Author's Note:

*sobs* I finally finished this chaappptterrr! ｡･ﾟ･(*ﾉД'*)･ﾟ･。

To describe my suffering from the past few months--

Work Place Miscommunication:

The Lab Supervisor to our CEO: We can handle 4,000 samples at the most.

Our liaison between the lab to the CEO: We can do 8,000.

Our CEO and our sales-rep, who slapped a hand on top of the roof of our lab: This baby can hold 10,000 COVID samples.

So after my last update, I was dying. 

Things are all better now though! I mean, at least I got some sleep? And the next chapter is shorter, so it should be out sooner? Maybe? Probably.

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

The sunlight filtered through the tree's canopy, warming the chilly morning air and blanketing the earth with a dazzling show of radiance. Though Autumn's coolness made itself known in the winds, Evadne Academy's flora was full of life, the surrounding forest, an emerald green. The birds seemed unaffected by the colder climate, their songs livening the atmosphere and creating a bright image throughout the woods.

Edward took a deep breath and then released it slowly through his nose, the crisp air clearing his mind and settling his nerves. He sat on one of the forest's many benches, well hidden from the forest paths and more into the middle of the wilderness. Along with the beauty of nature, the 'Ice Prince' did not look out of place, especially with how his golden hair had shined and glowed under the sunlight. It was a strangely peaceful image, one that would compel others to relax involuntarily.

With his hands neatly folded in his lap and his head slightly leaned back, he closed his ice-blue eyes. "What brings Sir McGowan to this part of the academy?"

Allister McGowan stood some ways behind Edward, startled from his hiding place as he was unexpectedly ousted by the eldest son of the Rosetta's. At first, noticing the Ice Prince's absence from their class's private salon was a coincidence. Finding him outside in the academy's gardens was also a coincidence, an opportunity-- the Crown Prince was nowhere in sight; Rosetta was separate from the majority of the student body, and located in a rather private part of the academy grounds. He could confront the Rosetta Heir without invoking the suspicion of their classmates, but it seemed that Edward Rosetta thought that same as well.

Astutely, Allister didn't respond, not daring to test his intelligence against one of the top students in the school who ranked first in their last exam. Regardless, Edward didn't even bother to wait for a response and opened his cold-feeling eyes.

"You must pass my apologies to your grandfather, Marquis McGowan," Edward began, his voice unusually soft. "I unintentionally insulted his intelligence in front of my father. Katherine is right; Marquis McGowan is not a careless man. He's especially not a man that would make reckless plans-- such as kidnapping the son of the Prime Minister. The son of a Duke."

With every word that passed Edward's lips, the tension in the air built until it was thick enough to cut with a knife. Allister continued to play mute, but that didn't deter the other from resuming their one-sided conversation.

"Marquis McGowan spent his entire life building his empire, even under the tyrannical rule of Dominus Regale. During that time period, he has learned to be ruthless, but careful. He covers his tracks swiftly and thoroughly and uses his paranoia to his advantage. Anything out of place would be cut off or replaced. He wouldn't plot something so... sloppy. Indiscreet. And those Gullfaxi horses are anything but discreet. My abduction would be anything but discreet."

The morning air became chillier, the cold seeping through Allister's Neifion custom-made jacket and penetrating his skin. The McGowan Heir shivered, partly due to fear, and when he started having thoughts of fleeing, he found that his feet would not listen to him. Looking down, he saw that his expensive dress shoes were frozen to the ground, and immediately, he panicked. His face was pale as he tried to stop the frost from climbing up his legs, but his hands became numb the moment he touched the ice.

When did Rosetta summon his magic and how could he have summoned it so fast?! He didn't even hear the other chant! Or was this already planned beforehand and Allister fell right into the Ice Prince's trap?

However, Edward didn't move from his seat, steady and calm as if they were casually talking about the weather or a class project.

"But even if Marquis McGowan isn't the one who sent those men to get me, someone in the McGowan family is involved. There are only a select few nobles in Evadne that own Gullfaxi horses and only the McGowan's are unaccounted for."

