CHAPTER ONE

SAIL THE SEVEN SEAS

"A Fickle Brain And The Like"

By Radically Distinguished


Black Market of the East

Starting off from the nearest pole ornamented with the same designs, cloths of linens and Shenan's Arnon's* hovered and hanged from the make-up shafts of the crafty traders. A hefty feeling of a moist yet humid atmosphere filled the aura of the Black Market, which was reaching its peak, weary travellers and visitors from ocean-mile lands gathering for the usual spectacle of the said place. The sun was at its highest, it's warm and bright silhouette at its brightest and most effective of all, Gullivans* and street performers going on to their midday rendezvous, sickening whirls of thieves and packs of disoriented stowaway peeking from person to person, tent to tent, pocket to pocket for that lucky and hideous pay of the day. Taking the blow of a sharp shrapnel of some sort is better than letting you and your family starve.

Filthy vagabond, children and adults alike, were at their usual spots for living, canisters and top hats almost as rotten as they were.

Surrounded by the Zuphoria* desert – one who's famous for its utmost humid air and sand-filled ground – the Black Market was not a tourist attraction of some sort, its type are not so provincial at all. It was loud in a sense that it was horrid and in ghastly proportion. Oh yes, you won't ever forget the place.

Divided by three subtle demarcations of lined up plaid constructions of the veteran vendors, in a pile of what you may call restaurants, sits the place of where Yong Soo was. With a hue of a dark white and everything else of Mahogany, it's hardly a run-down business of a family that was known all throughout the Kingdom and an acquaintance to his Excellencies. The clan used to bring loads of beer assortments to the Royalty, supplying manmade pleasures to pig up the rich councils and aristocrats up until the deceased Emperor, Shao Tzu.

When Yao took over the throne, drastic turns bewitched their business and they have never set foot inside the palace since. Especially to its loading dock.

The founder, the tan and glamorous Santiago Villegas, departed years ago, but, most of the business oriented types would not be so stupid as to not leave a breathing legacy before he dies now, would he? An 'old-rich' family belief, as you may call it. Hence, the joint's name 'Vivir'.*

Slouched, with his cape draping from his back and a hood to obscure most of his face, Yong Soo made himself comfortable as he clasped his hands on the table beneath them and eyed his opponent warily. It was the owner's son.

"We still got your hemlock." the prince said, not taking his eyes off the prize. "We can surely make certain arrangements, André. Arrangements that contradict murders."

"I am not a fool as you make with my father to be, Kai." With a hoarse voice and stoical figure, André replied. He is a man of his mid-twenties with an emerald hue for eyes and a rather pale complexion. With rugged clothes and blots of dirt covering his white skin, he's one of those people who are hard to distinguish as trustworthy or foul. A human that lacks wisdom and a family, no one could really tell if he's lonely. Without love? Only few could really do without love.

"You are really… preserved." Yong Soo hinted cautiousness.

André hunched forward. "You could take that literally yourself."

"Pardon?"

"Like I said, I am not a fool, Kai, and neither the people here with me. You haven't told us any damn thing about your petty life and here you are, playing this critical wager with the likes of someone as me. I barely know you."

"Likewise, my dear friend." They were playing Cushianto, Zuphoria's betting card game. It's a universal ante and truly fancied all throughout the place, children and people with wits alike. That's why Yong Soo always wins. But, winning is not only his goal. This time's win is not only his purpose for today, there's so much more for today. With that in mind, the prince let out a smirk. "But I, for one, figured that we both don't really want that to happen now, do we? I prefer not knowing about you as you are to me. Bet your card already."

As the opponent's card swiped down at the forming deck in front of the two players, the atmosphere forged into an even more intense one. You see, Vivir's lit by dozens of oil lamps hanging on each of its four walls, no natural light coming in because of its enclosed compound. With low luminance provided and no place for more excess air than what was needed, scents of different smell formed and joined itself with the very waft the customers breathe in. Odour coming from different types of protégé going in and out of the said place, whether it was his or her first time or not, mixed in with the whiff, making it even hotter than the Black Market and was moist with sweat. The whole place was a stench, a perfume of swine crap; no man would ever deny that fact.

