Chapter 11: Anger and Grudge

Castle Vrbada, 9am

Depression is a bitch.

That was the only thought on Tomáš' mind as he lay in his bedroom, staring up at the ceiling.

In the cover of the night, Tomáš returned home from the hospital, as the city slept.

Bi Han was in Tomáš' room as soon as the prince returned, diving into his arms, latching on to his shoulders, burying his face in his neck.

It brought a smile to the prince's face, and he returned his friend's embrace, holding him tight.

"I..I didn't think you'd be coming home.."

Tomáš looked at him sadly.

"Do you believe that little in me?"

Bi Han sighed.

"I don't know."

"I see."

They were silent for a few seconds before Tomáš asked, "Is Sektor around?" "In his room." Bi Han said. "Thank you."

Once again, there was an awkward silence before Tomáš rose up from his bed. "We had a fight before I ran off. We should talk."

"He told me. He felt terrible."

Tomáš nodded, then left the bedroom, towards Sektor's.

Bi Han watched him go with a curious look. "What the hell was all that about..something's up with that kid."

Sektor heard two light knocks on his door, and was surprised when he saw Tomáš in his doorway.

"Good to see you up and about, my Prince. Everyone was concern-"

"Cut the bullshit small talk. You know what I'm here for." Tomáš said, entering the room slamming the door behind him.

Sektor looked at the piercing glare in the prince's eyes, staring back at him.

"Well?"

"Tell me what my dick looks like, Sektor."

"What..what the fuck? How do you start a conversation like that?" Sektor asked.

Tomáš was unfazed, crossing his arms, glaring at the man.

"You said you saw me fucking Hesperia, so tell me everything you saw. I want to hear every detail out of you!"

"Tomáš.."

"You heard me, Sektor, talk to me!" the prince yelled.

Sektor breathed.

"You're fucking crazy, Prince Tomáš."

Tomáš only glared at him.

"You're big. Hung, and judging by the way she was screaming and trembling, you clearly know how to use it."

Tomáš' eyes narrowed and he made a sound of disgust.

"But I wasn't looking at you.", he added, "I was watching Hesperia ride you, her legs wrapping around you. Her tits and ass were fantastic. You're a lucky man. There, are you happy?"

"No."

"You expect me to be ok with you violating us in a very special experience in my life? You think it's ok to watch people have sex? I bet you were jerking off to it. Just the the thought of her gets you hard, doesn't it?"

"Why are we having this conversation again, Prince Tomáš?"

"Because I'm coherent now. I stomped out before I could finish this conversation. I'm angry, but I still want to talk to you."

In an attempt to calm himself, Tomáš held his face in his hand, breathing deeply.

"You saved my life, Sektor. If not for you, I would have drowned."

"I..it's nothing, Prince Tomáš, I just knew I needed to do something."

"How did you know I'd go to Lake Jaromír?"

"Because that's where your great-grandfather killed himself. Don't you remember Jaromír's Lament? Your mother read you that when you were eleven."

Tomáš looked away, "Fuck.."

"King Jaromír took a bottle, drank the whole thing and dove off the cliff.."

"That..would have been me."

"I was angry at our argument, but I couldn't let that happen to you."

"I'm still very angry at you, Sektor. But I'll get over it. I'm..I'm indebted to you instead."

"I messed up, I'm sorry Prince Tomáš, that moment was special for you and I..I should have just left you two alone."

"I accept your apology."

Tomáš looked at him with a small smile. "When you almost die, you want to start to make amends. Instead of running away, I should talk to people...so..thank you, Sektor, for saving my life."

"Don't mention it, kid...I would have had your blood on my hands, and I would have never forgiven myself for it. Prince Tomáš, you're a great kid, don't ever doubt that."

"I'm not." Tomáš disagreed, shaking his head, "I'm selfish. Impulsive. I cause everyone grief, I'm angry, I'm..not a good person, Sektor."

"Stop that. You're not falling into your grief again. None of us would be working this hard to keep you safe if we didn't believe in you."

The two of them looked at each other, then Tomáš embraced him. "I'm sorry, Sektor. For what I said, please keep protecting me."

