Tales of Graces 1. After Midnight

Words Yet Unspoken

Chapter I

After Midnight

The gatekeeper outside of Lhant's seemingly impervious stone walls had fallen asleep long before they arrived. The unexpected visitor grimaced as his horse stopped abruptly, jarring him as his last remaining soldier shouted for the town to open its gates. A small eternity seemed to pass before they were finally let in, but even as the sound of stone scrapping hurt his years and kept him anchored in wakefulness, the manor was still some distance away.

The door seemed to stand dauntingly far, growing no closer with every step his horse took. The rain continued its steady downpour, though it had long since soaked through his traveling cloak. He winced as a gust of wind blew the rain into his face, but did not protest aloud.

"We're almost there, Your Majesty," the soldier reported.

Richard nodded dully but didn't voice any response. The soldier hastened his pace up the stairs and past the fountains of the elegant front yard. He glanced at the fountain to his right, which was just on the brink of overflowing from all of the rain. However, when he looked to the left, an expression of puzzlement settled over his face when he saw that the matching fountain was in ruins.

When the king saw the soldier's expression, he was almost glad that they had reached the door and he could go without giving an explanation. The memories of his actions and the time in the Ghardia Shaft was still just too fresh.

~oOo~

It was fortunate that Asbel had fallen asleep in his office, for he heard the knock on the front door and woke up instantly. He blinked blearily as he glanced at the clock; his candles were just about burned out, but there was still just enough light to see the time when he squinted. At that late hour, Frederic would have already gone home.

The lord disentangled himself from his desk and tripped over a stack of books hiding in the shadows of the poor lighting. He caught himself on the desk before he haplessly fell over and grabbed a candle. He saw someone dismounting a horse unsteadily as he rushed toward the door. He opened it to see only two people standing outside his door, one in full armor and the other with familiar blond hair falling around a too pale face.

"Lord of Lhant, I am here with the King of Windor. We ask that you fulfill your obligation to the crown and allow his majesty to see your healer."

Asbel glanced from the soldier then up to the hooded figure who stood, albeit leaning heavily against the horse. He barely listened to the soldier's formal speech as he hurried over to Richard.

"Richard, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

The wind blew relentlessly, blowing the king's cloak aside to show that he had one hand clenched over a wound. Blood stained the once regally white color of his friend's attire. Asbel was at the king's side faster than the soldier. The lord caught his friend when his knees buckled and quickly pulled his arm over his shoulder to support him.

"Just lean on me, we have to get you taken care of," Asbel insisted. "We've got medical supplies."

"His majesty informed me that there were healers in Lhant," the soldier said with a pointed frown.

"They just aren't here right now," Asbel said regretfully. "Cheria left to travel with a relief organization and Sophie is visiting friends in Fendel…"

"That seems negligent," the soldier said disapprovingly.

"Don't argue," Richard interjected shortly, though his voice was strained.

Asbel guided his friend inside and over to the nearest couch. Though the lord was reluctant to leave his friend's side, he knew that sending the soldier to find the medical supplies would only take a foolishly long time. He dashed to one of the rooms in the back of the first floor to grab their seldom used disinfectant and bandages. He brushed the dust off of the top of the box and dashed back out the king.

The soldier had gotten Richard to lay down and removed the layers of clothes covering the injury, revealing a long wound that ran down the king's torso. Asbel knelt beside his friend and quickly pressed some of the sanitary cloth against the wound to lessen the bleeding. It didn't seem too dangerously deep, but he was still losing blood.

Asbel looked over at the soldier. "Can you go to the first house past the windmills and ask for Frederic Barnes?"

"Is he a healer?"

"No, but he can help," Asbel said shortly. "Please, go quickly!"

The soldier looked to the king uncertainly.

"Go," Richard echoed.

With that said, the soldier jumped to his feet and dashed out the door. Asbel heard the door slam closed behind the man, but he didn't look up. He adjusted the material to cover more of the wound and continued to put pressure on it, though the cloth was quickly being dyed red.

"I'm sorry for imposing on you," Richard said, though his voice was strained.

Asbel couldn't help but smile weakly at the way his friend always managed to keep a formal tone, no matter what the situation was. Richard grimaced when the disinfectant touched his skin, but didn't complain. Asbel watched as Richard's hand clenched around the blanket from the pain and felt half tempted to place his own hand over the king's, but he was occupied with the more important matter of slowing the bleeding. On top of that, it wouldn't be appropriate.

"There's no need to apologize for it," Asbel said. "What happened?"

"There was a significant nest of monsters near the ports," he said, though his voice became quieter as he spoke.

Richard broke off in mid-sentence when he started to cough.

"You can tell me more later," he said quickly. "Just rest for now."

They finished cleaning and bandaging the king's wounds after Frederic arrived, handling the situation calmly and telling them about a lengthy store of his youthful days as a guard. Too unsettled to sit still, Asbel went up to the closet in the upper hall to find dry clothes for Richard.

Asbel wasn't completely sure if Richard lost consciousness or fell asleep, but the bleeding had all but stopped and his breathing was consistent. Frederic assured them that the king would be fine either way and launched into a story about helping a comrade who had a much more severe run in with a thorn bush and came out fine.

They moved the king into the open bedroom on the ground floor. Frederic decided to stay for the remainder of the night and get a head start on the day's duties while the soldier who came with Richard insisted that he would stay awake to stand guard, though the man looked exhausted and ready to nod off in his armor.

Asbel washed Richard's blood off of his hands, watching as the red was diluted and slipped away down the drain. He shrugged out of his coat, which also somehow had gotten stained with blood, and headed toward the guest room. He pulled a chair away from the desk in the room and set it near Richard's bed, resolved not to leave his friend's side.

Though Frederic tried to make light of the situation, the Lord of Lhant remained worried. He knew that soldiers from Barona would arrive by the afternoon at the latest, most likely eager to escort their king back to the capital. Though he respected Richard's dedication to his goal of making amends to the country, the fact that he laid in one of the beds in Lhant Manor with small spots of blood seeping through the bandages was a clear sign that he was taking it too far.

