Foxies - 4. Part 4

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On the Hunt

::

Cean had just finished his fencing lesson when he heard nearby messengers passing the news to the guards about Prince Calum's kidnapping. He was not about to just sit around and wait. He quickly made his way to the stables, not expecting to find his younger sister there.

"What are you doing, brother?" Arianna asked, seeing his urgency.

"Calum has been kidnapped. I need to find him or at least investigate for myself. " He explained, getting on his horse.

The princess wanted to stop him, but she knew that there was no reasoning with him once he set his mind on something. "Don't you get lost, too" she warned.

Cean smirked some and nodded. "I wouldn't dream of it!" He called out, taking off towards out of his kingdom and towards Calum's on his horse.

::

Adelah led Kender to Holden's chambers, but as soon as the lilac-eyed fox entered the door, Holden dismissed her to speak to him alone. The lilac-eyed fox was still struggling with what happened to him. Had he truly followed Silkes through a portal? If so, then where was the silver-haired fox?

"We are used to serve the late King August. Under the rule of King Christopher, we generally govern ourselves. We’ve taken more to entertainment. You'll be allowed room and board so long as you work for it." He said with a shrug. "Do you at least know how to dance?"

"It's been a while, but yes. I'll only need a place to stay for a short time." The doctor responded. He hoped to leave as soon as possible to catch search for Silkes.

"Ask Adelah to show you the dance that we use to entertain our guests and have her dress you in...appropriate attire."

Kender nodded with a small bow. "Thank you, sir," he said, exiting the room and filling Adelah in on what Holden had said.

Sometime later, Kender found himself sighing. He wasn't very happy or proud of dancing for room and board. Adelah taught him the dance for the night. He was at least glad that he wasn't dancing alone. "I hope I don't ruin this for all of you. I'm still a bit rusty." He warned as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Don’t worry,” Adelah affirmed. “Most of our guests are generally too drunk to care about perfection. They just want to have a good time.”

::

When Kender chased after him, Silkes had quickly tugged him into an embrace. Even though he had held onto him tightly, the portal still managed to separate them upon landing. The silver fox tugged back his hair in despair. What had he done!? He couldn't believe that he unintentionally brought another person with him. He began to head towards the nearest town and asked from person to person about the whereabouts of Kender. Then, he heard a familiar voice.

“Silverhead!" Septimus called out as he all but stomped up to the silver fox. He poked his shoulder with each of his words as he glared at him. "Just what did you do to us?" He hissed. "Everyone got separated and lost because of you!"

After getting over the shock of seeing him, Silkes held his hands up in a pacifying manner. "What do you mean by everyone? Did Kender’s son also...?" His eyes fell over to Calum and he stumbled, trying to give a proper bow. "Prince Calum?" He asked quietly.

"Exactly," Sept whined. "We somehow lost Ren all while Prince Bratty over here was in the middle of running away."

"I told you not to call me that," Calum hissed under his breath.

"Then I have no other choice," Silkes replied with a sigh. Both of you, follow me.”

It was forbidden to do any kind of magic in the kingdoms, so conjurers and spell casters alike had to live in hiding. He led the group to a clearing past a meadow and cast a tracing spell on Kender. His core lit up in silver for a moment before a lilac-hued line shot out from it as thin as a thread.

When Calum saw the magic emanating from Silkes, he gasped and hid behind Sept. He was brought up to fear any magic users and he had never seen such magic being performed before his very eyes before. "You're a conjurer!" He gasped.

"Just keep still and be quiet, Silkes isn't the bad guy here," Sept hissed over his shoulder.

Silkes led Sept and Calum through the capitol as he followed the trace of the spell on Kender. He frowned as he approached the building that the trail led to. What could Kender be doing in such a place? The three of them entered the main tent just in time for the show to start. It took the silver fox a moment to recognize him in concubine clothes, but the minute his eyes fell on Kender, he froze in place.

"Woo," Sept whistled. "Pops can sure move."

The lilac-eyed fox danced gracefully, the fabric of his clothing swirling behind him with each of his movements. Silver eyes narrowed as Silkes held out his hand to Calum. "Your pouch. Give it to me."

Calum blinked in surprise, but he shakily handed his pouch over, noting the no-nonsense tone of voice that the conjurer had used. A part of him was still quite afraid of him. He watched as Silkes walked right up to one of the dancers and dropped the pouch onto the ground as he hefted the fox onto his shoulder.

Silkes held Kender over his shoulder and turned in place as the pouch full of gold coins fell open in the middle of the dance floor. "He is mine now," He hissed before walking back to the entrance. "Carry on." He growled.

"Silkes!" Kender cried, startled, when he was carried off.

When he was carried to the entrance and finally put down, Ken saw Sept and someone that he almost mistook for his son. His heart sank when he realized it really wasn't him. "Are you both alright?" He asked, looking towards Silkes and Sept.

Silkes noted the sad look in Kender's lilac eyes when he realized that Prince Calum was not his son. When the fox looked back to him, Silkes held Kender's face in his hands. He then leaned down to kiss him tenderly. Sept and Calum's eyes widened and Sept merely smirked at the sight.

