Author's Note:

*sees all the hateful comments about the Rosetta family and cackles*

Aw, you guys are so cute. I'm not saying that the Rosetta's are perfect, angel-like saints. I'm not trying to excuse any of their previous wrong-doings. They obviously have their faults. I just don't want them to be these typical, short-lived, one-hit cannon fodder characters.

I know that the majority of you adore Tanaka, but the original Thomas as a young kid was an ass, lolololol. No, that doesn't make up for the father's or mother's attitude, but just wanted to let you know no one is the villain or the hero in this family. Everyone is just, unfortunately, utterly human. That's why they're not cannon fodders-- cannon fodders are very simple to write and implement into the storyline. No need to consider they have family and friends and we can all assume that everyone hates them or dislike them in some way >.>.

Think of it like Wei Wuxian. He was a big-ass mess, but he was also a really good person. But he's human like everyone else and he makes mistakes (a lot of mistakes-- mistakes that he almost doesn't recover from) and everyone else (*coughs* Jin Guangyao *coughs*) around him don't know how to make good choices either (namely Jin Guangshan).

To be fair, I'm pretty sure that if there is anyone perfect in that GDC, then it's either Lan Wangji or Lan Yuan, but I'm biased when it came to the Lan boys. I'm pretty sure Lan Wangji has plenty of faults, but I just refuse to see them, lolololol.

(Half of you probably don't know who or what I'm talking about, so don't worry about it lol)

Anyway, I noticed that some of you were complaining about the 'lack' of fluff content (including Editor-chan! I never felt so betrayed)! I guess my sense of fluff is not the same as everyone, but if I stuff your mouths and noses with fluff until you suffocate with this chapter, you can't complain!

This time, I had Editor-chan measure the level of fluff in this chapter!

A Public Service Announcement from Editor-chan:

[As Editor-Chan, I can hereby state that this chapter had received optimal fluff given the previous' transgressions. And coming from someone who had just watched GOT  (Game of Thrones) episode 3, this was very much provided a relief from the roller coaster emotions I was feeling beforehand.]

...--------...

Evadne Academy was located far into the inner city area, which was full of man-made buildings and stone pathways, but the Founder believed that the best environment to cultivate magical energy would be through its source-- which was the earth itself. Therefore he dedicated acres and acres of the surrounding neighborhood to create a forest garden almost as grand as the Royal Gardens itself.

The mid-region of Astria experienced very mild winters, so the trees and grasses had always been green. Even as Edward looked outside of the windows and tried to look past the leaves and branches, the actual city itself seemed very far and out of reach.

Early mornings in the academy were one of the few times he could have some piece. Every other young noble would be either in the classrooms or in the salons, and most of them weren't idle enough to walk around the gardens in their free time. The nobles enrolled in the academy were raised in the city with barely any experience having their shoes muddy or soiled beyond swordsmanship training, so the majority of them didn't feel comfortable walking outside as well.

There were plenty of benches (probably around 47 of them if Edward had counted correctly), but half of them probably had never been used or even been sat upon. Maybe it was rather silly of him to spend some of his morning exploring the academy grounds trying to find these lost benches, sitting down on the polished wood and either staring at whatever was in front of him or closing his eyes to close himself from the rest of the world (focusing only the sounds of nature -the singing birds, the rustling leaves, and the gentle winds- and the warm rays again his skin) until it was time for his first lesson of the day.

This routine had not changed since the year Thomas had come into his life, creating a suffocating environment that was supposed to be his home. These small moments were the only time he could allow the weights on his shoulders to be lifted, and for the tension in his limbs to seep down from his body and into the steady earth. It was the only time the noise in his head would quiet down, and for his mind to drift into the nothingness.

Though his position rarely allowed him to leave the spotlight, for some reason, no one thought to look for him outside in the academy's vast gardens. It was as if there was an invisible barrier that kept people from noticing him, preventing them from bothering him in his peaceful domain. It was probably why Thomas, whenever he wanted to skip class and nap without being disturbed, slept in the trees more often than not.

