Chapter 20 – The Volition of the Fragments

"Don't you have a closet full of fancy suits already? Why do you need a new one?" Kaito leaned back on the recliner in the corner of the room, goblet in hand. With his free hand, he gestured vaguely towards the east wall of the workshop, towards the palace in the center of Alm-Ardjalus.

That day Luka was busy with dance and basic etiquette lessons (not one of her favorite subjects). Meanwhile, Gakupo and Kaito were at the official establishment in charge of sewing clothes for the mages of the city. The shop was a refined business with polished mirrors in every wall and bursting with brocade, silk and velvet. It had a small retail section in front for wealthy clients, but mages were served by the owner himself in a comfortable private room near the back of the building.

Gakupo gave Kaito a side glance without moving, since said owner was at that moment measuring his chest. "It's Lusanian tradition for the groom to wear only new clothes to his wedding."

"New clothes for a new life, huh? That's a bit on the nose," Kaito commented casually, then took a sip of his drink.

Gakupo didn't reply at first. He didn't care one way or the other about clothes; as a matter of fact, the cup in Kaito's hands guided his thoughts towards a completely different matter. It was hard to keep track of his surroundings when he was being dragged back and forth for fittings, rehearsals, meetings and more, but Kaito seemed to be spending a lot of his time in Alm-Ardjalus with liquor nearby. Had it started just now? During the two years spent apart? Gakupo considered saying something, but then remembered the presence of the tailor and his assistants. No, he had to wait until the two of them were alone, whenever that might be. Instead, he returned to the safer subject. "Rossemara told me that brides over there used to prepare both the wedding dress and an embroidered jacket and cap for the groom."

"I wouldn't expect Luka to pull that off even if she had weeks to do it!" Kaito exploded in laughter. "Much less a couple days!"

That was true. Rossemara had elected to hold the wedding ceremony only five days after their arrival to the city. It was going to be an absurdly lavish and populous event, to a degree that neither Gakupo nor Luka were truly comfortable with. However, Rossemara had insisted a big spectacle was essential for her plans. And thus, the last couple days had become something out of a blurry dream, full of nonsensical activities.

"In any case- "Kaito's mirthful expression faded when a man in a long fur coat burst into the room. Without skipping a beat, Kaito dropped the cup and stood protectively between Gakupo and the new arrival.

The tailor and his assistants quickly recovered from their initial confusion when they recognized Castelo. The posh old man bowed to the shaggy figure and said, "My lord mage, I wasn't aware you were coming. Once I'm finished here, I can-''

"Get out." The two words sounded more like the twisted growl of a wild animal than a human voice. Although Kaito was facing away from him, Gakupo could see his friend's body tense up, preparing for a confrontation.

"E-Excuse me?"

"I have things to discuss with them. Get lost." It was easy to see that Castelo had real difficulty formulating the syllables coming out of his mouth, although he was doing his best to downplay it.

"Yes, yes, of course!" The employees of the workshop needed no incentive to obey Castelo's orders. It was a less than elegant retreat as the employees rushed to the door and bumped into one another in their hastiness to retreat, but in an instant the trio of mages were alone amongst the mannequins and racks of clothing.

"Where's the girl?" Castelo asked as soon as the sounds of footsteps outside quietened.

"Why, you want another arrow down your gullet? You already stink of burnt mongrel, but if you insist..." Despite the cold, almost dismissive tone, Kaito's fists were trembling with tension.

Swallowing his anxiety, Gakupo took a step forward. But Kaito's arm immediately shot upwards to stop him from getting any closer to Castelo. Always looking out for me, Gakupo thought gratefully before saying out loud, "She's not here right now. And you don't want a rematch, believe me."

Castelo stared at him in silence, his face perplexingly hard to read. Then he made a strange sound and knelt on the polished floor. Kaito and Gakupo looked at each other in confusion.

"Forgive me," the wild mage uttered. "I pledge loyalty to this city and the future First Mage."

"...What?"

"I should've stopped Blanca! I should've stopped before-" Castelo cut himself off and wheezed. His eyes only briefly strayed towards Kaito's face, before focusing once more on Gakupo. "Please let me stay in the city. I'll follow your every command."

"Rossemara is in charge here…" Gakupo replied non-committedly. As usual, he was having trouble figuring out the proper response to the sudden turn of events.

"She told me to beg you three for forgiveness. l-" This time, Castelo coughed for a disturbingly long time before he could speak again. "I… I like living here. Please, things got out of control." He inclined his disheveled head and muttered miserably, "I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Your bitch of a friend almost killed me. And you tried killing Gakupo and Luka. Who cares what you want!?" If Kaito's voice had been cold before, now it was positively brimming with hate.

"We should give him a chance," Gakupo blurted out. Not because he cared deeply about the half-breed, but because he didn't want to hear that ruthless tone ever again. He had enough of seeing Kaito and Luka angry or distressed. But his stomach churned when Kaito turned towards him, eyes wide as saucers. He deserves to be upset, idiot, Gakupo chastised himself. You can't simply erase what happened with a self-serving apology.

The silence in the room was intense, despite Castelo's broken breathing. Gakupo just met Kaito's gaze silently, even as he felt his sunset eye grow achingly dry.

Just before it got completely unbearable, Kaito threw up his hands. "I should've expected this." He rubbed his forehead in the familiar gesture of the late Captain Fuuga.

"I'm sorry…" Gakupo began to say, but Kaito waved his hand in front of his face.

"No, no, no. No more apologies, remember?" Kaito said with a troubled smile before turning to the kneeling mage. "If you touch them again I'll end you, you hear me? Now bugger off, we have things to do."

Castelo's eyes examined their faces for a few seconds, then he nodded. Like the hounds he favored, the mage nimbly jumped to his feet and departed as abruptly as he had arrived. Gakupo managed to let out a sigh of relief before Kaito said grimly, "Luka is not going to like this either, mark my words."

