Enemies or Allies

"That was impressive. Why did you help me?" Veridin walked in stride with Anaroth.

"You drag me around with you. I just didn't want to be dragged down with you."

"How harsh. I could just drag you down myself."

"That would violate our treaty."

"Only if there was evidence." Veridin grinned as Anaroth stopped.

"If something happened to me, you would be the first suspect. Although I don't think you would care. Now tell me, for what reason did you approach me?"

"I wanted to ask you something. The human kingdom, what do you think of it?"

"The human kingdom?" Anaroth glanced at Rowan and Raven. They were close enough to hear the conversation, but it was evident by their expressions that Veridin had been practically whispering. "I think there's a lot of room for improvement. Other than that, the people seem to be better now that you've become king. A kingdom cannot exist without its subjects."

Veridin scanned him briefly before looking away with a faint smile. "You always seem to surprise me." His smile faded as he exhaled. He began to walk away, gesturing to Anaroth to follow him. Raven had to grab Rowan by the shoulder to stop him.

"His Majesty wants to speak to Sir Anaroth alone."

"What exactly can he share with a demon that he can't share with me?" Rowan snapped indignantly.

Raven glared at him, gripping his shoulder tightly. "It's not a subordinate's job to question their master."

Anaroth had followed Veridin into the forest impulsively. He pondered the same question as Rowan. They walked deeper into the forest than Anaroth had anticipated before they finally stopped. They were close enough that Anaroth could still sense people leaving the venue, but far enough that no one would hear if he shouted. He tensed as Veridin turned around. They had been alone together before, but the atmosphere was different this time.

"Anaroth," He jolted, Veridin had never said his name without honorifics before, "I need your help."

He froze. He wanted to say something arrogant, but he couldn't. He couldn't speak so insincerely in front of those unwavering eyes. "What… Do you need my help with?"

"Turning this kingdom upside down."

"What does that have to do with me? You have other people you could ask: Sir Rowan, Sir Raven, or one of the dukes. There's even the saintess."

"You know why I'm asking you and not them."

Anaroth looked down. Of course he did. Raven didn't have magic, and he didn't trust anyone else. No one else knew how twisted this man was. He knew Anaroth couldn't even refuse. It was frustrating. There was more to this than just asking for help. Why couldn't he just speak bluntly? Anaroth forced a laugh.

"We've been using each other this whole time, so what's a little more? I'll help you, after all, that's what I'm here for right?" Before Veridin could speak, Anaroth jabbed him in the chest. "If you have something else to say, just send your aid next time. You don't need to annoy me personally. I'm just your slave for another month anyway."

Veridin couldn't stop Anaroth from storming off. He let his hand slowly fall to his side. Slave? When has he ever said that? He stood there, staring at the place he last saw Anaroth. Light filtered through leaves of the trees, creating the illusion of silver hair. He took a step forward before Raven appeared from behind the trees.

"Your majesty? Did something happen? Sir Anaroth was quite frustrated. Even Sir Rowan was flustered by his attitude."

"Raven… I think I made a mistake." Veridin looked towards the venue with an inexplicable expression.

"Your majesty… I think you should clean yourself off first."

Veridin looked down at his bloodied clothes. The deep red stained into his once white gloves only reminded him of Anaroth. He pulled them off and handed them to Raven. "Wash these separately." As he walked back, the blood in his clothes was purged with mana. He wanted to rid himself of this pain in his chest, just like the blood. Raven stepped over the scarlet puddle to follow him.

Rowan perked up when Veridin emerged from the forest. He was about to speak when he saw Veridin's strangely vacant stare.

"Rowan, Raven, prepare to leave."

He spoke no more and walked away. Rowan turned to Raven, resigned. "Sir Raven, do you know what's wrong with his majesty?"

"He has too many things he's worried about, and no one who he can tell." Raven watched Veridin solemnly. Even a tiger can be pitiful, Raven knew that feeling well. Veridin had just saved him from that feeling. All Raven could do for him right now was to assist in any way possible.

