A/N: OK. I'm back with this update so I'm going to make this Author's Note short and sweet.

I absolutely adore you people! Seriously, even though right now I am too exhausted to reply to everyone (because of these wretched exams and the general chaos that is life (aka c'est la vie)), I just wanna give you all big hugs and cookies made with love! -showers the goodness- I am not worthy -sniff-

I'd also like to apologise to someone. You'll know who you are. I am extremely apologetic if my last response seemed like I was being snappy. That was not my intention at all. I was trying to point out that I couldn't understand the connection between how something I read would influence on the way the story goes. Really, I didn't. But it all came out wrong I only noticed until it was too late. Again, I am sorry. Truly sorry.

I'd also like to take the chance to clear up somethings. One is that I have never said I was going to be historically accurate. I was going to put things in a time frame, change a few aspects to fit in with the story and make other things up as I went along (an example of this is that the first printing press wasn't invented until very late on in the medieval period and I'm going as far back as the Dark Ages (see chapter 18)). Kind of like what the Final Fantasy's did. Think Final Fantasy 4. Medieval time setting, inclusion of airships and other mechanical wonders. Second, I don't like the terms OOC or IC. Too restricting if you ask me. So instead, I've made up my own term: EPTC (Exploring Personailty Traits in Character). Its far more freer in my opinion and it makes you analyse the character far more thoroughly during gameplay as it means one can take a trait and play with it, so people who think Cloud is too proud, think back to his beginnings in the original FF7 game. He's bragging about how he's an ex-1st class SOLDIER. To me personally, that's pride, and its interesting to see how Cloud proves to be so much more 3-dimensional when his true past comes to light slowly but surely, leading to the angsty Cloud we all know and love (OK, going Shakespearean here about how characters are so much more than what they appear). This term is now free of use. Please, writers reading this, use it!!

OK, short and sweet it was not, but this will be! Please read and enjoy! And review! Reviews are my white chocolate Magnums!

Celebrations. They were the last thing on Cloud's mind as he was brought back to the servant's quarters from the dungeons. His visits to the torture chamber had become quite frequent, and he never saw Leon as the king had devoted himself to his work and to unearthing the intentions of the House of Jenova. Cloud couldn't even enjoy his own birthday. He was now eighteen; a man. But now he had been further degraded by Leon's "gift".

What was on his mind was forgiveness. Riku had taken it upon himself to care for the concubine since no one was willing to even give him a second thought. Cloud winced as Riku dabbed hot water onto the bloody wounds on his back, saying barely anything.

"Why did you give us up?" Cloud asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Riku questioned.

"Back then…when you were tortured…"

"At that point, I don't think I could handle much more," Riku muttered. "And I'm a coward. I know that. But I put my duty to you and Roxas before my duty to Hollow Bastion. Maybe it was wrong of me to do so…but at the time, if there was any hope of Hollow Bastion surviving, I had to save your lives first."

"He threatened to kill us?"

"Right in front of me. And then if I still wouldn't talk they'd kill me and send our heads back to your father." Riku took a deep breath. "At that time, giving up was the best way to ensure your safety." Cloud nodded his head, slowly understanding that Riku had very little choice in the matter. "So my choice was to be brave and suffer for nothing, or to be cowardly and save your life. I made my choice. I'll bear the consequences of it. Even if it means I earn your undying hatred for me."

"…I was wrong…"

"Cloud?"

"I'm sorry. I was too proud…too arrogant to even see what you were trying to do."

"We were both in the wrong. I should have told you earlier. It would have saved us this trouble."

"You don't trust your brothers…do you?"

"I can trust them as far as I can throw them," Riku muttered. "And that's not far at all."

"Yazoo lied to me…"

"And you think the others wouldn't?"

"I'm not sure anymore. All I can hope…all I can pray, is that Leon's told the truth."

"Wait until the king's birthday. Sir Axel's an honoured guest. He is bound to bring Roxas with him."

"I hope so."