"I…" Gakupo paused. In his experience, Castelo was impulsive, but not vindictive. Blanca no doubt had been the instigator of the attack, and now she was out of the picture. Even if push came to shove, Castelo was outnumbered. No, there was need for Kaito to worry.

Before Gakupo could find a convincing way to phrase his thoughts, Kaito alleviated the need for a reply with a wave of his hand. "Never mind. Let me get the tailor back in here." He exited the room at an unnecessarily brisk pace, but by the time he returned, employees in tow, he seemed completely back to normal.

Kaito did worry about Castelo, but the wild mage was far from his only reason for his restlessness.

The day before the wedding, he snuck out of the palace alone, wearing a white cape with a hood and plain clothes underneath to conceal his identity. Although Rossemara had elected to stay quiet about Invicto's fate for the moment, she had confirmed the rumors that Verdigris was missing that very morning. That was enough of an excuse to go out: Kaito had to know how the people were taking the news. After all, they viewed the old jerk and the others as superior beings. An atmosphere of mourning or even massive hysteria was well within his expectations. And yes, there were sullen faces here and there, but they were vastly outnumbered by expressions of resolve and even excitement. Kaito wandered around the city and eavesdropped, trying to understand the mindset of its people.

At an open market, two old women were talking next to a small mountain of fresh produce. Kaito stopped and pretended to admire the merchandise while he listened. "If you ask me, it's the army's fault. How could they lose our lord mage?! They should all be punished!" One of the woman said, stabbing the air with a knitting needle.

"I can't believe he's gone!" The other woman lamented.

"If the men can't be trusted to protect our mages…" At that moment, the woman noticed Kaito and affixed him with a sharp glare, as if blaming him for Verdigris' death. She wasn't too off the mark, not that she had any way of knowing the truth. Kaito quickly excused himself and continued walking.

Sometime later, he found an inn with a wordless sign hanging from an iron bar above the door. Given the image depicted on it, Kaito assumed it was called the Crowned Dove or something to that effect. Like most buildings near the palace, it was clean, modern-looking and seemingly quite popular. Kaito peeked through the decorated windows and decided to try the local spirits. He double-checked his hood to make his hair was still properly covered and walked inside.

The interior was a cozy space with polished floors and dark furniture; everything was bathed in the soft, artificial light of wall-mounted lamps. In a place of honor near the entrance, between two of said fixtures, Kaito noticed a portrait of Gakupo and Luka in regal attire. It wasn't the first time that day he had seen the same image: Rossemara had printed thousands of copies using her improved printing press and distributed them all over the city. Kaito had seen them inside every shop and hanging from lampposts and balconies. A particularly large version of the same image had been erected in the plaza in front of the palace. From what he had seen while sneaking out, the common people of the city were leaving flowers and gifts at its base. It all had a familiar air to him, as if the mystic woman was trying to turn his friends into living saints like El Gris.

The portrayal of Gakupo even seemed to take some cues from the iconography associated with the Lady of Light herself, morphed into something more fire-based and masculine. Kaito felt like laughing at the heavy-handed approach, but quickly swallowed the impulse. Instead, the young man quickly located the bar and after buying a drink, he sat down in a quiet corner to listen to the patrons. Everyone seemed in the mood to talk about current events, from the snippets of conversations around him:

"I can't wait to see Lady Luka in person!" Several voices agreed to that statement, and the first one added, "Ralah said she's the most beautiful woman in the world!" That progressed into a long-winded speculation on the topic of Luka's wedding outfit and coiffure that made Kaito quickly lose interest.

Five minutes or so later, an older man exclaimed from another table, "We need to continue the campaign against those zealots!" He continued ranting in the same manner while the man across him grunted occasionally in agreement. No one around seemed to disagree about his views on the faith.

By the time Kaito was downing his third drink, a group of young men, barely of age, strutted confidently towards the bar. They were having a last drink before enlisting and spoke about protecting the future First Mage and his wife. "We won't let him come to harm!" "We will protect this city and our mages!" "Long live Alm-Ardjalus!" And so on, each bold statement punctuated with generous quantities of beer and banging of mugs against tables. Other patrons patted their shoulders and beamed proudly in response to their words.

Some customers seemed convinced that the old warmage was secretly still in charge. At a nearby table, a bearded man argued the point vehemently to his drinking partner and anyone willing to listen. "Mark my words, Jul. Master Verdigris is preparing something big to destroy those bead-counting hags. Once they're lulled into complacency, bam!" The man slammed down his hand on the table, making the cutlery and cups rattle.

Finally, Kaito decided it was enough. It wouldn't do to return to the palace completely intoxicated; Gakupo was beginning to give him sad puppy eyes every time he got so much as tipsy. Still smiling due to that particular mental image, Kaito left some coins on the table and walked outside feeling pleasantly warm.

A few doors down from the Crowned Dove, Kaito found a flower shop very similar to the one Luka's family used to own. They had a magnificent display of purple and pink flowers out front, complete with the familiar portrait of Gakupo and Luka, now festooned with rose blossoms and white ribbons.

Two girls were examining the bouquets available, possibly on their way to visit the plaza. They wore modest and drab clothing, but each one had tied a pair of small ribbons over their heart, one purple and one pink. The brunette was telling her blonde friend an exciting anecdote, and Kaito crept closer discreetly.

"It was just after Layla left, you know? He passed by in his carriage and looked directly at me." The brunette paused to look at the portrait for a second. "I was in front of the main door, sweeping. He looked at me and smiled. He smiled at me! I've half a mind to apply for a job at the palace, now that Maika is gone."

Her friend looked somewhat skeptical, but didn't have time to say anything before the first girl petulantly tossed her hair and exclaimed. "Why not? I'd be a hundred times better than that treacherous whore!"