"I'm just relieved that you are alright," Silkes replied with fervor. "Now, come...I need a clear area to place a trace on your son."

“See? Told you he’s not the bad guy,” Sept whispered to Calum and, for the first time, the young prince began to realize the truth of those words.

The group began to follow the trace Silkes had formed. They hadn't gotten far into the woods when Kender paused. "Stop...do you hear that?" He asked as his vulpine ears twitched. Was that... the sound of a running horse? The older foxes pulled the younger ones out of the way as a horse approached them and suddenly stopped.

"Calum!" A fox called as he hopped off his mount ran to hug the blond. "Are you alright?" He asked, checking the prince over.

Calum could hardly believe that his beloved Cean was in his arms. "C-Cean? Cean, what are you doing here?" He asked in shock. "I-I am alright. There has been a misunderstanding..." He took a moment to run his fingers through long, dark brown strands and gazed into concerned sky blue eyes. "Cean, I cannot believe you are here..."

"Of course I am here…once I heard about your kidnapping, I began to look for you." He explained, holding the shorter fox close before looking at Silkes, Sept, and Kender. "Are these the kidnappers?" He questioned in a threatening tone, unsheathing his sword and holding it before him.

"No, no, we're not kidnappers." Kender started.

Calum's hands cupped the sides of Cean's face as he tried to get the other prince to look at him. "Kidnappers, they are not," He replied. "They are helping me figure out what is really going on and who would want to kidnap me..." He was still shaking a bit. "Cean...I wanted to..." He glanced back nervously at the trio before he decided to tug Cean a little further aside. "I will return soon." He told the group.

When they were far enough away not to be heard, Calum threw himself at Cean in a hug. "I wanted to kidnap you. I wanted to run away with you and elope someplace where neither of the kingdoms could find us..." He then explained how he had snuck out of the kingdom and tried to make his way to Cean's kingdom.

Cean wrapped his arms around the blond and hugged him close. "While you know I would enjoy that more than anything, sneaking out of the palace was a very dangerous thing to do on your own. I am simply glad that you are safe." He replied, running his fingers through the curly hair. He kissed the top of his forehead. "We can figure out our future later. You are still in great danger."

"That's the thing," Calum replied with a frown. "I don't know all of the details." His voice dropped to a whisper. "The silver fox is a conjurer, but he seems to be a good man. He’s helping his companion find his son."

Cean was surprised upon hearing about the conjurer. Though he was unsure, he trusted Prince Calum's judgment. "If you say that he is not evil, then I believe you." He said with a small smile. "Then, let us aide them and figure out what is going on. Please, stay close to me. Understood?"

Calum nodded, a bit tongue-tied, as he allowed himself to enjoy the fact that they were holding hands.

"What? No romp in the woods?" Sept asked in a teasing tone when the two princes returned.

Calum's face turned red and he raised his pointer finger in an indignant manner, ready to reprimand him, but a tug from Cean kept him from saying anything. "We have no time for games," He said instead. "Sir, have you found your companion’s son’s whereabouts?"

Silkes focused his energies and began to walk in the path of the trace. "Found it," Silkes replied. "Prince Cean, why don't we both move ahead on your horse-?"

"Ooooh no. You're not leaving pops and me on foot," Sept countered. "We all walk. There's safety in numbers anyhow."

The silver fox frowned for a moment as he weighed the younger fox's words in his mind. "What if he’s caught by bandits that choose to kill him or sell him before we arrive?" He warned.

"You go on ahead with Sir Kender on Cean's mount,” Calum suggested. “We will follow behind. Cean is an excellent tracker. You will not lose us."

"Silkes is right, Sept. We need to find Ren and fast." Kender pointed out. Though, he felt bad when he saw the sad expression on Sept's face.

Sept had a big pout on his surly face and his hands were in his pockets as he stomped in a slumped manner behind the princes. He wanted to be upfront and center with the hunt for his beloved, too!

::

Arius wrapped blankets around the blond fox before handing him a parchment and a piece of charcoal. "If you can draw a likeness of your father and companion, I'll keep an eye out for them."

Renael's eyes widened upon hearing the offer. He smiled and nodded as he got to work. Eventually, he finished the sketch and handed it to him. "This one is Sept, and that one's my father..." He told him, pointing to the figures.

Arius was quite surprised at the level of skill the little mouse had. He hadn't expected quite a detailed drawing. "Alright. I'm going to get some wood to build you a fire. I trust that you will stay right here...if I see any of them, I'll be sure to bring them back with me."

"I won't go anywhere. You have my word." The blond fox replied, wrapping himself up completely in the blanket.

::

Scuffle

::

Kender had tightened his arms around Silkes's waist when he noticed a figure up ahead. "Slow down, I see someone."

Arius was well on his way to chopping up wood near his cabin when he heard the sound of someone approaching on horseback. When he glanced up from his work, he was surprised to find that one of the faces was recognizable to him. Could those be Renael's people? "Man," He said as they stopped before him. "That kid can sure draw. I'm guessing you're after Renael?"

The doctor's eyes widened when he heard him mention his son. He slid right off the horse and rushed towards the stranger. "Renael? You know where my son is?"

