Author's Note: Okay, so the Corona Virus has struck my town and everyone is told to stay home unless we have a doctor's appointment or need to get groceries, which should mean I have a lot of time on my hands to update these stories. I hope you all stay healthy and I hope that my stories allow you a small escape from reality.

The day came and went before the young Prince noticed it was day and time for another lesson. Groggily, the young boy poked at his breakfast before heading to the library where his friend and cousins were waiting. He didn't mean to keep them waiting, but he had sept a good half hour poking at the cut on his head; it was red and swollen but had crusted over the way it should. The first thing Phobos noticed were the iron bars on the doors and windows of the library, casting shadows across the room as though they were in a birdcage. The second thing he noticed was the miserable expression on his friend's faces. Myra and Isabella were hunched over the large oak desk, busily writing and rewriting the rules they were told to follow before arriving. Of the three, Cedric appeared the most miserable; with a cringed expression, the Lord's son shifted in his seat as he tried to get comfortable.

When he took his seat at the table with them, Cedric looked up and his jaw nearly hit the floor when his eyes landed on the cut on his friend's head. "Was that your punishment for yesterday?"

"I don't think I have been punished." Replied Phobos as he gingerly touched the wound. "The King pushed past me and I lost my footing. I don't think he meant to hurt me. As for my punishment, I ran to my room before I could be given one."

"Good for you." Muttered Myra, not having noticed the injury on her cousin. "Isabella and I have to write a hundred copies of the rules we were told in our best penmanship and without any mistakes. Each page with a mistake, no matter how minor, needs to be rewritten. We have been at it since breakfast, I feel like my fingers are beginning to fall off."

"And what about you?" Phobos asked his friend Cedric, who only winced as he shifted in his seat.

"My father took the paddle to my behind. I am surprised I still have a butt. He hasn't used it on me since the day I broke his favorite pipe." At his answer, Phobos winced and sucked air in sharply between clenched teeth as his own behind stung with sympathy. Their short conversation was cut short when Xavier approached the group from his place at the podium.

"I see the Prince has decided to join us for the day." His voice was cold a regal, but still amused when he noticed the cut on his pupil's head. Surely, the King and Queen had found a proper punishment for the boy and he would no longer disobey any rules from now on. "Since you decided to skip class the other day, I suggest you continue your essay on Meridian's history and, this time, I will be watching you every minute."

Secretly, Myra rolled her eyes at her teacher and muttered quietly how Xavier would watch them until his pipe called for him. With a soft tap to the boy's shoulder, Xavier returned to his place at the podium where he could comfortably watch his students while sitting in a comfortable chair and sipping a warm cup of tea. For hours, the four children sat in silence, only occasionally letting out a cough or a sigh when it was appropriate. As time began to tick by and he finished his third cup of tea, an annoying itch crept up the Lord's spine; it was his need for his pipe. At times, he regretted every picking up the habit from his father, but then he was reminded of the feathery feeling in his stomach whenever he inhaled the fumes of the burning weeds right after lighting them. It was that feeling that kept him returning to the pipe time and time again. The longer he ignored the itch, the more he became annoyed with the children and his role of guarding them. That morning, he had told himself that he wouldn't give in to his habit, but as the itch became stronger, the more he thought about sneaking a quick smoke.

You'll only be gone for a moment.

Said a quiet voice inside his head.

If you only fill your pipe halfway, you will only be gone for 5 minutes. Surely the children couldn't get into much trouble in that short of time.

The more the voice sang in his mind, the easier it became for him to give in. Reassuring himself that nothing could happen in the few minutes, stood up from his place at the podium.

"I will return in just a few minutes. I expect you, children, to behave and be in your seats when I return. Am I making myself clear?" as a response, Xavier earned the nods of the children, which only reassured him in his beliefs. With a content smile, the Lord left the children behind in the library. The moment the library doors closed behind the Lord, Myra stretched her aching shoulders and asked.

"Can we take a break? My shoulders and hands hurt. I am sure a short pause in work won't hurt."

"We can't afford to get into more trouble." Muttered Phobos as he set aside one book and opened another for his essay.

"We aren't going anywhere, and we aren't doing anything. I mean, can we just take a break to stretch and free our minds for a moment? Only focusing on work can close one's mind and make it harder to think and concentrate." Countered Myra as she leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. With a heavy sigh, she stared up at tiles and asked. "How many tiles do you think were used in the making of that ceiling?"

