HEYA! The contest from last chapter is still open, and will be until I state other wise. Here issome brotherly germanest and the Vargas brothers leaving, and Alfred and Arthur. I LOVE ARTHUR.

Enjoy

The candles had burned down slightly in the half of an hour that had passed since they were lit, the light flickering as the colder spring breeze blew in through the still-open window. The King's dreams were indistinct - flashes of gold flitted through the hazy images. It was like chasing a shadow. Red eyes moved under closed eyelids as the albino slept on.

Ludwig knocked before entering quietly. The prince smiled when he saw his sleeping brother and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Sweet Dreams, Brother." He smiled and grabbed on of the covers off the back of the sofa and covered Gilbert with it. The prince then curled himself up in the corner of the window seat, tightening the hold of his own blanket around him, and soon drifted off into his own sleep.

When Gilbert woke a few hours later, his legs were tucked against something warm and comfortable. After emerging from his dreams - not that he could really remember anything about them - he finally woke enough to realize that he wasn't alone on his perch. The albino brushed one of Ludwig's stray hairs back off of his forehead. "So you came after all...hm. You always did curl up in the oddest places."

With minimal effort, Gilbert stood and lifted the blonde into his arms; a few minutes later he layed the Prince down onto his bed and crawled up next to him. Giving it little thought, he loosened his brother's clothes so that he would be more comfortable and then did the same for himself and then, deciding that his shirt was bothering him, just stripped his upper half bare before collapsing back into sleep. "Good night, Ludwig." There was a sleeply reply of "good night" mumbled from the prince. The blonde rolled closer and almost kinda cuddled into the warmth of the other body.

Soon it was morning and the Prince hand no intention of moving from the nice warm cacoon he had created for himself.
It was late in the morning before Gilbert woke up, a warm body pressed against his and his arm draped across them. It took him some time before he remembered that he'd carried Ludwig to his bed rather than wake him. "Mmm...I do not think I have ever had a blonde sleep in my bed before..." he joked lightly, saying it more to amuse himself than the Prince.

Blue eyes blinked up at red, amusment glitterin in them. "Are you proposing to take me to bed, M'Lord?" He asked teasing back, sitting up and streatching. "Ah! I must have missed Feli take his leave! I hope he won't take unkindly to me for that. . . " The prince ibt his lip, flopping back down on the comfortable bad.

"Take you to bed? Hardly - brother or not brother, I would still have the entire kingdom crying for my head on a platter if I stole you for myself. Not to mention nearly every ambassador's daughter!" Gilbert chuckled and stretched as well, his arms extending above his head and his back arching until he heard a satisfying crack. "Ah, that is better..." The albino sighed, ruffling Ludwig's hair. "He will forgive you, Ludwig, I have no doubt."

Ludwig chuckled and leaned into the hand, yawning again, "If you say it, I shall believe it." He yawned once more before blinking his eyes open, "Ugh. Classes and that military demonstration I have to learn today . . ." He sighed, pursing his lips as he lazily pulled himself into a sitting position. "I should head off before Eduard has me for skipping class."

"Do not doubt me, Beastie. One of these days I will find that you have been kidnapped by some besotted woman and her horde of competitors." The albino winked and nudged Ludwig with his knee. "We would likely only rescue you because they would be too distracted fighting eachother to flee the country with you."

Gilbert fought a yawn of his own and slid to the edge of the bed sleepily. The royal couldn't help but stretch again when he stood, another satisfying crack of his spine accompanying the motion. "Much better! I swear I have been trying to stretch that out for the past month..." Absently he looked around for his shirt, not remembering where it had landed.

Ludwig laughed, having to cover his mouth to keep from being to loud, "Oh my, I would never want that to happen. What a Horrible day that would be." He snickered and caught sight of his brother's shirt, and threw it to him. "Here, and good day Brother!" He called with a wave, striaghtening his garment some and heading out to the libaray. -

The albino lazily pulled on his shirt, his ruffled white hair sticking in odd angles when the garment was finally on correctly. "Stay out of trouble - and try not to get kidnapped by those rabid fans of yours! We do not have enough knights to fight them all off of you!" he called with a laugh as the blonde disappeared.

Alfred was pacing in the courtyard, watching his brother and a five-man escort prepare to leave with the Vargas brothers. He hadn't bothered with his own horse or armor - there was no doubt in his mind that he wouldn't be welcome on the trip after his behavior the night before. That knowledge did not keep him from feeling nervous, though.

Matthew finished saddling Kuma before turning to his brother, "Peace Brother! Everything weill be fine, I assure you. I will be sure to send you letters as well." The younger twin smiled before ptting his elder on the shoulder and hoisting himself into his ride's saddle.

Alfred huffed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know, Matthew, I do. I just feel...disquieted, allowing Lord Vargas to leave when we are on such poor terms. I would apologize but I fear that he still wishes nothing to do with me..."

