Episode 2: Partners Reunited! The New Lives Of Two Young Heroes
It had been a year since Prem had last been in Halcandra, the town at the foot of Eris' royal castle. Back then, the town was a barely functioning collection of cave habitats. Being surrounded by wild mountains and an active volcano meant that it was always dark, hot, and sooty, with a toxic, ash-filled stench in the air.
So when he arrived now with Laurent in tow, he had to stop dead still and ask himself several times over if he was in the right place. The mountains were there, but they weren't familiar at all. Not with all the smiles, laughter, and festivities closer by.
"I can't believe it." Prem stumbled a bit, mouth agape.
The town had an iron arch with 'welcome to Halcandra' written on it. Colours were bright and clean. The sky was clear and the sun was out, yet the wind was cool and pleasant. Buildings made of brick, stone, and other modern materials were all over, creating streets and roads. Everything had festive banners, flags, balloons, and similar strung to it, too.
"There are so many Pokémon! I cannot count," said Laurent, a mile away from him. Prem only heard their voice in the distance and jumped.
"Lau, please don't run off," he cried as he caught up. He had to give a family of Azumarill a friendly smile and wave since they gave him a weirded-out look. He kept up a nervous smile until they went away. Great first impression, Prem.
"Bye bye!" Laurent waved.
"Lau, remember that you're a species that not many Pokémon have seen before. You'll scare them if you just go up to strangers like that." Prem waggled a finger at them.
"Uwa! I do not want to scare no one. I am sorry." Lau hugged him.
"It's alright. Just stick beside me, please," he ordered. They were in the centre of a town square, complete with a fountain, cobble roads, and a fair share of trees and grass patches. Groups of Pokémon just like the Azumarill family occupied every corner and road, happily chatting away, singing, and enjoying the peppy atmosphere.
"There are fairies," Prem whispered to himself as he realised the Azumarill wasn't the only one. "There are actually fairies this close to Castle Eris, a town of dragons."
"Are fairies not allowed here?" Laurent asked.
"Well they are, but they didn't used to be. And in general, Eris is a kingdom ruled by dragons. Fairies don't normally like it, and fairies don't like the dragons here," he explained as he wandered around.
"Um, Daddy? I have the hungry." Laurent got his attention after a moment.
"You're a real glutton, you know that? We ate before we came here." He raised an eyebrow. Laurent answered with a nervous frown and a rub of their belly. "We'll get something soon. Right now, we need to find Leos."
"Oh oh oh, Leos is here? Is Leos in this town?" They beamed up.
"He should be. I have to remember where he is," Prem said. He scanned the area once more, and then consulted a map on a bulletin board. This place is way different to what it used to be. This map doesn't even look like it covers the whole town.
"Where is Leos? Do you know where to find him, Daddy?" Laurent floated beside him with a hand on their lip.
The question made Prem shut his eyes to think hard. The obvious suggestion to search for the prince would be the castle, but knowing Leos, he was bound to be somewhere else. His old knowledge was all he had to go off.
"Are you hot?" Laurent asked.
Prem jolted back into focus. Wearing his poncho in this climate was beginning to make him sweat, but he wouldn't take it off, especially not with the bruises from his last mission. The thought made him tug at the wings of his poncho and make sure his tail was still tucked inside the thing. Thankfully, he decided to have his teammates stay behind. He wouldn't be able to take their comments to things like that today.
He turned back to the map. At this time of the day, on this day of the week, if Leos still sticks to his usual routine, he would be training at the dojo. And Leos prefers to use the public dojo, so that means…
He had been tracing the map and the key the whole time. When he found the very dojo he was thinking about, his eyes gleamed. It was nearby, too. "Got it. We can go."
He stuck a hand out and nearly toppled over since Laurent wasn't there. The Poipole was already off in the distance again, this time in the opposite direction to where they needed to go. Prem stumbled after them in worry until some market stands came into view, and he felt himself sweat out of relief.
"Lau, I told you to stay by me," he said as he popped up behind them. Laurent didn't seem to notice him, fixated on a popcorn machine as it cooked the kernels right in front of them. "Lau?"
"It looks so yummy," Lau drooled.
"It's just popcorn. It's not very filling. We should get proper food before snacks," Prem warned.
"But it looks so yummy," Lau whined.
"Hahahaha, the kid yours?" The Magmar manning the stand got his attention. Prem didn't blame Laurent for being attracted, either. The entire street smelt of delicious open fire cooking, and this stand had little cups of popcorn set out that made him peckish just looking at.
