Bride hunting went well, as well as bride hunting can go for one gay prince and one gay peasant. I think this chapter we'll see more male bonding that bride hunting, lol.

…

Nico's POV

…

I tumbled out of the carriage and stretched my sore limbs above my head. Halbas was divided into four fiefs, and we were in the northernmost to start with, Crona. Crona had a king, a princess, and a young prince. The princess's name was Piper, and the prince's name was Malcolm. Malcolm was Percy's age, and rumored to be quite the handsome prince already. He had plenty of female suitors lined up to meet him, but he wasn't interested yet. As a young prince, he had some leeway yet. But starting next year, he would need to start thinking of his own bride-to-be. I felt kind of bad for him.

Percy and I got passed the guards without much trouble, after I showed them the seal that marked me as a visiting prince. We were immediately ushered into the throne room, where the king and the princess were pacing in front of the windows anxiously. Malcolm slouched in his throne, wearing the bored expression all princes tended to adopt when meetings ran long. The most noticeable thing about the young prince were his eyes. They were as gray as angry thunderclouds, and sometimes just as dangerous looking. He had a sweep of blonde hair parted down the middle, just visible behind the gold band wrapped around his head. He sat up straighter when we entered.

"Prince Nico of Grandor," I said with a bow to the king. "And this is Prince Percy of Nanuk." Percy bowed stiffly, straightening only when I gently touched his shoulder. I had my scepter in one hand, and it glowed faintly. The king, Mitchell, eyed it warily. I turned to hide a grin. It would seem everyone was afraid of my scepter. I handed it to Percy and unpinned my traveling cape. I turned my attention to Piper. "Ah, Piper," I purred. "It is lovely to meet you in person. You look lovely." She blushed and looked away. I wasn't lying; she did look lovely. Simple, but lovely. She wore a simple, straight dress made of white silk, and it complimented her frame nicely. Malcolm made his way over to us, eyeing me curiously.

"Are you going to marry my sister?" he asked me, with just the slightest hint of accusation in his voice. I smiled at him. It was sweet he was trying to defend his sister. I noticed the sword hanging from his side, and I motioned to it.

"You any good with that?" I asked him, and his eyes went down to the pommel of his sword. He touched the leather-bound hilt with is fingers, finally drawing it free of its scabbard. He showed it to me, and when I held out my hand, he relinquished control of the weapon. It was beautifully crafted, simple and plain, but well balanced. He would be able to swing it all day without overtiring. I handed it back to him, and noted he handled the weapon carefully. "Any good with that?" I repeated, and he grinned a little.

"Better than most," he replied casually. It wasn't uncommon for princes to learn the art of swordplay, but normally the job was saved for nobles of lesser ranks. Princes had swords, but they were more for show than fighting. I drew my own sword, and the hiss of steel on leather made him whistle in appreciation. "Those stones don't do much for the balance," he said with a hint of disappointment, pointing to my pommel and crosspiece. Sure enough, rubies decorated both, but they hardly bothered me now. When I first began, they were cumbersome, often dragging my sword down as I tried to lift it. But I'd been twelve at the time, and over the years my muscles hardened, so now I could wield it just as well as a plain sword.

"True enough," I said at last, seeing his point. "But the blade is heavier than most as it is, so it balances out in the end. It used to drag me down," I admitted. It was always a good idea to belittle oneself sometimes, and Malcolm was eager enough. "I could barely lift it passed waist height. But now." I held my sword above my head, holding onto the hilt with one hand. Malcolm looked up at it, squinting. Then he grinned.

"How about a duel?" he suggested. "We could invite over some townfolk. They love a good duel." I pondered that. A duel would look good from all aspects. If I refused, Mitchell could very well send me packing. I noticed he was staring at me with new interest. Piper was also watching me closely, trying to decide what I'd say. A duel was good for Crona, especially since it was a fief rather than a full kingdom. I glanced at the sun. It was still coming up. I turned back to Malcolm.

"I would love to duel," I said to him, and his eyes lit up. He was certainly eager. "How about at noon?" I suggested. "It gives me a couple hours to prepare, and I still have plenty of time to get to know your sister." Malcolm rubbed his hands together. I knew I'd gotten him worked up now. This was his area of expertise. The bored look was gone, replaced now with excitement.

"Deal," he said, and we shook hands. "Mason will show you to a room to prepare. I will see you at noon." With that, he wheeled around and ran off into the innards of the castle. Percy was giving me curious looks as a dark-haired servant appeared and led us to a room in which I could dress myself appropriately. I waited until Mason left to start putting on armor.