Roxas had been pondering over the strange appearance and disappearance of Yazoo as they group from Aurelias trotted towards Aura Town and Aurea Castle. It was one of those characteristics that the blond had not been well known for, but no one would take much notice of it.

That is, of course, if you happened to be Axel.

"What are you thinking?"

"Oh," Roxas looked over to his master. "Nothing important."

"If its nothing important, you wouldn't be thinking so hard on it," Axel chuckled, one of his amused smirks gracing his features.

"Well you've probably already been informed of it."

"If it concerns the affairs of the royal household, then yes, that's most likely true."

"So it's nothing important that you wouldn't know."

"Ah but it is important what you're thinking though, isn't it?"

"…Yes…"

"Just as I thought."

Kairi rolled her eyes at her brother's confusing logic, looking over to Mary who was walking briskly alongside her, having refused to ride in the cart with a few other women. Instead, she chose to walk alongside her fellow Trabians. They all claimed that any man worth his salt walked everywhere, even in terrible conditions. One could say that was why the Trabians held bards in high regard as they travelled by foot as much as they could. Mary told Roxas that there was one bard that was highly looked up to and adored by the Trabians for the simple fact that he would rather walk than ride so he could see more of the world at a leisurely pace. His name was-

"Demyx? Ach! It's Demyx!"

Roxas jumped as the very name that was going through his head was whooped by a man at front. Then he heard the distinct sound of bells. Little jingling bells. Kairi was trotting in front, her eyes alight with excitement. Axel grinned widely. "Zexion will be pleased."

"Why would Zexion be pleased?"

"Confidential information," Axel dismissed, encouraging his colt to move forward to greet the exotic bard. Roxas followed silently on Oblivion, eyes widening as he saw the strange man for the very first time.

Demyx was tall. Very tall. He was very nearly a head higher than all the others that surrounded him, a white turban covering golden honey-brown locks of hair adding to his height. His skin was sun-kissed from years of travelling the lands with many different red markings decorating it, crisp white linen wrapped around his waist -held by a belt of gold and red ropes of thread- and hung over his shoulder, weighed down by a colourful amulet in the shape of a fish with blue scales. His wrists and ankles were adorned with golden bracelets with silver bells attached to them, a symbol of his rank among the bards of the lands, and the bells sang merrily as he moved. Curious still was what the bard held in his hands. Roxas had never seen such a thing before. It was shaped like a lute except the neck was long and elongated that it reached the bard's shoulder if it was standing tall next to him. The young blond found himself staring at the strange man for so long, only to look away when turquoise eyes that shone as bright as stars met his own.

"So how were your travels this time Demyx?" Kairi asked. "Tell me all about them!"

The bard laughed in a merry melodious voice, patting her hand lightly. "Later. When everyone is around to hear."

"But I so want to hear about them!"

"Don't be so demanding Kairi," Axel reprimanded his sister. "Edea would have your head for acting so unladylike."

"Well she isn't here, so there," Kairi pouted childishly, sticking her tongue out at her brother. Axel shook his head. He then turned to face Roxas who looked like he was gaping at the appearance of the travelling bard.

"Roxas, you're not a codfish," Axel chuckled, watching the boy quickly close his mouth and ride over to him. Demyx looked at the newcomer, giving the boy a cheery smile.

"So who's this golden boy?"

"His name's Roxas," Axel introduced. "I've just acquired him as my squire."

"Ohhhhh I see," Demyx murmured, looking up and down the boy. "So you finally decided to get a loyal companion then."

"Demyx," Axel grunted testily. "You're making it sound like I'm incapable of something."

"Me? Make it sound like you can't make friends or companions? Never!"

Axel clearly was dubious about the bard's words, having known Demyx to be a master of double meanings. He then shook it off and laughed. "So, shall I ask or should I not bother?"

"Don't bother," Demyx grinned, lifting up a bell-anklet adorned foot. Roxas noticed that the skin under the sole of his foot seemed to have hardened over years of long walking, yet it seemed to add to the mystery of this bard. "I've walked from Lindblum to here. What's another mile to me?"

