Hello again! Did I leave off on an emotional cliffhanger of sorts? Forgive me, I'll try and remember to throw you all a rope to hang onto next time! Anyway, welcome to the next chapter! I haven't quite finished chapter 7 yet, but I'm almost there, and I have reached game point so I have a script that I can follow (but mostly change). Please forgive this chapter, I mention some party/grand ball that Peony throws but I'm afraid I won't be typing it. I used it as an excuse to have Lythia in Keterburg and Jade in Daath. Sumimasen... I tried to reveal more of Lythia's interactions around Nephry and also reveal more of her own personal values and what makes her annoyed and etc.

Enjoy reading!


Bond of Siblings

~10 months before Fall of Akzeriuth – Lythia~

Lythia snarled as she tugged at the sleeve of the formal dress that Nephry had forced her into, listening to Serill and Nyx argue over something in the background, as Arya ran the comb through the ward princess' hair. Lythia was in Keterburg again, just two weeks after she and Jade had reconciled, being fussed over by her younger sister at Peony's request. The Emperor decided that he wanted to have a complete official reveal of her identity and a gathering of the court to accommodate it. One of the many duties that Lythia hated as Princess of Malkuth was having to attend the social dances that Peony put on.

"Milady, did you wish to wear your hair clip?" Arya asked, distracting Lythia from cursing Peony under her breath.

"Yes, Arya," Lythia said, hands twitching to start picking at threads. "It would be best if I wore it."

This statement drew the confused look of the child, but Lythia offered no explanation. Arya asked Serill to get the gold clip while she requested Nyx to continue with the braid that she was making. Lythia closed her eyes and listened to the three girls as they moved about the room, which was Nephry's, as they worked.

"Dearest," called Nephry's voice in a tone that almost caused her older sister to flinch, making Lythia open her eyes again. "Emperor Peony is expecting you in a few hours, and your ferry leaves soon."

"I know Nephry," the blonde woman replied. "I fail to understand why my Lord Brother decided to send me all the way here when I'm just heading back to Grand Chokmah afterwards."

Lythia heard Nyx, Serill and Arya be shooed away by Nephry, watching her younger sister take over from Nyx in the braiding of her hair, and carefully weave the gold vine clip into the strands of hair that composed the braid.

"You, dearest sister," Nephry said quietly, "took so long in revealing the truth to Jade, that this grand party is the only way to tell the entirety of the Malkuth Empire in any sort of efficiency."

The ward princess would have snarled at that if Nephry hadn't placed a hand over Lythia's mouth.

"I'm joking Lythia," Nephry sighed. "Peony just loves to have an excuse to get you out of your uniform and into a dress at a formal occasion. You know this."

Lythia conceded defeat with a sigh. Their conversation ended, and Nephry continued to pull her older sister's hair into place, a comfortable silence drifting around the two.

~10 months before Fall of Akzeriuth – Jade~

In that moment, Jade felt like he could happily kill Emperor Peony. The man had given Lythia and Jade two weeks to work out their relationship before making an official announcement. The brunette soldier could understand his sister's fear of the truth now, after talking with her a few days ago. She had admitted that at first she had only feared his reaction, but then, as she came to understand the people that Peony ruled over she started to fear how the people of Malkuth would react.

Daath. Peony had sent Jade to Daath, why, Jade didn't know, something to do with Fon Master Ion.

"Colonel Curtiss," came the voice of the Fon Master, drawing Jade away from his thoughts. "How surprising it is to see you in Daath."

"Fon Master," Jade greeted. The young Fon Master was walking from the direction of the library.

"There can only be one reason you are here," Ion said with a smile. "Princess Lythia has finally told the truth has she?"

Jade grimaced at the title Ion used for his sister. Noticing this, Ion smiled.

"Come with me, Colonel Curtiss," he said, indicating to the doors that lead to the chapel. The two men entered the chapel and walked towards one of the great pillars.

"How has the truth affected you?" Ion asked quietly, as to not let his voice echo. Jade pushed his glasses back into place on his nose.

"It's not that hard to get used to," the Malkuth Colonel replied vaguely.

"The children of the Balfour family seem to have this habit of dancing around problems," Ion said, almost as if he hadn't heard Jade speak. "I guess it would be safe to say that you and Lythia haven't truly addressed the problem you are facing here."

