The hall was beautifully decorated in the colors of the two empires in celebration of their alliance. In the middle of the hall was a long dining table which almost stretched across the whole hall. Servants were swirling around their hands full of heavy trays filled with food that probably consisted of ingredients that cost a commoner's monthly wage.

The table was lightened by twinkling witchlights and here and there a couple of pixies who raced across the hall before skidding to a stop when they reached their original starting point. There were however more than a few pixies who had decided they would remain by Kuroko's side. He suspected the elemental magic that saturated the air around him attracted them. Now and then they would steal a piece of fruit when a servant would whisk by with trays full of it. His counting told him they seemed to favor small fruit such as grapes and cherries but when managing to gather enough of their kind they tended to got for large pieces of fruit. He had seen a few melons drift by already.

Laughter and chatter filled the halls together with the tinkling sound of cutlery being used. It created together a mash of sound that Kuroko wouldn't call unpleasant simply for the warm feeling that accompanied the sound. Vaguely he remembered distant memories of his mother hosting similar feasts. They had stopped after she had died. The current table was filled with people of importance from both the Borgia empire and the Hideaki empire. Somehow he had managed to get both the demons and Mukuro in.

A pull on his sleeve pulled him back to the present. Mukuro was looking up at him from his left side. He was as a child. After all even if Kuroko knew his secret the rest of the court still believed the man to be a child. Which was probably for the best. He couldn't imagine Alexandra being all too forgiving of such deceit under the current circumstances.

"What is it?" He spoke softly to the illusionist. Mukuro gave him a look like it should be obvious.

"Your demons are attracting attention."

They were. Kuroko could hardly blame them for that. They were all obviously not human by the way the pixie avoided them like they were a deadly disease. It seemed that Pixies preferred creatures over demons. Tetsuya could get why by the way Kise was pulling on the wings of a Pixie he had managed to grasp. The Pixie's avoidance coupled with the demons beautiful appearances would get them more than a few looks.

Kuroko wondered if they were aware of the attention they were getting. It was rather likely, he thought. Itzal made a grumbling sound in his head that Kuroko was pretty sure meant he agreed. The raven familiar had been rather silent lately. It worried the prince. Surely he wasn't ill? It had been haunting his thoughts but it wasn't important at the moment.

With amusement he asked the small illusionist what he would have him do. The boy didn't answer. Kuroko suspected it was mostly because his answer wasn't proper in current company and repressed the soft smile that threatened to appear at that thought. While Mukuro was seated to his left side the demons surrounded him otherwise.

Alexandra had said that they were his guests and thus he should entertain them. He wondered what she would do if she were to realize that these men had originally been his father guests. So while he sat surrounded by demons the empress direct company consisted of the ruling couple of the other empire. He suspected she was uncomfortable since she used to work for them. It wasn't to be noticed though.

She wore her youth with pride and grace, making sure not a single emotion escaped her. So did the full nymph - who was his grandmother- and quarter elf - who was his only living grandfather - wear their own youthfulness. Still the differences between a full blooded creature were rather obvious. While Rodrigo Borgia looked young still that was all he could claim from his heritage. And whe he was saying young he meant around his thirties.

Nera Nollet on the other had not only her young looking appearance she also owned such magical power that it was tangible even from were he sat, on the almost complete opposite of the room. Not to mention her beauty. He had read in the books he had received from the demons that nymphs were know for their beauty but it still was quite different from actually seeing it. He wondered if he would appear the same to others once had reached his full maturity.

Kise, who sat opposite him seemed to have caught his thought. "You're already that beautiful Kuroko. You're going to become much much prettier." The prince scowled at him. Kise had told him he could feel what others were thinking about. Not the exact thoughts but enough to guess. To his surprise the only other member of the group with the same capabilities was Murasakibara. Both were also able to suggest thoughts and actions. Kuroku suspected it had to do with their races. As an Incubus and Nightmare such gifts would be useful. Speaking of Murasakibara he looked quite happy where he was sitting gorging himself on the sweets that she servants continued supplying.

In fact, now that he really bothered looking the only ones who really seemed to be enjoying themselves were Kise and Murasakibara. Haizaki and Aomine were mostly switching between making bets on the oddest things and spitting insults at each other when the other won. Midorima seemed to be simply watching his surroundings while Akashi and Kiyoshi were talking to each other in quiet tones.

