A/N: Wow, sometimes I can't stand the formatting restrictions, and other times I find it to be an interesting challenge.

Kingdom Hearts and all Disney work associated with this story is the property of Square-Enix and/or Disney. No money is being made from the writing of this story.

He couldn't remember a time when seeing the large gates to his kingdom had made his heart race so much. Ven's grin stretched from ear to ear as he dug his heels in, his horse quickening its pace.

"Open the gates! Prince Ventus has returned!" he announced as he reached the outer wall, holding his breath as the large doors began to pull apart.

He expected to see people, his people, waiting to greet him. His brother and father, welcoming him home with open, loving arms... But there was none of it. Everything was black. Sadness and black clung to everything in a way that made his stomach twist as he slowly moved along the street. It made him uneasy, fearful even.

...What had happened?

With a moment's hesitation, he hurried his horse along, racing to the castle, fear filling his heart in the place of his previous joy.

~o~

Terra's gaze lifted as he heard a slight commotion outside the meeting hall. A member of the royal guard entered the chamber and bowed crisply, the prince's eye catching on the guard's mourning armband. His eye caught on every mourning armband...

"Your Majesty," the guard began, straightening up.

"Not 'Your Majesty'," Terra scolded gently, a slight crease forming in his brow. "Not yet."

"F-forgive me, Your Highness," the guard replied. "And forgive the intrusion...but Prince Ventus has arrived." Terra's expression was completely inscrutable to the foreign diplomats seated along the table, but the guards and staff of the castle knew that the slight quirk upward in Terra's brows was the closest thing to a smile they could expect him to give—especially in front of strangers.

"...Gentlemen, I'd like to take a short recess," Terra announced, rising from the massive gilded throne at the end of the table. He wasn't comfortable sitting in it yet—it was his father's chair, after all, and that would never change. Eraqus had sat in it with such confidence and authority...he could only aspire to that greatness. Without permission or confirmation, he coolly strode from the hall.

"Guards, open up the gates," Terra ordered; though his voice was barely above a whisper, it held quiet strength and restrained dignity. The way Father had spoken. With silent poise, Terra descended the grand staircase and drifted into the courtyard, waiting for his brother. Though he stood in place, he made constant subtle adjustments to his posture. 'Think about something else...don't think about it, concentrate elsewhere...' Anything to keep his mind occupied.

As soon as Ven saw the familiar figure, his eyes lit up. He leapt from his horse and ran in a dead sprint, his grin somehow growing broader still.

Terra had grown very skilled at concealing his emotions—the only one who had ever been able to see past his mask since he'd started wearing it was his father. But seeing Ven charging toward him, healthy and very much alive after all these years managed to bring an actual smile to the prince's face. Though it was very small and held a great deal of sadness, it was a smile nonetheless.

"Terra!" Ven cried, not bothering to slow before he collided with his brother in a rough embrace. The impact was heavy—enough to force Terra back a half step.

"Ventus," Terra murmured into the mess of blonde hair that had crashed into him. He wrapped his arms around the other in return, though not with quite the same strength that Ven used. 'One, two, three—time to let go.'

"It's so good to see you again," Terra said, taking a step back ostensibly to look at his brother. He'd grown so much while he was away; Master Yen Sid had certainly kept him well-fed. His eyes were just as bright as when he was a child, and his hair was still a mess. Everything had changed, and nothing had changed. Terra dropped his gaze, instead focusing on Ven's shoes. 'Control...you've already let enough free, Terra.' That voice in the back of his mind...it was Eraqus's voice, it always had been. He'd heard those words spoken aloud enough times, but hearing them now was like a knife twisting in his chest.

'Enough, Terra. Control yourself. Deep breath, now let it out...good boy.' His eyes slid closed, and his breath almost sounded like a sigh. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many feelings that wanted to escape, dart into the light and be seen. Three words...choose just three. Three words are easy to control. 'How've you been'...'Let's go inside'...'Are you hungry'...'I missed you'...'I love you'...

Ven hardly took note of Terra's lack of enthusiasm, too swept up in the moment to care. When Terra pulled back, he glanced his brother over quickly. Terra had gotten so much taller. He looked stronger, too. Even his clothes were different, they looked like—

"...Father is dead."

His brother's words cut through his thoughts suddenly, the force of them knocking the air from his lungs. "...What?" Ven managed to weakly ask, shrinking back. He stared at Terra with wide eyes as he remembered the dark decorations, the funeral garb... He felt sick to his stomach, like the world was spinning. It was...too much. "...N-no. He can't be dead."