Asbel suspected that his friend had been going against what was best for his own health, but the situation before him solidified the guesses. He looked up to the clock, only to see that it was still a few hours before dawn. He leaned against the back of the chair tiredly, wondering how soon Richard would return to Barona, while Asbel remained chained to Lhant.

* * *

This is really more of a prologue than a first chapter, but I'm counting it as a chapter just because doesn't have prologue support. :'D

Thanks to the lovely Nienyan for proofreading! :D I'm aiming to update this fic biweekly, with an update on the 15th and 30th of every month.

I continue with my pattern of corny ass titles.


	2. With Morning Light

Words Yet Unspoken

Chapter II

With Morning Light

Asbel didn't remember falling asleep, but sunlight was already streaming through the windows when he was woken up. He blinked blearily and sat up suddenly when he realized that he was uncomfortably stationed in a chair. He glanced from the scarred hand on his shoulder to the person who roused him. He looked up at Richard and then back to the pale scar that stretched over his knuckle. Richard wore gloves more often than not; regardless, he was fairly certain that the scar had not been there when they traveled together.

"Good morning, Asbel," Richard said with a weary smile.

"You should be resting," he said, standing up quickly.

"You did not get much sleep, did you? I am sorry for showing up out of the blue like this," he apologized as he leaned back against the pillows.

"No, it's fine," Asbel said as he shook his head. "You can stop in Lhant anytime. Are you feeling better this morning?"

"Exponentially," he said.

"But what happened last night?" Asbel asked, unable to let the matter go unaddressed any longer.

"There was a significant nest of monsters taking up residence near the cliff side ports," he explained. "They must have fled from the Lastalia and grew stronger from being left undisturbed, for they were some of the worst we've encountered to date. We attacked with two hundred men, but the results were grave."

"You attacked at night?" the lord asked skeptically.

"We had scouts observing their habits for nearly a week before the attack. They reported that the creatures were nocturnal and committed most of their attacks in the early morning, while they slept deepest in the evening before waking up. We wanted to use the timing to ambush them."

Asbel nodded slowly, feeling oddly uncomforted by hearing the details of the plan. It didn't seem to matter that precautions were taken; they clearly weren't enough.

"Did you really go in there leading the forces, even knowing that the creatures were that strong?"

"I did," Richard said frankly, "a king cannot expect his people to follow if he does not lead them from the front."

"You still have to be careful," Asbel retorted.

"We set out with two hundred soldiers," he said simply, "the enemy simply proved to be stronger than we anticipated."

Silence fell between them for a moment before Asbel asked another question. "Will you stay here until you're fit to travel?"

"If it is no trouble to you. Is Sophie here in Lhant?"

"It's never any trouble," Asbel smiled. "But no, she's visiting Pascal."

"It must be rather lonely without her around."

Their conversation was interrupted when Richard's soldier entered with a messenger from Barona with a large pile of mail. They had five other soldiers in tow, an evident sign that reinforcements had arrived. Asbel reluctantly bid his friend goodbye to let him attend to his work. The lord returned to his office, only stopping along the way to ask the Windorian soldiers about what guard positions they were taking.

He contemplated sending Sophie a letter to tell her that Richard was there, but as she was visiting Pascal in the Amarcian Enclave, he doubted that she would receive the message in time. Richard would probably be back in Barona before Sophie could even read the letter. He stared at the papers on his desk and signed as he sat down and started to sift through the new governance matters awaiting him.

Asbel reached to the designated stack that Frederic prepared him that consisted of the most urgent and time sensitive requests. He pulled a trade agreement off the top of the stack then frowned when he saw the piece of handwritten paper beneath it. He lifted it up and spoke aloud as he struggled to discern the sloppy, cursive handwriting.

"Neighbor has stolen garden gnome, buried it, and demands ransom…must be recovered before an upcoming birthday tomorrow…"

Asbel sighed as he dropped the page back on the table in disgruntlement.

He was unable to have breakfast with Richard, for issues of gnomes and property lines pulled him away from the manor. From there, more issues blossomed, since citizens were always eager to ask their lord for assistance or make demands when they saw him out in the town. Many of Lhant's citizens were put on edge by the sudden, high presence of guards around the city gates and the manor. No official announcement of the king's presence was made, but rumors spread like wildfire throughout the small town.

Lhant's older citizens who still remembered the border disputes with Fendel too clearly insisted that he survey the guards newly stationed at Lhant's borders. Asbel obliged, left with little other choice when so many people made demands, though it ended up taking a significant amount of the day.

It was late in the afternoon when he was finally able to return home and he heaved a heavy sigh as he closed the doors behind him. Frederic cheerfully informed him that they were to have an early supper. Asbel nodded dully until the butler mentioned that Richard was already waiting in the parlor, a comment that grabbed the lord attention and prompted him to shrug out of his coat and hasten his pace.

When he entered the room, he saw Richard seated in a chair by the window, though his eyes were closed. Asbel stayed silent as he approached, but the king's eyes fluttered open when a board creaked beneath Asbel's feet.

"Hey, sorry, did I wake you?" he asked apologetically.

"No, I wasn't sleeping," he smiled as he straightened. "How are you doing, Asbel?"

"I should be asking you that," he said as he sat down beside Richard.

"I am doing much better, thank you for being so hospitable."

"You'd do the same for me," Asbel said lightly. "Probably with a lot more servants, too."

Richard laughed tiredly, though he still seemed reserved. "Were you busy today?"

"Fairly, but what about you? You were supposed to be resting, but after that messenger came…"

"The latest report stated that the creatures fled from the nest," he said solemnly. "I'm going to accompany the expedition setting out to recover the bodies."

The lightness of their conversation disappeared quickly, but in some ways, it made Asbel feel a bit closer to him. The fact that Richard did not feel the need to keep up a perfectly pleasant façade around him was always a comforting reminder that seldom seeing each other didn't make them any less close.

"Isn't it rather soon to take that risk?" Asbel asked warily.