Kaito blinked. Did that girl knew Maika personally? He considered interrupting her conversation under some pretense, but then a nearby clock tower chimed and he realized he had wasted most of the day wandering around town. He didn't want to add to Gakupo's worries by skipping dinner.

Besides, he already had an answer for his most pressing questions: nobody seemed to be aware that Maika had publicly called Luka and him enemy agents, or that they had tried to take Gakupo away from the city. And perhaps more importantly, even though some people didn't believe that the warmage was dead, most were ready to accept Gakupo as the new ruler.

Heck, they look ready to declare him god-king, Kaito thought as he took off running. It was only just a slight exaggeration on his part, but it didn't bode well for Gakupo's aspirations of equality in the city.

The next day arrived with a frenzy of activity inside the palace, as the servants made sure that everything met Rossemara's expectations. Whenever one of them met Kaito's gaze as he walked by, the surge of ecstatic fervor he felt emanating from their eyes was enough to give him shivers. He gratefully made his way to a more sedated part of the palace, away from the halls that would be open to guests and wiped the smile from his face. At least he wouldn't need to pretend to be happy for a minute or so.

The marriage was already bittersweet to him, but being surrounded by the elaborate decorations and frankly creepy servants was swiftly eroding his facade. No matter how hard he tried to mask his thoughts behind jokes and empty grins, Gakupo had already asked him twice during breakfast if he was feeling ill. There was no way to tell him how uneasy he suddenly felt. In the back of his head, a voice kept repeating, "You knew this was coming, what did you expect? Don't you dare ruin this for them". As firm as the admonishing voice was, it didn't help his mood one bit.

Kaito turned to his left and saw the door he was looking for, guarded by two soldiers. The study was a comfortable room where Verdigris used to work on administrative matters and give Gakupo his lessons. From what Kaito had heard, this was the starting point of Milena's rampage, which then extended to the adjacent laboratories. Despite being enemies, Kaito couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy towards the crazed servant; her devotion towards Verdigris was complete and genuine, whether he deserved it or not. But to do that to her daughter? The very fruit of their union? He couldn't understand it. Repressing a sigh, he nodded to the guards. The men obviously knew who he was by now, because hey bowed respectfully and let him in with a polite greeting.

Unfortunately, the results of Milena's handiwork were still quite evident, since the preparations for the wedding had taken priority. The study had a slight chemical odor, and the beautiful painted walls had been stained with splashes of several liquids. Rossemara was sitting at the desk in the center of the room, in the middle of examining several piles of torn and wrinkled papers. Kanon and Anon were sitting in the floor nearby, sifting through more damaged books, scrolls and loose papers and sorting them into piles.

"Good day, ma'am," Kaito greeted the woman. "You wanted to see me?"

Rossemara gave him a small smile. "Yes, yes. Please sit down, Kaito. Girls, I need to talk to Gakupo's friend for a while, why don't you take a break?" Kaito wasn't sure he wasn't imagining things, but it seemed to him that the woman had stressed the phrase 'Gakupo's friend' a bit more strongly than necessary. He dismissed his suspicions for the moment and sat on the only other chair in the room, facing Rossemara's desk.

"Should we bring tea first?" One of the girls (Kaito still wasn't sure which one was which), asked their master.

After the mage turned to look his way, Kaito waved a hand. "No, thank you. I just had something to drink."

"You heard the boy, Kanon. Go have fun, I'll call you if I need you."

Both girls smiled excitedly, dropping everything with almost too much enthusiasm; they jumped to their feet and were gone in seconds. Rossemara smiled indulgently, before steepling her fingers and resting her chin over them. Her eyes suddenly became much more serious as she focused them on Kaito and studied him in silence.

Kaito fiddled with his muffler uncomfortably. He hadn't been inside a classroom for over two years by now, but the situation felt oddly like the multiple times he was punished due to a prank or insolent answer. Rossemara definitely had the look to teach in a House of Gifts, now that the smile was gone from her plain face. But he had to remind himself that this woman was responsible for most of the technical wonders of the city. Everything Kaito had been told about her painted Rossemara as a kind woman, but he still felt he needed to be cautious around her. After all, unlike Gakupo, she had joined Verdigris as an adult and fully conscious of her acts.

"You have feelings for Gakupo."

The matter-of-fact statement brought his thoughts to a complete stop. His surprise was enough to make him babble an affirmative answer before he knew what he was doing.

Rossemara nodded, tilting her face slightly as if considering what to say next. "I think you should consider going away for a time after the wedding."

"What?" Gradually, his surprise began to transform into anger, despite his better instincts. "With all due respect, I may have offered my services to you as a mage, but doesn't mean you can meddle with my personal affairs. You have no-"

"Child, I'm telling you this for your sake as well," Rossemara interrupted him gently. "Do you think it's going to be pleasant for you to see them in the first months of their life together as a couple?"

"I…"

"Gakupo has told me a lot about you and Luka. I know you care about him. I know you protected him while you both were at that horrid town. So, yes, although my first concern is that Gakupo gets to enjoy a peaceful life from now on, I also worry about you."

"About me?" Kaito frowned, not really liking this turn of events. Pity was the last thing he wanted from this woman.

"How long have you lived for someone else's sake? Doing what someone else expected of you?"

Again, Kaito felt himself losing the ability to speak due to a combination of irritation and surprise. Why shouldn't I devote my life to making sure Gakupo and Luka are safe? I should be content with that. "When Gakupo's parents were murdered I promised my father that I'd always protect my friends. I don't intend to change that, no matter what," he said firmly.

"I don't think he would begrudge you a little selfishness." Rossemara smiled, but Kaito caught a glimmer of admiration in her eyes. It was unexpectedly gratifying, even if she was basically an stranger. "In my opinion, at least, everyone should be entitled a little time on their own to figure out who they are and what they want out of life. Why not now?"

