Fortune smiled upon the Foresters when Sir Neil returned with a carriage in tow. They boarded the vehicle and let the steeds drive them toward the mighty Castle Foirbeis, anxiously anticipating what reception awaited them. It was barely five minutes when Neil left to inform the king, meaning it didn't take nearly as much convincing to see him as they initially feared.

Even so, that was the easy part.

The carriage pulled through the gates and stopped in front of the main entrance. Neil landed beside the carriage and opened the door, bowing to the Foresters as they stepped out. They approached slowly, gazing up at the mighty castle before them.

"Wooow," Melissa awed. "It looks so…ancient compared to Castle Penworth," she whispered.

Jason nodded. "Guess it's more old-fashioned than Verde."

Shale smirked. "I think this is the closest I've ever been to a castle without getting kicked off the property."

Casimir glared. "When have you ever tried to break into a castle?"

"I never did. I'd always get kicked off the property before I could pull anything." She threw her head back and laughed, causing the Hitmonchan to roll his eyes.

Tank glared. "We've made it this far, but we still need to deal with the king."

Petra smiled. "But if he invited us, that must mean he's giving us a chance."

"The fact I'm the reason this is even happening doesn't exactly inspire the same confidence. He might just ignore us outright and demand I work for him."

Jason glared. "We didn't come this far to be turned away now." He placed his hand on Melissa. "It's all up to you soon. Prepare yourself."

She took a deep breath, shaking off the building anxiety. "R-Right…"

Lillia smiled. "Don't worry, sweetie, you got this. Think positive thoughts—"

The castle doors suddenly burst open without warning, startling the group. Walking down the stone steps was the man of interest himself: King Tadhg Foirbeis, joined at both sides by his wives. The girls shot the group suspicious glares while Tadhg approached the group with open arms.

"Welcome, welcome to the Umbra Clock capital!" he greeted. He went up to each of them and shook their hands before they could get a word in, repeating, "I am Tadhg Foirbeis, nice to meet you" to each of them. Once he finished introducing himself, he stopped in front of Tank with a large grin. "My, you're a strong one, aren't you? I can tell by the definition of your physique. You work out a lot, don't you?"

Tank raised his brow. "I…work with a lot of heavy tools."

Tadhg sniffed the air a bit. "The faint smell of metal follows you. Blacksmith, I presume?"

"Uh, yes—"

"Wonderful! You'll be a fine help for some of my experiments! Ah, don't you worry about forgetting your old moves when we do the tests. I know how much Smeargle value their creativity, so I've taken precautions to preserve your old movesets—ah, speaking of which, I would love to observe the techniques you've developed—"

Leitis tapped his shoulder. "Uh, Tadhg?" She pointed over to the rest of Tank's party. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"…" He laughed. "I can't get anything done without you around, Leitis. Of course, of course. Ah, you must all be famished from your journey, though. Illegally breaking into the capital must work up an appetite."

Jason winced. "You…aren't going to arrest us, right?"

Tadhg waved it off. "Eh, I would've, but you're already here. It'd be a waste of my time to send you off now. Come on, come on, we've got things to do." He turned and marched back into the castle.

The group awkwardly stood by the steps until Una said, "Yeeeeeah, you get used to it after a while. Come on!" She happily skipped up the stairs and clung to Tadhg's arm while Leitis followed behind, keeping an eye on the group over her shoulder. Eventually, they followed the trio inside.

As they entered the castle, Tadhg called out to a Dachsbun maid, "Inform the royal chef that we have guests!"

She bowed. "At once, Your Majesty." She scampered off.

Melissa frowned. "You're seriously offering us food?"

Tadhg shrugged. "I don't see why not. Everyone deserves to eat. Plus, the castle always has a surplus of food that always seems to go to waste. I can't stand that, so I'd be happy to feed you folk." He waved it off. "You can thank me later."

"Um, alright." Melissa gulped before offering a smile. "W-Well, we are grateful you're taking time out of your day to speak with us. Um, there's actually a lot we wish to ask of you, and I'm not sure how to best start—"

"Well, you could just start with the fact you're all Foresters."

The group came to a sudden halt, staring at the king in bewilderment. Una and Leitis seemed equally surprised as they whipped their heads back at the group, already reaching for their weapons. Tadhg, however, put his hands over theirs and eased their tense postures before smirking at the thieves.

"H-How did you—" Melissa gasped.

He shrugged. "Your cloaks do well to hide your uniforms, but I caught a glimpse of the sleeves when I was introducing myself." He pointed at Casimir and Shale. "Based on their state of dress, they appear to be bounty hunters associated with you all. And with my observations made…" He focused on Melissa and Jason. "That would make you two Skill Hunter Harlow and Fairy Knight Jason."

