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Chapter Text

Nico’s day was off to a terrible start.  Will hadn’t been next to him when he woke up that morning and Nico hated waking up alone.

“He was there when you woke up,” Reyna corrected when Nico complained to her.  “He wished you a good morning.  You fell back asleep before he even left the room.”

“Oh,” Nico said.  “Then where is he?”  He had been sitting at the little table in the apartment’s common room waiting for husband, staring hungrily at the platter in front of him.  He didn’t want to start breakfast without Will, but he had been waiting so long that even Asterion had given up staring at Nico with pleading eyes in the hopes of being offered a few pieces of meat.

“He’s still getting dressed,” Reyna said.  “The new separates you ordered for him were finished last night.  I think he’s trying them on.”

Nico nodded in satisfaction.  “Then I suppose I can forgive him for being so late.”  

Most of Will’s wardrobe was foreign-looking and Nico liked seeing Will in dark colors, so he’d decided to give Will a few new outfits as a gift.  The separates trend was fairly new to Pluto; rather than being made entirely of one fabric, the parts of a suit could be mixed with other colors and patterns.  Nico had been skeptical of the style at first, but he’d started to like it.  Will would look beautiful in separates.  Will would look beautiful in anything.

“Let’s review your schedule,” Reyna said, and Nico groaned as he was pulled back to reality.  She opened the bag at her side to find the schedule she’d written out for him.  “The Queen Consort requested for lunch and dinner to be held outside—”

“What?” Nico interrupted.  “Again?  But it’s been so hot!”

“It has been pleasantly warm, not hot,” Reyna corrected.  “Anyway, you know that sitting by the flowers makes your mother happy.  The sky has been so clear now that the spring showers are mostly over and she wants to spend as much time outside as possible before it becomes too cold in the fall.”

“At this point, I don’t care if it makes my mother happy, I’m tired of—”

“It makes your husband happy, too.”

Nico held his tongue.  Reyna was right.  Will loved being in the sun.

“Fine,” he grumbled.

Nico heard the door to Will’s room open and he glanced up from his empty plate, excited to see how Will looked in the clothes he had ordered for him.  Of course Will looked handsome in anything, but Nico had never seen Will wear separates before.

As soon as Nico set eyes on him, he knew why.  Will’s breeches were dark blue, his waistcoat purple and striped, and his coat was gold.  The colors and patterns clashed horribly, but Will beamed proudly in the doorway.  Bonnie dashed out of his room and circled around his legs, blissfully unbothered by her master’s offensive ensemble.  “What do you think?” Will asked, holding out his arms to allow Nico and Reyna to examine his clothes.  “They fit wonderfully.”

Nico wasn’t sure how to answer.  He glanced at Reyna, but Reyna looked just as perplexed by Will’s appearance as Nico felt.  Eventually, she composed herself and asked, “Who dressed you, Your Highness?”

“I did it myself,” Will answered proudly.  “I’ve been trying on different pieces all morning.  Do you like it?”

Nico cleared his throat.  “It’s certainly colorful.”

Will’s expression fell.  “It’s terrible, isn’t it?”

Nico looked back at Reyna, then they both nodded.  “Awful,” Nico said.

“I have the worst judgement when it comes to this sort of thing,” Will sighed.  “I was so sure I’d gotten it right this time.  I liked these colors, so I thought if I put them together....”

“Perhaps you should allow someone else to arrange your outfits for you,” Nico suggested.

“Let me try again,” Will said.  “I like dressing myself.  Wait here, I’ll be back in a moment.”

Will left with Bonnie following at his heels.  Nico and Reyna shared a look.

“Was that a joke?” Nico asked.

“I think so,” Reyna answered.  “I hope so.”

They stared at Will’s closed door for a second before Nico cleared his throat.  “What else do you have on my schedule for today?”

Reyna straightened her papers.  “Your day is fairly clear, actually.  I could schedule the history lesson you skipped last week for this afternoon—”

“No.”

“Alright, but you can’t put if off again.  We’re doing it tomorrow.”

Nico grimaced.  He’d have to find another excuse to get out of it.

The door to Will’s room opened again and he came out wearing a pair of green breeches, an orange waistcoat, and a deep maroon coat.  “How about this?” Will asked.

“It’s...not good,” Nico said.

“Is it better than last time?”

“Um....” Nico looked at Reyna for advice.  Should he be honest, or should he be polite?

Will sighed.  “It’s not, is it?”

“No,” Nico said.  “Actually, it might be worse.  Try to only use two colors.  The coat and breeches usually match.”

Will nodded seriously.  “Wait here,” he said.  “I’ll try again.”  And he vanished into his room with Bonnie once more.

Nico looked at Reyna.  “He’s not joking, is he?”

Reyna shook her head.  “I think that he genuinely has no idea what he’s doing.”

“But he’s terrible!”

“He is,” Reyna agreed.  “And you married him.”

Nico waved dismissively.  “It was an arranged marriage.”

“Yes.  An arranged marriage that you consented to.”

Nico thoughtfully tapped his chin.  “Well.  He has some good qualities, too.  And since my schedule is clear, I think I’ll spend the day with him to remind myself of that.”

“Your schedule isn’t completely clear,” Reyna corrected, putting her papers back in her bag.  “We need to review the reports from the Angelian mines this season.”

Nico groaned.

“Actually,” Reyna continued, “it was suggested to me that you visit them yourself now that you’re of age.”

“All of them?” Nico asked in horror.

“The most profitable one, at the least.”

Nico frowned.  “But that’s...that’s the Phrygian gold mine.  That’s....”

When Nico didn’t continue, Reyna nodded.  “Midas,” she confirmed.

Nico hadn’t seen the earl of Phrygia for at least half a decade.  Midas hadn’t even been invited to the wedding.  Normally, neglecting to invite an earl in one’s own duchy would be a great insult, but considering his history, Midas was fortunate to be an earl at all.  In Nico’s opinion, he ought to be in prison, no matter how cooperative he’d been in that investigation....

“Midas,” Nico repeated with a curl of his lip.

“You don’t want to go,” Reyna observed.

Nico snorted.  “What gave you that impression?” he asked sarcastically, folding his arms and slumping back into his chair.

Reyna sighed, but before she could say anything, Will’s door opened again.  

“How about this time?” Will asked.  His breeches were violet, his waistcoat yellow and silver, and his coat pale orange with pink and white floral embroidery.

Nico sighed.  “Will, I told you to limit yourself to two colors.”

“I know, but I liked these colors so much and I couldn’t decide on just two—”

“It looks ridiculous,” Nico interrupted.

Will’s lower lip puffed out.  “That bad?”

“You look like you belong in a circus act.”

Will brightened.  “I like the circus.”

“That doesn’t mean you should dress like one.”  Nico waved to his manservant.  “Jules-Albert, please help him.”

Will deflated and slumped back to his room in defeat with Jules-Albert following behind him.

When they left, Nico caught Reyna looking at him.  “I don’t want to hear another word about Midas,” he snapped.

Reyna sighed.  “I don’t either, but he is the earl of Phrygia,” she said.  “The Phrygian gold mines are crucial to the reconstruction of the Angelian economy.”

“I know.”

“Then you also know that you shouldn’t be angry with me for bringing this up.”

Nico bit his lip to stop himself from retorting.  “Right.  I apologize.”

“You were a bit short with your husband just now, too,” Reyna said.  “I agree that he looked like he belonged in a circus, but there was no need to say it like that.”

Nico bristled.  “I don’t think that the way I speak to my husband is any of your concern!”

“Your Highness.”  Reyna’s voice was calm, but stern, and quickly burned through Nico’s anger.  It almost felt like she’d physically smacked his head to get him to start thinking straight.  She had been in his service long enough to know how to deal with his temper.

Nico wrinkled his nose in irritation, but said, “You’re right.”  She usually was.

“About Phrygia,” Reyna continued, as if nothing had happened.  “I know that the issue with Midas is...personal.  I won’t force you to visit him.  If you’d prefer, I can request for someone to go in your place.”

Nico shook his head.  “That’s not necessary,” he said.  “I’ll go.”  After all, Midas was far from the worst person he’d ever dealt with.

“You won’t have to be alone with him,” Reyna promised.  “I wouldn’t make you do that.”

“Thank you,” Nico said.  He could forgive Reyna for the times that she left him alone in uncomfortable social situations as a ‘learning experience,’ but Midas was different.

Will’s door opened yet again and Jules-Albert held it for Will, who was now dressed in maroon breeches and a maroon coat with an ivory embroidered floral waistcoat.  Nico smiled in satisfaction.  “Much better,” he said.  “You look beautiful, Will.”

Will smiled ruefully.  “Thank you,” he said.  “But I like to dress myself sometimes.”

“Then I’ll have someone teach you how to combine separates,” Nico said.  “Come join me for breakfast.”

Will nodded and sat down.  As Jules-Albert filled their cups with tea, Reyna rifled through her bag again.  “A letter arrived from Diana for you early this morning,” she said, offering Will an envelope.

Will thanked her.  “It’s from Lee,” he announced as he broke the seal.

Nico nodded.  Lee and Lou Ellen were usually the ones to write the family’s letters, he’d noticed, but Kayla had also sent several drawings and notes written in large, awkward letters and Austin sometimes wrote to Will privately.  Will treasured every scrap of paper they sent him.

“Only good news, I hope?” Nico asked.

“It seems so,” Will said.  “Lee says everyone is relieved that Octavian finally left for his own estate.  Hyacinthus decided to stay in Phoebus a while longer.  My father must be happy about that.  And...oh.  Oh, dear.  Not again.”

“What’s wrong?”

Will shook his head.  “My father.  He’s...well.  I suppose I should have expected this.  Lee says, ‘Papa is in the process of taking in a new ward — an orphaned farmer’s daughter named Meg who’s about Kayla’s age.  Michael and Lou Ellen are arguing over whether this means Michael won their bet on how long Papa would last after the wedding before adding to the family.  They agree that a taking in a ward ought to satisfy the criteria for ‘having a child,’ but Lou Ellen argues that Michael specifically stated that Papa would ‘have a baby.’  Meanwhile, I have remained carefully nonpartisan.’”

“How did a farmer’s daughter end up under the care of a duke?” Nico asked.

Will was quiet as he read a bit further, then he laughed.  “Apparently she tricked my father into it — at least, that’s what Lee thinks.  Papa won’t tell anyone exactly what happened, but it wouldn’t be the first time a child tricked my father into taking them in.  I’ve told you about how Octavian ended up in his care.”

“I hope your father’s judgement has improved since then,” Nico said.  Reyna snorted in agreement.

“Lee says that Hyacinthus likes her,” Will said as turned to the next page of his brother’s letter.  “Hyacinthus talks Papa out of his worst ideas, so she sounds promising.”

“That’s good.  Anything else?”

“Lee says that Kayla and Austin have each grown about an inch since the wedding,” Will said.  “Michael’s been doing relatively well, but Austin still shuts himself in his room to sulk and play his violin and Kayla recently threw a tantrum that resulted in the destruction of a particularly expensive set of china.  It sounds like she’s not excited about the new ward.  She liked being the only daughter.” Will read quietly for another moment before folding the letter and replacing it in its envelope.  “I’ll write back later this afternoon,” he said, tucking the envelope in his coat pocket.

“So how would you like to spend the day?” Nico asked.  “We could go riding through the grounds or I could try to teach you to fence again.”

Will shook his head.  “I would love to, but I already made plans with your sister.”

“Oh,” Nico said.  He tried not to sound disappointed.  “What will you be doing?”

“Needlework,” Will answered.

Nico tutted and shook his head in amusement.  “She’s forcing you to do needlework?”

Will didn’t laugh.  If anything, he seemed confused.  “She’s not forcing me.  I enjoy needlework.”

“Oh,” Nico said again.  Will looked like he expected Nico to continue.  Nico wasn’t sure what Will wanted, so he cleared his throat and said, “I...don’t.  Enjoy needlework.  So I thought....”

Will nodded.  “I understand.”

Something in Will’s expression said that he wasn’t completely satisfied by Nico’s response, but Nico didn’t know what else to do.  He looked at Reyna.  She didn’t offer any suggestions, so they finished eating in silence.

Will stood up and kissed Nico’s cheek.  “I’ll meet you later today.”

“You’re leaving already?” Nico asked.

“I promised your sister I’d meet her after breakfast.”

“Oh,” Nico said.  “I see.  Then I’ll see you outside for lunch?”

“Of course,” Will answered.

When he pulled away to leave, Nico’s stomach churned uneasily.  He didn’t want Will to go — not when he still seemed like he was disappointed in Nico.  “Will,” he said, reaching out and grabbing his hand.  “I hope you have a good time with my sister.  And, um, you look wonderful in those clothes.”

“Thank you,” Will said.

“I love you,” Nico added.

Will smiled.  “And I love you,” he answered.  He leaned down to kiss Nico’s lips.  When he started to leave again, Nico let him go.

“I think I’ll have that history lesson today,” Nico said glumly.  He might as well get it over with while Will was too busy to spend the day with him.

“An excellent idea, Your Highness,” Reyna said.  “I’ll prepare the documents.”

Nico looked at the door again.  “Do you think I upset him?”

“Your husband?” Reyna asked.  “You did tell him that he looked like he belonged in the circus and you came very close to mocking his interest in needlework.”

Nico cringed.  “Why do I always say things like that?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t been able to figure that out,” Reyna answered.  “But to your credit, you’re improving.  You haven’t called anyone a toad in years.”

Nico sighed.  “Marriage is much more difficult than I imagined it would be.”

“Would you like me to advise you?” Reyna asked.  When Nico nodded, she said, “Apologize to him when you’re alone this evening and remember not to do it again.  It’s not so difficult at all.  You’ll learn.”

Nico wasn’t so sure.  Living with Will was wonderful, but Nico couldn’t help fearing that it was only a matter of time before he made a mistake.  He’d fooled Will into thinking that he was kind, but how long would that last?

And there was still the issue of the legitimacy of their marriage....

Reyna tilted her head to the side.  “Is something else wrong?”

“No,” Nico said.  “Or...yes.  But it’s nothing you can help with.”

Reyna pursed her lips.  “I’m your adviser,” she said shortly.  “I’m perfectly qualified to help you.”

Wonderful — now he’d made Reyna upset, too.  “I know,” Nico said.  “I didn’t mean...it’s just a personal issue.”  Well, not quite personal, he added silently.  The consequences could be quite political, in fact.

“Perhaps I can still help,” Reyna said.

Nico shook his head.  “I don’t think so.  It’s...Will and I...it’s nothing.”

“Have you had an argument?” Reyna asked.

“No,” Nico answered.

“Are you getting along well?” Reyna asked.

“Yes,” Nico answered.

“Then what is the problem?”

Nico took a deep breath to gather his courage and — “We haven’t consummated the marriage yet,” he blurted out.

Reyna stared silently like she was waiting for him to continue or to reveal that he was joking.  When he didn’t, she said, “I’m sorry, you what?”

Nico sank into his chair.  “I think you heard me.”

“Yes, but....”  Reyna paused like she was searching for words.  “I was under the impression that your physical relationship was rather successful.”

Nico shrugged.  “I suppose it is,” he said.

“You seemed quite eager to for your wedding night.”

“I was.”

“You’ve been married for months now.”

“We have.”

“I caught you with your hand down his breeches in the conservatory last week.”

“Please don’t remind me.”

“And I saw the mess in your bed sheets this morning.”

“Lady Reyna!”

“So how, exactly, have the two of you not managed to consummate the marriage yet?”

Nico bit his lip.  “I don’t know.  Reyna, I think something is wrong.  Our marriage won’t be real until it’s consummated and I’m not certain that he even knows how to do it.  What if it never happens?  What if our marriage is fake forever?”

Reyna rubbed her forehead.  “I assume you haven’t talked to your husband about this?” she asked tiredly.

“I didn’t know how,” Nico said.

“Of course not,” Reyna sighed.  “Your Highness, you know that the only way to resolve this is by talking to him, don’t you?”

Nico nodded.

“The sooner you do, the better,” Reyna said.  “So tonight, you have two things to talk to your husband about.  Firstly, apologize for mocking his fashion sense and interest in needlework.  And secondly, bring up the topic of consummating the marriage, at least just to discuss it and understand why it hasn’t happened yet.  But your marriage is not fake.  Consummated or not, it’s very real.  Understand?”

“I understand,” Nico said.

“Good.  Now, let’s get started on your history lesson.”

*   *   *

“It’s nice to have company while stitching,” Hazel said.  She held her needle up to the sunlight streaming through the parlor windows to thread a new string through its eye.  “This is much more enjoyable than it is when I do it by myself.”

Will tilted his head curiously.  “You stitch alone?” he asked.  Needlework was generally enjoyed as a social activity for groups of women to engage in while chatting.  They would talk about anything from recent gossip to philosophy, complimenting each other’s designs and offering advice.  Will had many fond memories of stitching with Daphne and Lou Ellen (but not with Kayla, as she couldn’t be trusted with needles).

“I stitch with my mother and my tutors sometimes, but there aren’t many people my age in the palace,” Hazel said.  “Nico and Reyna are the closest.  I don’t often have the opportunity to stitch with someone I’d consider....”  Hazel paused.  “Never mind.”

Will didn’t pressure her to continue.  With the wedding guests gone, the palace felt cold and empty.  Decades before, the Palatium de Divitae would have offered residence to many courtiers, but they all fled back to their homes across the country when the Scarlet Delirium depleted their wealth.  Hazel, who had been born into Pluto’s barren economy, had never known what it was like to live in a lively palace with other young people.  She’d had very little experience with making friends.

