A/N: Well wouldya look at that...This story went more than six chapters! Maybe it will reach 9-10 after all...Depending on chapter length, of course.
It had been a few months since Duke had begun teaching them, and they'd both grown proficient in their new styles, as well as mostly perfecting their original styles. When Duke felt they were strong enough, the four of them headed out, going to different towns and cities to help people and fight monsters.
A lot of the time, while fighting monsters, the two older men held back. They watched the two boys fighting, and it began to show how well they worked together. They were like an indestructable team, easily able to accomodate for the other and moving around each other as if they were silently communicating where to go and what to do.
Even though it had been nearly three years, however, the group still felt it wise for Yuri and Flynn to cover themselves up. There was no way of telling if Kane was still searching for them, nor how far his influence stretched. When in areas that the new emperor controlled, however, it was obvious how different things were.
Just walking through the streets would reveal people dressed in ragged clothing, thin as bones and huddled underneath scrawny blankets. Some, seeing them and that they had money, would cry out for mercy. Duke mostly ignored them, though Elucifer looked troubled, and the two boys were generally stricken.
"I can't believe he would treat his own subjects so badly..." Yuri hissed.
Flynn nodded sadly. "I can't believe a man like that is my uncle," he replied quietly, eyes downcast.
Yuri glanced at him, frowning. "Hey, don't think like that. You're nothing like him."
"I know but...what if I grow to become like him? ...I wouldn't be able to stand it, Yuri."
"You won't. I won't let you. If I think you're turning into a psychopath like him, I'll beat you up until you see reason," Yuri reassured him, grinning.
Flynn looked at him in surprise, then smiled. "You have a strange way of making me feel better."
"It's just my natural charm," Yuri replied cheekily.
"Hah...maybe it is."
"What's the request today then?" Elucifer asked Duke, hands behind his head as they walked along.
"Retrieve a hairclip stolen by a monster," Duke replied.
"That's it?" Elucifer asked, pulling a face.
"People can't afford to ask for help anymore. Those who do are rich and have petty requests," Duke said with a shrug.
"Then maybe we should stop taking requests and just help people who really need it," Elucifer muttered.
Duke glanced at him, then closed his eyes. "Maybe we should," he agreed, giving nothing more to the conversation.
It had been almost an exact year since Duke and Elucifer had taken them in. Flynn had turned 10 the previous month, and Yuri was looking forward to being the same age again so that Flynn would stop teasing him.
They were woken early one morning by Elucifer and Duke packing the camp away. They sat up blearily, looking around in confusion.
"Huh? What's going on?" asked Yuri, giving a wide yawn.
The two men shared a glance, then Elucifer smiled at them. "We have something we need to do. So I'm afraid we'll have to part now."
"Why can't we come with you?" asked Flynn, confused.
"What we are doing is too dangerous for children like you. It would be unfair of us to put you in a position such as this...especially as it involves much bloodshed."
The two boys looked a little worried. "You two are gonna be alright though, right?" Yuri asked.
"Course we will! You think anyone could beat us?" asked Elucifer, grinning.
"Nuh uh! You two are way too strong!" Yuri declared.
"Right. So just believe in us and we'll be fine."
"But you'll come visit us, right?" Flynn said worriedly.
"As often as possible," Elucifer agreed, Duke giving a short nod after a moment. The two boys shared relieved grins, then stood up.
"We'll drop you off near Aspio. I imagine you have certain things you will be wanting to take care of," Duke said.
They nodded, climbing onto Elucifer's back as he transformed. Soon he was taking off, soaring over the ocean at an incredible rate.
Even though they had travelled so often on Elucifer's back, the sights around them still never failed to take their breath away. Everything rushed by in a blur, and yet the vibrant colours and brief sights they caught were enough to be stuck in their minds. The wind flowing around them, feeling Elucifer's wings beating underneath their bodies, every sensation was amplified tenfold in the incredible rush of adrenaline that surged through them.
When they finally reached their destination, landing a safe distance away so they wouldn't be spotted, they climbed off wish shared sighs. Elucifer briefly transformed back, hugging both boys, and Duke also gave them a brief pat on the head, before they had disappeared again, soaring through the sky.
Flynn turned to Yuri. "We better get going. Think they sell horses in Aspio?"
"I hope so. Walking all the way to Zaphias sounds daunting," Yuri replied.
"You sound like a spoilt rich kid," Flynn teased.
"Fine, you walk all the way to Zaphias and see how you feel."
Flynn kept a neutral expression, but Yuri grinned as he spotted the brief flicker of discomfort.
"Well, let's just check first. Who knows, Halure could sell some instead," Yuri pointed out, running ahead.
"Ah, Yuri! Wait!" Flynn called, running after him.
