As you might expect,
Axels first introduction to those isolated members of the royal court however informal it was, ran through the kingdom like a plague.
The part that everyone couldn't seem to resist prodding was his 'designs' for the scholarly princess.
"Unrequitted love" Some crooned.
"A grave misjugdgement of character" Some scoffed.
"A fuckin' lie" Axel scoffed as he wiped his brow.
At the moment he was in his worklab mixing a brew in a large cauldron. This lab was much larger and fancier than his lab in the slums it was fully furnished and buzzing with all matter of scientific, alchemical and magical equipment. Tables and tables of glass contraptions whirring and tinkling in the large low lit stone room.
Even so, the place was sweltering hot as he worked on the teal blue light that stemmed from the vat topless and glistening.
He leaned back on the railing of the platform and took a generous swig of his drink. Alcohol made him forget to remember his troubles...and alot of other essential things.
Axel stared off into the distance, eyebrows furrowed in frustration. He still felt like a secret a month after moving into the castle basement and starting his research.
The coronation ceremony was extravagant...and nearly a disaster.
Namíne invited herself as his date to the evening on the cliffhanger of his argument with Roxas. It seemed he could only be a jester to the members of the party as he juggled the siblings and cordial conversation with the party goers.
Roxas still wasn't ready to admit his infatuation especially as he was preforming the coronation under his own vested power. Namíne bolstered her claim over him saying the commoners raging affections for her had swept her hopelessly off her feet.
He brooded over his powerlessness for a bit training his lip against the rim of his mason jar. "I won't let that bitch make a fool outta me again..." he slurred.
Lo and behold Namìne approached from the archway. "Hey sweetie." she crooned.
The man rolled his eyes "Whaddya want...?" and took a deep slurp.
" Dont be soo rude!" She whined. "I'm still waiting on that thank you. your ceremony wouldn't have been half as fun without me."
"Who asked for your help? You know I'm not interested in you..." He paused to sip once more as she drew closer to the cauldrons platform. "Plus I know you're not too dense to see who I do want."
"Sucha noisey pet" she sneered.
"Dont you see how lucky you are to have caught my eye...? I'm even offering to help you and this is the thanks I get?"
Axel sat forward on his stool choking slightly in suprise.
"I'm gonna make you an offer. If you're smart you'll listen up...Everyone knows you've got a soft spot for magic and the welfare of its people. But, I'd wager youve got no clue how to use your ascended status to their or even your own advantage."
She shifted her stance and ascended the first step to the upper platform, gently resting her arms on the banister and her head neatly atop them.
"You might not realize it yet, but my dearest brother cant do much more for you now."
"Bringing you here, installing you as High Mage and defending your skills and research before the royal council without a reasonable track record..." She let out a yawn.
"If people weren't so busy projecting my father onto him they would plainly see your little fling." Axel stared unflinchingly at the louse as she continued her speech.
"I get you've gotta save face with your people. But, your silence on their welfare won't be ignored forever...Maybe, you should let me be your support. I could sponsor any 'research' you record in their defense for example."
Axels eyebrows knitted as he lowered the glass from his lips, now that his supply had run dry he could do nothing but swallow dryly and return her coy stare."I get that you like me, but I'm not dumb enough to believe that helping me won't cost you as well. What are you really getting outta this?"
A cheshire grin spread the princess's lips. Just as she began to speak the intercom on the lab wall chirped and spoke.
"High Mage, you have a visitor"
Axel switched his gaze and stumbled off to the wall. Holding down the button he sneered his response.
"Well, who is it?"
Namíne sighed and began sauntering toward the door "And if you like it here in the kingdom you'll remember your usefulness only remains so long as there is a curse..."
"Sir, its the head maid... Should I send her away?"
Axel siged and gripped his nose bridge, he was red in the face drunk but turning away this woman might put him on the wrong side of the staff that already feared him.
"No, just let her down here to the main lab..."
He returned to his empty glass tumbler, casting a spell over it that filled it with a tonic. He drank it down hard and began slapping lightly at his cheeks, trying to raise the cloud of drunkenness from his face.
"Why cant Roxas visit for a change?" He groaned. Now would have been the perfect time to work out some of his 'frustrations'.
Although, even if he had visited they hadint so much as spoken to eachother since the ceremony.
Watching his younger sisters advances toward him repelled Roxas even further from admitting (or pursuing) the truth, so they had been separate (and loveless) for some time since then.
He made a mental note to check in on him and had just raised a second helping of the tonic to his lips when the woman strode in.
"I see, I had no idea that even magicians drown their sorrows in drink."
Axel turned and slammed down the glass. he fought the urge to bark at the woman for calling him such a name; especially considering his status. Instead he angrilly watched the figure approach from the doorway...Before allowing his drunkenness to take the wheel.
"If you came here to insult me I'd remind you that even though you hate magic we are worlds apart in caste, so watch your mouth."
The woman chuckled then bellowed out a laugh so rich she held her waistcoat tight to her stomach. His anger burned. He opened his mouth to speak again but the woman interjected.
"Out of all of the mages...It still had to be you...I guess he was right. " She sighed.
Axel paused, his face obviously painted shocked as he processed her words.
"Dont pretend you knew him...Who are you?" He warned soberly.