"Try some!" an Alcremie said, presenting a cup to him. He had never seen a sweet like this before. Buckets of coloured popcorn caked in thick, creamy, colourful whip. He could just imagine the rich taste made addictive by the soft crunches hidden in the middle, and licked his lips. With a joyful sigh, he knew he had been defeated.
Minutes later and they were on the road to the dojo, Laurent's head buried in a bucket while Prem blankly dipped a hand into his own. He was too busy admiring everything he passed to eat properly. Now that they were out of the entryway and a further into the local section of the town, the buildings started to look more like Pokémon habitats. Even so, they were miles better than the crudely dug caves he was expecting to see. Decorated domes each with their own little garden at the front was the new standard, it seemed.
Laurent's content face-stuffing occupied the quiet over here, while the decorations were a lot less extravagant, but still present. The dojo stood out too, being a perfectly rectangular hall that stretched across the space of two habitats. The moment it was within reach, Prem felt his heart grow heavy. He handed his popcorn to Laurent, who happily dug in without question.
Leos is in here. He wanted to be wrong. He stood still and looked up at the structure looming over him. He didn't care that he was hot now, he had to pull his poncho inwards to hug himself. A full year. A full year since then. You horrible guy. Do I even want to do this?
"You were right, it is not very filling." Laurent popped up beside him. The little Poipole's messy face brought a smile to his own. He wiped the cream off with a hand and let Laurent lick it clean.
No. This is not about me. This is about Laurent and the Radiant One. I have to see him. He told himself. With a nod and a sigh, he entered.
Soft floor. Dim lighting thanks to tiny candles. The complete and utter silence of a lack of presence. There was nothing there but a desk with a book on it, and a stepladder for getting up to the desk. The main hall was somewhere in the back, but Prem couldn't hear anything from it.
"Oh no, it is dark in here. Would Leos really be here?" Laurent floated closer to him. Prem instinctively held their hand, which seemed to calm the Poipole.
"Be with you in a second!" a woman's voice called from the back room.
"Oh, there is someone!" Laurent squeaked. A minute later, a Wobbuffet emerged and waved to them.
"Sorry for the wait! If you were hoping to use the facility, I'm afraid it's fully booked for the day. Royal orders," she said.
Royal orders. I was right. Prem tensed up.
"Oh? Wait," Wobbuffet said. In a flash, she waddled up to touching distance and leaned right over the duo. "Hmm. Let me get a good look at you."
Prem didn't know what to say or do besides lean back and grit his teeth, his eyes wide and body barely balanced. Laurent didn't seem bothered though, and blew raspberries.
"I was right. I wasn't mistaken! I can't believe it's you, Master Prem. Forgive me for not recognising you right away. It's been so long!" She backed off and bowed to him. "Please please, if anyone is welcome here now, it's you. Right this way, Prince Leos will be very happy to see you."
Prem gulped and corrected his appearance. Happy isn't the word I'd use.
"Mister Leos? Is Mister Leos really here?" Laurent asked.
"Yes. He comes here every week to train with the locals and any travellers. But this week they had to book the entire dojo hall for a private session," Wobbuffet informed as she led them through the hall. It was even dimmer than the entrance, but brighter at the training area. The soft flooring turned into tatami mat with patterns drawn on it, which directed them to an open set of double doors.
"I'll leave you to it, Master Prem." Wobbuffet bowed as she left them there. Prem stuck a hand out in not wanting her to leave, sighed, and then stepped through with a wary gaze.
The hall was huge, split into an indoor and outdoor area by a wall of open shutters. Both sections had everything he assumed Pokémon would need for training: an arena marked into the floor, blocks for terrain, climbing apparatus', weights and padded shields, and more tools he had to guess the function of. The lack of sunlight caused the area to be notably chilly, but none of the Pokémon here seemed to be bothered by it.
Prem could recognise all but one of the few Pokémon here. The new face was a Clefairy with a huge purple bow tied to its tail, who stood outside the arena with a rigid, intense glare. Opposite her was a mega evolved Audino who also looked to be observing the battle about to take place. The combatants were a chubby Espurr with some unusual features, and the very Pokémon he had been dreading seeing, an Oshawott.
The Oshawott and Espurr flew into battle, dashing across the arena in seconds. Both combatants held wooden training staves, and clashed hard enough that a violent snap came from their impact. Oshawott was undeterred however, and spun to slash at the Espurr before they could move into a new attack.