“Nico never stitches with me,” Hazel continued.  “I don’t think he even knows how to hold a needle.”

Will laughed.  “He did seem perplexed when I mentioned we’d be doing needlework together.”

“I suppose it’s to be expected,” Hazel went on.  “Needlework is more of a woman’s hobby, after all.”

“Well, I like needlework,” Will said as he reached for a new color of thread.  Bonnie tried to bite it out of his hand and Will patted her head to distract her.  “Perhaps it’s because I spent so much time with the sorors in Venadica, but I tend to enjoy feminine things.”

“That’s why it’s so nice to have you as my second brother,” Hazel said.  “Now I can fence with Nico and stitch with you.”

Will couldn’t suppress a large grin when Hazel referred to him as her brother.  He probably looked foolish smiling so widely, so he ducked his head to hide it.  Even though the Palatium de Divitae wasn’t quite home to him yet, Hazel had clung to Will’s side since the wedding and battled with Nico over the right to spend time with him.  It hadn’t been long before she started to feel like family.

“You talk about Venadica all the time, you know,” Hazel said suddenly.

“Do I?” Will asked.

“You mention it in every conversation.  Venadica this, Venadica that.”

“It’s probably because I’m usually there this time of year.  I’m sorry — it must get tiring to hear over and over.”

Hazel shook her head.  “Not at all!  It’s just something I noticed.  You seem to miss it a lot.”

Will nodded.  “I do.”

“Then why don’t you go back?”

Will had considered that, but he couldn’t request for the royal family to fund his trips and he didn’t feel right asking Apollo to continue sponsoring him.  Of course Will had his own income as the earl of Solace, but he preferred not to spend it on himself.  After all, he was only an earl in title; he didn’t even live in Solace.  He had his income sent back to the mayor of the city and trusted Lee to ensure that it was distributed properly.

“I’m a newlywed,” Will said instead.  “I don’t want to leave my husband.  I’ll go back to Venadica eventually, but not right now.”

“Well, take me with you when you do,” Hazel said.  “I want to see the city for myself.  Nico wouldn’t take me with him either time he visited you because he didn’t want me being a nuisance while he tried to woo his fiancé.”

Will laughed.  “He said that?”

Hazel shrugged.  “May as well have.  I begged him to take me to the Expo, but he told me that I’d just meddle in his affairs if he brought me along.  But you’ll take me, won’t you?”

“Of course,” Will said.  And he would — he just didn’t know when that would be.  “Maybe next year.  I can take you around the city, introduce you to some people, and show you where I study.  You’ll love it there.”  Will paused.  He wondered if he’d be able to continue where he left off when he went back.  Would his research be waiting for him?  Would a new student have taken his place as Asclepius’ favorite pupil?

It was a foolish thing to worry about, Will knew.  He’d always be welcomed in Venadica, but he wanted the city, research, and people to continue moving forward while he was away.  He wanted the others to continue his research.  He wanted Asclepius to find new young scholars to mentor.

What really bothered Will was the possibility that he wouldn’t move forward.  As time went on, that possibility seemed more and more likely.

“I feel like I haven’t done anything since the wedding,” he said without thinking.

“Haven’t done anything?” Hazel asked.  “I thought Nico and I were keeping you busy.”

“Of course you are,” Will quickly assured.  “I’ve been enjoying myself here.  But as a prince’s consort, I don’t want to only spend my time having fun — I want to be useful.  I miss practicing medicine, as well.  Actually, I was hoping to visit the palace’s physician today and offer to help in the infirmary.”

“Oh, don’t do that,” Hazel said with a grimace.  “No one goes to the physician unless it’s absolutely necessary.  She frightens me.”

Will frowned.  “Hazel, you need to go to the physician.  Your health—”

“I know, I know,” Hazel said with a dismissive air that reminded Will of when Nico was feeling particularly troublesome and rebellious.  “Alecto forces me to let her visit if I’m ill.  If I hurt myself sparring, someone helps me with the bandages.”

“Are they doing treating your wounds properly?  You wouldn’t want them to scar.”

“Why not?  I think scars make me look daring.  Look at this one!  I got it while sparring with Nico a few months ago.”  Hazel promptly stood and hiked her skirts up to her knees, then rolled down her stocking to show Will a thin white scratch along her calf.

Will sighed, resigned but affectionate.  Sometimes, Hazel reminded him of Kayla so much that it hurt.  “If you aren’t worried about scarring, then please at least make sure your wounds are treated properly to avoid infection.  Now tie up your stocking and right your skirts before Alecto comes and scolds you.”

Hazel acquiesced and picked up her embroidery hoop to continue her needlework.  “Anyway, you don’t need to practice medicine.  We have people to take care of it.”

Will sighed.  His family didn’t understand his desire to work, either.  He spent all summer in Venadica studying, they said, so why didn’t he take his winters off?  Why did he insist on continuing his schooling in Delphi, or on overseeing the health of the animals on Apollo’s ranch?

“I want to,” Will tried to explain.  “I’m a consor.”

Hazel nodded wisely.  “That’s true.  Consors are all strange.”

That hadn’t quite been Will’s point, but Will decided that she understood well enough.

A moment later, Alecto returned to Hazel’s parlor to announce that luncheon was being served in the cypress grove.  “Would you like to come back tomorrow to continue?” Hazel asked as they set aside their embroidery hoops.

“I would love to,” Will answered.  He offered Hazel his arm to escort her outside.

Persephone, Reyna, and Nico were already seated when Will and Hazel arrived with Bonnie following close behind, and it wasn’t long before Hades came with his advisers.  Bonnie cuddled up next to Asterion and Will sat between Nico and his sister while they ate a meal of fruit and dry fowl.  Having been spoiled by the wonderful flavors of Southern Juvian cuisine, Will was still getting used to the bland flavors of Plutonian food and their tendency to overcook meat.  Even Venadica’s food was far better than the Palatium de Divitae’s.

However, Will was pleasantly surprised when the servers lifted the lid off a silver dish to reveal that it was filled with a cold, sweet custard.

“Ice cream?” Will asked happily.

“Nico requested it specifically,” Persephone said.  “He mentioned that it’s one of your favorite Juvian desserts.”

Nico turned red to his ears and avoided meeting Will’s eyes, but he smiled shyly when Will thanked him.

After they’d finished, Nico approached Will and asked if he’d finished stitching with Hazel.

“We’re taking a break for today,” Will answered.  “Spending too much time holding a needle isn’t good for your fingers.  My hands already feel cramped.”

Nico’s expression brightened.  “Then since you’re done, would you like to go riding?  I just finished my lessons for today.”

“Perhaps later,” Will said.  “There was something else I wanted to do before dinner.  Could we have an evening ride instead?”

“Oh,” said Nico.  He faltered, but then smiled at Will again.  “Yes.  An evening ride sounds wonderful.”

“I’ll meet you in our apartment this afternoon to escort you to dinner,” Will said.  “After that, we can change and get our horses.” He kissed Nico’s cheek before leaving.

Will had been meaning to meet with the palace physician for a while.  Although he’d been enjoying his blissful newlywed life with Nico, it hadn’t been long before a part of Will had begun to feel bored.  Like he’d told Hazel, he was a consor — and as a consor, there was a part of him that craved something more than just having fun with his husband.  Perhaps it was a sense of productivity that Will needed.  Perhaps he required the feeling that he was helping people.  Whatever it was, Will was ready to study and work again.  The infirmary was the ideal place to start.  

The doors were open, but the inside of the palace infirmary was dark.  At least a dozen private nooks lined the left and right hand walls, all seemingly unoccupied.  Each of the nooks contained a cot and a chest, with a private window on the exterior wall.  The windows did little to let in the morning sunlight.  Thin curtains covered the glass, only allowing a dim glow to pass through.

Will knocked on the wooden door frame to announce himself.  “Hello?” he called.  His voice echoed back at him from the tall ceilings.  “Is anyone here?  I wanted to speak to the doctor.”

Will heard a distant shuffle from deep within the infirmary before the small figure of a woman appeared from one of the farthest nooks.  “A new patient?” croaked her raspy voice.

“Uh, no, not a patient,” Will said.  He detected a faint, unpleasant odor as he stepped inside, like sheets that hadn’t been washed properly after someone had been sick on them.  Will wrinkled his nose and glanced into the private nooks as he passed them.  The furniture seemed dusty and the beds looked like they hadn’t been changed recently.

The woman cleared her throat, stopping Will in his tracks.  Will had been so distracted by the lack of sanitization that he’d nearly run into her.  Up close, Will could see that while her clothes looked heavy, the woman was little more than a sack of bones.  Her shawl and the ends of her sleeves covered sores on her pale skin.  Yellow crust lined pink eyes and gray hair was matted in clumps on either side of her head.  How long had she been in the infirmary?  What sort of disease was she suffering from?

Will apologized and stepped back to leave a respectful distance between them.  Plutons preferred to maintain a larger degree of personal space when conversing, especially with a stranger and even more so with one of the opposite sex.  “I am William of Solace,” Will said.  “Well, I suppose it would be more proper to say ‘of Angelus’ now.  I was interested in seeing the royal infirmary and meeting the physician.  And you are?”

“Akhlys,” the woman rasped.  “And I am the physician.”

Will swallowed nervously.  “Oh, I...of course,” he said.  “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Pleased?” Akhlys repeated.  “Why would one be pleased to see a physician or go to an infirmary, Your Highness?  This is the domain of the sick, the suffering, and the dying.  Every visit is a brush with death.  Every mention is a reminder of our inescapable mortality.”

“Uh...right,” Will said.  “That’s a very...um...introspective and, uh, cautionary viewpoint.  But I prefer to think of this as a place of healing.”

Akhlys tsked in disapproval.  It turned into a cough.

“Are you alright?” Will asked.

“What does that mean, ‘alright?’” Akhlys said miserably.  “Are any of us ‘alright?’  Life is suffering, and then we die.”

Perhaps he shouldn’t pass judgement on someone he’d barely met, but Akhlys didn’t seem like a good fit for a physician.  She looked more like she was in need of healing than someone who healed others.  Will doubted that her presence beside one’s sick bed would offer much encouragement to a recovering patient.

“I’m a student of medicine,” Will said.  “I came here to offer my assistance.”

Akhlys shook her head woefully.  “Why would you want to stay in the den of disease?” she asked.  “This isn’t a place for princes and their consorts.  You’re no help here.  Come back when you are miserable and dying, when you are in that vulnerable state of suffering that renders all men powerless in its wake—”

Akhlys broke off to cough again.

“Perhaps I can help with your cough?” Will suggested.

“No one can help me.  Now leave this place and let me wallow in solitude.”

“Right,” Will said.  “Well, I can see that your busy with your...uh...wallowing.  I’ll come back later.”

“You may return when you’re dying,” Akhlys growled.

Will took a step back.  “Uh...yes.  I will.  And maybe also when I’m not dying.  Enjoy your...um...solitude.”

He turned and fled before the stench of the infirmary could knock him unconscious.

*   *   *

Nico found Will sitting at his writing desk in one of his private rooms that afternoon, mumbling to himself as his pen scratched against paper.  Bonnie was at his feet, lying sleepily on her back with her legs extended into the air.  Will rubbed her belly with the toe of his shoe, but his brow furrowed in concentration as he wrote.

“Are you replying to your family?” Nico asked.

Will jolted in surprise.  “I didn’t hear you come in the apartment,” he said.  “I’m sorry — I would have greeted you.”

Nico stepped inside.  “I don’t mind.  You were focused on writing.  Is it for your family?”

“Yes,” Will answered.  He set down his pen.  “But I can finish later.”

Will always did that, Nico had noticed — rarely was he ever too busy for Nico.  As long as he hadn’t made plans with someone else, Will dropped what he was doing to give Nico his attention whenever Nico approached him.

“Did you enjoy your day with Hazel?” Nico asked.

“Yes,” Will said.  “We had a nice time together.”

“Good,” Nico said.  “Good.” He clasped his hands behind his back and rocked onto the heels of his shoes.

Will watched him for a moment before turning in his stool to face Nico.  “Was there something you needed to talk to me about?” he asked.

“No, nothing,” Nico said.  “I just didn’t think you’d be here until this afternoon.”

“Neither did I.”  Will sighed wearily.  “Actually, I was hoping that I’d be busy, but my plans didn’t quite work out.  I went to see the physician.”

“Why?  Are you feeling ill?”

“No, I was hoping to offer my assistance.  I miss practicing medicine and I thought she might have work for me.”

“You could have asked me instead,” Nico said.

“Well, I wanted to speak with the woman in charge first.  I thought it would be more polite that way.” Will sighed again.  “It doesn’t matter.  She’s not interested in my help.”

“She’s not?”

“No, and she wasn’t very nice about it, either.  But she seemed like she was just having a bad day, so perhaps I’ll go back and try again another time.”

“Well, Akhlys has always been unpleasant,” Nico said.  “That’s why everyone avoids going to the infirmary if they can.  Pity, though — I would dread visits much less if I knew you’d be there.”

Will’s tired expression turned into a smile.  He opened his arms and Nico stepped closer to embrace him.  Will kissed the corner of Nico’s mouth.  “I’m so glad I have you,” he whispered.

Nico felt a pang of guilt.  He knew that transitioning to life in Pluto wasn’t easy for Will — he needed his husband’s help.  Nico wasn’t so sure he was doing enough to support him.  

Nico took a deep breath and pulled back.  “Actually, I wanted to apologize,” he said, brushing his fingers through Will’s hair.

Will’s head tilted to the side.  “What for?”

“I’m afraid I was a bit too harsh on you about the separates this morning,” Nico said.

“Not at all,” Will said.  “I know that I have no eye for that sort of thing.  My brothers tease me constantly.”

“Well, yes, you are terrible,” Nico admitted.  “But I worried that I might have teased too severely.  Did I upset you?”

“Maybe a little,” Will admitted.

“I’m sorry for that,” Nico said.  “And I’m sorry for assuming you didn’t like needlework.”

“You didn’t need to apologize for that,” Will said.  “But thank you.”

Nico cleared his throat.  “Also, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What’s wrong?” Will asked.

“Nothing.  I...um....”  Nico swallowed.  Just ask him, said a voice in Nico’s head.  Reyna had told him to try talking to Will about consummating their marriage that day, at least to attempt to understand the problem.  Nico had to know.

But something about the look in Will’s eyes crumbled Nico’s resolve.  “I just wanted to talk about next week,” Nico lied.  “Lady Reyna and I reviewed reports about the income from Angelian mines today and I’m leaving Divitia to visit the gold mine in Phygia.”

“Oh,” Will said.  “Then I suppose we won’t see each other for a while.  It’s been some time since we’ve been separated, hasn’t it?”

Nico averted his eyes.  “Actually, I was hoping that my consort would come with me.”

Will blinked.  “Oh,” he said again.

“I understand if you’d rather stay here,” Nico went on.  “It’s not a pleasure trip.  I’m going to see the mine and meet with the earl.  I just...I thought it might be a bit more tolerable if you were with me.”

“Nico, I’d love to go with you,” Will said quietly.  His smile was small, but his eyes crinkled in delight.  “That would make me so happy.”

“I hope you won’t be bored,” Nico said.

“I won’t be.  I take my duties as your consort seriously.”  Will pulled Nico close again and rested his cheek on Nico’s shoulder.  “Thank you for inviting me.”

Nico didn’t quite understand why the invitation had made Will so happy, but then again, Will had unusual interests.  Nico was just glad Will had cheered up.  He could bring up the topic of properly consummating their marriage later; what mattered right then was that Will was holding him and Nico had just made him smile.

Chapter Text

Nico spent the majority of the trip to Phrygia holding Will’s hand and dozing on his shoulder.  When he opened his eyes, he saw Mellie and Hedge similarly cuddled together while Reyna sat plastered against the carriage wall as far from Mellie and Hedge as she could get.  Nico had a feeling that she was tired of being surrounded by newlyweds.  

When they reached Phrygia, however, Nico began to feel agitated.  He wondered if bringing Will along had been a good idea.  Will had seemed strangely excited the whole trip, but he would probably find the visit boring and would have enjoyed himself more if he’d stayed in Divitia.

But more importantly, Nico didn’t want Midas to go anywhere near Will.  He didn’t want Midas near anyone he cared for.

Although he rarely went anywhere without his dog, Nico had purposely left Asterion behind and had encouraged Will to do the same with Bonnie.  Midas had apparently repented after the baiting scandal came to light nearly a decade ago, but Nico didn’t believe it.  Midas was clever; when Nico listed his name as one of the contributors in his old tutor Minos’ baiting ring, Midas had known exactly what to say to save himself.  Nico could still clearly recall the fake remorse in Midas’ voice when he admitted his involvement in his hearing.  He’d done it for his dying wife, he’d claimed.  Midas had spun a tragic tale for the jury about the agony he’d felt when his wife had been diagnosed with the Scarlet Delirium, how he’d depleted his wealth to find a way to save her, and how, in his despair, he’d turned to betting on dog fights to support her.  The next day, whispers all over Divitia quoted his statement: “People do shameful things to save the ones they love.”

Nico, who’d acted as the primary witness in most of the baiting cases, was one of the few people Midas hadn’t managed to charm.  Nico had seen the dogfights firsthand.  He’d touched Asterion’s wounds and nursed him when he was too weak to even stand.