The black haired woman sighed removed her white glove and shoved it into the pocket of her waistcoat, then extended that hand out to his glass. A rune glowed on her palm as the liquid changed from herbaceous green to a pallid blue. "Is this what you meant to drink?"
Axel pulled away from the table in shock before whipping back around to the woman.
"Do you have a name?" He replied exasperatedly. He took a second look at the glass before embarrassment washed over him. "Yes...it is..." He replied sheepishly.
"Of course, and since you asked its Xion." She curtsied.
"If it werent for your miraculous promotion I would'nt be revealing myself to you. But, the-powers-that-be insist I be at your service."
Axel blinked speechlessly as he remembered the only other way magic could get into the kingdom. Back in the slums, and among the closely guarded circles of mages, there was a rumor albeit a ledgend of mages chosen to survey the crowned kingdom and certain factions surrounding it in efforts to control them from within. But, these stories were rejected as pipe dreams as the lives they lead seem to only get worse.
That's when he remembered that this was not their first meeting. "You helped me with breakfast that day..."
The woman began rummaging through her pocket.
"Yes and as much as I'm loving this stimulating conversation, theres business to attend to." She handed him a letter with a strange insignia on the seal.
"I'm sure you know better than to simply throw this away once you're done..."
She looked at the man for a moment and couldint help feeling sorry for him.
'You have no idea what you've been thrust into...' she mused.
"Your father would be proud his visions were realized in you..." she said turning to leave.
Instead of returning her gaze Axel continued to look at the insignia and think of his father in confusion. "This crest...It belongs to my family..."
He immediately ripped into the letter and began reading the text.
"The Society of Sol..."
"...Flamebearers of magic's oldest secrets..."
" ...A meeting...In my honor... Tonight..."
"...An escort will be provided."
Axel's heart began to beat faster as he read the words, he and the more exclusive society of magic didint get along as it were. He couldn't imagine how tonight would go or what they would want.
"Hey..are you busy...?"
Axel looked up from his letter only to have his heart drop down to his feet.
It was Roxas, doe eyed and wrapped in silk pajamas. his hair was tousled and fluffy as if freshly washed and flufffed hinting to how woefully sweet and fragrant he must be. Axel had no way of knowing when his escort would arrive, what he would wear or what he should bring.
'I gotta shower...'
He thought remembering how sweaty he had become and knowing he would hafto turn the prince away.
Roxas paused after reading his face.
"Are you busy? I'm sorry, i should have called first...i can just-"
" N-no! I was just thinking about you...I was hoping you'd come see me...its just-"
"I just wanted to say i felt us avoiding eachother was childish..." he said stepping into the light.
"And if i know we feel the same about eachother why fight against it..."
Roxas stopped just millimeters apart from the man who hungrily pulled him close. He gently lifted his chin as pained look spread his face.
"You couldn't be more right, I just...Theres something thats come up tonight-" he said gripping the letter in his hand.
"What?"
"I-Its just somethin I gotta handle, it just came up and i cant get out of it in such short notice...If you wait for me in my chamber i'll-"
Sudenly the pair were in a place they had never seen before. darkness surrounded them as far as the eye could see.
" Axel...where are we...?"
he clutched the man closer and peered around.
Axel had no time to think as the spirits began frantically warning him of killing intent, he felt eyes burning into his back.
he looked over his shoulder, sheilding his lover with his frame.
"WHAT in the HELL have you DONE?!"
A familliar voice growled.
"Xion, you didint even give me any warning I was just about to-"
"Shaddup you blundering fool! I gave you enough time to finish your drink and sober up!"
She stepped forth into the overhead light illuminating the two. She was wearing a heavy leather coat with a hood that she quickly removed.
"Wait I know yo-"
Xion nodded and snapped her fingers causing the prince to immediately loose conciousness and slide through the redheads grip.
"Wh-why would you do that?!" Axel exclaimed as he lifted the blonde into his arms.
"WHY WOULD YOU BRING HIM HERE!? And what am i supposed to do with him?!"
She exlaimed waiving her arms.
"Cant you just send him back?!" he asked.
"200,000 years of secrecy...No, you cant just come and go as you please...thats how this place is secret." she paused and began pulling at the zipper on her coat.
"Nevermind...Just get him outta those clothes... and put him in this. In that he's a dead ringer for royalty...At Least this way he can pose as one of your whores..."
They were just fastening him into the ill-fitting coat as the setting changed again. an intimate stone room with a large bath glowing purple on a platform in the center of the room. there were mirrors on all sides reflecting the dim purple light of the sconces on the walls. four scantily dressed maidens approached, all looking shocked, they offered to remove the blonde and help him into the bath.
Axel refused, instead laying him on a chaise nearby. Beside it was a table with a spread of fruits and small finger foods perfect for lesure bathing. he sighed at the thought of how romantic this setting would have been and turned back to the reluctantly composed Xion.
"This ritual bath is a privilege only members of Sol are afforded. It will strengthen your powers, preserve your youthfulness and cleanse your aura. Just to name a few of its properties."
Axel stared at the waters deep in thought.
"They hafto bathe me, dont they?" He said looking over his shoulder.
"Yes..." She answered sharply clenching the handful of pajama ashes in her fist. "In this space you are to do nothing for yourself."
(•Stay Tuned•)