THREE:

Inside Finn's dressing room, Keiro sat watching the servants assist the now king. They dressed him in his wedding attire as if he were an infant incapable to dress himself. The vaulted ceilings and walls were all covered in period molding and wallpaper. Alll the ornamental factors of era had been removed. King Giles did not like era furniture, it only reminded him of Protocol. For this reason he swapped out the dainty furniture for the sleek and modern. The gray couch Keiro sat on was stiff yet comfortable and all the remaining furniture was simple with, straight lines and metal accents.

Laying back, he folded his arms behind his back and raised his feet to the white lacquered coffee table. It's metal legs, reflected the world around it. Above head was seven giant chandelier's. Metal rods poked out in every possible direction, all adorned with crystals that radiated brightly. They appeared as metal thistles that collected dew drops. To Keiro each resembled starburst, each at different height and sizes but the largest was in the center. The rogue wondered if the star seer purposely had the original chandelier replaces for these star replicas.

Sitting up, Keiro noticed this room's interior was as modern as the portal room but its shell was era. It was a harsh clash, that did not blend well together. Old and new could only blend well if the designer was only brilliant enough.

The sight only reminded Keiro that Attia was right, Finn's realm was divided and no balance. Outside the kingdom, the people lived in the hardship of era. While here at the wardendry, and part of the nearby town, lived without protocol. It was unfair, and the returned prince has done nothing. What do I care? I don't have to live in era, the halfman selfishly thought.

Keiro leaned over and flicked the legs of the side table with his metal finger. The action resulted in a metallic cling. He wondered if it was a generic metal or actual silver. When he looked up, he spotted a male servant eyeing him. Lifting his chin, Keiro smirked; he hadn't had a good altercation in a while. Rubbing the sword at his hip, he offered a proposal to fight. Hurriedly, the man left the room with the remaining tailors and servants.

Every time he turned around, someone eyed him. His every move was watched. He was sick of this type of treatment. In Incarceron, all he had to worry about was finding a meal, a good lay and babysitting his idiot oath brother. He did not have someone observing his every move like a starving hawk. Well, besides the opposite sex. Sure, the ladies of the Realm received him well but the male staff didn't take to kindly to him. Hell, they hardly cared for Attia, and she was a trustworthy woman.

A large groan escaped Finn's mouth. Keiro gazed over his direction, seeing what the exaggerated sigh was about.

The expression upon his oath brother's face almost made him want to laugh out loud. Except, it was not in him to mock the king, nor laugh. Everything seemed so opaque and lifeless, since Attia left, and it has not been two days yet. But he wouldn't think of that.

"Nervous." Keiro said as if it were a fact, not a question.

"Something of that nature," Finn replied, tugging at his high collar, "How's Claudia doing?"

Frowning, Keiro lifted his feet from the table and settled them firmly on the floor. His elbows rested on his knees. "How the hell should I know? That bitch won't speak to me, she hates me."

"Once they see past your looks, all women seem to hate you in some way," he stated fussing with his short hair in a long length mirror.

"Yeah, well at least Attia had the decency to speak back at me, even if it was sarcasm and cruel mockery. I could wish Claudia a good day and she sticks her nose up at me."

"You never mean it, she knows you toy with her."

"For your sake, I try to be civilized. She will be the queen after all, I need to be on her side. It takes a lot out of me to be polite to her whereas Attia took any attitude I gave her."

Could he ever admit he missed her, no, but Keiro was starting to feel that Attia was the only friend he had. Despite her indifference with him, he wished she was here. How he took her presence for granted.

Finn gazed into the mirror, virtually in a comatose. "Attia can handle your arrogance, Claudia can't."

Taking slight offense, Keiro reacted but not wittingly. Somehow, he found himself commending the dog slave for her courage. "Attia can handle anything."

Finn nodded. "Claudia as well."

"Guess so." Keiro shrugged.

Opening a desk drawer, Finn pulled out letter that had been wax sealed. The king held the off-white envelope, expecting his brother to grab it.

Keiro looked down at the paper in Finn's hand. "What's that?"