"He's a little under the weather," Arius began as he walked towards his cabin. "But, you can come to see him for yourself." He opened the door and called out. "You have great skill, Renael. I recognized this one quite easily from your sketches."

Renael was about half asleep when Arius called out to him. Before he could realize what was going on, Silkes and Kender had run over to him. Relief flooded him at the sight of his father.

"Are you alright?" Kender asked, hugging his son close before inspecting him all over.

Ren nodded with a small smile. "Mr. Arius took good care of me." He replied before frowning and looked at Silkes. "He's not a bad person. He was hired by the Queen to kidnap and kill the prince but he was going to let him go! He ended up grabbing me by mistake." He then looked around and felt rather disheartened when he noticed that Sept wasn't with them. "Where's Sept? Is he alright?"

"Sept is on his way. " Silkes responded as his silver eyes kept a close watch on Arius. "The queen hired you to be rid of Prince Calum?" He questioned.

"Aye," Arius replied. "She didn't even pay me. Said she would give me the full amount after I delivered her his head. I was planning on warning the Prince about it since she would have easily hired someone else in my stead...but, instead, I came across this little mouse. Though, he’s a bit ill."

"He's always been one to almost completely lose his appetite when he's sick." Kender said as Ren sat up in a more comfortable position.

“I’ll keep an eye out for the others outside,” Silkes offered, leaving to do just that. He didn’t have to wait for very long. Prince Cean was an excellent tracker. When both princes neared him, he told them what he knew of Arius and Renael. “Prepare yourself, your highness,” he warned Prince Calum. “Renael does resemble you.”

"Goodness," Calum breathed as he entered. His green eyes were locked onto soft pink. Before he knew it, he clambered onto the end of the bed for a closer look, well manners be damned. He had been a spoiled prince, raised as an only child. His happiest memories were spending time with Prince Cean and his sister Princess Sophia. To see a young man that could pass as family was wondrous. "We could be siblings."

Cean was equally as shocked. "You could be twins." The brown-haired prince added.

"I've done nothing but run around all day, and yet Prince bratty and his beau still manage to get here before me," Sept wheezed as he leaned on the door frame. The princes had taken off on a run when they found Cean’s abandoned mount. Once he caught sight of Ren, however, he shoved everyone out of his way, toppling Prince Calum right off the bed as he tugged his precious blond into a tight hug and kissed him passionately.

Luckily, Cean was right there to catch the prince. The displeasure on Calum’s face changed to that of relief. Neither of the princes knew what to make of the behavior of the hooded fox.

"Ren!" Sept cried out when pulled away to glare into soft pink eyes. "Damn it, don't you dare scare me like that again! Running aimlessly into something without even thinking..."

Renael had perked up when he first saw Sept. But, he made the face of a petulant child when he was scolded. "I-I'm sorry...I was just so worried when I saw my dad running into it that I didn't think about it." He explained with a pout. "I guess you're rubbing off on me." After all, Sept was usually the one to run headfirst into something without thinking.

"I lost you once to distance," Septimus hissed into his ear so that the others wouldn't hear as he continued to hold him. "I thought I would lose my mind if I lost you to time, as well. Thank the cosmos, you're alright."

Renael ran his fingers through the taller fox’s dark hair. "I'm so glad you're okay..." he said quietly where only they could hear.

And that was when Arius finally realized that every person in the room had its pair. "Talk about spring fever," He muttered to himself. "Prince Calum," He warned. "I hate to be the one to break this to ya, but the queen is after your head."

Cean held Calum closer to him as he glanced warily at the man.

"Don't worry, he's not going to hurt him. I promise," Renael insisted.

"He's right," Arius replied. "I would have done something by now if I had wanted you dead. But, it doesn't matter how much the queen would have paid me for your head, not if it would have started a war."

Calum raised an eyebrow at Arius. "I owe you a kindness for all that you have done to keep our kingdoms at peace."

"This is far from over," Silkes reminded them. "If we don't out the queen for her treachery, a war really will break out. We have the Princes of both kingdoms right here!"

"Silkes is right," Kender commented with a frown. And while it may not have been his, Ren, and Sept's time period, Silkes was someone he cared about. That alone made them involved.

"I'll need the testimony of all of you in order to unmask the queen," Calum said softly as if he felt drained from the whole ordeal. "Especially Arius and Renael's perspective."

"I would give my testimony." Ren decided with a nod, still running his fingers through Sept's hair. "But, how are we going to get the king to believe us?"

Cean had to fight back the urge to laugh at that. "If we all speak, I am sure that would be enough to at least cast doubt upon her."

Calum turned towards Arius. "Especially you, Sir Arius. Would you be willing to tell my father, the king, everything?"

Arius sighed, scratching his cheek as he glanced at the group. "Better safe than sorry, I guess. Let's get this mess sorted out before a war sparks up."

::

The group made their way back to the palace through the woods, feeling more cautious than ever to stray from the main paths. Arius found them three more horses. Calum and Cean rode Cean's horse. Silkes and Kender rode another. Sept had Ren with him, keeping a close eye on the sick blond. And Arius rode on the last horse alone.

Prince Calum planned to enter the same way he escaped, but they still ended up surrounded by the royal fleet. He straightened up and tried another tactic. "I request a council with the king immediately," the blond commanded. "Along with my escorts and guests."