"That's my job, kid."

Tomáš hummed, hugging the older man tighter. "But, because I like you so much, I do my job a little better."

The two looked at each other, Sektor giving the prince a tender look before pinching his cheek. "Tell you what, come see me and Cyrax later tonight, we'll have some guy talk and we'll teach you some new things."

"Maybe.." Tomáš said, "I'm still..kinda shy about that kind of things. It really was a spur of the moment.."

"Prince Tomáš. Listen. Women like that come around only once in a blue moon. Don't let that woman walk out of your life. If she truly meant something to you, then go find her."

Tomáš nodded.

"Maybe she's still in Prague, hopefully didn't go back to France just yet." Sektor said. "She's Swiss, Sektor." Tomáš said. "Oh that's right, the fancy French." Sektor said with a smirk, "regardless, I hope you get to see her again. You get this..how do I describe..this glow about you when you talk about her."

He blushed. "I do?" Sektor smiled. "You got it now, you're blushing red!"

"Maybe we should have met differently, not jumping right into bed with her. Like in the movies, the guy courts the girl and they get together in the end."

"Those are fake, Hollywood shit. Prince Tomáš, listen. There's no wrong or right way to meet a woman. And you'll know when she's the one you're looking for. Even if you're not looking, sometimes it shows up right in your face."

Tomáš smiled. "I've always turned down all the women here...sure they're beautiful, Czech women are known to be some of the most beautiful in the world, but.."

"I get it. When all they see us a crown and not the person wearing it.."

"They'd like the Prince, but not Tomáš Vrbada. There was just something about her. She was strong, powerful, stunning, really. I froze when I first saw her, she just looked so different compared to all the women I've met. The way she treated me, how she held me, when she'd touch my cheek and kiss me.."

"You got it bad for her, Prince Tomáš.."

Tomáš blushed. "I guess I do. But how to find her? After my stunt at Lake Jaromír, I can't be trusted to be left alone at any time. I bet I can't even use a toilet alone, none the less take a bath alone..Bi Han was in my room as soon as I came back here.."

"Kuai Liang was very angry with you."

"I know..I'm sure he was. Probably disappointed in me."

"He was mad because he thought you were going to take Bi Han with you."

"Kuai..he knows I wouldn't deliberately kill Bi Han, I wanted to kill myself."

"Prince Tomáš..I hate to hear you say that...please tell me you'll put more consideration into your own life from now on." "I wish I could say yes, or make a promise, but sometimes I don't know my own mind anymore. It feels so pathetic that I can't just control how I feel, because I don't know what will set me off.."

"Speaking of pathetic..I should go talk to Tati.."

"Well..just call on us when you're feeling lost. We'll try our best. Bi Han and Kuai Liang, too."

"I..I can't with them. I can't see them right now. I can't even bear to look either of them in the eye knowing what I did. My foolishness almost got them killed.."

"Give it time..I'm sure you three will be like peas in a pod again."

"I hope so."

The two were quiet until Tomás turned to leave. "I will come by later tonight. I'd like to talk more on things like this."

"Sounds like a plan, my prince."

Tomáš then left the room, on his way towards his father's study. As he was walking in the halls, he found himself pulled into Kuai Liang and Bi Han's bedroom, forcefully.

He let out a sound of surprise when the door slammed shut, gasping at a furious Kuai Liang staring at him, his fist on fire.

"K-Kuai?"

"Shut up!" Kuai Liang shouted, glaring at Tomáš.

"Don't you dare speak to me like this, I am your superior.." Tomáš responded, his voice trembling with fear.

"I don't give a fuck if you're a prince or a beggar on the streets, you listen, and you listen good."

He stepped towards Tomáš, his footsteps angry and heavy, before shooting his rope spear directly next to Tomáš face.

The prince gasped, cringing in fright, trembling against the wall.

"That you tried to kill yourself is bad enough, Prince Tomáš, but the fact that you tried to take my brother with you is unacceptable!"

His voice got louder, frightening the prince further.

