Ruhm waited patiently next to the road. He had send an urgent message to Fanelian capital asking Van to come to village Adon as soon as possible because of a serious matter that had to do with the kingdom's security.
The wolf-man was worried. The last thing Fanelia needed own at this time was someone breaching the borders and doing such a horrible thing that happened the night before.
The black horse appeared from the forest just after another beast-man stepped next to his leader "Do you think it was done to intimidate or to anger him?" the younger wolf-man asked.
"I don't know Fuma, it doesn't matter either. I would guess they succeeded in doing both." He answered observing Van as the young king rode closer. He seemed tired under the expressionless mask.
He got down from his horse and gave the reins to Fuma who lead the horse away.
"I got here right away." Van said, apparently calm "Do you have any idea who it might have been?"
"If we did Lord Van we would have settle it ourselves without informing you until it was all done." Ruhm said back seriously "I have no doubt you have better things to do then hunting a firebug."
"I could think of better way to spend my time, but considering this thing got me away from the Basramians… It's…"
"I understand." The wolf-man didn't need to hear the whole sentence to understand he's king's trouble "I only hope your advisers won't contract a wedding while you are away."
"That's why Folken is there for. And Eries. My advisers are afraid of her." Van actually chuckled. But that ended very fast "Did anyone get hurt?"
"Several people got burns on parts of their body, bun no one was killed." Ruhm reported and Van released a breath he didn't even noticed he was holding back.
"That is good." The king said "And the village? Complete damage?"
"Yes. Not a single wall is standing." Ruhm answered angrily "It was all burned down to the ashes. And we have no evidence of the perpetrator."
Mamoru observed Folken carefully. The prince of Fanelia was showing him how to use a sword after Mamoru mentioned during a conversation that they no longer use swords on the Mystic Moon and that he doesn't even know how to hold one.
Folken turned towards the boy and noticed his wife standing on the door holding a small girl in her arms. Six months old Vialle was smiling to her father fondly and Folken smiled back.
Eries looked at the green-eyed boy "Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't your father forbid you to even touch a sword?" she asked calmly.
"He worries to much, that's all. But I'm not stupid. I know how world works and just because I don't know how to use a sword doesn't mean I can't get killed by one."
"Wise words for such a small boy." She said smiling. Everyone in the palace had become quite fond of the boy from the Mystic Moon. He was always thinking positively about everything, much like his sister.
"Actually it's a line from a book I read." Mamoru admitted and Folken chuckled on his innocence.
They left the training area and headed in the dining room for lunch when Merle intercepted them. The neko seemed angry. Her tail moved from side to side as she observed Folken closely. He swallowed the lump in his throat; Merle's wrath was quite familiar to the prince.
"Why haven't anyone informed me about Lord Van's departure? Huh? It's not fair that I as his adoptive sister find out about it from that peacock-looking princess."
"Peacock-looking?" Eries looked at the cat-girl confused but the laughter interrupted Merle as she tried to answer.
The leopard-twins, Nariya and Eriya were walking towards them and laughing like never before. Folken was quite surprised by their behavior. They walked to him and nodded, still grinning.
"Is there anything I should know?" Folken asked raising an eyebrow eyeing them strangely. It seemed like they had too much alcohol but he knew his former solders wouldn't ever drink, not while they were on duty at least.
"King Biel wishes to speak with the king's advisers about the engagement." Eriya said calming down slowly.
"You've seen her, haven't you?" Merle asked with a grin but the leopard-women haven't answered, they just began to laugh again.
Folken ignored their strange behavior this time and simply excused himself before heading in the meeting room. There was no way he would allow those idiots to betroth his brother to that girl. He opened the large wooden door and stepped inside right away noticing princess Laviel.
Her dress was made out of shimmering material so it was impossible to recognize if it was green or blue and in her hair that was made in a tight bun were several ends of the peacock feathers making it seem like the were growing out of her hair in a form of a tiara.
He tried with all might not to act like the leopard-twins as he sat on his place next to the empty chair on the head of the table.
The king of Fanelia walked through the burned-down huts of what was once a village of beast-people. Ruhm was worried that it might happen to his village also if they don't catch who ever did this.
Van closed his eyes. Seeing the destroyed village was like seeing Fanelia once more as it looked during the war that day when he returned at his brother's request. Empty, lonely, dead.
He turned to Ruhm to say something when the commission behind him made him turn once more. Two wolf-men walked out of the forest dragging something black with them. At first Van didn't know who he was looking at until it dawned at him.
"Leat?!" he's eyes wide as he recognized the cat-boy that become Merle's friend "What are you doing here?"
Leat was silent until Ruhm growled "Answer boy!"
The neko shuddered and tried to break free but it only resulted with the wolf-me to grip him harder. He was clearly afraid of something, and it wasn't just only the wolf-men that approached them after finding out someone was found close to the destroyed village.
"Lord Van what should we do with him?" Ruhm asked turning to his king.
"He's coming with me to Fanelia. If he really set the flames that destroyed this village he will receive the proper punishment for it." Van answered glancing at the black-furred cat-boy.
Ruhm growled "If he did this I suggest you let Merle to make sure he pays for it."
Van tried not to laugh at that "I do my best to provide you with the material for rebuilding the village."
"It really isn't necessary Lord Van." Lum, the head of the destroyed village said "We can provide ourselves from the forest."
"I understand." Van said smiling to the already gray-furred wolf-man. He knew very well that the beast-people like to be independent from the kingdom as much as possible, and he respected that. Even though their villages were at Fanelian territory they were separated from Fanelia by the customs and laws.
Ruhm was right. As soon as Merle fid out hat happened and who was caught near the destroyed village she stormed in the meeting room where all the advisers and Van gathered to question Leat and right away attacked the cat-boy. Leat might have tried to escape at first but soon realized it was impossible.
The guards separated furious Merle from him but she tried to set free and attack him again. She as angry; it seemed as he had used her to gain information's and Merle didn't appreciated being used.
"You jerk, I can't believe I bought your stupid story! It was all just a lie, wasn't it?" she screamed unable to hit him again. But Leat didn't answer anything. He simply stood there with his head bowed and was looking at the floor "All that crap about your mother being a cat-woman and your father a human? About her dying? It was all just a lie so I would feel sorry for you and tell you stuff, right?"
Folken observed the cat-boy closely before interrupting Merle in her screaming "How old are you?"
Everyone turned to him confused by that random question. But Leat remained silent. Seeing that he won't get the answer he wanted to hear from the neko Folken said "I wish to speak with him in private Van."
The young king looked at him surprised by his brother's request, but he knew Folken wouldn't ask such a thing if he didn't think it was necessary. But still he had his doubts.
"I want to hear the answer as well." Van said calmly "We will continue this in the study."
Cowin was about to protest when Van looked at him sternly and the advisor changed his mind. He knew very well not to say anything at the moment if he wishes to keep his position as the royal advisor.
As soon as the doors of the study closed Leat said "I'll be seventeen in four months."
"I'll be as well." Van said casually, but the answer had a bigger meaning for Folken. The prince observed Leat closely making the cat-boy feeling quite unpleasant under his gaze.
"It's not just that. I believe you were born on the same day." Folken finally said.
"And you can tell that by only looking at the boy?" asked Eries who just entered the room holding little Vialle.
"I can tell because I remembered something. I was five when it happened." Folken looked at Leat once more and asked seriously "What is our last name?"
Leat gasped hearing the question. He knew lying wasn't an option, but should he really tell them?
Merle slightly moved at the chair "Leat, please tell us what is going on."
He sighed before saying what made everyone present gasp "My last name is Fanel."