"Oh, I don't think so, young prince." One of the guards sneered as he peered over at Renael and back again. "Or are you really the doppelgänger?"

“Doppelgänger? That was a misunderstanding,” Septimus responded.

“They all look suspicious. We should let the queen know that these impostors are here.”

“Impostors?” Cean frowned.

Silkes used his magic to probe at the soldiers and realized what was going on. "These men are wrapped up in dark magic!"

If the soldiers were under the influence of dark magic, then they would surely fight them before allowing them to pass. Cean’s priority was to protect his Calum. He dismounted and sent his horse, with Calum atop it, galloping back into the woods.

"Cean!" Calum cried as he tried desperately to soothe his mount enough to turn back. But, the horse didn't slow down until they were quite far. "Curse it all!"

One of the soldiers had mounted his own horse to catch up with him. As he swung his sword at the prince, the blond leaned all the way off to the side to avoid it and fell off the horse. The soldier dismounted and proceeded to hunt him down by foot, as Calum immediately ran off.

"You can't hide forever, doppelgänger!"

Calum ran through the trees in sheer panic. He came across a tree that was climbable and began to make his way up. His hands were scraped up and he was out of breath when he sat on one of the highest branches that could carry his weight.

::

Prince Cean had sprung into action, taking down four of the soldiers by himself. Arius managed to take two of them down, as he was faster and more dexterous than them. Silkes knocked down six others with his magic.

Kender hollered for Sept to protect Ren and run into the woods, as well. That was one order that Septimus was more than happy to obey. He slowed down when he saw that both Calum's mount and the soldier's steed had been practically abandoned. His gaze landed on a smooth, rounded mace that was strapped to the soldier’s horse's side just as a high pitched scream was let out in the distance.

"We have to help him!" Ren gasped as his hands fisted onto Sept's hooded sweater.

"Wait here," Sept ordered as he awkwardly grabbed the mace and ran in the direction of the scream.

::

The royal knight managed to pull Prince Calum down from the tree. The blond struggled and tried to pry the gauntleted hand from his ankle. But, the soldier had a fierce grip. The prince saw him hold his sword before him as if he were aiming right towards his neck when Septimus swiped the back of the soldier's armored head with a mace.

"Goodness!" He shrieked as he shoved the sword arm away just as the man collapsed half on top of him.

Sept had to heave hard to roll the unconscious soldier off the blond. "W-Way heavier than he looked…" He complained between breaths of air.

When Calum finally managed to get back up, he gave Septimus a bow of deep respect. "Thank you, Sir Septimus, for saving my life."

“Tch! I didn’t even hit him that hard.” A slight blush streaked across Sept's nose and cheeks as he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "Besides, not even a bratty prince like you deserves to die like that."

The blond prince couldn’t help but smile. He never thought he’d ever feel so relieved to see Sir Septimus. The hooded fox was kinder than he let on. Calum would never forget his loyalty. When they returned to the horses, Renael nearly fell off his horse in his rush to hug the prince.

"I'm so glad you're ok!" Renael sniffed. The darker blond teen had seen the scuffle from a distance and it made his very heart dip to his stomach. He hadn’t known the prince for very long, but theirs was a budding bond similar to siblings.

"And I am glad you are alright, as well," Calum replied. Despite having spent such little time with him, the prince already regarded Ren as a brother in spirit. He wouldn’t wish him any more ill than he’d wish upon himself.

By the time the three of them rejoined the others, all of the remaining soldiers had been dealt with. Kender was finally able to breathe when he caught sight of the younger three. Renael was surprised to see his father wielding a hefty dagger until he remembered that, as a doctor, his father would know where to knock a person unconscious with the hilt without killing them.

Prince Calum's eyes widened when he saw that only one of the knights was conscious. He had been stripped of his armor, but not his undergarments. Prince Cean held a sword to the trembling soldier's neck, and the blond wondered if it was Arius who had tied his hands behind his back.

“This one seems to have finally come to his senses,”Prince Cean explained. “Say it again. Tell your prince what you’ve witnessed, the prince whom you’ve so carelessly attacked but a few moments ago.”

Calum still found it difficult to believe that his sweet Cean was able to speak in such a serious and deadly manner. The brunet royal hadn’t killed any of them in a blind rage. That alone affirmed the blond’s belief that Prince Cean would become a wonderful king someday. However, none of his beloved’s innate kindness was aimed at the knight.

“I-it was a Conjuress,” the soldier confessed. “We weren’t able to see her figure, but we heard her voice before we started losing ourselves.”

“A conjuress?” Silkes mused aloud.

“I think we’ve wasted enough time out here,” Kender pointed out. “From what I observed, these soldiers were all under the influence of something that made them attack royalty so blindly.”

“Agreed. I need to speak with my father directly.” Prince Calum added.

With the knights out of the way, the group made their way inside. A member of the castle staff told them that the king and his queen were in the throne room discussing plans with the captain of the guard. The group then rushed towards that direction. All eyes turned towards them when Calum shoved the doors open.