Then his voice became quieter, colder. "Know this. If you ever even dare try to take Bi Han away from me again, there will be nothing left of you."

"You threaten me..Kuai Liang?" Tomáš said, trying his best to stand tall above his own fear.

"There won't be anywhere to hide, everything will be incinerated to ash if you take Bi Han from me. Consider yourself warned, Prince Tomáš."

"Kuai.."

"I said shut up! Get out, Prince Tomáš, I can't even stand to look at you."

Tomáš closed his eyes and looked at the floor, hiding the tears welling in his eyelids.

"I'm..sorry.." he whispered.

"Out!" Kuai Liang shouted, pointing at the door.

Tomáš took one more sorrowful look at Kuai Liang before walking out of the bedroom he shared with his brother. Tears were running down his eyes as he slumped back to his own bedroom, laying face-first in his pillow, throwing the blankets over himself.

Kuai Liang looked out his window sadly. He hadn't meant to be so harsh on Tomáš, but he was angry. Terrified that he had almost lost him and Bi Han.

Bi Han had returned into the bedroom from his bath, his body still warm when Kuai Liang embraced him, holding him tightly against him.

"Kuai?" he asked. "Bi Han..." Kuai Liang whispered, holding his head against his shoulder. "My brother.."

"Kuai, what's wrong?" Bi Han asked, pulling back to cup his younger brother's face in his hands. Kuai Liang put his hands on Bi Han's, looking into his eyes.

"I almost lost you..I almost lost you.." he said. Bi Han took his hands from his brother's, pulling him into an embrace. "Shh...it's alright, Kuai..I'm right here...not going anywhere. There isn't a place for me without you."

"I..I went off on Tomáš..I yelled at him over this." Kuai Liang said. "He must be devastated..I made everything worse, but Bi Han, I..just couldn't imagine if I had lost you." Bi Han gave him a soft smile, holding his head against his shoulder. "We'll go talk to him once everything blows over."

Kampa District, 9am

Why am I still here..? Hesperia thought to herself, staring at the ceiling above her. She was on a drinking binge, one she began at 7am when Kurtis and Kabal left overnight to meet Johnny Cage in Vienna, Austria. He had just finished wrapping up a film, now the two were investigating Black Dragon activity after receiving a tip from Johnny's new friend, Kenshi Takahashi. Kurtis and Kabal told Hesperia to stay in Prague as she was still injured, that it was too dangerous for her to engage in combat with them.

Her sternum and chest injuries were healed, but her arm was still broken, she was just not fit to fight.

Instead, she at the bar, beginning her morning with a mimosa that turned to three, then brought a six pack of Pilsner Urquell back to her hotel room, where she's now drinking in her bed, staring into nothing.

"Fuck!" she yelled, throwing the empty bottle at the wall in front of her. With her broken arm, of course. Pain shot up her arm and she cried out, falling to the floor.

"If Kabal was here, he'd hold me and try to take away my pain..."

She reached out for the necklace he gave her, holding in her hands. "I almost saw you die, Kurtis...you fuckers better come back to me..I..I won't ever forgive you if you die.."

As she lay on the floor, wallowing in her misery, her phone went off. "Kurtis, Kabal!" she yelled, reaching out for her phone. A smile came across her lips as it was a picture of the two of them underneath an Austrian flag with Johnny, smiling at the camera. A message accompanied the picture. "Hi baby. We're here, hope you're ok with us being gone for a bit. Promise we'll be back real soon. Be safe in Prague, don't talk to strangers, and I hope you'll get to run into your little boyfriend. Johnny says hi."

Hesperia smiled at the message, fixing up her hair, dialing them on facetime. Immediately, Kabal answered, smiling into the phone. "Hello baby!" he yelled.

"Is that Hesperia on the phone?" she heard Johnny yell. He took the phone from Kabal and said, "Hello little hellraiser!" "Asshole, put Kabal back on." she said with a laugh. Johnny kissed the camera and said, "Love you, kiddo!"