Axel chuckled. "Alright. If you say so." He then encouraged Flame on, the horse having pawed the ground a bit in impatience. Roxas' eyes were completely on Demyx as he started to sing in a strange language that he had never heard of before, the man's voice as clear as the bells he wore around his ankles and wrists.

Truly, Roxas had thought, bards were extraordinary creatures.

Sora's eyes darted a bit in impatience, tapping his foot a bit from time to time. Riku sighed. He had been dragged along by the prince to this place, and the brunet had given no reason why he had.

"My prin-"

"Sora," the prince corrected him immediately. Indeed, they were alone. The patrols were at different parts of the wall.

"…Sora," Riku continued wearily. "Can you please tell me why we are here?"

"We're waiting for everyone."

"Everyone?"

"Yes. You know the ambassadors, acrobats, knights and warriors who want to compete in the tournament, maybe a ruler if they can leave their kingdom for a while."

"I take it that doesn't often happen."

"Not really. But we did have Garnet come over one time. But that was when she was a princess and her mother was trying to marry her off to Leon." Sora then giggled a bit. "Leon got on with her, but he wasn't interested. He still spent most of his time talking to advisors or training."

"I see. Did you get on with the queen?"

"She was nice. I wouldn't have minded having her for a sister-in-law." He was still looking out of the castle walls, waiting still. Riku was now watching too, having his curiosity piqued.

"Anyone else who comes?"

"There's Demyx," Sora grinned gleefully. "He's always the one that I can't wait for."

"Demyx? The travelling bard?"

"Yes! That's him!"

Riku chuckled. "What makes him so special?"

"He tells us about his travels before any other song, and he does it in epic format!" Sora grinned. "I still remember the story of how he tamed a dragon in Bhujerba with just his voice and his instrument!"

Riku shook his head. Dragons did not exist, but for Sora, he could only take the bard's word for it. Or maybe he did know the truth but decided to hold onto the childish belief. Riku wasn't certain. The prince, for all his childlike ways, could have moments when he had the wisest council, and could show a strong sense of maturity if he felt like it.

But still, it would be nice to believe in all the nonsense Sora was babbling about excitedly.

"Ah!" Sora gasped in his excitement, making Riku jump from his inner most thoughts. "People are arriving!"

Riku looked over the wall and saw that indeed people were coming. There was a small convoy arriving that seemed to be made mostly of muscled men in Trabian garbs, but the sound of someone singing in a strange and mysterious tongue from some exotic land. However, coming further to the North (or to Riku's west in this case) as a large pageant with the coat of arms and colours of another royal family. Riku tried to remember where he had seen them.

"Grey…with a red phoenix…" Riku muttered.

"Eh?! House Fair?!" Sora exclaimed, immediately looking in the direction Riku was staring in. "It is!"

"Wait…that's Midgar's royal family!" Riku gaped. He had heard that Radiant Garden and Midgar were on very close terms but he never would've thought that a king would gladly leave his kingdom for the other unless there was an incredibly good reason for it. Especially when Zachary of House Fair's wife was heavily pregnant. Sora looked gleeful.

"Leon's going to be pleased," he giggled in irony.

"Why?"

"Zack's always telling him off for working so hard. He'll single-handedly drag him out of his study if he has to."

Riku was now very intrigued at the concept of there being a man who could get the near-twenty-year-old out of his study. He'd have to witness this himself.

Cloud was staring out of the window of the servants' quarters when he saw a large group of people processed into the castle bailey, a scattering of grey flags with a red phoenix flapping a bit in the still wind among a sea of people. The first to arrive, Cloud had though. No doubt more were to come seeing as this was a big event. He then jolted when he saw a shock of red hair, which immediately equated to the king's knight which equated to Roxas. Faster than an eagle swooping down on its prey, Cloud was dashing down the steps, almost sending a few maids toppling over and shrieking at him to be more careful, out into the bailey and searching for a boy with spiky golden hair and bright sapphire eyes like his own. He felt a tug at his sleeve. "Cloud?"

