"They are advancing!" the king was in a state of panic. "Send more troops! This may not go as peaceably as planned!"
Frederick watched, horrified, as the men lined up for combat. "Move out!" the leader commanded, and they marched to the far outstretches of the land. They came across the lone ranch, the dirt-brown acres surrounding a small house. The commander knocked on the hut's door. "Open, in the name of the king!"
Chessa opened the door wide. "What service can I provide, sir?"
"We need horses! For speed and endurance."
"Yes, sir." Chessa was always loyal to authority, but she hesitated slightly upon this command. She knew it was for the war. The war that she thought the Clavats would not fight. "What had happened?" she mumbled to herself as she watched the soldiers march away. She knew whom she had to ask.
.
"I am not king yet!" Frederick seemed frustrated. "Don't ask me why things are the way they are!"
"But don't you have any power? These soldiers will end up killing the other races' armies!" Chessa grabbed his wrist. "That includes the twins!"
Frederick shook her hand away. "I don't have any power! Look at me, I'm still just a kid!"
"You are more than old enough to speak your mind, Frederick." Chessa turned away. "That's who I always thought you were. I guess I was wrong."
Frederick sighed and clenched his fist. "I hate feeling so helpless."
"Then do something. You cannot stand around when you have an opportunity to change the world!" Chessa turned her head slightly to speak. "I believe in you. And so do the others! You're our best friend. Help us stop the fights!"
.
"We are sending the troops out now to try and make peace with the Lilties." The king was explaining. "Two years of war has already passed. Let's not make it longer." The queen nodded. Frederick did as well.
"Two years is two too many," he spoke quietly. "No creed or honor is worth this." He left the room, standing tall on the balcony, now an able heir of fourteen. "What do they hope to gain?"
.
"Pride! Honor! Pride! Honor!" The chants rang out, even as the Clavat peacemakers approached.
"What is your command, Lilties?"
"Complete rule over these lands!"
"We have a set kingdom, a destined ruler each generation."
"Then the war will continue!"
Hesitation, then, "Then we will negotiate as well. Let us live in peace, in our own ways. No slavery, no cruel ruling."
"We will spare you if you agree to cooperate."
"Then we agree."
.
And with that, the war was over for the Clavats. How simple it seemed. Yet Frederick had lost his princehood. And his father had lost his kingdom. "All is well so long as peace remains," were the king's wise words.
"Peace, at last." Frederick could not deny the benefits. However, very soon, a problem came to his attention.
"We cannot help the others. We cannot invite them into our territory, as we previously could." Chessa was reading from an old document. "That's the gist of it."
"But what if the others need our help? Or are looking for peace?" Frederick sat with a huff. "It's so helpless. I want the Lilties to make peace with the others! But the Selkies are too proud, just as proud as the Lilties. And the Yukes are too stubborn, they want tradition."
"No, they just like their way better." Chessa smiled. "Remember when Dhiren would tell us—"
"'Yukes are the only beings that are always correct. Even when wrong, there is a hint of truth.'" They spoke together and laughed.
Frederick sighed. "I miss him. And the others." Instinctively, they looked to the crystal. "Do you think they're alright?"
"I think they can take care of themselves."
"Chessa…"
"Yeah?"
"What do you think we'd be like if we all didn't meet that one day at the crystal?"
"I won't open my mind to it. I'm glad we met. I'm glad we are the way we are. Nothing can change my mind. I wouldn't trade our friendship with the others for the world."
"I'd give my life before I gave up my friendship."
"I agree."
Frederick tilted his head in thought. "Then why let these stupid rules stop us? What's the worst they can do?"
"You're right! If our friends need help, we should be there at the crystal, waiting to help them. The crystal is our link. It's our own base."
He and Chessa both spoke, knowing each other's thoughts, "Home again and safe and sure."
.
The crystal was the refuge, if anyone would need such…