Kiddo, of course. That's all Johnny ever really saw her as. She had a little crush on him, but now she realized that it was just admiration. Nothing she ever felt for Johnny comes to close to how she feels about Tomáš. Johnny had kissed her, but it was really just a tap on her lips. She knew that he knew how she felt, but he never pushed it. One, because she was too young, seventeen, and he was twenty-seven.

It's silly to even dwell over it, she said to herself.

She heard another voice in the background, and Johnny put the phone on him, A handsome Asian man smiled at the camera and waved. "And this, is our friend Kenshi Takahashi." He whispered, "He's an FBI Agent."

"Hello." Kenshi said,"Are you the infamous Hesperia Sverre?" "I wouldn't say infamous, but yes, I am." she said with a smile. "So you're really Kabal and Stryker's daughter? You're way too pretty, you don't look a thing like them!" Kenshi said with a wink. "Oh fuck off Kenshi!" Kurtis said with a laugh. Kabal burst out laughing and said, "Damn, even me? I work hard to look this good!"

"You're the ugliest motherfucker here!" Kenshi said, causing all four men to laugh.

Kabal took his phone from Johnny and said, "As you can see, my love, we're having a great time here in Vienna. We're at brunch right now, but we're working. Kenshi and Johnny found some leads that we're investigating. We'll be here for a bit, but we'll of course check in on you all the time."

"I'll check in on you guys, too." she replied with a smile.

"Soo...Hesperia.." Johnny said. "Oh no." she replied, "whatever it is, the answer is no." "Waaait! You didn't even hear me out!" he exclaimed. She sarcastically sighed. "Ok fine, what is it, Johnny?"

He wore a smirk, and Hesperia braced herself.

"Kabal and Kurtis say you have a boyfriend now."

Hesperia squeaked and blushed, hiding her face. "I do not! He's just...some guy!" "Some guy named Thomas?" Johnny asked. "It's Tomáš. He's Czech. I met him at a masquerade party at Castle Vrbada a few days ago." she replied.

"Masquerade party at Castle Vrbada? How in the hell did you...that's probably the most exclusive party in all Europe! How the hell did you get in? That royal family hates foreigners!"

Hesperia shrugged. "I found an invite on the floor at a nightclub."

"Did you get to meet the Prince?" Johnny asked. "No, unfortunately. He didn't stay for long, I missed him, he was gone by the time I got there." she said.

"Too bad, I hear he's really handsome." he said. "So I've heard. They say those they throw those parties to the prince can meet women. If he's as handsome as everyone says, I don't know why he's having trouble meeting women." she said.

"I dunno, maybe he's gay." Johnny said with a shrug. "Wouldn't that be scandal.." she said with a laugh.

"So, our food is here, Peri, I'll call you later, ok?" Kabal said with a smile. "Alright, you guys get your munchies on." she said, smiling.

She ended the phone call, staring into the ceiling with a sigh. Once she was off the phone, she already missed them. But she knew they were in good hands. Rising from the bed, she walked out on the deck, looking towards Castle Vrbada in the distance.

"I do wonder..you were Lin Kuei, right, Tomáš? Then who was the guy in grey who saved me in that hallway? I met Kuai Liang, Bi Han, too..it's curious..well..I do hope to meet you again sometime. Maybe under different circumstances."

Her phone beeped, and she smirked looking into it.

"A hired dancer at leather whip night...well, I can still work and not be combative..I wonder what the club scene of Prague is like. Guess I'll find out..now, to find an outfit that'll make me look real sexy."

Everything was quiet at Castle Vrbada. The three usually close "peas in a pod" as Sektor called them, were ignoring each other, and it had Tomáš' heart in a chokehold.

He stayed holed up in his room staring into nothing for hours. Occasionally, he would sleep, but he would wake up soon after, the nightmares, daymares, terrors, taking over his mind.

"Maybe it would have been better if Bi Han let me die. Anything is better than this quiet torture."

Downstairs, Queen Jindřiška sat in her parlor, drinking a glass of wine alongside Havik. The two were talking casually, when Havik said, "Tomášek still avoids me. He hasn't come out of his bedroom, I'm concerned."