The elder blond turned and immediately pulled his alive brother into a warm embrace, relief, happiness and a sense of panicked urgency to make sure this was truth and not some spectre his mind had conjured up overwhelming him. Roxas made a small surprised squeak but returned the hold affectionately. "What's gotten into you?"

Cloud made no response, pulling back and taking a quick analysis of his younger brother's current welfare. He looked well taken care of, fresh clothes, and was that a bit of muscle in his arms he was feeling? He barely looked like a slave or even a servant. And he was allowed to carry a weapon! Roxas' new master obviously had given the boy his trust on such a matter. "You…are you alright? Has that brute done anything to you?"

Roxas blinked. "That 'brute' as you call him has been nothing but kind to me. And for some reason…he trusts me enough to let me be his squire."

So it was muscle. He was being trained to fight. Was that man so reckless as to let a former enemy train with him? Then again, Cloud had to ask if Leon was having a moment of stupidity when he spared his life to give him one of humiliation.

To the king's credit, no one was very sure what was going through his mind. Not even his closest friends or his young brother knew.

Radiant Garden seemed to be filled with people who had kept their ulterior motives very, very, very hidden Cloud had come to find.

"But why?"

"I…I'm not sure," Roxas muttered. Was that a hint of stubbornness? Was he trying to defend his new master? "Axel cares about me. That's all that matters. I won't question it."

"Why?"

"Because I've learned that there's no straight answer with that man." A pregnant pause. "How is Riku?"

"Well," Cloud replied. "He's taken his new charge quite…seriously."

"So he's well integrated then?"

Cloud stopped to think. None of the other servants seemed to hiss and glare at the silver-haired man. None of them distrusted him. And Riku was proving to be a very loyal servant to Sora, always accompanying the usually ailing prince everywhere he late. In comparison, Cloud was hated. Cloud was scorned. Cloud was subject to distrust and subtle anger. He was truly an outcast in this place.

And maybe it should be like that. Sooner or later someone was going to put a dagger in his back. Why bother being sociable?

"Very well integrated," Cloud responded, keeping his inner thoughts to himself. No need to worry Roxas. The boy clearly had a good man and good friends now. Hyne smite him if he took that away from Roxas.

"That's good."

Any chance of further conversation was quashed as a yelp of shock echoed in the bailey and Cloud saw a flash of white and blue and heard the jangle of bells as the flash sped up into the castle keep. He raised a brow.

"That's Demyx," Roxas reported, as if the name would explain everything. Cloud very slowly nodded, having heard the name once or twice in snatches of conversation he had managed to overhear. Then there was the sound of fanfare.

Two kings were about to meet.

To put it mildly, Zexion felt wretched.

Vexen had confined him to his bedchambers ever since his unfortunate stabbing at the hands of Yazoo weeks ago and had hardly left ever since, though the wound was well on the way to be fully healed. He had also been denied of his duties of educating the young prince (much to Sora's brief delight but only for that to be dampened when Edea and Kiros took over instead) and of being the king's chief advisor so now he only had his books, his quill and some parchment to pass the time. If he was going to be stuck in a room for a long time then he was going to do something useful like draw up plans of assassinating the members of House Jenova. Starting with Yazoo. By now, he had managed to devise nearly a hundred intricate plots, traps and methods of killing the brothers. With the exception to Riku…unless he turned out to be a spy for them by some rare chance.

Hyne help them if that were the case.

"Should a person 'sick in bed' really be doing work?" a soft, gentle, melodious voice asked, jolting the petite advisor from his scheming trance, seeing the face that he only ever saw once annually. He blinked for a long while, wondering if this was just an image his work-stricken mind had created for him. He came forward, the sound of bells trailing after him.

At once, Zexion knew this was not a trick being played upon him.

He turned his head away, not catching the surprised look of hurt crossing the bard's handsome features. "Zexion?"

"So you're back," the slate-haired man muttered, not even looking at Demyx.

"And you're mad at me."

"Whatever gave you that impression?"

"You're not looking at me."

A stubborn silence.

"Why are you angry with me?"

"You left."