"Ventus, I'm sorry," Terra said softly, sadness managing to show itself. "...I suppose...my letter to Master Yen Sid didn't arrive in time." He reached up to self-consciously tug at his mourning stole—the same one his father had worn exactly sixteen years ago. He'd wanted to wear full, proper mourning attire, but his ministers had said wearing it after the funeral would be most inappropriate, especially with his many upcoming meetings with foreign diplomats and ministers. There was so much to do before the coronation, and a king must be composed—and no matter how much he insisted otherwise, or what style he preferred, Terra was king now. Long live the King.

"...Father took ill a few months ago..." Terra began, "...He was so looking forward to seeing you again..." His voice trailed off, and his gaze dropped again. 'Control, Terra!' He forced his gaze up again, wiping the emotion from his face and taking on the same voice he had used to speak to the foreign ministers. Calm, collected, controlled, cool. "Please, Ventus...come inside."

"N-no. This isn't happening," he whimpered, voice breaking as emotion gripped him. Tears swelled as he took a step back. "This is...all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. W-we were all supposed to be a family and—" Tears began to fall as the blonde trembled faintly.

"Ventus..." Terra murmured softly, biting the inside of his cheek. He took a few cautious steps forward and pulled Ven into a gentle embrace, his eyes sliding shut as he held the other boy. As king, he had to be strong for his people...for his brother. Ven had never felt this loss before, but Terra knew it like an old friend. First Mother, then Ven was gone for so long, it was like he was dead, too, and now...

"...It'll be alright," he whispered, running a gloved hand through Ven's messy hair. He had to be strong...he had to protect his brother, for once.

"...No it won't," he cried softly, clinging to his brother as he felt arms wrap around him. "How can it be alright?" He gripped the dark fabric of Terra's stole, burying his face against Terra's chest to hide his tears.

"We made it without Mom, didn't we?" Terra murmured softly, continuing to gently stroke the boy's hair. "...It's just you and me, but we can make it. Courage, Ven..." he whispered, giving him a slightly stronger squeeze. "It won't be easy...but we have to be strong."

"I don't wanna be strong," he sobbed softly, "...I-I want my daddy." He didn't feel strong or brave like he should be, he only felt like a little boy.

Terra sighed softly and gave the blonde a gentle kiss on the top of his head—that's what kings and fathers did for crying princes.

"I'm sorry, Ventus," Terra said softly, his arms loosening from around the boy. He couldn't let Ven's grief sway him any more...it was too dangerous. Terra pulled away, leaving Ventus crying softly as guards approached. Ven looked up at his brother through his tears, trying to understand why Terra wouldn't keep comforting him. Terra used to hold him for as long as he needed, offering him gentle words and reassurances...

Had Terra changed so much?

"Guards," he called, turning away slightly as he watched a few men in ceremonial uniforms approach, "Please escort Prince Ventus to the chambers we have prepared for him."

"At once, Your Majesty," one of the guards replied, taking a step forward. "Come, Your Highness. This way, sir."

"No, I'm staying with my brother," Ventus protested unevenly, stepping back towards the prince, "...Terra, I-I don't want to go."

"I have business to attend to, Ventus," Terra said, his voice low and even. "I would invite you to join me, but...I'm afraid it's terribly dull. I'll see you at supper tonight, in the Great Hall." He turned his attention back to the guards, his face a void mask again. "Make sure that the prince's needs are taken care of immediately."

"Yes, sir," the guards replied, their voices as sharp and crisp as their uniforms.

"I need my brother!" Ven cried, tears falling, "What's wrong with you?" Ven demanded, anger tainting his voice as he took a step back and then another. "How can you act like that? Our father is dead and you have...'business to attend to'? Don't you even care?"

Terra paused at Ven's little tantrum, another sigh leaving him. Ven was...so emotional. He was almost jealous. Ven could cry if he needed to.

"I'm sorry, Ventus...but Abitio needs me, too," he said, his voice king-like; steady and cool. His mask was firmly in place; the entire kingdom needed him to be stoic and strong, and whether Ven knew it or not, that included him. He turned away, his head up, but his gaze downcast.

"Welcome home, Ventus," he murmured as he retreated inside again. Ventus was left standing in the courtyard, his eyes falling as tears fell to the ground.

Everything...was wrong. Everything was so wrong. He balled his fists and anger flared for a moment longer before despair won out. His hands and shoulders relaxed and he let himself be ushered inside, silent other than his soft whimpers and sniffles.

~o~

Ven curled up tighter, squeezing his eyes closed as he clutched at his pillow, pressing his face into the fabric, already damp from his crying. He was glad for the familiar place and scents brought him, but his closet seemed bigger when he was little. The cramped quarters didn't offer as much comfort as they used to, but the dark little wardrobe provided him quiet and a place to hide...even if it made him feel even more alone.

When he had felt alone or upset before, he had Terra to comfort him. ...but there was no one to hold him, no one to chase the dark away.