Rowan sighed. All his anger and suspicions crumbled. This was just like Veridin, to take everything on by himself. To never speak about himself and do inexplicable things. It didn't matter how Veridin obtained the crown, or how he ended the war. Veridin was, and always has been, himself. It was only after meeting Anaroth that he started to behave the way he wanted. Rowan raised his head. He felt grateful and guilty. Anaroth acted similarly to Veridin, yet he had always treated him like some criminal. He resolved himself; He would look at demons in a new light; He would do whatever he could to help Veridin. Whether king or holy knight, Veridin was his brother in arms.

Veridin mindlessly pulled a book from the back of the carriage, He felt dull and strange. He ran his hand over the cover. Guilt: He could name the emotion. He'd never felt such a stomach churning, heart-wrenching feeling before. Despite that, he knew what it was from the various books he's read over the years, He sighed as he opened the door to the carriage. Perhaps he should say something.

"Don't say anything."

He glanced at Anaroth with a blank expression. This unwarranted anger made him feel irritation in place of guilt. His red eyes bore holes into Veridin with hostility. He didn't like it. Veridin realized he didn't like seeing that expression directed at him, especially from Anaroth. He climbed into the carriage without a word.

He glanced at Anaroth again before he sat down. Should he just apologize? That would just make the situation worse. He gripped the book in his lap. What was he supposed to say? That Anaroth had never been forced to come here, sign the treaty, and accommodate his whims? That was practically a lie. What exactly was he mad about? Did he think he was a slave here? Was that why he wanted to escape as soon as the construction was finished?

Veridin tensed, which received a strange glare from Anaroth. He didn't want Anaroth to leave. Anaroth was fun. He wasn't going to let his toy just leave. He wanted to lock his toy in a cage, and break its legs so that it could never escape. He leaned on his hand. What was he thinking? Anaroth wasn't a slave, nor a toy.

"I'm seeing more emotion from you now than I have the past month. I'm starting to think being blunt with you was the answer after all."

"That… Would be nice." Veridin tilted his head up, it still in his hand.

"Shouldn't you do the same then? Can you even handle that?"

Veridin sighed. "I don't know what you want from me. You even told me not to speak."

"Isn't it obvious? Tell me the truth. Don't ask me questions when you won't tell me why you asked!"

"Is that really necessary? I thought you were smart enough to figure it out." Veridin looked to the side.

"When you tell me nothing, it's more than annoying. I can't read your mind! Quit playing with my perception. I am not a game," Veridin flinched, causing Anaroth to pause, "I'm not just a toy for your amusement either. Is that what you see me as? Answer me! Is this why you can't leave me alone? Am I just a game to you?"

"Please… Be quiet for a moment."

Anaroth huffed but complied. He was done with this man. Whatever game he was playing wasn't fun. It was frustrating and twisted. The kind of game that's pointless until you finish it. Anaroth watched as Veridin's prideful eyes softened into confusion. His expression became pained before his shoulders fell.

"I… I can't give you an answer to that. Not right now. I'm so close to fulfilling my revenge. If you help me succeed, I promise you I'll give you an answer. The coronation ball. I'll tell you everything then, is that alright?"

Anaroth glared at him for a moment, then sighed. "You'll keep that promise, or else. So, will you finally tell me about this revenge of yours?"

"High Priest Malas. I want to kill him with my own hands." The sharpness in his violet eyes gradually returned.

"The leader of the church? I know he opposes the treaty, but does that really warrant death?"

"Malas is… The lowest of scum. The orphans that the church adopts; He tortures them for their mistakes and his own amusement. He whips them, starves them, brands, and beats them. He treats them like dogs." Veridin clenched his fists. "I promise… I'm going to make that scumbag lick his own blood off the floor."

Anaroth shivered; It was understandable that he wanted justice against his abuser, but where did this violence come from? "You'll need evidence if you want to punish him."

"I know that. What I'm really going to punish him for is treason."

Anaroth narrowed his eyes. "He's planning treason?"

"He always has been. He loves control most after all. Since he can't control me as the king either, his plans shouldn't have changed much."

"I don't see why you need my help though."

"He is still the high priest. I need you to widen the rift between the citizens and the high priest. More precisely, I need you to show open favoritism towards the Union Church while being hostile to the high priest and his underlings."

