"We're close now," Stan said, motioning to the torches. Intricate torches with elegantly carved designs. The designs were very much line with high elven art Craig had briefly seen throughout the years. But that wasn't what bothered him.

What bothered him was the fire.

Red, blue, green, yellow, pink. Unnaturally pigmented flames that lit up the path, letting out a soft glow of their respective color. Objectively, the flames were very beautiful. But to Craig, it was a reminder of how hideous this kingdom really was.

In his mind he saw flaming arrows bursting out of the sky like a blanket down upon his village. Magical, inextinguishable fire that overcame all that Craig ever knew.

He remembered his mother shoving him away, handing him her necklace. She was going to rescue his sister, she told him. Why did she do that? She had to have known that the fire was magically designed to be impossible to escape. Tricia was probably already- She should have gone with Craig and Clyde, not leaving two boys who were practically still children to fend for themselves. She should have stayed and taken care of them. If she hadn't died than maybe none of this would have-

"Hey, you alright?" Stan's voice interrupted Craig's thoughts.

"I-" he started, unable to form a proper sentence.

"You're looking a little green there," he commented, "Are you sick?"

"N-No," he shook his head after a moment's pause. Tweek's bright blue eyes wordlessly flashed him a look of sympathy.

Craig tried to take in a deep breath. He had to do this. He had come this far, hadn't he? As much as he could feel every hair on his body stand up, he had to get ahold of himself.

The torch lit path started out as a vaguely flat and cleared away trail of soft moss, but ever so gradually it became more and more distinguished. After a while, the moss became more and more flat, as if it was intentionally paved and kept to be a neat walkway. A while after, the moss slowly began to let up, showing a true paved stone pathway beneath it that, just like the torches, carved intricately with the elegant High Elven art aesthetic. Although it was easier to walk on than the natural, ragged ground of the forest, his legs seemed to instinctively reject it. Perhaps it was for the better that it was agreed that Craig would keep his handcuffs on, forcing him to go forward.

"You can calm down, we're not going to kill you," Stan told Craig as his anxieties grew more and more outwardly visible by the moment, "Not unless you give us reason to."

"Why are you loyal to the elves?" Craig blurted out, "You're from Kupa. You said you're the king's right hand man. Then you know all the stuff that-"

"All the stuff Kupa has done?" Stan cut him off.

"Don't screw around," Craig frowned, "I hate Kupa too, but the High Elf Kingdom has wrecked a whole lotta havoc on the good, innocent people. You're just...okay with joining the kingdom that did all that?"

"You think Kupa didn't retaliate against innocent elves?" Stan raised an eyebrow.

Tweek stood between them. "Let's not figh-"

Craig ignored him. "Still, Kupa...they're your own people!"

"Not anymore."

Craig groaned. He decided to give up. Stan Marsh proved to be incredibly hard headed and even if he hadn't known him long, he figured he was the stubborn type that was impossible to get through to. Yet even still, something about him pissed him off on an indescribable level.

He sighed. As much as he hated the elves, he knew Stan's betrayal to them wasn't entirely it. Sure, part of it, but he didn't want to admit to himself what the larger part was. If he admitted that they were-

No, they were nothing alike. Sure they were both humans with black hair and somewhat tall in stature. They both got separated from their home and family from a young age. They both gave up their old identities to assume a new one in a new place. They were both willing to go against Kupa, joining a king in order to-

No, they weren't the same. Craig's situation was entirely different. Stan could go back to Kupa-to his family-if he wanted to. He probably had a very privileged life in both kingdoms. Craig on the other hand only had hardships. Clyde was the only person who understood him, a person who also suffered at the hands of both Kupa and the High Elf Kingdom, unlike this spoiled, privileged elf king who probably couldn't care less about innocent lives being destroyed for the sake of politics.

They weren't at all the same.

"We're about to reach the Barrier," Stan announced, breaking his train of thought once more.

"The Barrier?" Craig repeated.

"You were planning to come into the High Elf Kingdom and you didn't even know about the Barrier?" Stan raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know what it is," Tweek cut in. He turned to Craig, "It's their form of protection of their main city. It's like a magic bubble that can keep anyone from coming in without permission. Kind of like how Kupa City built a giant castle wall."

"Right," Stan confirmed.

Craig blinked. He did vaguely remember Wendy saying something about a border in what felt like forever ago now. He just hadn't listened to her endless droning very carefully. He recalled her saying she needed to just get as close as possible until someone came out. That had been enough for him at the time.

