Happy Friday the Thirteenth, everyone. ;)

I officially finished writing this story, all the way to the very end. I'm interested to see how everyone will react.

Anyway! On with the show!

Chapter Twelve - Conversation

"What did you want to talk about, Akira?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably. "Well…"

"It must be something important, since you called me here specially, at a time no one should see us."

It might have been the late hour, or the prince's lingering illness, but Shirogane thought Akira's cheeks were dark. There was a long silence, and Shirogane prodded, "Did you have something to say?"

"Y-yes… I…"

"You?"

"What are you going to do… when I'm restored to the throne?"

"Leave, I suppose. You'll have Shisui to watch after you while I go after Homurabi."

The boy visibly started. "You're going after him?"

"He's my responsibility, and it is my kingdom."

"But you'll die!"

"You don't know that, Akira."

He looked confused, very upset. Shirogane studied him for a few moments. He knew what Akira was thinking, what he was feeling.

"I… don't… I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me."

"I can't do that."

"You're my guardian!"

"And this is the best thing for me to do… go kill the one that is threatening your life."

"But –"

"I'm going to leave, Akira." It would be best to cut the ties that would lead Akira down the wrong road.

"Who's going to help me once I'm crowned?" Akira demanded, though his voice trembled slightly. "I've no idea how to be a king."

"Shisui, of course."

"You have more experience."

Shirogane rubbed his temples. "Akira, stop this."

"You'd be better."

"Shisui will help you." Before Akira could protest, Shirogane said, "If I succeed, I'll find a bride for you from my kingdom. It'll help strengthen the ties."

There it was… the boy completely shattered. "What…?"

"You and Shisui are the last, and Shisui's health might not allow him his deserved lifespan. Even if he were to outlive you, I doubt he would want to rule after you. He wouldn't be able to do it. You'll need an heir."

"No..."

"I'm sure you and one of the young duchesses would be very happy… ah, her, that's right… if I don't remember her wrong…" Keep talking. That was the only way to win… to completely drown him. "I'll tell you about her, and you'll love her already. She –"

"I don't care!"

Akira's unusually vicious, loud voice startled Shirogane, cutting him off. He stared… those stormy eyes that normally burned fiercely were about to rain.

"I don't want it," Akira said, his voice choked down to a whisper. "I don't want any of that."

"Akira –"

"Shut up!" The boy's auburn bangs had slipped over his eyes in his vehemence. "Just listen to me!"

He had to stop it here. "Go to bed, Akira." He turned to leave, but Akira's voice stopped him dead.

"If that's the way it is, take me back."

Slowly, the king turned to look at the prince. His face was strained, eyes glimmering with tears.

"Take me back," Akira repeated.

"Absolutely not."

"Shisui is ruling the kingdom just fine. He doesn't need me to take the throne."

"Yes, he does."

"No, take me back!"

"Akira, I'm doing this for your sake."

"How would you know what's best for me?!"

"I know what your father thought was best for you."

That silenced him for a few moments. As Akira got himself together again, Shirogane continued:

"I made a promise to your father to take the best care of you, and that I would ensure your happiness."

"This won't make me happy."

"What would?"

"Being with you!"

"Are you confessing?"

"N-no!"

"You are."

"You think being with me makes you happy?"

"I know it does!"

"You're just a child. You don't know what makes you happy –"

"I'm not a child!"

"- or what you really want."

"I'm almost nineteen years old!"

"A child!" He thundered it, and Akira jumped at the unusual display of anger. "You are a child!"

"No, I'm not!"

"This is ridiculous. You're not thinking."

"I am too! No one knows how I really feel and think better than I do!"

Shirogane couldn't help but laugh, just a little. "So you have a little infatuation."

"It's not an infatuation! I really –"

He stopped himself, eyes wide. Shirogane observed him coldly for a few minutes.

"You think you like me… no, you think you love me. It's something common, so I guess I can't be too harsh… common for a younger child to have a crush on an elder."

"No…"

"A little crush, on someone you admire."