"A letter for Claudia, can you go find Attia and ask her to hand this to her." Finn's hand jutted forward and absentmindedly the half man grabbed it. Gazing at the seal, he could see the Havaarna coat of arms pressed into it navy blue wax. In eagles talon a sphere and around its neck a crown. It was the original Havaarna coat of arms with one minor change. A giant compass rose shaped star behind its head like a halo. Finn had stars placed all around. Most likely so the starseer could never forget what Incarceron had done to him.

"Find Attia?" Keiro muttered, bruised.

Irritated with his friend, the boy replied, "Yes find, as in search, hunt. I'm sure she's with Claudia."

The rogue finally admitted out loud, "She's gone." He repeated, "She's gone Finn."

The scum of Incarceron, sensed the light of life leave his soul. This feeling of misery, was unfamiliar territory. The way his heart sped at the thought of a dog-slave was not a well-known phenomenon. The way his heart slowed knowing she was gone forever was even stranger. Life seemed worthless. He couldn't even drown out the sadness with casual sex, for sex had no appeal. What was the point in being awake, in living? Sleeping for an eternity sounded tempting. Why? Because the brother he knew had gone extinct, his purpose outside Incarceron was unknown and his only companion had run away. Maybe he should do the same? Leave all this luxury and comfort behind.

Keiro always thought material possessions and admirers would satisfy his life fully. However, that was not the case. He'd finally realized that there was something more important than things. Love.

Hearing that Attia had left the Wardendry triggered anger in Finn. "What do you mean gone?"

Reaching his arm back, Keiro moved his long hair to scratch his neck. Lowering his head to gape at the letter in his hand, he flipped it over between his fingers to observe the front. Across the center, Claudia was neatly written in calligraphy. You did not learn this type of handwriting in Incarceron. Finn really was the long lost prince Giles.

Keiro informed, "She left the estate yesterday afternoon."

"Yesterday?" The king paused, sending his oath brother a harsh glare. Quickly, his mind drifted to the dog slave. The life in his eyes left, just as the life in Keiro's soul died. His line of vision shifted to the walls at Keiro's back. I should have ditched her, he contemplated, left her in that hell. After all I've done for her she takes off, without so much as a goodbye. Why did she follow me out if all she wanted to do was leave us?

Finn brought his sight back to Keiro. With his head hung low, he sank into the couch, deeper than before. Wearily, his head fell back, resting on the back of the sofa. His eyelids closed.

" Where did she go?" Finn demanded. He was not in the mood for Keiro's antics, he sought a straight answer. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Changing the subject, he replied with eyes still shut, "My shoes are dirty. Did that cobbler man leave?"

It was just like him to worry more about his shoes than a human being. Finn hollered, "Damn you! Answer me!"

Inside, the half-man was shocked to see life inside his brother. To see him react to something. Opening his azure eyes, Keiro looked to Finn with a side glance. His head never lifted from the couch. "I didn't think you would care whether she left of not, and apparently you didn't notice. She wasn't at your coronation."

He accused, "You allowed her to leave?"

Rolling his head to have better sight of Finn, Keiro shamefully muttered, "She had a firelock to my head, what was I to do?"

His calmness and monotone replies were angering the king. "Stop her damn it!" Finn yelled, yanking the cravat scarf from around his neck and throwing it to the marble floors, Marching closer towards his oath brother, Finn clenched his fists. "Didn't you have any weapon on you?"

Keiro was not about to let this pansy attempt to intimidate him. He stood and stepped nearer. Eye to eye the men glared at one another. The half-man inhaled through his nose then sneered. The letter in his palm, crumbled. He wanted to see the man's reaction to his condescending question. "She took my knife, and I was looking up at a barrel, what do you suggest I should have done?"

Finn's eyes widened in confusion. Attia? Attia threatened him? Sweet, quiet and innocent Attia? It had to have been a lie, but why would Keiro lie about this, of all things? The kings perception of the girl showed how disconnected he was from the world around him. He did not even know Attia's true personality. Yes, she was all the things he thought she was, but most of all he knew she was compassionate. Never had he saw her as strong willed, intelligent, witty and if he held an actual conversation with her, he'd see that she lead a hard life. This, he partly knew since she survived the Comitatus all on her own.