"It was probably mentioned," Craig admitted.

"Who the hell even briefed you?" Stan asked annoyedly, "My dad? Because from what I've heard about him, that would explain-"

"Dame Wendy Testaburger. Remember her?"

Stan stopped, his eyes growing large. "Wendy? Yeah, I do," he said. He paused for a moment. "How is she?"

Craig snorted, "What, more interested in her than your actual family?"

"We were close, I guess," Stan tried to shrug off.

"Close?"

"I was also supposed to marry her," Stan frowned, annoyed by Craig's pressing, "Our families arranged that since we were born."

"Wow," Craig blinked, "Well, she's kind of a pain in the ass now, so you should probably consider yourself lucky. Always trying to frame me with murder. Though I guess in the end she did save me and help me get this gig instead of the chopping block, so maybe your ex-fiance isn't completely terrible. Actually, she's still close to your family, so if you wanted to go back, maybe you could still-"

"I don't want to marry her," Stan cut him off abruptly, walking at a brisker pace, "I just wanted to know how she was."

"Well, fine."

"But I'm glad talking about her distracted you from whatever panic attack you were about to have," he said, "Because we're here now."

Craig's eyes widened, partially from being reminded of the situation, but partially because he was puzzled. There was absolutely nothing about this exact spot that seemed in any way different or spectacular. Stan stood facing a small cliff-like hill on the edge of the path, but not unlike any of the countless others they passed on their way to this very spot.

"So they weren't exaggerating," Tweek spoke up, "Your kingdom truly is hidden."

"Of course," Stan almost almost smirked as he nodded towards the cliff, "Wanna see for yourself?"

"Is it dangerous?" his eyes widened.

"Not really. See for yourself."

Slowly, Tweek walked over to it. He carefully reached out a hand and ever so slowly brushed his fingers against the stone of the hill in front of him. As he did so, there was suddenly a pop sound, causing him to immediately recoil his hand.

"Ow!" he jumped.

"Are you alright?" Craig quickly rushed over to him.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Tweek nodded, closely looking at his fingers.

"It's no worse than static electricity," Stan assured them, "Just a shock to prevent unwanted creatures or people from passing through. Most unwanted people or animals don't think anything of it and just move on. And even if someone knows what it is and tries, it's still impossible to pass."

"So it works?"

"For the most part. Though your piece of shit wizard knows the way through, so safety from Kupa is compromised."

"Because he can do magic?" he asked.

"Not exactly," Tweek answered for him.

"Right," Stan nodded. He reached into his sleeveless tunic and pulled out a necklace that had been hidden beneath it. Tied to the end was what looked to be a very small flute-like instrument. He brought it to his lips and played a hauntingly beautiful tune.

The second the tune began, a cold sweat instantly broke out across Craig's body.

It's not the same song, he told himself, It's not.

Yet it was similar. Even without the confirmation that it was High Elven music, he would have easily been able to tell that it was.

"Are you okay?" Tweek asked, his voice full of concern as he gently placed a hand on Craig's shoulder.

"No," he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before opening them once more. He had to get a grip. Tweek's hand on his shoulder gently rubbed in circles.

Stan didn't falter, merely continuing the hauntingly beautiful tune. As the song went on, the cliff began to glow from the magic of the flute's tune. It was quite similar to that of the gnome's tree, yet somehow more intricate, as if it was a dazzling show of lights choreographed by magic to the song. It opened similarly to that of the gnome's tree, with what appeared to be a portal. Whether it truly was a portal or if it was merely an opening to an illusion, he didn't know nor care. To anyone else, it would have been breathtaking.

As the opening grew large enough to fit the three of them, Stan's haunting tune came to an end and he let the small flute drop, hitting against his chest lightly as he walked over to Craig, somewhat roughly grabbing his arm still restrained behind his back. Craig didn't resist.

"After you, your highness," Stan gestured to the portal. Tweek nervously tightened his lips into a fine line before nodding, stepping towards the light. Stan nudged Craig, forcing him to follow after. With a deep breath, Craig stepped in. Despite a voice screaming inside of him to squeeze his eyes shut, he looked out into the sprawling world in front of him.

The kingdom was absolutely gorgeous, to an extent that even he couldn't deny. From the moment he stepped in, it was obnoxiously bright and...clean. He nearly stopped in his tracks to take it all in, but Stan continued pushing him forward.