"Zexion, you know I have to leave. I can't stay in one place at one time and that there's-"

"So many places to see in so short a time. Yes I know," Zexion snapped irritably, having heard the same excuse for the past four years, since that first time they met when Demyx was just an apprentice minstrel spreading his wings and Zexion was quickly becoming astute in the art of politics. "That still doesn't change the fact that you left. Without saying a word. Again."

Demyx winced, knowing that he had forgotten that small detail. Zexion had a way of reading people, and Demyx was like a book. A very complex book written in Bhujerban Sanskrit that was impossible to read to the common average person, but not to Zexion. The advisor was the only one who read and indulged in its secrets with happiness and fondness while others would be trapped in the mystery that was the bard.

But in the same way Zexion read Demyx like a book, the bard could play Zexion like an instrument with the same care and devotion so that it would sing the sweetest praises to the pleasure of Demyx. There were equals. Where one would move a step forward, the other would not step back but instead trap him from making another move. Where one tried to retreat, so would the other so to determine the next move.

It was a permanent stalemate. There was no clear way of determining a winner.

And so it was in this case.

"There's no excuse for that. But I had to leave. You know you don't like saying goodbye."

"I detest it when you don't have the courtesy to even leave a note," Zexion countered.

"I can't write."

"You can draw. And don't say you can't because I saw you sketching something for the prince once."

A small Bhujerban curse. Once again, evenly matched. Zexion guessed that Demyx would try a different tactic judging by the small fidgets his wrists were making, the bells tinkling quietly.

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"You did anyway," Zexion pointed out.

"You were upset that first time we said goodbye," Demyx murmured, having very carefully chosen his words.

"I'm not some glass-spun child," Zexion retorted. "I can handle saying my goodbyes." If the king's campaigns were anything to go by, Zexion had had to join in emotional goodbyes to the fallen with their troops. And once or twice Zexion had had to make a farewell speech in the king's stead when either his plan had foiled (as shown at Hollow Bastion) or he felt remorse over the death of his men -the king had shown this at the conquest of Trabia, feeling anger and remorse for not being fully prepared for his first taste of warfare and seeing so many bodies of his own men lying on the ground, their blood dying the snow scarlet.

"I know. But it's different with me, is it not?"

Zexion frowned. "Don't flatter yourself." Demyx brushed the remark off. His bells were tinkling again with his wrists. Another tactic was going to be played. Zexion was prepared for this.

"It was hard for me too, to leave you behind again."

"Clearly not."

"I struggled."

"No sign of it."

"I kissed you goodbye."

"You did no such thing!" Zexion huffed, an embarrassed flush of cherry-red tingeing his otherwise pale cheeks. Demyx smiled. Zexion scowled. "You are the most impossible being in this world."

"I know. But you love me for it, don't you?"

Zexion glowered, denying him an answer.

"What's that?"

Zexion was not even going to open his mouth for this.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't hear you. What was your answer?"

"Go away. I don't want to see your ugly mug ever again."

"You don't mean that."

"Get out…" Zexion growled lowly.

"One reason why?"

"You're going to be singing songs about how you narrowly escaped death by your incensed lover…that is if you live."

"Aha! You admit it!" Demyx cracked a cheeky grin, looking very satisfied.

He promptly left the room when he saw Zexion's arm grab and toss something, hearing the sound of glass smashing against the door and Zexion's strangled howl about having lost another inkwell to "that pompous turban-headed sitar-strangling fool".

Demyx laughed quietly. Well, he would have to pester Zexion about him being stabbed later on, once the little man had calmed down a bit. This was usual routine. Sooner or later, Zexion was going to be a bit more forgiving…and a bit more loving he hoped, though it seemed a little unlikely at this moment.

"Kastam, I am in love with siren who is also part banshee," Demyx lamented, loudly enough for Zexion to hear. He was rewarded with a dull thud. And another curse, signalling that Zexion had successfully lost another quill because of him.

"I'm going to castrate you when you least expect it!" Zexion screeched at him.

"I look forward to becoming a eunuch," Demyx said charmingly enough, but irony laced his voice.

And thus, their usual courtship began again.