The two horses plodded along through the lush grass. The boys weren't in as much of a rush as before, so they allowed the steady pace so as not to tire their mounts out.
Aspio did have a few horses to sell, luckily, and after a thorough inspection, the two boys chose the best they could find. The owner didn't seem to know their worth, so the price was also pretty cheap, and as they had trotted off, Flynn had rolled his eyes as Yuri hummed to himself happily.
Yuri's 'mighty stead', as he called it, was a Palamino with a honey coat and a light golden-brown mane and tail. Flynn's, on the other hand, was a Lipizzaner with a 'white' coat and almost silver mane and tail, though he had dark smudges around his eyes and along the bottom of his tail.
Flynn was the one with more riding experiance, it turned out, and he quickly realised that both horses actually knew a few tricks. They were mostly for show, but could be used against enemies, which was helpful while fighting monsters.
Eventually they reached Halure, trotting into town. There were very few people around, which confused them; the last time they had been here, it was thriving, with people all over the place calling greetings to each other and working hard. Now it was like an empty ghost town.
"Where do you think everyone is?" wondered Yuri, looking around.
"I'm not sure...I suppose we should stop by the Inn and see if we can ask someone," Flynn decided. They stopped infront of the inn, tying their horses to the post infront before walking up the stairs and into the inn.
They recognised the man behind the counter as the same one from three years ago, and were silently grateful. They already knew him a little, so it would be easier to talk with him.
He'd seen their horses and could see by their clothes that they had quite a bit of money. Although they wore cloaks with the hoods drawn up, both of them held themselves in the regal way they'd been taught from childhood; apparently a habit not ruined by two years of hard labour.
As they approached the counter, the man bowed. "What can I do for you, my lords?" he asked, ignoring the fact that they were both pretty young.
Yuri glanced at Flynn in surprise before reaching up and pushing his hood back. Flynn did the same, and the man glanced up before staring.
"You two...?"
"Yes...What's going on? Where is everyone?" asked Flynn, frowning.
The man sighed, looking downcast. "The Emperor is strict...We have ridiculously high taxes, and yet if they aren't paid on time, they are arrested. He usually makes them fight in the army, against each other, or build massive structures and statues for him.."
"And the people put up with this?" Flynn asked, surprised. He remembered the country being very proud of itself, and the people were used to being treated fairly. He would have thought a protest would have been held by now.
"No one can fight him. He kills anyone who dares go against him. Unless the rightful heir was to return...But he's been missing for three, four years already."
"Rightful 'heir'?" Yuri asked, frowning. Both he and Flynn could claim the throne, after all..
"The Prince of the neighbouring country who was overthrown. The Prince of our country has already perished. There are the younger Prince and Princess, but they are fully under the Emperor's control. They cannot help us."
"And you have no idea what this missing heir looks like?"
The innkeeper shrugged. "Both heirs resembled their fathers. The one of our country was said to have deep-blonde locks, almost golden, and sapphire blue eyes; the heir of our neighbour had raven hair that came to his waist, and coal black eyes. One of my friends - he's long since dead, though - met our heir and said that he had eyes that burned like a fire so deep..."
The man trailed off suddenly, staring at them. Both boys perfectly matched both descriptions.
"Well, I don't know about eyes that burn like fire, but I'll agree with golden hair," Yuri said with a grin, nudging Flynn.
"Cut it out, Yuri.." Flynn muttered, sighing.
"A-Are you truly...?"
"If we aren't, I have no idea what we've been doing for the last ten years," Yuri shrugged.
The man came from behind the counter, falling to his knees and bowing infront of them. "Oh, mercy of the lord...Please, save our country...Save our people..!"
Flynn looked a little hesitant, while Yuri was troubled.
"Please, there's no need to do that. We will do all in our power to help everyone," Flynn promised.
Yuri frowned. "What happened to your pride? Everyone in this country used to be so hard-headed. Grovelling on the floor doesn't suit you," he said harshly.
"Yuri!" Flynn said angrily.
"Our pride got us nothing but dead, my liege. We abandoned everything that we were just to survive in this harsh world," the man replied, still not rising.
Yuri gave an irritated grunt, looking away. Flynn pulled out his money pouch.
"How much is it for a night here?" he asked.
"Oh no, my liege! I couldn't make you pay!"
"If we don't pay, you could be carted off like all these other guys. Accept the damn money," Yuri snapped.
"Yuri, will you please calm down," Flynn said to the other boy, frowning.
Yuri shrugged, watching as Flynn paid the amount needed before following him upstairs to his room.
A/N: I wasn't sure about adding the last bit in this chapter, but oh well. And, more horses! The reason 'white' is in those weird little comma things is because no horse is actually white. They're called gray/grey (I have no clue which one is 'English'). So, yeah. Bit of horse trivia for you there.
Review?