The buildings were much taller than that of Kupa City's castle-and the Kupa castle was known for being a very tall structure within Zaron. The architecture was also just so...different from anything he'd seen before. Instead of an overbearing dark stone brick castle surrounding the city, instead there was a single tall building of a smooth, cream color that shot up into the sky in many intricate spires. The many buildings visible in the city were also beautifully constructed, as if meticulously carved by single stones like a piece of art.

It was clearly different from the dense forest, with large spans open for the wide streets, that this was quite different from the great elven forest, and yet the elven forest still made its presence known. Many large trees still spouted up, vines with foliage and stunning flowers growing across the walls of many buildings. There was a clear deep respect for nature, for the forest.

Even someone like Craig found himself getting lost in the beauty. That is, until he noticed the elves of the city making their way about, reminding him where exactly he was.

They were less frightening to him than the Drow Elves. They lacked the grey skin and odd, glowing eyes. They had normal human skin tones and were far closer to humans in overall appearance. Yet their ears were still pointed, their bodies more lithe on average, their hair impossibly thick, and their facial features more pointy. Surprisingly, however, they didn't make him feel sick like he would have thought, even though they were the ones who-

"Marshwalker, you've returned," a voice called out in a thick, foreign accent. Craig turned around and noticed an elf on horseback wearing what looked to be official military clothes. Soft, intricately woven fabric, unlike the drabber, almost stiff looking uniforms of Kupa's military-when they weren't wearing metal armor, that is.

"I have," Stan nodded, "Got the thief we've been waiting for right here."

"Who's the spare?" the elf gestured his head over to Tweek.

"Yeah, things kind of got more complicated than planned," Stan frowned. He narrowed his eyes for a moment and switched to High Elven, saying something Craig could not understand.

"Watch your tongue!" Tweek cut in with a frown. Stan and the guard's eyebrows rose in surprise, clearly not expecting him to understand them. Tweek merely crossed his arms and continued speaking, this time in perfectly fluent High Elven.

"I see," the elf on the horse replied, "Then let us go now."

It somewhat reminded Craig of the first time he entered Kupa City all those years ago. Being dragged through the city with people looking at him. Going to some building for some bureaucratic meeting. He sighed, trying his best to scope out the area, to memorize it for later.

"This way," the elf said, getting off his horse in front of what appeared to be a typical building. Perhaps it was a military or security building of some kind, Craig figured. Tweek and him shot each other a glance before following him inside.

A few other elves appeared to be waiting for them. There was a large table in the middle where Stan instructed him to sit down at-uncomfortably so with his cuffs still behind his back. Tweek was directed more formally and more politely to sit down at a different chair on the other end.

Stan said some words in High Elven before sitting down himself next to Craig. One man seemed to read off something else in the same language as if it were a formal proceeding to start an official meeting. It was clear as Stan paid no direct mind to him that this meeting wasn't going to be translated to him. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Craig quickly found himself unable to pay attention. Perhaps he should have listened more in his language lessons, even if the sound of it did disgust him. He instead looked absent-mindedly to the stone counter top, wishing he was anywhere else.

He heard his name mentioned a few times, as well as Tweek's and the word "Kupa". There were a few words he remembered learning, but not many, definitely not enough for him to have any idea what was going on. Tweek would cut in a few times, sounding quite angry yet regal.

"Right," Stan suddenly said. He stood up from his seat and motioned for Craig to do the same. Immediately he got behind him and undid his cuffs, letting them fall to the floor with a loud clank. Craig instinctively brought his hands in front of him and examined his wrists.

"What's-?"

"We were going to have you in our holding for safety reasons until we're ready for you," Stan explained, "But you can thank your royal best friend here and the annoying bureaucracies tied with him, it looks like you're getting an upgrade."

"That was really smart thinking, you know," Craig said, entering Tweek's room.

"Hm?" Tweek jumped in slight alarm, turning around from the window he had been gazing out of.

"You know, telling them that you're some prince," Craig chuckled under his breath as he leaned against the wall in their shared quarters, "I can't believe they bought it that easily."

Tweek opened his mouth for a moment and then shut it again. "Right."

"I didn't even think barbarians had a united monarchy. Was the treaty you came up with real, or were you just bullshitting and hoping he'd buy it?"

"I…" Tweek paused, "It's real."

"I guess you are an expert on those things," Craig snorted.

The quarters they had been placed into in the meantime were in the High Elven castle itself. Of course he didn't like the idea of being forced to stay at this castle until they waited for further orders, but he figured it was far better than an elven dungeon.