"…" Jason glared. "Is that a problem?"

He chuckled. "Depends entirely on why you're here, of course."

Una tugged on his sleeve. "Uh, Tadhg? You mind filling us in here a bit? I think I misheard most of that because I could've sworn you said these guys are mass murdering thieves!"

"LIES!" Petra shrieked.

Tadhg raised his hand, settling Una down. "Relax, my dear."

Leitis frowned. "Tadhg, these people were accused of trying to assassinate a prince from the Senbo Kingdom."

His smirk grew. "And if they tried to pull that right now, they would be swiftly dispatched." The thieves' eyes widened as he lifted his hand and formed a spinning purple cube hovering above it. Similarly colored energy flowed from his eyes. "And I'm sure they're not in any mood to start a fight."

Lillia stared at the hovering cube in awe. "That technique…has a massive amount of power stored inside it."

Jason cautiously reached for his hidden dagger while Melissa nervously trembled beside him.

"…" Tadhg curled his fist and dissipated the technique. His eyes returned to normal. "However, I have no interest in starting a fight here. You are still my guests, and I am here to act as a generous host. There's no need for hostility between us."

It seemed to settle the group, though Jason still had a hand gripped over his dagger. The sheathed weapon trembled inside his grip. It took a reassuring pat from Melissa to calm his nerves and release the dagger. She sighed and bowed her head to Tadhg. "Skill Hunter Harlow. A pleasure."

"…" Jason bowed his head, too. "Jason Stormbreaker." He gestured to the rest of the group. "Lillia Sacerdos. Petra Anker. Benjamin Ottosen, better known as Tank. And these two are traveling companions we picked up."

Casimir bowed. "Casimir. And this one is Satshale Hakatress."

She smirked. "Just call me Shale, Mr. King."

Tadhg smiled. "Wonderful to meet you all. I am, of course, King Tadhg Foirbeis." He gestured to his wives. "And these two lovely ladies are my bodyguards and my beautiful wives: Una MacNeil and Leitis Rattray."

Una curtsied. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Leitis huffed and crossed her arms. "Hi…"

Melissa chuckled awkwardly. "So, the rumors were true. You did marry two women."

Shale smirked. "Does that mean you three have fun in bed together~?"

Casimir whacked her in the back of the head. "You're too young to know stuff like that."

"I'm a teenager! I'm not that young!"

Una giggled. "Nah! Leitis and I don't love each other like that. We just love Tadhg equally." She snickered. "Though, she still gets nervous sleeping in the same bed as him. I, however, love cuddling up to him—"

Leitis' face turned bright red. "We just met these people! Don't go telling them stuff like that!"

"I haven't even gotten to the fun stuff yet—"

"UNA!"

Tadhg chuckled. "Yes, I suppose our relationship is strange to the customs of Umbra Clock, but that doesn't matter to me. I love them both equally, and I'd do anything to make them happy."

His words ceased their girls' bickering, and they smiled bashfully in response. "Awww…"

Melissa giggled. "D'aww, how sweet."

Tadhg waved them along. "Enough of that. There is plenty to discuss over meals. Come, come!" He marched on ahead with the group hurrying to keep pace with him.

The group was led into a dining hall, an ancient-looking room with gray stone walls and lanterns lighting up the space. A long table stretched over the length of the hall with a gorgeous red carpet underneath. A lit fireplace sat at the back of the hall where the king's dining chair stood. The maids had finished setting up plates and silverware before excusing themselves for their arriving party.

The Foresters and bounty hunters took their seats while Tadhg and his wives sat themselves at the end of the table. The Dachsbun maid returned and bowed to the king. "Meals will be ready in five minutes, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, my dear," he said as he tied a napkin around his neck. As soon as the maid excused herself, Tadhg leaned forward on the table, propping his chin atop his hands. "Not often you get a personal invite by the king himself. You must feel spoiled."

Melissa laughed a bit. "This is certainly…an experience."

Jason glared around the room. "I will never understand why anyone would need a dining room this large."

Tadhg smiled. "One of the many duties of a king is to entertain guests. A dining hall is absolutely essential for dinner parties. You are not used to such luxuries?"

"I prefer to live a simpler life."

"How quaint." He laughed. "I've grown too fond of my wealth to agree, though perhaps there's a charm to living simpler. I do occasionally partake in some fun in the capital."

"We heard," Casimir chirped in. "We met a bartender who's familiar with you."