There was a flap of wings nearby, a bird probably startled and took flight in response, and Edward saw a flash of bright red at the corner of his eyes. There was a presence next to him, warm and steady like the sun's ray, but the blond-haired noble didn't turn around. Nonetheless, a barely visible smile lifted from the corners of his mouth before flattening into a straight line.

Maybe the person next to him saw the brief curve of his lips because there was a breathy laugh, clear and bright like the day, but gradually, nothing else was said in between them and the surrounding nature drowned out the silence.

After nearly several minutes to enjoying each other company before Edward voiced out in amusement, "Did you escape from her Highness' care today?"

Prince Xander made a bashful laugh, both embarrassed and happy as he brushed some of his long-red hair off his shoulders and behind his back. "Whenever mother tries to brush my hair, it feels as if she's ripping them out from the roots. And when she tries to pull my hair up, she handles them like she handles the reins of a horse." Despite the grimace on his face, there was always a trace of fondness that Edward couldn't help but feel jealous over.

It was difficult for Edward to talk about his family without feeling some discomfort halfway through. In comparison to his best friend's own loving family, his seemed fake-- an act to fool the actors. While the Rosettas' accomplishments were numerous, it was not as if the Royal Family didn't have accomplishments of their own, and Prince Xander didn't like to converse about 'work-related' topics when it was just the two of them. So while he was intimate with all of the Royal Family's shenanigans that would always bring a smile to his face, his only and closest friend knew nothing about his time at home. To be honest, there was nothing to talk about that would make it a pleasant conversation.

The Rosetta Estate was like an expensive inn or hotel. His family would come back in the late evening either to have dinner or to go to bed and in the morning, none of them tarried as they made their escape to their carriages. On a good day, they would only see each other for a couple of hours at a time with the exception of the three siblings, since they all went to the same academy.

Of course, he hadn't even caught a glimpse of Thomas in weeks, which would be considered unusual... or maybe it wasn't. After all, his younger brother was usually the one to seek him out (for malicious purposes) and since their classrooms were basically on the other side of the academy...

"We have early-morning training," Edward pointedly reminded his best friend, redirecting his thoughts from his young brother. "Your hair should be tied up."

"That's why I'm here!" Xander declared rather cheerily and Edward didn't need to turn his head to know that his best friend was probably giving him a large and bright grin. "You have gentler fingers than mother!"

"Was that supposed to be a compliment, your Highness?" the blond-haired teen questioned rather helplessly as he shifted his ice-blue eyes to the energetic person next to him and unsurprisingly, the Crown Prince was already holding out a ribbon as if it was unquestionable for the other to deny him of anything.

Well, it was true that Edward found it difficult to say no to anything his best friend had requested, especially since Xander rarely asked him of anything in the first place. Their friendship was beyond the 'benefits' and 'convenience' and both of them could confidently declare that if either one of them had been demoted to the lowest status, they would still be very good friends.

With a twitch of his lips, Edward took the ribbon from the other and he didn't even blink when Xander immediately turned around to expose his back to the other, therefore the long locks of his hair. It was a testament to their long companionship when the blond-haired teen didn't even hesitate to touch the red strands, familiar with its silk-like texture between his fingers.

He reached over near his best friend's neck in order to gather all of his hair and then parted them into three portions. It took a minute for the Prince to realize that his seemingly-cold friend wasn't putting up his long and wavy locks into a ponytail.

"What are you doing?" Xander asked he tried to turn his head around but stopped moving when Edward 'tsked' and gently tugged on his hair.

"A braid is easier to control than a ponytail," was the nobleman's explanation as his hands skillfully intertwined the three separate locks together. There was a soft expression on his face that the Prince couldn't see, but Xander could hear the gentleness in the other's voice.

"I didn't know you can braid."

"Katherine insisted I learned how. I didn't see the harm of it."