But Nico had still been a child at the time, unable to express himself and not even half as charismatic as Midas.  He could do very little to convince the jury of Midas’ cruelty—especially not after he his temper in the middle of the trial.  When Divitians weren’t too busy sympathizing with Midas, they were gossiping about the tantrum that the little prince had thrown in the courtroom.

Midas had gotten off too easily.  He’d paid a fine—one he could easily afford with the money he’d earned on dog fights—and he’d cooperated with Artemis’ investigators to help identify and arrest the others involved in the baiting ring.  And that was it.  After that, it was like it had never even happened.

Nico knew that Midas wouldn’t dare to harm Asterion, but he would never allow his dog to be in the presence of a man who had pitted animals against each other for profit.  Midas would always be cruel and corrupt, no matter how much he insisted otherwise.  Although he had failed to bring Midas to justice, Nico would never fail to protect Asterion again.

They rode past sprawling fields of grain and grazing livestock before they reached Phrygia’s gates.  “What a beautiful city,” Will mused as he watched the buildings roll by.  “Large cities like this usually have more problems with sanitation, but the streets look clean.”

Nico was only half listening and didn’t fully realized what Will had said until Reyna replied, “Phrygia has an advanced sewage network for a Plutonian city.”

Nico turned his glare from the window to Reyna.  “For a Plutonian city?” he repeated.

Reyna nodded, ignoring Nico’s irate tone.  “Most haven’t had the funds to introduce such modern systems.”

“The mines must have helped with reconstruction a great deal,” Will commented.

Nico snorted.  Will was too busy looking outside to hear him, but Reyna eyed Nico warningly to remind him to control his temper.  Nico averted his eyes.  

Truthfully, Phrygia was a beautiful city, which only agitated Nico more.  He wished he could have found more to pick at to stick the blame on Midas, but it was in remarkable shape.  Divitia paled by comparison.

Midas’ estate was located outside the southeastern wall of the city.  The manor would have been dwarfed in size by the Palatium de Divitae, but it did not lack in grandeur.  They entered the property through a gate before pulling into the main courtyard.  The mansard roof gleamed like silver in the late afternoon sun, while the yellow brick and white stone ornamentation of the manor shone like gold and ivory.  The manor itself consisted of two wings that came forward from either side of a central building, with tall windows and beautiful terraced gardens.  The earl and his household stood outside, waiting to greet them.  

As the carriage came to a halt, Nico tried to cool his temper.  Reyna tried to catch his attention, but Nico ignored her.  He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing to distract himself from his anger.  And he waited.

Too soon, he heard the carriage door open and he looked down in time to see the step pulled out.  “I’ll go first,” Reyna said.  Nico could feel her eyes on him, like she wanted to exchange one last glance and one final warning, but Nico refused to meet her gaze.  When he heard her shoes hit the road, he looked up at Will and gestured for him to exit first.

And then Nico couldn’t delay further; it wouldn’t be appropriate for a guard and a maid to exit before him.  He considered asking them to do it anyway, but only for a moment before he gathered his courage and stepped outside.

When Will took his hand to help him down, Nico kept his chin held up.  When he was escorted to the doors of the manor, Nico looked forward.  When they stopped in front of the earl, Nico held Midas’ eyes.  

Midas looked exactly how Nico remembered him; perhaps his hair was grayer and his face more lined, but other than that, he looked the same.  He was a heavyset bearded man—a horrible choice, as far as Nico was concerned.  Facial hair hadn’t been fashionable for a century.  Then again, nothing about Midas was tasteful.  His clothes—scarlet and gold with diamonds sewn into the embroidery—were lavish to the point of ostentation and served as an obvious statement to announce his wealth.  A man like Midas did not deserve such opulence and luxury.  He had always been wealthy; even during the Scarlet Delirium, he’d continued to amass a great fortune from betting and baiting.  The fines he’d paid for it had barely dented his wealth. 

“Your arrival is an honor, Your Highness,” Midas said.  When he bowed, the rest of the household followed suit.

“Midas,” Nico said.  “It’s been some time since we last met.”

“Indeed,” Midas answered.  “Last I saw you, you were still a child.”

“I think you’ll find that I have grown and learned much since then,” Nico said.  He paused, just long enough to enjoy the expression on Midas’ face.  He looked nervous.

Good.  He ought to be.

“I have brought my husband, Lord William of Angelus, and my adviser, Lady Reyna,” Nico continued, nodding to each of them in turn.

“A privilege,” Midas said.  “And you remember my son, Lityerses.”

Nico forced himself not to scowl in distaste when Midas gestured to the young man beside him.  “Of course,” Nico said.  He nodded politely when Lityerses bowed, but avoided meeting his eyes.  He was not afraid of Midas, but as for his son....

Well, Nico did not fear Lityerses, either, but he felt an unexpected twinge of apprehension.  Nico shuddered to think of the teasing he’d endure if Will found out that Midas had once offered his son as a potential marriage candidate.  Nico had turned Lityerses away without even bothering to meet with him.  He’d had already known what kind of person Lityerses was; they had met on a few occasions when Midas brought his son to the Lotussium to watch dog fighting matches.  Lityerses was just as greedy as his father, and even more merciless.

“Shall we retire inside for dinner?” Midas suggested.  “You must be hungry after your journey.  Afterwards, I would love to give you a tour of my home.”

“Yes, thank you,” Nico said.  “Will your daughter not join us?”

“Not during this visit,” Midas replied.  “She is currently studying abroad.”

It wasn’t out of the ordinary for wealthy families to send their daughters abroad for schooling, but Nico glanced at Will to gauge his reaction as Midas showed them inside.  Will usually studied that time of year.  Nico knew he missed it, even if he didn’t mention it often.  He couldn’t be sure what Will was thinking, however; Will didn’t appear upset or envious, but Nico noted that he also didn’t inquire about her studies further.  Usually, Will would be interested in other people’s schooling.

Nico would have liked to critique Midas’ skills as a host, but he was disappointed when dinner was set out for them almost immediately after they sat down.  Midas had timed their arrival perfectly and the meal was inconveniently delicious.

Nico did not avoid meeting Midas’ eyes when he addressed him, but he also was careful not to look in Midas’ direction much at all—enough to show that he was not afraid of Midas without letting him think that he was at all worthy of Nico’s attention.

But Will did not follow Nico’s lead.

Nico had been so wrapped up in his own apprehension that he had forgotten one important detail about his husband: his infuriating and incessant kindness.  He’d never heard Will speak ill of anyone—save Octavian, but that hardly counted—and he couldn’t think of a single time he’d witnessed his husband greet someone without a smile.  Perhaps Nico had assumed that considering Midas’ despicable nature, Will would make an exception to his usual routine of kindness.  But no—Will wore his brightest, prettiest smile and acted as charming as ever.  He talked and talked and talked until Nico thought his ears might bleed if he didn’t stop.  Nico gripped his tableware so tightly that his nails left marks on his palms, and still Will and Midas talked.  Nico knew his flaring temper was to blame; Will wasn’t trying to bother him.  But even still, he found Will’s voice loud and obnoxious.  Nico had to bite his tongue to keep himself from snapping at him to shut up.  

“Lityerses has become a talented swordsman since you last met,” Midas said.  “He remains unmatched in every fencing.  I hear you enjoy fencing as well—perhaps you could have a friendly spar during your visit.”

“I did not come here to spar,” Nico answered cooly.  “I came to review your mine.”

Out of the corner of his eyes, Nico saw both Will and Reyna turn to him.  Nico ignored their shocked expressions.  He knew that later Reyna would lecture him about at least acting polite and he would regret acting so callously in front of Will, but he felt too angry to care just yet.  He had not come to be friendly with Midas and Lityerses.  Midas should not expect otherwise.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Midas said after a moment’s pause.

Nico didn’t bother to respond.

For a few moments, the only sounds were that of tableware scraping against plates.  Then Will suddenly cleared his throat.  “Your city is beautiful, Lord Midas,” he said.  “We had the privilege of admiring it as we rode through on our way here.”

“All compliments ought to be directed to the mines,” Midas said.  “It is due to the hard work of Phygia’s citizens that the city has recovered so well.”

Nico tried not to snort.  He didn’t believe for a second that Midas didn’t revel in every compliment.  Phrygia was doing admittedly well, but perhaps the reason they weren’t experiencing the economic depression so harshly was because of Midas’ questionable sources of income—Nico knew too well how lucrative baiting could be.

When dinner was over, Midas brought them to view the gardens before the sky fell to dark.  Will and Midas commented on the newer Juvian styles and how Midas planned to introduce them to his grounds.  They discussed construction and design and gardening, and all the while, Will held that foolish smile and innocent charm.  Nico didn’t notice that he’d been clenching his fists and jaw until Reyna fell in step beside him.  Her presence—and the look she gave him—both calmed Nico and reminded him to remain poised.  Nico could not allow himself to seem frustrated in front of Midas.  He could not appear weak or young or less than perfectly composed.

“Has the estate been in your family long?” Will asked when Midas brought them back to the manor to continue the tour indoors.

“Four generations, but only about half the manor is original,” Midas said.  “It’s constantly under construction.”

“I thought so.  There are pieces that look historic, but others are quite contemporary.  The entire estate is beautifully designed.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Nico barely contained a snort.  Beautifully designed?  Everywhere he looked, there was gold.  Gold filigree embellishing the walls, gold squares tiled across the ceilings, gold wrapped around the base of marble columns.  It looked nothing like the Hall of Gold in the Palatium de Divitae—that had been artfully designed, and for all its riches, the Hall of Gold radiated a sense of modesty and restraint.  Midas’ home was designed to be ostentatious and boastful.  Nico felt sick to his stomach.  He had his doubts about how honorably Midas had attained such vast amounts of gold.

But Will didn’t seem to care about that.  He happily complimented every room they walked though.  Nico could have expected Will to act civil with almost anyone, but so friendly?  How could he be so needlessly charming to a person like Midas?  Nico knew Will’s opinions on baiting—they’d discussed it on multiple occasions.  Didn’t Will realize that....

Unless he didn’t.  Gods, Will didn’t know.

Nico had assumed that Will would’ve been aware, especially considering how passionately he felt about baiting.  Hadn’t Nico told Will about Asterion?

But no.  He hadn’t.  He’d mentioned that Asterion’s first master had been cruel, but he’d never offered more information than that.  He hadn’t told Will about Midas or the others, and he certainly hadn’t said much about Minos.

Nico bit back the urge to curse.  This was exactly what everyone had kept telling Nico—he needed to talk to Will.  Hestia had told him.  Reyna had told him.  Even Percy and Jason had told him.  Talking was difficult, especially when the subject of conversation was something Nico desperately avoided thinking about, but he couldn’t keep expecting Will to understand everything automatically.

Nico looked at Will, wondering if he could somehow send a silent signal to say, “Don’t trust him,” or at least, “I have something to tell you,” or maybe even just, “Gods above, stop smiling!”  But Will was too engrossed in his conversation to catch any of Nico’s subtle cues, even when Nico wrapped a hand around his arm.

Nico didn’t find an opportunity until later that night, after Midas had invited them to sit and talk over refreshments.  When Midas sent Lityerses to bed, Nico saw a chance and pounced on it.

“Actually, I was thinking that we ought to retire soon, as well,” Nico said.  “Will, why don’t you head to bed?  I will continue talking a while longer with Lady Reyna and Lord Midas, but there’s no need for you to stay up with us.  You must be tired.”

Will frowned.  For a moment, Nico worried that Will would argue, but then he nodded.  “Yes, Your Highness,” he said, getting to his feet.  He turned to Midas and bowed.  “It has been a pleasure meeting you, Lord Midas.  I look forward to speaking more tomorrow.”

“Likewise,” Midas said.  He called for a manservant to escort Will to his room.

Will touched Nico’s shoulder as he walked by.  “Goodnight, Nico.”

Nico started to answer, but it died in his throat and he felt the blood drain from his face when he realized what Will had done.  Nico.  Will had called him Nico.

Of course liked it when Will used his given name, but it was intimate.  It showed a vulnerability that Nico had chosen to share with Will.  That vulnerability wasn’t meant to be put on display for others—especially not Midas.

Nico clenched his fist, but did nothing.  He waited for Will to leave them, took a sip of his tea, and pretended that Will hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary.  Perhaps Midas hadn’t even noticed.

“I suggest we leave early tomorrow to reach the mines before noon,” Nico said.  

“Yes, Your Highness,” Midas agreed.  “I was about to say the same thing.”

Nico made an unimpressed noise.  “I’m looking forward to reviewing them.  I hope I will find everything up to my standards.  I’m particularly interested in the wellbeing of your workers—including those of the four-legged variety.”

Midas was quiet.  He looked nervous.

He should.

Eventually, Midas cleared his throat.  “Will your husband join us tomorrow?” he asked.

“I will invite him,” Nico answered.  “I’m sure he’ll be just as eager as I am.  You know, my husband has exceptional veterinary experience.  I expect that he’ll be a good judge of the working conditions of your animals.”

Midas said nothing, but Nico thought he seemed pale.

“Perhaps we should all retire for the night,” Midas suggested.

“Yes,” Nico agreed.  “Perhaps so.”

*   *   *

Will had taken off his coat and cravat, but otherwise had not moved to ready himself for bed.  His guest chambers consisted of two separate rooms—one for sleeping while the other was a small sitting room for his own personal use.  He’d tried to keep himself entertained by sitting and reading, but that hadn’t lasted long.  Will had already spent a considerable amount of time sitting and reading in the carriage earlier, so he was quite tired of it.

He didn’t want to go to sleep, either.  Why was it that people always insisted that he needed rest after traveling?  Will hadn’t done anything but sit all day.  If anything, he usually felt restless after long journeys.  They were tedious and boring and within the first half hour of any trip, someone invariably announced the need to relieve themselves at the least convenient moment.  Often, that person was Will.

The point was, Will wasn’t ready to sleep and he was ever so slightly annoyed that Nico had suggested it.  He’d spent a significant deal of his life in carriages and he was sick of people telling him that he was a weary traveler when he’d really spent hours doing absolutely nothing.

Of course, that didn’t keep annoyed Will for long.  The real reason Will still felt bothered by the whole thing was the way Nico had said it.  As soon as Midas had sent his son off to bed, Nico suggested Will leave, too, as though Will was a child and the real adults—Reyna, Nico, and Midas—were trying to have a serious conversation.

Admittedly, Will knew very little about mining and wouldn’t have been much use anyway, but he didn’t believe that warranted an early bedtime.  Perhaps he’d done something else to offend Nico.  Nico had been irritable most of the day, after all, so it wasn’t unlikely.  Had Will spoken too much earlier that day?  Perhaps Nico felt like Will had stolen their host’s attention.

But then again, perhaps Nico hadn’t meant anything by it at all.  Will could be imagining the entire thing.

Will nodded to himself.  That was probably the case.  He’d ask Nico to be sure, but there was no sense working himself up over something that could be nothing at all.

He wondered if Nico would come see him before heading to bed himself.  They’d been given separate suites, of course—no sensible host would ask royalty to share their room with someone else.  Fortunately, their rooms were adjacent to one another, but the arrangement felt lonely.  He slept beside Nico most nights.  Nico always invited Will to join him in his room.

That was, unless he went looking for Will only to find him already sleeping.  Will sometimes unintentionally fell asleep with a book in his private study or curled up next to Bonnie for a nap that ended up lasting until morning.

That wasn’t likely to happen that night.  Will usually fell asleep quickly and easily, but his present restlessness denied him even the inclination to go to bed, so he was still up waiting to hear Nico arrive next door when there was a knock at the entrance of his chambers.  He sprang to his feet to answer it, but was surprised (and a bit disappointed) to find Midas on the other side of the door rather than Nico.

“Lord Midas,” Will greeted with a respectful bow of his head.  “Pardon my appearance.”  Thankfully, he still wore his waistcoat and could pass as decently attired, but he’d at least have put his coat back on if he’d realized that he wasn’t opening the door for his husband.

“Not at all; pardon the lateness of my visit,” Midas answered.  “I saw that the room was still lit and thought I’d check to see if everything is to your liking.”

“Yes, of course,” Will said.  “Would you like to come in?”  He would have rather asked Midas to leave so that he could go next door to check if Nico was in his room yet, but that wouldn’t have been proper behavior for a guest.

Unfortunately, Midas took him up on his offer and entered.  He shut the door behind himself, which Will thought was odd, but he didn’t have the opportunity to think about it much before Midas sat down and asked if he found his rooms satisfactory.

“Yes, very much so,” Will answered, sitting across from him.  “Every part of your home is beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Midas said.  “I hope you feel welcome here.  I’m honored that the Prince’s consort chose to join him for this visit.  You already have quite the reputation here in Pluto.”

Will was surprised.  “Do I?”

“Of course,” Midas answered.  “You are a consor, as I understand?”

“I am,” Will said proudly, sitting up a bit straighter.  “I spent most of my summers studying in Venadica.”

“An awfully long way to travel from Diana,” Midas commented.  “Why didn’t you study in Delphi instead?”

“I often spent winters in Delphi, but my aunt invited me to study Venadica when I was a child.  My father sponsored me.”

“Of course, the Matestra,” Midas said.  “You come from an impressive family, Your Highness.  Does your father still sponsor you?”

Will faltered, but collected himself quickly.  “Unfortunately, my studies are on hold for the time being as I settle in to Divitia.”