Dark oak tables and seats that can accommodate five persons at most filled the spaces inside, too many for comfort that the only free spots available were as big as a human limb. Every surface was damp and rotten, probably for being used for a very long time now, creaking now and then. An elevation of one step to the right separates the kitchen from this whole scene, with no lavatory in sight.

Including André, the only workers visible would usually be the three sons of the owner, all inherited the white skin and dark hair of their father. Rumours said that there was also a daughter by the age of ten involved, but, for the two years recorded, no one has ever seen her. The people were only certain of one thing the about their sister; she is the only one who have gray for eyes. She inherited it from their mother.

André is a server and often entertains fat gleemen and the sort, sweat-filled humans that can no longer make out their senses once in the field of intoxication.

"Do you make an income for your shift, André?" The deck crumbles as Yong Soo fishes out for an offense card to be used at the 'Judgement'.

"Just play the game and be quiet."

"I am curious to know what you are hiding."

"You're not the only one. Take a hint." André shifts back a card.

"Give me one."

"Take it yourself." Contenders fish out for one last card, the ending's near.

"What happened to your sister?"

"Step back from the line, Kai."

"You said to do it." As if on a scheduled cue, a lad barged in.

"BROTHER, DON'T!" Ronin , Andre's youngest sibling, came rushing in at their place, heaving breaths heavily while doing so. The clothes he wore were close to rubbish and exhaustion was prominent on his face. He has green eyes, much like his brother and a lot of curly black hair.

"André, stop! Stop playing with him!" The burgeoning brother beckoned in between breaths.

"Ronin, what are you doing here!? Get back in the kitchen and help your brother!" André said.

"No! No, he's an imposter, brother! He's not your contender!" Yong Soo stilled his gaze at the one called 'Ronin', not bothering to hide his amusement.

"What!? What the hell are you talking about!?"

Scattered between looking at his brother and the imposter he just announced, Ronin briefly contemplated about the information he accidentally stole. Gripping his hands and trying hardly amidst his shaking form, he said, "The one who's called Kai is dead! That's an imposter you're betting with!"

"What!?" Noises and clusters slowly faded as the young boy's voice echoed throughout the place.

"He was taken by the guards a week before this one whilst carrying the hemlock!" Devastation and panic overflowed 'Ronin' as he shouted the words at his bewildered sibling.

Releasing his slug cards slowly as he turns his attention to the person he'd been calling 'Kai' with a convinced tone, André eyed his supposed opponent, his falling security clear. He knew better than actually trusting people he just met, especially when it comes to their family's hushed homicides at the background of their rotten restaurant. Why had he been so foolish with this one?

A knife, André was now holding the knife he always keeps with his person, ready to aim when the moment calls for it to this sudden unknown being sitting across. Never confide with assurance when it comes to people who hide their weapons and wits to the unexplored.

"Who are you?" André implied suspicion, a lot of it. "Are you not the one named Kai?"

Yong Soo just smiled and shook his head. "You should've taken a hint, André Villegas. Me not showing any hemlock to you ever since we met."

With furrowed brows and a despicable and muffled scream, André tossed the table aside, cathedras tumbling behind, making Yong Soo stand and finally take his guard on and release his hidden sword from its sheath underneath his cape. With blade of pure steel and height reaching from the user's hips and just beyond his head, it carries the Royal emblem proudly engraved at its pommel, beaming with perfect gold. His hand fully placed at the gilt-covered grip of his saber, he took on a move of uneasiness as he positioned himself for defense.

Intoxicated drunkards came in to view as they heed watch of what was happening. Every other movement in the Vivir stopped, clanks of mugs and plates and barrels stilled as the people spooked within the vicinity of the fight. Surely bothering with other people's lives will affect theirs greatly.