Kaito fixed his eyes on the grain of the desk, lips pursed. Perhaps from the outside it seemed like he had no ambitions of his own, no dreams. Perhaps Gakupo thought he had discarded it all years ago. And it wasn't completely off the mark; there was no contest between his aspirations and his heart. His present persona had been completely molded by the people he adored. It had been ages since the last time he seriously considered an occupation or a future forged by himself alone. As for family, Kaito couldn't see himself settling down with anyone. For the last two years, he had done nothing but enshrine his memories of the past, joyful and sorrowful alike, and that was likely to continue. Until that moment, he had never fully realized how unattractive and hollow he may seem to others.

"Does he think... Does Gakupo think...?" Try as he might, Kaito couldn't find the words to convey the sudden knot of anguish in his chest.

"As far as he is concerned, you are the one of the most extraordinary people in the world." Rossemara chuckled. "Any defects you may have are either invisible to him or somehow his fault."

"That idiot..." Kaito rubbed his eyes. "Idiot." This time, it was squarely aimed at himself. Why wasn't he over it yet? Everything was settled already! Unconsciously, he leaned forward and rested his hands on the desk. He studied the grain of the wood between them; it wasn't much of a distraction, but it helped.

Suddenly, a pudgy hand reached his head and patted it. "I'd like you to track down Ary for me. That is to say, Arevalo of the Seven. She left the city with her servant around the same time you three escaped, and hasn't returned." Rossemara spoke in a completely normal tone, ignoring Kaito's turmoil. "The note she left behind claimed she wanted to investigate the Glittering Sands, but that might be a red-herring. Find her and tell her the city is in my hands now. Tell Ary I need her with us."

Kaito stared blankly at her for several seconds. Rossemara waited patiently, as if she weren't the leader of the most advanced nation-city of the world, with a million things to supervise.

"…I'll do it."

"I'm glad to hear it. It might not seem like it now, but doing this alone will help you, I promise."

"May I take my leave?"

"Of course, dear. You should rest before the ceremony, in any case."

The ceremony. The two words he most wanted to hear right at that moment. Kaito nodded, tight-lipped, and exited the room without even remembering to say goodbye. The mystic woman let him go without comment.

After a couple of hours of unsuccessfully chasing sleep, Kaito went to the room where Gakupo was preparing for the wedding. He knocked on the door and adopting his most jovial tone, he said out loud, "Hey buddy, it's time."

Nothing. Had Gakupo left for the ceremony hall already? He tried again.

"Kaito." The voice was soft, sounding almost sleepy.

"Um, I'm coming in."

Gakupo was seated all alone on a small ottoman before a full-length mirror, garbed in his brand new white and lilac uniform. As expected, it was an extremely luxurious outfit, complete with shiny medals and a fur-trimmed cape. In opposition to his neat clothing, his loose and tangled hair looked like he hadn't combed it even once in the last month. He was playing with a brush in his hands.

"Er, what are you doing?" At this hour, probably the guests were already getting seated. "I believe the western custom is for the bride to arrive late, not the other way around," Kaito tried to state in a joking tone.

"She used to sing for me," Gakupo said, turning around and around the silvery brush, letting the light of the lamp draw sparkles off its engraved surface. "She really liked to sing when she combed my hair."

"Who?" Kaito pulled a chair closer and sat down.

"Maika. Coming back here, with everything just the same as it used to be… Her absence feels so strange. And it's all my doing."

"You didn't know what would happen." Reaching forward, Kaito rubbed Gakupo's shoulder consolingly.

"I should've known." Gakupo stilled his hands and met Kaito's gaze without saying anything more for several seconds. Then, he suddenly added, "Luka's pregnant."

Kaito blinked, taking a moment to adjust to the abrupt change in topics and surprising news. "Oh...I mean, congratulations." He went for a hug but stopped when he saw Gakupo's expression. "That is good news, right?"

"I don't know." Gakupo frowned. "I get distracted, I forget things, I can't think ahead… I abandoned Maika." He sighed. "Does someone like me deserve to have children?"

It's not like only deserving people have children, Kaito thought. But he wasn't about to say it out loud. "You are a bit of a weirdo, but that doesn't mean you can't be a good, caring dad. If you can handle spellwork you can handle milk and diapers." He gave Gakupo's shoulder another good rub and continued with a light tone. "In any case, you aren't alone on this. And I'm not just talking about Luka."

Gakupo smiled a little.

"Uncle Kaito is going to teach that baby everything he knows!" Kaito flexed, drawing a little chuckle from his friend. Encouraged by this, he took the brush from Gakupo's hands and jumped on his feet.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get you ready before Luka bursts in here to drag you by the foot into the ceremony hall. Any musical requests?"

Gakupo chuckled again. "A song you like."

"You got it." Kaito launched into an upbeat tune about birds soaring in the summer sky. After a minute or so, Gakupo joined in humming softly.

"Take my heart away, little birds. Take this silly thing away." I don't know of any magical birds that can take away my problems, Kaito added inside his head. But maybe Rossemara is right.

This was a bad idea.

Luka fought to stay in place and not fidget. A swarm of palace girls were fussing with her outfit, hair and makeup and she didn't want to ruin their efforts. Her mother would've been delighted at the sight: since the ceremony was going to follow Lusanian customs, she was wearing a richly embroidered white and pink gown with a flared skirt and wide sleeves. A fur-lined cape hung over her shoulders; it was so long that it pooled at her feet. Her usual headband had been replaced by a tiara with a veil covering the back of her head. To complete the outfit, she was wearing several pieces of jewelry costlier than her childhood home. It was slightly terrifying.