“Unfortunate indeed, but understandable.  I’m sure it won’t be long before you continue.  You primarily research medicine, if I recall correctly?”

“Yes, under the mentorship of Asclepius.”

“Another impressive name—even I have heard of him.”

Will swelled with pride.  He knew that part of the reason Asclepius had taken an interest in his studies was at first because of Will’s relationship with the Matestra, but he’d long since earned his place as Asclepius’ pupil.

“I must confess that I have an ulterior motive for discussing this with you,” Midas suddenly said.  “A private matter.”

Will blinked and glanced at the door, now understanding why Midas had closed it.  “Ah,” he said.  “Is it a problem with your health?”

“No, not mine,” Midas said.  “It’s my daughter.  This evening, I said she was studying abroad, but she’s actually here, in the manor.  She’s ill.  Very ill.”

It had been a long time since Will had last had a patient, but slipping back into the role of healer felt natural and comfortable.  “What have the doctors said?” he asked.  

“They’re at a loss,” Midas admitted.  “None of the doctors in Phrygia have your education.  I know it isn’t proper to ask this of a guest, but I’d hoped that you might examine her during your visit.”

“That won’t be any trouble at all.  I can examine her tomorrow.”

“I will be in your debt,” Midas said.  “And if it’s not too much to ask, I would appreciate your discretion, Your Highness.  She’s always been sickly, but we’ve kept her health private to avoid panic.  Since the Scarlet Delirium, people in Pluto have been especially prone to hysteria when it comes to disease.”

Will nodded, but he didn’t think it was that it was fear of hysteria so much as fear of scandal that worried Midas.  Illness carried a heavy stigma in Pluto.  In general, Venadicans were well-informed about matters involving health, but in his years as a healer, he’d had several run-ins with paranoid Plutons.  Some would only meet with him in private and would swear him to secrecy.  A few had gone so far as to disguise themselves before going to the sororal infirmary.  A cough could send a family into panic and anything less than perfect health brought a burden of shame.

“I understand,” Will said.  “You have my word.”

“Thank you,” said Midas.  “Tomorrow, I can have my son escort you to her while I meet with your—”

Midas halted at the creak of a handle turning and they looked up to see Nico opening the door.  He was still wearing his shoes, but had removed his coat and waistcoat and instead had covered himself with an open dressing gown.

“Your Highness,” Midas greeted.

Will might have seen Nico’s eyes narrow.  “I thought I heard voices,” Nico said.

“Were we keeping you up?” Midas asked.

That time, Will definitely didn’t imagine the coldness in Nico’s voice when he said, “No.  I intended to visit my husband anyway.”

Evidently, Midas picked up on Nico’s mood, as well.  “Right, well, I’ll leave you to rest,” he said.  “It was lovely speaking to you, Your Highness.  I’ll see you both tomorrow.  Sleep well.”

Midas didn’t wait for either of them to answer before he left.

Nico closed the door behind him.  He didn’t turn to look at Will before he spoke.  “You met with him alone,” he observed icily.

“He came to check in,” Will said.  “It would have been rude not to invite him for a chat.”

Nico made a dissatisfied sound.

“I didn’t want to, though,” Will added as an afterthought.

That didn’t seem to lighten Nico’s mood.

“Why have you been so angry today?” Will asked.  “Have I done something wrong?”

Nico sighed and walked into the room further.  “No,” he said, taking a seat next to Will.  “It’s Midas.  I don’t trust him.  Be careful around him.”

“Nico, I don’t understand why you have such a grudge against him,” Will said.  “You’re not...certainly you’re not jealous?”

Nico’s frown deepened.  “What?”

“Because if so, I’ll remind you that he’s old enough to be my father.”

Nico shook his head and curled his lip in disgust.  “That—gods, Will, no!  I didn’t even...no!”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem—the problem is Midas.  He’s a dirty, lying, cheat and yes, it’s upsetting me that you’ve been so chatty with him but I am not jealous— ”  Nico broke off and cursed.  “ Now I’m jealous.  Damn it, Will, why did you have to say that?  I was perfectly not-jealous until you suggested it and now I can’t get it out of my head.”

Will doubted jealousy could manifest out of nowhere so suddenly, but he decided not to fight Nico on that detail.  “While I am wholly uninterested, I think it might be excessive to call him a ‘dirty, lying cheat,’” Will said instead.  “I thought he seemed friendly.”

“Friendly?”  Nico scoffed.  “Yes.  So friendly that he managed to talk his way out of one of the worst criminal scandals that Pluto has seen in the last decade.”

Will blinked.  “What criminal scandal?” he asked.

Nico sighed.  “So you don’t know,” he said.  “I suppose you wouldn’t have been in Pluto at the time—it must have happened while you and the other Venadican children were taking refuge in Delphi.  For a while, it was all anyone would talk about.  Midas was one of several noblemen discovered to be involved in an illegal baiting ring.  He made animals fight each other to the death for entertainment.  That’s why he’s so wealthy, Will.  He barely felt the economic crisis after the Scarlet Delirium because he made so much money betting on fights.”

“Baiting,” Will whispered in disbelief.  “But that’s been illegal in all the Romanus Terris since long before we were born.  How is he not in prison?”

“Because he’s friendly, just like you said.  He shed a few tears for the jury, identified a couple more conspirators, and paid a fine.  And that’s all.”

“Gods,” Will murmured.  He rubbed his face.  “You mean that all day long I’ve been chatting with a...a....”

“A greedy, selfish animal abuser, yes,” Nico said bitterly.

“But at the very least he shouldn’t be an earl.  How can he still have a title?  Why didn’t you take it away?”

“At the time, I had very little real power,” Nico answered.  “I was too young; ‘Duke of Angelus’ was more of an honorary title than a real position.  My father could have taken away Midas’ claim to the county, but he chose not to go against the wishes of the jury.  Now that I’m older, I have the authority to strip his title, but I still can’t.  Midas is very well-liked.  The public hates me enough as it is already, so imagine how they would react if I deposed him.  Believe me, I’ve discussed it with Reyna and it’s not a viable option.  The point is, he’s not in prison, he’s still an earl, he’s very wealthy, and I don’t know what he’s capable of.  If he has no problem sacrificing animals for a few extra coins, what else could he do?”

Will swallowed.  Should he tell Nico what Midas had asked of him?  He didn’t want to keep it secret, but regardless of what Midas had done, he and his daughter were entitled to medical confidentiality.  Plutons were especially private about their health.  It would be wrong of Will to disclose that information without permission.  

“I will be more cautious around him from now on,” Will said.

“You can’t let yourself seem at all vulnerable,” Nico said.  “Don’t give him anything he can use to manipulate you.  Did you talk about anything in particular?”

“He asked about my studies,” Will answered.

Nico nodded in satisfaction.  “Then he could have just been greeting you as a host.”

Will chewed his lip.  He didn’t like lying, but he took the issue of confidentiality seriously.  Anyway, what would Nico say if he knew?  Would he ask Will not to do it?  Will would never abandon a child in need of healing, no matter who her father was.

“Anyway, you don’t have to be jealous,” Will said abruptly.

“I know.  Midas has to be well over twice your age.  I’d worry about your judgment if you were interested in him.”

“Yes, but that wasn’t what I meant,” Will said.  “You don’t have to be jealous of anyone, ever.  You trust me, don’t you?”

Nico’s frown faltered.  For a second, he looked like he was fighting a smile, then he gave up and lost.  “I trust you.”

“Good.  Is that all that was bothering you today?”

Nico nodded, but then hesitated.  “Well, there was another thing,” he said.  “You used my given name in front of Midas.”

Will didn’t remember doing that.  “I did?”

“As you were saying goodnight.”

“Oh.”  He still didn’t remember.  “I must have said it without thinking.  Did I cause a problem?”

“Not really,” Nico said.  “I know this is the first appearance we’ve made as husbands and you’ve grown accustomed to more familiar forms of address, but I’d rather keep that private.  Especially around Midas.”

“I understand,” Will said.  “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Nico nodded.  “Thank you.  I wanted to talk about visiting the mines, but that can wait until morning.  We ought to rest.  The journey here was tiring.”

Will let out an annoyed puff of air.  The journey hadn’t been tiring.  All they had done was sit.  They’d even napped in the carriage.  Why did people always insist that long carriage rides took so much energy?

Will didn’t say that out loud.

“Would you like to stay with me?” Nico asked.

Will looked at him.  “Stay?”

“In my room.  To sleep.”

Will blinked, then he smiled.  “Oh.  Um, yes.  Yes, I would like that.”

Maybe resting wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Will was wearing black.  A sensible choice, considering their clothes were likely to get dirty in the mines, but didn’t Will realize what it did to Nico when he wore black?  He’d have to look at his husband as little as possible if he wanted to avoid tripping over his own feet.

They’d parted in the morning to get dressed, but had met back up again before leaving for breakfast to talk about the visit to the mines.

“When we inspect the mines, I would like you to watch out for anything troubling,” Nico had said.  “Phrygia brings in more money than any other part of Angelus, but I have my doubts about how honorably it was acquired.  Midas’s wealth will never satisfy his greed.  I suspect he’d let the mine workers starve to increase his income, if he could get away with it.  Pay special attention to the animals—their health and wellbeing and such.  Your eyes will be able to see signs of mistreatment that Reyna and I may be blind to.”

“Do you believe the workers and animals are being abused?” Will had asked.

“Midas can’t handle another scandal; I do not believe he would do anything that could result in serious consequences,” Nico had answered.  “Still, I have no doubt that he has little regard for the well-being of his people.  I expect to see intentional oversights—things that are legal, but only just.  Midas wouldn’t care for his workers any more than the bare minimum.  I intend to force him to.”

After breakfast, Nico, Midas, Will, and Reyna boarded Midas’ carriage to leave the manor while Hedge sat on the bench on the back to act as Nico’s guard.  Not that Nico believed that Midas posed a threat—Midas wouldn’t risk being tied to endangering the Prince of Pluto, no matter how much he’d like to get Nico out of the way.  Nonetheless, Hedge’s presence provided a sense of relief that Nico didn’t know he needed.  Hedge had never let harm befall Nico before and he certainly wouldn’t allow it then.

Midas’ carriage rolled through the city of Phrygia with its too-clean streets onto the dirt roads leading to the gold mine.  The hills outside the windows were green with forests, the ground covered in brown pine needles.  Along the way, they passed a cart full of ore pulled by a horse on its way to the city for extraction.  The trees thinned when they reached the mine’s entrance.

Above ground, the mines didn’t look like much.  Only a few buildings stood in the area and one of them appeared to be a stable.  The largest structures were two towers made from wooden beams that stood over a massive pit.

The lifts, Nico’s mind supplied.  He’d read about mine shafts, but he’d never seen one in person before.  One of the two lifts was already at the surface, laden with mine carts full of ore while a group of men unloaded it, while the other was underground.  The towers above the pit were connected to a large horse whim by a series of cables and pulleys used to raise and lower the lifts.  The horses stood around the whim’s center in a circle, swishing their tails and manes while a worker unfastened them from the whim’s pegs and turned them around to prepare the lift for descent.  Nico didn’t notice anything wrong with the horses.  He glanced at Will, but Will said nothing.  The horses seemed safe, then.

“It may seem small on the surface, but below ground, it’s one of the largest mines in the country,” Midas said.  “There are six levels in total with two lifts.  They are raised and lowered by the same cables so that one is always on the top while the other is on the bottom.  The idea was suggested by one of my engineers and has greatly expedited the process of transporting the ore above ground.”

Nico frowned.  “So this is the only shaft?”

“Yes, Your Highness.  Everything enters and leaves the mines through here.”

“And what if there is a collapse?” Nico asked.  “Is there a secondary evacuation point?”

When Nico turned back to Midas, he was pleased to see the way his eyebrow twitched.  Midas knew exactly what Nico was looking for and how closely he intended to examine his mines.  Nico was happy to make the experience as uncomfortable for him as possible.

“When the mine was originally dug, it used a slope system,” Midas answered.  “The slope extends to the first three levels.  By the time the fourth level was started, we had switched to the shaft system.  It’s much more efficient.”

Reyna raised her eyebrows.  “So there is only one exit from the three lowest levels?”

Midas shifted his weight from one foot to the other.  “Given how much mine has grown, I have considered building another shaft further down.  But I can assure you that the current system is one of the most efficient—”

“There’s only one stable,” Will suddenly said, looking at the building with a frown.  “Where are the other stables?”

“One is enough to house the horses,” Midas answered.

“What about the ponies?” Will asked.  “Don’t you use pit ponies to haul the ore underground?”

“We do.  Once they clear the platform, we’ll descend to the first level.  You’ll find the ponies there.”

Nico hadn’t thought Will capable of intimidating even a mouse, much less a grown man, and he was proud when Will proved him wrong.  Will’s mouth drew in a firm, dissatisfied line and he hummed a disappointed note.  His eyes fixed on Midas for a second, then went back to the stables.

Nico had never seen Will wear an expression like that before.  Considering his usual gentleness, it was easy to forget the occasional flashes of strength that Will sometimes allowed Nico to see—like the resolution in his eyes when they’d discussed Midas the night before or the fury in the way his jaw set the first time Nico told him about Asterion’s upbringing.

Nico was inconveniently reminded of the fact that Will was wearing black, that Will looked handsome in black, and that Will was very, very nice to look at regardless of what he wore.

Fortunately, Will spoke up again before Nico could make a fool of himself.  “I will look at the stables while we wait for the lift to be unloaded,” he announced.  Without waiting for permission, he turned on his heel and walked off.  Midas quickly followed behind.

Nico considered going with them, but Reyna cleared her throat softly to get his attention.  He turned to see her watching him with a raised eyebrow.

“What are you thinking, Lady Reyna?” Nico asked quietly.

“I am thinking that you sent your husband to look for trouble,” she answered.

“You don’t approve?”

“Oh, no,” she said.  “I very much approve.  You’re right to be suspicious.  There’s only one exit point!  What else could be wrong?”  Reyna paused.  “But you need to be prepared to explain yourself when we return to Divitia.  The King’s advisers won’t be pleased with you.”

Nico grimaced.  “No,” he agreed.  “They won’t.”

After all, Nico had been sent to Phrygia to visit the most profitable mine in Angelus and show favor to Midas.  He was not supposed to be snooping through the mine to find as many problems as he could.  If Midas’ profits went down as a result of Nico’s visit—which Nico believed was likely—then Nico would have a lot to answer for.

“We’ll worry about that when the time comes,” Reyna whispered as Midas and Will emerged from the stables.  “I’ll support you.  For now, carry on.”

Will’s expression was difficult to read.  When Nico caught his eye, Will nodded, but didn’t speak.  Nothing to report, then.

“The lift looks to be about ready for us,” Midas said, smiling stiffly.  “Shall we?”

The mine carts on the lift had been emptied and the workers were fastening them into place on the platform of the lift to be sent back down again.  Nico curiously inched closer to the shaft and peered down into the pit.  He could see a few dots of light winking up at him, shining on the cables that ran deep under the earth.

His heart thudded heavily in his chest.  The low wooden fence surrounding the pit suddenly didn’t seem very trustworthy.  

Hedge stretched an arm in front of Nico.  “Best stay back, Your Highness,” he said.

Feeling dizzy, Nico nodded and stepped back to safer territory.  He decided it was in his best interest not to look down the shaft again.  Glancing back around, he noticed that Will had disappeared a second time and found him exchanging a few words with the boy who appeared to be in charge of the horses.  He’d gone back to wearing his usual calm expression, and something about his posture seemed lighter than it had a moment ago.  When he finished talking to the boy, however, he returned to Nico’s side and adopted the same serious, severe air that he’d used before.

The gates to the lift’s platform opened and Midas gestured for Nico and the others to board.  Don’t look down, Nico reminded himself.  His legs shook underneath him when he stepped onto the platform.  Was it wobbling under his feet?  He wanted to drop to his hands and knees, as if bring closer to the floor would make him feel more stable, but he forced himself to remain upright, determined not to show fear.  Not in front of Midas.

He did, however, allow himself to reach out and grab Will’s hand when the lift jolted and started to descend, but he was careful not to let Midas see.  Will squeezed his fingers.

The temperature gradually dropped as they lowered, and it wasn’t long before Nico noticed the stench.  The air carried of odor of earth mixed with something Nico couldn’t place; something pungent and rotten.  He wrinkled his nose.  “What is that smell?”

“The minerals in the rock,” Midas answered.  “Gold itself is odorless, but the minerals usually found in the rock around it have a characteristic scent.  The dogs use the smell to track down ore.”

So dogs worked in the mines, Nico noted with interest.  He locked eyes with Will in the darkness.  Will nodded back to signal that he understood and would pay attention to them.

Over the creaking cables lowering the lift, Nico started to hear faint clinking noises that grew in volume the deeper they went.  A light beneath them grew brighter and brighter until the lift came to a halt at the wide mouth of the first level of tunnels.  Nico dropped Will’s hand before they stepped off and the lift creaked behind them and continued on its descent.

The landing was large, containing what appeared to be an empty open-air stable and multiple tracks.  Ponies hauled carts along the tracks while workers hammered at the walls.  Dark, jagged rock lined the tunnel’s sides as it thinned and ran outward, occasionally splitting and forking off into new pathways.  Lanterns shined down the length of it, but Nico couldn’t see the end.

“Do the tracks extend throughout the tunnels?” Reyna asked, examining an empty cart.

“Yes, except for new areas where they haven’t been added yet,” Midas answered.  “We lay them as soon as the ground is steady enough for them.  Tracks greatly speed up transport.”

