About a Month Later:
Vexen was wondering the halls again today, this time noticeably more irritated than the last. The servants quietly greeted him as he passed, quick to avert their eyes or hide their previous conversations. Servants were well known for spreading gossip; everyone from the maids and butlers to the cook and captain of the guard seemed to spread rumors, and how they would spread like wildfires! Such a matter was precisely his concern today. Vexen didn't even acknowledge them as they passed, he continued on until he reached the door to a familiar blue and silver-themed room.
His chambers were dark and cold as always; no light seemed to penetrate the heavy satin curtains that hung untouched over the windows. Opening the closet as he had many times before, he prepared to call forth the ghostly spirit in the mirror. He had begun calling the spirit on a regular basis now, ever since the morning where he had heard some of the younger servants talking about Roxas. He had not caught all of their conversation, but the hopefulness in their voices and their laughing at a time when most of the kingdom was weighed down in deep sorrow made him feel strangely suspicious. And although the mirror assured him each time that the boy was dead, he worked harder and harder at his research everyday, rarely leaving his laboratory during the day, afraid that his time to ascend properly to the throne could be ruined when he only had mere months to wait!
The ghostly face appeared at his call, his expression grim. "What would you know, my lord?" "Damn it, Zexion! You know damn well what i want! Just tell me that the boy is indeed dead!" Zexion sighed. "My lord, you ask this every day. Is that not the boy's heart you keep in the chest?" He motioned with his head. Vexen glanced over his shoulder to the large set of drawers beside his bed, a familiar box sitting on top of the smooth, cold surface. Vexen's icy blue eyes returned to glare at the mirror. Zexion sighed again, and then he began to chant a spell he had heard one too many times already. " Oh fates that suffer time's control, harken now to this wandering soul. By the powers of darkness I demand of thee, show thy master what he wishes to see!" A fog began to obscure Zexion from view, and Vexen stared into the swirling mist as places and objects began to take shape. After a few minutes the fog had completely cleared, and as Vexen felt satisfied with the mirror's answer, a ripple broke the surface, making his eyes widen in anger and surprise. "No! That isn't possible!".............and yet, there it was.
Back at the woods, the evidence of spring had completely settled in, as young animals scurried about and flowers bloomed in the warm sunlight. Out behind a familiar cabin a young blond was chopping small logs into suitable firewood with an axe. Dressed in a black and grey tunic, the boy continued to work until a call from inside the cabin stopped him. He called back to the figure inside, setting down the axe and stretching his arms before he walked back to the front of the house.
Axel stood by kitchen sink, having finished preparing the rabbit he had caught earlier for what would be an early dinner. He saw Roxas pass by the window, heard him enter though the front door, as he shouted something about being in his room for a little while before another door was heard closing down the hall. Axel smiled. It seemed like only a short time ago that he had found Roxas half-dead by the stream. In reality, that wasn't far from the truth; it was almost the one month anniversary of Roxas coming to live with him. The kid had gotten his strength back, his injuries from that fateful night healed in good time, though he was still a squirt for his age and therefore couldn't work with Axel at the mine. But he needed to keep on the down-low anyway, so that wasn't really a problem. He mostly spent his time doing things around the house, and although he had nearly burned down the whole forest once, Axel finally managed to teach him how to cook meals. And he thought I would be the one to burn this place down!
In the time they had spent wandering the forest, he and Roxas learned something interesting that not even Roxas had known he was capable of. For some reason, Roxas seemed to be more in tune with animals than Axel was. He had always loved animals as a child, learning to ride horses from his father's friend Aerith and playing with the hunting dogs owned by Zack, his father's captain of the guard. They had always been friendly with him, but he just assumed that he was easy to warm up to. Roxas practiced calling various animals, seeing if they would come when he called. Axel didn't believe in animal spirits or gods, but he believed that things happened for a reason and thus despite his confusion at first he would watch Roxas as he practiced. He noticed that birds would come to Roxas if he whistled, allowing him to feed them occasionally from the window. Axel couldn't guess the meaning of this ability, but he was glad to see Roxas so happy, laughing and smiling brightly at him with those dazzling blue eyes as the birds danced around his head and shoulders.
Axel began chopping vegetables while his thoughts continued to wander. Roxas seemed to be happier since they opened up to each other, and in this short month Axel felt as if he had known the boy all his life. Being near Roxas made him feel so happy; he especially loved the younger boy's laugh. It was bubbly and warm, and it always seemed to cheer him up no matter how bad he felt. They worked together, side by side, like brothers. Well, he had never had any brothers before, and neither had Roxas, but he thought that might be what brotherhood was supposed to feel like.
Staring absently out the window, Axel yelped as he realized he had cut his finger slightly while he wasn't paying attention. He watched the blood flow slowly from the cut on his finger before moving it to his mouth to suck on it. Axel felt a slight sadness in him then. Roxas's people were still suffering under Vexen's command, and he knew Roxas felt their pain and misery in his heart every day. They had to come up with a plan soon, that much he knew, but he was sad then because he knew that Roxas would have to leave. How would he cope without the kid around then? Just then a movement behind him caught his eye, and he turned to see Roxas standing in the hall. "Hey, Ax. What'd you do to your hand? I swear, sometimes you can be clumsier than me!" Roxas came over to him and before Axel could protest he pulled Axel's hand over in between his own two. "Cure." A brief glow emitted from his hands, and in an instant Axel's cut began to vanish.
Roxas smiled. He didn't know much about magic; his father had warned him that while magic can be used to help, it can also be used to hurt, and not all powers used in the name of goodness would work well or without consequences. But his father had taught him one spell to protect him in times of danger, and he treasured it.
Most magic was reserved for higher mages due to the intensity of training it; Demyx had expressed an interest in becoming a water mage but had neither the patience nor attention span to work from books and steps, the thought of which always made Roxas shudder. But even small spells could take their toll, and Roxas felt himself begin to sway as the spell ran its course and drained his energy. "Roxas, you don't need to......hey! Roxas!" Axel caught him as he slumped to the ground, feeling his forehead for any sign of a fever. Roxas opened his eyes and smiled at Axel weakly. Axel sighed, worry melting away slowly. "I wish you wouldn't do that; you almost gave me a heart attack, kid! I have bandages in the hall closet, you don't need to waste your energy like that." Roxas just smiled back at him, and Axel rolled his eyes before slinging Roxas's right arm over his shoulder and slowly walking towards his room.
This was not the first time Roxas pushed himself beyond his limit. The kid was too nice for his own good, and as Axel helped him down onto his bed he couldn't help but worry that someday Roxas was going to end up paying for it. "It's okay, Ax. I'm fine. Just gimme a few minutes ....to... just...."And just like, that, Roxas fell asleep, snoring peacefully.
Axel was frustrated with him, but he couldn't help but smile, stroking the boy softly on the head. Roxas smiled in his sleep, turning into Axel's soft, warm touch. Well, I guess I can give him a few minutes. With that, he walked back to the kitchen...
