DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN BROTHERS CONFLICT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM
Azusa hurried into the palace, not quite sure what he was doing but seemed to be drawned to find the king and talk to him about what Natasha had told him, about how she felt working here. He didn't even understand why, but couldn't help but be driven to do something.
"Excuse me, where's the king?" he asked a maid walking past.
"Oh, he's in a private dinging room with the princess at the moment," said the maid, "is something the matter my lord? Maybe I or another staff memeber could attend to you?"
"Well I kind of wish to speak with him about something," said Azusa. He stopped and looked at the maid, "do you ever feel snubbed working here over other staff?"
"I'm sorry?" the maid asked.
"Do you ever feel like you're over looked by the king in favlr or other staff?" Azusa asked.
The maid shrugged, "I guess, the king has his favorites among the staff. Of course I haven't worked here that long and I'm only really a part timer while I'm in college."
"Hmm," said Azusa, "thank you, Miss?"
"Jane my lord," Jane said bowing.
"Thank you Jane," Azusa said as he hurried off, only to stop again, "um where is this private dinging room?"
"Here, allow me," Jane said leading him onward.
"Man, where is he? I'm getting bored," Tsubaki moaned as he waited on his own in the private lounge, "I'm starting to think I should go out on my own!"
Then he got another idea. "Maybe I'll go pester Natsume for a while." He headed out and walked to Natsume's office only to see Natsume walking out on the phone with someone.
"Thanks I appreciate that," he said, "I think that'll help a lot."
"Who you talking to?" Tsubaki asked, "anything interesting?"
"Iori, he went to visit the university again today to sit in in a lecture and he found some names of history professors I can talk to for research on the video game for the king," Natsume explained.
"That still sounds boring," said Tsubaki, "I'm just flat out board!"
"Then go find something to do. There's a big world out there," Natsume scolded him.
"I wanted to, with Azusa, but now I can't figure out where he went," said Tsubaki.
"Hmm, well you can go out in your own I'm sure," said Natsume.
"I may have to," said Tsubaki.
"What do you mean she's done riding for the day?!" the two suddenly heard a loud disagreeable voice.
"That sounds unpleasantly familiar," Tsubaki said as he and Natsume walked closer to the stairs and looked over the railing to see Robert arguing with a butler.
"I thought I heard that voice the first night we were here," Tsubaki muttered.
"He must be Lord Robert," said Natsume as they watched Robert argue with the poor butler.
"Well that's just grand, you know I come all this way here to join Cousin Emma in riding and she doesn't even wait for me!"
"Emma?" Tsubaki said looking at Natsume who merely shrugged his shoulders.
"So we're not going riding?" a young woman, dressed in a traditional riding outfit said as she came into view. "You woke me up early for nothing!"
"Who's that?" Tsubaki asked admiring the woman.
"Not sure, his daughter maybe?" Natsume said.
"I thought he was single," said Tsubaki.
"Maybe a personal riding instructor then," said Natsume.
"You hush now Beatrice!" Robert snapped at the woman, "go wait in the floral drawing room while I go find the king!"
"Fine, fine," the lady know as Beatrice muttered as she headed to the stairs. As she walked up, she happened to glance upwards and see Tsubaki and Natsume.
"Oh," she said, "either the castle has itself some new eye candy or you gentelmen are the so called stepbrothers of our new dear princess."
"Yes, we are the princess' stepbrothers," said Natsume, "I'm Natsume and this is Tsubaki."
"Well hello," said Beatrice.
"And who might you be fair maiden?" Tsubaki asked.
"Oh, I'm Beatrice Mahtters, the "betrothed" to Lord Robert," The woman said sounding upset at her description.
"You mean you're his fiancee?" Natsume.
"No, betrothed," Beatrice corrected, "we're not officially engaged yet," she held up her bare hand as proof, "but it's more or less implied that we'll someday get married. Of course with Princess Emma's discovery, we could easily skip over the engagement and go straight to the wedding. The sooner we do that, the sonner I can start pumping out some spoiled rotten little heir."
"Bummer," said Tsubaki.
"Tell me about it," said Beatrice, "so what are you gentelmen up to on this fine day?"
"I'm waiting for one of our other brothers," said Tsubaki.
"And I'm trying to do some research for a new video game the king himself asked me to do," said Natsume.
"Oh, what about?" Beatrice asked eagerly.