"... You are an incredibly frightening man right, coming up with a plan like that. When using public opinion, we should still be careful."

"Right. High Priest Malas has to be working with some of the nobles. The problem is who. I can rule out both of the dukes. Duke Hollin has barely any interest in politics, and Duke Betchner would immediately report something like treason."

"Is the reason why you asked me this because he has spies in the palace?"

"That's one of them."

"What are the other reasons?"

"Malas knows me just as well as I know him. So by doing something I would never do, I can trick him."

Anaroth glanced down for a moment. "What would you never do?"

"Ask for help."

Veridin wrung his hands together unconsciously. He stared at Anaroth's face, but he couldn't seem to see anything. Familiar ruby eyes glittered behind white lashes, but he couldn't place the emotion. Guilt, and fear, ate away at his composure. He was anxious. Just another of 'firsts' that Anaroth had brought him. He couldn't tell if it was about his long awaited revenge or about Anaroth. As he continued to stare at Anaroth's cold expression, his plans for revenge seemed less important. The sense of familiarity he had once seen in those eyes was gone. The joy he had felt from examining those expressions was gone. This wasn't how he expected things to turn out. He had lost control of the situation. And that was more frightening than the high priest.

"Okay. I'll help you." Anaroth's eyes focused on his hands, where Veridin had drawn blood from digging his nails into it. He quickly covered it but traces of blood could still be seen.

Anaroth sighed. He felt a mixture of feelings: Anger, relief, and pity. He felt a little downcast that Veridin only asked for his help because of revenge. Veridin had only been using him since they met; Treating him like a game. When he thought about that he felt frustrated, and a little sympathetic. If you live your whole life as a lie, you're bound to have no true friends. Veridin was just as alone here as he was. That reason alone didn't excuse all of his behavior. Anaroth wasn't going to forgive him that easily.

"That's a relief." The mana fluctuation around his hands betrayed his use of healing magic.

"Remember, you promised to tell me everything at the coronation ball."

"I will, don't worry. For now, I want to take down the high priest."

"Then all I have to do is create a rift between the old church and the public?"

"That's right. I know you can do that."

Veridin slowly picked up the book in his lap. A red tassel hung from between the pages. The cover of the book was a matte maroon. Anaroth recognized the book when he examined it. It was a thicker book, and when Veridin opened it, the words on the pages were smaller as well. The tassel was planted at around halfway through the book. The girls' words echoed faintly in his mind.

"You've never read around me."

Veridin glanced up from the pages then looked to the side before turning his eyes forward again. "Is there a problem with that?"

"I was just curious as to why you started."

Veridin sighed, but didn't respond. He knew Anaroth was prying for information. Normally, he would be able to redirect the conversation. He slowly looked back down at his book. He didn't feel like he could say anything. He felt drained and exhausted. He was so out of it that he couldn't even read.

He ran his eyes over the words on the pages over and over. Yet he wasn't reading them. Hours passed by in the quiet carriage. Veridin went to turn a page in his book when Anaroth leaned over and grabbed it.

"You aren't reading, are you?"

Veridin narrowed his eyes. He hated that he couldn't tell what Anaroth was currently thinking. But he was right. The red tassel remained on the page he first opened the book to. He was merely turning pages to make himself seem busy. The fact that Anaroth had been watching him so closely felt strange, yet warm. He closed the book slowly.

"Alright. What do you want?"

"Answer one question for me. Do you sleep?"

Why was he asking this? Veridin wanted to know the answer, but he felt too sluggish to think straight. He wasn't physically tired, though dealing with his emotions made his processing slow. He didn't even try to embellish his words. "I don't. Now leave me alone."

"Even a snake needs to sleep, Veridin."

"Snake?"

Anaroth shook his head. "Sleep."

He flicked Veridin in the head, sending mana through his skull. Anaroth didn't move as fast as he could have, yet Veridin couldn't react. When Veridin fell limp, Anaroth lowered him onto his side.

"What a hassle… Shouldn't you normally catch my hand and ask me what I'm doing? I could've killed you, you know." Anaroth brushed a few strands of gold out of Veridin's face. "If you aren't at your best, how do you expect to enact your revenge? Even annoying you isn't fun when you're like this."