Espurr shifted into a defensive stance to block his attack, but the impact made her stagger back with a grunt. Oshawott didn't stop there, though. He held his weapon tight and roared as he threw his body into a flurry of slashes and swipes at wicked force. All Espurr could do was back away as she held her weapon defensively, and still each hit had her bending and leaning every which way. Soon they were at the edge of the arena, where Oshawott jumped back and quickly let out a Water Gun.
"Whoa," Laurent said, eyes glued to the spectacle. Prem relaxed upon feeling his hand get squeezed, and spared them a glance.
The battle wasn't over. Espurr growled and grunted as she stood her ground against the force of the Water Gun, but just as she was about to get shoved out of the arena, she ducked and dove to the right to avoid the attack. Oshawott flinched, giving her an opening to charge forward. She threw her body into him with a shoulder tackle, and then charged after him as he rolled back into the centre of the room. She raised her weapon as she neared, crying out in increasing volume. All Oshawott could do was grit his teeth and hold his weapon in defence.
"Cease! Stop fighting!" Audino shouted. Everyone froze instantly, Espurr balancing on one foot while leaned over Oshawott. Both combatants remained in their position for a moment, and then Espurr suddenly lost her balance and fell right on top of him.
"A-ah, Griselle, stop it- you're heavy!" Leos coughed.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to," Griselle squeaked, and rolled off. They were on their backs staring at the ceiling for a moment, and then broke into laughter.
"Lord Leos, please, must you embarrass yourself still? This may be a private session, but it would not kill you to take it seriously." Clefairy skipped over to them. Prem was surprised to hear that she didn't sound much older than himself, though she possessed the exact tone expected of a noble lady.
"It's okay, I'm taking it seriously. Just, haha, Griselle, you can be so silly sometimes," Leos said as he got to his feet. He helped her up, though she seemed a little disappointed.
"Daddy, what Pokémon is that?" Laurent whispered with a point. It took Prem a moment to realise they were pointing at the Espurr.
"Even you noticed how off she was," he mumbled. "That's Griselle. She is a hybrid Pokémon, a fusion of two different species. Don't bring it up, it's rude."
"Oh no. I do not want to be rude to her."
The duo watched as the mega Audino and Clefairy addressed the two fighting Pokémon, discussing the battle and training that Prem wasn't here to see. But for Prem, it was a good look at a duo he hadn't seen in a year. He felt emptier the longer he watched them mingle, and mentally prepared to walk out without saying a thing to them.
Griselle was a hybrid of an Oshawott and an Espurr, although she mostly took the traits of an Espurr. She had smoky aqua fur that sprung off in chaotic curls across her head and body, and a plump form befitting a water type more than a psychic one. Her nose, ears, tail, and the shape of her eyes all belonged to an Oshawott, while the rest of her features were pure Espurr.
Leos on the other hand, he was the one that had Prem close to crying. He was also a hybrid, and perhaps that was what had him so attracted to Griselle. He wasn't even part Espurr, he was Oshawott combined with Clefairy, but entirely Oshawott in appearance.
He was taller than the average Oshawott and maintained a young complexion. He grew a ton of extra fur on his head, which he had styled into loose, shoulder-length bangs coupled with a beautiful ponytail. Only his ears poked through. He didn't wear any accessories that would hint at him being royalty, either. Even after all this time, the passionate expressions of this prince hadn't gone anywhere, and seeing them in reality brought on all manner of powerful feelings.
Prem couldn't think straight. He stood and watched in silence as the group continued their training session. He never took his eyes off them or let go of Laurent, who thankfully cooperated with him in staying quiet and still.
"So I would suggest thinking ahead when confronting the opponent. Don't think about what you need to do to defeat them. Think about what they can do to stop you from winning, and prepare accordingly," Audino explained.
"I understand. If I can predict what the opponent might do, I can continue to apply pressure with my own attacks. This is especially important when terrain comes into play," Leos replied. Audino nodded.
"I hate having to cut things off here when it looks like you're having so much fun, but we'll have to stop here for today. Excellent work, you two." Audino nodded.
"We're stopping early because?" Leos tilted his head.
"Because of your meeting with his and her highness, Lord Leos. I'm starting to feel like you would forget your own head if I were not here to remind you," Clefairy informed, hands on her hips.
"Well pardon me for not prioritising. They haven't told me what this meeting's for even though they called me all the way back here. And it can't be very important if I'm still allowed to be out training," he said. "But never mind. Griselle, let's try one more thing before we finish."