Xander hummed in response, a little happy about learning something new about his best friend. Rarely did Edward ever felt comfortable talking about himself. Personal topics seemed to be a taboo to the cold and distant teen. Though they knew each other for years, the number of personal things the eldest young master of the Rosetta had told him could be counted on one hand.

He never really minded, but it made the things that he did know, such as his subtle adoration of his sister and his fondness for the outdoors and nature, much more precious.

Soon, barely three minutes later, Edward was done and allowed the long braid to drop against his friend's back. Immediately, Xander turned around and reached back to lay his hair to rest on his shoulder. Once he looked down at the blue ribbon that held his intertwined locks together, the Crown Prince couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Now you are teasing me, my good friend!" Xander giggled as he delicately touched the simple, but very obvious bow tied at the end of his braid.

Though Edward tied the ribbon in that fashion out of habit since he usually only did such things for his sister, he didn't feel embarrassed by it. In fact, the cold-mannered noble enjoyed how gleeful it made the other feel, and when his best friend left the bow alone and kept it as it was, he couldn't help but softly smile in response. "I still don't understand why you insist on keeping your so hair long when Her Highness is the one taking care of it instead."

Xander at first ducked his head a little out of embarrassment but then brightened up as he realized what the other was saying. "Did I not tell you about my mother's encounter on the Dhahab Desert? When she was forced to participate in the war but had to stop because the Zafarians had their own first-tier magician?" the Prince babbled excitedly, his eyes shining at the mention of the unknown Zafarian magician and though Edward wasn't expecting to hear the actual reason for his best friend's hairstyle, he indulgently listened regardless.

"You haven't."

"Fantastic! Well, Mother only had a few campaigns, most of them she participated unwillingly, but her final one was maybe a quarter-- a fifth deep into the Dhahab Desert! And the Zafarian military was already trying to push back the intruders-- well, us. And my Mother said she had been through a lot of 'shit' but the environment was so hot and dry that she had difficulties going to the bathroom for weeks--" As Xander continued to babble and repeat everything the Queen had told him with very accurate memorization, Edward couldn't help but wonder if it was okay for the Queen of one of the most powerful nations on the continent to be so vulgar because half of what Xander had reproduced from his mother's mouth should not be spoken in polite company. "--But then, just as Mother was about to blast away the majority of Zafaran's soldiers, a Zafarian man counteracted her spell!"

"Oh?" Edward voiced out, his interest peaking slightly. As one of the people who had personally met the Queen, and often enough to become familiar with her habits, Maria Windsor was definitely one of the most powerful magicians of her generation. He had seen firsthand her magical prowess and control and, at one point during his childhood, inspired to be just as talented and as amazing as Her Royal Highness. Eventually, he realized that Xander's mother rarely used her full magical potential and that the gap between a second-tier and a first-tier was incredibly wide.

Regardless, the majority of magicians, especially those of noble birth, looked up to the Queen. If it wasn't for her presence, the other countries offended by the previous king would have probably risked invading Astria's borders during the Succession War.

"Yes!" Xander affirmed cheerfully. "She always told me how beautiful the man was. 'His hair was like a flow of black ink, a river of onyx against the golden dunes of the desert,' so I thought it would be cool have my hair long, but..." the red-haired teen pouted, his difficulties controlling his wavy locks went unsaid. It was an amusing but endearing expression, and Edward tried not to pay attention to the fact that the line that his best friend had told him sounded incredibly poetic. He didn't think that the unruly Queen, known for her bluntness and her aggressive personality, was one for the arts. "Oh yes, that reminds me. I told my mother about Young Thomas' fluent Zafar! She said she would like to converse with the youngest Rosetta if he ever visited the palace!"

Though the offer was made with sincerity and the Prince was obviously very happy for his friend, Edward felt something stutter within his chest at the mention of his youngest sibling. "...I see," the blond nobleman responded quietly, looking away from Xander and towards the academy walls in the distance.

