Something Different

"Brie." Nicholas greeted as soon as his sister and her constant companion, Ryenne, entered his chambers.

He had asked Jorin to summon them so that they could discuss the ancient technique they had discovered.

"Brother is it true?" Brie asked as her eyes began to tear up.

She no longer looked like the strong princess she was to the public. She was simply the king's youngest daughter, showing her true self in a rare time of vulnerability.

"Yes, father is sick, but I can keep him well." Nicholas said as he pulled his younger sister into his arms and hugged her small form tightly.

In the politics of Merlen, it was so easy to forget that Brie was still a little girl that was forced to grow up because of her circumstances.

She took a deep breath as she wiped her tears away. Taking a step back from Nicholas, her vulnerable expression disappeared, and she was the heartless daughter of the king once more.

"So why did you summon us? You know it's dangerous and that I'm being watched." Brie said in a cold adult-like tone as she scolded Nicholas.

"I wouldn't summon you if it weren't important." Nicholas sighed as he gestured for Brie and Ryenne to take a seat.

They nodded and politely took the seats they were offered as Jorin placed tea and snacks on the center table.

"We're not here to stay, Jorin." Brie said as she dimisibly spoke to Nicholas' servant.

Nicholas couldn't help but hold back a smile, he knew that Brie was actually quite friendly to Jorin when no one else was around.

"There is no harm in serving you some tea and snacks, I'm sure. Plus I have a feeling that this meeting of ours will last longer than you think." Nicholas pushed the teapot closer to his sister, who frowned but said nothing else.

Brie no longer argued with Nicholas, she simply sighed, shook her head and listened to what he had to say.

"I know that I said I could keep father alive, but I cannot guarantee how long." Nicholas' tone was grave, he didn't want to admit it to anyone, but even his powers had limitations.

"I thought you said-" Brie stood up and was practically sobbing as Ryenne gently caressed her arm, calming her down.

It didn't slip Nicholas' attention that his sister had almost lost control of her magic as black dust began to erupt from her hands.

"I'm sorry Brie, but we need to have a contingency plan, father cannot live forever." Nicholas tried his best to be as sympathetic to his sister as possible, but living under his father's rule for the rest of his life was not good for Nicholas.

Unlike his sister who could have her freedom under King Alexander III's reign, Nicholas would forever be chained down.

The only way he could truly be free is if he were to be king himself.

Brie nodded as she struggled to calm herself down, when she couldn't Nicholas stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Will you let me help?" Nicholas asked his sister.

He had a theory, it was something he saw glimpses of from his memories, it was also something he could more or less confirm coming from what he learned from the other realm.

"What will you do?" Brie asked.

"Help you. Do you trust me?" Nicholas looked at his sister, hoping that she would say yes.

From what he had seen in the Ganti wing of the palace, if Brie lost control of her magic, it could prove fatal to all of them.

Brie, who was still shaking, nodded.

Nicholas let his magic flow through Brie and used the same magic that was needed to heal, to calm her, to relax her muscles and her mind.

It took a few minutes until Brie's breathing slowed down and she was visibly calm.

"What did you do?" Ryenne asked as she threw a questioning glance at Nicholas.

"Relax, I didn't harm her." Nicholas chuckled as he released his sister from his influence and walked back to his seat.

"That was. . ." Brie began to say as she thought of a suitable word to describe the experience.

"Amazing? Magical?" Nicholas teased his sister who glared at him.

"Different. It's like I had no control over how my body reacted to my anger, it was as if my magic was being suppressed as well." Brie looked at her hands in disbelief. "What was that?" Her head snapped up as she looked at Nicholas in the eyes.

He frowned and shook his head.

"It was just a theory." Nicholas admitted. He actually was not sure if it would work. He went by a gut feeling.

"A theory of what?!" Ryenne hissed as she glared at the prince, not happy that he had risked his sister's life on a theory he had not tested.

"Things I learned in the past and from the other world." Nicholas calmly explained.

He knew that fighting fire with fire in this case would result in him being on the losing side.

"Ryenne, I'm fine." Brie smiled at Ryenne to show that it no longer bothered her.

Ryenne calmed down and nodded as she picked up a cup of tea and sipped it to soothe her temper.

"What did you call us here for then?" Brie asked as she brought the discussion back on track.

"As I mentioned, some of my memories have returned. I know how to use my magic and part of what happened the night I was sent to the other realm." Nicholas stole a glance at Ryenne as he mentioned the night he was sent to the other realm. He was not disappointed to find her attempting to hide a blush on her face.

"So what is still missing?" Brie asked her brother.

"There is more to my magic." Nicholas declared. "If I am simply more powerful than people realize, then I am no different from the other Corporali Princes that came before me. If I am no different then I have no chance in fighting for the throne."

"What you did to me? Is that part of the more you are speaking of?" Brie asked as she realized that her lack of control could be used as a weapon as well as a cure.

Nicholas nodded.

"The reason why I summoned you is because you and Ryenne spoke of an ancient technique that involved me and Ryenne sleeping together. I think with that technique I can not only transfer mana, but magic as well. It should be enough to draw my memories back." Nicholas announced.

Brie and Ryenne looked at each other. They seemed to be communicating without speaking as Brie shook her head as if to tell Ryenne no.

"Where will you have me?" Ryenne suddenly asked, making Nicholas happier than he should have been.