"Father, listen to me. You can’t go to war!” Prince Calum declared. “No one has kidnapped me. I was already gone. The queen at your side is not who you think she is!" Calum began. "She was the one who sent the assassin after me. These are my witnesses." He motioned with arms spread wide at the group behind him.

"Lies, love..." The queen hissed, her hazel eyes glowing. "He wants to protect Prince Cean when it is truly his treacherous kingdom that sent the assassin."

"We've captured one of the knights, your highness," Cean countered. "Surely, he could shed some light into all of this."

"It was her!" Calum hissed. "Arius is right here, he can attest to it."

"Guards," The king said with a worn voice. "Arrest Prince Cean and take him to the dungeons for conspiring against the crown."

The group quickly made a circle around Cean to protect him. The guards moved forward in response to the command, but the captain of the guard halted them.

"Father, why won't you listen!?" Calum cried.

That was when Silkes felt a shift in power emanating from the queen. He cast a quick spell under his breath and saw it clearly. Her dark aura seemed to surround and suffocate the king into submission. How cowardly.

"He won't listen because he has a spell fogging his senses," Silkes growled as he cast a protective spell over the group, shielding them from anything she might send their way. "Just like the soldiers outside. Release him, Conjuress!" He warned the queen.

"She really is the conjuress?" Cean questioned as he kept a wary eye on the soldiers that crept closer.

"Who do you think you are to get in my way?" Asked the queen with a sneer.

"Our kind has been persecuted and banished for generations," Silkes hissed. "And here you manage to hide in such high places. You should be using that power to protect your brothers and sisters, not just yourself." He tossed a quick incantation in the air and the strange aura stifling the king fizzled into nothing. "Your majesty, the conjuress you have at your side has been compromising you. Please, listen to your son."

"Your Majesty! You have to listen to us! I had received news that your son had been kidnapped and went immediately in search of him," Cean added. "Why would I have received a message like that if we had been the ones to have kidnapped him?"

Ren gulped before speaking out as well. "Prince Cean's telling the truth!"

The king's fractured attention was drawn to Renael. How curious! The young fox looked so similar to his son. His previous wife had not borne twins, he had witnessed the birth of Calum himself. When he gathered more of his wits, he focused on what was happening.

"Arius captured me by mistake, thinking that I was Prince Calum,” Renael continued. “He realized he got the wrong person, but he was going to let us go."

"If you're truly a father, you'll listen to what your son has to say," Kender added.

Prince Calum felt a deep warmth in his heart when everyone came to his defense. "Does all of this not sound a little too fantastic for me to have made it up?" He asked the king.

By then, the fog that had clouded the king’s mind had dissipated completely. He turned to glare at his current queen. How dare she betray him after all he had done for her? "Guards! Forget Prince Cean and capture this snake of a queen!" He commanded.

"She'll need more powerful bindings than that," Silkes admitted as he cast a quick spell on her cuffs that would keep her silent and unable to cast incantations.

After the guards took the struggling queen down to the dungeons, the king let out a long sigh. "Forgive me, my son. I had no control over what I did and was forced to watch my own actions slowly bring both kingdoms to ruin."

Calum smiled and took one of the king's hands. "You were not at fault. None of us knew what she truly was until it was too late to do anything about it." He turned back to the group. "But, father...I ask that you pardon them all for their accusations."

"Indeed I shall," The king replied, cupping Calum's cheek. "Sir Conjurer..."

"Silkes, your highness," Silkes supplied.

"Sir Silkes, in gratitude for what you have done for myself and my son, I ask that you become Grand Advisor to the kingdom and help guide other conjurers to refuge."

Silkes frowned and glanced back at Kender. The position of Grand Advisor, to help his people, it was all that he could have ever asked for. But, to leave Kender? His heart ached just thinking about it. "I will take on my duties for the sake of the kingdom, but only until I find an adequate replacement that will take over when I retire."

"Retire?" The king questioned.

"Yes, your majesty," Silkes explained, his silver eyes settling on Kender's. "My place is no longer here."

Ren looked up to see his father blush, and it hit him that Silkes intended to stay with him. It brought a smile to his face. Even if the younger fox moved in with Sept, his father would not be alone.

"I understand," The king replied. "Sir Assassin..."

"Arius, yer majesty," Arius supplied.

"Sir Arius, you are pardoned from all of your wrongdoings. We could use a good man like you as captain of the guards. Do you accept?"

"That sounds mighty fine to me," Arius replied with a grin. "Will do my best to protect the royal family."

"Thank you, Sir Arius," Calum said with a smile.

"Sir..."

"Renael," Calum supplied this time.

"Sir Renael," The king replied. "Step forth, that I might have a good look at you. Goodness...you certainly look a lot like my son."

Ren felt a bit nervous, but he nodded, getting a bit closer. He laughed a little before coughing into his hand. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, I best not get too close...a bit ill at the moment." He did, however turn from side to side and all the way around so that Calum’s father could note the similarities and differences.

As soon as Ren returned, Sept held him in his arms and fretted over him like a mother hen. "We'll be home soon and then I can get you some warm soup. Hang tight, love." He murmured softly into the blond’s ear.

"They come from a very distant...land that I need to return them to," Silkes commented.