"Not 100% sure yet, still doing some studying on Elence's history and folklore," said Natsume.
"Oh, you should check out the old dungeon they still have here at the castle," said Beatrice.
"The old dungeons huh?" Tsubaki said amused.
"It's mostly kept up for the tourists now a days, but it could be useful. Want me to show you?" Beatrice offered.
"Sure," Natsume said, "but what about Lord Robert?"
"What about him?" Beatrice replied.
"Didn't he ask you to wait in the drawing room or something?" Natsume asked.
Beatrice scoffed, "he's not the boss of me yet!" she insisted as she headed back down the stairs.
Tsubaki and Natsume shared a look.
"Well, shall we go look?" Tsubaki said as he walked after her.
"Guess it couldn't hurt," Natsume agreed and followed after the two.
"Your manners are quite elegant and define," Stephon praised as he watched Ema try and eat in a more proper way.
"Thank you," Ema said, "Papa and Juli did kind of school me in good manners as such."
"Did they?" Stephon said in surprised.
"I guess they figured it was good for her to know royal manners just in case," Richard said.
Just then there was knock at the door.
"Come in," Chrissy allowed.
Jane opened the door and slowly poked her head in, "forgive me, but Master Azusa whishes to speak with the king," she said timidly.
"Is it important?" Ema asked concern.
"He says not at the moment, and that it can wait," Jane said.
"Oh go ahead and let him in. He shouldn't get in the way of the lessons. Though it might be all for not. Ema's very skilled in proper royal manner," Stephon said happily.
"Thank you Grandfather," Ema said.
"Sorry to disturb you, your majesty," Azusa said as he walked into the room and bowed politely.
"Oh, no, please," Stephon insisted, "what's on your mind Azusa?"
"I um, I don't know how to phrase this, but your majesty, do you know how well the staff here feels about working here?" Azusa stumbled to say out loud.
"What do you mean?" Stephon asked, confused. He looked at Richard, "Richard, is the staff is being mistreated or something?"
"Not that I know of your highness," Richard insisted, "did you see or hear something Azusa?"
"Um, well, I heard some rumors that some of the staff feel a little underappreciated working here over staff memebers your majesty seems to favor," Azusa tried to explain.
"Some of the staff feel upset that I favor some over others?" Stephon asked, "well I am afraid that is how it usually goes with royalty. We spend our whole lives practically being waited on hand and foot, it's only natural we find certain staff we perfer over others. We're around them so much, it's a natural thing."
"I see," said Azusa said. He figured that was the most he could have asked for.
"However if some of the staff is upset about it and it's affecting their performance here, I should make it known they can talk to certain upper staff and see if they can work something else out for them to make them happy," Stephon added.
"Thank you," Azusa said kindly, "I'll leave you be." He turned to leave. However, Ema noticed Richard follow him out..
"Grandfather, could you excuse me for a moment?" she asked.
"Sure, go ahead," Stephon said, "in fact why don't you meet me next in the small ball room so we can test your dancing skills."
"Sure Grandfather," Ema said as she hurried out after Richard.
"Azusa, wait," Richard called out after him. Ema came came out of the room just in time to hear him call out to her brother.
"Yes?" Azusa said looking back at him.
"I'm curious, did something happen that provoked you to ask the king such a question about the staff?" Richard asked.
"Is everything okay among the servants?" Ema asked as she came and stood next to Richard, concerned. "I assumed Grandfather was a good master at the least."
"Oh I'm sure he is, it's just," Azusa looked unsure as he thought it over, "do I have your word no one will get in trouble with this?"
"No, no one will get in trouble, I promise," Richard assured him.
"I was talking to the girl Natasha who works in the stables and she was was saying how she doesn't feel she's allowed to really move up over someone like Rose who the king seems to favor merely because of her family's history with the royals," Azusa.
"Did she?" Richard sais stroking his chin, "was there anything else?"
Azusa looked around before walking closer to Richard and Ema and saying softly, "she told me, Robert promised her she'd be allowed to move up once he was king if she agreed to help him by spying for him ans what not. Then she told me he's making orders for the staff to torment Ema and the rest of us and she's afraid to disobey him on account two servants have already been hurt for not obeying him."
Ema gasped. "People have been hurt?!" she said.
"She said that, did she?" Richard said sounding mad, looking away. "I knew those weren't accidents!" Azusa and Ema heard him muttered.
