Morning came quickly for Blackagar.

Agon and Rynda walked down to Blackagar's chambers together. The Crown Prince was waiting for them at the door to his cell. The muzzle was gone, leaving his face uncovered and his voice without a barrier to the world.

The door opened, and Blackagar faced his parents without barrier.

"Hello, son," said Agon. Rynda only nodded curtly

He bowed to his parents nonetheless, and his father placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Touch was yet another unfamiliar experience to him, yet he did not fear it. He longed for it.

"Are you ready?"

Blackagar nodded, and he stepped from his chambers for the first time in years.

The three of them walked down the industrial halls together, Blackagar in between his mother and father. As they walked, Agon could not help but notice that at some point his son had grown several inches taller than him. He had the true bearings of a king; he walked confidently and with purpose despite knowing the pain he was to endure, and he stood tall, face set with determination and eyes unwaveringly steely.

Agon felt his heart swell, both with pride and with sadness. He was proud of his son for persevering despite the many hardships, but was sad that he had to endure them and he had to watch him grow up through a window. But after that day things would become easier, or so he hoped.

They entered the medical wing of the palace. It was where Blackagar had spent most of his time outside of his cell, being subjected to experiments by geneticists. Now, the rows of medical equipment were abandoned, having been cleared for the event that was to take place. The members of the Royal Family walked right through the medical wing, paying it no heed. They came to the far side of the room where a single door was inset into the wall. Agon punched in a code on the keypad next to it and it opened, allowing Blackagar to step inside.

The room they entered buzzed with activity. Scientists—geneticists to be specific—swarmed all around. They stood on a platform, thick doors to their left and right with a staircase straight ahead leading downwards to where the room truly opened up. A large glass box sat in the middle of the floor, hooked up to various computers and mechanisms. It wasn't hard for Blackagar to tell where he would be going.

"Your Majesties!" An Inhuman with a pointy head exited the door off to their right, bowing so low that his point nearly scraped the metal grating. "Right on time."

"Are you set to get started?" Agon asked.

"Yes." The scientist cleared his throat and looked at Blackagar. "Crown Prince, if you would proceed down the steps, you will be readied for your test. Your parents will stay in the viewing rooms, for safety."

Blackagar nodded and glanced at his parents. Agon caught his eye and smiled.

"You will do fine, son."

Rynda said nothing.

Blackagar turned on his heel and marched down the stairs. The scientists saw him, and he felt their eyes on him, the tension in the room heightening significantly.

As he reached the bottom, an Inhuman with reddish skin approached him. Though he tried to hide it, the apprehension in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Crown Prince," he said, "if you would." He gestured towards the large glass box.

Blackagar eyed the box as he approached it. A door was inset into the thick glass, allowing him to go inside. Within there was a black, formidable-looking chair, surrounded by machinery. Steeling his nerves, he stepped through the door into the box.

"Please sit," said the red Inhuman.

Blackagar did as he was bid, situating himself comfortably and laying his arms on the armrests.

"Roll up one sleeve," instructed the scientist. "It does not matter which."

He reached over, grasping the left sleeve of his suit and pulling the skintight material halfway up his arm, revealing skin that was nearly as white as the stripes adorning his chest. Sunlight had never once touched his skin.

"Perfect." The scientist then proceeded to bind his arms to the armrests with the cuffs dangling off the side of them. "Just a precaution," he told Blackagar as he worked. "We wouldn't want you to accidentally fall and hurt yourself. He finished and stood back. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?"

He nodded.

"Excellent. Please await further instruction." The scientist exited the box, shutting the door behind him, the buzz of the outside becoming muted.

Blackagar watched as the scientists finished up whatever task they were working on and hurried up the stairs one by one, either taking the door to the left or to the right into the viewing ports. Twisting his head around, he could see the windows quite a few feet above him, surrounded by what was undoubtedly thick metal. Nothing was being risked.

"Crown Prince." The voice of the pointy-headed scientist crackled over an intercom within the box, the sound echoing oddly within the enclosed space. "Are you sufficiently prepared to undergo this test of control?"

Blackagar scanned the viewing windows until he came across the faces he was looking for. Agon and Rynda stood side by side, watching him.

He nodded then, willing his muscles to relax and clenching his jaw tightly shut.

"Then we shall proceed." There was a whirring sound as a mechanical arm sprouted from somewhere behind the chair and extended to his left. On the end of the arm was a small probe-like device, which would be the source of the pain. The probe stopped just short of his bared batch of skin.

"I will count down from three," said the scientist.