"I've been checking up on him every once so often. He's left his door open so we can see him, but he looks so beside himself.." Queen Jindřiška said. "How can I talk to him if he doesn't talk to us?"

"Maybe I'll go see him. If he allows me to come in."

Havik made his way up to Tomás' bedroom, only to be surprised when he was not in there. "Tomášek? Where are you?"

He checked the adjacent bathroom, the smell of soap and shampoo told him that it was recently used, then he checked the windows for any signs of leaving, there was nothing.

"Hmm..where are you, dear Tomášek?"

King Václav was in his study, deep in thought when he heard his doors open, then slam shut.

He flinched at the sound of the doors locking, then heard footsteps behind him.

"Father."

King Václav turned around to see Tomáš right behind him, looking him in the eye, trembling, yet trying to stand tall.

"Prince Tomáš, what are you doing in here?"

He watched as Tomáš walked around the room, turning on more lights and checking to see if the windows were locked, closing and putting down the blinds.

"Prince Tomáš, what are you doing?"

"No advisors." he only said.

"It's just me here, only me." King Václav said.

He was growing curious. What was Tomáš doing? Was he planning a rebellion? He could kill him if he wanted to here..but Václav wouldn't go without a fight.

"And me, no Lin Kuei around. Bi Han and Kuai Liang won't even talk to me."

Tomáš breathed deeply, holding out his arms.

"Here i am, Tati. Say what you want to me, and I'll say what I need to. Lay myself bare for you."

Surprise came to him when King Václav embraced him, holding him against his shoulder.

"My son...my precious.." he said, rubbing his back. He pulled back, patting his cheek gently, looking into his eyes. "I..was so scared for you..I thought you had drowned..why did you try to hurt yourself like this?"

"After everything you said to me, you called me weak, pathetic, not worthy to be your heir, it was my only choice, my only solution."

King Václav closed his eyes in despair.

"I went too far, Tomáš."

"It was everything. After what I had been through with the Black Dragon, forcing myself to just get over it, when I couldn't even be awake without the nightmares. Even so many years after escaping, the pain still haunts me, still shackles me. I tried so hard to be the right heir, to be a good son, and all I've done is disappoint you and crumble."

"Tomáš..you never disappoint me.."

"Don't lie to me. Please, I want to hear it all."

King Václav sighed, looking into his eyes. "Yes. You have disappointed me, Tomáš. I have to constantly worry about you. You have neglected your studies, you choose to dally around with those Lin Kuei when you should be with me learning all you can about our kingdom and the ways of politics, I have to worry about what is gossiping about you-"

"What do people say about me?"

"They say what is wrong with King Václav's son? He does not stay at the parties, he does not attend royal engagements, he runs around with men, why does he not have any female attachments? Why does Václav hide him away?"

"All of that is bullshit."

The grit in Tomáš' voice almost made King Václav flinch.

"Tell your people to take their gossip and shove it up their ass. These Czech people don't know a thing about me."

"Tomáš, you'll be ruling over these people one day."

"If this is the way they treat me, then are they even worth my servitude?"

"Prince Tomáš!"

"What I do with the Lin Kuei, with Bi Han, Kuai Liang, is no one's business. I'd be dead if not for them a hundred times over. No one in this country knows what I've been through. None of these -fuckers- deserve to know!"

"Prince Tomáš, watch your language, you won't speak to your father this way!"

"Let me bare myself dry, father. You have no idea of my rage. I'm angry, and I'm tired of this pain and suffering."

"If I had known you held in this much despair.."

"You'd do what, father? Coddle me? And mother, 'Oh Tomáš, you're so cute, you're so perfect'

"I'm not perfect! I'm a mess, I'm a disappointment, and I'm not suitable for a throne, and these Czech people don't deserve me."

Tears welled in his eyes, King Václav could only watch on as his son crumbled before his eyes.

He then watched on in surprise as he removed his shirt, gesturing to himself.

"You asked me not to lie anymore. I wanted the honest truth from you, and you'll get it from me."

"Tomáš..what are you doing-"

"It's true."

"I..I spent the night with that French woman."