But not as much as the ruckus out there, Luka told herself. Every commoner in the city had seemingly come to see the youngest mage of the Seven get married. Fortunately, Rossemara was going to conduct the ceremony inside the building, and not in the plaza like an adviser had first suggested. Luka already felt queasy at the idea of so many guests gawking at her. And to think that after the ceremony Gakupo and her were expected to take part in a parade! None of this had any meaning to her. It was all spectacle for other people's benefit, to distract the inhabitants of Alm-Ardjalus from the current problems their city was facing. But she had promised to help Gakupo in his efforts to reform the city. If that involved smiling and waving at crowds, she had to give it a try.

Finally, the servant girls seemed satisfied. Luka moved towards the door slowly, scared of tripping. Every step was accompanied by twinkling and clinking; for a brief second, she pictured herself as a parade float in one of the festivals back home. Luka suppressed a nervous laugh and concentrated on exiting the room unscathed. For the sake of spectacle, she was supposed to enter through the main door of the palace after saluting the crowd. After a tortuously long corridor, she reached a side door that lead into the palace gardens. Alfonso and a small group of soldiers waited on the other side. The men escorted her as she marched around the side of the palace to reach the front gates. As soon as she became visible, the rumble of the crowd turned into an absolute cacophony, as the people erupted in cheers and song. Luka forced a smile and waved, which made the commoners scream even louder.

Horrendous. She approached the gates, and a hundred arms shot past the metal bars trying to touch her or merely draw her attention. A hundred mouths shouted at the same time; their words mixed together in a completely unintelligible roar. Luka's heart made its best attempt to escape her rib cage; however, she managed to stay alive long enough for Alfonso to lay a hand on her shoulder, indicating it was time to go inside. Trying to mask her relief, she stepped back into the palace. A soldier carrying a banner lead the way through the halls lined with servants. Most of them were positively exuding joy, except for a few servant girls, whose tear-streaked faces wouldn't have been out of place in a funeral.

Before she knew it, Luka was in the doorway of the ceremony hall. At the other end of the long room, Gakupo waited for her. He looked as stressed as she felt, but his slight smile was enough for her to ignore everything else. And she did need his encouragement: by that point her body was a trembling mess barely responding to her commands.

Breathe, Luka. You fought Verdigris for him, didn't you? This is nothing. Luka took one, two deep breaths... and stepped forward. Somewhere near the high-vaulted ceiling, choirboys erupted in song. The notes rained down on her as the carpet stretched and contracted capriciously below her feet. One moment Gakupo seemed so far away, the next he was already beside her, offering Luka a gloved hand. I wish I could feel the warmth of his skin... They didn't need any of this. Gakupo was hers with or without fancy outfits or stuffy ceremonies. But she obediently turned and pretended to listen to Rossemara's words, and repeated the words of the rite again and again until there was a brief pause.

"Luka…" Gakupo whispered. She realized with a start that the ceremony was practically over and let out a muted exclamation. Gakupo only smiled wider, but Rossemara stared at her with a rather perplexed expression.

"Do you accept?" The woman said after a beat, and from her tone Luka inferred that it wasn't the first time she had asked the same question.

"Yes, I do!" Luka said hurriedly.

"Then as the First Mage of Alm-Ardjalus and Protector of the People, I declare you husband and wife." As western tradition dictated, Rossemara was holding in her hands a small wreath. She brought it close to Luka's forehead and intoned, "May your hearth always be alive and your home full of fresh laughter. May you always be charitable, skillful and kind. Serve your husband, serve your home, serve your city."

"I will."

Rossemara then stood on her tiptoes to reach Gakupo's forehead. "May your sword remain sheathed and your ploughshare well-used. May you always be strong, honest and constant. Serve your wife, serve your home, serve your city."

"I will."

"Take this symbol of your union and hang above your door," Rossemara handed the wreath to Gakupo. "Leave the door open so that everyone may share your joy." There was more to the small speech, but since it involved the parents of the bride and groom, it had to be cut. "Go with my blessing, my children. Illuminate the future," Rossemara simply stated.

And that was it. The guests cheered and the world exploded in a distressing cacophony of noise and colors. But Luka's husband silently guided her towards the door, and she didn't fret or lose her footing, not even once.

Many hours later, the celebrations were still going, albeit at a more relaxed pace. The sky was dark, but the palace had a thousand lanterns to rival the stars. The gardens and open hallways were full of guests milling about, chatting and laughing.

Gakupo and Luka were dancing in the lavish inner courtyard, perhaps the most beautiful section of the palace. Their feet slowly traced complicated figures over the multi-colored stepping stones. The music guiding their steps was very soft and gentle; from his spot of the second-floor balcony, Kaito could barely understand the words sung by Kanon and Anon, not that it mattered. It was meant for his friends and no one else.

"It was a splendid ceremony, don't you think? Although I was surprised by the lack of burnt offerings. Very...laical, I think is the term?" A familiar voice suddenly mused right next to his ear. He let go of his drink in surprise, but a small white hand caught the cup in midair before it could drop.

"Careful there." Tomorrow winked. She leaned on the balcony rail and inspected what remained of the liquid inside the cup. "Ugh, alcohol."

"You...you…" Kaito stared with widened eyes. Not only it was astonishing to see the princess in the heart of the mage city, her appearance was very different. Back in the Flowered Palace, she wore the many-layered, heavy gown of an aristocrat's daughter, and her ivory veil. Now, she was wearing a jacket similar in style to her military uniform, but with a short cape, riding pants and boots instead of the black skirt. And perhaps more importantly, she had traded her veil for a little plumed cap and a couple of red and black ribbons to hold her hair up in twin tails.

Clearly enjoying his shock, the girl smiled and twisted a lock of shining teal hair around a finger. "Honestly, I understand the newlyweds not noticing me inside the hall, but I swear you looked straight at me two or three times!"

"Tomorrow, what in the world-"

"No, no, it's Mimi, I work with the Fair Winds Trading Company." She smiled impishly and leaned forward. "A princess of Shinwa wouldn't come to the wedding of her enemies, don't be silly." She wagged a finger.

