#leo made a probably pointless trip back here- he just wanted to see his family again he just wanted to have a moment with them in peace

[witchhazelevesque]

Something something an au where after Nico brings her back from the Underworld, Hazel and Leo first meet at Sammy’s grave

[byakuyanya-purinsesu]

“You Inspired Me... That hadn’t happened for The Longest Time.” {feat. @driftingjazzbard}

◀ "Wait, so why does marriage have to be the ultimate for a couple? What difference does a piece of paper and a party make? I mean I can understand wanting to celebrate, but why does legality suddenly make love more legitimate?"

“It’s moreso a formality that we require all of our married citizens to undergo for the sake of keeping tabs of who’s betrothed who within our records. Taxes and all that. It’s been something put in place since far before my own birth, and even before that of my eldest sibling so it’s nothing I can change on a whim.”

“So you keep track of couples to squeeze money out of them that they don’t really have for the most part? At the start of their new life together even. Damn, highness, that’s cold.”

A sigh escaped his mouth. It was this spiel again. Being a prince meant at times having to listen to the same grievances over things such as this over and over again with no real means of quashing the issue.

“Listen here.” 

“We have to fund our day-to-day businesses and the war chest somehow. I know not what you think of my kingdom, but we’re not acquiring assets by abhorrent means. We have a system in place and it’s all to ensure the welfare of our people in the end, lest you suggest instead we start drafting those unwilling to fight on the frontlines?”

“Well you could ask before making assumptions or talking to me like I’m a child.  But did you ever take a look at those taxes?  I’m willing to bet the nobility don’t pay them.  It’s assumed they have more important duties, or if they do pay then it’s at the same rate, rather than being scaled by income.  It’s not a pointless concern.”

Running a hand through his blond locks, the prince had to will himself; keeping from emitting an audible groan before responding. As polite as he was trying to be, irritation was showing as evidenced in his tone of voice.

“You’re not incorrect. I’ve input my own coin into the treasury at a steady rate, but the fact remains however that there simply doesn’t exist a better option to do this. And it’s not as if marriage taxes don’t help the couples who are wed as well. Say they sire a child and one or both of the parents pass away before they’re of age to work? Resources are used to provide them food and shelter from the minute we’re informed. You have a right to complain but until this war is won, there will be no changes enacted on the taxes.”

“I’m not asking you to change things now.  I’m asking you to actually consider that maybe just because things have been this way for a long time doesn’t mean they’re right.  Or is Nohr going back to plundering other kingdoms for wealth after this war is over?”

Admittedly it’s a bit of a low blow, but the other option was slapping him for being so rude.

“You’re an intelligent person, Prince Leo, or at least I thought you were.  Though if you’re going to dismiss the things I say out of hand because you assume I’m talking out of my ass, then you’re not just the child I thought you were, you’re the same as every other damn noble out there deciding he knows best just because he’s more important and I’m glad I didn’t waste any time on you.”

And there went the nerve. He kept himself silent as her words pierced his exterior and went straight for his heart… and without a word of warning, he slammed his fist into his desk, hard. When he raised it again, there was an imprint of his hand in the mahogany finish and then slowly his sharp eyes were raised and fixated on the bard.

Leo was embroidered in a silent fury, the likes no one had seen before.

“You know… if I were really my father’s son and followed his example, I’d have you executed for daring to talk back to me. If I were his child, no one would be wed except for my family. His prodigy? All able bodied men would be turned into footsoldiers and the women maids for my castle or used elsewhere for more deplorable lines of work. The campaign would be bloody, and all of the neighboring lands would fall under our control or face eradication… all for the glory of Nohr.” he paused, giving her a moment to absorb the meaning behind her implications before he finished making his point.

“But the reality is, I am only Garon’s son in blood alone. Conquestis my Birthright… and I do not exercise it. Now leave. Out of my sight.”

“Whoever’s son you are, you are every inch a noble.”

Disgusting.  Why had she bothered coming here?  Nice.  Huh.  Nice to a pair of breasts and a lovely voice.

“Rest assured, spoiled little prince of Nohr, you will not see my face again.”

And she was gone to collect her things.  She wouldn’t be spending another night in the child’s camp.

After her departure, Niles peeked his head in moments later and from the aforementioned print left into his liege’s desk, he could tell that something had gone horribly wrong. ”...M-my liege?”

With his back turned to the outlaw, he had his hands folded as he looked out the window to see the woman storm down the tents toward what was once her own. “Niles, I regret to inform you that our newest addition isn’t staying past today due to…conflicting views. You’re faster on the ground than I… and I’m in no condition to do this myself, so I need you to pass along an urgent message.”

Conflicting views nothing, she wasn’t staying because the little prince was an ass, and if he sent his errand boy after her all he’d get was the hearty wish that she could spit in his eye in person.  But Erin was skilled at packing quickly, she was always ready to move on in a moment.

And she wasn’t about to slow down for a message he didn’t even have the balls enough to say in person.

And if she was saddened, disappointed?  That was her own foolishness and nothing else.

“Idiot.  This is why you don’t play for nobles.”

“A word?” Sensing how tense the atmosphere was, the outlaw didn’t bother doing his usual upside down entrance or sneaking in from some obscure place. Instead, he entered like any regular person and paused to collect himself… then spoke, spacing out sentences so he might word it without making things worse.