André held his knife high with his left hand, arm just atop his head, a murderous lust emanating from within his very being. He grinds his teeth violently, eyes wide and never leaving Yong Soo's.

"NAME YOURSELF!" André bit out, protruding the knife with every threat to kill.

"I do not want to!" Yong Soo playfully replied with venom dripping at the end.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT!?"

The latter chuckled as he began to move slowly, walking towards André with mocking precaution, sword never wavering from sight. "I thought we both don't want any facts to leak out now, André?" One more step and the tip of his blade could already touch the green-eyed man's rugged sleeve. Andre's shirt was a tad cleaner than that of Ronin's considering that he presents himself to their customers. But, as we all know, that information doesn't really help. "Don't broaden your stupidity."

"Save me from your lies, imbecile! I'm pretty damn certain that you already know about me—that you already know much from my family more than you should, and I swear, by God, that I will murder you personally, right here and now if you don't TELL ME YOUR FUCKING IDENTITY!"

"You really do swear a lot. That does nothing good for your soul, André." Yong Soo paused, waiting for a comeback. But he got none. "Fine then, if it is really my name that you want."

Roughly piercing the wooden floor beneath and making sure his sword stands still, the prince took a step back, unbuckling the lock of the cape around his shoulders and removed it off his body, revealing his crimson ceremonial robe that hugged his pristine white undergarments wonderfully. Just by the location of his waist was a black and braided rope that was securing not only the royal regalia, but also his sheath that was of the shade of gold, dark etchings scheming out their country's incantations. His shoes were also elegant, but were hidden under his upper bearings.

With face now revealed for the crowd to gobble, Yong Soo's features were simply overwhelming. Hazel eyes with short but thick lashes, dainty lips and dark hair, with an unusual extend at his side, accompanied by fair skin, all screaming spoiled and cared for.

And, of course, with this seemingly loud proof of his role to their country, most of the audience recognized him with gasps and whispers, telling out his name for him out loud. The sly prince let fame take over and grinned widely.

"He is Prince Kiku's brother!"

"A Prince is here!"

"It's Prince Yong Soo!"

"A Royalty is here! In the Black Market!"

"Quick! Tell everyone that the Prince is here! At Vivir!"

"Prince Yong Soo is here!"

Of course, the hails were not infinite. In fact, not all of them were of praises and adoration. But alas, our protagonist for now tends to defy scepticism and faces the opposite of it instead rather too often. And surely, negativity helps scarcely and often downgrades anyone it could conquer. So Yong Soo only ignored and focused on his now trembling opponent.

"You. . . Y-you can't be prince. . . " Staggering, André let out. Eyes fixated at the self-proclaimed noble in front of him.

"What?"

"I-I've seen people like you. Impostor! You looted those clothes, that is a fake sword!"

"André, no! Stop it! He is the real Prince! He is Prince Yong Soo!"

"He has the symbol on his sword, Villegas! Can't you see it!?" A supposed drunk spectator commented, pointing at the prince's erect sword at the middle.

"Carved in any belonging a royalty never takes off his person, made of only of the purest of pure of silver, perfectly set at the middle, is the great and wisest dragon of Kingdom Zuphoria, the mighty dragon Aahl. It bears our proud colour of red, and our national flower, the chrysanthemum carved in each sides." Ronin explained, batting out every detail he knew of the emblem. "Every Kings, every Queens, Princes and Princess and other nobles have a different material for this crest, for identification, you see? So the people know their names and ranks in our society." Looking up, he managed to look at his brother's eyes. "And, the only royalty of existence whose crest is on his sword. . . is Prince Yong Soo."

"Your brother's pretty knowledgeable, André. What happened to you?" The noble teased.

Having enough humiliation bubbling up in him, André lunged at his opponent and targeted Yong Soo with a lame excuse for an attack. Yong Soo, with no time to plunge his sword out of the ground, blocked the latter, taking Andre's right arm with his own, forcibly twisting it until Andre's back was facing him, and kicked his leg with so much force that his opponent stumbled on the ground, kneeling. With his free hand, the prince took out the knife off of his attacker.

