They had all heard multiple stories about future spouses being trapped in rooms together. Their mother and father, especially. But the Castle locking all four siblings inside the throne room was ridiculous. Especially considering they were all in a four way quarrel.
"Lilah, you're not even making sense," Rolf argued, his voice calm and cool compared to his sister's.
Bran and Celie rolled their eyes at each other. Rolf was annoying to be quarreling with, because he was highly trained in diplomacy to be a king, so that meant he knew all the tricks. Lilah and Rolf were fighting because Dagger did something that Lilah didn't like, Celie wasn't quite sure.
Celie was fighting with Lilah because Lilah was trying to plan out Celie's whole life, and Celie was mad at Rolf because he kept brushing her off for Kalys. Bran, like usual, was sticking his nose into things that Celie considered her projects.
Rolf was mad at Bran because he'd experimented on Dagger while Rolf was in petitions. Rolf was also mad at Lilah because she wouldn't stop teasing him about Kalys (which was a little unfair, considering Rolf had exceedingly teased Lilah about her romantic affairs), but the problem came in when Lilah teased Rolf about Kalys in front of Kalys. Rolf was arguing with Celie because he said she was pestering him about things she should be pestering Bran about.
Lilah was fighting with Rolf because Dagger kept "convincing Juliet into trouble". Lilah was in a tiff with Bran because she felt he wasn't doing enough research with the unicorns. Lilah was also fighting with Celie because she said Celie was being irresponsible as a Princess, and wasn't taking anything seriously.
Bran was upset with Lilah because she kept telling him how to properly do his job. There was also currently a hierarchy complex with Bran, Rolf, and Queen Celina because King Glower was in Sleyne City. Technically, Rolf was in complete power because his mother and brother were wizards and it was illegal for them to be on the throne, but Bran didn't like being headed up by Rolf and under his orders (though from what Celie could tell, Rolf had only asked him to study basic harvest things at this point), which made the whole family wonder how things would go when Rolf was king full time. Bran was fighting with Celie because he said she was being a pest, and kept bothering him whilst he was busy making poofs in his workshop.
And now, they were trapped in the throne room all together, alone, looking at each other with pointed faces. Rolf sat on the floor, his back against the throne, arms crossed, still bickering with Lilah about how she was contradicting herself. Celie and Bran, the ones who were probably on the best terms, sat next to Lilah who was flourishing her hands angrily as she spoke harshly to Rolf.
"Lilah, that's enough," Bran finally said after Lilah had insulted something about Rolf's princehood. "And Rolf, you're not solving anything by pointing all the fallacies Lilah has."
"Yeah," Celie said, knowing what she was about to say would be snotty. "Lilah's arguments never make sense, so why should they start now?"
Rolf grinned and Bran turned to Celie with a look of horror on his face. He was trying to play parent, Celie knew, and it was irritating. The Castle was playing parent in trapping them all in the throne room. But while Celie could overturn her older brother, she couldn't overturn a magical Castle.
"And you don't be a brat," Bran snapped.
"Then don't try to play mummy," Rolf argued. "You're not our mediator, Bran. We have problems with you, too, you know."
"If this is still about Dagger-"
"You performed high experiments on my griffin after I told you I'd think about it! Of course it's about Dagger," Rolf began arguing, his jaw tense, but voice calm. A little part of Celie just wanted to see him yell a little bit.
"Well if any of the griffins had something going on in the head and need research done, it would be Dagger," Lilah said snottily, and Rolf raised both eyebrows at her, a smirk twisting to his lips. One that Celie knew was usually accompanied by something a touch too witty for a situation.
"You're right, Delilah. My griffin is both sick in the head and somehow tricking yours into bad behavior," he stated. "Fallacy."
Bran groaned. "I'm sorry I took your griffin without asking, Rolf. Happy now?"
"It's more than that, Bran! It's you attitude that you think you can do anything you want because you're older than me," Rolf said, his voice finally showing seriousness and strain.
"And you do the same thing because you're the Crown Prince," Bran argued back, his voice a little wounded for once when talking about the subject. "You've never actually dealt with disappointment or anything like it."
Rolf's eyes went wild. "Oh, really? You're right, Bran, just because I was declared heir instead of you means that I'm a spoiled brat who doesn't understand anything. You know, it's pretty hard to have to make all the decisions, to have to talk to all the hard people, and then get blamed when everything goes wrong. Or-or not get credit or do things that nobody ever finds about or praises others for things you did, Bran. And none of you can argue that that hasn't happened to me on all of our little adventures."
"What about Grath?" Lilah whined, though Celie didn't think it was the time.
"Oh, Grath? When you and Mother and Orlath treated me like a stupid child the entire time? When Mother refused to listen to any ideas I had, or took credit for them and used the time on the Ship to make me a laughing stalk? Imagine doing enormous amounts of work, planning, strategizing just to be mocked and simply told you're not good enough to do anything because your own mother doesn't think that wise to do anything, despite three years of proving yourself. That sums up, Grath, Delilah."
Rolf paused, and by the look in his eye, Celie was afraid to say anything.
"As for you, Bran, maybe remember everything that I've built before you start accusing me of not understanding disappointment," Rolf snapped, and then he was silent again.
"Well, if we're just openly speaking feelings," Lilah started. "You all make jokes about me behind my back and treat me like I'm shallow."
