With more training, Edward's ice magic had the capability to be far-reaching. Currently, his limit was a little less than 10 feet, but his mother's goal was to extend the area of effect to a third of a mile.
It was why Xander did not intervene when Edward was freezing Allister McGowan into an ice block. It was also one of the reasons why he held back during the chase through the middle-class district.
Edward's magic was undoubtedly powerful, tyrannical in its strength, but moreover, it was terribly beautiful as well. Sometimes, he would find himself mesmerized by the way the frost would glimmer against the light, no matter if it was against an object or human flesh, Xander couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate his best friend's unintended but fine work. Then there was the caster himself, who would often freeze the surrounding air itself often as a warning for those with unsavory characters. On a humid day, the blond never noticed how his magic would create a shimmering aura around his dignified form, which would stun even the most casual of onlookers.
Cold temperament aside, Edward rarely acted on his emotions, and outside his family and the few friends that he would admit to have, he was very distant with the rest of their peers. He treated everyone neutrally and impartially-- all except a chosen few. Xander was obviously one of those 'chosen few'.
'The Crown Prince's Dog,' was what they had started calling him, in loud whispers once they noticed their closeness, and the eldest son of the Rosetta's never seemed to mind the title as much as Xander did. Probably some part of Edward agreed on the name, which was obviously ridiculous in many ways.
It was sad to admit that he had to forcefully scavenge some time within Edward's schedule in order to see his best friend at least once every day, not the other way around. Of course, as the Crown Prince, his own schedule was full as well, but his mother believed in breaks and the Rosetta Heir believed.... that free time was a fantastical concept that did not exist outside of fictional novels.
Xander sighed into the other's neck, mourning over the decrease in quality time together. In response, Edward patted the back of the Prince's head, oblivious to the other's thoughts.
Either way, Allister McGowan saw a rare (and frightening) side of the Ice Prince that he did not dare to imagine, and Xander wasn't blind to the awe mixed in between the terror plastered on his face.
Xander's mood soured even further, restraining his hands next to his sides so that he wouldn't end up clinging onto his best friend. For the longest time, he had had monopoly over Edward's attention. Lord and Lady Rosetta were often busy, Katherine was too close in age and too independent to be coddled by her brother, their friends irritated the Ice Prince to a cold shoulder more often than not, and while Thomas was someone that needed constant care, their relationship was estranged for the longest time and the servants under the Rosetta household were more than competent in taking care of the youngest master. He understood that as long as they grew up and interacted with more people, they couldn't always stay attached to the hip like they were used to now.
But Xander didn't have to like it. And he definitely had a problem with someone courting his friend's attention when they used heinous means to get it.
"... Your Highness, we should be getting back. Classes are about to start," Edward mentioned after a period of silence between them, his voice soft and terribly indulgent. His hand had not moved from where they laid on the back of Xander's head, the lithe fingers playing against the loose red strands.
Unless it was his mother or Edward, Xander didn't really care to pull up his hair often. He enjoyed it free more often than tied up, but his mother required for his hair to be out of the way during training and his best friend agreed with her sentiments as well. As the Queen was left behind in the Adrastus Forest, the Prince didn't bother with his hair before leaving the Palace to attend classes at the academy.
There was a sigh near his ear, fond and exasperated at the same time. "I'll help Your Highness with his hair. Then we must hurry to our classroom."
Immediately, Xander straightened up and lifted himself off of his best friend, his expression brightening as he beamed a glowing smile that had the capability to melt the Ice Prince's freezing heart. If he often left his hair down for the opportunity and excuse of getting physically closer to his best friend, only he (and his mother) had to know.
Though Edward showed some reluctance, he allowed the other to drag him to the bench, and as if Xander had predicted this situation to have occurred, a ribbon conveniently appeared in the palm of his hand, his bright ruby eyes looking up at the other with puppy-like enthusiasm.
Edward: "........"
