner was quick. Lui was surprised to see how well their father's got along discussing the future plans. After the dinner, they wished good night to each other and parted ways. Lui knew better. He turned from the corner and waited till everyone left and made his way towards Moeru quarters. He walked along until he stopped in front of his room. It was a good thing that people like Natsu were aware of everyone's rooms. He pushed the doors open and walked in to see Shu. Bundled in between blankets. The windows were open, bringing in the icy cold wind into the room. "Shu?" Lui talked, taking his attention.

"Why are you here?"

"Ouch"

"No, I mean, aren't you supposed to be in your own room?" Shu asked, watching him close the doors. Lui walked to him and snuck off his shoes, getting onto the bed and sitting in front of him.

"Why are you all bundled up?"

"Cold," Shu answered, snagging them close.

Lui looked at the windows and back at his lover sitting in front of him. "I want the windows open" Shu admitted, "But it's cold"

"You're ridiculous," Lui muttered. Shu just gave him a small smile. The male sighed, he took the blanket off from Shu's body and raised his brow. "You can warm yourself, don't try to lie to me"

Shu juts out his bottom lip, feeling as though his personal fortress had been broken. Lui took his hands on his own lap and caressed his skin. "This is why you have been upset, right? You talked with your father right before you came to lunch and now your aunt"

"It's true, I mean. This feels impossible, Lui. I thought about it a lot and they are both right. We have responsibilities. We have to lead kingdoms, be there for our people"

"Do you want to end it?" Lui asked, cutting him off.

"Of course not!" His answer was almost instant. "I'm just torn between everything. And my aunt is driving me nuts"

Lui pulled Shu to him, making the younger sit on his lap. Shu let out a surprised squeak feeling Lui's arms tightening around his waist. "L-Lui?" He stuttered, placing his hands on Lui's shoulder to balance himself.

"What?"

Shu stared at his face, so close to his own. He could feel his breath against his face. The albino slumped forward, giving his full weight to the White Tyrant. His chin was placed on his shoulder. Lui rocked them back and forth patting his back. "You think too much, Snowflake. Some things are better left alone. Yeah, I know you're brilliant and think of things through before doing anything but life is not always something you have to think through and calculate. Sometimes, you just have to go for it."

Shu hummed, waiting for him to continue, "Don't tiptoe through your life, that's what you're doing"

"What do you mean?" Shu asked, his voice muffled because of his robes.

"You're scared of the future, terrified I might even say. You don't believe in yourself enough, Shu. You have to trust yourself a bit more. Don't think of dying all the time. Live your life, it's not worth it. We all die someday. No one knows what will happen. I might die tomorrow and no one might see it coming"

"Shut up" Shu groaned, slapping his back weakly. "Don't stay stuff like that"

"But that's the truth, isn't it? Do you see it now? We don't know about the future and that makes it more exciting. Stop worrying all the time and trust yourself a little more. Love is not something you calculate and think through. It's an emotion. If you love me, that's all that matters."

Shu pushed his face away from his shoulder and faced Lui. "Is it?"

Lui reached for his head and pulled out the hairband letting his hair flow down his shoulders. Shu didn't make a move, he just stared at the White Tyrant. "I love you, and you love me. This is not going to be easy, and nothing ever was. But," He tucked a long bang behind his ear, "You'll be okay"

"Will we? Will we be okay?"

Lui smiled, "Yeah, we'll be okay"

Shu pushed himself forward again, but this time, he pressed his lips against Lui's. The White Tyrant kissed him back. His fingers trailing through his soft white locks. They kissed in the dark, the cold wind brushing through their skin. Shu embraced the warmth of his boyfriend, pulling him close as they parted for a breath. Both of them slightly panting but never turning their gaze away from each other. Shu smiled, his cheeks flushed, his breath coming out as short puffs. But the smile was sincere and real. His eyes were shining when he said, "I love you, Lui"

Lui smiled back, pressing their lips together again but for a brief moment. "I love you too, Snowflake"

They both moved away from each other and fell back to the soft covers of the bed. Lui opened his arms and Shu slid into them easily, just as if he belonged there all his life. He pulled on the blanket to cover them both and tucked his chin on his hair, whispering, "Good night"

Shu hummed along, "Good night, and thank you"

"Anytime Snowflake," He said, dropping a kiss on top of his head. Shu's heart felt light and the burden was settled. He felt secure in his hold, protected and loved. That's what he needed after the attacks of his own aunt. That's what he always needed, someone who understood him and treated him like an equal. Not some porcelain doll with a brilliant mind who can seek anything out as he wanted. Because sometimes, sometimes he needed someone too. He needed someone to tell him everything will be alright. 

Two updates this month! Now, that's a development. Hope you guys like the chapter! Vote and comment your ideas. ❤ Love you guys! Thanks for the support as always