He looked back at Azusa, "thank you for bringing this to light for me. There are staff I never understood why they sided with Robert. But now it might make more sense. And I promise, Natasha will not get in trouble with any of this."
"Thank you," said Azusa.
"Richard, there you are!" everyone heard Robert shouting mad, "I want to know right now where is the king and his little," he paused when he realized Ema was standing there.
"Cousin Emma, hello!" he said in a much kinder tone.
"Emma? Azusa said.
"Excuse me? Did you speak without being addressed butler?" Robert asked looking at Azusa.
"He's not a butler, this is Azusa, one of my stepbrothers," said Ema.
"Ugh, another one," Robert sneered, "and what a bizarre name. Assua? Is that how you say it? Sounds like name from Australia than Japan."
"It's actually pronounced Azusa thanks," Azusa corrected him.
"I really don't see why I should care," said Robert.
"Well I care and I don't like you being rude to my brothers Cousin," said Ema.
"Oh, sorry," Robert sneered, "now then for the matter at hand, cousin, I came here to ride with you today and now I find out you're not riding?"
"Oh, I had already ridden today and Grandfather wanted to see how well my other skills were in regards to acting proper. What with the rest of my family coming to visit this Friday," said Ema.
"Oh, yes, it would be nice to make sure you won't embarrass yourself or the king at this thing," said Robert. "And speaking of family, I'm glad you brought that up. I happened to invite my betrothed here today to go riding as well, the Lady Beatrice. Would you like to meet her?"
"Uh, sure," said Ema, "I didn't realize you had a girlfriend, Cousin."
"But of course," said Robert, "I have to make sure I have a decent match that will someday be queen of Elence and produce the future king as well."
"Right," said Ema, "well, please, allow me to meet her."
"Of course, right this way," Robert said, motioning for Ema to follow him.
"Not too long," said Richard, "don't forget your grandfather the king wants to see your dancing skills, princess."
"Yes of course," said Ema.
"Ah, yes dancing," said Robert, "my Beatrice is quite the elegant dancer. Perhaps she and I can give you some pointers."
"That would be very kind of you," said Ema.
"I'm going to find Tsubaki and maybe head out to explore the town," Azusa said, "take care Ema."
"Do you need a car?" Richard asked.
"Maybe," said Azusa.
"I'll get one ready for you on stand by," Richard said, fiddling with his phone, "and if you change your mind, just let any maid or butler know."
"Thank you," Azusa said as he walked back down a hallway towards the private lounge.
"You'll enjoy Beatrice Emma," Robert insisted as they came to some white doors with golden flowers in them, "she's kind, she's beautiful, she's smart, she's talented," he suddenly opened the doors to show it was empty.
"SHE'S NOT HERE?!" Robert shouted as he looked around the room in anger. "I told her to wait for me here! Here! In this room! Why isn't she here! She's always defying me! How am I ever going to keep her in check as queen if I can't keep her in check as my bride-to-be!"
"Cousin, calm down, maybe she just went to the bathroom or something," said Ema.
"The bathroom! Are you blind?! There is a bathroom in here and it's unoccupied!" Robert snapped at her.
"Robert, please," Ema said.
"Don't talk to the princess like that Robert!" Richard warned.
"Is everything okay in here?" Azusa asked suddenly coming into the room, "I heard shouting all the way down the hall."
"It's none of your business, stepbrother!" Robert snapped at him.
"Robert! I realize you're frustrated, but please try and show a little respect to my brothers!" Ema insisted.
"I would if there was anything worth respecting of them!" Robert sneered.
"What is going on in here?!" Stephon suddenly said walking into the room, "Robert, now what are you going on about!"
"Forgive me, your majesty, but I have seemed to have lost my betrothed!" said Robert as calmly as he could.
"You dragged Lady Beatrice here? Oh I bet she liked that," said Stephon shaking his head. "Richard, get on it and find her, less we know peace in the palace!"
"Yes your majesty," Richard said, pulling out his phone.
"And Robert, I hope I didn't hear my granddaughter wrong when she tried asking you to show some respect for her brothers?" Stephon said sternly.
"Just a misunderstanding, your highness, just a misunderstanding. I was speaking out of anger rather than rational thought," Robert tried to assure him.
"That's the only way you ever think," Richard whispered.
"Hmm," Stephon said, not sounding please, "none the less, please, try showing some proper respect to Ema's brothers. I almost want to see them as my own grandsons." He looked towards Azusa a little with pride as he said that.