"My actions cost them their lives," he said as he shook his head. "The least I can do is see that what remains of them is returned to their families."

"You'll stay for a few days first, won't you?"

Richard seemed to hesitate before responding. "I was hoping to depart sooner rather than later."

"You need to let yourself recover though," he said insistently, "it's too soon. The expedition can start without you. You don't have to oversee it from day one."

"I suppose. However, it is important for the people to see their king leading them."

"You can lead them once you're healthy enough to," Asbel said sternly.

Silence fell between them for a few moments before Richard smiled faintly. "You're just about the only person who will still argue with me when I'm being too stubborn."

Asbel was reluctant to let the topic go when Richard did not seem entirely convinced.

"When is the expedition starting?"

"Tomorrow."

Asbel's frown deepened. "You at least have to wait a day. If Cheria was here, she'd insist upon a week."

"I do not have the luxury of that much expendable time," he said with a sigh.

"At least wait a day," Asbel insisted. "Stay here tomorrow then go the day after. I'll accompany you."

"I have already burdened you enough; that is not necessary."

"I'm going," Asbel said resolutely.

Richard looked reluctant to agree, but after silence lingered in the air, he nodded. He still looked pale and lacked some of his kingly façade of authority, but it was no surprise. Even the second day of rest would not truly be enough recovery time. This time, Frederic ended the conversation by knocking on the door and politely informing them that dinner was served.

Lady Kerri joined them for dinner and prevented any conversation with actual depth from happening. She spent most of the meal questioning Richard about matters from Barona, mostly nosy questions about some of the other noble families. Asbel could tell that Richard was not particularly comfortable giving her fuel for gossip, though his mother did not know the king well enough to notice any anomalies in his politeness.

"Have you come across any noblewomen who would be a good match for Asbel?" she asked with an only half joking laugh.

"Would that choice not be best left up to Asbel?" Richard asked with a tired smile.

"Oh, but if we don't steer anyone in his direction, he's never going to make up his mind. He can't stick to any arrangements anymore."

Richard seemed surprised by the comment and looked over at Asbel questioningly.

"Mother," Asbel said irritably, "there's no need to pester Richard with politics right now."

Lady Kerri spared an irritable glance toward her son before smiling in Richard's direction. "Oh, I apologize, Your Highness. Do you mind?"

Asbel buttered a roll a bit too aggressively, already knowing how Richard would respond when put on the spot with a direct question. He guessed that the butter that was served must have been fresh out of the ice chest, since it was ridiculously hard and nearly impossible to spread onto the roll.

"It is fine, Lady Kerri," he said with a polite smile. "You can inquire as you please."

"Fantastic, the letters from my sisters are hardly enough to know everything going on in the capital," she said blithely.

Asbel recognized the tone Richard's voice took on when all facades went up to deal with other nobles. His mother set her glass of wine down and looked ready to start questioning Richard, but Asbel unintentionally interrupted the conversation when the butter knife slipped through the roll and poked his hand. He cursed as he dropped it onto the tablecloth, earning irritated and concerned looks.

"Are you alright, Asbel?" Richard questioned.

Lady Kerri stared at her tablecloth as though some great atrocity had been committed against its virgin fabric. Asbel snatched up the roll and pulled the knife sticking out of it awkwardly from its yeasty prison.

"Fine. It was the butter," he said lamely.

"Of course it was," Lady Kerri said as she reached for her wine. "So tell me, Your Majesty, does Barona have the same problem as Lhant with immigrants from Fendel?"

"There have been quite a lot, though I would not refer to them as a problem," he said with trained tactfulness. "They have valuable knowledge to share with the people of Windor, there are quite a lot of crops that we were previously unable to grow here."

Lady Kerri did not seem to hear the good part. "Well, down here, it feels like we went from fighting to keep them at bay to having to welcome them to share everything we have. It was like it happened over night."

"It's been over a year," Asbel pointed out.

"Will Windor have any new immigration laws?" she questioned, ignoring her son.

"There are currently no plans for more," he said simply.

"That's a pity," she remarked.

"It wouldn't bode well with the alliances to put more restrictions on people wanting to move to Windor," Asbel said, taking Richard's side.

"They aren't making it any easier for us to travel to their countries," she said. "I've wanted to see a northern beach for months, but the passport paperwork and save voyage payments are just too much."

"We're encouraging out neighboring countries to drop the safe voyage costs," Richard said. "With the alliance, it should be possible now."

The rest of the dinner conversation ranged from general political questions that Richard answered simply to nosy questions about specific families that Richard avoided politely. Asbel tried to change to topic a couple of times, but it was a fruitless endeavor. His mother was always hounding for gossip from her previous home city.

Asbel trailed after Richard as they left the dining room.

"I'm sorry about the interrogation," Asbel sighed.

"Think nothing of it," Richard said with understanding dismissiveness. "I am quite accustomed to it, people are always curious about what is happening in the capital."

"Especially my mother," he said with a weary smile. "She was born there but visits so seldom."

"Is that so? I do not believe I've ever seen her original family too involved in the court," he observed.

Their conversation felt exceedingly short as they already reached Richard's door and stopped. Smiling awkwardly, Asbel stepped back, in the direction of the stairs.

"You should get some rest, I don't want to keep you up."

"Thank you," Richard said. "Good night, Asbel."

"G'night," he said, waving as he stepped back again.

This time, his foot collided with edge of the thick carpet instead of going on top of it. He stumbled backward but managed to regain his balance instead of falling haplessly.

"I'm fine!" he said quickly, straightening as he said it. "Nothing to see here."

"Be careful," Richard said with a bemused smile. "Else we'll both be stuck in bed half the day recovering."

"It should be more than half for you right now," he reminded as he started over to his office.

He tried to summon up some semblance of productivity as he took his seat at the desk. The first bad sign was when he adjusted the position of the chair, righted some disorderly stacks of folders, and other honestly unproductive things that made him look busy.

_You are a master of grace,_ Lambda said dryly.

