Spoiler Warning for Sapphique

AN: I NEEDED to write something for Incarceron, and this was a conversation I couldn't get out of my head. Hopefully it was coherent enough.

First person who can tell me where the title comes from gets a cookie. Or a free request for this fandom. Whichever.

EDIT: Title has been guessed! :D Yep, it's Andy You're A Star by The Killers. Expect more Killers inspired Incarceron fics from now on. xD

They were to be wed tomorrow.

It was of no greater significance than a political marriage. The two of them had decided it was the best thing they could do for the future.

After all, a proper King and Queen were much more comforting than a couple of teenagers claiming to be betrothed.

As such, Claudia and Finn would head out shortly and tour what was left of the countryside. They hoped it would be an effective step toward the unification of the people.

Still, Claudia could not help but worry. She kept reminding herself that it wasn't really her wedding day. But what did it matter? She was still marrying Finn.

She pursed her lip and made a defiant expression to her reflection. Her once elegant, now dirtied clothes only served to make the picture more ridiculous.

"And how much longer are you planning to make us wait?"

Claudia frowned at the Keiro in her mirror. Finn may have been lacking in court finesse, but he knew better than to barge in on her. His "brother" however, had no such qualms.

"Don't you even have the sense to knock?"

"Oh, pardon me Queen," Keiro said with a voice drenched in sarcasm. He made to go back to the door but turned around with a smirk.

"Would you let me in?"

"Of course not."

"Well then, we're back to square one." Keiro put one long leg over (what was left of) a dusty duvet and leaned back against the wall. He was the picture of comfort in his prince's clothes. Keiro too would be accompanying them as Finn's best man, and more importantly as their bodyguard.

"Finn's already out front by the way."

Claudia flinched at this. She hated to keep him waiting, but something in her refused to move. She furled and unfurled the cuffs on her sleeves.

"Tell him I'll be there soon."

He didn't move.

"Really, Keiro, I'll be there! I don't see how any of this is your concern."

"'Course it's my 'concern'." Keiro's reply came out as a threat. He was no longer slouching.

"Finn's business is my business. I thought I told you this, we're brothers. We share everything. We made that oath way before you came into the picture."

"I was betrothed to Gile – I mean Finn, since we were children," Claudia said with a hiss of fury.

Keiro scoffed. "Yeah, betrothed. You're only just marrying him now; and don't think that negates our pact."

He stood up now, something new in his eyes. "After all, isn't that all marriage is? Underneath all the pomp and fuss it's just that, an oath."

He laughed then, "You know, no stabbing each other in the back. 'I'll be faithful to you, if you don't cheat on me'. That stuff."

Claudia opened her mouth and promptly shut it again when she saw the look in his eyes.

"You can't get rid of me, Claudia."

She sighed. No, she had learned that quickly enough. Finn was loyal to a fault when it came to Keiro.

"I never intended to."

Keiro snorted at this but sat back down all the same.

Claudia was quiet then. She made no show of keeping busy this time.

"Was he… was Finn very different back when you made that pact?"

Keiro shrugged, "Finn's always changing. It's how he survives."

That didn't explain the vast difference between the Giles of before, the Finn she met in Incarceron, and the man he was now.

"Still… the Finn I took in wouldn't have been able to look at a man in the face of death. Much less, defend a country."

Claudia nodded at his, not bothering to look up.

"His memories have changed him."

They'd changed him in ways she couldn't imagine. It was the opposite of what she had wanted, had expected, had dreamed.

Claudia was beginning to understand that some dreams need not come true.

Keiro made no indication he had heard. He simply added, "Your world changed him."

Claudia smiled. "It's all the same world now."

A world she was learning to trust all over again.