"Ah, you met Torquil? Haven't seen him in months. Taking on the responsibilities of my late father hasn't given me much time to myself."

Leitis smirked. "Weren't we soaking in a hot spring an hour ago?"

He chuckled. "That was purely necessary. My mind needs to decompress every so often."

Shale gawked. "There's a hot spring in this place?! Sign me up!" She nearly jumped out of her seat, but Casimir pulled her back down. She pouted and sank into her chair. "Booooo…" She picked up a fork and started spinning it against the table.

The Dashsbun maid briefly returned with two pitchers, one filled with water and the other filled with wine. Tadhg telekinetically took the pitchers and floated them across the table. "You will find that we aren't serving any extravagant meals during these warring times, but I requested one of our finest wines from the cellar for the occasion."

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to get us drunk?"

Tadhg smirked. "I am merely showing my hospitality."

Melissa giggled and nudged Jason's side. "Ah, try and lighten up. Besides, you turn twenty-one next week."

"…" He groaned and held out his chalice, letting the wine pitcher pour him a cup.

Tank and Casimir accepted the wine while the rest just took plain water. Petra, however, happily took two cups worth of wine and water and guzzled them both down at once. Tadhg poured himself and his wives some wine before setting the pitchers aside.

"Most nobles would be jealous to be in your position," Tadhg commented. "I don't break this stuff out for just anyone."

Jason took a light sip of the wine, refusing to admit it tasted good, and glared at the Meowstic. "Why us, then?"

He shrugged. "We get nobles here all the time when my father was still ruling. It's not everyday that the infamous Foresters come marching up to my kingdom. You're usually causing trouble in the west. Perhaps a touch of curiosity getting the better of me."

Lillia sipped her water before saying, "It must be a lot, handling the weight of an entire kingdom during these unfortunate times. How do you manage to stay on track?"

He gestured to Una and Leitis. "I wouldn't get anywhere without these two keeping my head on straight. Sometimes I get so caught up in everything that you forget the world in front of you. But for the work itself, it's nothing I can't handle. I am adept in many fields I'm self-taught in. No tutor could keep up with me, and soon I was the one tutoring them. I crave knowledge, and I continue to advance my vast library of knowledge even as I split my attention towards maintaining the kingdom."

Una giggled. "Tadhg never spends a single day not working on something, even before his sudden ascension. He's barely had time to visit his mother."

Melissa frowned. "Your mother?"

Leitis frowned. "The former Queen Mairead. She…hasn't been feeling well lately. She fell ill after the death of the king. The stress of war has been getting to her. Princess Moira has dedicated her time to caring for her while Tadhg runs the kingdom."

"…" Melissa's ears drooped, feeling a brief shudder come over her. "O-Oh. I'm…so sorry. I hope she gets better."

"…" Tadhg chuckled. "Moira isn't much of a caretaker, but she's doing all she can to make Mother comfortable." He leaned back in his seat. "Running the kingdom has come with many challenges I must overcome, but there's nothing I can't accomplish."

Tank glared. "Except win a war against New Chariot."

Melissa's eyes widened. "Tank! Don't be rude!"

Rather than be offended, Tadhg laughed. "You're a cheeky one, Ottosen." He sipped his wine before leaning forward. "Unfortunately, with our current state of affairs and our knighthood, we do lack power as of late. That's why I haven't given up on my research. For our lack of numbers, I hope to make up for it with an increase in individual power. Creating powerful enhanced moves that aren't typically possible, I mean."

Jason glared. "And how's that coming along?"

"Oh, poorly. Most of them are purely theoretical. The best I can do is have our remaining forces guard the borders while our barely trained rookies guard the capital. Certain lords with their own private armies make up for the lack of manpower by defending their towns themselves, but it won't match the sheer size of New Chariot's forces. We can't beat them in a direct confrontation. Their numbers are simply too many."

Jason and Melissa shared a brief look with each other. Seizing the opportunity, Melissa sipped her water before standing up. "King Tadhg, regarding our visitation to your fine kingdom, we come with a proposition that may benefit both our parties."

Tadhg smirked. "And now we get to the fun part. What do you have to offer me, Skill Hunter?"

She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, and glared determinedly. "As you may know, with the recent invasion on the west, the four kingdoms are doing all they can to preserve their lands against the unstoppable fury of New Chariot. We, the Foresters, have offered our aid in these trying times to the Verde Kingdom for as much as we could afford. However, due to the recent circumstances that befell us, our resources are greatly limited. We are on the verge of collapse. Food is limited, our supplies are dwindling, and our morale is low. We can't keep fighting in this war as we are."