The king gave a nod. He then focused his green eyes on Prince Cean. "Prince Cean. I hope you can forgive this grave misunderstanding. With a clear mind, I would never endanger our ties to yours kingdom."

Cean didn’t so much as flinch. "All is forgiven, but only..." He began, feeling his heart about to jump out of his chest. He looked towards Calum and was able to summon up courage. "Only if you allow me Calum's hand in marriage instead of my sister."

The king's green eyes widened at Cean's proposition. When they were growing up, even he had noted that Cean and Calum were rather close. But, he never would have imagined just how close the two had become. For generations, the two kingdoms had wanted to form a bond. And he had hoped for it to have been through his son and their daughter. Grandchildren would have been wonderful. But, he did owe Cean a debt. He looked at his son, who appeared to be stunned and blushing brightly. If that is what they both truly wanted...

"I accept." The king declared, turning his eyes back to his son. "...if that is what you truly want, my son."

"Yes!" Calum replied, casting proper manners to the wind and giving his father a hug with eyes brimming with tears. "Yes, that is what I truly want. Thank you, father!”

The beaming prince then ran down to leap into Cean's arms, pulling his head down for a kiss. "I love you." He whispered when they pulled away.

“I love you, too,” Prince Cean responded softly before turning back towards the king and giving him a solemn bow. “Thank you so much, Your Majesty!"

Silkes smiled at the young princes before turning back to his charges. "Kender, Septimus, Renael...come with me." He led them out to the palace gardens, where he began the incantation for a portal that would lead them to their proper time period.

"Remember that you will probably still be separated on the other side." He warned Sept and Ren before they walked through. "Don't hesitate to ask for help, Renael."

Septimus had a determined glint in his mauve eyes when he walked through the portal. He was going to make sure to find Ren on the other side. And it wasn't the town that he was worried about, it was the mountain range that surrounded the town. He hoped that the portal's boundaries didn't include the mountains as well.

After Sept and Ren walked through, he pulled Kender into his arms. "I can't imagine my life without you. Will you wait for me?"

Kender hugged the silver fox, not ready to go yet. "I'll wait forever if I have to." He admitted, nuzzling his head against him. "Don't take long." He then got on the tips of his toes and kissed Silkes. He would stay here with him if he could, but Ren still needed him.

Silkes felt his breath hitch when Kender initiated the kiss. He pulled the blond fox flush against him and deepened it. "I promise that I won't take too long." He leaned down for one more kiss before taking his hand and leading him to the portal. "Now go, your son needs you." Just before Kender walked through, he kissed the back of the blond's hand. "And know that I love you."

Kender nodded. He held the fox's hand as he was led to the portal. "I love you too, Silkes." He confessed, sending Silkes a sad smile before walking through.

::

When Septimus landed on the other side, it was inside a pub somewhere near the market. No one blinked twice when they saw him on the ground, instantly assuming that he was simply drunk off his ass. He carefully stood up, holding his head as his body adjusted to the solid ground, and walked out into yet another snowstorm. "Damn it!"

::

Ren's eyes fluttered open, and he rubbed them as his eyes tried to adjust. He felt so cold. Then, he realized why. He was somewhere outside, but was hard to tell since there was so much snow. He coughed hard before standing up.

"Sept!" He called out through his hoarse throat. As he stood up and walked around, he came across a curious sign. As he read it, a smile formed on his face.

::

Septimus felt his heart race when he heard Ren's voice. It was faint, but it was definitely his. "REN!" He cried out as he ran towards the sound of the voice. His mauve eyes scanned the area for several meters. He felt as if his heart would leap right out of his throat when he caught sight of pink-tipped, blond locks. "Thank goodness." He sighed with relief as he rushed over to hug him from behind.

"Sept, look!" Renael motioned towards the sign.

Sept took a good look at the sign and began to laugh. "Well, I'll be damned," He commented as he began to read it out loud. "These are the grounds where the royal family used to live. The castle was torn down for remodeling when the crown princes merged both countries on the boundary and made a new castle of their own."

"We should go over there to see it one day, it's sure to have become a museum by now, right?" Renael suggested.

"Probably. When we tell pops, I'm sure he'd want to see it with his own eyes, as well." Sept pointed out. He then hefted the blond into his arms bridal style. "Now, let's get you home. The cold out here does no good for the cold you have."

Ren blushed before hugging him tightly. "W-wait...speaking of dad, where is he? We can't leave him out here...!"

Sept let out a soft snort. "Pops is well known all over the town, and he's not sick. He'll be fine." He replied. "But, if you're that worried, keep an eye out as we make our way back home. If we still don’t find him, I’ll seek more help in town."

The blond peered up at him and nodded a little. "A-alright..." He reluctantly conceded as he sniffled. He really hated whenever his nose began to run. "Carrying me's not too much trouble, is it..?" He added. He was a bit smaller then Sept, but even so, it couldn't be the easiest thing in the world to carry him long.

Sept nuzzled the top of Ren's head and continued to walk at a leisurely pace. "I'm fine. We're not that far from the house." A smirk formed on his face. "The one who should hang in there is you, sniffles. Don't even think about blowing your nose on my sweater." He teased.

