Flower Gleam and Glow

I See the Light

Ivan had to do something about the Jones thief.

He was in danger of losing his precious Sunflower; if he didn't do something, Tolys would run off with him, and Ivan would once again, be all alone.

It would be the raid all over again, it would be the orphanage all over again (for how bad the matrons were, the others children had still avoided him at all costs), it would be his young adulthood all over again.

He was always alone.

And despite what Ivan had told Tolys, he had seen the way Alfred Jones had looked at Tolys, the way he'd held his hands (and oh, that had made Ivan want to bash his head in with his pipe).

Alfred liked Tolys back.

So, Ivan would simply have to make sure Alfred was out of the picture for good, one way or another.

Ivan glanced back at his new friends, who were whispering to each other in rapid Altian.

"Hello," he said. They stopped and looked and him. "I need you both to do something for me."

"Si," Feliciano said. "Of course."

Lovino cast his brother a look, but didn't say anything.

"I need you write Alfred Jones a message," Ivan continued. "Asking him to meet you tonight at the lake's edge, near the bushes, so he can give you the crown."

"But he doesn't have the crown," Lovino said.

"He will," Ivan said.

"But—" Lovino said.

"Ah," Ivan said. "Just do what I say, and everyone wins, remember?"

Lovino took a step back.

"Yes, of course, Lord Braginsky," he said, pulling out a pen and some paper.

Ivan carefully instructed Lovino on what to write; when he was done, he practically threw the letter at Ivan.

True, Ivan had promised them their friend would remain unharmed, but sometimes, promises had to be broken.

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Tolys stared as a dog came running up to Alfred.

"What's that around its neck?" Tolys asked.

Alfred bent down and pulled it away with ease; it was a letter.

"It's from Lovino and Feliciano," he said, reading it.

"So they're okay?" Tolys asked.

"Yeah," Alfred said, pocketing the letter. "They're fine. Come on."

"Alfred? Where are we going?" Tolys asked.

Night had set, and the time for the lanterns was quickly approaching. He and Alfred weaved through the city, though Tolys had no idea where, exactly, they were headed to. He pocketed a square pennant with the kingdom's symbol on it—a souvenir.

"This is what you've always dreamed about, right?" Alfred said. "So the Hero is going to make sure you have the best seat possible!"

Tolys tried not to smile; Alfred stopped at a gondola and gestured for him to get in first.

Tolys quietly removed Alfred's satchel from Berlitz's saddle bag—which was where he'd slipped it at the start of the day—and got in, sliding the satchel under the seat. Eduard perched himself on the edge of the boat.