F I F T Y-S I X

The past two days have been nothing short of chaotic.

The whole kingdom was buzzing with gossip with the recent events occurring. It was the strangeness of it all that got their lips chattering. Things like this hasn't happened in a long time, and the feeling of invisibility every citizen thought they had for living in Vridora was slowly decreasing. Eventually, the King saw it necessary to give a huge speech.

He, along with the, Queen stood in the center of the second village, in the town square where hundreds were packed to listen. Iris and Kai were present as well, standing off to the side. It was a short but necessary soliloquy that basically summed up the decision that the people of Vridora were to be prepare for a future ordeal. The war Annesa wanted wasn't absolutely certain to happen, but if it did the King wanted his people to be braced for it instead of creating more chaos when her violence came and attacked out of nowhere.

When they got back to the mansion, they split to attend to their daily work. The King, his office, Kai, trained with the guards, Iris huddled in the library, and Amilea, well, she shut herself away from the mansion. It's been happening for a while, her secrecy and oddly demure attitude. However, if one confronted her she'd snap and defend herself.

These attitudes have been going on for a the past two days. The day to night work, the training, the confidential behavior. It's been so cluttered with with events that one could swipe their finger across a shelf above a fireplace and dirt would ride onto that finger. Maids and servants haven't been working at their hardest, but luckily no one seemed to really notice. The bakers have been vacant in the kitchens, just chefs cooking important meals and snacks throughout the day.

Iris tried not to show how much that disappointed him.

There was this strange stillness in the atmosphere of Vridora that wordlessly passed through. No one spoke of it which gave newspapers a voice. People were writing down their thoughts, concerns, and even though their questions were partly ignored by the King they continued to pen down words. No one seemed to have questioned his power but after his speech(s) there has been distributed worry.

The day after the speech a small rain shower drifted across the villages. With a gloomy sky, dim sun, wet soil, there was an ever loud silence present in the mansion.

Occasionally a maid would tiptoed down the halls and a cook would peak out of the kitchen.

A small thunder rumbled at the same time Kai shut a back door. He made sure to dry his shoes before he walked inside. It was only 6:00, not too late in the afternoon, and yet the corridors were as quiet as they were at night, whenever almost every beating heart was fast asleep.

Earlier he spotted a messenger heading towards the mansion and he gathered whatever he had to give. He protected a faded yellow folder from the rain in which he examined first.

Kai climbed the stairs to the second floor and wandered down it, avoiding the spots with creaking wood. When he got to the King's office he used his knuckles to knock lightly on the door. Arlo's voice granted him permission when Kai stated it was him, and he opened the door.

The room was brightly lighten and slightly cold. He shut the door and sighed.

A small sense of pity faintly coursed through him as he studied the sprawled out papers on the long table. Two stacks that were more than a foot high, more than a dozen loose papers in front of Arlo, and several in his hand. Arlo's eyes scanned almost each and every one within seconds, eyebrows furrowed down, a crease on his forehead and his mouth in a frown. He glanced up over his glasses when Kai stopped near him. He sighed.

"Ah, more. Lovely."

Kai gave a small smile and laid the folder down on the table. He put his hands behind his back and scanned over the papers.

"You work too hard sometimes, sir."

Arlo chuckled. "Strang. I always feel like I don't work hard enough."

"Well, I don't know much of the significance of these papers but I'm sure it will pay off in the end."

Arlo gave a small hum as his answer. It was uncertain.

They talked for a minute, a casual, professional conversation, before Kai bid the King goodnight and left the room. As he walked down the hall he passed Iris's room. He stopped himself and glanced at the door. He had to attend business with the guards, so he didn't have time to hang out with Iris during the nights. Hasn't for three days. A little visit couldn't hurt.

He did see him when Arlo gave the speech but they didn't say more than ten words to one another.

Kai lightly knocked on the door, awaited an answer, before he opened it. He peeked around the door, peering into the room.

It was dark, the only source of light was the lamp on the bedside table. No sign of Iris. He allowed himself to walk in, check the bathroom, check his old room, before he sat down on the bed to think. He remembered Iris telling him something before they parted ways. In less then those ten words he told him...

Kai pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He couldn't think. He bounced his knee, trying to remember, but his mind currently had cobwebs. Kai ran a hand down his face and as he looked to his left he spotted a pile of books laying on the floor. With a tilt of his head, he stood up.

Four books were laying on the floor collecting dust. They were knocked off, Kai remembered that. He picked one up at was resting open and he dusted it. He didn't care to read the name or pick the others up, he placed that book on the shelf and left the room.

Kai was glad he guessed correctly as he shut the library door behind him

He couldn't remember that Iris had told him he would be in the library if he needed him, and now he felt stupid that he actually couldn't remember.

Of course, he thought. On a rainy day, there wouldn't be any other place Iris would be. However, as Kai wandered up the stairs to the second floor of the library, he could tell Iris wasn't particularly here because of the rain.

The library was dark, the aisles of books shadowing from the flickers of the lanterns lighten every couple of yards or so. It was warm, a cozy but tense aura floating around.

He walked out of an aisle and looked to his left where a small circular area was. There were a few tables and one was occupied by the prince himself. Kai made his presence known by knocking on one of the shelves, and Iris looked up from a book.

Surprise wore his features before he looked back down, forgetting to smile.

"What are you doing?" Kai stood beside him, but Iris quickly walked away to another part of the table, hands searching through papers. Kai couldn't tell how he could see with just the small glow of orange the lantern provided.

Kai also noticed that Iris and the King were indeed, father and son.

