Fi smiled back at him, warmed by the compliment. "Thank you, my friend." He hadn't really been thinking about how he would get back, but he knew he would have to. "I… I suppose I will have to go back home. Raise an army of my own, try not to tear my country apart with the fighting. We will meet on the battlefield, him and I, and one of us will cut the other down and walk away victorious."
Levi looked ahead at the path, listening to Fiori with a faint frown. It sounded reckless to him, unnecessary violence. As much as he wanted to see Fiori cut down his uncle and walk away victorious, what if something went wrong, or a civil war? “I see. Will that be possible with a war going on already? I support you all the way, my friend, whatever you choose. You obviously know your country better than I.”
"It will not be easy, but it will be possible." He sighed softly, weary just thinking about it. "If there were another way, I would take it, but my country is not…" He sighed. "… they do not respect assassination. It is cowardly and weak, and if I want them to respect my rule, they need to respect my methods obtaining it."
Levi nodded at Fiori’s reasoning. He understood the need to appease the general public, having had to consider their reactions when he decided how Johan should be punished. “That’s a fair point, it makes sense. A civil war just seems a little… drastic, at least to me. I hope the kingdom takes your side instead of being split in two.”
Fi sighed. "It is drastic, but… I do not see a better way." Whatever happened, he couldn't lose public support. Without the people, he had no money, no army, and no way to push his uncle from the throne. He would have nothing. "My people favor me, they will favor me more when they learn of what my uncle has done. It is the only plan I have, unless you can think of a better one."
“Unfortunately no, I can’t think of anything better. I know you just got here, but when should you leave?” As long as the answer wasn’t soon. Selfishly, didn’t want his friend to go back to Usige, especially when there was the threat of his uncle. He also knew that if Fiori left he would have to find someone else to execute Johan’s punishment. “I know I can’t hold you here forever, though I wish I could.”
Fi laughed at that, nodding. "I wish I could stay here too, but… I do not want him to be the one who rules. Not after this." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. It would be easier to stay here, but he knew that was a fantasy. His country needed him. "I will stay long enough to help you with Johan, long enough for discontent to brew when I am not there to smooth things along, and… and then I will go. And we will both be kings instead of princes."
“You know how much I appreciate you helping with Johan,” Levi let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” He smiled at the idea of them both being kings. His chest lifted with an air of pride, the ambition that was so common in Johan, only tempered. “I’ll have to wait a year or so longer until I’m of age, but yes. Kings. Maybe then we could end the war between our countries for good.”
Fi laughed a little louder. "Please, it is no trouble to help with your brother. Not when you have given me so much help in return." He smiled over at Levi, soft and grateful. What would he do if his friend hadn't taken him in? Hadn't kept him on his feet as he got used to life here? "I think we will. I think… we could change the world, you and I. Our countries are powerful, an alliance would be… good. For the world and for us."
Levi hummed in content contemplation, right after he sent another smile to his friend. “An alliance would be good, indeed. Besides our friendship, perhaps there should be another bond between the countries to secure it. A political one, like when your father was considering arranging a marriage between you and Johan.” He supposed that wouldn’t be an option now, not after Johan’s fall. “What about Mikhail?” He continued with soft laughter. “Do you have anyone in the Usigen royal family that’s around his age?”
"Our royal family is… complicated." He laughed softly. "It could change every five years. My father was… an outlier, most kings only rule for ten years." His father had ruled for 40, but he had been a marvelous king, strong and wise and holy. People said that he was a chosen one. That he would become a god the day he died. "But… I do have a young cousin. I will be king for a while, perhaps for a very long time, would she be suitably royal in your culture?"
Levi bobbed his head along as he listened. “I’m sure she would be. Is she the regent’s daughter?” He assumed she was, having only known Fiori’s uncle, the regent. If Fi had other aunts and uncles, Leviticus was unaware of them. He also didn’t know how Mikhail would react to the news of an arranged marriage. It would likely be several years later, and in that time he could become interested in someone else.
"Granddaughter." He smiled, remembering little Lili with her bright green eyes and dark hair. She used to beg him to braid flowers into her hair. "She is very sweet, very cheerful. Already dedicated to Ealain, our goddess of the arts. But… I would like to talk to Mikhail before I make the match. To see if he is comfortable. It would not be difficult for him to have other lovers than her after their marriage, of course, but it is important to check these things."