"Go on…"

She struggled to continue, hesitant on their plan, but swallowed her nerves and stated, "We…are representatives of the Foresters reaching out to you. If you will please listen to our selfish request, we ask to form an alliance with the Umbra Clock Kingdom."

Una's eyes widened. "What?!"

Leitis glared. "An alliance with us?"

Tadhg's smirk grew. "Fascinating."

Melissa nodded. "The Foresters, as you understand, have been opposing the ten monarchies since their emergence. While we are firmly rooted in the west, our influence has been felt by the kingdoms for years. As such, the nature of our request may seem strange and sudden compared to our beliefs, but we come to you in hopes of gaining a powerful ally to combat the threats before us. You, who have been at war with New Chariot longer than any other kingdom, know more about their emperor and military strategies than anyone else."

He nodded. "This is true, yes."

"The Foresters possess many skills and an abundance of knowledge that may serve the kingdom well. With your permission and aid, we would assist in not only regaining Umbra Clock's territory, but putting an end to New Chariot's war efforts. We lack the military might, but possess the cunningness necessary to turn the tides of battle. We simply require the aid of a vast power."

"…" Tadhg leaned back in his seat and snickered openly. "You came all the way here betting on a request like that? I admire your boldness, Skill Hunter Harlow. It takes an astronomical amount of courage to travel all the way here with a plan like that."

She smiled a bit. "Does that mean you'll accept our request?"

"Oh, absolutely not."

It felt as if the world came crashing down over the Forester as soon as those three words left the king's lips. Everyone remained paralyzed in their seats, jaws dropped and eyes shaken with horror at the king's unnerving calmness as he sipped from his chalice.

"W…What?" Melissa gasped quietly.

Tadhg finished his drink and sighed. "Let's review the facts. By the eyes of the region, you all are still considered criminals. We may not have experienced the measures of your influence in the west, but you admitted as much yourself that the east knows of your exploits. Should I count the reasons why the Umbra Clock Kingdom has no right to trust you?"

"I…I—"

Tadhg's glare hardened. "Fairy Knight Jason is directly linked to the event known as the Bloodless Massacre under the given pseudonym of the Mortal Zeraora, of which being affiliated with one direct count of murder in the form of one Artur Blackfire, the former Captain of the Verde Knighthood."

"…" Jason hid his face as he gritted his teeth in anger.

"Multiple accounts speak of a supposed evil scientist within your ranks who is responsible for a number of dangerous inventions, one of which leading to scaring the local people with myths of monsters lurking within the Forbidden Forest."

Tank facepalmed. Dammit, Pandora…

"Numerous accounts of targeting and robbing the people of the upper class, even directly engaging in battles with the Verde Knighthood. Instances of harassing the royal families, specifically the Penworth family. And how can we forget the story that made you all famous around Virdis? The one where you, Skill Hunter Harlow, were blamed for the kidnapping of Princess Melissa Penworth?"

Melissa winced. "Um…"

"There's also the fact you've planted spies within numerous kingdoms. One acting as a maid within the Penworth family's castle, one with rumors tying her as the secret lover of one Prince Erasmus Talbot, and one that was linked to the attempted and current hospitalization of one Prince Dimitri Talbot? And what of the attack on the Senbo Kingdom, or of Fairy Knight Jason openly attacking Prince Erasmus and visiting Prince Darby Tetrarch?"

Jason growled. "You…!"

Tadhg leaned forward on the table, cupping his hands together. "And let's not forget I am speaking directly to two of the top ten most wanted people in Virdis, one of which is affiliated with the Three Deadly Storms. Skill Hunter Harlow, in particular, has amassed a striking reputation despite being relatively unknown as of last year. Aiding in the defeat of a gang leader, surviving an encounter with Grim Deadlock, involvement in the Senbo-Wick train incident, and even going toe-to-toe with the fifth most wanted creature in Virdis, the Lord of Shadow. Though, given the goodwill the Foresters provided in that event, I suppose it's fair to call that one of your only good deeds recorded by the public."

Melissa faltered back into her chair. Her ears sagged against her head. "I, uh…"

The king's glare deepened. "Even still, with a mountain of evidence like that, what made you think I would ever agree to this alliance?"

"I…" Melissa gently shook her head and leaned forward. "King Tadhg, please give us a chance—"

"I've already made up my mind. I don't speak without being sure of my decision. I will not be having an alliance with the Foresters, and you should consider yourselves lucky I'm in a merciful mood not to imprison you all for trespassing into the capital."