“Are those stables?” Will asked, squinting at the wooden structure on the landing.

“They are, Your Highness,” said Midas.

Will turned to Midas, his expression pinched in disgust.  “The ponies live inside the mine?”

“Of course,” Midas answered calmly.  “That is standard mining procedure—nothing to be alarmed about.”

“My apologies, Lord Midas, but I think it is,” Will said.  “How long have you had these stables below ground?”

“At least since the construction of the shaft.”

“Then you have generations of pit ponies who have rarely, if ever seen the light of day.  They stay down here breathing this air with this ceiling above their heads all the time.”

Midas sighed in a way that was so infuriatingly patronizing that Nico felt anger pulling his shoulders taut.  “Like I said, Your Highness, this is standard—”

“Then the standard is wrong,” said Will.  “No pony should spend their entire life in darkness.  You need to build stables for them above ground immediately.”

Midas shook his head with that same dismissive air.  “I’m afraid it’s not possible to transport them in and out every day.”

Nico clenched his jaw.  How dare he brush aside Will’s concerns?  Did Midas not realize that he was talking to the Prince’s husband?

“This seems like a legitimate concern to me, Lord Midas,” he said.

“Considering the time and money saved by keeping them inside pit stables, it’s more profitable to take the risk,” Midas answered calmly.  

Nico balled his fists at Midas’ tone.  He was almost tempted to smack Midas in the face just to get him to change his expression.  Nico was the one who held the power this time, not Midas, and a sick part of himself that he didn’t bother suppressing wanted to see Midas show fear.

“Besides,” Midas went on casually, “there are plenty of ponies kept above ground for breeding—”

“I think you misunderstand me,” Nico interrupted.  “I’m not speaking of the loss of your investment, I am speaking of lives.”

Midas still appeared perfectly composed, but the way he clasped his hands behind his back reminded Nico of his own tendency to do so when he couldn’t stop them from shaking.  “Ponies get skittish in the lifts,” Midas said. “Bringing them up and down every day simply isn’t realistic.”

“Then you must extend the slope to the lower levels,” Nico demanded.

“I agree,” said Reyna.  “You mentioned building another lift, but that would only help the humans.  Extending the slope ought to be your first priority, along with building stables above ground.”

“It would take time to bring the ponies in and out of the mines every day,” Midas said.  “They will be forced to work faster and longer to make up for the lost time and traveling so far will waste energy.”

Will pursed his lips.  “No.  Even if it takes time and tires them, the ponies will not be required to work longer hours or do the same amount of work in a day.”

“Ah, but that would lower the profits,” Midas said, as though he genuinely believed they were so ignorant that the thought hadn’t occurred to them already.

“Yes,” Will agreed.  “I know it will.”

For a second, Will’s response seemed to have dumbfounded Midas, like he hadn’t considered that something other than profits might actually matter.  “With respect, Your Highness, I know mines very well.  The way I have been running it will bring the best profits and will help Pluto’s economic crisis the most.”

Something in Will’s expression darkened.  It may have been the dim lantern light flickering across his face, but Nico thought he saw his eyes flash with a rare spark of anger.  “You are correct,” Will said.  “I do not know mines as well as you.  However, you have forgotten that I am not merely a student of medicine.  I am also well-versed in economic theory.  The reconstruction of an economy is not solely dependent on maximizing your income; it is about providing for the people.  What do you think is more important—your profits or the wellbeing of your laborers?”

Midas’ throat bobbed.  “Of course, Your Highness,” he said weakly.  “Their wellbeing.  I only meant to warn you to expect a substantial cut in the mine’s income.”

“A welcome one,” Will said in a clipped, impatient tone.  “Don’t you agree?”

Midas glanced at Nico like he was searching for confirmation that Will’s position was backed by the Prince himself.  Nico couldn’t blame Midas for his trepidation; Will’s tone was soft yet commanding and left no room for arguments.  Nico had nothing to add.  He raised an eyebrow at Midas to say, ‘Well?  My husband asked you a question.’

Midas bowed his head in deference.  “Yes, Your Highness.  Welcome indeed.”

“We will need to discuss the logistics further,” Reyna said.  “Over the next few days, we will consider transportation issues and decide how long a worker—equine, canine, or human—may stay in the mines.”

Midas looked at Nico for confirmation again and Nico had to bite the inside of his lip to keep the satisfied smile hidden.  He was the one with the power now, and Midas knew it.

“Carry on with the tour, Lord Midas,” he said.

*   *   *

Will breathed a sigh as he tied a fresh cravat around his neck.  They’d stayed at the mines until late afternoon, their clothes and skin acquiring layers upon layers of dust and dirt.  It hadn’t taken long for Will to decide that he did not like being underground.  He was not meant to be so far from the light of the sun.

After arriving back at Midas’ estate, everyone had gone to their chambers to clean up before dinner.  Will felt better after washing his face and hands and putting on new clothes, but he still thought he needed to spend a whole day out in the sun to recover.

He’d just finished the knot when he heard a knock on his door and he was pleased to hear his husband’s voice on the other side saying, “Will?  It’s Nico.  May I come in?”

“Of course,” Will said.  “I’m nearly ready.”

The door clicked open and Nico entered wearing a fresh set of clothes and looking clean again.  (Will did, however, miss the smudge of dirt that had appeared on his cheek in the mines earlier that day.  It hadn’t been easy to resist taking Nico’s head in his hands and brushing the spot away with his thumb right there in front of everyone.  Will mourned the lost opportunity to do it in private.)

“Oh,” Nico said when he saw Will, his face going pink.  “I thought you’d be dressed by now.”

“Mellie doesn’t help me dress,” Will explained as he fixed his shirt sleeves.  “It takes longer to do it myself.”

“I’m sure there’s a manservant available to assist you somewhere in the estate,” Nico said.

“That’s not necessary.  I like dressing myself.”

Nico didn’t meet his eyes.  For a moment, Will worried that something was wrong, but then he remembered the blush.

“Or perhaps you could help me,” Will suggested.  He picked up his waistcoat from where it lay draped over the footboard of his bed and offered it to Nico.

Nico flushed darker, but stepped forward and accepted the waistcoat.  He moved to help Will into it, but then he hesitated, sighed, and dropped his arms.

“Will,” he said.

“What?”

“How many times do I have to tell you that you are not allowed to pick out separates by yourself?”

Then Will was the one who was blushing.  He thought he’d done it right that time.  “I limited myself to two colors like you suggested, so—”

“Some colors should never be paired together,” Nico said.  “Green and orange being the worst example.”

“But—”

Nico shoved the waistcoat back into Will’s hands.  “Pick a different waistcoat, Will.”

Will tried not to pout.  He sighed in disappointment and took the waistcoat back, then went to the wardrobe to search for one in a more suitable color.  Nico rejected Will’s first few picks before Will finally pulled out one in a cream color that met his husband’s approval.

Will frowned at Nico’s choice.  “Are you certain?” he asked.

“Yes, Will,” Nico said with the tired air of someone dealing with an exhausting child.

Will continued to frown.  What was the point of separates if you couldn’t have several colors in one outfit?  Why wear something as plain as cream when he could wear orange instead?

He obediently offered Nico the waistcoat nonetheless.

“Fashion inclinations aside, I thought you did well today,” Nico said as the waistcoat slipped over Will’s arms.

“Did I?” Will asked.  “I was worried I’d sound foolish.  Midas was right—I really don’t know much about mining.  I’ve been trying to read about it lately, but....”

“Reyna and I can handle financial discussions,” Nico said, turning Will around to help with the buttons.  “You did wonderfully, though—that whole lecture about prioritizing his laborers?  Your analysis was brilliant and you delivered it flawlessly.  I was so proud of you, Will.”

Will opened his mouth wordlessly as Nico finished the last button and looked up at him with a smile.  He was still struggling to come up with a response when Nico reached for his coat.  “After dinner, we’ll talk with him again,” Nico said as he helped Will into the sleeves.

“You want me to join you?”

“Of course I do,” Nico said, smoothing out Will’s coat.  “Won’t you?”

Will was glad Nico was too busy fixing Will’s clothes to notice the delight that must have been written on his face.  Last night, when Nico had sent Will to bed early during their talk with Midas, Will had worried that Nico hadn’t wanted him there.  Even after Nico had explained that he’d done it to get him away from Midas, a small part of Will still whispered that he’d been a burden on the conversation or that Nico hadn’t taken him seriously.  Either way, he’d proven himself to Nico at the mine that day.  Nico wanted his help.  Nico valued his help.

But as much as Will wanted to say that yes, of course he wanted to be involved, he’d already made a promise to Midas.  Earlier that day, during a moment when they managed to slip away from Nico and Reyna, Midas had asked Will to look over his daughter after dinner.  They’d planned for Lityerses to meet Will at his room to brief Will more on Zoe’s condition and escort him to her sickbed.

Will swallowed when Nico looked up at him with a smile.  It almost physically hurt to answer. “I would love to, but I think I’d rather rest today.  I didn’t sleep well last night—I always have trouble sleeping after traveling.”  That much, at least, was true.  “You and Reyna must have things to discuss that I can’t help with anyway.”

For a moment, Nico’s brow wrinkled in disappointment, but the expression was gone so quickly that Will nearly thought he’d imagined it.  “Resting is probably wise,” he said. “You’ll have more work to do tomorrow.  I’d like to return to the mines so you can examine the ponies more closely.”

“You mean, individually?” Will asked.  “All of them?”

Nico’s head quirked to the side ever so slightly.  “Is that a problem?”

“I certainly could, but it would take longer than one day,” Will answered.  “There are hundreds of them.  I’ll likely have to spend most of the trip in the mines.”

“I see,” Nico said, brow furrowing.  “I didn’t realize that.  What if you just examined some from each level?  Perhaps that would set a standard for you to judge the health of the rest.”

“That depends on whether you want me to be an inspector or a physician,” Will replied.  “It would be sufficient if you only want me to perform an inspection, but if you want me to be a physician, then I need to see all of them.”

Nico sighed.  “Having a physician would certainly be preferable, but I suppose we really only need an inspection.  We still have to go over financial reports and meet with Midas’ engineers and we can’t do all that from inside the mines.”

“Then I’ll go on my own,” Will said.  “You don’t need me to discuss finances and there’s no sense in you going to the mines with me.  Really, we’d just be wasting our time if we insisted on being in the same place.”

“Yes, but....”  Nico‘s frown deepened.  “I don’t want you going to the mines by yourself.  They’re so dangerous.  Not to mention you’d have to be alone with Midas’ people....”

“Nico, nothing will happen to me,” Will said.  “I won’t even go very far inside the tunnels.  Besides, I don’t think that Midas would want anything to happen to me.  Even if he did, he can’t afford to be associated with any harm that might come to the Prince’s consort.”

Not to mention that Midas needed him to heal his daughter. 

Nico chewed his lip for a moment.  “I want you to take Hedge.”

“If you can convince him to leave your side, then yes, I’ll take Hedge,” Will said.  “Somehow I don’t believe he’d take well to the idea of leaving you unprotected.”

Nico shook his head.  “That won’t be a problem.  Reyna will be with me.”

Will almost pointed out that Reyna was his advisor, not his guard, but he thought better of it.  He wasn’t so sure that the title of ‘advisor’ adequately covered everything Reyna did.  She kept Nico’s schedule, acted as his chaperone, tutored him, and yes, advised him.  Why not be a guard, as well?  Reyna was well-trained in multiple forms of combat, after all.

“I’ll discuss it with Reyna and Hedge tonight,” Nico said.  “Escort me to dinner?”

Dinner, much as the evening before, did not pass without the occasional cold comment or awkward silence.  Nico turned down all Midas’ attempts at casual conversation with subtle shifts in topic or not-so-subtle reminders of the fact that he was not making a social visit that were so hostile, Will felt almost inclined to apologize for his behavior.

Eventually, Midas either seemed to realize that Nico wanted to discuss matters of business exclusively or he gave up trying to avoid it.

“I sent a message to my engineers,” Midas said.  “They’ll be here tomorrow to discuss the extension of the ramp.  If all goes well, we should be able to draw up plans and complete the cost analysis before you leave.”

“Lady Reyna and I will be sure to attend your discussions,” Nico said.  “My husband will not be able to join us, unfortunately.  I intend to send him back to the mines tomorrow.”

Midas looked at Will briefly, but Will didn’t meet his eyes.  He wasn’t quite sure why his stomach was churning uneasily—he didn’t believe he’d done anything wrong.  Perhaps he feared he’d see betrayal in Midas’ expression.  Will didn’t regret being so harsh on Midas earlier, nor did he feel guilty for planning to expose any more problems he might discover in the mines, but something inside him still felt conflicted.  He had agreed to help Midas’ daughter—which, again, Will did not think was at all condemnable, but it did mean that he had, in a small way, pledged loyalty to Midas.  Will did not like that at all.

“Was our visit today not sufficient?” Midas asked.

“Considering our concerns regarding the health of the ponies, my husband and I believe it would be best if he examined them individually over the next few days while I remain here with you,” Nico answered.

Will felt Midas’ eyes on him again.  He pretended to examine his fork.

“I see,” Midas said.  “Then Lityerses will escort him to the mines tomorrow.”

When Lityerses looked up at the mention of his name, he seemed surprised that he’d been brought into the conversation at all.  Nico glanced at him briefly, his eyes narrowing, and with an unsurprising degree of hostility in his tone, he said, “That won’t be necessary.”

Midas’ hands folded calmly in front of his plate.  “I must insist, Your Highness.  I would be a terrible host to allow your husband to go to the mines alone.”

Nico pursed his lips and Will could practically hear him plotting out another argument to keep Lityerses from joining him.

“Thank you, Lord Midas,” Will interrupted before Nico spoke again.  “And thank you, Lityerses.”  Will glanced at Nico and gave him a smile that he hoped conveyed both an apology and reassurance.  Will would prefer to examine the ponies without Lityerses’ involvement, but there was very little he could do to interfere.  It wasn’t worth arguing over.

Nico narrowed his eyes, but held his tongue.  He did, however, set down his tableware and announce that he had finished eating—a cue for the meal to end—which communicated his displeasure just as effectively.

“Are you certain that you don’t want to join us?” Nico asked as they left the dining hall.

Will did want to join them.  But he had another duty to take care of.

“I’m certain,” Will answered.

Nico frowned, and for a moment Will considered staying a bit longer just to keep him from looking so disappointed.  But Will had already made a decision to help Midas’ daughter.  A little girl in need of healing was a far more pressing matter than a sulking husband.

When Will didn’t change his mind, Nico sighed.  “Alright.  Go on and rest.”

“Thank you.  Good night, Your Highness.”  Will didn’t dare kiss him outside the privacy of their own rooms, but he did press his lips to the back of Nico’s hand.  He met Nico’s eyes briefly, silently asking if that had been out of line, but Nico only smiled ruefully and squeezed Will’s fingers.

“Good night, Will.”

Will hadn’t been in his room long when Lityerses appeared looming outside his door.

Lityerses, in Will’s opinion, seemed like the sort of person who didn’t often leave a good first impression.  He was simply too intimidating.

Firstly, Lityerses was enormous.  His shoulders were nearly twice as broad as Will’s, his arms were as thick as barrels, and Will had to crane his neck to look at his face.  Will knew that Lityerses couldn’t help his size, but Will was similarly unable to restrain the instinctual flare of primal alarm he felt when approached by a stranger who looked as though he could quite easily snap every bone in Will’s body if he felt so inclined.

Fortunately, the immediate, involuntary unease prompted by such musculature could easily be overcome with a bit of communication.  People were almost invariably less frightening once you got to know them. Provided, of course, that they could be engaged in conversation.

Lityerses did not seem to want to be engaged in conversation.

Will tried to convince himself that Lityerses was merely shy and that his reserved demeanor was a product of introversion rather than indicative of an aloof and unfriendly personality.  So far, Lityerses wasn’t helping with the endeavor.

“Zoe is prone to sickness,” Lityerses said stiffly as he led Will down an empty corridor.  “She’s always been this way.”

“So it is congenital?” Will asked.

Lityerses frowned.  “Conginti...?”

“Has she been prone to illness since birth?” Will clarified.  It had been a while since he’d had a patient who was neither a soror nor a consor nor an animal and he was used to his patients either knowing quite a lot about health or being incapable of human speech.

“Yes,” Lityerses answered.  “She was born during the Scarlet Delirium outbreak.  Our mother died of it several months later.  The doctors believe that is the cause of her poor health.”

“It’s possible,” Will said.  “I doubt that’s the case, though.  The Scarlet Delirium doesn’t work that way; everyone who contracted it died.  If your sister had been infected, she wouldn’t be....”

Will broke off when he realized that Lityerses looked displeased with Will’s analysis.  Or perhaps that was just his general expression.  Either way, he didn’t seem interested in Will’s thoughts.

Right, Will remembered.  He wasn’t in Venadica.  The people around him didn’t want to discuss medicine and theorize with him.  They just wanted to be healthy.

The room Lityerses led Will to was on the highest floor of the opposite wing of the estate—as far from the guest rooms as possible, Will noted.  He wondered if the distance was the result of concern for guests’ health, respect for Zoe’s privacy, or a need for secrecy.  Last night, Will had promised confidentiality out of respect, but after Nico told him about Midas’ involvement in baiting, he was inclined to believe that Midas’ intentions would always be tainted by selfishness.  A large, regretful part of Will suspected that Midas’ reason had less to do with actually caring for his daughter and more with avoiding the public shame that came along with illness among Plutons.