Looking up, Cedric shrugged before returning his attention to the book he was reading on old military strategies. "I am guessing 345 tiles."

"It has to be more than that." Countered Myra, never taking her eyes off the ceiling. "There are parts of the ceiling hidden by bookshelves."

"Do those counts?" asked Cedric as his eyes rejoined Myra's on the ceiling. "They are only half tiles."

"I would count them since they are tiles and a part of the ceiling." Countered Myra as she tried to count each one separately.

"Then shouldn't you count two tiles as one, if they are only halves?" muttered Cedric as he joined Myra in counting the tiles.

Sitting in his chair, Phobos occasionally glanced at Myra and Cedric discussing the number of ceiling tiles; compared to the book he was using for his essay, the discussion his friends were having was a lot more engaging. Slowly, the voice he heard in the basement returned to his mind.

Your friend has a point. Focusing only on work will make it harder for you to work on your essay.

He had to admit that the voice was right, since the third page he was working on, he had trouble penning another word to paper. With Lord Xavier out of the room, he could allow himself a few minutes to stretch and free his mind. Looking up, he shrugged. "I say there are 350 tiles."

"That is very improbable," replied Cedric as he let out a frustrated groan because he lost count. "Great, now I lost count and have to start over."

"If you want, you can levitate up and count them." Joked Myra as she restarted her count to be fair to Cedric. Phobos slouched his shoulders and returned his gaze to the book he had been reading. Last time he levitated, his father had caught him and became cross with him. That was then the trusty voice returned.

Zadan isn't here.

You don't have to levitate to reach the ceiling.

Just walk up the wall and start counting.

The advice did sound silly, even to Phobos's young mind, but the voice never lied to him; as far as he can remember, the voice was always honest with him. It was honest with him in the basement of the castle when it told him to command the locks to open. Deciding to follow the voice's suggestion, he rose from his seat, walked over to the nearest wall, and placed his foot against it. Before his friends could ask what he was planning, Phobos lifted his other foot off the ground and now stood on the wall as though it were the ground; he couldn't even tell that he was standing on a wall instead of the marble floor of the library. It was as though, for him at least, gravity shifted with him; not even his hair or cloths indicated that he had shifted positions.

Immediately seeing an opportunity to play, the young Isabella jumped from her seat and ran up to her cousin while making a grabbing motion with her hands that indicated she wanted to join him. Without thinking if he could make others perform the same trick, he grabbed hold of his cousin's little hand and pulled her onto the wall; just like with Phobos, Isabella stood on the wall as though it were the most normal thing in the world. With wonder and amazement in his eyes, Cedric stood from his chair and approached his friend, wondering if he would do the same with him. Same as with Isabella, Phobos reached out his hand and helped his friend onto the wall; in the process, letting go of Isabella, who then proceeded to run up the wall and onto the ceiling.

"The library looks so funny from upside down." Giggled the little princes and craned her neck back to stare down at her sister. "You look so funny from up here Myra."

Finally picking up her jaw, Myra moved to reach her cousin, who was waiting for her to join them before stopping in her tracks. If Xavier came back from his break, they were certainly going to get into trouble. Thinking quickly, Myra rushed to the library doors and locked them, thinking that this would buy them a few precious minutes should the Lord return before they could return to their seat. Once the door was locked, Myra rushed to join her friends and sister.

XXXXX

While the children were discovering the simple joy and wonder of seeing the world upside down, the two Queens sat in Weria's private study. At this point, Seras was growing tired of seeing the same room day in and day out. For nearly 2 weeks, she had been staying in this study and was sure she knew every nook and cranny of the room. She knew of the nearly invisible tear in the red wallpaper where two sheets hadn't perfectly lined up. She knew of the faint spiderweb in the corner over the door that was hidden in just enough shadows to be ignored by the cleaning staff. She also knew of the secret cabinet in Weria's desk that contained an old bottle of liquor that showed signs of only recently being touched.

"Do you wish to talk about yesterday?" Asked the Ero queen as she brushed her friend's amber hair. She knew the problems concerning her friend and that there was a secret that Weria was hiding; Seras was sure she could find a way to solve all of the problems similar to a squirrel finding a way to crack a tough nut. She just needed to find a good angle.