She sunk back into her chair, her ears drooping over her face. "Um…"

Tadhg sighed. "Now then, feel free to stay for lunch. Explore the capital to your leisure even." He glanced at Tank. "I hope you'll be holding up your end of the deal."

Tank suppressed his growl, nearly crushing the table's edge in his grip.

Shale slammed her fists on the table. "Now hang on a dang minute! Sure, most of that stuff is true, but what gives you the right to deny their help? You ain't looking so hot yourself with the way this kingdom's holding on!"

Casimir glared. "Shale, not now—"

"I didn't walk all the way here just to listen to accusations and melodrama! Who cares if they did some bad stuff? I do bad stuff all the time! Like this one time I robbed an old lady—" Casimir smacked her in the back of the head. "OW! What?! She wasn't a nice old lady! I heard she tried to sell her grandson for a gun once."

Lillia cleared her throat and said, "What I believe Shale is trying to say is that we are not inherently bad people, King Tadhg. Yes, we've done our fair share of bad deeds, but the west is very different to the culture of the east. We've never dealt with the harrowing outcomes of war quite like you had, but I'm from the Algus Kingdom. I know how both the east and west think. The fact of the matter is that the Foresters were formed because individuals who lacked a voice wanted to feel strong in a world that looked down on them. We were all rowdy, ill-tempered children at one point, but we found common ground in each other."

Leitis glared. "The king has already made his decision. There's no use in—" She stopped as Tadhg raised his hand.

He glared down the table, then cupped his hands under his chin. "What is your point?"

Lillia glared. "The east deals with violent conflicts while the west deals with the tortures of separated society. Classism, elitism, and more run rampant in the west because those in power found means around the laws to destroy a life through a few words and money. Most of the Foresters are made up of westerners, so the ideals of the Foresters fall under western standards."

"So?"

"What I mean is, if you fault us as criminals for just wanting to survive in an unfair world, then what of your actions against the Arcania Kingdom?"

"…" Tadhg closed his eyes and chuckled. "You had to pull that one, didn't you?"

Petra blinked in confusion. "Uh, what?"

Tank glared. "While the two empires had their bouts with Arcania, Umbra Clock was perhaps their greatest enemy and the reason they lost so much land over the years. They stole secrets from the kingdom, and their feuding is what weakened them to the massacre committed by the Great Gate Empire."

Jason hardened his glare. "We have quite a few Foresters who witnessed that massacre, King Tadhg. Would you consider the actions of your father and grandfather just and righteous?"

Tadhg chuckled lightly. "In the eyes of the kingdom, it was merely an act of defending ourselves against a potential threat. Arcania was once a dangerous power in its prime."

"But do you agree with the attack on their territory?"

"…" He sighed. "No, I do not. I have spoken out against my father over it many times, but there's no point in digging up old wounds that can't be healed. The Arcania Kingdom, though in a weakened state, still swears vengeance against us. A result of my family's unchecked greed."

Jason huffed. "So, compared to most of what we did, what's your excuse?"

Tadhg laughed. "Even so, there's no denying your recent developments—"

He slammed his fist down on the table. "That wasn't us! We were framed by an enemy of ours to weaken our power."

"Oh, I'm sure—"

"I'm serious! The assassination attempt on Prince Dimitri was a setup." He reached inside his jacket and threw a scroll across the table. "Look. That is an official letter penned by Prince Erasmus Talbot. We are currently working with him to cure his brother's ailment. We know who was responsible behind the poisoning."

Tadhg picked up the scroll and quickly skimmed through its contents. While he wasn't terribly familiar with the Senbo Kingdom, he recognized the royal seal, and it was an exact match to the genuine article. A curious grin spread over the blue cat's face. Now things are getting interesting…

"He…is your ally?" Tadhg asked. "My, you've been busy as of late."

Jason scowled. "We're not arguing to being saints, but we've been trying to move away from our thieving ways. We came here because we face an enemy just as dangerous as the New Chariot Empire. You have to understand coming here wasn't an easy decision for most of us. We're swallowing our pride in hopes to gain something with our string of failures." He glanced at Melissa, who was still looking glum. "…And she inspired us to seek your help."

Tadhg narrowed his eyes. "Skill Hunter Harlow, hmm?"

He sighed. "I can't explain the accusations posed against her for the princess' capture, but we're not here to start a war. We just want to protect our friends and family from the empire. Surely, you must understand the pain we're enduring. We just want to save our homes."

"…" The king set his attention onto Melissa. "This was your scheme, he said?"