"Lord Leos!" Clefairy cried.
"Don't worry, we'll be quick!" he said as he positioned himself behind Griselle, who looked at him nervously. "Give us a Hydro Pump. Your best effort!"
"But I can barely do Pokémon moves," Griselle muttered.
"You've been training super hard lately, and you've done it before. Trust me, I bet you can pull it off," he smiled.
"But, I, um—"
"Won't you try? For me?" he begged. She rubbed her face and moaned, turning to face one of the targets at the far end of the hall. Leos planted himself behind her, arms stretched forward as if to catch her. "You know what to do. Just well up all the energy within you and blast it all out at once! No holding back."
She sighed at the suggestion, but did just that. She leaned forward and then stood straight a few times as if stretching. Being fat didn't stop her belly from visibly inflating. She leaned back as water welled her up huge, that soon showed in her cheeks, and then was fired out in a torrential jet. The target she aimed at was snapped to pieces even though her attack hit the corner of it. The recoil from the blast sent her whole body flying back too, where Leos failed to catch her even though he was in position. The two of them fell back to the floor with a painful thud.
It took her a moment to realise she was on top of him, and blinked twice. "Again?"
"You seem to like this position, ha ha." He laughed.
"Leos!" she squeaked.
"But see, you can do it. It's super powerful, too. I'm pretty sure you broke the target from a further distance than me," Leos praised. He was sat back and half-hugged her from behind. She didn't seem to mind, though her cheeks did grow a little rosy as she smiled back at him.
"I took extra-long to charge, though. Oh and don't be like that, I missed, too." She turned away.
"It's Hydro Pump. It's not easy for anyone to direct," he reasoned as they brushed themselves off and stood up, paws lightly holding one another.
"Oh Leos, you're just saying that." She looked away.
"Frankly, I am impressed you managed to use a Pokémon attack in the first place, let alone Hydro Pump. You're good for more than distracting Master Leos," Clefairy commented. Griselle's smile faded instantly.
"Ignoring the underlying comment, what she says is true. Until recently, you weren't able to use Pokémon attacks at all, and Leos couldn't do a thing without succumbing to fatigue. Now here you are, bursting with energy after a full training session. You two are coming into your own." Audino patted them both on the head. "So take the praise. That was an excellent Hydro Pump, Griselle."
"Th-thank you." The hybrid twiddled her paws. She couldn't look anyone in the eye.
"Now, if we may be on our way. I believe we will be seeing you later, Iola?" Clefairy said.
"I'm actually coming with you. I was called to join you for some reason." Audino bowed.
"Well there's a hint. Now I'm more convinced it's something stupid," Leos complained.
Then it happened. The whole group turned in Prem's direction at once, and everything seemed to freeze right there. The Pikachu felt himself stop breathing completely, yet all nerves forced him to gulp and stiffen. Laurent even let go of him to float away, leaving him alone with his thoughts as he stared directly into Leos' eyes. His heart raced, his eyes wavered, and his mind was blank.
"Is that? It can't be," Leos mumbled as he took a step. "I-it is. I can't believe it!"
Prem's heart was about to jump out of his chest as the Oshawott came running. He gasped as Leos jumped right into him, wrapping his arms around Prem's back to twirl him around with a jovial laugh. By sheer instinct, Prem accepted the cuddle and allowed himself to be spun. They stayed like that for what felt like minutes, long enough for all of his familiarity to come flooding back.
That fine fur coat. That delicate touch. That water type coolness his body always gave off. And the confidence and pride he exuded when he refused to hold back on scenes like this. Leos was right here in his arms, and he was the same beautiful Oshawott he had ever been. Prem couldn't help himself, and tears began to well up in his eyes. He blinked those away quickly though, so his eyes were dry when Leos stepped away from the hug.
"You're here. Father said you would come, and you really did," Leos said, holding Prem's hands in his own. Prem still didn't know what to say, though his feelings were starting to level. Before he could say anything, Leos let out a yelp. Clefairy yanked him back by the ear and Prem was left with an arm hung out.
"Kristen, what in the world?" Leos cried.
"Focus, Lord Leos. We have things to do, important things," Clefairy yelled with her hands on her hips. "Please try to remember that when you goof off and miss scheduled meetings, it is me that has to work it all off."
"Ah I know, but I already said I would repay you. This is important," Leos scratched the back of his head.
"However important it is, you can mingle with the commoners another time. If we do not leave now, we will be late."
"Commoners? Prem is not a 'commoner'! This is really important Kristen, don't try to take this from me."