It was by far the largest place Craig had ever stayed in. It was grand and open, with a living room section with seats of fine fabrics and leathers, with a large rug in the center. There was a room with a private bath, where water could be fetched upon their request. There were even three bedrooms provided, more than enough for Craig and Tweek to have one each.

It was also decorated far brighter and nicer than the castle in Kupa was. In Kupa, the dark stone walls with small windows let in little natural light, relying on candles and torches that were placed about the walls. It was grand, particularly in the area of the royal family and the wizard's personal living quarters, but it still always felt quite bleak. The art and decor was if anything gaudy. The areas for the other nobles, on the other hand, always felt more like a dungeon to him.

This was different, however. It was bright. The colors were soft and inviting. The artwork upon the walls were far more beautiful and artistic than the obnoxious portraits of Kupa nobility. The walls were lightly colored with detailed intricate patterns painted on them. The windows were large, and even contained a balcony for one to go out and enjoy the spectacular view outside.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Tweek quickly changed the subject, "You seemed to be really panicking earlier."

Craig's smile fell. "Yeah I'm...fine."

"Are you sure because-"

"I'm kind of trying not to think about the reality of the situation."

"And-"

"So you reminding me of it doesn't really help."

Yet somehow, he felt as though he was partially lying to Tweek. He should be more panicked. Yet for some reason, he felt so very...calm. As if he was finally home after a long time away.

It was perhaps that feeling of calmness that bothered him the most.

"Right," Tweek bit his lip, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Craig shook his head, quickly rushing over to him, "Like I said...you really helped me back there. If it weren't for you, I'd be locked in some shitty elven cell right now. That is, if I even made it this far." He cracked a sideways smile, "You really saved me."

Tweek's face turned a light pink. "Th-Thank you," he said, looking away.

"So are you really gonna wear that campy outfit they picked out for you?" Craig asked, nodding his head towards an outfit laid out on Tweek's bed. An elven outfit, complete with a shirt. Tweek had tried to decline it when they offered it to him, but they had insisted that a crown prince like him must have more suitable clothes to wear in the presence of the elven nobility. It was true, Tweek's normal brown pants did look like they had seen better days.

Tweek groaned, "It would be rude not to."

"Are you gonna try it on?"

"Why, do you want to see me in it?" Tweek raised an eyebrow.

"The idea of you in that is actually pretty hilarious so...sure, why not."

Tweek pouted. "Fine. Then get out and let me get dressed."

"Sure you don't need help? Do you even know how to put on a shirt?" he joked.

Tweek scowled. "Get out!"

Craig chuckled under his breath but complied, exiting Tweek's bedroom, deciding to make his way out to the balcony. Their quarters were facing away from the city proper and instead out towards the autumn forest, allowing him to pretend he was somewhere else.

It turned out to be an easy distraction. The view was beautiful. In a different way than Neunbruck. There were mountains in the distance, but they were different. Instead of the jagged snow capped mountains they had crossed before, these were smooth with blue lines all across them where they were littered with waterfalls.

Craig sighed, leaning against the rail of the balcony, feeling the cool autumn breeze against his face. It was just like the imaginary worlds in the stories Tricia loved. She would absolutely love it here. He closed his eyes. Yet instead, this was the land of the very people that-

"Please don't laugh," a voice interrupted his thoughts. Craig instantly spun around, only to see Tweek standing there. He instantly flung his hand to cover his mouth.

"I said don't laugh," Tweek frowned, walking closer to him.

"I-I didn't," Craig shook his head fervently, raising his arms up defensively.

"I know, I look stupid," Tweek groaned, leaning on the rail.

"No you don't!" Craig said a little too quickly, "I mean...yeah it's kind of a shock to see you in a button up shirt...Or, you know, a shirt in general but…well..."

"But?"

"You look pretty cute, actually," Craig blurted out.

Tweek's face turned bright red and quickly looked away.

"Wait!" Craig felt his own face turning hot, "I mean-I mean that you just...I don't know, you just look...good." That addition didn't help at all, he instantly realized.

"You think so?"

He did. It was an elven-made outfit of course, but it didn't look explicitly so, and in fact seemed vaguely familiar. Both the pants and the buttoned up shirt were of a vibrant green cloth that looked quite expensive. The cloth was woven intricate embroidery across it, buttons that were probably real gold, and perfectly patterned hems. It fit him loosely, but like it was tailor made to be that way for him specifically. It was a campy outfit, yet it suited him very well.

Still, he shouldn't say that to him.

"Sorry I'm-" he stammered, trying to look away from him and the green outfit.