"…" Melissa took a deep breath and lifted her head, meeting his gaze once again. "King Tadhg, I am inexperienced in many fields and climbed through many trials and hardships to understand the pain of my fellow Foresters. Our friends, they all banded together under a shared purpose to fix this region, but no one knows how to save it." She placed her hand over her heart. "My dream is to restore Virdis from the decades of imbalance that have plagued us. I wish to unite all ten kingdoms."

Una's eyes widened. "Unite all the kingdoms?!"

"That's insane," Leitis grumbled.

Melissa glared. "It's crazy, I understand, but what good is a dream if I don't at least strive to achieve it? It may seem impossible, but that's because decades of misery have clouded us from seeing how high our dreams can reach. Even if it's impossible, what's the harm in giving it a chance? All of my friends are placing their hopes and dreams into our success here. Even if it must start small, we came here to seek an alliance with you, to make an effort to help everyone. You must want what's best for your kingdom, too."

Tadhg smirked. "Of course."

"Then who cares about our pasts? We're here now begging you to give us a chance. We want to help restore the Umbra Clock Kingdom, and we want to end the war putting our homes in danger. I don't care how long it takes me, but I will not rest until we've saved Virdis from its own destruction."

"You must understand what is expected of you to make such an impossible dream a reality, Skill Hunter," Tadhg warned. "What lengths are you willing to go? What lines are you willing to cross?"

She glared. "Anything less than sacrificing the innocent. I want to win this war with as little bloodshed as possible."

He threw his head back and laughed. "You're mad! A war without bloodshed?!"

She tightened her fists. "I'm not expecting a war without casualties, but my ideal world of Virdis is one that allows life to be preserved! I won't sacrifice lives to meet my goals, but I will do everything within my power to save my home even at the cost of my life!"

The king kicked back in his seat, nearly toppling over in his laughter. Leitis and Una scrambled to keep his chair from falling back against the floor. "You really are insane!" he exclaimed through his laughter.

She growled. "Is my idea funny to you?!"

"Yes! Absolutely hilarious!" He swung his seat back down and applauded her. "That's the same cavalier attitude my father took with him into battle!"

"…" Melissa lightened up. "Huh?"

He wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled quietly. "That man…refused to let any more of his soldiers die on the battlefield. He'd sooner die an honorable death than let anyone else fall in battle. He saved many lives before he was slain in battle." He smirked. "You're just as insane as him, and I admire that."

She blinked twice. "I…"

"Still, I'm far from convinced. The nature of your request troubles me." He cupped his hands together and grinned widely. "However, I've…rescinded my previous statement."

Una and Leitis' eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Melissa gasped. "Y-You don't mean…?"

He winked at the group. "Tell you what? I will allow you to stay in the castle overnight, and I shall have my answer to your request in the morning. You will be under heavy surveillance, of course, but I wish for you all to enjoy your stay here. You're free to wander the castle under these conditions. I require the rest of the day and night to analyze the benefits of this potential alliance."

Melissa blinked twice, the realization finally setting in. She stumbled back into her chair. "I…I, uh…w-wow. Th-Thank you, King Tadhg. I…wasn't expecting you to change your mind so readily."

He shrugged. "Life's full of pleasant surprises, I suppose."

Jason glared. "What happens to us if you still refuse our alliance?"

He smirked. "Arrested, kicked out of the capital. So many options. But that waits to be a tomorrow problem."

"Are you always this hostile with your guests?"

He laughed. "What a strong word. I suppose we'll find out in the morning." He glanced to the side doors as the maids entered, carting in trolleys with their meals. "But let's not let the unpleasantness ruin a good meal. You all should enjoy yourselves."

Petra rubbed her hands together as a plate of berries landed in front of her. "Don't mind if I do!" She picked up her plate and shoveled down the berries.

Melissa frowned at Tadhg. "You…promise you'll think our request over?"

He nodded. "I don't lie. I simply speak my mind. You'll have an answer in the morning, I promise." He picked up his fork and laughed. "Now then, let us feast! After that, I shall escort you to your rooms for the night!"

The Foresters shared wary looks with each other before turning to their meals and eating. Though not the way they hoped to end negotiations, they held onto their waning hope for a positive answer.

"You did WHAT?!"

Tadhg stood in place as his sister violently shook him, much to the bewilderment of the maids attending to the weary female Meowstic in bed, who smiled in amusement for the siblings.

Tadhg, with barely a reaction to his sister's response, said, "We have plenty of old rooms to spare. I didn't see the issue—"

"You know damn well that's not why I'm mad!" Moira exclaimed. "You invited thieves into the castle! No, scratch that! You invited thieves, gave them our food, and now you're letting them sleep in the castle! Have you gone without your senses?!"

