~ 100K Celebratory Special 2 of 3 ~

(I got too excited. Thus, this will be a three parter. And anyway, since I screwed up and accidentally paywalled part 1, I figured you all deserve another free chapter :).

~ Higgins)

"How may we address you, milady?" Vin asked, his voice cracking a bit in response to her proximity. She was clearly younger than them both, and clearly possessed more poise than both of them combined.

She smiled sweetly at them. "Call me Ko."

~

"Ko?"

The name sounded peculiar coming out of Cele's mouth, but tasted sweet on his tongue.

The priestess hummed and smiled at him, eliciting from him a painful blush.

After a moment of awkward silence, she laughed.

"Og thu?"

"And... you." Vin muttered the translation mindless before snapping back with his well-known resilience. "I'm Prince Vincente Caravalho. This is Celestino Adesso, from Ostiarius Isle."

Cele jolted in surprise, turning to Vincente with a look of betrayal, before elbowing him hard in the ribs.

"Ow!" The prince growled, doubling over to clutch his side. "What was that for?"

"You're making me sound like an island bumpkin!" Cele hissed back.

"It's not my fault you were born there!" Vin bit, jabbing him back in retribution.

Cele went to grapple his shoulder, one hundred percent ready to throw down, before the priestess laughed. The sound silence them both.

"You two are lively."

The comment shouldn't have had the effect that it did, yet, somehow it managed to persuade both Ilysian young men to sit back down, eyes lowered, ears hot.

"Excuse our behavior, Lady Ko," Vin said. "Please forgi-"

"Vincente, Celestino!" Literator Anacleto's voice bounced over the stacks of books and through the shelves like an omniscient demon. "Why do I hear giggles and conversation when-"

He halted upon seeing the back of the priestess, who was not in the least bit ruffled by his sudden presence.

Beside the Literator stood a tall men, clearly of Simonese breeding with his high cheekbones and hooded eyes.

"Who- Madame, this is a place of study. You cannot simply waltz in and-"

"Heiko."

The tall Simonese spoke, his voice low and benign, but effectively interrupted Literator Anacleto's ramblings nonetheless.

"Hei... ko?" Vin mumbled, brows arched high. "As in..."

The priestess- er... Cele cleared his throat and looked down, stomach fluttering in a horribly overwhelming amalgam of embarrassment and the yet to be extinguished attraction to... the... youngest Simonese prince. How could... his features were so feminine - especially when swaddled in the makings of priestly garb. And it wasn't his mistake alone, either - Vincente was just as blindly fooled as he. And his voice...

"Sorry."

He bounced up from his seat across from Cele and Vin, grinning at them like a divine trickster and winking, before spinning to face the music.

"I wasn't looking for trouble, I promise Alfie." Despite the cheeky tone, the prince seamlessly lowered his octave. Or, rather, more likely, returned it to the proper one. "You know how libraries attract me."

"Alfie," Vin murmured under his breath to Cele. "As in-"

"Prince Alfred," Cele concluded with a succinct nod. Nobody had told them to be expecting Simonese royalty.

"And then I heard these two talking about their chances at wooing a beautiful Simonese woman, so, naturally I was curious too."

Prince Alfred's expression might as well have been carved from stone.

"But, of course, it was done entirely in Simonese," the faux priestess added, turning his beautiful gaze to Literator Anacleto. "Ah, samto... eg aetodi therir off, eg talzendi thu hjaldi, nei?"

The words, falling off his tongue like a honey coated enchantment, made the old tutor hesitate, brow arching in what seemed to be alarm, the very tip of his bulbous nose turning a bright shade of pink.

"I..." He stammered, before Prince Alfred came to his swift rescue.

"Heiko, stop teasing the literator and come, will you? The king and queen ask for our presence."

The white-robed prince pouted but crossed for his brother anyway.

"You're no fun, Alfie," he grumbled, a comment which seemed to have no barb.

"Inc-" Literator Anacleto stopped mid word to clear his throat, before beginning again. "Incidentally, Prince Vincente, Celestino, the king summons you."

Cele's heart flitted unbiddenly at the idea of being able to spend more time with the prince - even though he had quite victoriously made of fool of them.

He glanced over at his friend before standing and brushing off his tunic, suddenly wishing he had made a better outfit choice that morning. He had far more becoming chitons and even winter tunics, but he had to be lazy and choose the one that provided the most comfort.

"Three days of homework," Vin whispered as they closed their notebooks and screwed on the lids of their inkwells.

"What?" Cele countered, brow pressed.

"Winner gets three days of homework completed by the loser."

"Winner? What are you talking about?" Cele pressed, stacking their guide books as Literator Anacleto always demanded of them.

Vin turned, flashing him with a devious grin.

"First one to get a kiss from the priestess is the winner."

"The priestess is a foreign prince," Cele pointed out, though the very prospect of it invoked from within him a dash of adrenaline.

"The higher the stakes, the higher the payout," was Vin's argument and it was plenty to convince Cele. Honestly, anything would've been.

He put out his hand for Vin, waiting for a firm grasp, before declaring:

"Deal."