Thank you Inez, Myka, and Jade for the support!! I'm glad to hear last chapter was liked. There's more Laphiji and Seiliez drama to come. It's not over yet : D.

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Vord smiled into the ruelle mirror.

"Well, I'll do some snooping and get back to you if I find anything," he reassured his adoptive brothers. Seiliez head nodded in agreement in the mirror. "Let me talk to Laphiji for a minute, Seiliez," Vord added.

Seiliez seemed puzzled, but he handed the mirror over to the taciturn prince. Laphijis' face appeared on the mirror. "I'm not sure how to say this, Laphiji, but…" Vord's voice became softer. "if I were you… I'd be very careful about who sees Seiliez come into your bedroom after dark."

--

Duzell slowly ate his food, spacing his bites so he'd spend the maximum amount of time chewing and would therefore be spared from having to join the somewhat-forced dinner conversation. During the princes' second day in the city of La Naan things had gone from strange to stranger. Lady Elenor kept braving adoring glances up from her dinnerware at Laphiji only to look away as soon as her gaze found him, like some skittish kitten too afraid to come closer to a beckoning hand. All this was laid over top of a positively Antarctic silence between Laphiji and Seiliez. The two seemed to be making a remarkably dedicated effort to ignoring the other. Duzell had only ever witnessed anything like it on the occasion his father had been accused of not properly rejecting one of the lady Courtiers advances and had been shunned by his mother for well over a week. Lady Ramia was making a gallant effort to overcome the tense atmosphere with constant, innocuous chatter.

"You see, the fighters of Knoll are all so dedicated to the tournament. I hear they hold preliminary matches to see who will go on to the main competition! Last years winner was from Knoll—I forget his name… And the men of Knoll certainly gave Laphiji a time of it when he was competing, didn't they, Laphiji? …Yes. Well, I hope to see what they come up with this year. I think it's likely will see another Knoll fellow become champion this year as well! Ah, provided he can beat our princes'." She stopped to nod at Phelios and Duzell. Phelios smiled and inclined his hand. Duzell shoveled another bite of salad into his mouth.

"We intend to do our best, Lady Ramia." Phelios answered. "With Na Naan racking up so many wins, I think it's Pheliosta's turn to be champion." Falan looked up from wiping dressing off her daughters face.

"You did quite well at the tournament today. Do you and your brother practice often?" she asked politely. Phelios fielded the question, as usual.

"Often enough. Our father's been instructing us since we were old enough to grip a practice sword. Duzell's a might faster with a blade, but he's a lamentable mess with Holy Magic. I usually win our spars." This boast caught Duzell's attention. He put down his fork long enough to glare at his brother.

"My brother only wishes that was true," he corrected. Vord laughed and Falan smiled at the defense.

"Mommy, when can I be in the tournament?" young Ranee burst out, squirming around to kneel on her seat and dislodging her embroidered napkin from her lap. Vord grinned broadly.

"When you're older, Ranee. You'll be the first Razenian champion!" Falan looked distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect. Her expression lost its glow and her smile waned.

"We'll see," she amended, her tone serious for such a usually sweet, good-natured lady.

"Vord, I'm all for your children competing in the tournament when their of age, but they can not compete as a representative of Razenia! The tournament is a strictly national event. They'll have to be honorary representatives of La Naan," Lady Ramia corrected. She looked over at Falan. "Or of Ci Xenith." Vord sighed, but his daughter seemed satisfied, collapsing back into her seat with a contented squeal of delight. She immediately began fencing imaginary opponents with her butter knife. Her mother had to pry the instrument from her hand.

"The future champion of La Naan or Ci Xenith, then," Vord reluctantly agreed. His wife sighed in protest.

"Speaking of the future of La Naan, I was thinking we should move the wedding date up from the fall to this summer. Sometime early. Don't you think so, Lady Elenor?" Lady Ramia beamed at her potential daughter-in-law, not realizing she had just set foot in volatile territory. Elenor blushed and gave another shy look to Laphiji. The man in question seemed almost as absorbed with his dinner as Duzell.

"If it pleases Lady Ramia and Sir Laphiji," Elenor said, the nervous blush still staining her cheeks. Laphiji didn't comment. Seiliez, however, took this moment to excuse himself. He pushed back from the table firmly, almost violently and stood.

"Excuse me. I'm not feeling well," he announced. Falan, Elenor, and Phelios all expressed their wishes for his swift recovery. Lady Ramia was staring at him as if he had just turned the most unusual shade of purple and Vord was shaking his head. Laphiji looked directly at his adoptive brother for the first time that evening. When their eyes met the look exchanged was charged and aggressive. It was Seiliez who looked away first. He repeated his excuses and promptly exited the room. Duzell put down his fork and did his best to swallow a sigh. Why did he have to eat with the family again?

Second, third, and fourth course came without Laphiji uttering a word. Ramia doggedly continued to make an effort at small talk with Phelios and Falan assisting her from time to time, but the rest of the party ate silently and swiftly as if eager to be done with the affair. After the orange sorbet and cookies Duzell was the first to bid his aunt goodnight and excuse himself from the table. Phelios quickly followed after and Vord and Falan were forced to say their goodnights for little Ranee's sake. The child was practically asleep in her desert and she had a dab of orange smudged across her chin.

Duzell turned and left the hall, his uncle, aunt, cousin, and brother all trailing after. Phelios was talking to Falan while Vord carried the dozing princess. They were talking about the tournament again: who was likely to win, who would be going home next round, the favorites, the underdogs, and any other topic they could touch on that the un-militant Falan would be able to follow. When they reached the south corridor junction the trio bid the princes goodnight, going off to their larger, grander chambers further in to the castle. Duzell sped up, knowing that with Falan and Vord gone Phelios' attentions would turn to him.

