Odell knew he wasn’t the stealthiest of individuals, or the quietest. Or even the quickest. Yet, he also knew he had to try since Avon wasn’t likely to let him just waltz out of the capital with Prince Donn and Princess Hermina visiting. Ever since the Aqueenian entourage had arrived for negotiations with the new king, the whole city was put on practical lockdown. His brother didn’t want the wrong people to go to the wrong places and leak unsavory information, and that included keeping him in the castle.

  But vacation was calling, and more importantly he had promised Fiona he would come on the trip and was trying to do better about keeping the promises he made—power mad brother notwithstanding.

  He peaked out from a corner and caught the eye of some guards who glared back.

  “You gentlemen lost?” the prince asked in the most nonchalant tone he could manage. “I think the king's shock troops are supposed to be down on one of the subfloors.” The soldier duo looked at each other and began to silently walk to the prince. “Oh, are you not shock troops? You just look… so strong… and badass…. Oh, that’s a term I learned from the Nonpareil. You may have heard of him. He’s a friend of mine.” One guard grabbed Odell by the wrist.

  “Prince Odell, your brother would like you to stay in your room for the next couple of hours.”

  “The next couple of hours? But I’ll hardly be able to do anything productive. At least let me go to the garage, or training arena. I’ll be out of the way then.”

  “Orders are orders, my prince.”

  Odell grumbled and began to stroke the head of the Needaimus that sat on his shoulder. The guards shuddered but held firm. They repeated themselves with no clear indication they would budge, and Odell’s shoulders fell. From around the corner, Cecilia grey face peered out. She waved for him to come to her.

  “I really can’t even walk forward even?”

  “I’m sorry prince, but you need to turn back.”

  Odell shrugged and Cecilia rolled her eyes. She held out a Needaimus bonded arm, then phased down into the floor. The grey prince worried. What was about to pass might not be ideal, but he could apologize later. “Prince Odell!” The soldier said getting more firm in his tone. Odell pulled his arm free.

  “Just a minute, I got this cramp in my leg, yeah.” Odell made a face of pain and rubbed the side of his leg. “Seems to be some leftover soreness from the training I’ve been doing, you know?”

  “If you don’t turn back, we will be forced to turn you back ourselves.” Despite the threat, the soldiers didn’t seem too keen on resorting to that. They looked at each other nervously, perhaps unsure how much to hurt a royal family member, perhaps unsure of how hard Odell might fight back.

  Before anything could be done, Cecilia phased from the ceiling above with two bricks in her hands.

  She wouldn’t, Odell thought.

  The grey girl released both bricks from high up. One guard never knew what came, but the second looked up for a brief moment after tracking Odell’s eyes. Both were on the floor in an instant.

  “Odell!” Cecilia floated to the ground and wrapped her arms around him.

  “What are you doing!”

  “Helping you, now let’s hurry before they wake up!”

  “They won’t be doing much even after they wake up,” Odell grumbled as he and Cecilia charged out of the hallway.

  “I can’t wait for the trip!” Cecilia, completely oblivious to the pain she caused, began to get romantic about the upcoming trip. “Beach walks. Dinners under moons light. It’s all so romantic. I can’t believe Avon would keep you away!”

  “He’s been too antsy since taking the throne. Doesn’t like the idea of Hobusian royalty mingling with other nations. Woah-” Odell skidded to a halt and held out an arm to stop Cecilia. A small Aqueenian entourage was walking through the main hall with several Hobusian advisors surrounding and engaged in an endless wash of chatter.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  In the center, Odell was quickly able to pick out Prince Donn and his royal swordswoman guard. He guessed Hermina was probably sitting right next to him in her floating chair. “We need to turn back; this is the worst group to encounter if we want to sneak out….” Odell felt his words trail as he turned back to see a grinning Cecilia. A devious grin if he ever saw one.

  “Who says we need to sneak out!”

  “You want to disrupt the diplomatic mission?” Odell felt a little sting in his words since he knew he might have had no issues doing just that not too long ago.

  Cecilia spoke in a singsong voice, “It doesn’t matter, the chalcedony lady with the long hair has already spotted us!”

  Odell gulped and turned back to see the much taller Aster with arms crossed right behind him. Her two longswords remained hung at her waist, which at least was a good sign.

  “Hey. We were just passing by.”

  The entourage had stopped, and the advisor closest to Prince Odell shouted his name. Donn grinned and pushed his way past the sweating man. He held a hand to Odell, and the prince shook it.