Asbel frowned and didn't respond. He took out a few forms and lazily read them before signing, though he did not get far into his pile before giving up. He could not keep his thoughts trained upon legal jargon long enough to actually get something done. He retired to his room a bit earlier than usual, guessing that it would be better to be rested than asleep on his desk for a second consecutive night.

Asbel was slow to wake up when Frederic knocked on his door. His senses were slow to come into wakefulness and he half thought that he imagined the sound of a knock when he stirred. As blissful as it would have been to go back to sleep, Asbel had no such reprieve. The knocking sounded again, in quicker succession than before.

"Lord Asbel!" the butler whispered urgently. "Please get up, there are visiotrs."

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Asbel sat up and reluctantly got out of bed. He walked over to the door and regarded Frederic unhappily.

"Who now?" he asked, earning a slightly confused look.

"Soldiers from Barona awaiting orders," he said, "King Richard is asleep and they will accept assignments from the lord."

"Orders for what?" Asbel questioned lamely.

"Guard posts," the butler nodded, "they were sent from the capital for the king's protection as soon as first correspondence reached the palace."

Asbel mumbled words of thanks in a tone that was not particularly thankful as he closed the door to get ready. Despite the drowsiness in his thoughts, Lambda's voice rang out with perfect, wakeful clarity.

_Put some pants on and act like a lord for once. Boss those soldiers around._

"Seriously?" he grumbled flatly.

_What? You never order __anyone__ around. It's very disheartening._

"Then are you volunteering to go out in the cold and do it?" Asbel asked tiredly.

_Are you giving me permission?_

Asbel was about to agree, but a mental image of Lambda ordering the soldiers to hop on one leg or walk backwards made him stop. His former host would almost certainly get woken up.

"Not tonight."

_Shame._

He hastily got dressed and crept down the stairs. He went past the door leading into Richard's room with extra care, hoping to ensure that the injured king would keep resting. It was difficult enough to keep him from work, even when it was not literally knocking in the door. As soon as Asbel set foot out the door, he was greeted with salutes.

"Your Lordship, we are awaiting your orders. Please give us guard posts," the soldier said briefly.

"Alright…" Asbel paused, earning several strange looks for his informal response. He quickly straightened his back and like Captain Malik would and started barking orders. "I want two guards at the back door of the manor, two at the stable, and three on continual patrol of the premises. Take different rotations."

"Do the forces at the walls need bolstering?" the man questioned.

"Send two guards to each of the walled entrances and four to each of the dirt road entrances."

The majority of the congregation of soldiers was now in motion, en route to their new posts, while about a dozen still awaited orders. Asbel only glanced at the remaining group for a moment before the commanding officer spoke up.

"Your standard guards, were they trained at the knight academy?" the colonel asked pointedly.

"A few of them were, the majority were trained here in Lhant," Asbel said, though he knew the disapproval that was about to ensue.

"At what training facility?"

"Lhant has a few residents with experiences, but no set facility."

"I see. My lord, there are a few locations I wish to bring to your attention," the colonel said diplomatically.

"Which areas?" Asbel asked simply.

"Will you walk with us, my lord?" he asked calmly.

_So much for getting back to bed soon._

"Of course, please tell me where your concerns lie."

Asbel followed the colonel down the path that led to the edges of Lhant Manor. They colonel stopped and pointed to the barred opening where river trickled through.

"Is this entrance usually guarded?" the colonel questioned.

"No, only a child could fit through," Asbel said.

"Unless the bars were loose. When was the last time they were inspected?" the man asked expectantly.

Asbel already knew that the answer he had was not the one the colonel wanted to hear. "It's inspected annually."

The colonel stared at him blankly. "Do I have your permission to post two guards on each side?"

"Of course," Asbel said, albeit a bit sourly. "You can post them on the path that runs by the riverbed below this one."

A few more of the soldiers hurried off to their posts while the colonel marched Asbel around half of the town to point out security problems. As much as Asbel wanted to ensure Richard's safety as well, the trip started to feel more than a little excessive when the colonel started to complain that the doors into the windmill towers were not kept locked.

"There's nothing inside," Asbel said blankly.

"Exactly," the colonel said with a somber expression. "Anyone could hide inside."

Asbel simply nodded tiredly, having given up on defending himself. When he was finally on his way back home and walking up the road above the riverside path, he could hear the soldiers below criticizing Richard's decision to seek refuge in Lhant. He heard one of them comment on the 'backwater training' louder than needed for the other man to hear. Asbel paused for a moment, considering saying something, but forced himself to carry on. There was no use in trying to defend the town when Barona's standards were compared.

He slipped inside the doors into Lhant Manor and turned around so swiftly to close the door silently that he did not bother to look around the hall. Subsequently, as he clicked the lock closed with deliberate slowness, he jumped involuntarily when someone spoke.

"Asbel? Did something happen?"

He whirled around to see Richard in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe subtly. Asbel's expression fell at the sight of him up, which he interpreted as Asbel being unhappy to be pestered at the late hour.

"I apologize, it is late," he said quickly, "I did not mean to bother you more."

Asbel realized the misunderstanding and wanted to reply quickly, attempting to say 'it's okay' and 'don't worry' at the same time. "Don't okay," he blurted out, before shaking his head abruptly.

"Asbel?"

"I mean, don't worry, it's just that I was trying not to wake you up," he said hurriedly. "Come on, you should sit down."

Richard nodded reluctantly and Asbel followed him back in the direction of his room as he explained. "Duke Dalen sent more guards from Barona, your letter didn't arrive until the afternoon and they dispatched soldiers immediately instead of waiting until morning."

"I told them to wait until the next day," Richard sighed. "I suppose it is just as well to have them here already."

Asbel tried not to take the comment as a hint that his friend was already planning when he would return to Barona. Instead, he entered the room after Richard and lingered by the doorway instead of leaving immediately.

"I don't think they were too thrilled about you staying here," Asbel said, unsure if it was the time to bring up a different topic.

"Barona was essentially isolated under my father's rule for so long," he sighed. "Many of the knights who trained there do not think highly of Windor's other cities and towns."