"Oh, how wonderful for you, your majesty," said Robert, "you've come to respect some men who aren't even realted by blood and only known for a few days as family. Yet you treat me, your own flesh and blood, whom you've known since infancy and is your heir, like an outcast!"
"Don't assume you're allowed to tell me whom I'm allowed to like and not like, nephew! You maybe my heir and the son of my sister, but I have no obligation to like you as a person! I never have and I may never will."
Robert clenched his fist tight. "I, understand, Uncle," he said.
"Is it always this tense between the two of them?" Azusa whispered.
"Pretty much," Ema whispered back.
"Your grandfather sure seems to have a lot more to him than he's shown us," said Azusa.
"I know," Ema said, "but I like to know, at the end of the day, he's a good man."
"Yeah, I have to agree with you on that," said Azusa.
"I found out where Lady Beatrice went," Richard suddenly said, "she was seen heading to the old dungeons with two of the princess' stepbrothers, Tsubaki and Natsume."
"What is she doing going there? That's a part of the tourists attraction!" Robert shouted as he stormed out of the room, not caring who was in his way as he shoved anyone in his path. Ema happened to be the most im his way as he didn't hesitate to shove her over, luckily into Azusa.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Ema assured him.
"I hope he doesn't try taking his anger out on Tsubaki and Natsume when he finds them," Azusa said softly.
"Oh he will if given the chance," said Richard as he hurried after the angry man.
"That won't be good," Stephon said as he too followed, along with Ema and Azusa.
"So what all is allowed to see by tourists here at the castel?" Tsubaki asked, as he, and Natsume followed Beatrice outside.
"You see that big part of the palace off to the right?" Beatrice said poining to an older looking part of the palace, "that's usually the main part of the palace torurist are allowed to see. It has a lot of room and displays people expect to see when they visit a palace or castle. It's far enough from the rest of the structure that tours can happen without disturbing the royal family."
"Ah, so there could be tours going on anytime and we probably wouldn't notice?" Tsubaki asked.
"Yeah pretty much," said Beatrice as she led the men to a big yellow colored building with a sign and a guard in front.
"Hello Lady Beatrice," the guard said.
"Hi, you know Princess Emma's stepbrothers right?" Beatrice sais nodding to the men behind her.
"Not personally, but I have heard they were here. Do they wish to see the dungeon?" the guard asked.
"Yes please," said Beatrice.
The guard turned and unlocked the door, "would they like a tour guid?"
"Nah, I can show them around no problem," Beatrice insisted as she headed in, along with the two brothers.
They walked to a stair case and slowly walked down until they came to big grungy room filled with cells and practically dried up moat in the center.
"Whoa, creepy," Tsubaki said as he ans Natsume looked around.
"Yeah, they do special horror tours during Halloween here," said Beatrice as she led them past a few cells. In some of them were some dummies dressed in old timing clothes and decorated in different ways.
"What's with the dummies?" Natsume asked.
"Oh they represent some of the more famous prisoners that were held here," Beatrice explained as she stopped at one, "When Elence was first founded as a kingdom, it was actually quite brutal and cruel compared to today. The founder and so called first king, King Henry Ellis, was quite the war mongrel. Kept insisting Elence needed to be it's own nation no matter the cost. He had a lot of followers but when he started to get a little too blood hungry, they tried to overthrow him. The leader of that resistance, Edward Colkans, however was caught and thrown in here, when King Henry made sure he was tortured in some horrific way, just enough to keep him alive long enough to let him suffer the next day, until somehow, Edward was able to die."
"Ouch, poor guy," said Tsubaki looking in at the cell that now realized a lot of the decore were of torture devices. "They did that all to him?"
"That's what the books say," said Beatrice as she moved on to another cell. This one has two men in it that were dressed in different clothes but still looked alike. One has a nose in his hand while the other had a small dagger.
"What's their story?" Natsume asked.
"They were kind of brothers," Beatrice started to explain.
"Kind of?" Tsubaki said confused.
"You know, one daddy, but two mommies..." Beatrice said with a smirk.
"Oh those kinds of brothers," said Tsubaki with a smirk.
"Yeah, but since they were so high up they could over look it. Of course being higher up meant that they also got a little power hungry and tried to stage an coup. They got caught though and were thrown in the dungeon. And that's not even the juiciest part. They were apparently both told in secret if they were to kill the other, they'd be granted a full pardon. So in the end, they ended up killing each other. One tried to strangle his brother, while the other managed to stab the other."