In a casual and untroubled manner, Edward stood up from the bench, his posture relaxed and composed, but when he turned around, his ice-blue eyes were chillier than the frigid, high mountain peaks of Kaltesblut. The atmosphere between them dropped to below freezing, the building frost nipping at all of Allister's exposed flesh.

Slowly, the Ice Prince moved around the bench and strolled towards his near-frozen classmate, who stared at him wide-eyed like a small rodent that was cornered by a sharp-toothed, sharp-clawed predator. The closer the Rosetta Heir came, the lower the temperature fell until the cold air made it especially difficult for the young McGowan to breathe normally.

Without caring for the other's declining health (and sanity,) Edward continued their one-sided conversation once again.

"At first, considering the findings of the investigation, I thought Marquis McGowan had some part in this. Because if not him, who else in the McGowan family would be bold enough, and have the motive, to do me harm?" The blond young man narrowed his eyes, causing its ice-blue color to look deeper. "If not your grandfather, who would be bold enough to use his Gullfaxi horses, to act with such an audacious plan without his permission, and to have escaped his punishment, because Marquis McGowan is not a merciful man. There are rumors, terrible ones, about his temper, and what happens when you invoke it."

Edward stopped just three feet in front of the frozen man, his expression impassive as he spoke in a hushed tone, "Who else but his favored grandson? His only grandson, who he doted on and named as his successor. The only one Marquis McGowan couldn't bear to punish."

The McGowan Heir was shivering by the time the eldest son of the Rosetta's finished his point, unable to say a word to defend himself through the chattering of his teeth. He was also unable to use his magic as well, his mouth numb and his lips pale from the cold.

Suddenly, the Ice Prince took one step closer and the despairing young man fell to his knees, unable to keep his strength up in the face of the other's absolute and fearsome oppression. That single move allowed the eldest Rosetta son to hover closer over his frozen victim, his voice dropping to a whisper: "If you ever try to provoke me again, I can do a lot worse than give you frostbite." His bright eyes shimmered with a deadly energy that would remind anyone of the bitter and desolated icy lands of Northern Kaltesblut, a place where Snow Marauders ravaged the territory, leaving frozen carcasses in their paths. "A lot worse. And even Marquis McGowan will not be able to shield you."

Edward took a step back and the temperature rose to a bearable degree. The frost clinging to the McGowan Heir immediately melted into droplets of water, but Allister stayed in place as if he was still frozen in place while the Ice Prince turned around and left his classmate behind, disappearing into the trees.

Though he had said his piece, Edward continued to release a chilly aura, his expression giving away his dark mood.

Eventually, he traveled to a different part of the forest, to another bench placed in front of a small, man-made pond. Plants and rocks were placed around the waters in a way that made the surroundings look both natural and artificial with lily pads covering an extensive part of its surface. It's beautiful in its tranquility and the cold air around Edward's figure became warmer.

Then in the corner of his eyes, something bright red caught his eyes, and Edward quieted as he turned around, noticing the Crown Prince waiting for him near the bench overlooking the waters. For the first time in the long time, he looked incensed. His dark-red brows were furrowed and when his crimson eyes spotted the blond teen approaching, they sharpened in response.

"...Your Highness," Edward greeted, his tone filled with surprise. "You...I thought you would be busy with your mother." Though a week had passed since the kidnapping incident, Her Highness was still sulking over how she 'missed all the fun'. She mostly took it out on her son, who she dragged to go on adventures outside of the city, and her husband, who funded those expeditions from his own pockets. As far as the blond teen was aware, Xander was still supposed to be out camping inside the Adrastus forest with the Queen to hunt for a saber-horned lynx.

Apparently, whatever he had said crossed the Crown Prince further. Edward startled when his best friend began to march towards him with heavy, angry steps. "A perfect time for you to go off all alone, to face the assailant that tried to do you harm," he accused, his aura contrastingly hotter. "You should have waited for me."

