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(Sounds like a plan! Poor Fi, tho)
“This winter festival? Or my winter festival?” Levi tilted his head. Clarification was needed, as he knew exactly what shops he wanted to go to at his winter festival, but not the ones here. He hardly knew what they sold here.
"Yours, obviously." Cadmus rolled his eyes, leaning back against Fi's chest. "The lug says you're gonna be home by next month, and we were talking about your home country anyways." Fi laughed softly so Cadmus set a hand flat on his chest, gently shushing him. "I thought I may as well ask a couple questions, just in case I convince him to visit with me."
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“Oh, well sure,” Levi watched the two of them with a humored, rising grin. “I really like ceramic and pottery type shops, cups and plates and vases. That sort of thing. If you buy a mug at one of the vendors, you can get it filled with heated wine to walk around and drink,” he recalled fondly. “And there are plenty of vendors selling unique clothes, jewelry, gloves and hats. I usually don’t buy there, but I love looking at them.”
Cadmus nodded, eating up the description. He loved travelling, did it as often as he could when Fi was available to come with him for protection and companionship. Their trips had been getting less and less frequent lately, but he was sure he could persuade Fi to come to Nord Widonia with him if he got a little time and help from Levi. "Sounds like a great time! What're the clothes like, do you trade in furs?"
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“It is,” Levi grinned, remembering how happy he was in the months leading up to the festival, and during the festival. “Our clothes have heavy fabric, heavier than you have here. And we have coats and cloaks lined with fur. Sometimes we trade with furs, but silver and gold coins are more common. Especially among the nobles.”
Cadmus grinned, already imagining a winter festival with the three of them in Widonia. he'd be dragging Fi along, watching Levi show them his favorite places with Mordecai by his side, all of them sipping at mugs of spiced wine and dusted with snow. "I know there's a night time part of the festival, what's that like?"
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“Oh,” his eyes brightened. “Every day the festival lasts well into the night. But on the last night, the coldest night of the year, everyone gathers in the central square with candles. Around several small fire pits. For five minutes it’s silent. A vigil and small ceremony for fallen soldiers and our god. The day following there are no punishments for the prisoners in the jails and dungeons.”
Cadmus brightened considerably. "We have that!! It's on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It stretches on for hours and hours, and we all stay up late into the night until Haplo takes away the last sunrays and the world is dark again."
Fi nodded. "It is called the day of sun. It is for prayer, and also for… renewal. That is the day you will be freed."
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“Oh,” Levi perked up a little bit at the mention of being freed. He smiled, “That sounds beautiful, I can’t wait to witness it.” Although he wouldn’t be participating in prayer— at least with their gods.
"It is! When the sun hits the windows of the temple just right, it's… kinda glorious. 'Cause they're made of all these different colors of glass, and they shine these giant murals down onto the ground." Cadmus smiled fondly, leaning back against Fiori's chest. "You're gonna love it."
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Levi smiles, imagining the imagery. It did sound beautiful. “That sounds so beautiful. The temple at my home has elaborate windows, but they aren’t colored. Unless there’s stained glass in the place only the priests are allowed,” he wondered.
Fiori hummed softly, quieting Cadmus who had opened his mouth to speak. "I would not be surprised if they did, but… you will change that. And someday…" He smiled, squeezing Cadmus a little closer. "Someday, your festivals will be aflame with glass as colorful as the lights in the winter sky. Perhaps that is when I will be able to visit."
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“Perhaps so,” Levi imagined with growing excitement. “I will…” he paused, looking between Cadmus and Fiori. He was almost sure Cadmus knew he was a prince, but did Fiori have the same suspicion? “I will have to consult with those in charge about that. There’s a committee that helps set up festivals, and they’re open to suggestions from most citizens. Especially nobles.”
Fi nodded eagerly. "Yes! You have begun to realize the problems with your church, yes? Perhaps you can change it, or expose the problems to your prince and allow him to take charge." He paused, pulling Cadmus a little closer with a soft sigh. "Well… allow him to take charge should he chose to. Would he be as willing to change as you?"
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“I don’t know,” he replied in a strained breath. “He’s stubborn, but in his own beliefs, less traditional than the older Prince. It all depends on his inner moral code, which isn’t always the best for the greater good.” He would almost call Johan selfish, but in all of his strange complexity it wasn’t the right word. More-so proud than anything else.
Fi nodded solemnly. "He seems a most complicated man."
Cadmus laughed. "Complicated, asshole, whatever you wanna call it. I'm sure he'll need a little help taking charge anyways, maybe little Levi here can help take the reigns when he gets back home."
Fi hummed softly, considering. "Perhaps." He gave Levi a onceover before nodding once and reaching around Cadmus to pet him firmly on the shoulder. "You would be a most apt leader, I think. It's a shame you could not have been born a prince."
Cadmus had to bite his cheek to keep from smiling. "Oh yeah, real shame. I'm sure our boy'll figure out some way to take power, won't you Levi?"
