"The Fae Queen."
"We don't have a Queen. We have a Prince who is in hiding from the trolls." He shook his head at her. "You have a good imagination."
"The Princes have an older sister who was raised human. She was coronated not that long ago." She glanced at Daigo, "Do the Fae not have like.. newspapers or anything?"
"We have not been at Court for five years." A boy slightly older than Ryon answered.
She smiled softly, "Well, the Queen has given anchis born people rights and now we're going to build an orphanage for all the orphaned children. You'll be taken care of and if you decide to go back to Court when you are older, you'll have rights."
The teen looked at her in shock.
"You done pestering mommy yet, squirt? Haru's serving the pizza and he promises ice cream after." Ryon sauntered in and froze.
Arya turned to look at him, "How are you, hun?"
His eyes were focused on the teen. "Zal? I thought you were dead."
The teen raised an eyebrow. "I could say the same thing, pipsqueak."
"I take it you know each other?"
"We used to live in the Colony. We would sneak out together to get food." Ryon shrugged. "He disappeared years ago. Thought the guards had gotten him."
Arya nodded quietly before looking back at the teen.
"You really won't hurt them? I'll do whatever you want." Zal began removing his robe, his eyes downcast.
"Hey, hey, you don't have to do anything. I'm going to help all of you because I care, okay?" She sighed, "Why don't you guys join us for food?"
"I'll take them." Daigo ushered all the children out but Zal.
He still had his eyes fixed on the floor, his hands tight around the half discarded robe. "I will be quiet. I will not cry unless you want me to." He forced the robe to drop, then turned around and removed his underwear. He knelt and waited, his bottom exposed to her.
"Honey, I don't know what you've had to do in the past, but you are safe here. Please put your clothes back on."
"Am I too old? I won't let you touch my brothers." He turned his head. "If you even think of touching Azra, I'll kill you."
"I'm helping you with nothing in return. I don't want anything from you or your siblings. I just want to help."
There was confusion in the purple orbs as he stayed still. "Everyone wants something. Shall I pleasure you instead? I have a little experience."
"No." She said quickly. "The only thing I want is to help you. I don't want anything else, I swear."
"I apologize." He stayed on the floor as if waiting for something.
"Please put your clothes back on."
He slowly did, keeping his eyes averted. "So I am not for your use? A gathering perhaps?"
She winced, "Honey, look at me. You aren't here to be used by anyone. No one here will touch you or your siblings like that. We honestly all just want to help you because we are kind people."
He raised his eyes. "Forgive me, but I have met no one kind. Everyone wants something."
"I was raised human by some vampires. I was taught compassion and kindness. I swear I don't want anything from you."
He bowed his head, then swayed.
She gently put a hand on his shoulder to steady him, "Let's get some food into you."
He gave her a small nod.
She led him to the house and offered him a seat at the table.
He sat down carefully, making sure he took as little space as possible. His siblings remained silent, the younger teen placing a pizza slice in front of him and withdrawing.
Ryon took a deep breath, launching into a discussion of the pros and cons of some game strategy with Shouma.
Haru sent her a sharp glance, a question in his eyes.
She raised an eyebrow and approached, "What?"
"Is he alright?"
"I don't know. He's been through a lot, that's for sure."
"By the way, Toya is in the bedroom. Says he isn't hungry."
She nodded and slipped out of the room, going to her and Tomoya's room to check on him.
He sat on the end of the bed, his eyes distant.
"Hey, you alright?"
"I have seen a lot of horrible things as a Hunter, you know? Vampire kills, shifter attacks. Hell, me and Toshi fought a mermaid once who put both of us in the hospital. But arriving at her hideout… I mean I knew she was Fae, knew she was a witch, but what she was doing to that boy…" He shuddered.
She gently squeezed his hand. "I revived them.. The oldest one seems pretty messed up but I don't think it's all from her."
He gave a small laugh. "Quite the family we're acquiring."
"I'm making an orphanage for Fae children, so they'll probably stay there."
"You're amazing, you know that? Willing to revive Yashiro's experiments."
"They deserve kindness."
He leaned over and kissed her. "That's my Princess."
"Are you sure you aren't hungry?"
"Yeah. Go take care of the boys. It's getting late."
She nodded and kissed him before heading back to the kitchen.
Ryon was eating an ice pop, the other children eagerly inhaling bowls of ice cream.
Zal was nowhere to be seen.
Arya smiled at the kids before going searching for Zal.
