Lou led the way back as they horn blared through the garden, signally for all the guests to return for the final speeches. He sent Hale, who was still grumbling, away in his uncle car. Then joined his mother as she said all her 'thank you's and honours. Before the two of them escaped to the palace once again.
But Lou was not expecting the sight he was welcomed with, when the car pulled through the gates. Standing on the steps in conversation with his uncle was Lucifer, leaning on a trunk half the size of her. Lou had the door open before the driver had hit the brakes and was sprinting up the steps to meet them. Collecting Lucifer into a choking hug.
'Good to see you too,' she whispered tucking her head onto his shoulder.
'How come you are here?' Lou exclaimed pulling back and looking the woman over.
'She has come as a witch apparently. So I hope she can teach you some magic. The academy said that you refused to take any extra credit classes where you would have been taught it. So I called and borderline begged her to come and see you, armed with some kind of teaching ideas,' Lane intruded.
'Well, it is great to see you,' he shrugged and turned to her trunk.
'She will be in the chambers to your right. I am hoping that Luci may teach you a thing or two about manners. But otherwise Lucifer please refrain from causing too much trouble and grief during your stay,' Lane muttered waving two elves to take the trunk that Lou was analysing.
'I might have souvenirs from my last trip to the dry gorge, including the shed scales and teeth of a black lagoon,' Luci teased as Lou longingly watched the trunk be taken away.
'So I will have to tell you all about me conquests and trials. While you whine about school and how the roast isn't cooked the way you like it. Though no one else in this kingdom likes the roast cooked like you do, the poor cooks here would be a laughing stock if that secret was let out.'
Lou just shook his head and locked his arm with hers, half dragging her up the stairs and into the palace. They navigated through the high halls, on the soft carpets with conversation only dimming when a member of staff got too close for comfort.
'There is so much I need to tell you, and so much that I could use your help with,' Lou announced as they made their way through the more crowded rooms.
'Yes, Lane had mentioned your little plan,' Luci nodded stealing unlit candles from the walls as they passed. 'I'm not sure if it is the greatest idea the two of you have ever had, but I'm not really in a place to judge.'
'No you are not, but you need to meet Hale. Also mother is forcing me to find a spouse. Or rather I need to find a spouse for Hale, if he takes the job,' Lou huffed pulling her through his doors.
Hale was sitting on the couch reading a book on etiquette, his shoulders straight and knees together. He looked up as the prince barrelled in with the renowned witch and hunter, Lucifer of the Mines.
'Your highness, Lady Lucifer,' he greeted standing to bow.
'Well, he looks like you, and has better manners. But he needs to get rid of the rigidness around his face,' Luci said as she stared at him.
'My lady Lucifer, I have heard many things about you. I must say you red hair and brown eyes are as notable as many traveller's recount and your beauty too, is truly unnatural,' Hale added.
'Did he just insult me or compliment me?'
'Honestly no idea,' Lou answered side eyeing her.
'Nonetheless, I am here to teach you magic and the basics of dragons, since you plan to be a researcher,' she said to Lou. Then turning to Hale, she added, 'and to teach you how to be him. Or an upgraded version of him, maybe with a better grasp on trade routes and how to insult nobles without them noticing.'
Hale nodded solemnly and returned to his seat on the couch. But he did remain watching the witch instead of continuing on with his book. He found his new pastime to be, venturing through the many rumours he had heard over the years of Lucifer.
'May I first ask what are your reservations on taking the throne under the pretence of being Lou?' she asked once she had planted herself on the opposite couch. Lou taking the sole rocking chair at the end.
'My reservations are that even with the power of the king I could not achieve a committed and fruitful rule due to my own rigidness on love. My belief on love is that it should be what guides me through life, and not be an afterthought or burden as I am learning the royal family believes. So I do not think I would be motivated to rule,' Hale expressed.
'Love?' she echoed staring at the man. She silently took him in, contemplating his apparent doubts before answering.
'You say you would not be motivated in the future. Yet right now you are motivated to try,' Luci slowly stated.
'He wants true love and claims that he cannot get it. But I think I talked him around with the fact that being king, may get you into someone's pants,' Lou interrupted.
Luci levelled him with a sharp gaze and then turned back to the servant. 'Blunt as ever, but Lou will you go and retrieve my travel satchel from my room,' and the prince left on her command immediately.
Hale watched the prince leave, a sinking darkness surrounding him as he was left with the witch. When he turned back, she was watching him carefully. Her eyes finding his and looking deeply into them, he was caught in hers too. Hardly able to draw his away and focus on anything else in the rooms.
'Many people, claim to be in love with Lou, but that is because of his face and status. You, however, claim it because you truly feel love for who he is. Right now you aren't motivated by what he says, but rather your sacrifice to make him happy. So tell me, how is it that you know him? And why does he not remember it?' she asked.