"No, I don't want to talk about it." Was Weria's hollow response. She had attempted to discuss the incident with Zadan that night when he came to her bed, but he refused to acknowledge the accident and proceeded to pin her down instead. Weria knew she should be mad at the way Zadan was treating her, but she understood the desperation that fueled his actions. When they had married, he promised her and the kingdom that, together, they would produce a proper heir and it frustrated him that he couldn't fulfill this promise. Seras, however, was not going to be satisfied with Weria's answer.

"Well, I think it is important that you do." She continued as she started to braid her friend's hair. "I am aware that I sound like an annoying song-bird, but it is becoming more and more clear that you and Zadan won't have a second child; it is time you consider Phobos as a potential heir."

"I know, but it will be an uphill for everyone should Phobos be declared an heir." Replied Weria while picking at a loose thread from the sofa's armrest. "Most of the old families that help run this kingdom are run by female heirs and everyone will expect a queen once I die. What if they don't accept Phobos?"

"What if they do?" countered Seras as she shifted a little on the worn sofa to face her friend. "It would be better for everyone if you introduced Phobos as your heir now, while you are alive, and show your support of this action. The people look up to you and will accept it if you show you accept it."

Again, Weria had to admit that her friend was right. It would be difficult and would cost years of mending relationships, but it could be done. Then again, the doctors haven't declared her infertile; they simply said that it would be difficult and might cost Weria her life should she have another child, but she wasn't infertile. What if she declared Phobos her heir, but then had a daughter? She would cause so much hardship upon her kingdom and her son if that happened. She would fracture many relationships with prosperous families and place the pressure of ruling a kingdom on her child, all for nothing, should she have a daughter later in life. Furthermore, she wasn't sure if she could train her son to become a fit ruler; she remembered being trained by her mother, but that training was very feminine oriented. How would she go about teaching a boy?

"And what should we do, should I have a girl? The doctors haven't declared me infertile." Replied Weria, finally freeing the thread from the armrest. "Wouldn't that place a lot of pressure on Phobos only to lead to nothing."

"If you are not infertile and you keep trying with Zadan, then why haven't you conceived another child?" Seras felt as though she had struck a sore spot on her friend, but she wasn't going to pull any punches this time. "Couldn't the problem lie with Zadan?"

"No, it can't lie with him. He is a good King and very active. Certainly, the conception problems are with my body." Before Weria could continue to excuse Zadan and his actions, another sting of pain emanated from her abdomen, causing Weria to near fall of the sofa.

"If you are in so much pain, then why don't you take a break from him for one night. Certainly, your body would enjoy that." Hissed Seras as she prevented Weria from falling off the sofa.

"Zadan won't stop trying for a second child until I either conceive or die." Gasped Weria, trying to breathe as the pain slowly ebbed from a sharp sting to a low roar. "Be plans to visit my bed again tonight."

"Then share a bed with me tonight." Countered Seras as she rubbed her friend's back. "You can't conceive if your body is injured. Besides, we used to share a bed all the time when we were children, so why not now?"

"I wish it were that easy to explain to Zadan."

"Zadan this; Zadan that. You are coming up with one excuse after another for him. I say he is a terrible father; you say he is being a good father by disciplining Phobos. I say he is not a good lover if he can't give your body a break; you excuse him by explaining how desperate he is for a female heir for the kingdom. Can't you just accept his faults without finding an excuse for him." She meant every word she said to Weria. She was growing very tired of Zadan; she never liked him from the day she met him, but she didn't hate him. However, she was beginning to change her mind on that aspect.

"I'd have to discuss this with him. Certainly, he will agree to give my body a night of rest with your reasoning."

Their short moment of connecting was interrupted by a knock on the study door. It was Xavier, with a look on his face that could melt metal.

"What is the matter this time Xavier? Did the children change the room's temperature." Seras joked as the found the Lord more and more incapable of watching the children. In a way, she found it humorous how easily the children slipped his attention.

"Not quite." Replied the Lord with an angry sigh. "I leave for a minute and the children decided it would be hilarious to lock me out of the library. I have already informed the King on the matter, but I thought it wise to inform your highness as well."

The two queens exchanged worried glances, Weria over the safety of the children and Seras over the fact that Zadan had been informed, before rushing out the study and to the library where the King was already waiting for them. With a calm voice that barely masked the anger within him.

