The sun was shining for all Ylisse. It sure was a day for being outside, and that is what Morgan was doing. The guy was reading a book in one of the many gardens that the castle has. He was sitting on a marble bench that was in front of a fountain. Morgan felt relaxed by the sound of the water, and that helped him to focus on his book about curses.

Morgan heard footsteps getting close to him, but he didn't care. He was sure that nobody would be looking for him. He soon realized that he was wrong when he saw Inigo standing in front of him.

"There you are" said Inigo with a serious tune. The last couple days, Morgan and Inigo didn't have a friendly talk.

Morgan closed his book and got up. "Do you need something, your majesty?" he asked.

"Yes, I need you to stop with your silly behavior" Inigo demanded.

"It is not a silly behavior. I've already told you that I'm behaving as a tactician should."

"That has no sense! Your mother and my father were great friends. And we also were like that, until five days ago. I'll ask you again, what happened with you?" Inigo asked calmer than before.

"I already told you. I just discovered that I have to be more formal. And that having a good friendship with you could cloud my judgment." Morgan answered.

"MORGAN THAT'S!" Inigo was about to lose his mind but stopped himself by breathing deeply. Once he recovered the composure, he said "Never mind. I don't know why I even bothered."

Inigo left Morgan alone. He noted that Inigo walk was lazy, like if he just had been defeated. The tactician's eyes watched Inigo disappear in the gardens.

Morgan continued to read his book. He was learning new things, but nothing that could help him. After a couple of hours, he decided that he had enough.

Morgan closed his book and went to the barracks to see if anybody needed his help. It was a surprise for him to find Severa.

Severa seemed worried. When she saw Morgan, her eyes lit up.

"Morgan, have you seen Inigo?" she asked him.

"Yes, I saw him this morning" Morgan answered.

"Did he tell you if he was going anywhere or if he had plans?"

"No. Why?"

"He missed lunch with his family. He never does that. And Queen Olivia is extremely worried. Could you please help me to find him? I already asked all the Shepherds, but nobody have found him yet" Severa begged Morgan.

"Yeah, I'll do what I can" Morgan answered.

He couldn't refuse Severa's request. She normally didn't need Morgan's assistance. Besides, Morgan was getting worried about Inigo.

Morgan started to think where Inigo would be. Then, he remembered the first day when Inigo showed him the palace. Morgan decided to go to Inigo's secret room. When he arrived to the mentioned room, it was as clear and empty as the first day that he saw it. But there was just one thing that wasn't there last time. An empty brown bottle in the floor.

Morgan took the bottle and examined it. His eyes couldn't give him a hint of what it was, so he smelled the container. The smell reminded him a bit of the alcohol used to clean wounds.

"I bet Inigo was drinking this. It makes sense, he was angry and sad. But where did he go? Morgan, think. If you were a resentful teenager that run out of alcohol, where would you go?" Morgan spoke to himself.

He meditated the last question, when he got the answer his eyes opened wide and he muttered "oh, no…"

Morgan left the castle in a hurry. Then, he started to search in every pub. Each time he entered an establishment, the people inside gave him a weird look, nobody expected to see a guy of Morgan's age in those places. Morgan just stayed like two minutes in each pub. He would just enter, look around for Inigo, and then go to the next pub.

He started in the pubs that were near to the castle. Little by little he was getting far from the castle. He was walking in the poorest are of the city when he heard the laugh of his half-brother. The familiar noise came from a pub, Morgan rushed to enter the building. Inside, he immediately spotted Inigo.

Inigo was sitting in front of a table, at the other side of the table was a girl. The girl had black hair and green eyes, she was wearing a simple brown dress. On the table were two glasses of beer. Morgan guessed that Inigo's glass was the almost empty one. Inigo and his companion were holding hands and looking at each other directly to the eyes.

"What a beautiful pair of hands do you have! I think a golden ring will fit them" Inigo told the girl. The girl emitted a squeaky giggle.

Morgan noticed that Inigo's voice sounded a bit weird, and his face looked more expressive than usual. The tactician approached to the prince's table.

"Prince Inigo, what are you doing?" Morgan asked concerned.

The couple looked at Morgan. Inigo's face got happier when he saw Morgan, but the girl´s semblance was an annoyed one.

"But if it isn't my GREAT FRIEND Morgan" Inigo exclaimed with sarcasm. His face was close to Morgan's face that the second could identify the smell of his breath, it was the same as the bottle of alcohol.