"And what about me, huh? How many other 'really important' inconveniences are going to pop up before you start treating me with respect?"
"Oh not this again."
"Don't you 'not this again' me! I don't want to have to parent you, but the more irresponsible you behave at times like this, the more I will have to step in."
"You're always like this. I didn't ask for it."
Prem stepped back, more confused than ever as two Pokémon bickered louder and louder. Sneaking a glance at Griselle and Iola, he could see that even they were embarrassed watching them. Laurent finally flew back into view and started giggling.
"Aww, they are in love!" Laurent pointed at them.
"Laurent!" Prem hissed.
"Love?" Leos and Kristen shouted in sync.
"It's not love! We're not—" Leos cried, and then froze. He gawked at Prem and Laurent's silent squabble, and tripped forward. "A-ah wait a minute. You're a Poipole?"
Prem and Laurent were the shocked ones, now. "You know what a Poipole is?"
"Yes but, er, I came across it through research. But it actually exists?" Leos asked. He put a paw up to Laurent's cheek, but they shifted away to hug up to Prem. "Are you really a Poipole?"
"I am a Poipole, but my name is Laurent. Daddy gave me that name, and that is what you need to call me. I am called Laurent," Lau barked.
"Daddy?" Leos said. Prem groaned and palmed his face.
"Master Leos—" Kristen stepped in.
"No! Just stop already, this is really, really important right now," Leos shouted. Silence fell. "Right, uh, I guess we have a lot to talk about."
And just like that, reality came right back to Prem, and his body tensed. "Yes. That's why I'm here, because of Laurent. Nothing else."
"I actually can't believe you found a Poipole. I heard you were really making a name for yourself, but this takes the crown," Leos said, jaw-dropped by the creature.
"Laurent isn't a trophy, you know. They're more important than that. Laurent, this is Leos. He's… a very important prince," Prem introduced. "Tell him everything you told me, and he should be able to help you."
"Everything?" Laurent replied.
"Start from the top. The Radiant One, the dark world, you frozen in ice, all of it." Prem said. Every word widened Leos' mouth further.
"Including the yummy popcorn?"
"Maybe leave out that part. And the 'daddy' part, too." Prem scratched his face.
"Radiant One? Dark world?" Leos said. He went quiet and stared at Prem, who refused to make eye contact. "Um, I've been called to the castle, so can we walk and talk?"
"Not surprised you don't have time," Prem said.
"Not really my choice." Leos shook his head.
…
A short while later, Prem and this large group were on the way towards Castle Eris. On the northern end of the town was a valley path leading right to the castle, a rocky, uphill road where the region started to look more like the Eris Prem knew. The further north they went, the whiter the mountains became, and not due to ice or snow. It was actually still quite cool and summery like the town was.
"Like Prem says, I know about the legend of the Radiant One and the world of darkness," Leos began. He led the group with a confident march, but his new retainer, Kristen, kept beside him the whole time. "I'm not saying I didn't believe in it, but I can't believe I'm hearing about it now. And that it is literally a world that's so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face."
Prem didn't say anything as he was focused ahead. You used to have to climb a mountain to reach Castle Eris, since it was built into the side of a mountain and dug entirely out of caves. Now, there was a public path that led right to it, though that path was still surrounded by unforgiving mountains. As the royal castle came into view, it was still clearly built into the mountains, though it was no longer as camouflaged as it once was.
"It sounds like one scary place, don't you think?" Leos added. The words snapped Prem back to reality, and he shook himself.
"But do you know anything more? Laurent is counting on you, here," Prem replied.
"Not much more than they've told us, I'm afraid." Leos folded his arms. "I didn't really read through the book properly. It was just something I came across while exploring in the Second Country. But hey, don't get disheartened. It's a good kick for a quest, and the perfect chance for us to catch up."
"Catch up?" Prem said.
"My Lord, I would temper those expectations if I were you. This meeting today is likely for something of importance," Kristen warned.
"It won't be. If Mother and Father are involved, it never is." Leos let his arms hang loose. "But enough of the business talk. How are things in general? All I know is what they say about your team, Prem."
"This is important though, Leos." Prem raised his voice. Laurent put a hand on his lip. "It's like I said, I'm only here to find out if you can help Laurent. If you can't, then we need to start looking elsewhere."
Leos made a face, and just like that, Prem could feel guilt well up within. It hurt to act like this, but it hurt even more to pretend that everything was cool between them. The Oshawott grumbled something and stopped completely.
