Kallian led the group through the Palace, though Egil noted that the High Entia seemed to avoid looking at them as much as possible. Not that he could blame them, really. The Machina hadn't been here in so long, and they looked quite ridiculous in this armour, after all…
Soon enough, they were at what Egil supposed was their destination.
"Welcome to the Imperial Villa, where Melia stays." Kallian gestured out before lowering his voice. "Please do not reveal the plot to Melia, I do not want to worry her."
"Brother!" A young girl approached, dressed in what seemed to be a nightgown. "Why are you here?"
She was a pretty little thing, honestly. With silver hair that came out in two curls, the rest framing her face. She was quite small, as were her wings - smaller than any Egil had seen in all his years.
"Melia." He pulled her into a hug, patting her head. "Call it a brother's worry. I simply thought it would be best you meet the Machina, given your future."
"The Machina…" Melia looked over at them. Though when her eyes landed on Egil, she averted her gaze, face red. "I… I see!"
"Hm? Are you alright, Melia?" Kallian tilted his head to the side as his little sister buried her face in his sleeve. "Did Egil scare you?"
"No, that's not it! It's just…"
"Just…?"
"Oh, poor thing." Vanea frowned. "She must be so repressed."
"Egil's thighs must be too much for a High Entian princess to handle…" Linada slapped his thigh and Egil yelped. "Can't say I see much appeal in them, though."
Egil flustered, but quickly knelt, now more eye-level with Melia. "Is this more comfortable for you, Princess?"
"Ah, yes." She nodded and he was glad, it was honestly more comfortable for him, too. He didn't exactly enjoy having his thighs stared at by anyone, after all. "Thank you, Sir Machina."
"It's more comfortable for me as well, do not worry." He shook his head. "Say, Kallian, you mentioned plans for your sister to be heir-apparent, yes? Is that the reason you believe she should meet the life of Mechonis?"
"Indeed." Kallian nodded. "Though I suppose Machina royalty would have been better… Next time I'll think this through more."
"Oh, we don't have that." Vanea shook her head. "We have a chief."
"Oh!" Oka jumped up and down. "Metal friends have chief like Nopon!"
"A chief, then. I see." Kallian rubbed his chin. "Then I suppose I should say the children of the chief, should he have any, would be the best…"
"Egil and Vanea are exactly that." Linada snorted. "The treasured children of the Machina chief, Miqol."
"What?" His eyes widened. "Why did you not tell me sooner? I would have moved faster to-"
"Odd you didn't realize that, Brother, if this is a meeting for the sake of the races." Melia narrowed her eyes and Egil was realizing she was quite smart. "How did you not know?"
"Uh… Alvis simply did not tell me! He was the one to introduce me."
"Alvis…" Egil made quite the face. When he saw him again, he was still going to give him a proper thrashing, he swore.
"W… well!" Kallian cleared his throat. "With everyone here, we may as well spend the night. Come, Melia, I will tuck you in. Everyone else, feel free to find a place to sleep, though… If one or two of you could stay up so I can pass something by you later, that would be nice."
Code for someone to stay on watch, Egil assumed. "Of course, Kallian. Go ahead."
"Come then, Melia."
"Brother, I'm not a child, I don't need to be tucked in…!"
"Nonsense, you're still a baby to me!"
"Kallian…!"
Egil had ended up taking third watch, and it seemed that was the unlucky one, seeing as someone was appearing before him. He pulled Meyneth's Monado free, ready for whatever was to come…
Only to be face to face with quite the happy looking Alvis. "You weren't in the room I was told the guards led you to, and I was getting a bit worried. I'm glad to see you're all fine."
"Glad to see the trap you led us into wasn't deadly, then." He looked away with a huff. "Why show your face now?"
"I had another vision, and I believe you will need my help again." Alvis placed a hand over Egil's, lowering it to the Machina's side. "If you'll allow me, that is."
He sighed, closing his eyes as he thought on Alvis's offer. He was still quite upset, and unsure of if he trusted the Seer or not. But, if he was being honest, the hallucinations had crawled back into his head as he sat in silence. Clawing at his ears and deafening him as he stewed in the suffocating company of his own thoughts. Screaming for him to exact revenge on the being that had ravaged his home so long ago. Starting by wreaking havoc on Zanza's most useful tool, the High Entia.
"You may stay, I suppose." He resheathed the Monado and sat down with a sigh. "...If you are willing to stay and speak. I'd rather you at least make yourself useful."
Alvis chuckled, sitting next to Egil. "I think I can manage that. So long as you're actually receptive to conversation."
Egil grunted, but didn't reply to that. Instead, he started at the next best place. "I hear you told Kallian of us… And that we were not a threat."
"I did. I've seen the gentle Machina in action and out of it. You're all…" He hummed, trying to find the word. "I suppose the word I would use to describe you is merciful. You avoid pain when you can."
"We've been through so much pain ourselves, the last thing we should do is spread more of it." He let out a shaky sigh. "Even if…"
"Even if?" Alvis raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you would like to share with me?"
"No, I'm just… tired." He let out a sigh. "So very tired, Alvis. I haven't slept well in a millennia."
"You poor thing…" Alvis sighed, holding up a hand and running it through Egil's hair. "How are you still moving?"
"I really don't know." He hated to admit it, but the soft hand in his hair was nice. "Sometimes I think I'll fall dead at a moment's notice. I've felt like a dead man for years."
"I see…" Alvis moved his hand around to pull Egil's head onto Alvis's shoulder. "Then perhaps you should try and rest now. I can keep an eye on things… Prince Kallian has already told me of the conspiracy against Princess Melia, and I will wake you if the assassin appears."
"My watch isn't over…" He held in a yawn. "I have a duty to do my share… After dragging Vanea and Linada all the way out here."
"Then you have a duty to take care of yourself too…" Alvis pat his head. "Just rest a bit. I will awaken you if anything important happens."
Egil wanted to argue, but his eyelids were feeling quite heavy. Alvis hummed, making it even harder to keep his eyes open. The hand on his head didn't help at all, either… And so he drifted off.
And, for the first time in a long time, slept quite well.