…

Percy's POV

…

Word of the duel got around quickly, and soon there were dozens of townfolk filling the stands of the arena. Nico and Malcolm were at opposite ends, facing away from each other and doing last minute prep for the duel. Nico looked like a kid in my mother's bakery when she had fresh strawberry pastries. He tightened the straps on his gloves and smiled at me as I took my seat. I waved at him, staring intently at Malcolm. The young prince was wielding his sword, swinging it in low, sweeping arcs, obviously pretending he was facing imaginary enemies. He was good, I had to admit. Better than some full grown knights I'd seen roaming Grandor. Nico glanced briefly over his shoulder, but he seemed unconcerned by Malcolm's natural ability.

"He's good," I whispered to him. At that, he grinned. He unsheathed his own sword, and the hiss of steel on leather was reassuring.

"I do know my way around the sword as well, you know," he said to me. "Malcolm and I have to be the two best dueling princes around. Don't you worry. My head will stay firmly where it is." His tone was light and joking, but that still did little to calm my nerves. What if Nico got hurt? Then I shook the thought away. Nico wouldn't intentionally put himself in danger. If he felt like he wouldn't be able to face the opponent, he wouldn't. It was as simple as that.

"Duelers!" King Mitchell called out, and instantly the noise died down. I looked closely at the king. He appeared to be enjoying this very much. Good publicity was always a good thing when it came to the king. "Ready positions!" he called, and Malcolm and Nico edged closer to each other. Nico reached across the space between them, and Malcolm shook his hand. That sent the crowd into a frenzy. "And…begin!" Instantly, Nico and Malcolm sprang apart, circling each other warily. Each was trying to size the other up. In Malcolm's case, he really was looking up. Nico was a few heads taller than him. Malcolm darted forward, his sword swinging up in an upperhand cut. Nico parried it with the sound of steel on steel, and sparks flew from the impact. Nico grunted under the force of the attack, and I saw him lose his footing momentarily. Malcolm flicked his sword up and down, serving a backhand cut. Nico blocked it again, beads of sweat already making tracks down his forehead.

"He's good," one of the villagers to my right commented, and when I gave her a blank look, she elaborated. "Nico. No one has lasted this long with Prince Malcolm in a great long while."

"Oh goody," I said, redirecting my focus to the duel. Nico was advancing on Malcolm, who was retreating under the power and speed of his attack. It almost looked like he was getting the upper hand in this duel, and the crowd roared their approval at the prolonged battle. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over. Nico, tired from delivering so many blows in rapid session, lost his rhythm, which was just the opening Malcolm needed. He mimed an overhead cut at him, and as he went to block, Malcolm switched his grip so the sword was swinging toward Nico's helmet. Rather than slamming it into the side, however, Malcolm stopped it, grunting from the effort. He tapped it lightly against Nico's helmet, signaling where the blow would've fallen. Nico straightened and removed his helmet. The battle was over.

Malcolm had won.

The crowd was beside themselves with glee. Even the king and princess looked pleased with the turn of events. I was a little shocked. A young prince, a mere boy, had bested Nico in one of the things he prided himself in. I expected to see resentment for the fact, but I was mistaken. Nico clasped Malcolm on the back.

"Great job," he told him. "It's been awhile since I've had an opponent as tough as you. That last swing of the sword was pure poetry." Malcolm grinned, the glitter of triumph dying in his eyes. He clasped Nico's shoulder in turn.

"That speed was amazing," he said. It had been drilled into him to always compliment something your opponent had done, win or lose. "You almost had me a couple times." Nico laughed. I smiled a little. Nico and Malcolm appeared to be hitting it off. Though Malcolm wasn't the one he was supposed to be getting along with. And I think Piper knew it too, because she kept shooting them looks. I think Nico sensed her gaze, however, because he wandered over, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Beg pardon, dear Piper," he said. "I seem to have gotten carried away there. Please, accept my deepest apologies." He bowed deeply, and Piper delicately covered her mouth and giggled. "I would love to get to you know you better now, but I would like to freshen up, if that's alright with you."

"I don't mind at all," Piper said, giving him a dazzling smile. "We shall gather again later." She floated off, chatting idly with her brother, who bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet. Nico wandered over to me next, his helmet tucked neatly under his arm.

"Now that was fun," he said, raking his fingers through his hair. I wrinkled my nose.

"No offense, but you stink," I replied to that. Nico glared for a moment, but then he smiled. Which caused me to smile, cause he had such an amazing smile. He jerked a thumb toward the castle, and we both headed back to the room we were sharing. It, too, had its own private bath. Nico disappeared inside while I stretched out on my stomach on the bed. I stared at the floor, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. For some reason, it was sinking in that, after this week, I'd probably never see Nico again. I wasn't royalty. And he didn't know that. How was I going to explain to him that I'd never be able to see him again after this? I buried my face in the pillows, sniffling.

