Battle of the Heart

The Man on the Inside

   A shiver ran down Leon's spine and then he looked over at Emil before letting a mouse like sneeze escape him.

"I think someone's talking about me?" He said looking up at his lanterns.

"You have been ignoring my question for hours." Emil said annoyed.

"What question?"

"You're a prince?"

"That's not a question, that's a fact that I told you."

   Emil stared at him and breathed in. "Okay, then why does a prince live in the middle of nowhere."

"Cause it's peaceful." 

"And no one's coming looking for you?"

"Pass me that silver box." Leon avoided.

   Emil grabbed the box and pushed it into Leon's hands aggressively. He crossed his arms and watched as Leon opened the box. He turned the box around and showed Emil a large Ruby stone with a silver dragon wrapped around it.

"Is that a seal?" 

"A royal one."

"Why are you showing me this?" Emil's bright violet eyes sparkled. 

"To get you off my Royal back." Leon laughed giving Emil the box back. 

"Okay, I'll drop it." Emil closed the box and put it back.

"Good, now help me take down these lanterns so we can put in new candles." 

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   Mikkel, Lukas and Berwald stood in a room alone and isolated from prying eyes or ears.

"So the brother of Yao, one of Ivan's pursuits, is your healer?" Mikkel repeated what Berwald had said.

"Ya."

"Seems like he's our only way in." Lukas agreed. "So we can get in, get the queen, and get out."

"But then what should we do with her?" Mikkel snarled.

"Mikkel, I know this has been rough but she's still your mother." Lukas reminded.

"She tried to kill you, and Tino, she still is. She has to be taken care of."

"We'll decide when the time comes." Lukas sighed.

"Alright but will this kid say yes?" Mikkel calmed.

"Tino needs t' heal bit longer." Berwald admitted. "He's safe th're with Leon n' Emil."

"It would be better not to have the three of them here, we don't know if there are spies in the castle." Lukas brought up.

"If we wait any longer then assassins will keep coming for Lukas." Mikkel reminded.

"I c'n take ya to Leon's." Berwald said to Lukas.

"No, if Lukas isn't here it will be suspicious." 

   They went silent as they were right back to where they were before. Lukas's face changed and the other two could tell he had decided what to do.

"We'll wait then, as long as Berwald is here we can all watch out for one another. As long as Emil will be alright then I'm not worried. When Tino is back to health we will talk to Leon. Plus if the healer spends time with them I'm sure he will be more persuaded to help us." 

"So this is the plan?" Mikkel double checked.

"Ya, sounds good." Berwald agreed.