"Prince Inigo, we have to go. Your family is worried about you" Morgan tried to move Inigo from his chair. The prince ended up getting up, but, with clumsy movements, he pushed Morgan.

"No. Nobody cares about me" Inigo assured. "Besides, I'm busy with Sandy" he pointed at his companion.

"I'm Mandy" the girl complained.

"Whatever" commented a tired Inigo. He could barely stand up, so he placed a hand on the table to support himself.

"Inigo, please" Morgan begged in a lower voice. He was worried of all the attention they had been drawing.

"I said no. I'm not coming back to the castle." Inigo yelled at Morgan.

"So, it is true. The prince of Ylisse is here" said a manly voice behind Morgan.

Morgan turned around and saw three men staring at them. The three adults looked sturdy, their clothes were simple and dirty.

The man, who had previously spoke, approached Inigo and pointed at him with his index finger.

"It's your fault that my family was taken away!" the man told Inigo with rage.

"Well, I wouldn't say it's completely my fault. Actually, my father was who gave the order to exile all Plegians" Inigo tried to justify himself. He was smiling because he was nervous.

"Why are you smiling? Do you think it is funny that families are being separated? I lost my wife and my two children! I don't know where they are!" the man was getting angrier.

The though of families being separated erased the smile on Inigo's face. "No, it's not funny. But I can't control everything. Life is unfair, man, learn to live it" Inigo said to the angry man.

As soon as Inigo finished his phrase, the man took Inigo by his collar and lifted him up. Inigo had a better look of the man's face. Despite all the wrath that the man was showing, Inigo could recognize the desperation in his eyes.

An alarmed Morgan tried to separate them, but the other two men grabbed him from his arms and didn't let him move.

"What can you know about injustice and difficulties? You are just a spoiled privileged brat. But I'm going to teach you a lesson" the man told Inigo.

"Try, old man" Inigo dared his attacker.

The man throwed Inigo at the table behind them. Inigo's weight broke the table, so he fell with the wood and the two bottles of glass. The girl who was with Inigo got up from her seat and left the place in a hurry. Morgan started to struggle with the two men in order to free himself and help Inigo.

When Inigo was trying to get up, the first man took him again from his collar and made him to stand up, then the man punched Inigo on his face, making him fall again.

"Not in the face! Girls love my face!" Inigo complained with pain.

Inigo's attacker made Inigo stand up again, and then started to punch him on his ribs. Morgan could just see how his friend was being beaten.

"That's all you have got, old man" Inigo taunted his opponent, the man started to punch Inigo with more strength.

Morgan kept struggling with the other two men. At certain point, both men got tired of Morgan and started to beat him too. It wasn't necessary too many blows to knock him out. Morgan fell on the floor completely hurt. Morgan's attackers turned their backs to Morgan and focused on Inigo's fight.

Even with all the pain that Morgan was suffering, he tried to get up. He looked around the pub for a weapon, but he couldn't find anything. And even if he could find a weapon, he didn't feel able to defeat those men.

"I need a distraction… If I had brought a fire tome with me… But wait… I don't need a fire tome to start a fire…" Morgan thought.

Quickly, Morgan took a bottle that was on a near table. Then, he ripped off a piece of fabric from his shirt. The tactician started to introduce the fabric inside the bottle, he stopped when half of the fabric was already inside. The next step was to get a candle, fortunately for him, there were some torches hanging of the wall. Morgan took a candle and started to light up the fabric. Immediately, Morgan throwed the bottle towards the broken table that was besides Inigo and his attacker.

When the fire started to spread, the few people that were in the pub ran away, including the owner. Inigo's attacker released him and escaped with the other two men.

Morgan saw Inigo's body on the floor and ran towards him. Morgan noticed that Inigo's nose was bleeding and his eyes showed pain.

"Mo-Morgan?" Inigo could hardly speak, but he sounded scared.

"Don't worry buddy, I got you" Morgan said.

Then, the tactician helped the prince to get up. Morgan placed Inigo's arm on his shoulders and helped him to walk. Both guys left the place through the kitchen. Outside they saw the crowd looking at the raising fire, some people were bringing water buckets.

Fortunately, nobody noticed the two guys. Morgan led Inigo towards an empty alley, and they ended hiding in a near stable.