Celie bit back a retort about Lilah caring so deeply that she wear her stockings straight. Bran raised his eyebrows, and Rolf just scowled.
"Sometimes we do treat you like you're shallow," Rolf said slowly, and Celie deep down knew she and Rolf were the most guilty of it, usually when they're together. "But sometimes it's hard when you give us shallow content to work with."
"Like what?"
"I don't know."
"I need an example, Rolf, if you want me to change," Lilah snapped, and Rolf looked to Celie and Bran for help. Celie just shrugged. Lilah did need an example to go off of.
"You still think the unicorns is why we went to the Found," Rolf said finally. Celie personally thought that was a very weak example.
"Oh, right. This all comes back to Kalys," Lilah responded rolling her eyes.
"It does not!" Rolf snapped.
"Does too!" Celie finally spoke. "Maybe Lilah has an obsession with unicorns, but you're obsessed with Kalys."
"I am not obsessed with Kalys," Rolf argued back. "Besides me liking Kalys just as much, or more, than Lilah liking unicorns is much more justified, because I'm probably going to marry Kalys."
Normally, Celie would've taken the comment into deep teasing territory, but she was too upset to right now.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you need to only spend time with her," Celie said softly, remembering just yesterday when Rolf had ditched a scheduled griffin flight for Kalys. Tears welled up in her eyes as it stung again, and she, embarrassed, tried to turn away.
"I'm sorry, Cel."
A tear dripped down her nose, when Rolf put a warm hand on her shoulder, coming to sit by her. Celie and Rolf had always been good friends, and now, she felt like she was losing him. It was a terrible thing to grow up, she was realizing. Not because she couldn't resist it, but everyone seemed so keen on it.
"I'm sorry, too," Bran said. "For calling you a pest the other day."
Celie smiled up gratefully at her older brothers. Bran was smiling regretfully, and rubbing the back of his neck.
"After Rolf was declared heir instead of me, I always felt like I could never measure up in anything, since the Castle thought I wouldn't be a good king. Even though, I tested high for levels in magic, I still get insecure with doing things exactly right, and I don't like it when people watch me work because I'm afraid," Bran admitted. "And I know in reality, you're just interested in what Im doing, and I-I know that I often poke my head into things that you do because I want to feel useful, so I'm sorry that I often get short with you."
Another tear slid down Celie's cheek, and she went to squeeze Bran's hand. She had never thought of him as insecure, and she suddenly felt like she understood him a lot better.
Rolf gave Lilah a nudge. Despite being the ones who probably bickered the most, Rolf and Lilah had an annoying habit since Celie could remember of communicating with each other through their eyes and facial expressions. Celie never understood, but they seemed to know exactly what each other was saying.
"I'm sorry for telling you to grow up so hurriedly this morning," Lilah said softly. "If we're all making admissions, I often feel so out of control with everything that goes on. Sometimes I still think back on everything that has happened, and I feel so helpless, and then it makes me want to control everything and everyone around me to feel some sort of usefulness, or maybe that I could prevent more bad things coming our way."
Celie blinked away tears again as she leaned her head against Rolf's shoulder. Lilah was wiping tears from her eyes, and Bran put a comforting arm around her. Celie thought it was a nice picture, suddenly, to see both the pairs of brother and sister so humbly close.
"Cel, I'm sorry if you feel like I've been a lousy older brother," Rolf apologized again. "It's just I'm so awfully busy being Crown Prince and practically Father's assistant, and trying to impress Kalys if I'm being honest, and when I do look for you you're usually hiding. And it's true-there have been times that I have ditched you for hanging around Kalys, and I am wrong, and I need to work on that."
Celie had never heard her brother so, so untactful in his words. He had always been genuine, but as of the late, she had noticed that he was starting to slip away from being quite as present; literally and figuratively.
"I-I just don't want to lose you," she whispered.
"But Celie," Bran started. ""Sometimes you're just not very good at adapting. If things don't go your way, you get upset and just mutter and hide."
Celie curled her lip. It was kind of true.
"I just liked things before Prince Khelsh came, and I want things to be like that forever, with the griffins, of course," she whined, knowing she was sounding babyish.
"Well, see, that's the point, Cel, without ever changing we don't get the things we want, either," Rolf explained. "Look, I'm going to try and make a point to better my time, which means I'll be able to do things with you, and-"
"And I'll accept that you're madly in love with Kalys and want to marry her," Celie groaned. She hated when people fell in love.
"And that you want her to have your babies," Lilah finished enthusiastically.
"Gross, Delilah," Bran said, wrinkling his nose as Rolf turned bright red.
"And Lilah," Rolf started, shrugging off his blush. "You're allowed to tease me about Kalys, but for god's sake, stop telling her that I'm in love with her while she's there! It's overwhelmingly embarrassing."
"For all the teasing you gave me about Pogue Parry and Lulath," Lilah started.
"Yes, but not in front of them," Rolf said.
"Oh, alright," Lilah subsided. "I'll just tease you in moments like this."
"Deal."
Celie looked at all of her siblings in turn. For all the fighting they had done over the past few days, suddenly it was better. Celie had always been one to run away from fighting, because of the feeling it gave her. But now, she understood that maybe correct arguing, even with fallacies, produced a feeling that was better than the other feeling was worse; understanding. A Castle got that, and it opened the doors.