That was something he had grown to notice in the group's dynamics. Everyone deferred to Akashi and if he wasn't around Kiyoshi. If somehow he had also managed to disappear Midorima would take the reins. If Midorima had also become thin air then ...then it was just chaos with everyone doing whatever they wanted. Kuroko had noticed it was a very bad thing when everybody just did what they wanted. Luckily such occasions had only happened twice in his presence.

Now when he entered the demons room and saw that none of the previously mentioned demons were around he simply turned around again, If he managed before one of them noticed that is. Once he had simply been snagged into the room by Kise. That had been a tearful occasion. On the demons part. Not his.

What he had also noticed was that except for Akashi, Kise, Aomine and surprisingly Murasakibara the demons tended to avoid contact with him. They respected his space and didn't say anything spiteful, well everyone except Haizaki, but they also didn't bother to find and try to make a connection. Which if he were to be honest he could understand. He probably wouldn't have bothered making a connection with any of the others if they hadn't been the first to approach. Besides it wasn't like they needed to be all friends and get along.

They were simply helping until his coming of age came along and they would leave again. Well, no, they would probably first threaten his dad into repaying his side of the contract and then they would leave again. Speaking of his father he hadn't seen him lately. Which was a rather strange experience. Normally he would see his father at least once a week even if it was just to receive a beating.

He knew his father didn't have the power to punish him anymore since he was now in a higher position. It was strange to know that for once his skin would be allowed to heal itself. Slowly the bruising had been lightening and while he couldn't quite say that he had no bruises they were lighter in color than they had been in years. He looked forward to looking in the mirror in a week or so and seeing no wounds for once. A few scars here and there but now actual wounds. Even now he was simply growing delighted by the thought.

Still to not even see his father was a strange thing. He hadn't been exiled or thrown in a cell as far as he knew. He also hadn't been banned from attending the weekly family dinners that they had on Friday evening. Sure, today he been forbidden to come to the feast but that was only to be expected. Because of him a war had almost started between the two empires.

Alexandra forbidden his father from coming simply out of fear that he might ignite that anger again with hateful remarks. Kuroko didn't think the man would have done that though. His father had always been one to care for the empire more than anything else. Even now that he wasn't the emperor anymore Kuroko doubted the man would have done anything that could have caused problems for the empire.

Now that he thought about it that was actually rather strange. Why would his father have refused contact between Tetsuya and the Borgia family when he knew he was risking a war by doing so? It didn't make sense. It wasn't anything like the man Kuroko had known his whole life. Sure, he could let the spite he held for his father rule his thoughts and say that it was because the man was an idiot, but Kuroko wasn't someone to let himself be ruled like emotions and he knew his father was smart. Genius smart almost. So what had driven him into doing what he had?

Before he could ponder further upon it, his thoughts were disturbed by the sound of high heels approaching the large doors at the end of the hall. His hearing had become a lot sharper lately. He tended to enjoy said improvement a lot but not when he could hear people making out through the walls. The high heels came to a stop in front of the doors.

Who could it be? All guests who were supposed to attend were already seated. He noticed the demons stiffening around him and the way their eyes flared up in unnatural colors for a second. Servants would use the small gateways that were littered across all the walls. Kuroko didn't have to wonder for much longer. The doors were pushed open.

Magical power rolled freely into the room. It had probably been what had set the demons off in the first place. The woman standing in the tall doorway was beautiful. Kuroko almost wouldn't have recognized her if it hadn't been for the way her green eyes were the exact same as his grandmother's eyes from the Borgia side. Apel. This was Apel Nollet. The languid way her magic touched his own might have told him who she was. Or his own magic's reaction to the touch. A shiver of pleasure rolled down his spine at the touch.

The woman smiled at him knowingly. Kuroko might have been embarrassed if he had been alone in his reaction but he hadn't been. Down the table he saw Nera, his grandmother, have the same reaction. It was likely that their magic was thrilled to be in company of someone's who's magic while so similar was so much more powerful then their own. And it was.

Where Nera's magic had been tangible from across the room Apel's magic filled the room to a degree where it was utterly oppressive to those who had little in the way of magic. Alexandra who was an experienced magic user seemed to be having a bit of trouble. Even Mukuro seemed to have been stilted a bit. The guards seemed to be unsure what to do.

