So, I have decided to make a schedule. Yay! I'll be updating every Tuesday, but other stuffs can be found on my tumblr... same username... Plz

A few days later

Everyone was gathered down by the beaches behind the large city. Yuuri was dressed in his royal robes as people filed past him, whispering condolences quietly, not daring break the silence. They all held a small lamp of dark blue light and white flowers-one of the only kinds that bloomed at night.

Several small boats were resting in the sand, with three much larger ones in the middle. The people put their flowers into all the boats, next to the bodies covered with cloth.

The people were all dressed in formal robes, lining up on the beach, some of them with tears streaking down their faces as they looked sadly at the bodies of the deceased, friends and family for some of them. Including Yuuri.

Almost the entire kingdom was there. All the nobles, military leaders, and members of the senate, along with most of the citizens. Once everyone had filed past him, Yuuri slowly approached the three boats with royal blue flowers in his own hands. He gently rested them on the bodies of his parents and sister, and backed away slowly.

Yuuri managed to tear his eyes away, and nodded to Benz, who had been standing beside him, who then signaled towards a small group of knights, who slowly and silently pushed the boats into the rippling water. The last three were the largest ones, containing the king, queen, and princess. These boats had the most flowers in them, with the bodies decorated in jewels and expensive cloths.

Once all the boats had been pushed out, Benz handed Yuuri a bow and three arrows. He turned to the pit of moon fire beside him, and lit one arrow. He pulled back and fired at the boat on the right. Mari's boat. He did the same to his mother's, and then his father's.

Everybody on the beach let their lamps fly all at once, and the shore was covered in lights, both from the burning boats and the flying lights. The kingdom of night was lit up, and a tear slipped down the prince's face.

-fancy line break-

Otabek stood close to the prince, and even closer to the Prime Minister. He hadn't been surprised at all when the Dusk viceroy had asked him to follow the man. He seemed to be very secretive, sneaking around when there was no need.

The funeral ended, and Otabek expected him to return to the castle with the other officials, but the Minister instead took a stormy gray horse from the stables and rode off north along the beach. Otabek took another horse, a smaller one given his height, and followed at a safe distance, keeping closer to the trees to avoid being seen.

Otabek knew where the Minister was going. The large prison was north this way. Why, was what Otabek did not know. What possible business could the Prime Minister have with criminals?

After about 10 minutes, the large tower came into view, and the Minister climbed off the horse and handed the reigns to a guard. He entered the prison, and Otabek had no choice but to follow. He snuck behind the guards by the entrance, but judged there was a small chance of him getting into any kind of trouble if he was caught. He knew some of these guards. They had had a hand in his training, and had a good opinion of him.

Once he was inside, he caught glimpse of a cloak disappearing around a corner. He followed around corners, around guards, and fell behind to avoid a sighting. Some of the prisoners shouted at him as he dashed past, but he did not stop.

Suddenly, the Minister stopped, and Otabek hid behind a corner. A raspy voice sounded, and Otabek had to hold back a cringe. "How did the funeral go?"

"Without any problems, master," the Prime Minister spoke back. "The viceroy of Dawn is set on crowning the prince."

"Good. Have patience now," said the voice.

"It was a brilliant plan, master. Attempting to convince the viceroy to not crown the prince only made it happen faster. The coronation will happen in a week's time."

"This is good," came the raspy voice. "However, be cautious. Some suspicion may have arisen in your apparent distrust."

"Nobody suspects anything," said the Minister, almost sounding offended. "The only person who had the power to arrest me is the king, and once the boy is crowned, I believe that he won't know who to trust anymore. He will turn to me."

"Don't rush things," the voice snapped. "If this goes as planned, we will need to wait until he is comfortable in his role. Given the rumors, that may take a while."

The Prime Minister snorted. "I have this under control, master." He stood, and turned down the hall. Otabek backed up and slipped into a different hallway, and rushed back to his post. He needed to see a face, or a name. Anything to tell Benz. The prince needed to know who killed his father.

What he saw shook him to his core. Gold eyes glinted back at him, a maniac smile on a mouth. "Young child, are you lost?"

"No," Otabek replied curtly.

"Oh," replied the man, still grinning. "Come closer."

Otabek did, a decision definitely against his better judgement. Suddenly, the man lunged, and Otabek leapt back as a hand shot through bars and took a fistful of his shirt. "Do you know who I am, boy?" the man growled, all traces of the carefree tone he held before gone.

Otabek stayed silent, dark, emotionless eyes staring straight back into the gold ones.

The man glared back. "My name is Melaka Knise. I killed the king. And the prince will be my next victim."

Firstly, no, Knise is not Yuuri's father. Secondly, in the worlds of Lunis and Solis, time passes so that every thousand years that passes to us, one passes to them. So, Otabek's age is 12 at the moment, but he is more mature than he seems, as he has been living for 12 thousand years.