Chapter 1: A not so formal audience

"ND. 2000: In Kimlasca shall be born one who inherits the power of Lorelei. He will be a boy of royal blood, with hair of red. He shall be called "The Light of the Sacred Flame", and he will lead Kimlasca-Lanvaldear to new unprecedented prosperity.
ND. 2002: The "One who would seize Glory" shall destroy the island upon which he was born, a land by the name of Hod. War shall thereafter persist between Kimlasca and Malkuth for a full cycle of the seasons.
ND. 2018: The scion of Lorelei´s power shall recreate the whole world and destroy the evil theatening it, releasing his brethren into its eternal freedom."

A younger woman with dark hair which ended into two plaits looked down to the little boy with golden blond hair who had listened to her story attentively. "So you see, it´s thanks to the `Scion of Lorelei´ that you even exist, Kamui.", she said while he fixed her with blue eyes, hungry for more knowledge. The two sat in a huge room full of toys and a big canopy.

"That´s sooo cool!", the little boy named Kamui said, thrilled, and his grin seemed to almost split his face in two. "And the Score really doesn´t exist anymore, auntie Anise?"

"Well... It actually still exists, but the people don´t need it anymore, Kamui.", the woman named Anise Tatlin said. "And it´s not `auntie´ Anise, just `Anise´. This `auntie´ stuff makes me look old."

"Okay, aun... um... Anise."

"Are telling the little one lies again?", an amused voice suddenly said, when at the next moment a man with long red hair entered the room.

"Uncle Luke!", Kamui shouted excitedly, jumped up from the bad and stormed towards the man named Luke fone Fabre.

"When did you arive?", Luke asked Anise.

"About a few hours ago.", she answered.

"And the first thing two do is telling Kamui stupid things?", Luke asked and grinned.

"Well, this certain naivety runs in the family, after all.", Anise teased.

"Hey!", Luke shouted with mock indignation while Kamui was laughing.
"But, fun aside... No, of course that´s not my concern.", Anise said. "I actually wanted to talk with her Highness about the new abatement of tax, but before I could do so, this little pest here had already captured and abducted me." She looked at Kamui who only blew her a raspberry.

"Don´t let your mother see that.", Luke said. "She would bite your head off if you did that in her presence."

"Hmhm...", Kamui looked bemused. "And daddy´s head as well, since it´s his fault that I grew to be like this?"

"Who´s going to do what with my head?", a man with blond hair who had just now entered the room and now stood next to Luke asked.

"Well, it has golden hair, reigns over the whole Kimlascan kingdom, can be really scary if she wants to, and is accidentally married to you.", Luke said, grinning.

"Luke!", the blond man shouted angered. "If Natalia hears THAT, she´ll..."

"She´ll bite MY head off instead of YOURS, right, Guy?", Luke laughed.

The blond man named Guy just sighed and let his eyes wander through his son Kamui´s room, spotting Anise. "Oh, there you are, Fon Master!"

"GUY!!!", Anise shrieked immediately, jumped from the bed, hairs suddenly standing high in the air like an angry cat´s tail. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?! YOU AS ONE OF MY FRIENDS HAVE TO CALL ME BY MY NAME!!! DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW HORRIBLE IS TO HEAR `FON MASTER ANISE THIS´ AND `FON MASTER ANISE THAT´ THE WHOLE DAY!?! DO YOU WANT A WAR BETWEEN DAATH AND KIMLASCA, HUH!?!" With every word she advanced a bit towards Guy who backed off, whining, and looked like he would never say a word in his whole life again. "Oh man...", Anise finally sighed, looking down at Guy who had positioned Luke as a defence in front of him, now cowering on the floor. "What a king! When will you finally be able to defeat that damn phobia!?" She looked at Kamui. "It´s a wonder that this little pest here actually exists!"

Kamui glared at her and asked his father: "Daddy, am I going to get grounded, if I kick Daath´s leader?" He didn´t get an answer, only a whine from his father.

"Well, I think THEN Natalia wil really bite your father´s head off.", Luke said and helped Guy, still unsteady on his legs, up from the floor. "Are you feeling all right again, your... hem, hem... `Majesty´?" Guy just glared at him and sighed.

"I just don´t know how to control that...", he said. "The only woman in whose present it doesn´t happen is Natalia."

"Well, then it´s a good thing that I left my Fon Master Guardian at home. One scary woman fewer.", Anise chuckled.

"Tear isn´t in Baticul?", Luke asked casually.

"No. Why? Should I have her come with me?", Anise asked in return and looked at the red head with a knowing smirk.

"Um... well... you see... I-I... not that I... um...", Luke stammered and blushed crimson-red.

"Tche! I may be the one to be afraid of women, but I still have a wife!", Guy said and shook his head.

"Honestly!", Anise sighed.

"Is Tear that woman that uncle Luke always stares at as if he wants to devour her?", Kamui asked.

"HEY!!! Don´t talk about me like I´m not in this room!!!", Luke snapped.

"Oh yeah, I just remembered...", Guy said and looked at Anise. "I was looking for you when I heard Luke and Kamui talking inside here."

"Yes yes, I know, the new abatement of tax is calling.", Anise said. "But as I have already told Luke, this little pest here..."She lay a hand on the head of one grumbling Kamui. "... had immediately abducted me when I entered the castle. He was dieing to here the story of the score and the brave `Scion of Lorelei´ from me again."

"Yes, that guy is sooo cool!", Kamui said, thrilled, while Luke looked to the side in embarrassment and Guy was looking totally jealous.

"Well, no, that´s not what this is about.", the blond eventually said. "No, wait... it´s about that, too, of course. What I´m trying to say is that you can take your time with that talk. It´s rather that Florian is worrying about you."

Anise sighed. "Oh man! I only leave him alone for two seconds and he is practically pissing his pants with fear!", she snarled. "You should have seen what had happened in Daath when I had left the cathedrale without telling him. About 10 minutes later he had summoned the whole Oracle Knights brigade and had them searching the city for me!"

"You have to understand, Anise. Since his birth, Florian only knows tragedies, pain and loss.", Guy tried to explain.

"I know...", Anise said and sighed again. "But someday he has to learn that I´m not just going to leave like that. And I´m not going to let him leave either. Not like... Ion..."

"Anise...", Luke began, sad.

"No, it´s all right.", Anise said. "I know I can´t take back what´s happened and I won´t try to find excuses for my mistakes. Always look towards the fuure, right?"

"Jap!", Kamui said and nodded. Guy looked at him with disdain. "What´s up?"

Guy sighed. "I give up. Only a few minutes alone with Anise and Luke and all that formal talk that Pere has taught is gone.", he said and hung his head low.

"Should I tell the maids in advance to prepair sleeping berth for you on the couch?", Luke asked, trying hard not to laugh while Guy fixed him with a deathglare.

"Well then, shall we stop our not so formal auience and go outside of this room into the painfully formal reality?", Anise asked with mock earnest in her voice.

"With pleasure.", Luke said, opened the door and said: "Ladies first, dear!"

"But no! Please, you go first!", Anise said.

"No, you, please!", Luke said. "I insist on it!"

"Well, if you insist...", Anise said. "But are you sure that you..."

"Man! Just do it!", Guy snarled, annoyed. Throwing a laughing fit, Luke and Anise left the room, followed by an annoyed Guy and Kamui, to the halls of the palace where they were eagerly awaited by her royal majesty Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Gardios and Florian inside the throne room.