Haru grabbed her arm as she headed for the front door. "Wanna explain why that kid propositioned me?"
Arya rolled her eyes, "He did that to me too. He seems to think we want something for helping them."
Haru froze. "I've heard of offering whatever you have, but that? When I turned him down, he asked Kimito. Shocked him into shifting, which is when the kid bolted in terror."
Arya shook her head, "I'll go find him."
"Good luck." Haru pointed toward the field. "He was heading toward there."
Arya nodded and headed out there. She looked around carefully.
He was digging into the ground, his body trembling with exertion.
"Hun? I heard Kimito scared you.. He didn't mean to, you just scared him first.." She spoke softly. "No one here wants anything like that from any of you."
"I didn't mean to scare him. I'm just doing what I'm supposed to." He paused for breath, his hands shaking. "Ask everyone at a gathering if they wish company for the night."
After a minute, he resumed digging. "I have to finish this before dark comes."
"What are you doing?"
"If no one desires company, I must sleep alone. It's warmer underground."
"Hun, you can sleep in our house until the orphanage is built. We have extra beds."
He panicked. "Not unless someone wishes company. It is law."
"I'll let you in on something. I make the laws now, I'm the Queen. And I say it's alright for you to stay inside."
His eyes glittered in the dim light, then he bowed his head. One hand slipped into his pocket and withdrew a silver box. "I submit to harnessing." He handed the box to her, then made his way back toward the house.
"Hey, wait a second," she caught up to him. "I don't know about this harnessing stuff, but I swear we don't want anything from you. We just want to help you. I wish you'd just let us take care of you."
"If you are Queen, you know the harness. It is mandatory for us anchis born over the age of ten in a high born house when we are not performing." His eyes narrowed.
Tears filled her eyes, "Like I said, I grew up human. I don't know all this Fae stuff, but everything I keep learning is worse and worse.." She took a deep breath, "I'm definitely outlawing this kind of thing."
He didn't answer, taking the box back. "I may require assistance at the end. But I shall do the majority of it." He resumed his walk to the house, disappearing within the doorway.
Arya ran after him, tears streaking her face. She entered and grabbed his arm. "Listen to me. We want to help you. We don't want you doing this kind of thing. We don't want anything from you at all. You are allowed to stay in the house, we have extra bedrooms. You don't have to stay outside, even though none of us want company. We don't want you to do this harness thing either. We are just kind people. Forget your training, you are safe and cared about now."
"I am anchis born. No one cares for me. I am to be used until I get too sick and am discarded from the Colony." He stated quietly, not meeting her eyes. "I hope you show compassion on my siblings and do not treat them too harshly."
"I care about people who are anchis born! Why do you think I gave them rights?! I care about you. I care about your siblings too. If I didn't care about anchis born people, why would I adopt Ryon? I adopted him and Yamae because I love them."
"What is love?" He stood rigidly beside her. "I do not know this word."
"It's like.. extreme caring. A deep affection."
His eyes brightened and he repeated the word slowly. "What I feel for my siblings.. It is love?"
"Yes," she smiled softly.
He gave a small smile, then lost it hurriedly as Ryusei approached them. He threw himself to the floor, head bent to the carpet. "Forgive me. I will be harnessed shortly. I will not dishonor this home."
Arya looked at Ryusei, the tears returning to her eyes, "Please help me... I keep telling him we just want to help him."
Ryusei clenched his jaw. "You can do nothing to dishonor this house. Get up and go take a bath. Yuuto is getting your bed ready."
Zal's head rose in shock. "A bath?"
"Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about. Now get up before I dump you wearing your robe."
Zal rose quickly, struggling not to run as he headed for the bathroom.
As he disappeared, Ryusei unclenched his jaw and stared at the forgotten box with disgust.
"Thank you.. I kept telling him everything was okay but he wasn't getting it. He also said as Queen I should know what the harnessing is. I'm definitely outlawing people from treating others like that.." She sighed, "Did I make a mistake reviving him? He wouldn't have to deal with all this.."
"Arya..I'm sorry you are learning about this. I hoped to spare you." He sighed. "You revived him because you believed he should have a chance. He will recover in time with your compassion."
"I feel like everything I learn about the Fae gets worse and worse.. Why are our people so cruel?"
"I wish I knew. Father wanted to make change, but he was ridiculed and blocked by Tomoki." He gazed at her head on. "Do you wish to know the truth of our Court?"
"If I know I can make changes, right?"
He nodded. "Let's sit down."