Asbel's head dipped in an absentminded nod. "I remember when I was young, people would wince at the Knight Academy when I said I was from Lhant."

Richard smiled sympathetically. "I think my family reacted similarly when I kept pestering them to let me visit Lhant again."

"Now you can just order them around," Asbel said lightly.

"One of the good parts of kingship," he agreed.

"At least you're here now," Asbel said. "You should get back to bed though. Maybe we can walk around a bit tomorrow if you're feeling up to it."

"I would like that. Good night, Asbel."

* * *

Author's Note: I hope this is articulate… :'D Connected pieces of this that have been kicking around since…spring…


	3. Silk, Too

Words Yet Unspoken

Chapter III

Silk, Too

It was a blessing when the next morning came and Lady Kerri left early to have breakfast and tea with her lady friends in town. Asbel almost felt bad to think that her absence was a relief at the breakfast table, but truly, it was. Richard and him exchanged greetings as they took seats across from each other, without regard to the proper seating arrangements for nobility and royalty.

"Lady Kerri mentioned something about arrangements not sticking last night," Richard said as he set the cup of tea down on the table.

"You know how she worries about things too much," Asbel said with an uncomfortable smile, hoping not to breach the topic.

"Did something happen with Cheria?" Richard asked, his perceptiveness unfailing.

Asbel winced. "What makes you think she was talking about Cheria?"

"Last I checked, you do not have the company of a noble harem," Richard said diplomatically.

Asbel choked on his tea.

"Subsequently, I would imagine that this pertains to Cheria," he said as he held a napkin out to Asbel.

"A _noble harem_?" Asbel demanded indignantly. "Are you serious?"

"Well, it is only referred to as a royal harem for members of the royal family. However, since you are nobility but not royalty, it would have to be titled a noble harem," he explained, sounding as though he was enjoying himself.

"That's not what I meant!" Asbel said indignantly.

"Then do enlighten me," Richard said as he sipped from his tea.

"Cheria has been gone for a while now…" Asbel trailed off, but his reluctance to elaborate seized Richard's interest.

"Is everything alright between the two of you?"

Asbel blinked. "What makes you ask that?"

"It isn't like you to be so evasive about anything," he said simply. "Did something happen?"

"Well…" Asbel said as he glanced to the floor for a moment, "she's always been like a sister to me. I always felt like her, Hubert, and me were like triplets."

"She would get so upset when you said that when we were traveling together though," Richard remarked, smiling fondly.

Asbel returned the smile, albeit a bit sadly. "She said that she wasn't sure if she wanted to return to Lhant permanently after all. She's really happy to be doing more and more for the relief organization, they've put her in charge of all of their operations in Fendel."

"That's quite a promotion," he said, sounding impressed. "She certainly deserved it though."

"They expect it to take years to get all the Fendelian towns and villages connected to the resources we have here in Windor," Asbel explained. "She came to Lhant to tell everyone and we…agreed to dissolve the arrangements our families expected."

Richard was silent for a moment. "Do you regret it?"

"No," he said simply, honestly. "I was never really sure about it. Everyone was pushing us into it, especially since she was outgrowing this place. It's just so quiet here now when Sophie isn't around."

If it were anyone else, Richard would have had reservations about believing a comment about such a significant part of someone's life. However, coming from Asbel, he had no reason to have any doubts. The lord of Lhant was always honest, even to a fault.

"You made the right choice," Richard said sympathetically. "It's best to avoid an arrangement you aren't certain of when you can."

"You sound like Duke Dalen is giving you a headache," Asbel said jokingly. "I bet he's even more persistent than my mother."

"A headache is just the tip of the iceberg," the king said jokingly, "the rest is all the odd places he hides proposal letters to get me to look at them when I'm not expecting it."

Asbel laughed and nodded understandingly. Richard smiled, feeling fortunate to still have someone who he could speak informally to. Any member of the royal court would blanch at the idea of their king criticizing one of Windor's most esteemed dukes, but Asbel wasn't nearly as rigid as his political peers.

"Wow, my mother hasn't thought of that one yet," he chuckled. "What kinds of places does he hide them in?"

"Everywhere," he said, waving his hand around the room for emphasis. "I've found them under platters of food, trays of tea, hidden in the sheath of swords, even between bed sheets."

"I better make sure my mother doesn't meet him, they'll start exchanging ideas."

"I'm sure Lady Kerri could contribute some very interesting hiding place ideas."

Despite the joking turn in the conversation, Asbel still felt as though Richard was holding back saying what was actually on his mind. He seemed reserved when the news of the dissolved arrangement came to the forefront of the conversation.

_Do you think he thinks it's a bad idea and just isn't saying so?_ Asbel wondered in Lambda's direction.

_**No.**_

_You sound awfully sure if yourself…_

_**You would be sure of yourself if you spent the better part of seven years lurking around in the back of someone's mind.**_

_You can't possibly know everything about Richard…_

_**Try me. I know the color of every cravat he owns.**_

_And that's really valuable knowledge._

_**I know the color of every pair of underwear he owns, too. Would you like to know that?**_

Asbel's face reddened slightly – at least he hoped it was only slightly – but Richard seemed to gather what the long pause was even before the lord's expression changed.

"Asbel?" he questioned, peering at him curiously. "Is Lambda giving you a hard time?"

"Oh – well, he's…" he stammered, trying to think of a good way to explain. "He's just putting his two cents in."

_**More red than you'd expect.**_

_Enough, Lambda._

_**Though that's when he wears underwear at least.**_

_Lambda!_

_**He really favors those tight pants though, not much room for underwear under those, so-**_

"Stop it," Asbel blurted out aloud.

He was ready to clarify and apologize to Richard for the outburst, but the king held up a hand to signal that no explanation was necessary. Asbel's gaze fell to the table, partly glad that there was someone he did not have to explain himself to, but mostly flustered.

