#I also don't have any RA books here so I can't fact check

[stella-lesair]

Okay, the cogs turned faster than expected:

Destiny was, and always has been, a cruel companion. But still, it managed to get confused by twins. Prince Halt knew, since the first thing he remembered and before that. As the older one, it should be him who inherited the throne, but how could anybody be sure with twins?

Anybody, in this case, excluded Halt and Ferris. Ferris, being treated with the same respect as the Crown Prince – as far as people knew he could be Destiny's Chosen – was naturally convinced that he should be the one wearing the great heirloom of the O'Carricks, the Ruby Crown. Halt had seen his brother's ego and felt his selfishness, so he knew that he wasn't Destiny's pick. Or so he hoped. But he knew that he was far from being the Chosen himself.

When he was eleven or so, his father the king had handed him to the Ruby Crown. Not to wear, heavens forbid, but to simply hold it.

‘Can you feel it, my son?’ the king had asked proudly. ‘Can you feel the cool and relaxing nature of this jewel? This, this, is our family's honour. And one day, you will carry it.’

Halt had gulped, and scanned the crimson crown. He hadn't answered, not because he hadn't wanted to, but because he had not been able to, due to the pain. With every second that he had held it, the pain had doubled and the panic had tripled.

In his hands, the ruby had burned. He had been able to feel imaginary flames licking on his arms, engulfing his mind and spirit. The crown had spoken to him at that very moment. It had said: You will never be able to wear me.

The flames had haunted him for the years to come, mostly in his dreams. He dreamt of a burning inn, and a little girl calling for help from within. He dreamt of a burning, raging war. He dreamt of a bridge hanging in what seemed to be the vast nothingness. It burned, as all things did in his dreams, while a young man stood on his side of the scene, while two other ones tried to fend off Skandians, and… bear-monsters? Halt wasn't sure what he was seeing. He couldn't make out the people's faces either, nor any defying physical qualities. They always blurred together.

On his sixteenth birthday, tension spiked. By some miracle, eleven year old Halt had managed to fool his father into thinking that the crown would accept him, so now he wanted him to wear the crown. Ferris would have his turn after Halt, so that they can finally see who Destiny's Chosen, the next king of Clonmel, would be. In all honesty, Prince Halt would have played with the thought of running away days before, if it hadn't been a spontaneous decision of his father's to consult the great link to destiny.

He tried to talk his way out of wearing the crown, saying Ferris should go first, but it only angered his father. And so, despite knowing what would happen, Halt placed the century old heirloom, the pride and joy and honour of all of his ancestors, the country's direct tie to destiny, the Ruby Crown, on his head. Fearing the consequences, regretting his choices even before anything happened, he waited.

One.

Two.

Fwoosh!

He didn't feel the heat, the flames were mercifully cold, but he sensed the rapid decay and ruin of the ruby, until only a ring of fire lingered on his head. Halt didn't dare to look at his family, guilt burning in his stomach just as brightly as the crown.

‘WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?’ his father roared, but Halt remained cold.

‘Nothing,’ he responded truthfully. ‘Ferris and I are twins, and Destiny cannot decide, so it destroyed the thing that would make it choose. That's why the fire didn't burn me either.’

‘You, you knew this would happen!’ Ferris accused, sounding like he was about to cry. He probably was, given that he loved power so much.

Halt shook his head. ‘I didn't know that the crown would burn, I just knew that neither of us would be chosen.’

‘Then who would have been chosen?’ Caitlin asked. She didn't seem sad or angry, she seemed scared but curious, caring about people more than the heirloom. He smiled woefully but didn't respond.

‘OUT!’ his father yelled. ‘OUT OF MY SIGHT! NOW!’

Halt bowed and left, followed by Ferris.

‘Why did you do this, brother?’ the younger prince called after him. ‘Why?’

Halt stopped to turn to face him calmly. ‘I didn't do anything. If you mean the mere act of putting the crown on my head, you should ask His Majesty why I did it.’

‘But–’ Ferris met his cold gaze and fell silent. ‘How could anything have burned by your touch when your heart is as cold as ice?’ He sighed. ‘We will talk later, brother.’

He turned to leave another way, but Halt saw the murderous hatred flicker through his eyes. The prince shook his head. Ferris had glared at him like that before, it would pass, he thought as he stepped outside.

CLIRR! 

He whirled around, only to see a broken pile of clay tiles right behind him – had they fallen a second earlier, they would have killed him. Still in shock, he looked up to where they came from, and shock turned into deep twinsting agony as he saw his brother fleeing the scene. No, he had been wrong this time.

This time, it would not pass. This time, Ferris would only stop when Halt was out of the picture.

As people flocked around their crown prince out of worry, Halt finally understood. Destiny was not just cruel, it was a tyrant doing everything to watch humanity burn.

It felt strange, fleeing from the home he had always known. It tore a hole into his soul, ripped his heart open and threw his spirit into a fire. But he had no other choice, so he wandered the hills aimlessly. That was, until a man noticed him and took him under his wing. They were alike, both of them refugees, so they stuck together, the dishonoured crown prince and the disgraced ranger of Araluen.

At Pritchard’s side, Halt finally felt free, away from the burden of being a prince, away from his twin and the uncertainty that came with him. Living and learning under Pritchard wasn't easy, but it was all he had ever hoped for.