Resigned, the renowned Ice Prince took the bright red ribbon as the Crown Prince of Astria turned around eagerly waiting for those careful and gentle touches. Xander almost melted on the bench as he felt cool hands running through his hair,
For the next few minutes, Edward busied himself with the other's hair, taking his time weaving the full and thick locks into a neat braid. It didn't occur to him to pull it up into a simple ponytail to save time, so focused on the task that he hadn't noticed the additional visitors struggling through the bushes-- well, one was struggling while the other one was basically trampling the foliage with a single-minded determination. Both of them were young men who were obviously students of the academy, though their appearance seemed rather contrasting.
The youth with the dirty blond hair and an intricate gold and sapphire earring on his right ear grimaced as he picked off a leaf from his stylish haircut. Almost everything about him screamed money from the custom-made Neifion leather dress shoes to his coat lined with the fur of the feline portion of a Blood Chimera. He had a type of handsome face that looked good in every direction, the type that seemed to fit the description of a typical rich and wealthy playboy.
The other young man had a simpler demeanor. His expression was straight but bland, his hair shaved very short, and his clothes closer to that of a knight off-duty than the status of a son of an Earl. He was like a gray, stone wall, a strong pillar without any defining features other than his height.
They entered into the pond area just out of the couple's line of sight, with the intention of finding their two missing classmates, and were attacked with the harmonious and rather domestic scene in front of them. The sweet-toned air made it difficult for most people to interfere and while the handsome, wealthy-looking young man had the tact to pause and reassess the situation, the stone-faced human wall didn't have the same courtesy to read the atmosphere.
"Your Highness, Lord Rosetta," the straight-laced youth greeted in a polite manner, his steady voice startling the two from their interaction. His partner in crime couldn't help but face-palm at the other's lack of tact.
Quickly, Edward finished off the braid before rising from the bench to greet his classmates while Xander tried not to look disappointed as he did the same, the neat, cute red bow tied to the end of his hair swaying as he followed behind his best friend.
"Lord Bergmann, Sir Einion," Edward greeted in a perfunctory manner, his behavior professional and courteous.
Though his time with his best friend was interrupted, the Crown Prince smiled at his two classmates in a friendly manner, his attitude more casual than the Ice Prince next to him. "Lord Bergmann, Sir Einion, what brings you out here?" He asked out of curiosity. After all, not many people, especially the students of the Evadne Academy, would bother to travel this far out into the gardens/forest. Especially the handsome Felix Bergmann, who seemed adverse to the outdoors. He was the type of person who would skip out morning knighthood training, claiming that it was bad for his complexion to be out in the sun for too long.
Noah Einion, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind being outdoors or indoors; as long as Felix was in the same room, he would be there as well. Many thought that the lower-ranked son of the Earl was just trying to earn points from the appearance-conscious son of a Duke. Of course, both Xander and Edward were well aware that this big man was the only thing that prevented his childhood friend from skipping classes to go to the Flower District and from harassing (flirting) with other young ladies as well.
Felix Bergmann was a notorious playboy and the only person who can restrain his terrible habits was the strong-headed, stalwart Noah. Mostly by acts of physical restrainment.
"Classes are about to start," was Noah's reason, regardless of their homeroom teacher's, Professor Fawcett's, constant tardiness since the beginning of his employment. As long as they were present in the classroom before their lackadaisical professor decided to finally make an appearance, their attendance records would still be perfect.
Regardless, Edward's work ethics and pride would not stand being tardy for anything even if there was no one around to check for his presence. It was even more intolerable if the Crown Prince showed any delinquent-like manners whether it was just being one or two minutes late.
Noah might seem dull and flat, especially standing next to his childhood friend, but Edward had always appreciated the other's straightforward and considerate personality. His low status among the nobility, as well as his family's rather stringent and 'economical' reputation, he was often looked down upon even by the younger students. If it wasn't for the Bergmann and Einion families' close and historic relationship to one another, he and his younger sister would probably have a difficult life here in the academy.