King Václav's eyes grew wide.

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

His voice bellowed throughout the quiet study, causing Tomáš to flinch.

In response, King Václav threw his whiskey glass at him, barely missing his face.

"You mean..to tell me that you..-"

"Had sex with that woman after the party. That's where these scratches came from."

"Tomáš Vrbada! How dare you! First you lie to me! Now you have means to tell me that you've.."

The king was so angry, he was shaking.

Tomáš was trembling, struggling to stand upright.

"You were to remain a virgin until your wedding night! I was to present you to your bride as a virgin! What..what possessed you to be with this..this whore?!"

Tomáš narrowed his eyes. "She is no whore, father. She was a woman who looked at me like no woman ever did. Beautiful, stunning."

King Václav slapped Tomáš.

"You have ruined our family! Every single member of the Vrbada royal family has been Czech, and now you have diluted us with French blood! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"You wanted to see how much of a disappointment I was. You said I was pathetic. Well here it is." Tomáš only replied.

"Do you care so little about us?! About your family?! Where is your pride in being a Vrbada?!"

"This has nothing to do with pride, and everything about me being happy for just one night."

"You selfish bastard.." King Václav sneered, slapping him again, "putting yourself over our family!"

"Out of every beautiful Czech woman that has come through these halls, you choose this dirty, disgusting French whore?! What is her name? Who is she?!"

"What the hell is going on in there?" Kuai Liang asked outside King Václav's study.

Both he and Bi Han were looking for Tomáš when they heard him shouting and the sound of glass breaking. They tried to run in, but the doors were locked.

"Oh no..no! He's..you idiot, Tomáš!" Bi Han said. "What, what is it?" Kuai Liang asked. "He just told his father about Hesperia.." Bi Han said, looking down in fright.

"Václav is going to kill her!" Kuai Liang said in shock.

"I cannot give you that information." Tomáš said. He curled into himself, when his father grabbed his collar, slamming him against his bookcase.

"You can't, or you won't?!"

"I cannot give you a name where she gave none."

"So this girl infiltrates this castle, seduces you, and you fall for her charms?!"

"Get out of my study, Tomáš, I don't even want to look at you right now. You have ruined this family, tainted us forever! I will think of a proper punishment, but until then, get out of my sight. You make me sick."

"Gladly." Tomáš said, picking himself off from the floor.

He left the room, walking back to his, but not before running into Kuai Liang.

The two stared each other down, Tomáš glared at him. "What are you looking at? You've got something to say?"

"Get your head out of your ass, you idiot! Why did you tell your father about that woman? Weren't you supposed to protect her?"

"What do you care for? You think I don't know how you feel about her? I know what you say, too, Kuai Liang."

"King Václav is going to kill her, Tomáš, don't you even care?"

"Stay out of my way, Kuai Liang-"

"This isn't you, Tomáš, what's going on? Really?"

"Don't presume anything about me. I'm no longer a victim, I won't let me suffer anymore. I'm giving into my rage."

"I'm not cute little Prince Tomáš, I'm angry, pissed off Tomáš Vrbada. If you can't handle me, then step aside, Kuai Liang."

"What has gotten into you?" he asked, watching Tomáš stomp down the halls, back to his room.

Kuai Liang returned to his room, where he saw Bi Han looking at the tour laminate that was on the floor of that bedroom.

"We have to find this Tuxedo Mask person. I have a really, really bad feeling."

"We should warn Cyrax and Sektor, that woman is in grave danger."

"Vojta!"

King Václav yelled for Havik, banging on his door. Havik opened for him, looking at the king, bowing to him. "Brother Václav, how can I help you?"

"Inside, now." the king said, walking into his room.

"So Tomáš was lying in the throne room?" Havik asked, crossing his arms when King Václav filled him in on everything.

"Sis already asked me to help her find this French woman. Why do you think I'm here, my king? I'm here to investigate her and those vigilantes. She had asked the Lin Kuei, but they can't be trusted."

"Find her and bring her to me. I want her brought alive, but if she dies in your custody, too bad."

Havik smiled. "How I'd love to crush her into pieces. Skin her alive..."

