Prince Zai Tianci lets his thoughts out first, breaking this unknowable sequence of politics. "Have you…?"

The Guardsman keeps her gaze away from him. "Our Apparatus Contact has made his report back to Landfall, as per your instruction. They're coming to pick us up, we should start packing."

Zai exhales, trying to keep composure. "Mori…"

"I know what you're going to say…"

"You should've let it happen, let this play out…"

"Play out? They were here to kill y…"

"You should've just…"

"Just what?"

"... given us more time."

There's something in those last words, in that implication that cries out from this Crown Prince. Something that he holds in those eyes of his, in that sacred breath that comes from his lungs and into the world—something that he wants but can never say.

Guardsman Mori Fushimi doesn't smile. "You still haven't figured out what she wants? You're still on that?"

"I don't know." Zai tries to grasp himself, trying to not shed the tears pooling at the edges of his eyes. "Maybe it's just… I don't know. I can never know."

"And more time can fix that? You think with more time you can break her?"

To tear down this Fourth Princess, clear her of any suspicion with no doubt in Zai Tianci's heart.

Maybe he could.

Maybe, if he had just another few hours, a few days, months, even years…

Guardsman Mori Fushimi gives Zai Tianci a question, not even letting him answer the first. "Do you trust her?"

The voice is like a mouse inside him, dashing across the floorboards of an old cottage. No time will ever be enough. This Dominion will succumb to cancer by father's hand, or conquered under the flags of the Axial Powers, or crumble to dust under the erosion of time—and never once will you trust her.

He doesn't even take time to think, on his tongue uncertainty. "I can't."

You couldn't.

Fear knots his chest, in that lie and truth bending his soul. "I can't trust her."

Something breaks inside him, in that single tear that falls from his eyes. Something that he can't accept… no—something that he can't bring himself to accept.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Mori finds the vital artery that exsanguinates this Crown Prince, this last question destroying him. "Sire, do you want to trust her?"

"No." Zai doesn't even try to hide this lie.

"Then you're never gonna find out." Mori Fushimi tells him. "Because in the end, all you can do is ask her what she wants. And if you don't believe her answer, then you're straight outta… "

"Don't lecture me." It's a violent escalation of conversation, Zai hiding the catch in his throat. "Know your place, Guardsman."

Mori doesn't back down. "You know I'm right Zai Tianci."

She is.

She is perfectly right.

So he has to return to this prior conversation, still kneeling on this carpeted flooring, lashing out blindly in his accusation. "If you just kept to yourself, we would've had more time. If you didn't do this, we wouldn't have to go back to Landfall. We wouldn't have to go back! It's because of you we…"

I don't want to go back…

Mori doesn't hold any anger to these words of discomforting truth. "You did this, Zai. You dug this trench. Because of you this happened."

It's because the Crown Prince of Tianci, Zai himself, saw this town in this state and felt a drive in his heart. It's because this lofty royal came to this Town with an Ocean View, because he loved these people so much, that he did this.

It's because he was willing to sacrifice himself for just a few thousand lowly peasants, for their sake, for their comfort that this happened.

Because Zai Tianci could not stop himself from doing this, from saving these people.

Because a white crane once flew across the burning plains, high above a world of thirst; and below it a little boar squealed from a mud-cracked ravine, trapped and sun-blind, dying for water.

The crane saw it, then glided down. "I will carry you to the river,"

The boar snarled. "You'll die carrying me."

The crane said nothing, and he tore feathers from his wings to cushion the boar.

But halfway to the river, the crane's wings faltered. The weight, the blood, the heat; it was all too much.

And they fell together in the dust.

"Why?" asked the boar, dazed, broken.

The crane's breath was faint. "Because you cried for help."

The crane did not fly again.

Zai Tianci wants to weep.

The Crown Prince speaks to his guardian, keeping his head low. "I'm sorry for making you do this."

Mori scoffs at this strange apology. "I am simply your instrument, Sire. It's your life to live as you see fit."

And he tries not to smile at her immense oversimplification of that duty of hers. "I know."

You know.

There are preparations to be made; news to be delivered to her, small affairs to be settled in town, bags to be packed, and…

A part of Zai Tianci almost breaks at that thought, but instead he just keeps himself focused on this Guardsman. Standing to his feet, sighing as he gazes at this living room, at this home. "We have much to do before we return to Landfall."

The Guardsman lazily stretches, cracking her neck with a loud snap of tendon and muscle. "Eh, I'll wait for the rest of the gang to come first, they've practically been on vacation for the last three months!"

Zai shuts his eyes at that, calming himself. "It'll be nice to see how they're doing."

But Mori keeps him grounded. "Well, before anything else; you'll have to tell the bad news to your wife first." This Guardsman lets a slight grin fall on her face. "You think she'll take it well?"

And Zai Tianci, without a pause and with absolute certainty, smiles. "She won't take it well, no."

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