"Is there really much of a problem to face?" Jade asked. Ion looked up at the stained glass window at the far end of the chapel.

"Lythia will want to try and mix the past with the present," the Fon Master murmured. "She will want to regain the childhood she lost, while also trying to maintain her life as it is now. She will be confused."

"That is a foolish endeavour," Jade said before he could stop himself. "We aren't children anymore."

Ion turned back to Jade with a smile on his face.

"You and Lythia are so alike," he stated almost wistfully. "If you would heed my advice in this matter, when she acts like a child, indulge her. Let her escape her duties as Princess of Malkuth for a few minutes. She did spend the rest of her childhood getting dragged into all kinds of power struggles between Emperor Peony's older siblings."

This made Jade freeze slightly as he remembered the reason why Peony had been confined to Keterburg. How did Lythia fall into that power play? More questions that he would have to ask his sister it seems.

The two of them left the chapel soon after, and Jade made to travel back to Grand Chokmah.


"Now, Thia, which of these glasses has the poisoned wine?"

"That one, my lady."

"Good girl. When I am queen, you, my sister, shall be my closest advisor."

"Yes, my lady. I await the day when my council will help you."

"Ah, Thia, there is no need to be so formal around me. My father adopted you, so you are my sister."

"Of course, my lady sister, my apologies."


~7 months before Fall of Akzeriuth~

Lythia shivered at the hostile gaze of a group of soldiers as she walked through the halls of the Malkuth Military Headquarters. Three months since Peony made his crazy "official announcement" and Lythia felt like she had lost the support of the majority of Grand Chokmah. No one was foolish enough to try and send assassins into the palace, but the ward princess felt that it was only a matter of time.

Ignoring the glares, the blonde woman continued towards her brother's office, slapping the pages in her hand against her leg, causing the glaring soldiers to look away. Lythia almost laughed at how she still managed to command the same level of respect that she used to, despite the hostility that was shown. Perhaps it was the fact that she still walked around insisting that she was called Major instead of Princess.

"Major Balfour," called the voice of Brigadier General Aslan Frings. The blonde woman spun on her heel to face the man.

"Yes sir?" She asked. Her tight tone and light smile had him frowning.

"I believe, Major," he started in a disapproving way, "that you claimed that you could hold your act together."

Lythia's expression turned sour.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" She asked, continuing at General Frings nod. "It has been three months since Peony's grand plan to reveal my name. I have shown time and time again that I am the same person I always was. Why does my family name suddenly change everything?"

"Necromancer," is all Frings said turning around to walk away. He stopped and threw parting words over his shoulder.

"Remember Major, once Arietta agrees, you step down."

"Gladly," Lythia murmured, continuing on her way. Necromancer. Of course. She was suddenly the little sister to the Necromancer. With a sigh she knocked on the door to Jade's office. Hearing him call her in she opened the door slightly, slipped through the gap and shut the door behind her. She noticed Peony was in the room, with a growl she walked forward and pulled his head towards the ground by his hair.

"Ow! Lythia!" he complained, trying to extract his hair from Lythia's vice grip. Lythia's grip only tightened.

"Do you think I've forgiven your comment from yesterday?" she snapped. "Yeah, I know what the citizens of this city are saying about me, but you don't need to joke about it. The rumours about the Witch Child are as ancient as your father. He died, so let those rumours die with him."

Jade watched the scene with a rare smile, glad that Lythia had entered his office and stopping the Emperor from ranting.

"Let go Lythia!" Peony exclaimed. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that! You aren't the Witch Child! Can you let go of my hair?!"

Hate flashed in the blonde woman's eyes, but she released her fingers from Peony's hair, turning to her brother instead.

"It's time that I choose my handmaiden," she said quietly. "Nyx left when I revealed myself as Lythia Balfour, she had something against you. One more test is needed, and I need your help, brother."

"A test for Serill and Arya?" Jade asked, tilting his head to the side. His sister pulled out a small packet which both Jade and Peony recognized.

"More like a test for Serill," she replied tossing the packet to the red eyed man in front of her. "Would I be able to trouble you to don Kimlascan armour and do some kind of flashy surprise attack? I have this feeling I know what the outcome will be."

Jade agreed to play the part of an assassin from Kimlasca, so Peony and Lythia went back to the palace. At least, Lythia went, dragging Malkuth's wayward Emperor behind her. There she told Peony to clear the guards in the hallways. She then walked back to her rooms where she called out to the two remaining girls.