_Great, Lambda, thanks. Now he thinks you're harassing me and I can't even tell him that it's about something trivial._

_**Silk, too.**_

If Lambda was a person that Asbel could have walked away from, he would have done so several comments ago. Instead, the maids coming out with platters of breakfast served to be a much needed distraction. The rest of the conversation was fairly general, mixed with reminiscing, and pleasantly free of the topic of undergarments. They made plans for the afternoon, though Richard dismissed Asbel's repeated reminders that they could wait if he was not feeling well enough.

They want their separate ways for a few hours in the morning, for Asbel could not completely neglect his duties to the town for an entire day. It also gave Richard a chance to rest for a while longer, though Asbel paused outside his ajar door for a moment when he was on his way to the mail bin in the foyer. He peered inside for just a moment, disappointed but unsurprised to see Richard seated at the desk working on paperwork.

He sighed as he started back toward his office, resigned that there would be no talking the king into resting as often as he should. In one light, he admired Richard's dedication to his work – most of the time, he seemed to do it out of genuine care for the work rather than a mere sense of obligation.

When they finally left, Asbel insisted that they take a turtlez transport to the end of the road. Richard objected initially, but eventually agreed. The trip through Lhant gave Richard the chance to see the various construction projects that were occurring around the town, expanding it beyond a mere sleepy village.

"New windmills are being built?" he questioned.

"Yeah, the old ones couldn't keep up with all the new houses being built," Asbel said. "We had to get grant approval from you."

The old windmills looked weathered, though they still spun slowly but surely. Nevertheless, even at a distance, the worn out wood was discernable. The white outer walls of the towers had become discolored and the mill itself was always in need of repairs. While the new towers were being built, a door was being replaced on one of the old ones, as the hinges had rusted out from being so close to the salty sea air.

"Ah, that is right. That was some months ago, was it not?"

"Yeah, I had to hire some outside contractors," he said, shaking his head slightly. "The ones from Lhant were very lackluster about making actual progress on the construction."

"They did not want to take orders from you?" Richard asked, picking up on the dilemma without any farther explanation.

"Yeah," he said, albeit slightly surprised that Richard guessed that easily. "I was gone for so long, a lot of them don't really believe that I deserve the lord's position."

"Yet he was here under the flag of Strahta."

"More people were happy when Hubert was around than you'd guess, even though he was with Strahta at the time," he said, speaking a little more quietly when someone walked past them.

"Even if Hubert's intentions were good, Strahta's certainly weren't as honest at the time," Richard commented.

"They all saw him protect them when I was late to show up," he said with a shrug. "A lot of the people around here only care about a leader who will keep them safe."

Richard nodded somberly. "The higher politics don't matter as much to many people, so long as they can live in a place where their families are safe. The same can be said about a lot of Windor's towns."

Their talk of politics continued as they walked across the bridge, toward the side of town where most of the new houses were being built. Richard's hang remained on the bridge railing, prompting Asbel to ask again if he wanted to return to the manor, but he insisted that he was fine. Though Asbel generally didn't enjoy talking about politics, it didn't bother him when it was with Richard. His friend wasn't judgmental or quick to anger and they were like minded on many manners.

"The citizens here don't seem bothered with all the soldiers around," Richard said, sounding a bit surprised by the fact.

"They probably like the added security. A lot of people still don't trust Fendel," he said, noticing that Richard's pace slowed slightly.

"Do you think that they would want more routine security from the knights?"

"Probably," Asbel said with a nod. "Though that'd probably really tough to arrange, right?"

"Unfortunately, that is correct" Richard said, shaking his head slightly. "The government was always so uninvolved in the towns under my father's rule. Much of the nobility is against changing that."

Asbel sat down on a bench along the side of the road, across from the stories. Even if Richard wouldn't ask to rest or address that he had limits, Asbel had the sense to slow down when he wouldn't. Beside the old stores, a new building was being built. The town was growing and changing, even if it was happening slowly. Only the foundation was set and the wooden frame of the building erected. It was a larger construction project, as it was meant to house three separate businesses under its roof.

"The towns would be a lot happier though," Asbel said.

"They would be, but anything that would require them to pay more taxes is treated as though I was asking to pass a law requiring everyone to go naked on Sundays."

Asbel smirked at the comment. "I'm sure lord of the towns that would benefit would be happy to support the law though."

_**To have people go naked on Sundays?**_

"For the guards, I mean," Asbel added quickly, trying not to frown at Lambda's comment.

Richard laughed at the correction. "Was specifying really necessary?"

_You're trying to get me to say stupid things._

_**You're quite adept at doing that all on your own. You don't need my help.**_

"Well…" Asbel paused, before shaking his head and getting back on topic. "Wouldn't the support of the lords on the borders be enough?"

Richard smiled wearily. "While the support of small town lords is helpful and appreciated, the monarchy and higher nobility needs to be in support of the idea to make it fiscally possible."

A silence fell between them and Asbel didn't ask him to elaborate. Even if he only had seven years in the capital in contrast to Richard spending most of his life there, he'd seen enough of the way nobility lived there to know that their finances were _very_ different from the nobles in places like Lhant. When the quietness continued for a few more moments, Richard spoke again, changing the topic.

"What store is going in here that needs so much space?"

"There'll be three," Asbel replied. "The general store is going to become more of a grocery and his old partner is starting up a separate place for accessories. The second one is going to be kind of…a tourist shop."

"And the third?"

"Remember that one old lady who always used to say how she'd make a great mom to Sophie and that she loved royal nobles so much?"

_**She's not the only one.**_

_Lambda. Stop._

_**What? Am I wrong?**_

Asbel wasn't gracing that comment with a response.

"I believe followed us around town once," Richard said bemusedly.

"Well, she's opening up a matchmaker's shop."

Richard smirked slightly. "I'm sure her…persuasiveness will make her rather successful at it."

Asbel smiled as he shook his head, letting his gaze drift over to the construction site. The breeze rustled the branches of the trees above them, though the sound wasn't quite as loud as it used to be before a number of the trees were cut down for lumber. It was a peaceful sound, something that made Lhant still feel like a place that didn't need any more guards.