Ren blinked and made an angry, pouty face. "I wasn't going to, but now I just might." He teased with a slight laugh. He felt comfortable in Sept's arms. "I'm not sure if I said this already or not, but I enjoy being in your arms again."

Septimus damn near tripped over himself hearing Ren's sweet words and the meaning behind them. He took a deep breath, trying to still his rapidly beating heart. "A-hem," He cleared his throat as they walked up the path that led to the house. "I, uh...well, I certainly enjoy having you here in my arms."

The blond was surprised when his ears took note of Sept’s increased heartbeat. "You're heart's beating really fast, Sept." He commented as he nuzzled his head against the other fox to get warm.

"But Ren," He whispered as they approached the door. "You've always made my heart beat fast." He was about to ask the blond fox for the keys when he noticed another blond head walking towards the house from across the way. "Pops! You made it! Think you could open the door?"

"Ah! You're okay!" Renael smiled, seeing his father come up to them and immediately hugging them.

"I'm so glad you're both safe." Kender said before unlocking the door and ushering them inside right when Ren sneezed again, unfortunately on Sept's sweater.

"...I think you jinxed it by telling me not to." Ren laughed a bit nervously.

Sept shook his head in disbelief. "That's alright, I'll just consider it a battle wound for the sweater. Come on, let's get you to bed." He walked over to Ren's room and tucked him in, tossing his sweater in the laundry basket while he was at it. "May I stay here with him in his room while he recovers?" He asked Kender.

"Well, normally I wouldn't recommend you two share a room...but, seeing as you've already been exposed to his cold, I see no problem with it." Kender conceded. "I'm sure Ren wouldn't care if you just stayed in there with him all the time."

Renael blushed in embarrassment, hiding his face with the covers. Trust his dad to blab about his feelings without remorse. It wasn’t like Sept didn’t already know, but still.

Septimus laughed when Ren hid under the covers. "Thank you, pops." He told the older fox, turning to look him in the eye. "For everything." His gaze fell back to the lump that was now Ren. "I'll do my best to take care of him."

Kender smiled and nodded. "I'm counting on you to do just that." With that, he left the two younger foxes.

Ren peeked out from under the covers. "He's not wrong, you know...I like having you stay here with me."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Sept replied. "Because I refuse to leave."

::

Proposals

::

Calum paced back and forth in his room. He was wearing intricate white pants with an equally intricate white tailcoat jacket. His hair had been pulled back and braided into a low fishtail, tied at the end with a long, thin white ribbon. "I'm so nervous," He confided to his cousin. "I mean, what if one of those princesses that courted him in the past tries to poison me?"

"Just don't drink or eat anything then," His cousin Dulce replied with a rolling laugh. "Goodness, Calum, just get ready to walk down that aisle."

Princess Sofia peeked in at Calum and smiled. She was the maid of honor. "The braid came out really nice!" She was happy that her brother and Calum were getting married. She rushed over and hugged the blond.

"Sofia, I have never thanked you properly for not being mad about all this," Calum whispered into her ear as he hugged her tight. "You have been so understanding, ever since we were little. I am very grateful and am most proud to officially be your brother-in-law."

Sofia smiled as Calum hugged her, hugging the fox right back. "You two have liked each other since you were little. I would have felt awful if this had not been the outcome. But you best take good care of my brother, understand?" Just because she was the younger sibling didn't mean she was any less protective.

"I will!" Calum replied as all of them stepped out of the room to line up for the procession. Calum's father took his arm.

"I never thought I would live to see the day that I gave my only son away as a bride. I was hoping to gain a daughter, not lose my son," He whispered in a half-teasing manner.

"You have not lost me, father," Calum replied with a tight throat. "I will always take care of you."

::

The day Cean and Calum had hoped and dreamed about for years had finally approached. Prince Cean wore black, intricate pants and a tailcoat jacket. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Everything seemed too good to be true. The crown prince roamed the hall in nervousness as he waited for the ceremony to begin.

Silkes chuckled at the sight. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Prince Cean, I assure you that the wait is worse than having to survive the ceremony. The ceremony can be handled together, after all."

Cean paused as he felt a hand on his shoulder. "I am aware of that. I waited for this day for years now...and now that it is nearly time, I cannot help but be impatient." When it was time to start the procession, Cean made his way to the altar. He felt like his heart would jump out of his throat waiting for Calum. He smiled, seeing his sister give him a thumbs up before she took her place. His eyes then widened when he saw Calum. He had to fight every urge to run to him and pick him up. Though, he did take the blond's hands as soon as he was next to him at the altar.

As the ceremony began, the blond prince found that he could not focus on anything as he walked down the aisle. The friends and family, the decoration, the very floor...all of it blurred from his vision. His only focus was the fox waiting for him in front of the altar. His blue eyes were all he could see. The two of them exchanged vows. The words were merely a summary of everything they had ever promised one another. Then, they were blessed and crowned. When it was time for them to kiss, Calum's green eyes fluttered closed and he tilted his head up slightly in anticipation. This would be their first kiss as a married royal couple.

Cean pulled Calum close and kissed him firmly. He caught sight of Silkes before the Conjurer left, sending him a smile. "Looks like he could not bear to wait another second."