The ailing Meowstic lifted her hand. "Moira, breathe. You forget to breathe when you get worked up."

The Brionne removed herself from her brother and took a second to catch her breath. As she got herself under control, Tadhg dusted himself off and explained, "I have everything under control, dear sister. I just need some time to think of my approach in the morning before I give an answer."

She glared. "An answer? Father made it clear that no one was to enter the capital without proper identification, and now you come to us explaining you invited the Foresters into our home. You are giving me a heart attack."

Tadhg glared. "I understand your frustration, but I have my reasons. Besides, with the current state of the kingdom, they're hardly the issue at hand." He glanced to the side. "They've piqued my curiosity."

Moira facepalmed. "Every time you latch onto a new obsession, it just causes a mess. What good are a bunch of untrustworthy thieves going to accomplish?"

"…" Tadhg smirked. "I suppose I'll have to answer that by morning."

"Unbelievable…"

"Now Moira—" The siblings turned around as their mother gingerly stepped out of bed. "Tadhg may be a bit unorthodox with how he runs the kingdom, but your father and I had high hopes for his potential. You can't deny he's done an immaculate job of working with what we have left."

Moira pouted. "Mother, you shouldn't be out of bed…"

Queen Mairead smiled. "You work so hard yourself, dear. If your brother believes this could help the kingdom, then perhaps you should lend your support."

"Mother, it's the Foresters. Haven't you heard of the shifty things they've done in the west? Have you forgotten they are responsible for the near assassination of another royal—"

"Actually—" Tadhg interrupted with a smirk. "That was a setup."

Moira rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, I'm sure that's what they want you to believe."

"True, but…I figured that out months ago."

Her eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Tadhg folded his arms behind his head and laughed as he walked to the door. "I'm not making these decisions on a whim, dear sister. I have…plans in mind for the Foresters." The door opened itself and closed behind the blue cat.

Moira narrowed her eyes. "What is he up to now?"

Mairead sat herself back on the bed, coughing into her arm. "Maybe it's best to give the Foresters a chance, dear. After all, Tadhg seems to see something good about them, and they do seem to be genuine in their request."

"…Hmm."

The Foresters and bounty hunters gawked at the spacious room Una and Leitis led them to. There were a few bunk beds, each fitted with three beds, and trunks to store belongings. Pillows and folded blankets lay on each of the mattresses.

Una curtsied to the group. "We hope you enjoy your stay. Sorry it's nothing fancy, but we have quite a few of these rooms laying around. Make yourselves at home!" She twirled out of the room and skipped down the hall.

Leitis backed away to the door, glaring at the group. "You better not cause any trouble for the king, or there will be consequences." She shut the door behind her.

Melissa frowned. "I…don't think she likes us."

Tank dropped his bag in the corner of the room and took a moment to crack his back. "Agh. Well, I'll say this, not a bad place to stay for the night. It's been ages since I've slept on an actual bed."

Petra fluttered up the higher bunks and frowned. "These look a little too big for me. I prefer sleeping in my tiny cot." She darted for the door and let herself out into the hall. "I'm going to find some hand towels and make myself a nest!"

Lillia climbed up to a middle bunk and threw herself on the mattress. She sighed as she sunk into the bed. "Oh my, these are really soft. I might almost go to sleep like this."

"I call a top bunk!" Shale exclaimed, leaping across the room and clambering up a bunk.

"Will you behave yourself?!" Casimir exclaimed, running over to pull her down.

"Top bunks are the cooler bunks!"

"You're just going to fall off in the middle of the night!"

"Am not!"

Jason sighed and threw his stuff onto the floor. "Well, best get some sleep. The sooner we go to bed, the sooner we wake up to the king's answer." He glanced at Melissa, noting her worried expression. "You okay, Hars?" I am NOT making that mistake twice, especially if Tadhg wasn't kidding about the heavy surveillance.

Melissa sighed through her nose. "Did I…do good? I-I feel like I could've made a better case for ourselves. I-I fumbled through our demands and—" She relaxed as Jason touched her shoulder.

"You were a little shaky, but you did fine. It at least got him to change his mind."

"…" She hugged herself and stared at the floor. "What do you think got him to give us a chance?"

"I can't tell with that guy," he admitted. "I don't trust him. Anyone that smart isn't someone to take lightly."

"…I don't know. He doesn't seem like a bad guy. Just…a bit socially inept. He did make his points rather bluntly."

Jason nodded. "Whatever the case, you'll feel prepared to confront him in the morning."

"…Yeah." She huffed a sigh and smiled at him. "I'll be ready to face him again in the morning."