"You're wrong!"

"A little bit of puppy love."

"You're wrong!"

"But that's all it is, and certainly nothing to cause me to change my mind. Go to bed now, Akira. Someone from the courts should come for you in about a week."

"Shirogane!"

"The conversation is over, Akira. Good night."

He left, striding quickly away. Akira called his name a few more times, but he didn't so much as twitch. He had to get away, quickly… so he strode out the gate, which the soldiers shut behind him. As he continued down to the main road, he raised his head, glassy eyes staring at the clouded sky.

~.oOOo.~

"Presenting Lord Shirogane."

He stopped, bowing low before the throne, long silver hair slipping across his back and falling to the ground. He was aware of the livid stares, the sharp whispering that tailed his announcement, but he ignored it. He knew what they thought of him, and they were almost right. But...

"Shirogane." Shisui's voice was warm, relieved, and as the elder straightened up, he saw the light in those distant golden eyes. "It's been a long time since you last reported back."

"I apologize." He could see how much thinner Shisui had become, his poor health showing through his face. Shirogane felt horrible.

"So, tell us what you have seen on this venture out."

"I regret to say it, but Homurabi's forces are pushing further and further into your motherland. The borders have been moved back almost a third of the way."

Murmurs – one of the nobles in the court asked acidically, "Hasn't it been your job to keep that from happening?"

"Naturally, I do my best to prevent the spreading of Homurabi's power into your half, but as I'm sure you can logically conclude…" Icy blue eyes cut to the one who had dared to question him. "I cannot be everywhere at once. I've been doing my best to be an impediment, but the further in he's able to get, the less I'm able to do."

"Shirogane," Shisui said, silencing the tumult that had threatened to rise, "you know Homurabi's strategies better than anyone. Any thoughts as to what his plan is?"

"Observing the dissolving of the borders, I think it's safe to say that once he reaches the main cityline, he'll jump forward. My belief is that he's attempting to surround the royal palace in order to take your head, Shisui."

Now the cries were of, "Your Majesty!" but the king waved them off.

"He's a patient one, isn't he…"

"Dangerously patient," Shirogane agreed. "To anyone that runs into him for the first time, they think him stubborn, incompetent, and inexperienced. But… he is the possessor of a fatal level of intelligence. He is not easily outwitted, and that is why I worry that while I think I know his strategy, he's really found another way to carry out this façade and be pulling the strings to a different one all the while."

"So why haven't you figured that one out, hm?"

It was very difficult to be courteous when all they ever did was try to get him in trouble. Though he knew Shisui wouldn't allow them to do anything to him, Shirogane sometimes hated having to live under these rules. It was probably the sole reason he wanted to reclaim the throne.

"Untangling Homurabi's mess takes time," Shirogane replied coolly, "which is something you haven't granted me much of."

"I'm thinking fifteen years should be more than enough."

"He's right… you're not doing what you promised you would do."

"Silence," Shisui said sharply, and again the courts fell quiet. His voice warmed again as he redirected it towards Shirogane. "What else have you come to tell us, Shirogane?"

"I have a deal of more importance than the border report… something very important to you, Shisui."

Instantly they were all very attentive.

"As I was travelling in order to scout the borders, I've come across a discovery of great importance… one that will definitely aid in this war."

Shisui looked like he knew, and was hoping, but trying to choke it back. Shirogane smiled.

"I found Ryuuko's son, Prince Akira, alive and well."

A long, thunderous silence. Shisui's entire being had brightened. Shirogane could see tears trembling under those long eyelashes... trembling like they were afraid to fall, for fear it was all a dream.

"Shirogane, you're not lying?"

"I'm not."

"You're absolutely sure it's him?"

"Not a doubt in my mind."

"Preposterous," someone in the court broke in.

"The prince is dead."

"Homurabi killed him."

"He is alive," Shirogane countered. "He is waiting at the military base to be returned here to the palace."

Another long silence. Then, someone in the courts called, "He's lying."