It was only because of his business relationship with Felix, the Heir to the Bergman's fortune, that Edward became acquainted with the stoic Noah. Unlike many young noblemen and noblewomen, the young man didn't treat his time in Evadne Academy as a playground and took his studies seriously.
Between the four of them, the Ice Prince, the Crown Prince, the Einion's only son oppressively kept their spots as the top three students in the school ranking for the past several years. Felix, the playboy often called by his lovers as the 'Lover of Evadne,' since it was speculated that no woman in Evadne could resist his charm, had always teetered between the top tens or the top 30s, depending on when his, busy and often absent, older brother decided to pay attention to his scores. His life was as free as the wind; if he was not flirting or accompanying a woman to play with him, he would be out in the streets enjoying the pleasures of life.
Therefore, Edward couldn't help but admire Einion's patience and willingness to follow this fatuous, foolhardy childhood friend of his. "Thank you for the warning, Sir Einion. We're just on our way," the so-called Ice Prince answered gratefully, and though his words seemed sincere, his expression was as dead as the larger youth in front of him. It was rather funny to look at, side by side.
On your way? Weren't you still busy with his Highness' hair by the time they came through the foliage? Felix's eyes twinkled, holding back his laughter but knew better than to invoke both Rosetta and his childhood friend. To tease one is fun but to tease both meant disastrous results for him. Then again, he had never been a person to hold his tongue for anyone, both figuratively and literally. "I mean, Fawcett doesn't care whether we attend his homeroom or not. If we leave to visit, say, Lily Flowers--"
The twin deadpan expressions described their opinion on his suggestion more than anything that could've come out of their mouths. Noah didn't even give his childhood friend a warning before he basically trapped the other in a chokehold and proceeded to drag the other back towards the direction of the academy.
Felix wheezed as his airways were briefly cut off but managed to laugh regardless of how he was manhandled. "N-Noah, I was kidding, couldn't you be a little bit more gentle--~?" The larger youth increased his strength on his hold, choking off what he recognized to be the start of a dirty joke while Edward from behind them raised a hand to pinch the area between his brows in an irritable manner. Xander, for some reason, looked rather contemplative over the matter.
"Homeroom is only 30 minutes so even if Professor Fawcett doesn't mind our absences, our other professors most likely would. Disregarding if we bypass the academy's extensive and complex rune seals, the idea would not be feasible."
Edward looked back at his best friend and suddenly had the urge to put the other in a chokehold as well. "Your Highness," he half said, half sighed with a helpless expression on his face. "It shouldn't be feasible not because of the time restraint but the nature of the trip itself..."
"Oh! No, I wasn't considering a trip to the pleasure house as feasible at all!" The one and only Prince of Astria refuted in a flustered manner. "But we rarely have time for ourselves and I was just thinking it would be nice to have a day for just the two of us since our weekends are occupied with other duties nowadays..."
As Xander blurted out his true thoughts, being as honest and straightforward as his swordsmanship, Edward blinked a few times in surprise, aware of the warmth building in his chest as well as in his cheeks at the same time. While the notion was nice and he did miss their time secretly exploring the streets of Evadne... "Skipping class all together shouldn't be a feasible idea either!" he scolded, giving the other a small scowl.
While the Crown Prince tried to appease his best friend once again, Felix watched as that pink domestic atmosphere popped up around them once more and tried not to swallow the handful of sugar that was suddenly shoved into his mouth. Noah, seeing the other's rather ugly and sour expression, dropped his childhood friend onto the ground unrepentantly.
There was a dramatic groan from the deposited nobleman, but the Einion Heir ignored it just as he turned towards the Crown Prince and the Ice Prince. Once again, Noah was not able to read the subtle atmosphere between the two, and bluntly called out to Edward. "Lord Rosetta. There are new leads in concern towards the one named Smith."