The table was littered in papers, books, and a large map. The more Kai watched Iris the more he noticed how restless he looked. His hair was messy and bags were dark under his eyes. Despite his frantic movements, he had to rapidly blink his eyes to regain focus when staring at something too long.

Kai grabbed his elbow when he walked passed him.

"Hey, how long has it been since you got a proper rest?"

Iris blinked at Kai. "Um.."

Kai rolled his eyes. "The fact that you have to think about it clearly means it's been a while.." He brushed Iris's hair back. "You look very tired."

"I'm fine." Iris lightly pushed Kai away and continued his search for a paper.

"What are you even doing?"

"I'm looking for that dagger. Unlike the other objects in the book the dagger doesn't have coordinates. I've been looking for, uh, two days now. Amd guess what?"

"What?"

Iris placed his elbows on the table and dropped his face in his hands.

"I found nothing!"

Kai shook his head and reached out to rub Iris's back. A large part of him wanted to tell Iris it was foolish, that he was ignoring sleeping for two days in search for something he still believed was not real. But as he watched Iris fumble around with the papers and books and notes he had, and watched the small determined glint in his eyes brighten whenever he found something, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

He sighed again and stood beside Iris. He snaked a hand around his waist and placed a kiss on his temple.

"Tell me what you've found. Maybe I can help."

Iris gave him a skeptical glance, eyes briefly skipping to his lips.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Yes." Kai squeezed Iris's side. "Now, tell me."

Iris took a deep breath before looking down at his work. His honey skin looked highlighted in the orange glow of the lantern. Half his face was shadowed and the shine outlined his sharp features beautifully. In the darkness, he sparkled.

"I've narrowed the location down to this region." Iris pointed at a spot on his map. "I've searched through some books and a few actually have vague information about the dagger. None mentioned it could kill a vampire but it had information on the history. There are only three known to exist."

Kai nodded along to his words, listing with insightful ears. When Iris pointed at the spot again, he took over.

"Wait, isn't that right behind us? The second border to Leonna?"

Iris squinted at the area. "Holy shit, you're right. How did I not notice that?"

Kai tapped Iris's forehead. "You'd notice more with a rested brain."

Iris dismissed his comment and grabbed his pen to jot the area down. He told Kai more about the history, they narrowed the locations further in, and they continued to glance at each other's lips.

Not that that's important.

Not until Iris seemed to give up first.

Throughout their conversing, Kai kept holding onto Iris's waist. He'd stick himself behind Iris and wrap his arms around him. His gentle neck kisses, subtle shoulder messages, and reassuring smiles, it was so alien but damn, did it give Iris's heartbeat a wild chase.

After Kai moved aside useless papers, the second he turned his head he was met with a pair of lips pressing onto his. Iris held his face and Kai placed his on Iris's waist.

The kiss was meant to be gentle, a yearning kiss that was being fulfilled, but it was hardly any of those.

Iris tangled his fingers in Kai's hair and tugged when he was lifted up to sit on the table. He hooked one of his leg around Kai's while Kai pressed his body forward, just as he tugged Iris's lower half; making delicate areas touch.

A low, throaty noise came from Iris when it happened and he tried to recreate that feeling. Before he knew it he was laying down on the table, Kai hovering above him, and their lips and tongues were in a heavily heated battle.

Kai won, of course, and Iris had no problem submitting. It wasn't until Iris's lip came between Kai's teeth and fang did they separate. They were breathing heavily, panting against each other's mouths. Kai brought a hand up and touched Iris's lips, making sure he didn't bite him, before he licked his own lips.

"I taste wine."

"Ah," Iris paused from pushing his hair back. "Oh. I don't like coffee, wine was the next best thing."

Kai shook his head and stole a quick kiss. As much as he wanted to continue, maybe see how far they'd go, he knew better. He ignored both their "problems" as he leaned off Iris and pulled him up after.

"First," he started, "we put away the books and papers then you're going straight to bed."

Iris looked blankly at Kai before a smirk curled his red lips and he snickered under his breath.

"What are you, my dad? Talk more like a lover please."

Kai didn't allow a blush onto his face, instead he darkened Iris's when he grabbed his chin and lightly tipped his head up.

He placed a kiss on his lips, he nose, his forehead, then on his lips again before he gazed at him, an ocean full of love in his eyes.

"Please go to bed, Iris, restlessness does not suit you. Plus," Kai leaned back in to tease Iris's lips with his breath. "If you do that, you're cooperation will earn you something that you'd definitely want your energy for."

He winked and Iris shriveled under him, but thanked the Lord that his heart was strong enough to handle the flirtatious danger he foolishly, idiotically, and beautifully fell in love with.

††

It's your favorite! Excuses why I updated so late!!!(p2):

As odd as it is I have a stronger passion for writing in school then I do out of it. To do this, and not use data, I downloaded an app to jot down my thoughts and actually write full chapters before I transfer it to wattpad. You following? Great.

I wrote, not one, not two, but five full on, edited and revised chapters on that app in a time span of two-three days. I was super proud of myself, I multitasked and got what I needed done. But, oh, guess what? My phone, being the dumb old thing it is, decided to clear up some space because I was low or

storage. I granted it, seeing as it said it was cleaning up empty files so no worries, right?

Wrong.

Not one, not two, but all of those chapters disappeared, PLUS my other files on that app. Saying I was mad would be an understatement. And it happened in school so that was cool.

Not going to lie, I became even more depressed than I already was :"). With my schoolwork, personal issues and whatnot I didn't have time to write. Did I have to take a whole year? Probably not but writers block is a bitch and I needed to stop thinking about writing for a while.

But hey! I'm back, here's an update, hope you enjoy it and....yeah.

~Nikky