With a pompous grin, Finn undermined his question with a simple question. " Since when can you not handle a woman?"

Both men had fists clenched, their knuckles turning shades whiter from the natural tone. Ready to swing, Keiro cocked his elbow back, then froze. He couldn't hit his brother, their pact was to have one another's back, not to turn against each other. Fighting would solve nothing. Dropping his hand, he thought over his brother's demeaning query. Since when could he not handle a women?

As hard as it was to admit, Attia was no ordinary women. After swallowing hard, Keiro answered, "This is Attia were talking 'bout Finn, she's not fucking Claudia, her will is stout. You know that and she will do anything she has to do for the best."

"And leaving was best?"

"For her, yes. She may want to be indebted to you because you saved her life, but you made her Claudia's slave instead. Why would do that to her? It's not right."

His head convulsed, left to right. The lines between his brows were very visible. "I never did such a thing."

"Claudia told Attia, that she was to be her lady in waiting, and that you suggested it." Keiro smirked at their altercation. It was about damn time he fought with someone.

"I did not-"

Cutting his words short, he said, "Welp, your girlfriend told your onus she was to be a maid, so Attia took off South."

"I must speak to Claudia."

The rogue had not even had a chance to reply before Finn began to walk out of the room. "It will have to wait until later," he informed, grabbing his bicep, " the ceremony is about to start."

Finn yanked his arm back. "No. The ceremony can wait, I must speak with Claudia."

"She's going to be pissed."

"What do I care?" Finn shouted as he stalked out of the room.

They remained silent, the clicking of both men's shoes echoed in the oversized corridors. Pedestal tables were lined up along the hallways, each with its own vase and bouquet of flowers. The sight only reminded Finn of Attia, his missing friend. Actually, she had not gone missing, she left.

Attia said it made no sense that the wardendry was filled with bouquets yet, his entire kingdom was suffering. It was true. He lived cozily without protocol and suffering. How is this fair? He wondered. My people should not be suffering. Then his mind was back at the topic at hand, How the hell could she do this to me? In that second, he promised to make those excursions Attia suggested. He'd do everything he could to help his kingdom.

As they neared Claudia's door, Finn looked over his shoulder. "Where has she gone?"

Keiro still thumbed at the letter Finn handed to him. "She said the Equerry sent her South, to his cousin's in a town called Yucaipa. She even spoke about returning to Incarceron."

Not knowing what to do, Finn ordered, "Send for him this instant."

"Excuse me?" Keiro spat throwing the crumbled letter at the feet of the king, "I'm not a damn messenger boy. Do it yourself." He would not be ordered around.

"Keiro," Finn pleaded, picking up the letter, " please go get him. I don't know what else to do? I've never heard of Yucaipa and he must know the directions. We have to retrieve her."

"She's not a damn pet Finn," he argued, "Sure you can whistle, call for her and she'll come crawling bacl to youo but that dog-slave is not a dog. She's a bird. She wants to fly, to be free and she deserves to be happy!"

Taken back by Keiro's outburst, Finn responded sadly, "Was she not happy here?"

"NO, she left because of you!"

Finn's mouth fell agape. He had no words for what Keiro just declared.

As Keiro walked away he shouted, "Go get Andrew your-bloody-self!"

Author's Note: I know I should try my best, but in this chapter I didn't. It had been to long since I updated and I wanted to get a chapter up for the few of you who read this. So I'm sorry for the delay. I will try more in the next chapter. Hopefully, I got the point of the chapter across though. It was shorter than original, but it's up. WHile I hate this chapter, I love the dialogue. It's nice to see Finn finally reacting to something and for once, he's upset with Keiro.

Thanks to: Sarcasmhasaface, OrchidI007711 and Countess of Western March. I also have people who've saved this story under their favorites and i thank you. I greatly appreciate your support and I'm sorry I didn't drop your name here.