Hale froze. He was caught out, and unsure of what the woman would do. Yet wary of Lou wandering back in any moment.
'He will take his time; he first needs to go through all the papers and samples I have from my last trip. I would guess we have a few hours before he returns,' Lucifer assured reading his mind.
So Hale took a deep breath and let it out slowly before starting, 'I met him, when my parents were still alive. They were the duke and duchess of the Bline region, we were known for caring for dragons, working to make friends with the fiends. So, the royal family came to see us often. The princess and late king both being very active in the dragon rearing world. And even though Lou is three years older than me, he shared my interest for the creatures, but he also was close enough in age to relate to me. I had originally assumed I was jealous of him. Because he would make friends with all the children that I could not. He could swing a sword better than I and he knew more about the fiends than I did. But I realised when one of the maid's daughters held his hand, that I was jealous of her. I was jealous of all the people he gave attention to, that weren't me. Obviously, I was very young then and very sheltered due to my status. We also hardly saw much of each other, because he was always trailing along behind his sister. I hated her for it, I am genuinely happy she has disappeared. But then I started to hear about the wonderful prince who was at the academy while I was in the Obwalden's service. And I was curious, so I joined the royal staff. I really don't know what I feel now.'
'When did your parents die and the Bline region was handed over to the royals?' she wondered.
'That was when I was ten, my parents were murdered. They had known of the threat and had sent me away to keep me safe. So, the Bline region went to the royal family as there was no one to take it. Then I remained in the service of several families before the Regent hired me. So before recently I had not seen Lou in person for six years,' he answered.
Lucifer considered this, looking to the window as the ice shield melted again from the dragons above. 'So you need hardly any training in how to rule, or how to pass as the prince. The only thing you need is motivation to take the throne in his stead.'
'Correct, I was trained much similar to Lou to take the Bline region, and with the Regent I would be most capable to rule. As for Lou, I know most things about him through what he, the Regent and the rumours have told me. But it has also been in my best interest since I was ten, to learn to blend in. As you said all that I lack is the motivation to, and with Lou away I see no reason to remain here.'
'Watch him when he returns, and see if his smile might be worth something,' Luci suggested. 'But also consider, that maybe Lou is not the one you want love from, but maybe it is everyone else. Lou's philosophy on love is similar to people's views on gods. It is not a proven concept but a religious like belief.'
Seconds later the doors flew open, and Lou came in with the nose horn of a scaled murk-dread. 'Is this really from a murk-dread?' he squealed. His smile had easily lit up the room, Hale watched entranced from the corner of Lucifer's eye. She nodded and waved a hand for the horn to float from the princes grasp to her own.
'Yes, I watched it shed the horn myself. It was on one of the darkest nights of the year in the Nimme valley. And because of the cold and damp no fire could sustain itself. So, I was huddled beside a large boulder. Then when I crept from the swamp lands and headed to the lake for the fresh water and to feed on the fish. I saw this huge and beautiful murk-dread. It was a black one and had two silver hoofs, so I knew it was the leader of its pack. It was drinking too, a little way from me, but I could see it as the horn came loose. And when it dropped its nose horn, five scales from the underside of its right front calf,' Lucifer grinned beginning the long tale of how she found this particular sample.
'I must get some sleep, and so should you if you don't want to be a zombie at the ball tonight. Isn't it at your friends? Marc right?' Luci asked taking the horn from Lou. He let out a whine but obeyed the gentle command. Dragging his feet back to the bedroom and turning out his lights.
Hale stood and followed the witch out while the prince began to undress and open his windows at the other end of his chambers. As the door fell shut Lucifer turned to him with a brow raised.
'Alright, I understand your point,' he admitted.
'I don't think he is incapable of love or realises how many hearts he breaks. But he has his opinions and some valid reasons for not believing in love much. Especially romantic love,' Luci explained leading them to her rooms. 'I think he understands sex, but that one also might be alien to him.'
'I know, he explained it to me. But I also wish we could go back to how we were when we were children. Like we were really good friends and he is completely unaware of it.'
'He isn't naïve, or stupid, but he is wary and focused. He wishes to do what I do, and in his rush to get there he ignores everything else. Especially the things that are right in front of his face. So if you want him to get to know you, but you don't want to say exactly who you are. You have to start somewhere and being his friend may be all you can get,' Lucifer shrugged.
'Any ideas on how to make him stay long enough to befriend me again?' Hale asked.
'You can't make anything stay. Right now, I think his plan is for the coronation to go ahead, then you take over while he runs away. You have to make him want to stay,' she answered and let the door fall shut on him as a dismissal.