Blackagar closed his eyes. Not seeing it would make it easier.

"Three…"

Not a sound had passed his lips in years, and he would not let that happen now.

"Two…"

The images of his cousins, Medusa, flashed through his mind. Soon he would be with them, speaking with them face to face so long as he maintained control.

"One…"

He was ready.

And there was pain.

It traveled through his body from his arm with lightning speed, seizing his muscles. He gritted his teeth, unwilling to make a sound, his body stiff. His hands gripped the armrests of the chair so hard that somewhere in the back of his mind it dimly registered that the metal was creaking under the force of his grip. His teeth were clenched so hard he thought they might shatter. His whole body was seized with agony, and he was not sure how much longer he could hold on…

The next thing he knew, there was no more pain. He was slumped in the chair, panting heavily. The door to the glass box was thrown open and Agon rushed in, swiftly undoing the cuffs holding his arms down.

"Are you alright, Blackagar?" the king said worriedly, looking him over.

It took him a moment to realize what was asked of him, but Blackagar finally nodded. He realized his fists were still clenched over the armrests and let go only to see he had left hand-shaped indentations in the metal.

"Don't worry about that," Agon said, helping him to his feet.

Blackagar eyed his father, a silent question asked in his gaze. Agon caught on immediately, and smiled widely, putting and arm about his shoulders as he led him from the box.

"You have passed the test, my son."

/

Medusa, Karnak, Triton and Gorgon were all scattered around the oversized table the meeting room of the Royal Palace, awaiting word on whether or not Blackagar had passed the test. Barely a word had been spoken since they sat there, yet tension hung thick in the air.

They all fidgeted in one way or another; anything to pass the anxious minutes of waiting. Gorgon fiddled with some long stiletto knife, practicing his slices on the unfortunate bowl of fruit. Karnak continuously wound and unwound the wrappings he typically kept around his hands. Triton plucked anxiously at his scales. Medusa's hair would not stay still. It braided itself, then unbraided, then braided itself again. The strands not caught in the braid either wrapped around her hands or snaked across the table in aimless, random patterns.

She truly hoped Blackagar would pass the test. To be held in a cell for one's entire life was unthinkable to her, and she wanted nothing more than for him to be in the outside world. She enjoyed the conversations they had, and they were not as one-sided as she had expected them to be at first. She was slowly beginning to get used to the way he communicated, whether it was with his hands or with his body, or merely his eyes, and once he was freed she would no longer have to sneak around to speak with him.

A silky tendril of red wrapped around her right hand. She enjoyed speaking with him; a realization she never would have even thought she would come to nearly four weeks ago when she stepped into the Royal Palace.

She was startled from her thoughts when the door opened suddenly. All four of them rose to their feet expectantly as Agon entered the meeting room, looking at him expectantly.

The king breathed deeply. "He has passed the test."

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief, the tension in the air dissipating instantly. Medusa's heart fluttered and she smiled widely.

"Is he well?" Karnak asked.

Agon nodded. "Yes, he is fine. He just needs to rest, so I would not advise visiting him today."

Medusa was so caught up in her relief that she almost missed what the king said next.

"The maidservants will ensure that you are properly fitted into attire for tomorrow, Medusalith."

She blinked, coming back to reality. "I'm sorry, what was that, Your Majesty?"

"Tomorrow you will meet Blackagar," said Agon. "Both of you will be presented to the council. Your tutor most likely discussed this with you, yes?"

"Oh, right. Yes." Truthfully she had no recollection of anything the tutor had said in the past week, much less anything about a presentation.

"You should report to them as soon as you can."

"I will, Your Majesty." As the king left, Medusa shot her cousins a look that said, "Help me."

Triton shrugged. "You're on your own. Being a queen means you bear with the clothes."

She tried to be annoyed at him and her predicament, but she found she truly couldn't be. Blackagar would be free, and tomorrow she would meet him face to face for the first time.

/

A knock came upon the door of Maximus' room.

"Come in," the prince called lazily, turning away from the latest gadget he had been fiddling with.

The door opened to reveal Agon, who took a step into the room. "I merely wished to inform you that Blackagar has passed the test, and tomorrow he will meet Lady Medusalith and present himself to the council."

Maximus' expression was one of pleasant surprise. "Really? I didn't know if he would pass…"

"He has indeed," Agon said with a smile. "And I for one am very relieved and proud that he did."

"That is wonderful news, father. Thank you for telling me."

"Certainly Maximus." The king exited quietly, allowing Maximus to return to his work.

"You will fall, brother, one way or another..."