"The boy he believes is the prince is a look-alike… someone sent by Homurabi."

"That's what it must be."

"He's brought the enemy right into our premises."

"You there!" one called at a messenger waiting by the door. "Take the order to the commander to slay the boy."

Shirogane whirled, thundering, "You will do no such thing!"

The messenger looked frightened, but left as commanded by the members of his own court. Shisui jolted to his feet, anger clearly lining his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, tone barely controlled. Shirogane always marvelled at how quickly Shisui's countenance could change when it came to things concerning his family. Especially in this case... having his nephew, long thought dead and barely found, killed would be something that would make Shisui lose control of himself.

"Protecting you, your Majesty!"

"Do you still have hope that His Majesty's son is really alive?"

"On a word from Shirogane, of all people!"

Shirogane remained tensed, watching the door, gauging the time it had been since the messenger had left. His anger was roiling in him… he knew they had never wanted Akira to be born. They had done everything in their power to talk Ryuuko out of the idea of marrying, of very idea of having a child. When Ryuuko and Eira had been thinking of having children, the court had done everything to prevent Akira's conceiving, everything to try to end Eira's long-awaited pregnancy. How convenient for them that he had been missing… it gave them a nearly legitimate reason to kill him off.

"The boy Shirogane has brought is obviously an enemy spy!"

"The best thing to do is execute him immediately, no questions asked."

Time. He laughed. It cut through the noise, and now all eyes were on him, as he put a hand over his eyes and laughed.

"What's so funny?" one of the court members asked coldly. Slowly, Shirogane turned to face them, baring his teeth in a smile.

"See how far the world has fallen, Akira?"

He tore away his long coat and the cloak of careful magic he had wrought, and Akira, who had been pressed into his stomach, was revealed to the court. Akira raised his sharp grey eyes to them, looking over every one, who gaped back in horror, in shock. Shisui was trembling, gripping the arms of the throne tightly.

"I'm disgusted," Akira said quietly, in that powerful, nostalgic voice, "at the ones I thought were working in the court to aid my uncle."

"Akira…?" Shisui whispered. His knuckles were white.

"He's brought the disease here!"

"Guards! Kill them both!"

"Stop!"

Shirogane said, "Please forgive me for this, Akira," before he grabbed the charm around the boy's throat and with one hard pull, ripped it from his neck. He leapt lightly away as the boy's being instantly began to beam with pure white light – those deep eyes were dyed to pure silver with it. Everyone froze as Akira let out a scream of pain, holding himself tightly as if to stifle it, and large, straight, pure-white wings burst from his back.

"Those are…"

"Just like His Majesty's…"

Shirogane tried to bite back the tears of joy that rose in him as Akira staggered, then slowly straightened up, holding himself painfully but regally. His wings floated on the air, around him majestically. Silence reigned for a long time, everyone staring at the prince. Then, one voice cut the silence.

"Akira."

Slowly, the boy looked around to the king, who was smiling, his own blind gold eyes still shimmering with tears. A beam of light, and then Shisui's own white wings unfolded from his back, raised to the sky. They were very similar to Akira's… larger, but almost carbon-copy.

"Come here, Akira."

Akira looked back at Shirogane uncertainly – the elder smiled, bowing low – before he slowly, cautiously made his way to the throne. As he stopped just in front of Shisui, the king raised his hands and traced Akira's face lightly, gently. There were a few moments of tender silence before a tear finally slipped free of Shisui's eyelashes.

"Akira… I've missed you so."

"Your Majesty…"

"How I've hoped and prayed and longed for the day you would come home." The king folded the young prince in his arms, holding him close… as if he would never let go. "I'm so glad to have you back."

Slowly, the boy raised his arms, hugging Shisui back just as tightly. "I'm glad to be back."

The court was silent, watching in awe, in surprise, shaken at what had just taken pllace. Shirogane bowed his head and closed his eyes. His own tears burned their way down his cheeks... tears of joy, tears of pain.

I've finally brought him home, Ryuuko.