Matthew shook his head, "He does want to do with you, he is just upset. This separation will do you both some good, and I will talk to him. Do not worry Brother Mine." The wavy haired noble smiled before urging Kuma away, over to the small group heading out.

Alfred nodded and watched the group as they gathered together. His attention was drawn when he saw the Vargas brothers emerge from the castle proper to join them. Taking a few steps forward, Alfred tried to catch Lovino's eye for a moment but instead got Feliciano's. The brunette waved to him and he returned the gesture, smiling, but wished the older brother would look his way instead.

"Lovi, look, Alfred wanted to see us off!" Feliciano said after only a moment's hesitation. His brother had been calmer that morning but he still wasn't sure if he would be angry for his mention of the blonde. "Come now, brother, won't you at least wave to him? I doubt he is going to come over to give a proper goodbye."

Lovi quirked an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder, eyes coneccting at the last minute. "I won't wave. I'll see him for an apology when we return. But right now we are already behind schedule, if we do not leave now, the night will catch us before we pass the river, that will waste us a day. Come along Brother."

Alfred's eyes finally met the noble's - and he wished that they hadn't a few seconds later. The glance seemed so cold to the knight. His hand dropped to his side; he didn't feel that it would be welcomed anymore and instead broke the visual contact guiltily as he turned away from the gate and walked away. After all, he hadn't visited Arthur in the gardens yet.

Feliciano watched the knight go, nodding in response to his brother's words. "Alright - let us be off, then." The escort moved with them as they mounted their horses and left the castle grounds. After a short time the younger Vargas sibling began to sing, entertaining himself and several of the knights as they rode.

Arthur was extermly happy in his new job in the gardens. He was surrounded by nature, little animals, and barely any people. He sighed happily, delicatly tracing a finger down one of the petals on the large sunflower. "How wonderful." He giggled, flopping down into one of the benches.

"Taking to the gardens more than the stable, I take it? The animals here are likely more talkative I imagine." Alfred chuckled, approaching the young man and the bench he was draped across. He looked even younger, if that were possible, in the position that he was in.

A Green eye cracked open and a laugh followed, "Yes, I do suppose I am. I miss the horses but no slave drivers out here!" He grinned, sitting up and patting the seat next to him, "Come Alfred, Talk with me awhile, I wish to hear the real reason why you were so upset last night. I will not take 'no' for an answere!" He pointed a finger to emphise his point, a gently, understanding smile on his face though. "Pretty Please?"

With a groan Alfred sank onto the bench and gave the teen a fond (if not exasperated) smile. "You never give up, do you? Fine, fine...I took your first batch of advice and things went pleasantly well. Until last night, that is, when his brother and I took our teasing too far and embarassed him. He is not pleased with me at the moment." The admission came easier than the first that he had made to Arthur.

Arthur hmmed before lightly smack the knight on his shoulder, "Why on earth would you think teasing someone as sensitive as this man? We spent all that timetalking about taking it slow but strong! You Sir, are a silly, silly man. But he is coming back, correct? Good. You will apologise multiple times for the first couple days until he his forced to forgive you out of pure desire to get you to stop apologising." The blonde ginnned and laughed at the Knights face.

"But...I-! I could not help it! He was blushing, and said he liked me!" The blonde was flushed, cheeks nearing a shade similar to apple red. "Well, actually he said that I would not be an unpleasant person to travel with on his journey...but it is nearly the same thing with him!" Alfred got another laugh for his trouble and in return he lightly cuffed Arthur on the back of his head. "Why don't we talk about your own life instead? I have heard that you may have an admirer in the castle."

The smaller blonde rubbed at the back of his head, pouting. "Me? Surely you jest. I have barely met anyone since I have been here. There is no way some one has taken a fancy to me." A light blush dusted over the younger's cheeks, not even believing his own words, whether they were true or not. "Who is it?"

With a chuckle the knight grinned at his young friend. "What, you mean [other than most of the servant girls? How greedy - needing everyone to fawn over you and acting as though you do not care!" he teased mercilessly. Alfred grabbed the blonde's hand and held it palm-up and traced some of the lines he found there. "Let us see what your palm says on the subject! Oh, yes...mhmm...oh, that is interesting. Would you like to know what it says?"

Arthur gave a deadpan look to the knight, "See? This is what I mean. You do things without thinking them through." He pulled his hand away, gently but quickly. "I know what my palm says thank you, I can read them. and My mama would read all of ours every other day to insure herself that we were going to be fine when she left us." He sighed, leaning against the back og the bench. "That was offensive, mocking my mother's profession, Even if you didn't mean it that way! But I forgive you. You are still learning."

The knight paled, drawing his hands back to his own lap when Arthur pulled away. He hadn't thought when he teased the teen - nobody really believed in palm-readings or other things like that anymore and they had become fodder for many children's games over the years. Alfred had treated Arthur like he would treat any of his friends, without considering his history or the fact that his fortune-telling mother had been murdered less than a month earlier.