"We'll let Tomáš have a front row seat. After all, he practically handed her to us."

"Where do we even begin to look? How do we know she's even still in Prague?" Kuai Liang said.

"For her sake, she better be back in France." Cyrax said.

"She's Swiss." Bi Han, Kuai Liang and Sektor said in unison.

"Oh shit. Sorry." Cyrax said.

"I feel like this is going to be a bad running joke." Bi Han said. "Like her somehow whacking you in the head with something?" Kuai Liang said.

"..."

Bi Han tilted his head in thought.

The four were in Bi Han and Kuai Liang's bedroom, standing around, plotting, planning.

"And if she's still in Prague, where do we even start looking?" Kuai Liang asked, repeating his question from earlier.

"You said whacking me in the head, Kuai." Bi Han said.

"Yeah? What about it?"

"At Klub Stráhov, that singer hit me in the head with a rose. At the ruins of that old condo in the drug lands, there was a rose. There were rose petals in that bedroom.." Bi Han said.

"This can't be a coincidence."

Bi Han looked up at the three of them.

"I've got to catch this girl before Václav and Jindřiška get her."

He jumped on the window sill, grabbing his mask. Turning to Kuai Liang, he said, "Stay here. Keep an eye on Tomáš. Sektor, Cyrax, with me. She's a dancer, we're going out clubbing."

"But..." Kuai Liang said.

"I won't let you go to these clubs. They're full of sin and depravity. Stay here and make sure Tomáš doesn't do anything else stupid." Bi Han said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Still trying to keep me pure?" Kuai Liang asked with a smirk. "Trying my best." Bi Han said, returning his smile.

"Our first stop is Klub Stráhov. If she's not there, we'll keep checking. Check every club in the area, she's gotta be somewhere."

"Does Hesperia mean nothing to you, Tomáš? I know you're upset with her leaving, and I'm still pissed, too. But to just hand her over to your father like that? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I..I wanted to start over with my father. I wanted to be honest so we can be a family again.. Christ, Kuai..what have I done?"

Kuai Liang was in Tomáš' room, door locked so they could talk privately, away from his parents eyes.

"Bi Han, Sektor and Cyrax are out in the city looking for her. If she's still in Prague, that is."

"You're kidding, this city isn't that big, but she could be anywhere!" Tomáš said.

"They're checking nightclubs. Bars, concert halls. She's known for dancing, so those were our best guesses."

"And Bi Han told you to stay to keep an eye on me?"

"More like he doesn't want me stepping foot in those places. Something about sin and depravity."

Tomáš chuckled. "There's a reason why we don't let you drink and do coke with us."

"Your mother would be pissed if she knew you were doing cocaine. It was found in your system at the hospital."

"No shit. I was blasted while in the water. High as a goddamn kite. I don't even remember cutting myself. None the less how I even got into the water to begin with."

"So I guess mom knows, right?"

"Nope. I hid that from her."

Tomáš beamed. "Good work, Kuai. I can always count on you...and I've been such an jerk to you. To everyone."

"Well, Sektor had it coming."

"So..what do we do now?" Tomáš asked. "I guess we wait to see if the three of them come back. If they got Hesperia to safety." Kuai Liang said.

"She's not safe anywhere in Prague. She'd be dumb to stay when she's got a big target on her back."

"Bi Han will protect her, don't worry. He's already both infuriated and infatuated with her. She'll be fine if he gets to her first."

"I have no doubt he would. He's protected her before."

Kuai Liang joined Tomáš in the bed, curling behind him, hugging him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you like that.." he said, stroking back his hair. "I would have done the same, Kuai. I need to hear the truth about how much I screw up.." Kuai Liang sighed. "You're a mess. But that's ok. Messes are made to be cleaned up."

"Will I ever be ok?" the prince asked.

"I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no."

Tomáš sighed.

"Maybe one day. I want to be a ruler the people can rely on. I want to protect my country, to be a fair and just ruler. I'll give them everything I never got to have."

"Baby steps, Tomáš. And I'll be there right by your side."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."