André tried to fight back by gripping tight on Yong Soo's leg with his unrecompensed hand, but the brown-eyed royalty countered it by threatening him with the knife he took and placed it on his neck, nearly cutting off the skin.

Ringed by a terrified outlook of what was happening, André spoke. "Let go of me! Let go, you!"

"Believe me, my dear peasant, I really want to but I can't. I have to say the court's verdict on you fir- ah pardon the mistake, on you and your family first." Yong Soo stated and waited for the latter to reply, but only heavy heaves of breath came out of his hostage.

With a hiss, the prince straightened himself without letting go of André. "Familia Villegas of the Black Market, in accordance to our Kingdom's laws passed down to us by the wise leaders and kings of the past, I hereby arrest all of you for the heinous crimes you all have omitted since two years ago. These cases are by murders, drug trafficking and espionage for our rival kingdom, Melitia. Our last piece, Mr. Kai Riveles, whom, by the way, voluntarily turned himself in as a living proof of your horrible up doings is the very thing we've been waiting for to trigger this operation." Yong Soo declared, head straight and eyeing the now trembling Ronin.

"We? W-what do you mean we?" André asked.

"Oh good, you got that." The prince grinned, scanning the crowd. "Mei, arrest them!"

The door flew open as the men of the palace, armed with the red wool coats they are always coated with, black leather boots strapped onto their legs that reached up to their knees, a top hat with a more crimson hue than that of their upper uniform (with a dark feather protruding on its side) and a spear like weapon with intricate designs at its tip, barged inside, telling people to lay down and place their hands on their heads.

Panic went on inside Vivir as the people looked for refuge and an escape route from the roaring guards, bottles smashing, liquor spilling and food wasted as they were left unattended and dropped on the ground, along with the table and plate it was sitting on. Wooden seats cranked and was destroyed, the wooden floor almost smashed into pieces because of the people's pressure as they screamed and ran for their lives, with the still exception of staying away from the vicinity where Yong Soo (along with his sword) and André were.

Windows were crashed and smashed as the customers took these as a way out, belittling theirselves as they tried to squeeze out of the place and take cover. Little did they know that they were already surrounded, the lot of them. The Zuphorian Knight, Zap, took upon himself the responsibility to guard the outside of the restaurant, dealing with the escapees and putting them back inside once again. He was a man of strong build, stern face and an unreadable expression. He leads most of the Zuphorian army.

Even Andrrew, Andre's youngest brother who works as the chef, was taken. He was the first one to be arrested for he took the exit stationed at the kitchen, not thinking that a dozen of their capturers were already waiting for him. With a twisted arm stuck on his back, he was taken captive by the soldiers as they urged him to go back in to his two brothers. The ruckus slowly inside died out, replaced by cries and sobs of the customers of the place, as the soldiers took control of the area, pointing their weapons on the people's heads.

A lad escaped. That was the only major casualty that happened. For the capturers, that is.

"I caught the curly one." A voice spoke, one too familiar to Yong Soo that he needn't to turn around to actually see where it came from. It was Mei Li, a brunette girl a couple of years younger than Yong Soo, wearing a tight black suit that was hugging her whole figure, a crimson coloured protector placed atop of her breast and was covering the lot of her back and shoulders and was tied down with the ones on her knees, shoes made of leather enclosed her feet. Completing her prestige, but sexy, get up was her hair that was grouped high in a pony tail. She was Prince Kiku and Prince Yong Soo's cousin. "He looks like Prince Antonio, Yong."

"Ah, so you noticed it too, huh?"