"Percy, I…" Nico trailed off, and I heard the bed groan as he sat down beside me. "Baby boy, what's wrong?" I felt myself being pulled, and soon I was curled on his lap while he gently stroked my hair. "Percy, please talk to me," he said quietly, kissing my forehead. "I hate seeing you upset."

"I…I just…" I began. I couldn't tell him. "It just it me that after this week, we won't see each other again. You'll be married and running a kingdom." Nico held me at arm's length, studying my tear-stained face. He gave me a gentle kiss.

"Is that what you think?" he asked. "I told you Percy, I want to marry you. I'm dead serious. Let's just play this out to please my father, and then I break the news to him. And then we'll have a grand wedding." I smiled hesitantly. I had no doubts that he wanted to marry me, but I still wasn't sure how. After all, I was just a lowly peasant. If he knew, would he still want me?

…

Nico's POV

…

"Dinner was very lovely," I said, wiping the corner of my mouth with a napkin. In fact, dinner had been very bland, but there was no way I was saying it out loud. Once again, we had cod, sprinkled with lemon and pepper, and greens. Percy's face matched his salad when he smelled the fish, and I politely asked if they could return his dinner and bring him something else. I didn't want to seem rude, but I had to think of my travel companion's needs as well as my own. "How was your dinner?" I asked him quietly. He still had a green tint to him, as he still smelled out dinner. And, in fact, he hadn't touched much of anything on his plate.

"Not hungry," he croaked out. I gave him a sympathetic looks, but turned my attention to Piper, giving her a smile. After I comforted Percy, Piper and I had talked for a couple hours. She wasn't any happier about being wed off, so we had a lot to talk about. Percy groaned and put his head on the table.

"Percy, sit up," I hissed. He sat back up, swallowing hard. I smiled at the king, who gazed at Percy curiously. "It has been wonderful being here, King Mitchell," I said. "And I do have a favor to ask of you. We've had two, long and hard days of travel. Do you think we could bed down here for the night? It would be nice to have a firm mattress under my back, rather than a hard carriage seat under my backside." King Mitchell gave me an amused look.

"Of course," he said. "It certainly has been a pleasure having you here," he added. Malcolm bobbed his head, his hand dropping down to the pommel of his sword. We all rose, and I offered my arm to Piper, who took it with a giggle. I led her to the side of the dining room.

"I would like to thank you for listening to me rant," I said. She gave me a a kind smile, reaching out and brushing my shoulder.

"Any time," she said. "I hope all goes well when you return home. Percy seems to be a really good fit for you." At that, I smiled broadly. I'd confessed to her my intentions, and she fully supported my decision to marry Percy. Speaking of, he seemed to be having a one sided conversation with Malcolm. Meaning, Malcolm did all the talking while he nodded along. "You certainly have my support, whatever you decide to do."

"Thank you," I said simply. She smiled at me again.

"Oh, gross!" We both looked over as Malcolm backpedaled quickly. Percy straightened, and I could hear him crying from where I stood. I strode over to him quickly, finally noticing what happened. No wonder the poor boy hadn't been speaking much. He'd been trying to keep his dinner down. But it looked like he failed.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized as Mitchell approached us, wrinkling his nose at the smell of vomit. "I'll help you clean it up if you want." The kind waved a hand.

"No, no," he said. "You best get him up to bed." I nodded, and led Percy by the elbow out of the dining room. As soon as we were out of sight, I scooped him up and held him close.

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?" I asked. "I could've gotten you back to our room." But he just shook his head, clearly not trusting himself to speak. In fact, he appeared to already be drifting off to sleep. I staggered into our room, setting him on the bed and stripping him of his clothes, leaving him mostly bare. I laid a palm on his forehead. He felt slightly feverish. "My poor baby," I cooed. I went into the bath, soaking a cloth with cool water. I draped it over his forehead, and he wiggled uncomfortably. "I know, I know," I soothed. "But it'll make you feel better." I stripped myself down as well, crawling into bed with him. I kept a little distance between us, however, because I didn't want him to absorb my heat as well.

"Nico?" he asked groggily, trying to sit up. I blinked. I'd been unaware I'd started drifting off. "Nico, where are you?" He sat up, and the cloth tumbled away. I sat up as well, wrapping my arms around him, and eased him back down.

"Right here baby boy," I whispered. "You're okay." He gave a little sigh, closing his eyes. He still felt warm to the touch. I was hoping a good night's sleep would help him, otherwise I'd have to find a healer, and that would put us behind a little. "Goodnight Perce, sweet dreams," I said quietly, kissing his forehead. He sighed again. I settled down myself, holding his warm body to myself.

…

Sooooo, it's been a long while, hasn't it? Yeah. Well, my friend wants to read this story, so I've decided to try and finish it up.