"You shouldn't forgive me! That was...that was horribly insensitive, and cruel, whether I meant it to be so or not. Any sane person would slap me and tell me to leave." The blonde couldn't understand why he was making so many errors lately but it was more than troubling for both himself and the people he kept offending.

Arthur snorted, "If you really want me to slap you, then I will. But of course I will still forgive you. Grudges, and things of that nature can twist your person, your very soul into that of a hidious beast. Dear Alfred, I am not like anyone you have known, and I pride myself form that. I may act the in the ways of your so called 'acients' because that is the way My family has always been. You are not use to me, You are not use to watching what you see to people like me and the one you chase after. But you will also never learn if you do not make the mistakes first. I will help you, and when Your lover boy returns, you will be ready for him."

"...you are a strange person indeed, Arthur Kirkland. Though if every witch-child is similar I believe that the world could do with more of them." Alfred glanced at the boy before pulling him into a tight embrace, tucking the shorter blonde's head under his chin. "I am a horrible student." he warned, running a hand up the slender back. "And you will likely be tearing your hair out by the time the Vargas brothers return. But thank you, Arthur. I will try to do better." Finally he loosened his grip so the teen could pull away if he wished to.

The blonde stayed there, leaning against the other for a moment, felling his eyes sting before he quickly pushed away the emtions. "I am a patient man, Good Knight. And I am sure that if you truely desire to learn, then you will." He added, sitting up and ruffling his own hair before smiling, "Ah! Do forgive me, I forgot to give you my thanks on getting me out of the stables and into the garden."

Alfred smiled and shrugged lightly. "We will see. And do not thank me for that. It was no trouble, and I would do the same for anyone who had problems with their position. After all, it is my duty to keep the peace and feuding servants are not very peaceful."

The blonde rolled his eyes nodding, "Yes that is true, but I will let in on a secret of mine," The blonde whispered drawing the other close and looking around as if he was about to unyeild a great truth, "I-I like to think I am special." Then he snorted and bite his tounge to keep from laughing. "Ah, Sorry, sorry."

Alfred chuckled and ruffled Arthur's hair. "Well, I am sorry to ruin your little fantasy. However, my dear Arthur, within these walls -" the knight gestured to the grounds and castle, "- you are nothing more than a normal young man. So do not bother trying to explain anything away as a 'witch-child' thing. You will just get a glare for your trouble and take your punishment." The older blonde winked and finally burst out laughing. "Ah, I cannot keep a straight face anymore!"

Both blondes laughed for a bit before Arthur stood up and stretched, "Come now Alfred, I 'beg' you, let me take you to met some friends? No matter how 'special' you think you are, I need others to talk to." He smirked and helped thr knight to his feet, absintmindedly wipping some dust away from both thier pants.

"Friends of Arthur? I admit that I am surprised - brother and I thought that it would take at least another week before people stopped keeping their distance from you! It would be my honor to meet these friends of yours." The knight allowed the teen's brushing-off and chuckled when he had to brush a leaf off of Arthur's shoulder. "So where are we meeting these friends?"

"Out in the village. They are a darling little family of brother and sister. And they have another young man stay with them as well a flower shop owner who use to live in the north. Me and Toris wander down there every so often." The blonde smiled, a small laugh. "He is good freinds with them to."

The laugh came before Alfred could stop it; after a few minutes he bent at the waist, trying to stifle himself. "I-I w-w-would be happy to meet your friends, Arthur! B-but really, have you not heard any of the r-rumors?" He was laughing so hard that he was reduced to stuttering as he gasped for breath. It was too amusing to the knight that Arthur would have encountered Toris so often without hearing the maids' gossip in the castle that the older man (likely a secret romantic, according to rumors) enjoyed watching a certain young blonde gardener.

Arthur frowned and crossed his arms, "Hey! What rumors? That Toris is hot for the flower owner from the north? Please, They are friends and Feliks is my friend to. They apprently knew eachother from when Toris lived in the north to. Now will you stop laughing and tell me what your problem is?" He was tapping a foot, not very happy with the knight.

Another burst of laughter - bordering on breathless giggles by that point - was stifled, but Alfred eventually settled down and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "No, not that rumor, not that one at all. Ahah, ahumm, perhaps it is better that the gossips have not told you. It is nothing impolite, I promise you, so put my words out of your mind. Come, let us meet your friends." The knight smiled pleasantly and patted his friend on the shoulder firmly.

Arthur frowned and lead they way out, aems crossed. 'What kind of rumors could be so funny? Toris was going there long before I was, and most do not even know about Vash or Lily!' The blonde huffed, "I'll be up all not night trying to figure this out now."

"Do not lose sleep; I am sure you will find out eventually." the knight reassured, smiling. The walk was pleasant and both blondes were comfortable with eachother. Even if Arthur was still trying to figure out what his older friend meant.

Next Time!: We see baddies being baddies, and we get to meet Arthur's friends!