Kaito looked around. Most people were in the ground floor, either sitting at the dining tables or standing near the dance floor lined by lanterns. He had only climbed upstairs for a chance to mope in peace. He returned his gaze to the princess and peevishly withdrew a little folded paper from an inside pocket of his jacket. From it, he extracted a single long hair and held it next to her head. It was, of course, identical in color and length. "What's the meaning of this?"

"You kept it, how sweet."

"Will you stop that? Just be sincere with me, no one is paying attention to us." As if to stress his statement, the guests erupted in cheers and clapping below. Kaito spared a downwards glance and saw that Gakupo and Luka were kissing. He quickly returned his eyes to Tomorrow's (or whatever her name was) face.

The girl quickly sobered up under his gaze. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to anger you." She fingered the feathers of her cap. "I'm so used to acting like a proper little girl that it's exhilarating to be away from the court…I feel giddy."

This time, there was nothing but sincerity in her tone. Kaito felt his annoyance evaporate almost immediately. After all, his bad mood wasn't truly her fault. He patted her delicate shoulder, wondering internally how severe of a crime it was to touch a princess. "Forget about it. How about we start over?"

She nodded.

"What should I call you, then?"

"…Miku. My name is Miku."

"Nice to meet you, Miku. I'm Kaito Fuuga."

Miku smiled. After placing the cup carefully on a nearby window ledge, she leaned on the handrail next to Kaito.

"So, what are you doing here, Miku?"

"Would you believe it's simple curiosity? I've been hearing about this city for so long…" Miku surveyed the courtyard with a wistful expression. "I convinced my father to sent me on a intel-gathering mission." She shrugged. "But don't worry, I'm a terrible spy."

"That's...pretty forthcoming of you." And confusing as well. Was she trying to lower his guard? "What about this hair? Were you tracking me?" Kaito hazarded another look down, and found that the dance floor was full of couples now. In the middle of the richly dressed guests, even the colorful heads of Gakupo and Luka were hard to spot.

"I had to know you were going towards Oto, and that your reasons for going were true." Miku rested her chin on her forearms. "There are some things I still don't understand, but I saw enough to move my troops."

"You got there at an awfully convenient time."

"Right on time to take credit for what happened, at least. I figured you wouldn't want to admit your friend did the deed, not while surrounded by that man's followers."

"Yeah, I don't think the soldiers would've liked to hear that. Who knows how the people of this city would react to infighting between mages. It's pretty earth-shaking already that three of the Seven are dead and one is missing."

Miku perked up. "Three? And a missing one? And here I thought I was up to date on the situation! What happened?"

Kaito inwardly cringed. I'm just the son of a city guard, I'm not fit to play these sort of mind games. No matter how helpful or sincere Miku seemed, she was a princess of Shinwa. What if she passed the information to her father and he decided to take revenge on the weakened mage city for the failed invasion? What was she doing in the mage city in the first place, instead of a trained infiltrator?

On the other hand, Shinwa didn't know how powerful Luka, Kaito and Gakupo truly were, even if they had a good estimation of the capabilities of the original Five and Verdigris. Surely, they wouldn't act rashly.

"Are you okay?"

"I was just thinking about getting another drink." Kaito blurted out just to give himself more time. But an idea was forming inside his head: he had to keep Miku away from Gakupo and Luka until he knew for certain she was trustworthy. "You like being away from Shinwan court?"

"Hm? Erm, I- I shouldn't admit to that, but I do." Miku lowered her gaze, blushing a bit. "It's so unpleasant being a mage in the Flowered Palace." She played with a ring on her hand absently.

"Then come with me to the Glittering Sands. You don't have to go back to your father right away, do you?" Before he knew what he was saying, the words came tumbling out. However, bringing Miku along could be a good idea. If she was sincere, it would be a great asset to have an ally with powers, given that his own magic was bound to decrease in effectiveness without the presence of Luka and Gakupo.

"The Glittering Sands…" At first, the girl's eyes were comically wide, but soon they began to sparkle as beautifully as the famous crystal trees from that region. "I've never been so far south!" A second later, a troubled thought of some sort dampened her enthusiasm. Kaito watched her patiently as she deliberated the matter with herself until she asked, "Why are you going there?"

"The missing mage supposedly went in that direction, don't ask me why. Rossemara asked me to check up on her."

"Oh." Despite the meager reply, she seemed interested. A moment later, she nodded. "I'll go with you."

"Good. That's good." He patted her shoulder again grinning. "Hey, do you want to dance? Not that I know any courtly dances, but we can't possibly do worse than some of the oafs gyrating down there."

Miku snickered and wordlessly offered her hand. Kaito took it; together they descended the stairs and made their way to the decorated dance floor. Just as they began to dance, Gakupo and Luka whirled past them in a flurry of silk and flowers and laughter. Kaito followed them with his eyes for a second, before turning back to his dancing partner. "Right, let's show them how it's really done."

"Yes, sir!" For the first time since he met the petite princess, Miku seemed like any ordinary, carefree girl.

Well, I can pretend to be a regular guy too. Just watch.

It was well past midnight by the time Gakupo and Luka finally returned to his chambers. The party was slated to continue until dawn; but only its muted echoes reached their ears after Gakupo closed the window and pulled the curtains shut.

Luka dropped face up on the bed like a stone, dislodging the fancy tiara. With an unladylike grunt, she kicked her shoes across the room. Gakupo crawled onto the bed next to her and for a moment they just laid there side by side, exhausted.

Such a comfortable bed...