Calum followed Cean's line of sight. "Neither can I." He admitted as he tugged Cean along with him. "In the words of my false twin, ‘let's get this reception over and done with’ so we might finally be alone."

::

Silkes had played his part during the ceremony, a slightly jealous smile forming on his face. He truly wished the newly crowned kings the very best, but he had been away from his beloved Kender for long enough. When the guests left for the reception, he nodded his goodbye from a distance before dashing out to the nearest open field he could find.

When he emerged from the portal, Silkes was still in his expensive, silvery suit from the wedding, and his hair was still tied back with a navy blue ribbon. He was relieved that he landed on his feet this time. The silver fox noted that there was merely a thin layer of snow left on the ground and some plants were beginning to peek through the white. Spring was approaching. How fitting. He headed straight towards the clinic, walking through the sliding doors in a regal manner. "I'm here to see doctor Kender," He told the receptionist.

The receptionist was a bit confused and stunned to see Silkes. He was awfully dressed up, especially for a visit to a hospital. "I believe he's in his office right now eating lunch. It's down the hall, take a left, then it's the last room on your right."

Silkes followed the directions and gently knocked on Kender's door. From inside his jacket, he pulled out a little pouch. When Kender opened the door, he placed his arm on the door frame and leaned down towards the blond, a smile on his face. "Miss me, beloved?"

Kender’s purple eyes widened when he saw who it was. "S- Silkes!?" He questioned a moment before he rushed over to hug him. He wondered briefly if he was dreaming or if the fox in his arms was real. "Of course, I've missed you!”

Silkes's tail began to sway in happiness. "As have I." He admitted as he pulled out the contents of the pouch. "Kender, I know that you have loved and lost. But, if you could find it in your heart to give me a chance..." He began as he knelt down on one knee and slid an engagement ring onto the blond's finger. "I would do my best to make you happy for years to come. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Kender's face turned red as the other fox got down on one knee and proposed. "Are...are you serious?" He asked. Seeing Silkes nod, he smiled, getting down on his knees and hugging him. "Of course, I'll marry you!" He answered, feeling as if he would cry in pure joy.

Silkes shifted them until he had the blond doctor in his arms once again. They were both crouched on the floor of the hall, but neither of them truly cared who saw them at the moment. "Oh, Kender. You have made me so happy." He whispered before taking the blond's lips in a fervent kiss.

Somewhere down the hall, four nurses peeked around the corner at the pair with varying degrees of deviousness on their faces.

"My, oh my...but, that silver stranger has guts to sweep our Dr. Kender off his feet like that." One of them commented.

"It's certainly about time."

"I was waiting for him to re-marry another tall woman, but...that silver stranger sure is handsome. I think I'll forgive him."

Another nurse snickered. "They're simply gorgeous together."

::::::::::::::::::::::

"How about this complex?" Septimus suggested as he pointed to a picture in the apartment book he was perusing. "It's only five minutes away from here and it has a balcony on the back..."

Renael and Septimus had discussed moving into their own place. While sharing Ren's bedroom was nice, they wanted a place to call theirs. For now, they were thinking about an apartment.

"That one looks like the best choice out of them all so far." Renael confessed with a smile. His main condition was to stay close to his father. They hadn't seen or heard from Silkes in weeks. So, they didn’t want to leave him feeling lonely. "The rent's not that bad, either!"

Sept had begun to work at a pastry shop. The owner had been thrilled when she saw his skills and hired him on the spot. She said that he was sure to attract female customers by the dozens by his looks alone and that they would stay for his baking. Sept didn’t even question it. He worked at the shop on the weekends and was enrolled in classes with Ren during the week.

"Master bedroom looks big, too...we should get a good-sized bed and just share it." Sept suggested with a smirk.

Ren had started to help out at the local art gallery and had even sold a few of his own pieces there. It was filled with all sorts of artwork made by those in town or the surrounding area. When he had a break, however, he'd pay Sept a visit at the pastry shop.

"I'd like that, actually!” The blond responded. “Then, we can turn one of the spare rooms into a studio."

"Is pops back already?" Sept suddenly asked when he heard the sound of a car door closing .

When the two of them made their way to the front of the house, different expressions of surprise crossed their faces.

"Welcome back Pops. Silver-head, glad to see you made it back!"

Silkes smiled at them both. "Kender and I have great news to tell you."

The younger blond smiled at the sight of his father with Silkes. It was nice to see his dad smiling like that again. Before Kender could even say anything, Ren noticed the engagement ring and his face lit up. "A-are you two getting married? I've never seen that ring before!"

Kender laughed as he realized that they didn't even get a chance to tell them the news themselves since his son already figured it out. He nodded with a smile. "That's right. Silkes came to my office and proposed."

"That's great news!" Renael rushed over to hug his father.

"Congratulations!" Septimus added as he gave Silkes a pat on the back and grinned at Kender. As he took in the sight of his new family, he realized that he was going to have a lot to write about to his parents to keep them up to date. At the thought of letters, his mauve eyes gazed over at Renael, his everything.

When they were little, they were rather close...like friends, or cousins even. When they were nine, however, they were separated by circumstances beyond their control. He could hardly wait to make endless new memories together.