"I suspect this is Phobos's doing, once again." He then returned his attention to the door. He did not care if he broke the door as he summoned a ball of energy and blasted it at the solid oak door. A beautifully carved door that had survived for centuries now lay in splinters on the floor of the library.

The children, who were running around the main chandelier of the library, stopped in their tracks. Within seconds, Phobos's concentration broke and he, as well as the other royals, fell from the ceiling like rocks. Phobos managed to land on his feet, only causing a stinging sensation to race up his foot and into his brain; Myra and Isabella were lucky as well, having managed to hold onto the chandelier when the spell broke. The only one who suffered a stroke of misfortune was Cedric; the Lord's son was unable to land on his feet or stop his fall and roughly fell onto the desk they had been studying at. A sickening pop was heard from the boy's body before he cried out in agony while holding his right shoulder; he had dislocated it.

With a cry that mirrored his son's pain, Lord Xavier rushed over to his son, knocking Phobos over in the process, and carefully cradled his hurt child. Phobos sat on the floor, shocked at what just happened and how quickly it had. A moment ago, they were having fun, chasing each other around the chandelier, and now his friend lay crying on the library table. Zadan wasted no opportunity to grab his son by the arm and pull him to his feet to strike him across the face as hard as he could. Phobos felt the wind knocked out of him when his head violently snapped to the side; it happened so fast that he didn't even feel the pain properly. All he felt for a moment was a warm sensation as his cheek turned red.

"What were you thinking, you foolish boy?" asked Zadan as he violently shook the boy. "Do you have any idea how dangerous your actions were? You could have killed someone!"

"I was just playing. I am sorry!" The Prince managed to squeak out while he was being violently shaken like a piece of meat would be by a wild dog. Zadan's grip on the boy's arm tightened to the point his nails dug through the boy's sleeve and into his flesh.

"Please let go. You are hurting me!" cried Phobos and weakly tried to claw his father's hand off his arm, but it was futile; the King's grip was too tight. Queen Seras was unable to rush to the Prince's aid this time, as she was busy catching her children as their grip on the chandelier began to weaken. For a moment, it seemed as though no one would come for him and the Prince was certain his father was going to shake him to pieces until a familiar voice rose above that of the King's.

"Zadan stop it!" cried Weria as she pulled the Prince from the King's grip and held him tight. For a moment, she wanted to be as angry as Zadan when she saw the danger her son had put the other children in, but that anger quickly melted when she heard her boy cry out in pain and beg for mercy. The moment she heard his cries, she remembered a day when she spotted a young bird being attacked by a wild cat. The cat wasn't starving, in actuality, it was a plump cat, and didn't require the bird to survive. She remembered how the little bird cried and screeched for mercy as the cat pulled its' wings from its' body. Witnessing that had scared her for days and now that haunting memory returned and transposed itself over the scene before her. Her son was the little bird and her husband was the vicious cat; only this time, she would quietly stand by and watch.

"Weria, he put the others in danger and ruined the library ceiling. Are you going to let him get away this that?" Zadan hissed at his wife, unable to comprehend that she had interfered.

"He said they were only playing and that he is sorry. Accidents happen." She then looked over her shoulder at the crying Cedric being carried away by his father. From what she could see, the boy only suffered a hurt shoulder and should be fine after a visit to the infirmary and a week of rest. "Besides, no one seems seriously injured."

"He could have killed one of them!" Zadan's voice rose to a loud bark as his frustration with his wife grew. She had never interfered with his judgment, so why was she doing so now? He was certain it had something to do with Queen Seras's visit.

"But he didn't and so far, you have caused more damage to the library than he has!" countered Weria and pointed to the splintered door. "Now, I suggest you leave and cool your temper before I do with you as you have with that door."

Zadan looked between Weria, Phobos, and Seras before turning and leaving the room; his cheeks were a burning red color and his step was noting short of an angry march. The moment the King left the room, it seemed as though a pressure was lifted and Phobos dared to look up at his mother with teary eyes.

"I am sorry." His voice quivered and hicced in his throat. Weria only shook her head at her son and wiped a few of his tears from his face. The Prince winced a little when his mother's thumb brushed the tender flesh of his cheek.

"I know," sighed Weria, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction and pride in her chest that she attributed to having stood up against Zadan for the first time in years. To her, for a brief moment, she had saved that little bird from the cat. "Try to be more careful next time."