"Gruesome, but a little awesome!" said Tsubaki.
"Right?" said Beatrice.
"I suppose," said Natsume. He looked across the moat and saw some more cells. "Is that a woman in one over there?"
"Oh yeah, here," said Beatrice. She led them to a stonge bridge to cross, "watch your step, even if the moat is dried up that doesn't mean it can't be dangerous if you fall in."
"Those skeletons in there?" Natsume said looking down at the moat.
"Those are fake, mostly for show," said Beatrice as they finally made it to the other side and to the cell with the fake woman.
"She was a king's mistress who tried to get him to divorce the queen and marry her instead. So the queen, had her arrested on trumped up treason charges. And while she was in prison, she "mysteriously" ate something wrong and died."
"Was it the queen's doing?" Tsubaki asked intrigued.
Beatrice smirked and tapped her nose.
"But you know, the queen wasn't really evil," she added, "she sent the woman's son, who was most likely the king's illegitimate child, and his cousin whom the mistress was looking after, to the Vatican City to study in the church. She supported them for the longest time and both rose in the ranks to become pretty powerful and influential as cardinals."
"She willingly looked after the son and nephew of the woman she had killed?" Natsume asked.
"She probably wouldn't have made a big deal about the whole affair if the bitch hadn't tried taking her place," said Beatrice, "the queen seem to have an understanding that her husband would cheat on her, mostly on account that their marriage was a political marrige."
"Yeah that makes sense," said Natsume, "a lot of royal marriages, especially back in olden times, were only done for political reasons."
"I know mine is," Tsubaki heard Beatrice whisper.
"Oh, so you're getting caught up in the whole political marrige as well?" he asked.
"You honestly think I'd marry a guy like Robert? Especially given our age difference?" Beatrice replied, "my parents just want to go along with it because they want to move back up the ranks of the royal family."
"You mean you're already a part of the royal family?" Natsume asked.
"My dad's a descendent from some king, way far back. I can't even remember who half the time," Beatrice told them, "and Robert thinks that by marrying someone like me who's somewhat royalty he can keep a firmer grip on the rest of the royal family. Plus we're far enough apart that we won't have to worry about our spolied rotten brat heirs being born with flippers. So it's a win-win for everyone, except me."
"That sucks," Tsubaki said.
"Yeah it does," said Beatrice, "but maybe with your sister here now, some things might fall through."
Natsume and Tsubaki cast a glance at each other out of the corner of their eyes.
"Well, anyway, who else is here on display?" Natsume asked as he walked down looking at some other cells.
"Hmm, I guess the only other one is the last guy here," said Beatrice, "Edward Proter, he tried overthrowing the king in like the 1900's or something like that in favor of the king's brother, and got arrest for treason. And even then he died on natural causes, nothing scandalous. It's just he was the last man to be housed and die here before it was abandoned and all the prisoners were moved to the new facilities."
"Then what happened?" asked Tsubaki.
"It just sat untouched for a long time until after WW2 and they decided to fix it up as a tourist attraction," said Beatrice, "lord knows I've come down here sometimes just to hang out. Felt more free here than up there, in the palace."
"Beatrice! I know down here!"
"Oh goody, here comes my jailer," Beatrice muttered as she, Natsume and Tsubaki all looked to the stairs to see Robert storming down the stairs, followed by Ema, Azusa, Richard and the king.
"I thought I told you to wait in the floral drawing room!" Robert shouted as he stormed to the stone bridge mad.
"You did, but I ran into these guys and thought I'd show them around," said Beatrice.
"Why?! What's so special about them?! They're your new boyfriends or something?! You hussie!" Robert shouted louder. His voice echoing all over the dungeon.
"They're not my boyfriends, calm down!" Beatrice insisted.
"She's right Robert," Ema tried to say, "they're just...,"
Robert however didn't seem to be paying attention as he kept approaching the trio.
"You honestly expect me to believe that there is nothing, not some sort of sexual content going on here?!" he screamed.
"Whoa, someone's acting a little high strung huh?" Tsubaki said as he stood in front of Beatrice to block her from Robert.
"Stay out of this you gigolo!" Robert ordered him, as he grabbed Tsubaki by the arm. "I should show you what was done to the lovers of nobels' wives back in the old days!"
And with that, he flung Tsubaki right into the moat!