"What--Waited?" Edward nearly sputtered in disbelief, baffled by the other's vexed mood. He didn't even have the courtesy to flinch back as Xander came closer with a dark expression. "I-- I assumed that your Highness would be gone for another week, as your outings with your mother tended to be. And McGowan is no threat to me."

The prince's eyes shadowed. "He hired people to kidnap you!"

"But McGowan himself doesn't have the courage to try anything himself," Edward refuted reasonably, confused by the other's irritable mood. "The McGowan's do not like dirtying their own hands. And Allister McGowan does not have the means to hire anyone inside the academy considering the nature of the academy's barrier."

Xander didn't seem convinced, an uncharacteristic grimace making its way into his tense expression. "Then why was he willing to follow you into such a private area if not for ill-reasons?"

"Obviously, the kidnapping failed and had created a rather big ruckus among the city. McGowan probably wanted to determine whether his plan had intimidated me enough to be further threatened into silence," Edward explained calmly, trying to placate his friend, but the red-haired teen brushed off his attempts.

"So he did have ill-intentions as he was following you," Xander pointed out with narrowed eyes, and Edward blinked when he then realized... When did his Highness witness him leading Allister McGowan away from the academy? Had he also seen the way he tried to oppress McGowan as well? The way he used his magic to subdue and trap their classmate in order to make his point and to repay the other for all the grievances he had suffered?

A sense of shame washed over Edward as the blond teen looked down in mortification. Rarely did he ever let his emotions get in the way of his integrity and his sense of justice, and maybe if he was the one kidnapped instead, he wouldn't have done something so personal to McGowan. But unfortunately, his bottom line was touched and the eldest son of the Rosetta's never took threats to his people kindly.

Of course, that didn't mean he would want his best friend to see such a side of him. As the next Prime Minister, therefore the next King's right-hand man, he should be a shining example of fairness and righteousness. Granted, running a country was not all sunshine and rainbows, and both had seen their fair share of ugliness, but this type of thing was not something he wanted to openly display in front of the Crown Prince.

"...He does, there is no doubt about that," Edward admitted slowly as he returned his gaze back to his best friend. "But McGowan lacks any talent in combat and his magical talent is also less than subpar despite his third-tier designation; therefore no threat to me. I am capable of defending myself from anything he tries to throw at me."

Though Edward was sincerely trying to reassure his peevish friend, Xander only became more frustrated and rubbed his face in an aggravated manner. "That's not the point, Edward."

There was no one in this entire kingdom that was more aware of Edward's capabilities than the prince himself. He watched over time, since they were nothing but children who couldn't even handle the weight of a sword, as his best friend pushed himself to be an exemplary model of a nobleman. Graceful and dignified, he gathered the awe and admiration of their peers and the recognition of the older generation. The eldest son of the Rosetta's was the perfect picture of intelligence and strength. Not only were his grades and swordsman skills beyond outstanding but his magical talent was often compared to the Queen despite their tier differences. The fact that his magic was a rare ice-based element made him even more enviable.

But sometimes, his best friend seemed to have forgotten that beyond their grades, their ranks, and their talents, as humans, they were very vulnerable and inexperienced compared to a lot of adults. Of course, Allister McGowan was harmless by himself but the men he hired weren't. What if he found more people like them?

At the time of the carriage chase, Xander was unaware of the true nature of the situation. Since it was young Thomas that was kidnapped, he didn't consider the possibility that his best friend, his dearest and most faithful companion, the person he would trust with his life and, in turn, would devote his own life as well, was the intended target instead. His mother took the most of his time after the event and he wasn't able to check the results of the findings until some poor young knight braved the dangers of Adrastus forest, passing all the flesh-eating plants, cockroach-like sharp-teeth wood sprites, miles into the devouring swamp-lands to give them the written letters from his father.