"Well, when you've been to their kingdom longer than Zuphoria, you'll be used to the people there more than you are to your own." Mei stated, with a still struggling Ronin by her side. The boy was bounded with wooden handcuffs and was dragged by the Princess on his arm. Tears were starting to form in his eyes but it was evident he was trying to hold it in, a whimper coming out of him every now and then. He looked at Yong Soo with such fearful eyes, one that shows another world crumbling into the abyss, never to return again. Those are the worst kinds of eyes, the hopeless ones. Like a precious bud of flower, forever hoping for that fresh ray of sunlight to guide them, to nurture them, to make them and to never leave them alone. To carry them through anything, to wake them after the storm. Eyes too dependent on the sun, on that silver lining that they forgot to stand on their own, that someone will ultimately leave them. Eyes that cannot see the importance of saving themselves. "It just scares me that he looks so much like royalty that it made me thinking that he could be a long-lost sibling of the Northern nobles."

"D-Don't! Let go of my brothers, I can carry the blame for them!"

"Brother, do-"

"Shut up, Ronin!" Andre interrupted. "I am the only one eligible for court, they're underage. We have that kind of rule right? Underage citizens will not be counted as a criminal yet!"

"Yes, yes we do, my dear. But did you also think like that when you started ordering them to get and deliver the hemlocks for you? That they are, as you say, underage? Did it ever occur to you that they're too young to kill or to even witness a murder?" The tone of authority lingered slowly as Mei continued to speak, killing all the remaining sanity in Andre.

With his breath largely decreasing and his head just simply dangling from his body, Yong Soo gradually loosened his grip on the latter, laying his being down on the floor accordingly. With a look on his cousin, the Prince spoke, "Dearest of troubadors who witnessed such. . . graceful and ingenious act on this place this morrow, we apologize. But, protocols and such must be met. And, as all of you may know by now, we aren't just safe anymore, with that impending war with our long time enemy Kingdom, Melitia. We can't be too confident. And it's just a tragic thing to uphold, really." Yong Soo smirked, his usual antics boggling his subjects who aren't used to it. The prince never really came out of the palace, only Kiku did. "But, let's not waste this golden opportunity of our presence here. Mei and I are willing to accommodate questions. Even to those who aren't inside. . . Hello there, you!"

Without a burden to carry and his sword finally placed back in its sheath, Yong was now facing Mei and Ronin, their position blocking out the doorway. Scattered guards were everywhere outside, along with the citizens who aren't really concerned to what was happening at Vivir. Most of them was just passing by. The prince waved at a girl who was staring directly at him, mouth slightly agape.

"Prince Y-Yong Soo." Ronin croaked, earning attention from both of the royalties in the room.

"What is it, Ronin. Anything, but within your case, is fine to be asked." Yong Soo smiled.

"I don't mean anything to what I will ask of you now. But we were used to having Prince Kiku doing the royal rounds in here, in the Black Market." Ronin trembled, the memory of the much nicer noble surging inside him as it contradicts the Prince in front. "Where is he right now?"

Eyes blinking from the question he didn't really expect, Yong Soo replied, "It's alright, kid. I'm used to people liking others better than me." Yong Soo smiled.

"Yong, that's not tr-" Mei was interrupted as the prince continued.

"Now then, where is Kiku now? Hmm. . ."

His cousin just stared at him, ruminating about all the things she knows about Yong. He was the young one, the untamed part of the family. Always misheard, all the times just somebody to put in the picture, never to take over for anyone. Never to lead, never too wise to, a speck in the beautiful line of heirs for the throne. But he smiles, anyway.' A more beautiful smile than that of Kiku's', Mei once said.

And that's it. Better than anything, Mei knows of Yong Soo's smile. A smile that she never did see from his twin. . . and Kiku.

"Mei?"

Broken from her thinking, Mei answered, "What?"

"Where's Kiku?" Her cousin asked, a grin never fading from his face

"I am not your brother's keeper." She tilted her head, smiling back at him.


Kingdom of Zuphoria's Palace; 'The Crimson Tower'.

Main Garden, East Side (The Eastern Cliff of the Dragons eleven years before)

The sight of the ocean never ceases to move him, even for a bit. The gladness and excitement to roam around, kingdom to another kingdom, did not really escape his thoughts. It will be forever his.

"Yong really did take off, Prince."