"Serill, could I bother you for some tea," Lythia requested with a smile. "And Arya, I left several books written in Ancient Ispanian on my shelf, could you please bring them to me. They should be thin volumes, three of them."

"Yes milady," the girls said in unison, before running off to do their respective duties. Arya returned with the three books that Lythia requested, and began brushing the ward princess' hair. Serill returned soon after with a tray of tea. The ornamental cup held a faint odor that made Lythia's stomach curl. She brought the tea to her lips and pretended to take a sip.

"Thank-you Serill," she murmured, before she set the cup down. "Oh, I just realized that I need to go talk to my Lord Brother about something, will you two please come with me?"

Serill and Arya nodded, and Lythia stood, picking up her books, and making sure that her knife was at her side, she walked out into the hallway, smiling as she noted the lack of palace guards. She also noticed Jade lurking in the shadows, in Kimlascan military uniform as promised, his spear at the ready.

The two girls walked two steps behind Lythia as she walked towards the palace entrance hall. She opened one of the thin books in her hands in small signal to Jade. Everything after that happened in a span of less than a minute. Jade ran forward with his spear ready to strike Lythia. Almost a fraction too late, Arya grabbed the knife from Lythia's sheath and swung it at Jade, causing the man to jump back. Instead of pausing to assess the situation however, Arya ran at Jade and tried to cut his upper arm.

Arya and Serill froze when Lythia started clapping. They looked at the ward princess in shock.

"Well that certainly was interesting, wasn't it Jade?" Lythia asked, as her brother pulled his hair out of the ponytail he had tied it in.

"That it was quite interesting indeed," he replied. "A skillful retainer you could have in this one."

Lythia nodded and turned to Serill.

"Arrest her," she said emotionlessly. "She has tried to assassinate me several times during her stay as handmaiden."

Walking behind the stunned child, she snatched a small packet out of Serill's pocket. It was exactly the same as the one that Lythia had handed Jade earlier.

"Serill of House Cadraes, I hope you know that nightshade is archaic. Your plan to poison me would never have worked, my Lady Sister, before she died, taught me to recognize poisoned consumables."

Serill Cadraes looked upon Lythia with contempt in her eyes.

"You killed my father, Witch Child!" She spat. This surprised Lythia and Jade.

"You believe the rumors flying around?" The blonde woman asked. "The Witch Child has been dead for years. They died with Emperor Karl the fifth."

The child before her lunged, but was stopped by Jade who dragged her out of the hallway to Lorelei knows where. When they were gone, Lythia turned to Arya, who had shifted closer to the princess.

"Well, I guess that means that you are my handmaiden then," Lythia commented, drawing the black haired child's attention. "You would like to have that position wouldn't you?"

"Yes milady," Arya stated as neutrally as possible. "I would love to be your handmaiden, but..."

"What will happen to Serill?" Lythia finished. "Most likely she'll have a prison cell to live in for the next couple of months. My Lord Brother cannot exactly execute a child. Do not worry about it Arya, I knew that someone would try for my life the moment I decided to face my past, I wouldn't let anyone hurt you, or any child."

Lythia continued walking in the direction of the palace entrance hall, intent on finding Peony.

"I'd say prepare yourself, Arya," Lythia said to the child walking with her. I have this feeling that we shall have a few months of calm now before the storm."


Hope you enjoyed reading! Please review when you're finished - reviews are love!

Oh dear, how utterly confusing! xD Witch Child? What is this "Witch Child" that keeps popping up? And why was Serill convinced that Lythia is this Witch Child? And what is this deal that Frings and Lythia were discussing? And lets not forget Jade's own question of: How did Lythia fall into the power struggles of Peony's older siblings?

So that's all for this chapter! I'll see you all next time! Oh and here is that rope I promised! *throws figurative rope* Until next time!

~Icetail of WindClan - Meta-If~

Unimportant notes:

As you can see, Jade and Lythia have similar reactions to certain things - namely certain titles, and in the next chapter, surprisingly, names. There is still 24 years worth of lies to overturn, despite the fact that they have mended the gap between them.

As you might be able to guess - Arietta is important. More important things include Lythia's relationship that she had with Peony's siblings, which will be revealed later. Yes there are plenty more secrets to be revealed.