"You?"

Craig found himself at a loss for words. It was just weird was all. Not that Tweek didn't always look good he figured. Yet seeing him like that-in an outfit that reminded him of-

He suddenly knew exactly what it reminded him of.

"Wait here a minute!" he called out suddenly, quickly rushing back inside. He quickly ran to his sack that he had haplessly tossed to the ground and rummaged through it. As soon as he found what he wanted, he scurried back outside.

"Are you alright?" Tweek asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Here!" Craig reached out his arms.

"You wanted to show me a hat?" Tweek asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Craig placed it on Tweek's head. "It matches your outfit perfectly," he said. Tweek quickly raised his arms to feel the hat on his head, but didn't take it off.. "Plus the little red feather adds some more color to that overwhelming green."

"Th-Thank you," Tweek replied, "I can give it back after-"

"No, keep it," Craig shook his head, "It looks good on you. Uh, I mean it looks better on you. Than uh..me, I mean. It suits you."

"Thanks," Tweek gave a slight smile, "I'll take good care of it then."

"Clyde gave it to me," Craig explained, "It's bycocket Clyde had stolen for me that I kind of had instantly rejected...but you know, decided to keep for sentimen-personal reasons."

Tweek's smile faded, "In that case, I couldn't possibly-"

"I want you to have it."

"O-Okay."

"Because, you know. I don't know how things are going to go from here. I don't know if I'll ever see you again after everything goes through. But I just kind of want you to know that...Well, even though I was a huge asshole at first and...kind of still am, honestly, I...Well, I just want to thank you is all."

"You've already thanked me," Tweek replied.

"I mean sure but...I meant physically. Wait, I mean physically in terms of a physical gift. Which the hat is. So I don't know, I just-"

"I don't want to go separate ways from you."

Craig felt his chest grow heavy. "Kinda weird, given the not so nice circumstances of how we met."

Tweek laughed, "I agree."

"You know," Craig took a deep breath, looking out towards autumn forest, "If you wanted to...I can't give you the details yet but...You are free to come along with Clyde and me when this is all over."

"You know I can't," Tweek shook his head, "The Barbarians are my people."

"I figured," he sighed with a frown, looking down at his hands that rested on the rail. It was pointless, anyway. Tweek would never see eye to eye with Clyde and him.

Still.

It was odd. He had grown his entire life connected to very few people. After the death of his family, Clyde was the only person he ever felt a true connection to. Clyde was who he pledged undivided loyalty to. Who he'd follow anywhere. He would always have unwavering support for Clyde. Even if it meant soon betraying everyone. Betraying Tweek.

And yet...

"Craig?" Tweek put his hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah sorry, I…I'm just…"

"Craig what's wrong? Are you-"

Craig kissed him.

He wasn't sure why he did that, nor was he sure if it was the right thing to do. Yet still he did, bringing his mouth to his a bit too roughly and desperately. It was as if he had lost control of himself.

A few moments later he broke away. Tweek's blue eyes stared back at him, widened in shock.

Craig took a step back. What had he just done?

He felt an idiot. He had no idea if Tweek wanted that from him. Was his look of surprise really a look of disgust? Maybe that was for the better. If Tweek hated him already then it would be easier when-

"Tweek I'm sor-"

Before he could finish, Tweek grabbed his face and pulled him back into the kiss, just as desperately as Craig had done. Slowly, Craig brought his hands to Tweek's shoulders against the green fabric, and slowly brought him into more of a hug.

Tweek broke away.

"Don't apologize," Tweek said in a voice slightly louder than a whisper, "I'd been wondering for a long time if we'd ever…"

"You have?" Craig asked.

"Well, yes," Tweek confessed, "I've been hoping you'd say something because I...Well…"

"You have feelings for me?" Craig's voice sounded genuinely surprised.

"Of course!" Tweek frowned, "I thought that was obvious. I was worried that you were circumventing that on purpose."

"No!" Craig shook his head, "I-I've been so focused on everything that I've been...I haven't even allowed myself to think about...this."

"Is there 'this'?"

"Well...we just kissed, didn't we?"

"I-Yes, but…"

"The whole running out of time thing?"

"Well, that but not just," Tweek sighed, "It's more...I have to be honest with you."

"Honest?"

Tweek brought his hand to Craig's face, lightly brushing his cheek, then letting it fall to his side. He took a deep breath. "It wasn't a lie."

Craig tilted his head. "What wasn't?"

"I really am a prince, Craig."