Normally their Empress would have given them an order by now but she was having trouble simply sitting let alone talking. That left them to seek guidance from the actual emperor but Kuroko was quite unsure of what to do himself, between his magic's misguided attempts to get closer to the source of pleasure and his mind telling him that he didn't get paid enough to deal with this shit.

His father would have known what to do in a situation like this. That thought firmed his resolve. What his father could do so could he. Logically he should get the guests out but he doubted that Apel was here to attack. If she had been she wouldn't be here at all but safe in the distance overseeing how everything was going. Such was the way of royals. Play at war with lives that were seldom their own. It had been so for centuries. She wasn't here to fight.

But then for what was she here? Diplomatic reasons? It would seem strange to try for diplomacy now with an empire where she had launched the first attack. Not to mention he had noticed that it seemed to be mostly the king of Jubal who bothered with the public relations. Then the only thing she could be here was to make a statement. Maybe manipulate them in a mockery of diplomacy. A good thing then that he hadn't ordered for the guests to be removed. A statement would need an audience. He might actually have ignited her temper had he asked for the guests to be removed. Thus he ordered the guests at ease.

"Such a smart little boy." The queen cooed at him. She entered the room. The plants seemed to reach for her and for a moment Kuroko was reminded of her position as the factual ruler over five countries even if four of said countries pretended to have different rulers. Nollet had gotten such a position for a reason. It seemed her power as a nymph was one of them if even flora reached for her. What Kuroko did find strange was the way the pixies seemed to cower away from her. It made him wonder of her true character beneath that kind smile.

"My, what a party you have here. I would ask why I wasn't invited but I suspect I know the reason. Still that wasn't what I have come here for. I'm here to help you poor misguided humans." She let silence fill her words with meaning before adding on. " and other creatures." She had continued her walk through the room, her blond tresses leaving the scent of apples wherever she went.

"You see, I've noticed that you poor things seemed to have misconceived some things which was admittedly caused by some mistakes on my part." Her part. Not our part. She wasn't even bothering to acknowledge the others in the Alliance.

"I don't necessarily want war. In fact I only want a few thing. Someone would be more correct. I want the prince."

The silence that followed her words now was different from the previous one. Whereas the first had been to let them get accustomed to her presence this one served to allow them to properly register her words. She knew they hadn't been aware of the deal. Most definitely not that they were sitting with demons. But Kuroko had noticed the way her eyes were flitting from one face to the next. That her eyes hadn't been focused on anywhere in particular when she had said that. She didn't know. She didn't know who the demons were. He could still get them out of this mess.

The beautiful centuries-old creature continued her preaching. "But worry not, I'm here to help. I, the leader of the church, an organisation whose whole purpose is to eradicate demons and those who have made pacts with them. I can rid you of the demons if you simply hand your ruler to me." Her eyes landed on him. She smiled. He rose from his seat before the ruler of the Borgia empire could even get a word in. Sure, they had allied themselves with the Hideaki empire but Kuroko wasn't going to trust them with his fate.

"I'm afraid we'll have to refuse your offer however kind you might believe it to be. My father has been a good and rightful emperor during his reign. The people love him. Handing him over now would only bring a rebellion on our hands. "

For a moment her eyes seemed to change color and her aura that had already been oppressive pressed down upon them even further. Almost instinctively the demon's power rose as well. In reaction Kuroko heightened his own magic as well but he feared it be all for nothing. But it seemed she hadn't sensed the demons aura. Could it be that just as he was overly sensitive to her so she was to him causing his magic to have overridden the demons? The demons seemed to have caught up on his idea and lowered their aura while he allowed his own to continue rising slowly. Apel noticed nothing. She smiled sharply at him.

"Oh, but dear boy of mine. You don't know what you're saying. I can sense it on you, practically smell it. You're almost reaching full maturity, You are just stressed. You don't know what to do. Who will help you during such trying times? But don't worry Tetsuya. I take care of those who belong to my lineage. At least, as long as they don't betray me." Her eyes flickered to Nera. The Nymph looked terrified but willing to hold her ground. Kuroko had to respect her for it.

"Worry not, mother.." Nera practically spit "my family will take care of him without your poisonous hands needing to touch him." Kuroko carefully watched Apel's face while her daughter said these words to her and for a moment so short that Kuroko was convinced he had imagined it he saw a strange emotion flicker in her eyes. Then she averted her eyes looking back at him.