Gakupo blinked and the dimly-lit bedroom came back into focus; he had the sense that an indeterminate amount of time had passed without either of them moving from their spot. He even felt refreshed, but then a question took shape in his mind: Was he acting in a disappointing way? He had little inkling of what Luka expected out of him; she seemed as fatigued as him, but it was their wedding night, after all. Wasn't it supposed to be special? A normal man would know how to act in this situation, Gakupo grumbled to himself. He patted the covers, pushing aside the folds of her voluminous outfit, until he found Luka's hand. "Do you need help to get out of that-?" Instead of replying to his muttering, Luka silently caught his hand between hers and pulled him towards her. "Oh." He carefully positioned himself in all fours over her, watching and waiting for her next move.

Even though her face was shrouded in shadows, he could see her flushed cheeks and her eyes reflecting every drop of light in the room. So beautiful. He absorbed every detail with reverent attention as she removed her long earrings. The heavy necklace around her neck was more of a struggle, so he moved to let her sit up and they both fought to get her off her neck. At last, it felt with a clink onto her lap.

"Get this fancy stuff away from me," Luka unceremoniously dumped the pile of expensive jewelry into Gakupo's cupped hands. He placed it on the table and sat back by her side. Without really thinking about it, he pulled at the ribbon in the front of her bodice.

"Not that one." Luka pointed over her shoulder to the back of her dress.

"Right." Gakupo began to poke the lacing on the back. It was surprisingly tight. "This might take a while."

"I'd tell you to just rip it open, but that dressmaker might die of a heart attack."

"That wouldn't be nice." Instead, Gakupo battled with the obstinate dress for a while, until it was loose enough for Luka to slide out of it. In deference to hardworking professionals everywhere, the dress and underwear beneath it were folded and placed on a chair.

Once revealed, Luka's bare skin seemed as ephemeral and untainted as the moon in his dreams, but long ago doubt had been extinguished in Gakupo's mind: his bride was real, she was there within his touch, filling him with warmth that wouldn't fade. Unconscious of her own splendor, Luka climbed on Gakupo's lap and began to unbutton his jacket. "Not that you need my help with this but, you know… serve your husband and all that."

"And then I serve my wife."

"That one is a given."

"Heh...Indeed." He brushed her hair aside and placed a slow kiss on her chest. Her blood was pumping fast underneath the pale exterior; a red torrent sustaining a magic more extraordinary than anything else in his life. She was, after all, a companion born at the same time and place as him, despite the vastness of the world. Wasn't that a deeper magic than any mage could hope to match?

"Ah!" Suddenly, Luka straightened up and adopted a serious expression. "I want to say something...I promise I'll never run away from you. Never again."

Gakupo contemplated this for a second. Did she still feel guilty about that? Apparently, that was the case, since uncertainty began to drip into her countenance as he failed to answer. Her eyes widened ever so slightly and she stretched her hands forward, almost but not quite touching him. "You, you believe me, right?"

"I do." And it didn't have to do with beasts or rites. It was a connection that existed before all that; he realized that back at that dark pier, not so long ago. He pulled her into a tight hug and felt her breath on his ear as she sighed. Gakupo patted her hair softly for a while before he commented, "At this rate it's going to be time for breakfast before I get my pants off."

Luka chortled. "First off, after the day we had I'm going to be sleeping at least until noon, and I bet you'll do the same. And secondly..." She pushed Gakupo's jacket off his shoulders and gave him a look that clearly communicated her intentions. "That's not going to be the case at all. Lie back."

Another thing that was real: Once she got over her embarrassment, Gakupo's wife was a very resolute woman.

As predicted, it was far closer to dinner than lunch when Gakupo woke up the next day. Luka was on top of him, still enveloping him with her warmth. Her breathing was so soothing that he almost fell asleep again, content to be entangled with her forever. Pink curls teased his cheek when he leaned his head to one side. He let a satisfied sigh and closed his eyes once more.

"Why is he gone?" Gakupo almost jumped in surprise. The voice inside of him sounded distant and incredibly tired, but he could definitely sense anger in her tone.

"What do you mean?"

"He left with that nymph child. I told you not to neglect him."

"What are you talking about?" Gakupo squeezed his eyes, willing his brain to shake off the cobwebs.

"I won't be able to talk much longer. Don't trust her…" Her voice seemed to slow down, distorting into a brief, barely audible howl of annoyance before it ended abruptly.

"Beast?" He searched inside him, but her presence was gone. "Beast?" This time, he whispered as loudly as he dared. Luka grumbled but didn't open her eyes.

This could be trouble. Gakupo patted Luka's head distractedly while he considered the beast's words. Who was the nymph girl? A mage, perhaps? Rossemara hadn't said anything about any new recruits, as far as he could remember.

Wait a minute, last night, at the courtyard… His brain wouldn't produce a vivid image at first, but a splash of blue and teal at the corner of his vision eventually became a couple dancing past him and Luka: Kaito and a girl with long glistening hair trailing behind her as they glided across the improvised dance floor. Gakupo bit his lip, suddenly as angry with himself as the beast had been. The least he could've done yesterday was to ask how Kaito was doing, or who was his companion. But he had been so absorbed in his own situation to think about anyone else.

"Luka?" He nudged her gently, only for her to rub her head against him as if trying to burrow into his body. "Luka, I'm sorry, but we need to get up. Kaito might need our help."

As soon as the couple ventured out to the corridor, a servant approached them. She was a girl with a long auburn ponytail, perhaps a year or two younger than them. Her innocent face glistened with the usual look of reverence towards mages. She was holding a white envelope in her hands. "Lord Mage, the First Mage send this. I was instructed to escort you to the dining hall after you read it."

Gakupo accepted the plain envelope with a sinking feeling. It had his name on it and he immediately recognized the atrocious handwriting; after all, he had suffered for years trying to decipher Kaito's classroom notes in order to study on his own. His fingers were suddenly a hundred times clumsier than usual as they fought to extract a folded sheet of paper from the envelope. It looked as if Kaito had chosen a random scrap of paper from the laboratories to write on, and a stained, crumpled scrap at that. It would've been amusing, if not for the line that immediately grabbed Gakupo's attention.