...Maybe it would have been better if he hadn't woken up.

There was a knock at the door, and after receiving no response, the door creaked open. "I'm surprised the king didn't give Ventus a larger room," a quiet voice murmured—one of the maids, no doubt.

"Do you stay in the guest room when you go to visit your family?" another maid replied. "My mother keeps our room tidy, in case one of us drops in to visit. It's cozier that way." There was a sound of sheets being pulled from the bed and another set unfurling.

"I suppose," the first maid replied. "...Do you think the king will take his father's chambers? And give his rooms to the prince?"

"Not likely," the second maid said, her voice dropping. "Have you seen the King's apartments? It was three days ago, and they still haven't cleaned all the black off the walls. It looks more like he died in a fire than from his sickness."

"Oh no, I won't go near Darkness like that," the first maid said hurriedly. "...To think, the Prince had been holding all that pain and grief inside for so long. His mother, his brother, his father...It's a wonder he survived the King's death..."

"Speaking of princes, where's His Highness? Off to the kitchens, perhaps?"

"I suppose. He'll be missing those raspberry tarts, I'll bet."

Indeed, there was a definite hiss as one went down the hall to the King's Apartments. It looked as if there had been some sort of explosion inside, except very few objects seemed to be disturbed or damaged—instead, they were covered in Darkness. It didn't seem to seep and drip down the walls of Eraqus's bedroom, however; it was hard, caked on like charcoal. Certain areas looked as though the Darkness had been chipped or blasted away, but most of the room was absolutely covered in inky blackness. The walls hissed quietly as the light from outside slowly melted and fractured the Darkness, re-crystallizing in the pits and cracks left behind.

"There's no way we can get all of it cleansed before the coronation," a man grumbled, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

"Perhaps if we called in help from some of the Paladin corps...they're more experienced with Darkness of this nature," another person mused.

"Yes, perhaps..." the first replied, "Perhaps they could investigate, as well."

"What is there to investigate?"

"It seems a little odd, doesn't it? That the prince was the only one in the room when the king died, and this happened? And that the king would die just before Prince Ventus was due to return..."

"Don't even think that!" the other voice snapped, "You can't suggest such things about your king!"

"I'm not suggesting, I'm only asking questions," the man replied shrewdly. "Come on, let's get to work."

Ven didn't like hiding. He didn't like listening to people from the shadows, but it seemed more and more it was the only way to get the truth from some. Listening to the royal servants was angering him more every day.

He couldn't stop himself, not this time. Listening to them imply his brother was capable of such villainy was like rubbing salt into the raw wounds his father's death had left him.

He stepped out into the hallway behind the pair, his fists balled tightly as he shouted a firm order, trying to sound imposing and rise to his full height, "You there, come here!"

The two servants froze for a moment before quickly turning, their eyes wide. They'd been found out.

"Y-yes, Your Highness?" the taller, leaner man said—the second voice.

"...What, exactly, is it that you are implying about your future king?" he asked, trying to remain composed and calm as he stared at the taller man.

"Nothing, Your Highness," the second man said, looking down at his companion before sliding sideways slightly.

"O-of course, nothing, sir," the first man added, though guilt was written all over his face. He swallowed uncertainly, and had difficulty meeting Ven's eyes.

"And you're going to lie to me as well?" he almost yelled, temper flaring. "...Maybe we should see what the king thinks, hm?" he asked, stepping towards the man with quick strides.

"N-no, my lord, please!" the shorter man gasped, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. "Please, Your Highness, don't...!" If the rumors weren't true, surely the king would punish him—and if the rumors were true, it could be so much worse...

"...Then right here, right now, tell me what you were implying," he demanded harshly as the man dropped to his knee.

"...I-I'd heard rumors, gossip, really, completely baseless," he began shaking his head, "...Rumors that the Prince's darkness m-might have had a hand in the King's illness...a-and death," he said softly. He could practically feel the executioner's axe on his neck...

"...My brother would never have harmed our father. He loved him...like I loved him," he said, voice quivering slightly. "And I will not have you spreading rumors about him."

"F-forgive me, sir...please, I beg Your Highness's forgiveness," the man whimpered softly, "I swear, I'll not breathe another word of this rumor."

"If I hear another word of it, I will personally tell the king what his subjects think of him," Ven threatened, "...now get up."

"Yessir, n-not another word, Your Highness," the man replied, swallowing heavily before rising.

"Is there anything we can do for you, sir?" the other man asked, trying to keep himself from looking too smug at his companion's reaming.

"...Make sure my father's room is spotless," Ven replied, adding softly, "He...always wanted everything clean." His anger began to melt away as sadness filled his belly once more.

A/N: Oh hey, we're starting to get some vaguely recognizable scenes! Leave your comments or questions, and we'll see you next time!