One day, while he was washing up the dishes, Pritchard sat at their small dining table. ‘You remind me of the apprentice I had back in Araluen,’ he randomly said, then scoffed. ‘I suppose I cannot escape my destiny, while you seem to be finding yours.’

And Halt froze. Tears welled up in his eyes as he finally realised the truth.

Destiny did not get confused by twins. And while its reign was inescapable, it tried to be a kind ruler.

Crown of Fire

[mainstoryarchive]

Underachievers - 1: Sleeper

Aira: —wake up.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Location: Meeting room, StarPro

Early summer, a certain room in the Ensemble Square

Aira: —wake up.

Hey, wake up already…

Hiiro: …!?

Aira: Nhya!?

Hiiro: …? …?

Where… am I? Who are…?

Are you… an idol?

…No, that's wrong. You aren’t.

Aira: What? I hate to break it to you but I am an idol for what it’s worth…

Are you still half-asleep? You were sleeping so peacefully, I’m sorry I woke you up…?

But… Look here, at my arm. You’ve been clasping it like a vise for a while and it really hurts, you know?

If you want to boast your grip power that's fine and all, but I'll be troubled if it leaves a mark so can you let go already?

Hiiro: ? Ah! I’ve been a bother!

I’m so very sorry! However I did not have the intent to hurt you! Let me offer you my deepest apologies!

Aira: Haha. You kinda talk like a person from history books. Ra-vely♪

Hiiro: Rafh​…? I apologize if my actions have displeased you. Though I have referenced some of the relevant literature,​ I am still unaware of what constitutes as general knowledge in the city.

Aira: It’s not so bad that you have to apologize for it. No need to worry♪

More importantly, won't you let go already?

Hiiro: I apologize for making you repeat yourself again and again.

…You seem quite delicate, are you eating properly?

Aira: Hm? I am quite the picky eater, but I also make sure to choose what to eat to keep my body in perfect condition.

At any rate, I properly eat three meals a day.

Hiiro: I see, that's great! You can't survive without eating. This is common sense in the city as well. Fuhahaha♪

Aira: (Hm, what's with this guy​…? He's so weird! Though the fact that he's here means that he's probably also an idol.)

(I haven't seen him around here before, is he new? I've been keeping a check on idol shows and information sites all around, but I'm pretty sure I don't know him…)

(Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he's just a lost stranger who wandered in here…)

(I mean, I did hear him mumble something horrifying, something an idol wouldn't ever say in his sleep. )

("I will kill idols", "I swear to crush idols” or the like. ​Hmm, I wonder what he was dreaming of. )

(I somehow can't help but be curious. It does seem like what I'm saying is getting through to him, so maybe I should just ask him directly.)

Hey, you-

Hiiro: Ah! I've forgotten to introduce myself! I am Amagi Hiiro. Amagi being my family name and Hiiro my own.

What is your name? Hehe, it has been impolite of me to speak without introducing myself.

Aira: Eh? Umm… ​I'm Shiratori Aira, I don't really get what's going on but, nice to meet you.

Hiiro: Yes! So your name is Shiratori Aira, I've got it memorized! It's a beautiful name!

Our meeting here couldn't have been just by chance. . I'd love to become friends with you♪

Aira: Huh? F-friends? Uh, it's not like I don't want to but​… Why ?

Hiiro: …Is that a no?

Aira: Uhhh, no, it's not that I won't, I just don't get why so suddenly! We only just met! I just have to wonder why you 're trying to get closer to me so readily.

C-could you be… one of my fans?

Hiiro: ? No, it's just that I believe friends are more important than anything else! It's better to have a lot of treasures. Don't you think so too, Aira?

Aira: Ah, and now you’re suddenly using my first name, no honorifics… Well, not like I really mind that.

I understand you came from the countryside, but over-familiar acts like that will get you hated in the city.

Being told "you can’t read the room", or the like. ​Isn't that exactly why you were also told to come here? I think people found you annoying… probably.

Hiiro: ? I do not follow your line of thought. I’d like you to explain in detail.

Aira: Well, I’m not sure either, I only saw some rumors on the internet​​​… But if I end up wrong I'll feel like an idiot and if it ends up true then that’d just be sad.

Because if I put those thoughts into words it feels like it really will come true.

Hiiro: Hm. If you say something, it'll come true? Is that how it works in the city?

Then I'll say this loudly: you and I are friends…☆

Aira: Stop, stop. We aren't friends, we are still just strangers who only introduced themselves to each other!

Jeez… What's with this? Talking with you makes me tired…

Hiiro: I’m told that so often! I wonder why. I’m intending to speak normally!

Be that as it may, are you really declining no matter what​, Aira? Will you really not become friends with me? Is there not even a one percent chance you will?

Ah, I'm so sad! I can feel my heart breaking!

Aira: Ah, jeez. Annoying! I get it already, I'll become friends with you so! Stop trying to get closer, aren't you way too heated?!

Hiiro: I see! So you will become my friend. I feel honored as well as blessed at the same time!

Ah, Aira, my dear friend! Let us get along well!

Please crush idols with me, you and I, as friends.

[ ☆ ]

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