"No, three days is not fine." Tulio threw a coin into the air, "This is a real- Hey!"

Eugene cackled, shoving the coin into his pocket, taking a seat and waiting for the next time his Papa was distracted.

Well… he had to keep himself entertained somehow.

And then he felt a pair of earrings hit him in the shoulder.

"Hey!"

"Sorry." Chel didn't sound sorry, already rooting through the pile of tribute for a better pair, pausing when Tulio handed her a pair of golden ones.

Eugene didn't like how she perked up and beamed at him, especially as he was sure that his Dad had helped her find a pair that were exactly the same, that she didn't like. But because they were given to her by Papa, she loved them.

"How are we going to keep this up for three days?"

Eugene watched as Miguel got to his feet, yawning and stretching out. It was as if he didn't notice Chel's attention on Papa at all.

"You worry too much."

"No, I worry exactly the right amount!" Tulio snapped, "You can never worry too much… we just have to lie low!"

Miguel rolled his eyes, heading over to the balcony, "Tulio, this place is amazing! I mean, I wonder what's- "

"- No! Don't even move!"

"Tulio."

"You're moving!"

"A little, but, just- "

"- Hey, hey, hey!"

"Oh, come on!"

"S-stay!"

Miguel was left standing on one foot, leaning forwards heavily, eyes wide in alarm, "I-I just- "

"I stand there!" Tulio groaned.

"…. For three days?!" It was no surprise when Miguel fell to the ground.

"Yes! Exactly! For three days! Don't even breathe… all right?" Tulio then turned to Eugene, "That goes for you as well. You're just as bad!"

"What?!"

"All right!" Miguel interrupted, "We'll lie low."

"Promise? Both of you?!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

"Great!" Tulio sighed in relief, "Good… okay… now, if you'll excuse me, I have to gloat over my gold."

Miguel and Eugene watched as Tulio practically danced over to the pile of gold, picking pieces up and kissing at them.

Eugene didn't miss the strange look that flashed over his Dad's face at this sight, but before he could say anything, Chel was sidling up to them, her eyes on the city.

"It's beautiful, isn't it."

"… Yeah."

"You know, you really shouldn't miss it… either of you."

Eugene narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the woman, even as his Dad didn't seem to sense that anything was wrong.

"I know, but w-we couldn't."

"Go ahead. I'll cover for you."

"Oh good… thanks."

Still, he saw that nothing was wrong with this situation.

Tulio was singing something in the distance.

"So, what happened to Altivo?"

Chel shrugged, "I don't know."

As Miguel snuck away, Eugene remained where he was, staring up at Chel with a glare. He wasn't going to give her the chance to dig her nails into her Papa.

"Tulio goes for paradise!" He heard his Papa singing as he made his way over, only to pause, "What happened to Miguel?"

"She- MMPH!" Eugene was cut off as Chel slapped a hand over his mouth.

"I don't know."

The gold was dropped to the ground, as Tulio rushed around the room, "Oh my god! He's gone! Miguel's gone! He's loose! What am I gonna do?! No, no, no!"

"Miguel is right." Chel sighed, pulling Eugene towards the door, "You worry too much."

She gave Eugene a warning look, pushing him towards the stairs in a silent order for him to leave them alone.

Chel made her way back over to Tulio… who then started to moan.

Needless to say, Eugene ran out of there pretty sharpish.

…..

"Dad! Dad!"

Miguel turned to see Eugene racing towards him, bending down and catching his son in his arms.

"Tulio didn't see you leaving right?"

"No, but you need to- "

"- Good." Miguel sighed in relief, not even seeming to realise that Eugene was trying to tell him something, "I don't want him to stress so much, you know?" He then glanced around, "It's quiet huh?"

"Dad, please, we need to- "

"Excuse me!" Miguel spotted the acolyte in the distance, and rushed over to the man, "Hey, where is everybody?"

"They've been cleared from the streets, my lord, so that the city can be cleansed… as you ordered."

"Cleansed?" Eugene frowned, completely forgetting about his Papa and Chel, "What do you mean?"

"It is so the Age of the Jaguar can begin… as you ordered, my lord."

Before Miguel could say anything else, there was a commotion to the right, where several guards were grabbing a civilian.

"Get back in! Where are you going?!"

"Hey!" Miguel frowned, "Hey, stop that!"

"Move!"

"Hey, stop that!" Miguel rushed over, "What are you doing? Stop that!"

"But, my Lord, anyone who disobeys your orders must be punished, as you ordered." The Acolyte protested.

Eugene rolled his eyes, "You've been making a lot of those recently."

"Yes." The Acolyte didn't seem to notice the sarcasm in Eugene's voice, "Tzekel-Kan has made your commands clear, my Lord."

"Really?" Miguel thought to himself for a moment, before waving his hand, "Here's an order. Take the day off."

"Huh?"

Miguel ignored him, turning to the man the guards had been pushing around, "Are you alright?"

The man just stared up at him.

"Here." Miguel held out a hand to help the man up. However, the man misunderstood, removing his gold earrings and holding them out to Miguel.

"Oh, no! It's alright. Please- "

He didn't get a chance to finish as the pushed himself to his feet and scrambled to run away, tripping over a market stall, causing everything to fall to the ground, making an almost tuneful sound.

"Huh." Miguel glanced down at Eugene, "How far did we get in our lute lessons?"

"Ugh."

"You'll get it eventually."

….

He was definitely not getting it.

Miguel winced at another discordant note. "Move that finger a little further up." He then glanced to the right, spotting Altivo approaching, several children hanging off of him.

TWANG.

The kids all flinched, hiding behind Altivo as Eugene flushed bright red, practically shoving the handmade lute at his Dad. Miguel chuckled as he plucked out a soft tune, the children all peeking out in curiosity.

As the tune continued, they gathered a larger crowd.

Eugene was dismayed when Miguel gave another man the chance to play it, and the man managed to produce a better tune than Eugene ever could.

"Don't look like that." Miguel chuckled, "The lute's not your instrument. That's fine."

"… I don't think any instrument's my instrument."

Miguel just chuckled again, gesturing for Eugene to follow him. "Come on. I want to know what this place is like without Tulio worrying over everything."

Tulio.

Papa.

There was something important he had to tell Dad about Papa, but what was it?!

He shrugged, figuring he would remember later.