"I think we should find out what's going on directly from Uncle Seiliez," he announced without preamble. Duzell frowned at the suggestion.

"Tonight?"

"Yes, tonight."

"You want to sneak into our forty-year-old uncles room and ask him why he's a freak?" Phelios tutted at the crassness of the question.

"Of course not. I was thinking it'd be best if we just observed rather than interacting with him."

"You mean spying?"

"In a way."

"What exactly are we going to gleam from watching him sleep?" Duzell asked, slowing his pace to walk next to his brother without consciously realizing.

"Oh, I don't think he's asleep, and I just have a feeling that something's going to happen tonight." Pehlios watched his brother mull over this. Phelios smiled. It wasn't that his brother was weak-willed by any definition of the word, he just had a soft spot for those he cared for and, as unwilling to admit it as he was, Duzell cared for his older sibling.

"You're really going?"

"We're going."

"Fine. Do as you wish," Duzell grumbled. Phelios took him up on his offer, grabbing his sleeve and doing a 180 in the hallway. Phelios slipped into a servants corridor they'd 'explored' as boys, dragging Duzell behind him. The route to Seiliez's chambers was a little difficult to navigate, but with only a trifling struggle the princes found the right room. They climbed up into the crawlspace above the servants route, just big enough for the two of them, and crept on arms and knees to the vent over-looking the rooms of La Naan's eldest 'prince'. Phelios' hunch had been correct. Laphiji was already there and the two were arguing in hushed tones, although it looked as though Seliez were steadily loosing his composure.

"I'm not upset! What you do with you're darling fiancé is your business. She's very well suited for you, so I'm sure you'll be very happy." Seiliez's classic, porcelain face was flushed from exertion and his limpid violet eyes were bright with emotion, augmenting his usual beauty. His golden hair was disheveled as if he'd run his hands through it too many times. Laphiji appeared as clam as ever to a casual observer, but the tension of his jaw and his clenched fists belied his frustration.

"This has nothing to do with Lady Elenor." His voice was even, but cold. Seiliez scoffed, tossing his head in a disdainful gesture.

"I hardly see how it can't, since you're in love with her." Seiliez crossed his arms, daring Laphiji to contradict him. Laphiji seemed to have no words for this. He stood mute, his gaze fixed to the side. Seiliez's expression gradually went from furious to forlorn. "So, it's true. You really are in love with her," he said, taking Laphiji's silence for an admission of guilt. His arms dropped to his side. "I see. You'll really be perfect for each other…"

"No." Laphiji looked back at his ex-lover. "I told Lady Elenor… what I thought she wanted to hear," he admitted, a wince of real guilt flashing over his face. Seiliez's eyes snapped to him, wide with surprise. Laphiji cautiously proceeded in his explanation. "I was telling her what I'd thought everyone," Their eyes met briefly before Laphiji looked away. "wanted to hear. It… was dishonest of me." He shifted slightly, turning an imploring gaze on the blond.

"You need to marry, but…" Seiliez sighed. "I really haven't grown at all. I know what must happen, but I still want you to myself." Laphiji wasted no time in taking the only opportunity Seiliez might give him. In three long strides, he'd pulled the smaller man to him and leaned down to kiss him. The two met in a hungry, desperate clash. Seiliez's arms wound around Laphiji's neck as his pale tapered fingers wound through the ink black ponytail. The two seemed to be trying to drink the other in, to feel them completely.

Duzell turned as quickly as he could in a crouch and made a dash for the trap door leading back down in to the servants' corridor. Phelios followed after, a small contented smile gracing his features. They were halfway back to their rooms before either dared to speak.

"I'm going to have nightmares," Duzell complained. Phelios just chuckled, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"You know, when you make a big deal over it like that, it really just sounds like you're in denial." Duzell gave him a full-power glare.

"Thanks, but I don't want to be known as a peeping-Tom. You, however, can do what you like." Duzell quickened his pace, eager for the safety of his room. Phelios was openly laughing, clearly pleased that his Uncles had made up, in a fashion. The brother's crossed into the main corridor.

"We were just listening in. It's not like anything unseemly was going to happen."

"They were kissing. I really don't want to know what was going to happen," Duzell groused. Phelios tilted his head to one side in consideration.

"No... It's not the right time. They still have Lady Elenor to consider. The air's not clean just yet. I think you're virgin eyes would have been safe, brother." Phelios joked.

"Excuse me? Like you know any more than I do." Duzell was glaring again.

"I do wish to know what this mandate on Uncle Laphiji marriying is about though…" Phelios mused, turning his head to look at his brother. Duzell, however, was no longer next to him. The younger prince had stopped a few paces behind and was staring at something to the side of the hallway. Phelios followed his brothers gaze to see what had arrested him. Standing just next to a window, body turned as if she had been gazing out at the streets only a moment before, was the red-headed girl from the tournament festival. She was staring at Duzell again, face unreadable. Slowly, she curtsied.

"Good evening, prince" she said, dragging the word out with a strain of bitterness. After a moment she turned to Phelios. "Prince," she repeated, curtsying again before she departed her perch by the window and headed back the direction Phelios and Duzell had come from. Duzell turned to watch her until she disappeared around a corner. Phelios and Duzell exchanged a look.

"Are you sure you don't know her?" Phelios asked.

"Completely." Duzell shook his head to clear the chill seeing the serious-eyed girl had brought on. He began walking again. "Let's go. I'm tried."

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TBC