He smiled back. "Good." He walked over to one of the bunks and picked up a set of blankets. "Get some rest, Rookie."

She nodded. "Right." She threw her bag on the bottom bed. "So, do you want this bed or one of the—" Her eyes widened as Jason threw his blanket onto the floor and collapsed atop it.

"Goodnight," he said with a yawn before shutting his eyes.

"…Uh, Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"You, uh…want to sleep on one of the beds?"

"Nah, I'm good."

"…" She exhaled through her nose and climbed into bed. I would pester him over his sleeping habits, but I need some shut eye. I'll talk to him about that some other time.

Tadhg finished putting on his sleep attire while Una and Leitis finished slipping into their nightgowns. The book-filled bedroom glowed in the gentle light of a single candle, which the king carried over to his nightstand. After setting it down, he combed through his collection of books for some light reading material to help him go to sleep.

"Let's see…Theory of Gravity and Fate, the Extended History of Rock-Type Energy, Ghost Pokémon: The Missing Link Between Gods—"

Leitis sat down on the bed and stretched her arms. "You…changed your mind rather quickly back there."

"Hmm?"

"You never change your mind that quickly. What was up with that?"

"Oh, I never changed my mind—ah, perfect! A Thousand Different Uses for Power Split." He pulled the book out before walking back to bed and sliding under the covers.

"Catapult!" Una exclaimed, lunging over the bedpost and faceplanting into one of the pillows. She shuffled and crawled beneath the blankets before turning herself around and popping her head back out. "Woo! Wait, what do you mean you didn't change your mind?"

Tadhg nestled into the covers and opened his book atop his chest. "It means I didn't change my mind."

Leitis raised her brow. "So, you're still going to kick them out of the capital?"

"No. I already made my decision before I said I wouldn't accept their request."

"So, you…lied? That doesn't sound like you."

He smirked a bit. "Oh, I didn't lie. I was on board with their request the moment they wanted to offer the kingdom help. However, my decision to refuse was made primarily to get a bit more information out of them. I wasn't going to accept a deal like that until I knew for certain who I was talking to. The rumored kill-happy thieves of late, or perhaps something more."

"Ooooh," Una hummed. "Sneaky, sneaky~."

Leitis glared. "So, what is your decision?"

"That awaits to be decided in the morning. I just need one more thing from them before I make my decision. Recall what I asked Skill Hunter. What lengths she's willing to go, and what lines she's willing to cross. I want to see the extent of her determination."

"…" The Buizel's eyes suddenly widened in understanding. "Wait a minute, you're going to—"

"Yep. I'm going to challenge her to a duel."

"You're not thinking of using your technique, are you?! You said you would never use that unless it's an emergency or for training!"

"This is training, and one could say the emergency is whether or not this alliance proves worthy of my time. Besides, I've never used it in a real fight before. I want to see what Skill Hunter can offer to help improve my swordsmanship."

Leitis glared at him for a moment before smirking. "You're seriously using this as an excuse to see how well your technique works in a real fight?"

"Exactly."

Una giggled. "It would be fun to see it in action rather than training." She shivered. "I still get chills trying to wrap my head around it, too. Too much…science for me."

Tadhg wrapped his arm around her. "I could explain it to you in detail again if you want."

"Well, it would help me go to sleep faster."

"How rude," he said with a laugh. "I'm not that boring."

Leitis smirked. "You kind of are."

"Well, just for that, I'm going to read my book to the both of you so that you may appreciate the wonders of science."

Leitis mockingly gasped. "Dear Cresselia, no! You monster!"

"The horror!" Una exclaimed.

Tadhg chuckled aloud. "Oh, I'm only teasing. I know you two don't care for this stuff."

Una wrapped her arms around him. "Nah, we don't mind. It's cute when you nerd out over boring science junk."

Leitis lay against Tadhg, then squinted at his book. "Still though. Someone seriously wrote a book on a thousand different uses for Power Split? Really?"

Tadhg smirked. "That sounds like someone with a twinge of curiosity in her tone."

"…" She rolled her eyes. "I suppose I wouldn't mind a few riveting facts about this…oddly specific subject."

"Plus, it'll help us sleep faster!" Una exclaimed, earning her a psychically thrown pillow to the face from Tadhg.

"You're free to sleep in your old room if this is too mathematical for you," he teased.

She pulled the pillow off and giggled. "I'm teasing. Start reading, Gravi-Kitty!"

Tadhg nestled back into his pillows as the girls leaned against him. "Very well. Well, this is one of my favorite facts about Power Split. So, normally the move is used to average out the strength of two opponents. However, if combined just right with some scientific application from Snatch…"