With a vivid and most lively atmosphere, Kiku enjoyed his cup of Oolong peacefully, not a tinge of worry on his face. Letting the cool breeze devour him completely, he settled his self comfortably without a hint of indifference. Watered bushes of carnations filled the garden within the palace grounds, whispering lovely scents that combined itself with the air, welcoming their beloved prince yet again for another afternoon to enjoy. Seagulls rarely visited this area of the palace for it was ranged with the Dragons' cavern, not so far away by the ocean, but a flock of baby dragons would fly by every now and then, filling Kiku's thirst for excitement. It was the cliff he used to go to when he was a mere child, you see, but a lot different from back then.

Yao's sitting on the throne brought on many changes, including the Palace's renovations. From the colour of Lilies, their Kingdom became one with the strong colour of crimson, the very hue of blood. Their home was then filled with it, every nook, every clothing and emblem was turned into the shade of red. A lot more came with it, but the most grandeur of them all was the changing of the dull cliff into the largest garden of the palace.

Seeing that his brother fancies it greatly, he brought on to himself the responsibility to change it beautifully to comply with his beloved one's taste. Kiku never complained, fearing the thought of making his brother sad, but he didn't really wanted such a thing to happen. He liked it the way it is. . .but his brother thought otherwise, and when the whole beautification was done, Yao made sure of a view that still overlooked the ocean and placed a marble table and seat at the very centre of the garden. 'For Kiku to enjoy his reading and tea well' he said.

But all of us change, too. You and me, we don't have that kind of guarantee that we will be the same 'us' tomorrow, or the day after that, and the other ones that will follow. No one is really the same person they are yesterday. And Kiku is no exception to that.

He answered the question with a nod, not bothering to look at his companion.

"Suddenly stepping out of his comfort zone. . . what has gotten Yong so energetic?" Maria was a woman of a good physique, body showing lustful curves that men only dream of and eyes as hazel as it would get. Letting her hair flow freely by either side of her face and on her shoulders, it framed her lady-like figure just right, her button nose and dainty lips completing her pose. Wearing a simple dress with a hue of vanilla, at its tip a red lace reaching down just below her knees and shoes complementing the whiteness of her upper bearings, she approached her cousin.

"You really do know too little about my brother, don't you, Maria?" Kiku grinned, placing his cup down.

His cousin just chuckled, confessing her lack of knowledge about her relative. "I'm afraid I enjoy wasting my time with other things, Prince."

"You really do have a very fancying face and a lustrous body, cousin. But you're out of patience. What a shame." Kiku shook his head, sarcasm evident.

"Oh my-! Are you really saying that to me?" With broken giggles mixed in with his laughs, Maria steadied her gaze at him. "I'm your cousin, Kiku! And for the record, I will never agree to be laid by you, even if you're not relative."

"But love is not just about bodily lust and sexual tensions, Maria!" Kiku said. "It's much more than that and you know it!"

"So, you really do want to hit on me?" Her finger pointing at the latter, Maria resigned herself into sitting on the ground, body directed at the ocean in front.

"I never said anything of the sort." Kiku answered, his smile never fading as he looked at the Duchess in her eyes. "Where do you learn of this things?"

Kiku changed drastically, forming into a man of wonderful possibilities. His hair grew longer, reaching down to his waist and was often tied to avoid getting on the way. His shoulders became broader, voice deeper and body earning beautifully carved muscles, complementing his now more defined look. His eyes, a colour that matches that of his brother's and was once devoid of anything but curiosity, fear and that luminous dependency and imagination of a child, was now filled with optimism and a strong sense of strength, probably in almost all aspects.

"On occasional events." Maria smiled, focusing her attention at the view before them. Kiku did the same, receiving what it seems like all the goodness of the world in just one place.

Silence overflowed for a moment, and then the Prince broke it by speaking, "Why are you here, Maria? What exactly do you require of me?"

"So, you see it that way." His cousin answered, still looking elsewhere. "That I only come to you when I need something. That's sweet, Kiku."

"I'm impressed you even got hurt."

"I am a woman."