* * *

Sorry for all the politics talk! I hope it wasn't too boring, hopefully the underwear talk made it bearable. :'D I try to make it interesting with enough humorous bits mixed in, but the political situation is such a big part of their lives, given their positions.


	4. To The East

Words Yet Unspoken

Chapter IV

To The East

Despite how Asbel tried to convince Richard to rest longer, when the rest of the reinforcements from the capital arrived, preparations to leave on the next morning were set into motion. Richard was resolute to a fault on his decision. Asbel woke up earlier than he normally would for traveling to ensure that all of the soldiers were doing as much as possible to ensure a safe trip. He packed extra medicine and weaponry in his own supplies as well, just to be as careful as possible. He was bringing an extra sword, just in case of the off chance that his primary weapon got damaged along the way.

_Have you packed enough crap yet?_Lambda questioned, unimpressed.

"I'm just being prepared," Asbel said.

_I pity your horse. So much extra weight with things you will never use._

"After what happened last time, everyone needs to be ready for anything," Asbel said insistently. "Richard set out with a lot of soldiers and it still ended up with him getting injured."

_Mmm. On second thought, I suppose there's one salvation for your horse._

"And what's that?" Asbel asked absentmindedly.

_Save for me, your head is quite empty, so at least that'll be lighter than average._

Asbel just sighed as he pulled his satchel closed. Though Lambda was a distraction, and a not altogether bad one even with the sarcasm in each comment, Asbel couldn't shake his sense of unsettledness. He pulled the bags of supplies and weaponry over his shoulder and started down the stairs to go attach them to his horse's saddle.

He guessed that Richard wouldn't be up yet, but still paused outside of his door. He walked over and knocked gently, hoping that it wouldn't be loud enough to wake him up if he was still sleeping. The quickness and clarity of the answer he received made it evident that Richard was up just as unreasonably early as Asbel was.

"Come in," Richard called out.

Asbel turned the knob and tried pushed the door open, but only to find it was still locked.

"Uh, it's locked," he replied.

He heard a shuffle of footsteps, the sound of the lock mechanisms scraping together and the door was opened just a moment later. Richard's expression was apologetic as he welcomed him inside.

"I apologize for that, I must have forgotten to unlock it when I got up," he said. "I didn't think anyone would be up this early."

"I could say the same to you," Asbel said with a smile as he adjusted the strap of the heavy bag that was digging into his shoulder.

"I wanted to oversee the start of the operation. I doubt that we could be too prepared after what happened last time," he said, though his voice because somber when said the last few words.

Asbel simply nodded as Richard turned back to where his rapier was resting and started to clip it to his belt. He didn't seem tired or like he was trying to conceal pain, but he was still injured and the thought couldn't leave Asbel's mind.

"How are you feeling?" he finally asked.

"Much better," Richard said. "Lhant's healers have been very helpful."

"But they weren't able to heal the wounds completely," he said with a frown.

"No," he admitted. "But with some gels and bandages, I am more than ready to go."

He wasn't happy with the answer; Richard didn't speak ill of Lhant, but not having a powerful enough healer to deal with particularly bad wounds was something to complain about. Asbel glanced out the window when a group of soldiers with supplies walked past, but the sight if their armor brought another question to mind. There were times when Cheria's presence in Lhant was sorely missed.

"Hey…" Asbel trailed off, pausing for a moment when I thought crossed his mind. "Your troops and attendance can take a ship between Barona and Lhant at any time, right?"

"They can," the king said. "It would be very ineffective if they didn't have transportation at their disposal."

"So…why didn't you summon a healer from the capital to come with the soldiers?"

The question hung in the air like a tightrope that neither wanted to cross, but Richard's momentary silence just worried him. Richard's back was turned to him as he also looked to the window when more soldiers passed.

"I didn't want word to spread about the severity of the injures," he said blankly. "Rumors spread like wildfire in the capital."

"Surely one from the knight academy wouldn't have started telling people," Asbel said.

Richard turned to him finally and smiled sadly. "You might be surprised how information travels from colleagues to the public. It was just easier this way."

"But if you're not fully healed…"

"I'm healed enough," he said with a nod. "It's best to keep the information to ourselves. An injured king is a weak king and a weak king is easily disposed of."

Before Asbel could respond to the frank way his friend discussed a horrible topic, another knock sounded on the door. The sound of a metal gauntlet rapping against the door was enough to alert them both that it was one of the soldiers, even before the man identified himself as one of the platoon captains. The conversation ended abruptly with interruption like so many of their moments did.

When the time came to set out, Richard led the expedition aboard a horse that was as pure white as his traveling cloak. Asbel could only guess that when the messengers arrived from Barona, they also brought a stock of clothes that were more befitting for royalty than what Asbel had dug out of the dark recesses of the closet.

The best precaution Asbel was able to talk him into was having a scouting group traveling ahead of their main forces. It was a solemn procession, with carts and supplies ready to transport the bodies. Asbel still felt as though Richard was taking his responsibilities too far by leading the group, but there was no talking him out of some decisions.

Asbel rode just slightly behind the king, out of adherence to an obscure, old law that stated that no one of lesser rank could ride directly beside the king on any excursion that was deemed secure. The other royal guards often glowered at Asbel for his lack of knowledge about their conduct, but his path had not led him to a position permanently at the king's side.

When the procession stopped by a lake to allow the horses and turtlez to drink, Asbel tossed policy aside. He dismounted his horse first and hurried over to Richard's side before anyone else. Richard smiled apologetically as he placed one hand on Asbel's shoulder for balance as he stepped down from the saddle.

"Thank you, Asbel," he said, although it was quietly.

Asbel simply smiled and nodded. They couldn't have much of a conversation when there were so many soldiers nearby, but Asbel still stayed close at Richard's side. Some enemies did appeaser during the stop, but they were just ordinary monsters.

The expedition came close to where the sight of the massacre occurred, but did not quite make it to the region by the time the sun started to dip down close to the horizon. Asbel helped the other set up camp for a while, but the soldiers were largely eager to insist upon not pestering the lord of a town for help with menial tasks. After having his assistance politely declined several times, he went over to Richard's tent to see if his friend had any tasks he needed help with.