“She’s waiting for us,” Lityerses said.  He knocked on the door softly before opening it.  “Zoe,” he called. “I’ve brought the healer.”

Lityerses opened the door wider and stepped back to allow Will to enter first.  The bedroom was fairly large by Pluton standards, but it was still small enough to retain the distinctly Plutonian feeling of coziness.  The fireplace opposite the bed was lit despite the late summer air, casting a warm glow over the room.  The rose-colored armchairs in front of the fire cast two shadows back across the room towards the bed, where a girl around Hazel’s age—ten years old or so—sat propped up against the headboard.  Her dark blond hair was gathered in a knot atop her head, several stringy locks hanging down and clinging to her neck and forehead with sweat.  She was smiling, but looked tired, with deep circles under her eyes that had no business being on the face of a girl so young.  Will could see yellow, scaly rashes poking out from under her dressing gown on the skin of her arms and neck, creeping up towards her left cheek.

Will recognized that rash.  He’d seen it several before and he’d read about it in Venadica’s medical records.  Only one cause came to mind.

Lityerses closed the door behind them.  “This is His Highness, William of Angelus, husband to the Prince,” he said.  “Your Highness, this is my sister, Zoe.”

Will offered the girl a smile.  “Hello, Zoe,” he said. “I’m here to examine your illness, if you’ll allow me.”

“Are you going to cure my fever?” Zoe asked.  Her voice came out in a raw croak and ended in a short cough.  She sounded tired—not only from her obvious exhaustion, but something in her tone also conveyed a feeling of doubt or resignation, like she’d had enough of healers trying and failing to help.

Will looked over Zoe’s figure again.  “Yes,” he said. “I believe I can do that.”  He gestured to Zoe’s bedside.  “May I?”

When Zoe nodded her permission for Will to approach, Will stepped forward.  A table and stool were already beside her bed, a healer’s kit waiting for him on the tabletop beside a small stack of paper and a pen.  Will hadn’t brought his own supplies to Phrygia—apart from some gauze and wrappings and a few medicines in case of an emergency—so Midas had told him he’d find all the tools and equipment he needed already prepared.

Will took a seat on the stool.  “I thought we could start with a few questions, if you don’t mind,” he said, reaching for the pen and paper first.  “Your brother has been telling me a bit about your health, but I’d like to hear from you, as well.  Can you tell me how you are feeling?”

The way Zoe listed her symptoms for him almost sounded rehearsed, like she’d done it so many times that she didn’t even need to think about it.  As she spoke, Will took inventory of the equipment provided in the healer’s kit, stopping every now and then to jot down a few notes on what Zoe was saying.  He set aside the roll of surgery equipment without looking inside—he doubted he’d need anything from it—and pulled out the leather-bound case containing the thermometer.  It was an older model, Will noted when he looked inside—large and cumbersome and probably slow to give an accurate read, but it would do.

He set that aside for later use and reached into the kit again.  His fingers closed around another case and he nearly dropped it in horror when he discovered that it contained an artificial leech.  He was torn between throwing the case on the ground and touching the metal out of morbid fascination.  He’d only seen them in sketches in old medical books or when Asclepius pulled one out during a lesson just to deliver yet another lecture on how much he hated the things.  Asclepius had been very insistent about banning the use of artificial leeches in Venadica.  The Aegyptians had been talking about bloodletting’s ineffectiveness for years, Asclepius said, and it was about time they listened.

“Do the healers use this on you?” Will asked, when Zoe finished telling him her symptoms—all of which suggested the presence of a minor cold that Will could clear up by the end of the week.

“Of course,” Zoe said.  She coughed. “They use it to drain out the bad humors.”

“Humors,” Will repeated in monotone.  Had he traveled backwards a century, or were Zoe’s healers really that far behind in medical history?  Bloodletting may still be mainstream, but explaining illness away as humors was absolutely ancient.  Exactly how poorly educated were Plutonian doctors?  If someone as wealthy as Midas couldn’t find a healer with medical knowledge more recent than half a century ago, how badly off was the rest of the country?  And why hadn’t Venadica done something about it?

Will fiddled with the knob at the top of the artificial leech and wrinkled his nose in disgust when the sharp razors twisted on the other end.  “So they...pierce the skin and...draw the blood out?” he asked haltingly.

“Once a week, sometimes more if I’m especially sick,” Zoe answered.

“Once a week,” Will muttered to himself.  Upon further inspection, brown spots betrayed the presence of traces of blood left on the instrument from its last use.  Didn’t anyone clean the equipment?

“Should I lift my sleeve?”

Will blinked.  “What?” he asked, looking up to see Zoe already rolling up the sleeve of her dressing gown.  “Oh, no!” he said once his brain was finally able to wrap around what she was asking. “No, we’re not going to use this.  In fact, don’t let the healers use it on you again.  Ever.”

“But then how will the bad humors get out?”

Will slammed the case’s lid shut and nearly tossed the offending object aside.  “There are no humors,” he said.

Zoe looked over Will’s shoulder at her brother, her eyebrows drawn tightly together with uncertainty.  She clearly didn’t trust him enough to take his word for it.  Will supposed her apprehension made sense, considering that she’d been told something else her whole life, but it brought about a host of other problems—namely, how to convince Zoe’s family and healers to listen to him.

“His Highness is said to be a very good healer,” Lityerses said from behind Will, catching him off guard.  “He trained under the best.”

Will turned to Lityerses in surprise.  Lityerses shrugged in response to his expression.  “I always thought that bloodletting was a bit unsettling anyway.  Won’t it be nice not to have to do it anymore, Zoe?”

“That’s true,” Zoe said.  “I could never see the humors in the blood anyway.”

There was a lot in that sentence for Will to wrap his mind around.  He opened his mouth to reply, but wasn’t quite sure where to start dissecting the statement.  “Right,” Will said instead.  He had the feeling that he’d uproot a lot of their assumptions about medicine before he left.

His assumptions were proven correct when he asked Zoe about medication, and then again when he asked about her diet.

“I haven’t eaten today,” Zoe said proudly.

Will frowned.  “You mean, at all?”

“Of course not,” Zoe said.  “I haven’t eaten since the fever came back.  I need to starve it to kill it.”

Starve.  Surely Midas could have found someone better than whoever he was allowing to look after his daughter.  With all his wealth, he could fund the education of a whole staff of doctors.  Really—to starve her?

Words scrambled around Will’s head as he struggled to grab and focus on one of the ways that statement was wrong at a time.  Address her fever first, Will decided, and then he’d unpack what she’d said about starving the life out of it.

“I’m going to take your temperature now,” Will said.

“Oh, I already know have a fever,” Zoe said when Will moved closer with the thermometer.  “I did that this morning.”

“Your temperature would have changed by now,” Will said.  “Besides, I need an exact measurement.”

Zoe sighed and opened her mouth obediently, allowing Will to slide the end of the thermometer under her tongue.  Behind them, Will heard a soft chuckle.  He looked over his shoulder at Lityerses and was surprised to see him smiling.  Will couldn’t recall seeing him smile before.

“She hates having her temperature taken,” Lityerses explained.  “It means she can’t talk.”

Zoe made a displeased sound around the thermometer, pouting at her brother.

“Ah,” Will said, reaching for his pen.  “I can understand that.  How about I ask you some questions and you can either nod or shake your head?”

Zoe nodded.  Will noticed the bed dipping, and he looked up to see Lityerses hesitantly settling at the edge of the bed, curiously watching as Will’s pen scratched across paper.  Something in Lityerses’ expression softened when he looked up at his sister, and he suddenly seemed much less intimidating.  Will thought he even looked a little bit like Lee.

Lityerses patted Zoe’s ankle through the blankets and offered his her a smile.  Zoe smiled back.  Will watched the exchange with interest, reevaluating his initial impressions of Lityerses when he saw the way he made his sister relax into the bed.

“About your diet,” Will said, tearing his eyes away from the siblings and forcing himself not to think about how much he missed his own.  “You may have trouble digesting some foods, but you need to eat to stay strong.  I’ll make a list of things that will be easy for you to eat until you can handle regular foods again.  Have you been drinking, at least?”

Zoe nodded and pointed to a half-full cup of water next to the bed.

“How many of these cups do you drink in a day?” Will asked.

Zoe hesitantly raised her hand and lifted a few fingers, but shrugged to indicate she wasn’t sure.

“You need to drink more than that,” Will said, making a note in his papers.  He would have to write up a dietary plan later that evening. “May I examine your arm?”

Zoe held out her arm and nodded her permission when Will asked if he could lift her sleeve to look at the yellowish rash he’d noticed earlier.

“Is this rash always here, or does it come and go?” Will asked, forgetting that Zoe couldn’t speak around the thermometer.

Lityerses answered for her.  “It flares up when she’s ill,” he said.  Zoe gestured to him and nodded in agreement.

Will checked the thermometer, but the liquid line was still slowly creeping up the glass, so he returned to Zoe’s arm.  “Does it ever go away completely?” Will asked.

Zoe nodded.

“Good, good,” Will mumbled, brushing his thumb over the rash’s scaly surface.  He knew that rash.  Once it started appearing all the time, the prognosis turned grim very quickly.

Will lifted the sleeve more to see how far it extended, and then covered her arm back up when he saw that it stopped before he reached the ring-like bloodletting scars littered over the inside of her elbow.  He checked the line on the thermometer again and, noticing that the line had stopped rising, took it out.  Lityerses laughed softly at the expression she made while Will made a note of the reading.

“Phew,” Zoe breathed.  “I hate that part.”

“Better than bloodletting,” Will mumbled.  “Now, you still have a fever, but that doesn’t mean you should starve.  Be sure to eat and drink tomorrow.  There’s a medicine I’d like you to try that will help speed up your recovery.”

“You mean you’re going to cure me?” Zoe asked.

“Your fever, yes,” Will said.  “It’ll will be gone within the next few days.  By the end of the week, you’ll be running around the halls.”

Zoe looked at her brother.  She looked back at Will. “Is that all?” she asked.  “So soon?”

“Of course,” Will said.  “Unfortunately, you’ll always be susceptible to illness, so it will only be a matter of time before you get sick again.  You have an immune disability I’ve treated before—the rash makes it very easy to diagnose.  It gets its common name—goldrot—from the color.  It’s unpleasant, but it can be managed.  I’ll write up some plans on how to avoid disease to keep these episodes as far apart as possible.”

“So you can’t cure it?” Lityerses asked.  The displeasure in his tone almost made Will reassess his reassessment of his impression of Lityerses’ intimidating nature.

“There isn’t a cure for goldrot, exactly,” Will replied.  “It’s a matter of managing it, not getting rid of it.  But with proper care, you can still live a very normal life.”

Lityerses looked like he wanted to say something, but Zoe beamed at him and he kept his thoughts to himself.

“I will meet with your father in the morning directly to give him a report,” Will said.  “In the meantime, this is the medicine I’d like.”  Will jotted down the name of a stimulant that would help clear up Zoe’s congestion and ease her coughing and he handed it to Lityerses.  “Perhaps your father can still inquire about getting that tonight.  If not, it can wait until morning.  I’ll come back tomorrow evening to check on your progress, Zoe.  Hopefully, you’ll have acquired this medicine by then.  For tonight, drink more water and get plenty of rest.”

Lityerses waited until they’d crossed the estate before he spoke.  “You said that she could have a normal life,” he said.

Will nodded.  He’d been expecting Lityerses to question him since they walked out of Zoe’s chambers.  “Yes, I suspect so.”

Lityerses was silent for a few more steps, then— “So she isn’t going to die?”

“No,” Will replied gently.  “She’s not in danger of dying any time soon.  She’s actually in the very early stages of goldrot—it just hasn’t been managed well.  She still has a lot of time before it gets bad, I’d say.”

“You mean...adulthood?” Lityerses asked.  The hesitance in his voice made Will stop and look at him.  There was a fearful hopefulness in his eyes, like he wasn’t sure if he was brave enough to let himself believe his sister was really going to be alright.

“Yes, I believe she’ll live to see adulthood,” Will answered.  “Through it, quite possibly.  She could still live to old age, in fact, with proper care and a bit of good fortune.  But, quite frankly, you need better healers.”

“And this medicine,” Lityerses said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out the folded paper Will had given him with the name of the prescribed stimulant, “this will make her better?”

“Yes, it’s very effective.  She’ll notice the change in a matter of hours.”  Will paused, looking at the paper, and realized that the word he’d used for the drug was its technical name.  Judging by what he’d seen of Midas’ medical staff so far, he couldn’t be certain that they’d recognize it. “Actually, may I have that for a moment?  I’d like to add something.”

Lityerses gave him the paper.  Will retrieved the pen from his pocket and jotted down a few more common names that the medicine also went by.  “Just a bit of clarification,” he said, offering the paper back and tucking the pen away again.

Lityerses glanced at what Will had written.  “Are our healers actually completely incompetent?”

Will cleared his throat awkwardly.  Incompetent seemed a rather harsh word, but Will couldn’t deny its accuracy.  “I’m sure they’re doing their best, but...they don’t seem very well-informed.”

Lityerses folded the paper and replaced it in his pocket.  “Thank you for everything you did tonight,” he said as they stopped outside the door to Will’s rooms.  “We appreciate your time.”

“You are very welcome,” Will answered.  “I’m glad that I’m able to help.  Will you be the one to take me to see her again tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Lityerses said.  “And during the day, I will accompany you to the mines.”

“Then I will see you in the morning,” Will said, politely inclining his head.  “Have a good night, Lityerses.”

Will reached for the door to his room.  Lityerses, however, did not echo Will’s goodbye.

“Your Highness?”

Will turned back.  “Yes?”

Lityerses’ eyes flickered across the hall, the floor, the ceiling, then settled on Will’s shoes.  He cleared his throat and said, ”Tomorrow in the mines, you will be looking over the animals’ health.”

Will wasn’t certain if Lityerses meant that as a statement and a question. “That is correct,” he answered.

Lityerses shifted his weight.  His eyes darted from one end of the corridor to the other.  “I think,” he said quietly, “I think I might be of some use.  I’ve been...looking into things.”

Will’s hand slid away from the door handle and he turned to face Lityerses completely.  “How so?”

“Records and such,” Lityerses said.  “It’s best not to discuss it here, but I recommend you ask my father to look at the old documents on ponies that used to work in the mines, not just the ones in there now.”

Will’s mouth felt dry.  Why was Lityerses telling him this?  Why couldn’t they discuss it there?  What sort of trouble Lityerses would find himself in if they were overheard?

After a moment, he managed to stamp out the desire to question him and settled on saying, “Thank you for the advice.”

“Don’t mention I suggested it,” Lityerses said.  

“Of course,” Will answered.

Lityerses nodded, stood up straighter, and said, “Thank you again for your assistance this evening.  Sleep well, Your Highness.”  He bowed once before leaving Will in the doorway to his chambers.

Will looked after him for a moment before entering his room to prepare himself for bed.  The web of secrets in Midas’ manor seemed even larger than before, and whether he liked it or not, Will was getting caught in the tangles.

Chapter Text

Nico woke up late the next day.  Very late.  Reyna was not pleased with him.

Despite her lecture, Nico was in no hurry to get up until she reminded him of two things: firstly, that Midas had noticed his absence all morning, and secondly, that Nico’s husband had been entertaining their host alone.

Nico shot out of bed at that.  He quickly dressed and readied himself, decided that he could wait until lunch to eat, and then hurried with Reyna to find Will and Midas.

Reyna brought him to a windowed drawing room where the early sunlight made Will’s hair more golden than anything in Midas’ estate.  He was standing with Midas at a large round table littered with maps of the mine.

Midas politely greeted him, which Nico ignored, and Will smiled kindly.  At first, Nico was overwhelmed with relief to find him safe, but once the feeling passed, it was quickly replaced by anger.  How dare Will meet with Midas alone?  Had Nico not been very clear about what he thought of that?

You were sleeping, reminded a rational voice in Nico’s head.  Nico ignored it.  Yes, he should have woken up earlier, but that wasn’t a reason for Will to meet with Midas alone.  He should have at least taken Reyna with him.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Will said, oblivious to Nico’s fury.  “We’ve been looking over maps of the mines and making projections of what an extension of the slope would entail.  Engineering isn’t my specialty, but I thought I’d have a look.”

Will looked well-rested, happy, and eager.  Hadn’t he seemed disinterested in helping just the night before?  Now he suddenly wanted to be involved?  After leaving Nico and Reyna to deal with him before, he suddenly decided to speak with Midas on his own?  Had he forgotten that Nico was the duke?  That Nico was supposed to lead their discussions?

Will didn’t mean anything by it, Nico tried to tell himself.  It didn’t make him feel better.

“The outdoor pony stables should be here, at the slope’s entrance,” Will said, pointing at the top of a cross-section map.  “I suggest building them as soon as possible, at least so that the ponies on the first three levels can start using them while work on the slope progresses.”

Nico’s lips pursed.  Will was only trying to help, he reminded himself.  Really, he was doing exactly what Nico had asked of him.  Nico shouldn’t be angry.

When a manservant entered the room and took Midas’ attention, Will leaned closer to whisper in Nico’s ear.  “I’m glad you’ve finally woken up.”

Nico made a noncommittal sound in response.  He was not in the mood for teasing.

Will frowned.  “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” Nico grunted.

