Five

I walked through the doors as they opened then saw the Kingsglaives and Captain Drautos standing on the left side of the room at the bottom of the stairs, but the prince and his crownsgaurd were on the other side. Sitting in the throne was King Regis, a mean look on his face as Nyx moved to the Glaives with the two who brought me here.

"Are you Sorrentina Demose?" He asked and I smiled as I held my hands behind my back.

"I am, your majesty. And I know that this is about what I said before to Captain Titus Drautos, but I didn't mean for anyone to hear me. If you know who I am, then you will know my profession. I'm afraid that his... item has been taking up space inside our store room. You and your son, who are both wonderful clients, will understand that we do have a week holding time. After that-"

"The item is to be sold again, I know." He said then sat forward.

"And yet you exposed-"

"If the captain is embarrassed because of what he can or can't do with his growing age, that is on him. I'm afraid that I had no way to know he was shy about his... exploits of the body." I said and heard snorts around me then cleared my throat.

"May I approach you, my king? I have some sensitive information that I'd like to share, if you would allow me." I said and he nodded, letting me walking towards him. I went to his throne then leaned over, moving so I could whisper into his ear.

"I know for a fact that Captain Drautos has been using my shop as a cover to send word to Niflheim. I'm afraid I'm powerless to stop him, but I intercepted this note." I whispered and handed it to him. He read it then stood, making me stand and step back.

"ARREST DRAUTOS THIS INSTANT!" He roared then guards grabbed the captain as the king looked at me.

"I had no way to stop him, your majesty, forgive me." I said, but he smiled.

"I see now what you were doing before." He said and I smirked.

"Why, my lord, I'm just a simple antiquities seller. I have no idea what on earth you could possibly mean." I said then he grinned, but I turned and went down the steps towards the doors as Drautos was arrested and stripped of his weapons.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, YOU BITCH!" He roared, but I stopped next to him and snorted.

"Not my fault your penis doesn't work with your age." I said and his eyes went wide as the council of the king started to laugh, but I walked to the doors. I stopped then turned to the king, eyeing him.

"King Regis!" He looked at me, then I smirked.

"I'd call off that wedding if I was you, I have a feeling you will lose your son if you don't!" I said then noticed the prince's eyes went wide, but I glanced down to the antique bracelet that sat on the wrist of the blonde boy next to him. A prince in love with a boy, how odd. Power to that couple. I smirked then turned, walking out of the throne room and leaving the Citadel.

~*-*~

I looked up as the door opened then stood straight as I saw Nyx, Crowe, and Libertus walking in wearing regular clothes.

"What's up?" I asked, but Nyx sighed.

"With Drautos gone, we're suspended. Thankfully, we're all being paid for now by the king." He said and I nodded.

"Sorry I got all of you kicked to the curb." I said, but Nyx shrugged.

"He was planning to take down Insomnia and kill who knows how many, you saved so many lives."

"And, the king wants to celebrate the New Year with you." Crowe said then I eyed her, but she shrugged.

"He says it's for 'opening his eyes about his captain and his son'." She said and Libertus snorted.

"Who knew the crown prince was gay and fucking his best friend-"

"I did." I said and they eyed me.

"His best friend is a gunslinger, photographer, mech kid who loves bracelets. The prince always ordered antique guns, cameras, bracelets, or machinery weapons for a 'special friend'. He sent me a letter recently, it had a photo attached to it. It was of him and his friend together, but it looked like they were outside in some park. He thanked me for my help in making him happy." I said then Nyx smiled.

"Never answered my question." He said then I eyed him.

"What question?" I asked, but he leaned forward some and smirked.

"How come you're so nice to all of us, huh? I thought you Insomnia born people were supposed to hate the rats here to take your jobs." He said then I smiled.

"Insomnia born or immigrant, you're still human." I said then grabbed my inventory book, going around the table to the first shelf.

"Besides, if we didn't have you guys here, who would do the work us Insomnia born refuse to do? We call ourselves patriots of the throne, yet we refuse to die in the war to keep that throne. We say we love the farms of the Southern District, yet we don't want to work them. Say we like the Festival of the Behemoth, but that festival is from Galahd originally, I believe." I said as I took stock then I looked at them.

"Isn't that where you three are from?" Nyx nodded then I smirked.

"See, we say we hate immigrants, us Insomnia born will kick you guys to the curb without second thought, but we really do need you and we are much more like you than we'd care to admit. Well, the other Insomnia born. Not me, I quite enjoy the Immigrant District." I said then looked at them.

"After all, my dad was from Galahd." I said and their eyes went wide as I turned back to my work.