"What shall it be, Tetsuya? Will you remain by these fools side or will you come to mine?" For the first time in a long time Itzal spoke up. Don't . It was one word but it was enough for Kuroko.

"I've always had a weak heart for the fool in the Great Arcane." Apel smiled at him. She seemed a strange mix of disappointed and proud. It left Kuroko unsure of what to feel himself.

"I see, Then we shall meet again. But not before revealing who the demons are. In her hands appeared a globe. It was see-through. Or it it would have been if not for the smoke whirling inside.

"Once I break this orb, The demons true appearances will be revealed. As an extra present from me to you their magic will be sealed immediately. They will be as defenseless as lambs." She released the orb, her eyes following it's drop gleefully. Kuroko's eyes had switched focus the moment she had dropped it and with a quick wave of his hand he cast his spells, his own magic aided by Mukuro's not even a second later. The timing was precarious. Cast too soon and his efforts would be null. Cast too late and they might as well have been null.

Luckily for the demons Kuroko had been casting magic his whole life and his timing was perfect. The illusions settled the exact moment the orb broke causing the smoke's effect to be neutralized. Kuroko allowed a breath of relief to escape him. The demons were safe. Their appearances were the exact same as they had been before the orb broke. Apel had disappeared by the time he had raised his head to check. Immediately everyone was in motion their movements their own again without the oppressive aura.

"Guards, check everyone!" His stand-in screeched. More than on person winced at her tone.

"Kuroko!" The prince immediately went to Alexandra guiding Mukuro along. It seemed she simply wanted him by her side. To be reassured by his presence. He tended to have such an effect. Stress lines covered the entirety of her face. The guards soon had all the guest except those of the ruling families aligned. His demons were easily recognizable among the other people. His demons? From where had that come? No, matter it had probably been his protective feelings lingering after helping them. The demons stood last in the line. Kuroko supposed it was to be expected. Even if they were his guests they were of unknown lineage and held no position in any court unlike all the other guests who were of noble blood and fulfilled important functions. Alexandra looked completely exhausted. He took pity on her.

"Empress, you seem to be tired. Why don't you retire to your rooms where you can discuss today's happening with the royal pair of the Borgia empire. I'll oversee things here." She looked at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Tetsuya. You did great today."

With those words she retired to her rooms the Borgia couple eagerly following her. He was glad to see her go if he had to be honest. The captain of the guards looked at him asking for permission to start the check out. He gave his ascent. In his head he tried to place every person he pretended to screen for 'demon traits' in their rightful court, position and family. He was surprised by his own knowledge. Syoguke Hikaru, General of the army, part of his own court. Selene Yver, Grandmaster of the sword, part of the Borgia's court. Yuuki Kensuke, Headmaster of the Medical University, part of his own court, and so Kuroko continued and continued clearing them all until finally the demons stood before him.

Unsurprisingly Akashi went first. The kitsune seemed almost delighted when he was cleared by the captain and Kuroko. The prince suspected it was in the demon's nature to play pranks on people.

"Next." Kise.

"Next." Midorima.

"Next." Aomine.

"Next." Murasakibara.

"Next." Kiyoshi. Kuroko smiled. They were almost done.

"Next." Haizaki. Oh. Oh no. He had messed up. Everything about the demon looked human. Except his eyes. The eyes looked like liquid silver, the pupils changed into small slits.

"Arrest him." He heard the captain speak. Kuroko shook his head. All the guards immediately turned to him.

"Sir?" The captain asked hesitantly. Kuroko smiled at him. It was more to assure himself as to assure the captain.

"He has a medical condition. He's human. He's clear." The captain sniffed, his eyes full disbelief.

"Sir, Are you kidding me? It's obvious he's not human!"

"Do NOT raise you voice at me. You seem to have forgotten that Alexandra Garcia is simply my regent. I am your emperor. Would you doubt your emperor's words?" Kuroko practically spat at the man. The man lowered his head. Kuroko refused to allow himself to enjoy that feeling of ruthless domination.

"Sir, Of course not, Sir."

"Good, in that case I will be taking my leave." He left. The demons followed him and Mukuro had never left his side in the first place. He resisted the urge to ruffle the kid's head. Mukuro was after all, not a kid.