Will didn’t seem satisfied by that answer.  For a moment, it seemed like he might drop the matter anyway, but then he reached for Nico’s hand.  “Nico?”

Nico snatched his hand away.  “You may not call me that here,” he hissed.  “I have already told you the circumstances in which you are allowed to use that name.”

Nico immediately regretted it.  He’d lashed out at Will like that once before, when he’d berated Will for touching him during Prince Percy’s wedding.  Will’s expression this time at least wasn’t as confused and scared as it had been back then, but he still looked hurt.  And not just hurt, either—it was like a cold steel wall had suddenly sprung up around him.  He looked angry.

“I didn’t mean to snap,” Nico said quickly, determined not to get himself into trouble like he had the last time.

Will nodded slowly, but his features didn’t soften.  Before Nico could apologize, Midas returned.

“Lityerses has everything prepared for you to leave,” he said.  “Your man is already waiting.”

“Man?” Nico repeated.  He was Will’s man.

“Hedge,” Will explained.

Nico nodded.  That was alright, then.

Then Nico caught himself and forced his thoughts to grind to a halt.  Of course it was alright.  He had to keep his penchant for resentment in check.  There was no reason to be getting jealous.

“Then I will leave you to your talks,” Will said, standing up straight and fixing his coat.  “Will you send the documents I requested to my room, Lord Midas?”

“I already have someone locating them,” Midas answered.

And the jealousy was back.  What documents?  Why hadn’t Will mentioned these documents to Nico?

Nico mentally trampled the thoughts away.

“Thank you,” Will said, then he turned to Nico.  “Until this evening, Your Highness.”

“Yes,” Nico said, because that was the only thing he could think to say other than “Don’t leave yet!”  He tried to discreetly touch Will’s hand as he passed, but didn’t manage to reach him in time.

Nico watched him go with an uncomfortable wrench in his gut.  He’d thoroughly spoiled what could have been a perfectly good morning.

Will had worked as a healer long enough for examinations to become second nature to him.  He made his way through the mine’s ponies without needing to think much about it.  It was a good thing, because Will’s mind was preoccupied with his husband.

He knew why Nico was angry; Nico had asked him to be careful around Midas and was upset when he found out that Will had met with him alone.  Still, Will couldn’t explain that they’d been discussing his daughter’s health.  He did feel guilty for worrying Nico and keeping Zoe a secret, but he wasn’t sure that he had a choice.  Zoe deserved confidentiality.  Will didn’t have the right to tell Nico about her health.

Anyway, Will thought Nico’s anger was unreasonably inflated.  He could understand the frustration, but honestly—snapping at Will for the mistake with his given name?  It was all quite ridiculous and even a little bit offensive.  Why was Nico so against his husband using his given name in public?  Why was he so ashamed of Will?

Much to Will’s surprise and relief, Lityerses made a good conversation partner.  He helped keep Will from dwelling too much on Nico while he worked on the ponies.

“The Prince must have told him to keep a close watch on me,” Lityerses said, referring to Hedge.

Will glanced at Hedge, who was glowering at Will and Lityerses from the entrance of the stables.  There were in the first level of the mines and Will was sitting on a stool, working by lamplight to examine a pony’s hooves.  Hedge had made no attempt to hide his distrust of Midas’ son.

“Yes, well, my husband is worried about my safety and Hedge is suspicious by nature,” Will said.  “I’m sure no one meant any offence.”

Lityerses raised an eyebrow.  “Your Highness, I do recall the way the Prince objected to my accompanying you at dinner last night,” he said.  “Besides, I am well aware of what he thinks of my family.”

Will paused while examining one hoof, and all he managed to say was, “Oh.”  After a second, he gathered his thoughts and added, “Well, really, it’s just your father.”

But Lityerses shook his head.  “Oh, no, the Prince doesn’t like me, either,” he said.  “He rejected me quite quickly when I was considered as a candidate for Royal Consort.”

Will sat up so quickly that he knocked his head on the wooden slats behind him with a loud crack.

“Your Highness?” Hedge called.

“I’m fine, Hedge,” Will answered quickly, lest he come back inside and start breathing down Will’s neck again.  He’d been so distracting that Will had been forced to ask Hedge to keep an eye on the mine from the entrance of the stables within ten minutes of arriving.

Lityerses eyed him curiously.  “Didn’t your husband tell you I was considered?”

“He...uh...neglected to mention that,” Will said, rubbing the throbbing spot on the back of his head.  He supposed it wasn’t surprising that Nico hadn’t said anything, given how much he’d teased Nico about his failures with Cecil and Ellis.  Nico had probably been embarrassed.  Considering how much Nico despised Midas, any attempt by Lityerses to court him must have been disastrous.

“It fell through immediately,” Lityerses said again.  “Hardly worth mentioning.  Suits me well, anyway; being the Prince’s consort would have been nice, but I’m needed here to take the county after my father.  Zoe...well, we always assumed that Zoe wouldn’t live long enough to do it.”

Will wasn’t quite sure what to say to that.  Lityerses must have misinterpreted his uneasiness, because he said, “You don’t need to worry about my relationship with your husband.  It was bound for failure.  He never would have accepted my father’s son.”

“Right,” Will said, racking his brain for another topic of conversation.  Nico wouldn’t have wanted him to talk to Lityerses about this.  There had been a reason Nico hadn’t mentioned courting Lityerses and Will didn’t feel right learning about it from someone other than his husband.

He got to his feet and opened the pony’s mouth to examine its teeth.  “I’ve noticed that these ponies all seem quite young,” he said.  “At least, that’s what I’d assume based on their teeth.”

“They are,” Lityerses confirmed.  “That’s actually what I wanted you to look for in the records.  It’s always been this way.”

“They’re too young,” Will said, stepping back to look over the pony.  “He’s even quite small.  He can’t be more than three years old.”

“Some are younger.”

“Younger?” Will repeated.  “What age do they send them here?”

“Two or three, according to the records I’ve looked at,” Lityerses answered.  “Then they work here for the rest of their lives.”

“And I’d wager that isn’t very long,” Will grumbled angrily as he left the pony’s stall to move to the next one.

“It’s not.  Three more years, if they’re lucky.”

Will halted in his tracks.  “Three?”

“Three,” Lityerses confirmed.  “Pit ponies usually only live to about five.”

“But they’re not even fully grown before five!”

“I know.”

“They’re practically children!”

“I know.”

“Do you realize how long ponies are supposed to live?  Twenty years.  Twenty!  This is only a quarter of how long their lives should be!  I expected their lifespans to be short, but I thought they’d at least make it to ten.”

“I know,” Lityerses said again.  “I’ve been looking into this for at least the past two years.  It’s all in the records that I told you to ask for.”

Will ran a hand through his hair, forgetting how dirty his fingers were.  “And your father,” he said.  “What does he think of all this?”

“He doesn’t particularly care,” Lityerses answered.

“But you do,” Will said.  It was halfway between a statement and a question.  “You do, and you can’t let your father know.  Why?  Why haven’t you confronted him?”

Lityerses sighed.  “You have to understand—he’s my father.  Every son worships his father when they’re young.”

Will couldn’t say he agreed with the sentiment.  He liked his father well enough, but he’d always been very much aware of Apollo’s flaws.

Will nodded for Lityerses to go on anyway and chose not to voice his thoughts on the matter just yet.

“I only recently started to realize that something was wrong here,” Lityerses continued.  “Or, at least, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally came to terms with it.  I’ve known for a long time.  You’ve heard about my father’s trial, I presume?”

“I’ve heard.”

Lityerses crossed his arms and averted his eyes.  “I knew about the baiting before the trial,” he said.  “My father took me to watch matches when I was younger.  At the time, I thought it was just a normal sport.  It wasn’t until the trial that I found out it was illegal.  Even after that, it took time for me to accept that it was wrong, because if it was wrong, then my father was a bad person.  I didn’t want to believe that.”  Lityerses looked up at Will, and whatever expression he was wearing made Lityerses close his arms further over his chest.  “I’m not proud of it, Your Highness.”

“I imagine not,” Will said.  He didn’t mean it judgmentally, but he certainly wasn’t feeling compassionate, either.  “Continue.”

“I assumed that he changed after the trial.  In fact, I was desperate to believe it.  But sometimes he said things—things that seemed...flippant.  Like he didn’t care.  Eventually, I started to suspect that he could still be causing harm to animals, or even to people.”

“Lityerses,” Will interrupted.  “Is he still baiting?”

“No, I haven’t found evidence of that,” Lityerses answered.  “That was one of the first things I tried to find out.  He doesn’t travel enough for me to think he attends matches elsewhere and I’d have found out by now if he were holding them in Phrygia.  We’d have more guests, for one thing.  I even looked at financial records, and everything seems to be accounted for—no large, unexplained sums of money that he could have earned or lost off bets.  It’s possible I missed something, but...if there are still active baiting circles in Pluto, somehow I doubt my father would be invited to join.  The last time he was found out, he gave names.”

Will nodded.  It was unlikely that anyone would trust Midas after he betrayed the last baiting circle.

“No baiting, then,” Will said.  “But you did find out about the ponies.  What else?”

“Well, ponies don’t leave the mines.  Accidents aren’t exactly rare.  The work hours are long—for ponies and humans.  And the pay is barely enough for the workers to feed their families.  Actually, quite a bit of it gets back to my father through taxes, so it’s like he’s hardly paying the workers at all.”

“But Phrygia hardly seems poor,” Will said.  “It’s so clean.”

“He’s willing to spend his tax income on improvements in the city, but I suspect it’s out of vanity rather than concern for Phrygians,” Lityerses explained.  “He pays sanitation workers, then taxes them so much that they may as well have done their jobs for free.  The streets are clean, but the people who live in them are starving.”

“Ni—the Prince told me that your father is well-liked in Pluto.”

“Oh, he is—by the aristocracy and merchant class vying for his favor,” Lityerses said.  “He’s the wealthiest man in Pluto; people know what kind of advantages his friendship can offer.  That’s how he acquired some very powerful connections.”

“And he earned everything off the labor of animals and the poor.”

“Labor, if not their lives,” Lityerses said.  “I did try to ask my father about the ponies once.  I mentioned that I noticed the lifespans were rather short.  He just told me that it was normal for pit ponies and that all mines are that way.  And he’s right—I even checked.  All this?”  Lityerses gestured to the ponies in the stable around them.  “This is happening in mines all over Pluto, Your Highness.  My father isn’t an outlier.  He may be worse than most—that’s why he has the highest profits—but he’s hardly the only guilty party.”

“Gods above,” Will murmured.  “And no one cares?”

“I care,” Lityerses said.  “And you care.  I suspect that the Prince would care, too.  Your Highness, I only just started finding out about all this and I’m hardly a capable researcher, so I know that there are things I’ve missed.  It took me years to deduce everything I’ve told you.  I know I can’t convince my father to change anything and I’ve been too afraid to confront him further because if he stopped trusting me, then there wouldn’t be a way for me to keep investigating.  There is very little I can do.  Even if I could, I wouldn’t know how to start fixing any of this.  You, though—you’re a consor.  You’re the Prince’s husband.  Your aunt is the Matestra.  You can do something.”

Will’s mouth felt dry.  Lityerses was right.

If anything were to change, it had to start with Will.

That realization should have terrified Will.  He was still growing accustomed to the fact that he was a member of the Royal Family and hadn’t quite mentally grasped exactly how much power he now held.  He wasn’t the illegitimate son of a duke anymore.  He was the husband of the future King of Pluto.

But this was exactly why Artemis had arranged for his marriage consultation with Nico in the first place.  Will remembered what his aunt had told him when he expressed his doubt that he’d make a suitable match for a prince— “ You are a consor,” she’d said, “which, I daresay, is exactly what the Royal Family needs.”

There were other consors and sorors acting as advisors in the palace—Reyna, for one—but there was a very clear difference between serving the Royal Family and being a part of it.  And unlike some of the advisors Will had met, he was also a healer, and that had fostered a nurturing quality in him which their personalities lacked.  They made fine partners to discuss theory with, but were too stolid and analytical for Will to enjoy a more casual conversation—with the exception of Reyna, who Will had discovered made quite a good friend.  The rest of the palace advisors were often too concerned with rigid numbers and charts and intellectual discussions to step back and think of people as people or of Pluto as a home for millions of individuals.

But Will—Will not only could, but wanted to make a change.  And it wasn’t just Midas.  It wasn’t just Plutonian mines.  There was Plutonian healthcare, too, and the appalling rate of poverty throughout the country.

Will could change all of it.

His thoughts were interrupted by Zoe’s wet cough jostling the thermometer in her mouth.  He checked the reading and offered her the cup water at her bedside.

“I really hate having my temperature taken,” she said.

“Well, at least we know your fever has gone down,” Will said as he recorded the information in his papers.  “Actually, there are smaller, faster types of thermometers now.  You ought to ask your father to buy one.”

Lityerses sighed from the other side of Zoe’s bed, where he was sitting to watch over his sister while Will tended to her.  “Faster thermometers?” he said.  “Then I’ll never get her to be quiet.  The only time she stops talking is when she’s having her temperature taken.”

Zoe snickered.  “Or when I’m being sick all over my bedsheets.”

“Hopefully, that won’t happen as much anymore,” Will said.  “It’s your sacred duty to annoy your brother.”

Zoe looked like she was about to say something, but then she started coughing again.

“Keep drinking,” Will said.  “I know you don’t want to, but you can’t be healthy without it.”

Zoe was too busy coughing to answer.  When it finally calmed, she took another sip of water.  Will encouraged her to drink more before he took the cup back.

“I hate this,” Zoe whispered, her voice thick with phlegm.

“I know, but this is a good sign,” Will said.  “The cough always gets worse at the end.”

“Then the medicine is working?” Zoe asked.

“Yes, I believe it is,” Will answered.  “You’ll be able to get out of bed soon—definitely by the time I leave at the end of the week.”

“I wonder if you could treat my skin condition, as well,” Zoe said, looking up at Will with large, hopeful eyes.

Will thought carefully before replying.  He’d expected Zoe to ask about that at some point.  Patients with skin conditions always wanted to know how to hide it.  “Right now, I think it’s most important to take care of your illness,” he said.

“Is the rash difficult to treat?”

“No,” Will said.  “It’s actually quite simple.  Unfortunately, the treatment counteracts the medication I’m already giving you.”

“Counteracts?” Zoe repeated.

“Yes, it....”  Will paused, realizing that Zoe didn’t understand what he was saying.  He considered his answer for a moment, then folded his hands in his lap and said, “Zoe, do you know why you have rashes?”

“Because I’m ill,” Zoe answered.

“Your rashes aren’t caused by your illness,” Will said.  “They’re trying to protect you from your illness.”

Zoe frowned.  “I don’t understand.”

“Let me try to explain,” Will said.  “Right now, your body is working very, very hard to keep you healthy.  You’re trying to fight off the sickness inside you.  One of the ways your body fights is by raising your temperature, and that’s why you have a fever.  So your fever isn’t really a bad thing; it’s helping you heal.  Of course, having a fever that’s too high can also be dangerous, so we have to regulate your temperature externally—”  Will stopped, realizing that he was letting himself ramble.  He had a habit of that.  “Anyway, your body also is fighting on the surface of your skin, which is why you get rashes.  Rashes mean that your body is working hard to keep you safe.  Do you understand?”

Zoe nodded.

“Unfortunately, it also means that your body is wasting energy fighting in the wrong place,” Will said.  “But if I try to get rid of your rashes, I would have to make your body weaker, and that’s the opposite of what I want.  The medicine I’m giving you will help your body fight harder.  Unfortunately, this means that your fever will rise and....”

“And my rashes will get worse,” Zoe said.

“Yes,” said Will.  “But once you’re better, your body will be able to stop fighting so hard and the rashes will go away like they always do.”  Will patted her hand.  “It’s late.  You ought to rest now.”

Zoe tucked herself further under the blankets of her bed as Will cleaned and packed up the equipment he’d used.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lityerses smile gently and kiss his sister’s forehead, but by the time he turned around, Lityerses was standing and ready to escort Will back to his chambers.

Lityerses looked surprised when Will invited him for a drink in his room, but he accepted the offer and found a manservant to bring them tea.  Will waited until the servant left them alone with the door shut to ask the question that had been on his mind since their conversation in the mines.

“Does Zoe know?”

Lityerses blew at the steam rising out of his cup.  “No,” he said.  Will waited patiently while Lityerses took a sip.  Lityerses glanced at him and sighed, like he’d hoped Will’s question ended there.  “Zoe’s too young to remember his trial.  I was only twelve at the time and I was confused, so I defended him because I didn’t realize....”  Lityerses paused again and his shoulders dropped.  “He’s my father,” he said.  “It’s not easy to realize that your father isn’t the hero you thought he was.”

“You only knew what you’d been taught.”  Will didn’t say it to be comforting.  He meant it more as an observation than an expression of sympathy.

Lityerses’ eyes looked downwards, focusing on the gold-brown ripples on the surface of his tea.  He didn’t seem to find much relief in Will’s words, either.  “I’d been taught wrong.  I understand that now.  But Zoe isn’t like me—you have to know that.  I had to unlearn everything I knew and completely ruin my image of my father just to be half as kind as her.  I don’t want her to have to go through that.”

“So you want her to live in ignorance?”

Lityerses looked up and met Will’s eyes again.  “You don’t agree with me.”  He didn’t sound accusing.  Instead, he sounded questioning, almost pleading, like he was begging Will for his thoughts and guidance.