Many of the members of the Einion family were involved in the military, whether it was within the country's Knight Orders, the local People's Militia, or as a member of the church's Holy Knights. Notably, with the exception of the Earl's own children, the majority of their children would be sent to the famous Gloria Military Institute in the southeast. Therefore, as the Earl's son, Noah was very well in touch with all manner of military matters. It was all too easy for him to learn about the kidnapping case from one of his relatives, considering how high-profiled it was.
Immediately, Edward snapped into attention, his ice-blue eyes turning even colder at the mention of the bastard that fled without so much of a whiff of his scent. Though he quickly excused himself from the Crown Prince's presence, Xander had planned to follow the other closely and learn more about the rare metal-based magician that disappeared if he wasn't pulled back by the Bergmann Heir.
"His papers are fake, the official seals magically copied most likely from the black market. No one in the Knight Orders or in People's Militia recognizes him. His name is probably fake as well," Noah informed in a quieter tone, making sure that his voice wouldn't travel despite how isolated their location was. Edward moved closer to him, his eyes narrowing as he pondered about the identity of the man who was bold enough to make trouble in the capital while the Queen was within traveling distance.
'Smith' had a rare variant earth-type magic so his identity shouldn't be unknown or unheard of. Not all countries were as open with their magicians and their magic as Astria. Their country has the largest concentration of magicians within the continent, but not necessarily the strictest laws on magic as well. Though a great majority of the country's population was mostly non-magical, magicians were easy to be found in many large cities.
Many magicians were involved with peacekeeping jobs, such as the Knight Orders or the local militias in other parts of Astria. It was not uncommon for some to turn into mercenaries or adventurers and to apply to guilds for jobs and pay. For someone with 'Smith's' skills, he should be well known within certain circles.
"Does there seem to be an idea of what his identity might possibly be?"
"Normal routes lead to dead ends. No guilds claimed him. His magic education might be foreign because all known metal-elemental magicians were Gloria's students and are accounted for."
"A spy?" Edward suddenly considered, the corner of his lips deepening further into a grimace. Certainly, if not for this incident, Smith would have remained undetected within their circle. So far that he was aware of, he had gone through several noble households before finding his way into Rosetta Manor. But then again... why would he risk his position by agreeing to a kidnapping commission? What would that accomplish?
"No evidence. Too many factors not piecing together for that conclusion," Noah admitted as they both traveled further towards the academy, almost leaving the other two behind. Xander wanted to catch up and join the conversation but Felix continued to hold him back. Reluctantly, the red-haired teen allowed himself to fall back; Sir Einion wasn't saying anything new or surprising since he was given a very comprehensive report about the incident from his father before his return.
Felix leaned towards him in a posture that reminded Xander very much of the gossiping maids that he would sometimes see huddling together as they were working, causing the Prince to raise an eyebrow.
"So..." the Bergmann Heir started off in an unnecessarily dramatic fashion. "We saw McGowan, that weasel, being a creep as he followed our dear Eddie into the forest, just like how a goblin would bide their time to snatch a fair maiden--"
"Felix... that's politically incorrect and very offensive to the goblin race. You know they find our appearance repulsive..." Xander pointed with something akin to exasperation in his tone.
In response, an affronted sound came out of Felix's mouth, as if he should be the one offended instead. "The only reason they think we're ugly is because they have stuffed themselves in a dark, smelly cave and couldn't tell the difference between a gem and a rock even if you shove it in front of their bulbous noses."
The heir to the throne furrowed his auburn eyebrows, mostly in skepticism and incertitude. "But goblins have night visions--"
"The point is!" Felix exclaimed in frustration, trying to redirect their conversation back to the main topic. "I mean, Eddie doesn't look worse for the wear-- to be fair, knowing our dear Ice Prince, the scoundrel has probably turned into a cold, hideous addition to the landscape. But apparently, McGowan seems to have some dirty tricks under his cheap, gaudy
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