Goodbye. I love you. I love you both.

The lines of ink on the paper wavered for a second. An odd sound escaped his lips, a syllable choked beyond recognition.

"What's wrong?!" Luka asked alarmed, clinging to his arm.

Gakupo shook his head, not really sure what he was trying to convey with that gesture. His eyes strayed towards the inner courtyard at the far end of the corridor and he spotted a bench. Everything around it was tinged with orange and gold, and the whole scenery called to him with its air of tranquility. He really needed to sit down.

When he started walking towards the courtyard, Luka seemed about to protest. However, once she realized his intentions, she matched his pace, peering at him worriedly. The servant followed the couple at a respectful distance, her face full of curiosity.

Once seated, Gakupo fully unfolded the letter and read:

Hey.

Please finish reading this before doing something crazy, ok? You can stay right there, no rescue needed, I promise.

Rossemara wants me to go look for that chick with the red eyes. I know what you're thinking, so let me do a handy little list:

No, I'm not doing this alone. Believe it or not, I have a shiny new sidekick to follow me into glorious adventure. I know my powers won't be as strong without the two of you. Like I said, I have backup. Besides, who says I'm gonna run into trouble? The old girl told me I wasn't meant to force anyone, it's simply an invitation. If I run into more than I can chew I'll just come home to you like a good boy. Rossemara give me a beacon and one of those fancy metal birds of hers, so I'll be able to communicate with you guys in case I do find myself in a pickle.

How about that? You are completely convinced now, I bet.

Or maybe not. But I'm going to be completely and embarrassingly honest with you: I don't want you to come after me. As much as I want to be by your side, I'm only complicating things with my presence as I am right now. Thinking might not be my strong suit, but I need to do a lot of it. And I can't do that inside your palace. Let me see if I can find a different Kaito out there, ok? I promise I won't do anything stupid.

Take care of Luka and the baby. And tell her to take care of her nutty husband.

Don't think I won't make every effort to come back to you. But just in case I don't-

Goodbye. I love you. I love you both.

Kaito

Gakupo reached the end and stared dumbfounded at the uneven letters, as if waiting for a longer message to appear. Nothing happened, of course. He read the letter again, not that I helped any. From a nearby tree, a bird sang in salute of the dusk.

"Well? What's going on?" Luka pressed him after a minute. Gakupo handed the letter to her without a word. His wife examined the paper with a frown, then an embarrassed expression. "You told him?!" She unconsciously touched her belly.

"I did. Was it supposed to be a secret?" Gakupo asked, confused. That wasn't the reaction he expected.

"What if he-" Luka abruptly shut her mouth and eyed the servant, who was staring at her with wide sparkling eyes. "You're free to go. I'm sure Gakupo knows where the dining hall is by now."

The girl almost jumped. "Yes, yes, my lady mage!" She ran away with a big smile on her face.

"I bet she's going to tell her little friends about it. In a couple of days all the city will know," Luka predicted. One of her eyes twitched.

"I'm sorry," Gakupo offered, but still wasn't sure of what the problem was. Besides, wasn't Kaito their main concern at that moment?

Luka stared at him for a moment, then toyed with his hair. "It's fine," she muttered, not really meeting his gaze. Gakupo had the sense there was something else on her mind, so he remained silent. But Luka only continued to twirl a strand of his hair around her fingers. The light around them began to adopt a violet hue. "We're going to respect his wishes and stay here, right?" She finally said.

Gakupo's jaw dropped.

"You read what this says, he doesn't want us breathing down his neck!" Luka said, waving the scrap of paper in her hand. "And...And if I were in his position I would consider doing something similar," her voice gradually descended into something barely above a whisper.

"Luka…"

"I'm grateful for all he did to bring you and me together again..." She squeezed Gakupo's hand. "I think we can trust his judgement."

Gakupo returned the gesture, but he felt troubled. Kaito deserved their support, but his departure had been too sudden and plagued with questions. To begin with, was that girl strong enough to protect Kaito?

Luka expertly read his countenance, given her reassuring tone. "We'll speak to Rossemara about this sidekick he mentioned. She must've picked a new recruit to accompany him into the south."

"The Beast said she isn't trustworthy," Gakupo recalled.

"The Beast doesn't really understand human affairs in the first place. She's going to badmouth anyone that in her eyes might pull us apart." Luka's hands now travelled upwards to cup his face. "Don't let her fill you with unfounded fears." The color returned to her cheeks when she added, "And...um…I'm not sure it's safe for me to travel in this state, you know?" She again touched her belly.

"Oh." Gakupo's hand joined hers on her belly as he contemplated what he knew about pregnancy and childbirth. Given his unusual upbringing, it wasn't much.

"I took such a gamble when I stepped forward to face Verdigris, and I didn't even know it!" Luka bowed her head. "I can't do that again."

Gakupo nodded, even though Luka couldn't see it. He reached down and rested his hand over hers. "To be honest, I'm still wrapping my head around this."

"It was very sudden…but I'm happy." Her soothing voice matched the tones of the sunset perfectly. "I want to protect him and you with all I have."

"Him?" Gakupo smiled. "Maybe it's a girl with lovely pink hair."

Luka let out a short laugh, but then her face became serious once more. "So, are you going to do what Kaito says and stay put?"

Gakupo breathed deeply, pondering the wording of her question. A hundred thoughts crossed his mind as he studied her expectant expression. It wasn't simply going along with what Kaito and Luka expected out of him. It was his own choice, freely taking the first steps down a new road. "I'll stay with you." A more poetic statement would've matched the occasion better, but in the end, nothing else was necessary. Except maybe for a kiss. Kissing Luka was always a welcomed necessity. So, he bent down and searched for her lips, just as the first stars began to shine above their heads.

I choose us.