"People say that I look more feminine than you are."

"And you are proud of that?"

"Well, it has its perks." As the two emanated joy in their conversation, the setting of the sun behold itself, splashing colours of amethyst, ruby and yellow, the very glow of some of the kingdoms. "But I need an earnest answer to my question, Maria. And you haven't given me one yet."

Maria looked at her, her smile slowly fading just the light of the sun. But, just like the moon who never sleeps and stays hidden in the skies by morning, her smile turned into a smirk of combined emotions. She is a girl of many agendas. With a dust on her dress as she stood up from her quick sit, she glanced at the scenery once more, placing a hand on her cousin's shoulder. "My message for you is. . . someone's coming tonight."

Looking at the Duchess with such confusion, Kiku remembered Yao and his younger brother. "Yes. Yao will come home tonight, and Yong's probably through with his rounds." He said. "And I heard Mei's finally here."

"Not the familiar ones. . . someone more, indifferent." Kiku tilted his head, an arm resting on the table, the other by his side.

"King Ivan?"

"You're not scared of him, cousin. A tad more uncomfortable, but not scared." The latter giggled, waiting for the Prince to finally see where she's getting at.

Seeing furrowed brows and bewilderment spreading throughout his face, Maria was about to reveal the supposed guest, but was interrupted once again.

"What will he be doing here? We didn't invite him."

"He got sent, Kiku. That's what kings do with their knights. They send them to do errands they're too busy or lazy to deal with."

With that said, the Prince sighed deeply, taking in every ounce of air he could for he fears he would need it a lot at supper. He looked at the horizon once again, just in time to see the last ray of light today.

"The proud Knight, Alfred Jones. Hopefully, I can stand him this time." Kiku hissed.


GUIDE:

Shenan's Arnons – A type of clothing usually used for decoration in the Kingdom of Zuphoria and being exported to other kingdoms.

Gullivans – travelling performers famous in the east.

Zuphoria – The 'Blood Basin', the kingdom who controls dragons and ruled by Royalties who's known for having individual powers. Placing the 3rd highest in ranking.

Melitia – Known for being the 'Capital of Wizards and Witches', they're the top Kingdom and respected by most of their fellow aristocrats. Enemy Kingdom of Zuphoria.

'Vivir' – Latin for "Live on"

Chapter 1; Introduction (of appearances, actual attitudes and beliefs will be revealed in the next chapters) to the Zuphorian Royalties; Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, South Korea . Any other characters named were purely made by the author. (Whole set of characters will be named in the later chapters). Kingdom differences will be mentioned.


YOU CAN ALL YAWN NOW.

So, hey guys! How've you been doing, huh? Me. . . not so great. . . eh.

The prologue of this story was posted about a year ago, I think? And since then, I haven't been able to upload any more succeeding chapters after that, it was stuck on just THAT. OY OM SO SORRY.

Anyway, I'm back now so for those of you waited for this thing to actually update, here it is! And for those who didn't and only discovered it now, here it is!. . . still. . .

Alfred will be in the next chapter, so, if you're liking this story so far, stay tuned 'cause Imma be doing this as a US-loves-UK-but-UK-loves-JAP-and-vice-versa story. Francypants' not in that love triangle thingy because he's- well, you got to wait for him to show up. /evil grin shot/ And it won't be a triangle if he's in it, it'll be like something quadruple, something like a love. . , square. . .rectangle. . . love rectangle-square. . .thing. So-

PLEASE REVIEW AND RATE AND IF YOU PERSONALLY LIKE ME, YOU CAN ALSO CLICK THAT FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE OR ADD BUTTON, WHICHEVER IT IS THAT'S THERE BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHICH ONE AND I'M WATCHING TOO MUCH RYAN HIGA AND YTF THAT IN MY OPINION I'M STARTING TO SOUND LIKE THEM NOW BUT I'M NOT GOING TO COPY THAT 'TEEHEE' BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE STEALING AND THAT'S MEAN.

I love you, gits! Hetalia is not mine.

- Radical