“Aw, she sounds so sweet.” Levi smiled. She already seemed like a person Mikhail would be friends with now. “And of course. It would be wise for you to meet him first. The last thing I want for my kid brother is to sentence him to a loveless marriage.” Marya was his friend. A close friend who he enjoyed having around, but if they followed through with their arranged marriage it would be loveless.
Fiori's smile widened and he nodded. "She is! Everyone adores her. They call her the solka, the little light." He sighed happily. He hadn't seen Ealain in a long time, not since before his second campaign, but they wrote letters from time to time and she was by far his favorite member of the family. "And… I was wondering if I could meet with your brother tomorrow? Not for this, just… to see him. To speak with him for a little while." Technically he wasn't lying. "I already know you so well, I have been curious about the rest of your family."
“Little light.” Levi’s smile grew wider at that. “That’s so cute.” He glanced to the side, over to the lake where the surface of the water reflected the moonlight. In the winter he and his brothers used to go ice skating; Mikhail was just a toddler then. He flicked his attention back to Fiori when he spoke again. “Oh, yes, of course. I’ll arrange a time tomorrow to introduce you to him.”
Fi nodded, pleased by how much Levi seemed to like her. He was broken out of his reverie by the scenery, drawn in by the brightness of the moon against the water. It was beautiful, shimmeringly soft, the kind of view that was rare at home where the sun dried up all but the most powerful of rivers. He couldn't help but feel a prickle of guilt for using Levi's goodwill to do something he knew he wouldn't like, but it wasn't like he'd ever find out. "Thank you, Leviticus. I would like that very much."
Levi kept his gaze settled on the surface of the water. He’d missed this in Usige when he was indoors for the majority of his stay, and the bodies of water seemed few and far between there. He drew in a breath of cool air. Familiar air. “Anything for you, my friend. I think Mikhail will like you. I hope he’ll be able to see you, eventually, as another older brother. Or an uncle.” It was difficult to tell how Mikhail felt about Johannan’s betrayal. The two were so close, it must have felt like a slight against him too.
Fi hummed softly, trying to wrap his head around that. He barely knew anything about Mikhail, only that he was young and close with Johan, but if Levi thought the youngest prince would like him then he trusted his friend. "I think I could call you my brother, Leviticus. But… I am not so sure about Mikhail. I do not do very well with most children. I am… big. Scary."
A smile lifted Levi’s cheeks, thinking back to their conversation back in Usige. They may not be family by blood, but chosen family was just as important, perhaps even more so after he lost a brother. “I don’t think he’s ever seen anyone from Usige. Apart from Cora, of course. But I think he will get used to you. Just like how I was frightened at first, but warmed up to you fairly quickly.”
"Yes, well I do not know if you noticed, but I am at least a foot taller than Cora and much wider, so I might take a bit more getting used to than she does." He softened a little as he thought about Levi's words. Maybe he was right, maybe Mikhail would only be frightened of him until they started talking. "But… in time, maybe he will get used to me. I just… I do not want to be overly optimistic and let myself get disappointed."
Leviticus couldn’t help but laugh, thinking back to a couple hours ago when Cora was hitting Fiori with the wooden spoon. “I would’ve thought she was a foot taller than you. But I suppose you’re right.” The main reason Levi had been frightened of Fiori at first was because he had no idea what Fi was going to be like—whether was angry or cruel, even just the fact that Levi was in a new country and told he was going to be owned by someone. “That’s fair,” he continued. “I don’t know for certain how my brother will react.”
Fi snickered. "She acts bigger than she is. You learn how to do it when you are small." Cadmus had done it too, never afraid to push him back or get into his space. He missed it, missed having someone in his orbit who touched him and chattered and made the whole world seem brighter. He sighed quietly. "Tell me about your brother. What does he like?"
Levi shook his head in amusement. “I think I somehow missed that lesson. And here I thought I knew everything.” Growing up smaller than his younger brother, Levi had never tried to act bigger than Johan. More authoritative, maybe, but not physically bigger. He could never get away with whacking Johan with a spoon. Mikhail might be able to, as close as they were. “Oh, Mikhail’s great. He likes archery. Birds too, and music. Music is his favorite class.”
Fiori laughed softly. "Well nobody can know everything, but I am sure you could learn someday if you wanted." He smiled back at Levi fondly, brightening a little as he talked about his brother. "You like birds too, do you not? You have your… ornithology?" The word was clumsy on his tongue, not one he'd ever had to say before. "Is it something you two do together?"