Not noticing his best friend's disquieted state, the red-haired teen continued explaining the meaning of the offer. "I think Mother missed someone to talk to in Zafar. She was originally a noblewoman that lived near the border of Zafaran so her family's domain had spoken both the Common Language and Zafar and her nursemaid that raised her was Zafarian." Xander tilted his head as he fiddled his fingers around the ribbons of the eye-catching bow "Father and I are not very good Zafar-speakers. Though we can understand everyday conversations, we seemed to be having difficulties in responding--"

"What would you do if someone you knew for a long time had completely changed?"

Xander blinked at the sudden change in topic, turning his maroon eyes towards his friend. Edward's face was blank, as smooth as marble and as cold as ice. His eyes, even brighter under the sun rays, looked ahead at seemingly nothing.

Though it seemed as if the eldest Rosetta was clear of emotions, Xander saw the stiffness in his shoulder and the tightness of his jaw. They were barely noticeable changes in the other's posture, but it was easy for the red-haired teen to root them out.

Because it was rare for his cool and reliable friend to ask him for advice (usually, it was the other way around), Xander took his time to think over his answer. He wasn't sure of the situation, but he sincerely wanted to help Edward with whatever had his heart in a twist. "Do you know why they changed?" he first considered. After all, as far that he knew, people didn't just make a complete 180-degree change in personality without any reason.

Edward did not answer immediately and Xander did not rush him. Unlike the icy nobleman, Xander tended to run off without thinking-- a trait he had inherited from his mother. Edward had always been the one to pull him back and remind him to slow down.

After a minute of comfortable silence in between them, Edward told him quietly, "I think it's my fault."

Xander blinked a couple more times before humming in response. "You think the reason they have changed is your own doing?"

"Maybe," was the faintly anxious reply to the question. "It's... complicated."

"Is it?"

"Yes... no..." Obviously, Edward felt very confused by the situation. Usually, he would try to solve any type of problems in a very rational manner, but Xander could tell that the subject matter was something close to his heart. It was difficult for many people to keep a composed mind when their loved ones -or at least someone very important to them- were involved.

Though Xander did not know who this important person was, the fact that they were important to his friend made him determined to help Edward though whatever he was struggling with.

"So, how is it complicated? Or, er, not complicated?"

There was a slight grimace on Edward's face and Xander watched as his friend's icy-blue eyes darkened to a shallow color before he was closed off from them. "They... didn't treat me well. And I wasn't kind to them in turn."

There was a hint of shame in the tone of his voice and Xander could see the other's shoulders trembling slightly as he breathed out, not daring to look at the Prince as if the usually proud and confident nobleman was afraid of the red-haired teen's reaction.

It was... well, it wasn't a shocking revelation. Edward was only human and it would be unrealistic for Xander to think that his best friend would be nice to everyone. For example, Nicole was someone that the blond nobleman barely could be in the same room with.

To be fair, the young Gallant would always be the first one to pick the fight. Edward would be fine ignoring his so-called rival if the other wasn't so persistent in enticing the Crown Prince into participating in unsavory activities. But otherwise, the eldest Rosetta would often treat others indifferently and held everyone at a distance-- with the exception of those who he cared deeply for, of course.

Edward had always been exceptionally kind to those he considered friends or family. Since they were children to the young men they were now, Xander had always been treated gently by his best friend. Though the nobleman appeared cold and unapproachable to many of their peers, his temperament was actually soft and was actually weak to the whims of both his younger sister and his best friend.

Though he wasn't sure of the details, Xander could tell that Edward did care for this person in some ways. He wouldn't have bothered to mention them if that wasn't the case.

"So, you think you should have treated them well, then?" If there was one thing his mother had taught them, it was that to have some self-respect. If other people were 'treating them like shit', then they didn't have to be nice to them back. Alternatively, his father had also taught them to 'treat others the way they wanted to be treated'-- which made his childhood education at the palace overall