Inside the stable, both of them sat on the floor and their backs rested on a wall. Both of them took some moments to catch their breath and to emit some groans. When the two guys were more relaxed, Morgan finally spoke.

"What the hell was that? Why would you put yourself in such dangerous situation!? You are the prince of Ylisse! You have to take care of yourself!" Morgan scolded his half-brother.

Inigo emitted a tiny laugh. "The prince… like if I was that important" commented Inigo.

"Of course you are" Morgan argued.

"No, I'm not. Nobody cares about me" Inigo assured.

"How can you say so?" Morgan asked with indignation.

"Because it's true. My family is tearing apart and no one wonders how I feel about it. First dad is all depressed and doesn't speak to anyone. Then, Lucina is mad at him, she doesn't even dine with us anymore. And my mom just smiles and tells me that everything is going to be okay, that is just a phase. I can't bear it anymore! I don't like how things are!" Inigo finally expressed the feelings that he had been repressing, even some tears fell from his eyes.

Morgan just heard his brother. He felt his pain and released some tears with him. Maybe he hasn't been a long time with Inigo, but he really cared about him. More than that, Morgan loved Inigo, because he was a good friend to him, and also his brother. The fact that Inigo's pain was actually his fault tortured Morgan. Morgan couldn't stop to think how much he hated himself for hurting Inigo, and he felt impotent for not being able to help him.

"Everyone keeps their secrets. And it seems that I'm a fool and nobody trusts me. Which I don't understand… I have always done my best to prove that I am worthy of confidence, as a son, as a brother, and as a friend…"

"Inigo…" Morgan interrupted.

"Yes?"

"There is something that I haven't told anyone yet. It's one of my biggest secrets."

"What is it?"

Morgan took off his right glove and revealed the six eyes mark.

Inigo's eyes opened as a plate and his jaw dropped.

"My mother also had this mark. I think I inherited from her. And I…" Morgan stopped for a moment because it was difficult for him to talk about that. "I think I'm going to die like my mother did, or worst…" Inigo could hear the fear in Morgan's voice.

"Maybe I'll become crazy too, and start to attack everyone, innocent people…" Morgan covered his face because more tears started to come out.

"No, you won't" Inigo said, sure of himself.

Morgan showed his face and looked at Inigo with doubt.

"You won't die or become crazy because we will find the cure" Inigo stated.

"I don't know if we can, I have searched in all the books of the castle. I couldn't find a single clue" Morgan told him.

"It's because you have been searching in the wrong place. But I know where we can find answers."

"Where?"

"In Plegia."

"Plegia!? We can't go there! Your father won't let us."

"I'll figure out something. Just give me some time" Inigo asked.

Morgan smiled, he felt hope again.

"Thanks" Morgan said while putting on his right glove.

"Am… Morgan?"

"Yes?"

"Is that the reason why Lucina is mad at you?" Inigo asked him.

Morgan didn't expect that question, that made him realized that Inigo was more perceptive than he seemed.

"Yes."

"Oh, I see. I guess she found it by accident. She may be scared that you can hurt us. But don't worry. When we solve your problem, she will talk to you again."

"Yes, I hope" said Morgan without being sure about it.

"So, can we be friends again?" Inigo asked.

"I have never stopped to thought you as a friend. Though, could we pretend that we aren't getting along in front of Lucina?" Morgan's petition made Inigo laugh.

"Yes, we can. I think it may be funny."

"Good."

"I'm so glad that you are my friend" Inigo commented, but Morgan didn't feel worthy of Inigo's friendship.

Thanks for reading!

Special thanks to:

Yellowhello1: I'm glad that you like it, and yes, Inigo is so perceptive, he always knows when something is wrong.

Mysterious guest 1: Yes, most of the Shepherds ketp their base class, except for Severa, I made her a cavalier in order for her to represent Frederick. Maybe I will change their classes in future chapters. I love the drama too, and yes, Lucina is just acting like normal people would act if the feel that their family is being threatened. Thanks for commenting!

Deuce: Secrets aren't keep as secrets forever. So, yes, at some point the truth has to be revealed.

Mal: Thanks for commenting! Actually, no, I'm not aware of that problem, the fanfics that I read aren't usually updated, so I normally have to wait a long time for reading new chapters. As for my fanfic, I took a break from writing, so that's why I could seem that there was a problem. But I hope everyting is okay with the platform.

Thanks to all for your comments, I really love to read them 3