He wasn't surprised to find his friend seated at a desk with a formidable pile of paperwork in front of him. The desk wasn't an elaborate one, it was really just a low table with just enough room off of the floor so that a user could put their legs under it. He looked from the makeshift set up to Richard's expression, which seemed more somber than it should have been.

"Hey, need some help there?" Asbel asked with a smile. "That looks like a pretty huge pile."

Richard's gaze rose from the papers and he returned the smile. "Ah, there's not much to do. I wouldn't want to keep you from anything more pressing."

Asbel nodded toward the tall stack. "I don't think that really looks like 'not too much,' since the pile's above your elbows."

Richard's smile remained, though he looked distracted. "This isn't the most cheerful work, I don't think you'd want to join in."

"Is it top secret?" Asbel asked jokingly.

He walked over to peer over his friend's shoulder to see what it was and his face fell when he saw what the king was working on. Each page in the stack was high quality parchment with the king's seal fixed upon the top. He only had to read a few lines of the text to know what these were – military death certificates.

"Not exactly," Richard said.

Asbel didn't want to gawk for long. "Maybe I can help seal them?"

"If you really don't mind helping."

"It's fine, I don't mind at all," Asbel said as he took the seat across from him.

They were almost alone, with just guards posted outside the tent, but the somberness of the task did not make for good conversation fodder. Asbel could not share the sick feeling preying on his mood as he watched Richard sign off on death certificates. It was another duty that Asbel wanted to question, since there must have been at least a dozen other officials who could take care of the task, but he guessed that it was some type of grim honor for the king to carry out the task.

Asbel did what he could to help, though he found himself pressing wax seals closed more than anything else. A soldier entered the tent to report the new numbers of deceased. Asbel placed the container of wax, which he couldn't help but notice looked quite a lot like a gravy boat for curry, aside to listen. He looked up and the soldier without paying much attention to the papers he put the wax boat – as he decided to dub it in his boredom – down upon. Richard moved a stack of papers aside, which bumped into the stack the wax boat was haphazardly half balanced upon. The boat started to tilt just enough for the wax to pour on the unsuspecting lord's hand.

"Ow!" Asbel exclaimed as he hastily withdrew his hand.

Richard looked over quickly to see what had happened, in time to see Asbel hastily righting the wax boat while trying to shake the hot substance off of his hand. Due to how quickly it congealed, he only succeeded in spreading it out farther. The soldier stared at the lord with an expression of completely disbelief in Asbel's competence.

"…Sorry," Asbel said lamely when he realized that he effectively interrupted their conversation.

"It is no matter in need of apology," Richard said as he rose from his chair. "We should go down to the stream, you should put cold water on that burn."

"You can keep working, I don't want to trouble you with a stupid mistake."

"Think nothing of it, you were helping me, after all," he said in a polite but adamant tone.

Asbel did not need a second hint that Richard was eager to get away from all the judgmental soldiers hovering around the main tent. He nodded as he tried to pick some of the wax off of his hand and followed the king's lead toward the exit of the tent. As soon as they got close, some of the soldiers started to step forward to follow their king.

"Stay at your positions, Lord Lhant is enough security," Richard said as they walked toward the exit.

There was no set path that lead down to the stream, but it was no trouble to navigate around the thick tree roots protruding from the ground. There were fallen branches scattered around the floor of the forest. Trees surrounded the stream on both sides, creating a canopy with their countless branches. They greenery was just starting to come to life, though the unseasonably cold spring made it notably less lush than usual.

"Are you feeling alright, Richard?" he asked, unable to help but fret as he climbed over a particularly high fallen tree trunk.

"My recovery is going fine, I am perfectly capable," he said as he started to climb over the trunk.

"At least let me take your hand," Asbel began, deciding take a joking tone, "imagine what Duke Dalen would say if you fell on your face."

"Kings don't _fall on their faces_," he retorted with a smirk, though he took his hand without objection. "Royalty is synonymous with grace."

"Until you grace the ground with your royalness."

Richard finally laughed as Asbel closed his fingers around his gloved hand. He navigated over the waist high trunk without issue, though he brushed a few stray leaves off of his cloak before letting go of Asbel's hand. The stream was only a short distance of sand away. The bank was only a few inches high and Asbel easily leaned over to start scrubbing the wax off of his hand.

"Thank you for coming all the way out here," Richard said as he knelt down beside him.

"You don't have to keep thanking me for everything," he said lightly. "There's no need to be so formal."

"I suppose you are right. Is the wax coming off?"

"Yeah…slowly," he added.

"Exactly…how did it happen?" Richard asked, his tone becoming joking. "It seems pretty difficult for the wax to spill over like that."

"Er…well…it just sort of…did?"

Richard looked at him skeptically after such a vague response.

"Is that so?"

"Okay, okay. I _was_ listening to the soldier at first," Asbel said, rather insistently.

Richard nodded, waiting for him to go on.

"But then he started talking about geography…and messages…and stuff," he said, recalling as much of the report as he could, "so then I was looking at the wax thing. And then I thought it looked like a gravy boat."

"A gravy boat?" Richard asked, arching an eyebrow at him. "As in…like at a dinner table?"

"Well…yeah," he said, a bit sheepishly.

It sounded even worse and more ridiculous when worded like that.

"Go on," Richard said. "There is more, right?"

"Then I thought it looked like the kind that's served with curry. Then it just kinda got away from me when I was trying to seal another envelope."

Richard shook his head and laughed quietly. "I can't even feel too surprised."

"Yeah, it was an honest mistake!"

"It's not that," Richard said bemusedly. "It's more that…only you would have that thought pattern."

"Gee, thanks."

Asbel finished getting the wax off of his hand and took a few steps back up the stream's bank to take a seat next to Richard. He flicked the water off of his fingers onto the grass and examined the skin where the hot wax hit. It was red, but it wasn't too painful.

Richard chuckled again. "It's a good thing. Really."


End file.