His mother's letters were filled with mollifying and placating poetry, the words so carefully inscribed with love that the classic romantic writer Mil Cordliss, who was claimed by scholars to be the Father of Romanticism and the catalyst for Astria's Romantic Era 500 years ago, would blush at the content. The letters meant for him were more straight to the point, fulfilling the request he had asked of his father before his mother dragged him off into another one of her sulk-induced adventures.

After reading it twice, he immediately came back with the young knight despite the looming threat of his mother's ire. His father wasn't surprised by his early return and, of course, on the very first day he was back to attending classes once again, his best friend decided to confront the same person who had planned the kidnapping.

He remembered his best friend once fretting about the possibility of his younger brother being kidnapped due to his sleeping habits and ironically, his prediction came true, but at the same time, Edward had no leg to stand on as well. If Thomas was endangered because of his lack of awareness and sense of danger, then the eldest son would be endangered because of his status.

As the heir to the second most powerful lineage in the kingdom and the Prime Minister position, his future would be full of strife and malicious attacks from even their own citizens. Miraculously, maybe because of the looming influence of Queen Maria Windsor, who mostly stayed in the capital since her husband's coronation, this was the first time someone had the gull to create a disturbance while she was 100 miles within reach of their position. It was no secret among the public that instead of the Royal Guards or the People's Militia personnel, the infamous Brimstone Dragon would often be the first person on the scene of the crime.

No-one stopped her, much less her husband, because his mother's presence was actually a great deterrence against criminal activities.

But his mother couldn't always stay in the capital, and she was the one that taught him to never underestimate one's opponents. That there was always someone stronger, bolder, faster, and smarter.

The Queen was undoubtedly powerful, but she wasn't immortal or even invincible. And he didn't want to rely on his parents forever. Would he rely on them to protect Edward for him? Of course not. His mother had already taught him how to fight against all sorts of monsters: minotaurs and their large stature, nature sprites and their sharp teeth, drakes that could ignite fires on their scales, man-eating insects, red wolves, wild griffins, and much more. Now, nearing his Coming of Age in a couple of years, it was time to ask his father how to fight the monsters disguised as humans.

Edward already had a head start, probably dealing with them behind his back and letting him indulge in his interest in magical research and discovery. Xander felt ashamed that he allowed his best friend to deal with these types of things by himself. He wanted his most cherished and dearest person to rely on him more.

Taking a step forward, Xander didn't give a warning as he leaned down and laid his head onto the curve of Edward's shoulder. At first, the blond teen tensed in surprise, his body stiffening like a thick block of ice, but soon after, he automatically reached up and rested a comforting hand on the prince's warm neck. The intimacy was familiar, something that was built over time since the day they had met. Recently, maybe out of consideration over their positions and status, Edward kept a distance between them in public and the Crown Prince was feeling a little bit touch-starved because of it.

Nowadays, privacy between them was hard to obtain. They were always under the watchful eyes of their peers and their subjects and while Xander was known to be tactile even among the common people, Edward thought it would be more proper if they didn't act so familiar with each other in front of others.

The prince felt rather aggrieved by the distance. When they were young, no one would care if they were practically attached to the hip or the way Xander had clung to his best friend in every single way that he could. They would often hold hands, invade each other's personal space, and hug every single time they saw each other (one-sidedly on the Crown Prince's part, most of the time.) That was what he wanted to do right now. He wanted to wrap his arms around his friend's thinner waist, bring their bodies against each other in an attempt to meld them into one. And Edward wouldn't protest or say anything against it, because while his friend restrained their usual intimacy in public, he would never reject his touch in private.

"...I've worried you, haven't I?" Edward sighed, keeping a steady hand on his best friend's nape. Warmth bled from the places where Xander was touching him, and since he had a cool body temperature, the heat made his skin a little rosier. "I did not mean to keep you in the dark like this. But the matter is not as pressing or as dire as you have made it. I'm much capable of handling McGowan and his ilk."

And Xander would be considered foolish not to agree. His father, King Charles Windsor, acted as if Edward was his second child, prideful of the Rosetta's eldest son's maturity and capability. His mother, on the other hand, was gleeful of his best friend's talent in