{-Alfonse-}

A part of him had wished Eir hadn't said anything; at least then he wouldn't be wondering what it was. He had enough to worry about as it was and conversation certainly didn't help. Anywhere he went there was something he needed to get done. Really the closest thing he could do to taking a break would be to switch which project he'd rather work on.

In an attempt to not think about that part, he went to the royal library to once again find something to help Zacharias. So far he'd come up with nothing, but he hoped that he could actually find something by the time they met (if, of course, Veronica could get Zacharias to come). But what he'd gone to read only brought up more questions that he frustratingly couldn't even begin to find an answer to.

"It's late. You should really try to get some sleep soon." Henriette must've seen the candlelight and chose to investigate it. She'd been quiet enough up until that point that he jumped when she actually said something.

"I know, Mother," Alfonse sighed. He closed the book he'd been reading and sat it aside. "There's just a lot I've been trying to figure out and nothing is helping."

She glanced over what he had out and frowned, though still made the offer, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Probably nothing that I should be sharing." He knew that Henriette would probably know something about what Zacharias wanted, but not only did Zacharias tell him not to share it but Henriette also showed she wasn't going to say anything. Then he realized there was still something else that he might be able to ask her. "What did Thórr tell you about the prince of peace and little dreamer?"

"I'm… guessing you know who they are, if you're asking about them..?"

He nodded. "Eir told us earlier."

"I can't say much," she admitted, "at least not without both of you. Thórr had made sure I knew everything I needed to, though Gustav never believed that she was telling the truth… even when it became obvious that they were who she said they were. The prince of peace, who Hel tried to take twice, and the little dreamer, with her two butterflies that are finding their way back to her…"

He understood the first part; it was the second that he was confused by and she seemed to realize that.

"I suppose you were never there with us when she was really little," Henriette sighed. "Sharena used to have two little butterflies following her around whenever she was outside. They both disappeared around the time Thórr stopped coming to talk with me, though. The last thing she told me was that I'd know when the prince of peace and little dreamer's time was coming when those butterflies came back. Up until two months ago, I thought she meant it literally. But that's not the case, is it?"

"I think that's something Sharena should be explaining," Alfonse said carefully. There was only one thing he could think of that related to what she was talking about: Lekra. If he knew his sister, he would assume there was a reason she hadn't told Henriette about it yet. Even if it wasn't, it didn't feel like his place to say anything.

Henriette must've acknowledged all of this yet chose to completely ignore it. "Be honest, I'm sure Sharena won't mind. Has she met a nightmare?"

He sighed. "Yes. They've apparently been with her since a little while before we went to Nifl."

"And their name?"

"Lekra."

That seemed to be enough for her and earned him a little more details. "She named those butterflies, too… Lekra and Izzy. She was always so willing to go to sleep because then she could see Peony and Triandra, or help Freyr… although I don't think she remembers any of that now." She turned to leave and, as if nothing else had happened, said, "Do try to get some rest soon. You've got a lot to do tomorrow."

((A/N: This is when I realize that Sharena has been sincerely lacking in telling her mother about her friends. Henriette just now knows who Lekra is, and at this point she hasn't meet Fjorm (at least not personally; she knows who she is and what she looks like but not anything about her specifically) OR Eir yet…))