"Hey can I get a minute, please?" Leos requested.
"We do not have time, my Lord," Kristen said.
"Well then they have to make time. I'm sure they—"
"We cannot do that! My Lord, you must be the one to make time after this. If you could just focus on this one task for once, I would not have to push you so. Again, you make my life hard when you decide to change plans." She raised her voice as she snatched him by the arm. "And it is not just mine, but many other royals and leaders. You are the prince! And you are fully aware of where you stand and what kind of prince."
Prem groaned when they broke into a squabble again, surprised to have Griselle and Iola join him in feeling awkward. Leos and Kristen didn't even take notice of that everyone had stopped, and stormed ahead while barking comments at each other. Prem watched them drag each other ahead with a sigh.
"When did he get like this?" Prem asked. He didn't take his eyes off Leos once.
"Ever since Kristen joined. I know what you're thinking, Leos wouldn't normally let the royals control him like that. I've been worried for a while." Griselle put her paws together.
"Then why don't you say something?" he turned to her.
"Me? I'm just a hybrid, I don't have a say in any of that," she said. Prem thought to drill her, but the miserable look on her face changed his mood completely. "Maybe there's something about Kristen that I don't know about. She should be totally the kind of Pokémon he hates, but he keeps her around still."
"That is what Pokémon in love do, do not they?" Laurent giggled.
"Do not they?" Griselle tilted her head.
"Lau means 'don't they'. Lau speaks a bit funny. Etherian isn't their first language," Prem said.
"Oh, okay. You're a curious little fella, aren't you?" she smiled, lifting a paw to tickle them. They shifted away to cuddle up to Prem, though.
"I am sorry. I did not say something rude again, did I?" Laurent said.
"You didn't, you're okay. And it's fine to let them touch you, too. Griselle's an old friend." Prem smiled.
"We shouldn't get left behind." Iola brought their attention to the gap between their groups. Leos had truly left them behind, so the group nodded and jogged after them.
"So much for being happy to see me," Prem muttered.
They at least waited for Prem and the others to catch up before going into the castle, where they each got a salute from the two Zoroark guards at the entryway. White rock made the walls and ceiling, but the floor was soft and carpeted, which made Laurent curious enough to float down and walk on their feet. They seemed to enjoy the plush feel, so Prem relaxed a bit.
"I'm so sorry about this, you two. You should come with me, though. I'm sure once Mother and Father see Laurent and hear your story, they'll shorten things and let us focus," Leos said.
"Do whatever you have to do." Prem went quiet.
Prem was never comfortable around castles, and that was despite having access to them thanks to Leos. He was familiar with their polished walls and multitude of rooms, but he could never get a homely feeling from one, even with this old friend at his side again. Not even a personal room of his own felt like home. That was too important for him.
So this place rubbed him the wrong way, and hard. Besides the guards at the door and the aroma of a fancy meal from the kitchens, he couldn't see anyone else. A nervous glance down the hallways he passed and the stairs ahead yielded nothing. A lack of Pokémon combined with a maze-like structure triggered all the warnings of a mystery dungeon, yet Leos directed them as if this was normal.
"They're in the throne room. Follow me," Leos said.
"It is lonely in here." Laurent pointed out.
"Thank you, I'm not the only one who noticed," Prem agreed as he walked backwards briefly. "Is there something going on?"
"I wouldn't know, and to be completely honest, I couldn't care less. I haven't actually been back here for a few months," Leos admitted. Contrary to what he just said, he directed the group through the halls like he knew the place off by heart.
"This is your first time back in here in a few months, yet it doesn't concern you that the place is completely empty besides the guards at the front?" Prem slowed down. "Something serious could have happened."
"I must admit, I was not expecting this," Kristen said. She slowed down to observe, and Leos only slowed when he realised how wary everyone was becoming. "I can't hear anyone. My Lord, please be on your guard."
"U-um, Daddy, is it okay to be the scared?" Laurent huddled close to Prem again.
"It shouldn't be anything bad, but if anything happens, I'll keep you safe. I promise." Prem patted them on the side. That said, it takes a lot of work getting the entire castle to be silent like this. The town seemed okay, so what does all this mean?
"Stick together. We'll start with the throne room," Leos said slowly. He rubbed his face and brushed fur out of his eyes, and now kept a paw by his scalchop as he walked. Kristen kept in front of him, too.
Great. What've I stepped into this time? Prem shook his head and joined them. He kept a paw by Laurent in just as much defence.