Road to Ruisea

❆ ❆ LXXVI. ALEXEI ❆ ❆

Things are different now. This is something Alexei takes to be a fact.

Things are certainly different in Ruisea — now that there's construction going on there, nonstop noise and metal clanging and people chattering, constructors and architects and even the last few magicians from all over the world, coming to put in a new station, new tracks that lead from Qiluca to Ruisea, completing the Ocean train and making it able to travel as far as it was intended to. From Cevalon to Ruisea, from sun to snow, uniting all five kingdoms at last.

Things are different in Cevalon. More people come and go. The king and queen seem to be happier, ruling kinder, being more open to friendship. They always had visitors, but now it seems that they actually wanted them. And a lot of people are booking a ride a year in advance for the Ocean — nobody wants to leave to travel the world quite yet, not when they know they can reach Ruisea too, if they're just patient for a few more months.

But it's not just different for the kingdoms. It's different for Alexei's friends, too.

Things are different for Chiro.

"Did you hear the great news!" He came laughing one day. "I'm the new royal wizard."

"Royal wizard?" Jae had snorted, but he looked happy for his friend. "That sounds ridiculous."

"It's true!" Kumari had chirped, hugging Chiro tight. "He's our go-to for magic know-how and puts on the best light shows."

"And the pay is a lot nicer," he grins. "I can visit Naomi whenever I like now."

Things are different for Jae.

"So let me get this straight," he'd put a hand on his hip, looking at Alexei with squinting eyes. "You want me to help you rule Ruisea?"

"Well, er," Alexei had tapped his chin, looking at the streak in Jae's hair — it'd been dyed blue again, and it looked nice... But Alexei preferred it when it had been white. "Yes. You are a prince."

"Only half," Jae snorted, then smiled. "You know, Kumari asked for something similar. She wanted me to be royal vizier or some such nonsense like that... Do you think I could do that for you? Then I'd be vizier to two kingdoms."

"Ah!" Alexei nods eagerly. "Sounds perfect."

"Cool. First word of advice—"

It had been to dye Alexei's hair. Alexei had vehemently disagreed.

"No, Jae! Not even a streak! My hair is white and lovely, thank you very much. No, I'm not saying that— Kumari said that!"

Things are different for Kumari, of course.

She's allowed out of the castle. To travel. To be with the conspiracist, the illusionist, the prince. To make and spend time with as many friends as she wanted.

And Kumari had earned a lot of friends.

"Another stack of letters for you!" The blond knight had grinned, bringing them into her room when they'd all been gathered there, simply chatting and spending time together.

"I didn't know you had a part time job as a mailman," Jae laughed.

"I just like excuses to see Kumari," he'd laughed, waving as he left. "And Alexei, too! Love me my royal babies."

The knights were weirdly affectionate. Kumari seemed surprised, too — "They weren't always like that!"

Alexei thinks they were always like that, just that they weren't allowed to show it. He's glad they do, now — he's glad to have more friends.