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Levi smiled awkwardly, shifting in his shift, but he tried to pass it off as humble embarrasment. "Haha… I don't know about that. I'm not much of a leader or public speaker." It wasn't like he'd been training all his life to be king, even though he had. "I don't even know how much a simple noble like me could really do to challenge the system. Especially the royal one."
Cadmus raised an eyebrow, laughing softly when he heard Fi hum curiously behind him. Honestly, it was nothign short of a miracle that Fi hadn't put two and two together yet. "Oh I wouldn't be so sure. You must be quite powerful to be so close to the princes, and I'm sure you could gain the prince's ear. You were there to advise his brother, right? Why shouldn't he trust you to advise him?"
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Levi laughed nervously, “I wasn’t exactly an advisor, just a… high noble. His brother was more of a friend of mine than he is. I doubt he would listen to me unless I propose something that interested his plans. Even if I was an advisor.”
Fi hummed softly, giving Levi a confused sort of frown. Cadmus leaned back against his chest, smiling contentedly as he watched Levi start to get nervous. Of all the ways of getting Fiori up to speed about Levi, letting him find out himself was the best. "But… you surely have the prince's ear, do you not? You were trusted by the royals, what reason would the spitfire prince have not to accept your council?"
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“I-I do…” he stumbled. Levi’s hand returned to the ring on his finger, spinning it agitatedly. “He just doesn’t like me as much as the first prince. We were more alike, and thus closer.” He knew he was repeating his reasons, spinning on the same arguments without really getting anywhere convincing. His heart was beating so fast. He’d never needed to be a skilled spy, not until now when it really mattered.
Fi frowned and then clapped him on the back with a solemn nod of understanding that had Cadmus internally facepalming. "He will not turn down your good sense, Leviticus. No need to worry. As long as your reasoning remains sound, you will have as much success as you need."
Cadmus rolled his eyes and slid out of Fi's lap, tugging him to his feet. "Alright you two, enough chitter-chatter. We've gotta get you down to the ring, big guy. It's almost seven I bet your uncle's waiting for you. Wanna walk down with us Levi?"
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“Oh, right,” Levi blinked. With talking to Cadmus, he’d completely lost track of time. It was seven already? He shifted his attention to Fiori. “As long as I don’t have to interact with your uncle, I’d be happy to walk down with you two.”
Cadmus tossed an arm around Fiori's waist, guiding him over to the stairs as he turned to talk to Levi. "He will not be there with me. We will not be face to face until we meet in the arena, and then… I do not think we will ever meet again."
Cadmus smiled, leaning over to peck him on the cheek. "Well, well, well, the great lug finally made a decision. I'm proud of you, Fi. You're gonna do great."
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Levi trailed along with them and let out of a breath of relief at Fiori’s affirmation. At least set the one that his uncle wouldn’t be there when they went down. He cocked his head to the side; “What decision?” Perhaps it was something they mentioned before and he’d forgotten, but he thought he would have understood it better if he had at least heard of it previously. So maybe they were speaking of a previous conversation Levi hadn’t been involved in
"Fi's been… on the ropes about what to do with his uncle." Fiori huffed out an affirmation, leaning against Cadmus with a sigh. "He was just gonna keep him around as an advisor, but I managed to convince him what a monumentally stupid decision that would be, so he's been grappling with what do do."
"I think he could do well as the governor of the Alkai province," Fi murmured, smiling slightly as Cadmus hopped up on tippy toe to ruffle his hair.
"Attaboy! Get him as far away from the capital as he can get!"
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Levi turned his eyes towards them and laughed. “Yeah, that does sound like good idea. The closer he is, he might be more dangerous. Depending on how pissed he is that he lost,” he laughed a little. After Fiori overthrew his uncle, and Levi was released back home, he imagined that peace might finally be an option. Disregarding the terrible parts of these series of events, good might come from them.
Cadmus rolled his eyes. They were on the lowest level now, doors on the far side of the long hall, and he was hurrying forward to shove them open. "Oh please," he said, looking over his shoulder at them with a smirk. "That prick's not gonna last two seconds in the ring with my Fi. He'll go out like a punk in the first minute, easy."
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“Based on what I just saw earlier in the arena, I can’t help but agree with you,” Levi chuckled. “I have to admit that was very impressive.” He could only imagine the battle between Fiori and Johan. If they were ever to— maybe if Fiori visited his kingdom sometime.
Fi nudged Levi with his shoulder, letting Cadmus shrug off his arm to jog up to the doors. "Then I thank you for your praise, Leviticus. It means much from one acquainted with such skilled fighters."
Cadmus laughed from his spot up ahead, pushing the doors open lightly. There was a rustling noise from behind it, weapons being drawn from scabbards, picked up off resting places and held at the ready. He didn't pay it any mind. "Shut up you two! We've got stuff to do, don't want the lug to be late."
There was something gleaming behind the door– armor. Fi hastened to catch up, not wanting to keep Cadmus waiting, and then the doors were being tossed open. A sword was thrust forward, gleaming, and then red with blood, and for a second the moment was preserved perfectly like a bug in a drop of amber. Still. Silent.
Then Cadmus screamed.