  “It looks like you’ve been working out; I’m happy to see that. We’ve been here for five days, and I haven’t run into you once! How are you doing, Odell?”

  “My Prince,” Aster whispered before jerking her head back to the entourage. The advisors squirmed uncomfortably.

  Donn chuckled, “Hmm.”

  An advisor with a Needaimus stammered, “Princ… King Avon is on his way. His last meeting let out early.

  “Wonderful, with all the rest of his meetings going so much over, I’m happy to hear he gets a small break!” Donn replied.

  Odell gulped. Avon was bound to be pissed. Not only would they be unable to leave for the trip, but he was bound to be locked away with even more security. Cecilia didn’t have enough bricks for that…. Most likely.

  The grey girl, for her part, smiled like she had some sort of plan. Odell worried about her sometimes.

  Donn exchanged pleasantries with Odell, who was too nervous about whatever blow-up may come to reply properly. Hermina floated from the crowd to join them as they waited.

  “I hear you’re going to a resort and that my sister did all the planning?” the elder princess asked.

  “Um, yeah. Trying to leave at least,” Odell replied.

  Hermina clapped her hands together and looked up to her bulky brother.

  “How wonderful, isn’t it, Donn? To think she’d plan a whole trip on her own.”

  “I’m so proud of her. It’s enough to make a weaker man cry,” Donn said while staring up at the ceiling.

  “King Avon approaches!” An advisor shouted. Avon marched into the hall with a scowl on his face. He scratched at his bony crown and surveyed the space. As he turned to advisors they shrunk back, retreating to the closest wall.

  Donn beamed and walked forward.

  “Good to finally catch up with you, young king.”

  “A pleasure.”

  They clasped Needaimus bonded hands together, and a pulse of air burst around them, knocking some of the less prepared Aqueenian entourage and Hobusian advisors to the ground. Donn laughed.

  “I appreciate your humor, young king, but don’t forget our abilities are perfect counters to one another.”

  “Can’t blame one for having some harmless fun.” Avon turned to Odell, “Now, my little brother, didn’t I say you should avoid causing trouble for our guests?”

  “I, we,” Odell stammered. Cecilia clasped one of his shoulders as she stepped to his side.

  “We were about to head out on our trip. The inter-nation one at the resort. It would be a real bad look if the Hobusian representative is late.” She grinned at Odell, and his yellow eyes grew wide.

  “Yes, we were just heading out. If we hurry now, we still can likely beat the Netzians!”

  Avon’s inhale and exhale were unusually loud as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. Donn laughed and nudged the king with his elbow.

  “You really ought to let them go. Don’t need to prove Netzian time is actually better than Hobusian do you?”

  “I suppose your trip does have diplomatic connotations. Very well, run along, Prince Donn… and I have much to discuss.”

  “Wonderful. Have a great trip, Odell. Aster, why don’t you accompany them to the dock to help with luggage?”

  The swordswoman held a hand to her chest and made a 45-degree bow. “Of course, my prince.” Odell was about to comment they didn’t have any luggage, but after seeing a glare from Avon, he figured it was best to keep his mouth shut.

  As they walked out the hall, Odell heard the conversation shift to business as it grew more and more quiet.

  “Now then, King Avon, I have a number of things we’ve needed to discuss, but the pressing one is the sudden breaking of the treaty for military presence on the border.”

  “Is it not common for….”

  Once out of earshot, Cecilia wrapped herself around Odell’s arm and cheerfully smiled.

  “My Odell did such a great job dealing with that mess!” Odell wondered what world she was living in. He clenched the fist on the arm the grey girl was not linked to and closed his eyes. What was he able to accomplish?

  “He did alright,” Aster said from behind. The ice in her voice had suddenly melted, “but not as well as Prince Donn, kya!” The Hobusian duo looked back at a blushing swordswoman with two hands pressed to her cheeks and then looked forward without another word. It was best to leave some things unsaid.

  Aster’s icy demeanor did not return until they reached the docks and arranged a boat for the Hobusian duo. Odell watched the scared captain stammer words to someone he wouldn’t take seriously if he had witnessed the earlier display. Once aboard and seeing Hobith slowly shrink in the distance, the grey prince felt a wave of frustration wash over him. Grateful as he was for Donn’s help, was he so powerless that he couldn’t handle his brother on his own? The waves splashing under the ship seemed to mock him, but he couldn’t tell why he thought that way.