“I was instructed to leave you a message… one denoting my personal thoughts on you. And I think you’re extremely talented… more than just being easy on the eyes. My word won’t sway you as you’re a free spirit… and I’m forever bound to my lord. I wish you nothing but peace and prosperity. Whoever you lend your voice to next will be lucky to have you, you know…and more than a few of us will miss your presence. With that said… it looks like I’ve completed my objective. Talking long enough to keep you here so he could catch up…” stepping aside, he opened the tent flap for him to step inside. “Milord?”

“Thank you, Niles.” Stepping in after the prompt, the prince entered with hands folded behind his back. “Forgive me if my presence now makes you want to wretch. As you can no doubt tell, I’m not very well versed in one-on-one conversations… often relying on my retainers, and more recently Prince Takumi, to help play off of me so that I appear somewhat composed. You’re… probably the first person, that isn’t one of my siblings, to break through and see me as I am beneath that. A child as you say. I do what I think is just and belittling common folk is the opposite of that. I’m not here to beg you to stay, but accept a parting gift instead.”

Outstretching an arm from behind him, he revealed a rather hefty bag of gold coins. Enough to last her for at least a fortnight if spent wisely. “You deserve this… for entertaining our troops and bringing them joy in an otherwise bleak environment. My only regret is that Takumi won’t be able to see you off. That’s… all I can say without aid of another. Other than… I’m deeply sorry, and farewell.”

Erin was lovely and charming and bright.  Words came easily to her, flowing in a pleasing manner like a waterfall, creating a stream of lovely patter that was nearly as fine as her singing.  She was a good bard.  Even a good person, some might say.

But she was far from perfect.  She had a temper, and Leo’s behavior had tripped it, and now she was left feeling foolish in the face of an apology.  Given her own conduct, likely more than she deserved.

Normally she left when things got like this.  Difficult, sticky, complicated.  A part of herself she was trying to shed.  She pushed the coins back into the prince’s hands.

“No more a child than I, behaving like that.”  Weren’t they all.  But poetry wouldn’t help anything now.  “And I know you’re a kind person.  I also know…that the pressure on you is immense.  And as much as I’ve seen of Nohr, you’ve no power to change it right now.  Discussing such things right now when you’ve got a war on your hands was unfair of me.”

“And here I pass on a lesson, as a good bard hopes to do.  Look someone in the eye, little highness, even when you’ve been wrong.  Especially then.  Trying to work through it when you’ve made a mistake…that’s something else I have yet to entirely master myself.  Well done.”

“And thanks for keeping me, Niles, sorry for being an ass when you came in.”

The outlaw shrugged his shoulders and brushed off the harsh treatment that was delivered to him with a wry smile. “I’ve had worse for much less.”

Meeting the woman’s eyes with his own once more, the fury had subsided and his optics had welled up with immeasurable sadness.

“Yes, well… I-I can say with certainty now that…” a pause, and what sounded like something was being choked back followed that. “I was wrong to think I could win your favor. We’re not meant to be together, you and I… and imagining that for even a second was a huge mistake. In a way, I’d be forcing my so-called unwholesome political agenda upon you and putting you at a huge risk just by being associated with the secondborn son of the king of Nohr. But more than that, it was just childish pining on my part, from a boy who saw in you, albeit briefly, what it meant to be free of the shackles that bind me. It really was fortuitous that Prince Takumi and I found you, and that you agreed to come play for our people. I know now where my place in this world belongs, and you can’t be that major a part in it.  Now… if you’ll excuse me–”

With an about face, he walked out the same way he came in with hands folded behind his back… and head hanging limp.

Rank, role, whatever.  Erin knew a thing or two about people, on occasion, and right now she knew what she was about to do was what the young prince needed.  She stepped forward and quickly enveloped the young, tired man in a warm hug.

“I’m afraid I could have never kidnapped you off to become a bard.  I’d have gotten in terrible trouble, it’s true.  Your responsibilities are your own, and you’re not the sort of person who could run away from them, and keeping me here with you would destroy the very thing you saw in me.  You became infatuated with the concept of freedom, but you’d find out in time I’m as tied down as anyone, in my own way, and all that would shatter like glass.”  She smiled gently, though she knew he couldn’t see, and squeezed him a bit in the hug.

“Forget political agendas.  Someday you’ll find a sweet girl who loves that grand mind of yours and your kind heart, and she’ll love every silly poem you write her.  That’s what you need to look for, prince of Nohr.  Be ready for her.”

But…in the meantime she thought it might be wise for her to quietly disappear after all.  To avoid hurting him further.

He knew what she meant by that. They were kind words, much kinder than he probably deserved after the altercation just moments before. Truth be told, he still held a tiny bit of resentment… but he directed it at himself for being so foolhardy in the first place. He was wed to his duty first and foremost; to serve his people… there was no place for a love of his own to blossom. Not until this war was won.

“Thank you again for your services. Niles, be sure to escort her out safely when she’s ready…”

He had nothing more to say to the free spirited maiden and promptly removed himself from her grasp before trudging back to his study to be alone. Maybe if their paths crossed again, he’d then be the man that she failed to see in him.