“I understand your reasoning, but there are too many secrets in your home, Lityerses,” Will said.  “Your father’s trying to cover everything wrong that’s happening here, his criminal record is being kept from your sister, your sister’s health is a secret, and you can’t voice your objections to your father.”

“And I want to protect Zoe from all that,” Lityerses said.  “At least until she’s older.”

“She’ll start to notice things eventually, just like you did,” Will said.  “I think you ought to talk to her before she does.  You don’t want her to feel like she’s alone.”

Lityerses nodded.  “When she’s older,” he said again.  “And healthier.  Right now she ought to focus on recovering.”

“Good,” Will said.  “And you need to stop hiding from your father.  Nothing good will happen if you allow him to continue what he’s doing.”

“I can’t rebel against him.”

Will raised an eyebrow.  “Can’t you?”

Lityerses’ mouth fell open, but he didn’t say anything.

“I’m not saying you have to rebel,” Will went on.  “But voice your opinions more often.  You have an excuse now—you’re only trying to ensure that the mine follows the guidelines left by the Prince.  Then a little later you can start to have an input on how the city is run, on the taxes, and on ways to use your father’s wealth to help people.  My husband and I are leaving at the end of the week, Lityerses.  Do you want everything to go back to the way it was, or do you want things to change?”

For a long moment, Lityerses remained silent.  Finally, he took a breath and started to speak.

He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Will heard the click of the handle as he looked up, and there in the doorway stood Nico.

Nico was livid.

He’d been bothered by what had happened that morning all day.  When he met with Midas’ head engineer, he hardly listened to her speak because his mind kept echoing the words he’d snapped at Will for using his given name.  Will hadn’t deserved it, he knew.  He’d been angry for a foolish reason and had lashed out at Will over a minor offence.  And the sight of Will’s face?  He had never looked at Nico with a gaze so cold.

Nico hadn’t gotten the chance to speak with Will since he arrived back at the estate after being in the mines all day.  He had barely looked at Nico over dinner and he’d once again declined the invitation to meet with Midas.  He wanted to read, he’d said.

And then, when Nico went to Will’s rooms to apologize for that morning, he’d found Will not reading, but instead sharing tea with Lityerses.  Lityerses, of all people.

“Your Highness,” Will said.  There was still a hint of that steely, guarded air around him, but he smiled at Nico.  Nico, however, was too furious to care.

“Don’t you think it’s time for you to retire, Lityerses?” Nico said sharply.  “It’s awfully late to be in a room alone with another man’s husband.”

The guarded air came crashing back around Will.

Lityerses quickly got to his feet.  “Yes, Your Highness, my apologies,” he said, and he left the room with short goodbye to Will.  Nico shut the door behind him.

“Why was he here?”

“Because I invited him,” Will answered calmly.

Nico blinked.  “You what?”

“I invited him,” Will repeated.  He took a sip of tea.

“Invited?”

“Yes, Your Highness.  I believe that is what I said.”

Nico’s jaw clenched.  “Do not tease me now, Will,” he snapped.  “And you did the same thing this morning, too!  You sought out Midas alone.  I asked you very clearly not to be alone with them.”

“No, you didn’t.”  Will set his tea down on the table beside him, right next to the one Lityerses had left behind, and folded his hands primly in his lap.  “All you told me was to be careful around Midas.”

“And Lityerses is just as bad as his father!  You knew that I didn’t trust him.  Don’t pretend you didn’t.”

Will tapped his fingers on his knee once.  “I think that Lityerses must have given you a bad impression when you met,” he said slowly.

“What?  Don’t be ridiculous—”

“Really, Nico,” Will said, fixing him with a tired, annoyed glare.  “He’s helping me with the ponies.  He approached me and said that he’d heard I was hard on his father about their welfare, then he gave me some information he thought I might like to know.  If you had simply asked instead of accusing me as soon as—”

“It’s a trap,” Nico said.  It didn’t even bear thinking about.  “Midas must have set him up to it.”

Will sighed like he was dealing with a difficult child.  “Why can’t you entertain the possibility that Lityerses is better than his father?”

“Because he’s not!”

“Is this because he’s a failed suitor?”

Nico’s blood at once went icy, and then just as suddenly was hot with fury.  Will knew.  He knew what Lityerses’ family had done, he knew that Nico hated being reminded of his failures as a suitor, and Will knew, somehow, that Lityerses had been offered to him—a memory that Nico had tried very hard to forget.  “Do you think,” Nico growled, “—do you think that this is some petty grudge?”

“Nico—”

“Because I must have been such a horrid suitor, is that it?  After all, how is it possible that I failed every attempt at courting until you came along?  Clearly— clearly it must have been my fault.  Clearly there must have been something wrong with me because it simply isn’t possible for all my suitors to have been so awful.  Surely I was immature, saw the worst in everyone, purposely sabotaged every arrangement—”

“Nico—”

“So obviously, if I ever speak ill of someone who was offered as a potential fiancé, then I must be wrong about them.  It’s all in my head, isn’t it?  I know that’s what everyone’s thinking.”

“I wasn’t trying to—”

“Yes, you were, Will.  You were.”  Nico turned away before Will could answer.  “Goodnight,” he said as he left.  He heard Will call his name just as he slammed the door shut.

Chapter Text

Will wasn’t especially prone to anger.  That wasn’t to say he was immune to occasional flashes of outrage, but his temper usually remained firmly under control.  Aggravation, annoyance, and exasperation—those happened to Will in regular doses.  But resentment?  Rage?  Very rare.

In hindsight, it wasn’t entirely surprising it had been brought out as a result of his interactions with Nico.  Will had already been furious about Midas, the ponies, Zoe’s poor healthcare, and the general state of Phrygia, and Nico had a habit of making Will feel unusual and strong emotions.  Before, said emotions had mostly been positive; the only exception Will could think of had occurred after Nico snapped at him in Salacia.  Will supposed his intense reactions happened because his love for Nico amplified everything he felt.

But the possibility that his anger may have stemmed from love hardly made it good.  Anger, Will thought, was rarely ever good.

That didn’t stop him from feeling it.

Nico didn’t return to Will’s room again during the trip.  After their argument, he stopped inviting Will to join discussions.  “Reyna and I are going to review finances with Midas,” Nico had gruffly told him the evening after they fought.  “Why don’t you go read a book or chat with Lityerses or whatever it is you’ve been spending all your time on?”

Two days later, Will gave up on waiting for an invitation and offered to help in their evening talks.

“Make up your mind, Will,” Nico had snapped.  “Do you want to be involved or not?”

“Exactly what do you think I’ve been doing in the mines all day?” Will had hissed back.

“Having a grand time with your new best friend Lityerses, I expect!” Nico had answered, and then he’d stormed away.

Anger wasn’t good, but Nico wasn’t making it easy to stop feeling it.

Nico, after all, had been the one to invite Will to Phrygia in the first place.  Nico had said he wanted Will’s help.  And then he changed his mind because why?  Because Will had invited Lityerses in for tea?

Will tried to remain impartial.  He tried to see things from Nico’s perspective.  And yes, Will knew that Nico wasn’t entirely to blame.  He did feel guilty for accusing Nico of disliking Lityerses because he was a past suitor—he knew very well that Nico hated being reminded of any of his attempts at courting.  Worse still, he knew that Nico probably hadn’t mentioned Lityerses to him because it must be an especially sensitive topic.  Will ought to have been more considerate.

But no matter how Will looked at it, Nico was out of line.  Nico couldn’t resent Will for talking to someone.  Nico couldn’t tell Will who he was and wasn’t allowed to spend time with.

And if Will started spending more time with Lityerses and Zoe, he couldn’t deny that spite may have been a factor.  If Nico was only going to continue being ridiculous, Will decided, then he’d wait until Nico was ready to stop acting like a child to talk to him again.  After all, Will had more important things to attend to.

Actually, Will was quite happy in spite of his husband’s antics and he wasn’t about to let Nico ruin that for him.  He felt useful for the first time in months.  He was healing again.  He spent hours poring over old records on the pit ponies, calculations running through his head as he made his way through the data stored in them.  He enjoyed spending time with Lityerses and Zoe, especially when he could watch the way the siblings interacted with each other, and he’d even begun to think of them as friends.  Will had promised them he’d remain in contact, and Lityerses in turn had promised that he’d keep Will updated on the happenings in Phrygia.

And Will was particularly proud of himself for the way he’d dealt with Midas over the course of the trip.  The plan to extend the mine’s slope was already in motion.  Work had halted on the three lowest levels until construction was complete.  Plans for above-ground stables had already been drawn up, and, after much argument, Will had forced Midas to agree that he would not send ponies to the mines until they reached at least five years of age, preferably older.

“But these circumstances aren’t unique to my mine,” Midas had insisted.  “All pit ponies—”

“I didn’t ask about other mines,” Will had interrupted.  “Being standard does not make something right.  This is a serious problem and you will correct it.”

On the morning of the day they were to leave Phrygia, Will and Nico joined Midas and Lityerses for breakfast in a sunny room overlooking the gardens.  Nico was clearly angry and Will couldn’t say he was looking forward to sitting next to him for the entire carriage ride home.  They hadn’t had the opportunity to be alone in days—or rather, they hadn’t taken the opportunities that presented themselves—and Nico still seemed content to ignore Will as obviously as possible.  He took the chair next to Will at breakfast, but didn’t bother to even look at him.

That was, until Zoe came in to join them.

Zoe’s health had been steadily improving for the past several days.  With her cough dying down and her throat less sore, Zoe had proven her brother’s teasing quite warranted by talking Will’s ears off every time he came to see her.  She’d even taken to climbing out of bed and walking around the room during Will’s visits.  Will had expected her to be moving around the estate shortly after they left, but he certainly hadn’t predicted she’d reveal herself in front of guests.

Evidently, neither had Midas.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Midas asked, his words stiff and slow and the pitch of his voice a low rumble.

Zoe instantly folded in on herself, holding her arm self-consciously and glancing at the floor.  “I wanted to join you,” she said.

“You were supposed to stay in bed.”

Will had to stop himself from berating Midas.  He was still a guest in Midas’ home and interfering with his family life was inappropriate.  But Will certainly wasn’t going to say nothing. He’d had his doubts about Midas’ parental capacities and this only solidified what Will already suspected.  How dare Midas speak to his own daughter that way?  How dare he make her feel unwelcome at the table in her own home?

“Lord Midas, aren’t you happy your daughter is up and about?” Will asked with a polite smile.  “She’s made quite a nice recovery.”

Nico set down his teacup with a loud clatter.  “Forgive me,” he said coldly, “but I was under the impression that your daughter was studying abroad, Lord Midas.  And for some reason, it appears that I am the only one present who did.”

“Ah,” Midas said slowly.  “Yes.  That is, erm—”

“They weren’t supposed to know?” Zoe asked, her eyes going wide.  She was still standing awkwardly in the entryway, waiting for an invitation to join them.  “My apologies, Father—I thought—the Prince is his husband, so I thought he knew.”

“Exactly what is going on?” Nico demanded, the cool edge of his voice quickly becoming hot.  “And how is my husband involved?”

“Well,” Midas started hesitantly.  “Your husband...my daughter...you see....”

Will set his tableware down beside his plate.  “Zoe has been ill,” he said, too impatient to wait for Midas to explain himself.  “When Lord Midas approached me our first evening here, he asked me to examine her.  I chose to respect her confidentiality.”

“Should I...should I leave?” Zoe asked, still standing in the doorway.  She looked as though she were about to cry.

Lityerses’ chair squeaked when he pushed it back from the table, hurriedly getting to his feet to go to his sister.  He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned down, whispering words of comfort that Will couldn’t hear as he led her out of the room.

Will put his hand on Nico’s arm.  Nico glared at him sharply, but Will didn’t pull away.  “She’s a child,” he mouthed.  Let Nico be angry with him and Midas later.  Zoe had done nothing wrong.

Nico pursed his lips and snatched his arm out from under Will’s hand.

“Honestly,” Will muttered under his breath, and he pushed his chair back and left the room after Lityerses and Zoe.

Will found them a short way down the corridor, Zoe with her back to the wall and Lityerses kneeling on the floor in front of her, whispering and holding her hands while she sniffled and nodded.  Will waited until Lityerses saw him and nodded him over before he approached.

“Don’t cry, Zoe,” Will said, kneeling next to Lityerses.  “We’ve worked so hard to get rid of your stuffy nose.”

Zoe smiled and even laughed a bit.  Lityerses released one of her hands and offered her a handkerchief to dry her tears.

Zoe dabbed at her eyes.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to get you in trouble with your husband.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Will said.  “I was the one who chose not to tell him.  If anything, I should be thanking you—I didn’t like keeping secrets from him and now we can talk about it.”

Zoe nodded, her fingers curling in the handkerchief and wrinkling the fabric.

“Won’t you come back in and eat with us?” Lityerses asked.  “I’ve missed having meals with you.”

Zoe shook her head.  “I don’t want to upset anyone more than I already have.”

“You haven’t upset anyone, Zoe,” said Will.  “None of this was your fault.  Personally, I would love for you to join us.”

“If you really want to go, then you can go,” Lityerses added.  “But His Highness and I want you to be there.  I’m sure Father would, too—he’s just upset about other things right now.”

Zoe looked down at the handkerchief clenched in her fingers.  “I don’t know,” she whispered.

Will glanced at Lityerses.  He was watching his sister patiently, squeezing her hand and waiting for her to be ready to speak again.

Will stood up.  Lityerses knew his sister better than Will—he could handle the situation on his own.  Will had to make sure that if Zoe decided to join them again, she wouldn’t walk into a hostile environment again.  “I’m going to go back inside and see if things are settled with your father and my husband,” he said.  Lityerses nodded, Zoe offered a quiet thank you, and Will left Zoe in her brother’s hands.

Back at the breakfast table, Nico was on his feet, glowering at Midas with his fists balled at his sides.  When he heard Will’s shoes on the marble floor, he turned.

“Kind of you to come back,” he spat.

Will pursed his lips.  “Zoe is crying in the corridor,” he said coldly, directing himself to both Nico and Midas.  “I do not know if she and Lityerses will come back to join us.  While I understand that the situation is unexpected, it seems to me that we have no reason to make a little girl cry.  She has done nothing but share her excitement over her recovery.  We ought to be ashamed of ourselves for making her feel so distressed over it.”

Midas looked away, and while the anger did not completely disappear from Nico’s eyes, it did simmer lower until he had it contained behind a composed mask.

Will took his seat in silence and Nico fell back into his chair.  No one spoke when they returned to their meal, but the soft chiming of cups and tableware felt so loud that it hurt Will’s ears.

Eventually, Lityerses and Zoe did return.  They stood in the doorway and Lityerses placed his hands on his sister’s shoulders.  “Zoe is going to join us for breakfast,” he said.  With a sharp look at his father, he added, “She just made a miraculous recovery from her illness thanks to our guest, and we’re all very grateful to see her well again.”

A short beat of silence passed before Nico gave the girl an uneasy smile and said, “I’m glad you’ve recovered, Zoe.”

“Yes,” Midas agreed.  “I’m so happy, dear.”

When they joined the table, Lityerses was the one to take over the conversation.  He talked about Zoe’s health and praised Will’s work, occasionally encouraging Zoe to join in when she was uncharacteristically quiet.

Will smiled.  For Lityerses, this was a small, quiet act of rebellion against his father.  Will had a feeling that with Lityerses there, he was leaving Phrygia in good hands.

“You may write to me with any questions and I’ve left behind instructions for Zoe’s care in the future,” Will said.  “For day-to-day health management, I’ve gathered a dietary plan for your chefs to ensure her immune system is fed the support it needs.  It is vital to ensure that Zoe is exposed to disease as little as possible.  I suggest stricter supervision of the staff—especially those in contact with Zoe.  No one is allowed in the estate when they are ill, or at least they may not be near Zoe or anything she may touch, eat, or drink.  Proper hygiene is also necessary—not just for Zoe, but for everyone in the estate, including the staff.  Everyone must wash their hands regularly. With soap. The medical equipment must be washed before and after each use.  I would recommend extra caution as we approach autumn—sickness is especially common in the colder months of the year.”

“And this disease—goldrot, you called it—you believe it can be controlled?” Midas asked.

“I believe I have diagnosed it early enough that careful management will considerably slow its progression,” Will answered.  “Just be sure to follow my plan exactly.  I also would advise updating some of your medical equipment.  I have already taken it upon myself to dispose of some unnecessary and dangerous tools your healers were using.  I wrote down the specifics for you to review.”

“You have my gratitude, Your Highness,” Midas said.  “I am in your debt.”

“I only wish to keep my husband’s people healthy,” Will said.  He wondered if that statement would appease Nico a bit.

Nico’s eyebrow twitched.  It may have just made him more angry.

“Still, I wish to repay you someway,” Midas said.  “You mentioned that you are currently without a patron and that your studies are on hold.  I would be happy to sponsor you.”

Nico’s tableware clattered onto his plate.

Will was similarly shocked.  He controlled himself enough not to gape, but he had no idea how long it was before he spoke again.  Midas?  Midas wanted to be his sponsor?

Will had given a lot of thought to who he might ask for sponsorship or how he would approach the topic, but it was always the kind of anxious, circling thought that ultimately led nowhere.  Should he ask for his father’s continuing patronage, or should he be independent?  Would it be odd, as the Prince’s husband, to be sponsored by another Pluton, or would it be preferable to take a sponsor whose intentions were in the interest of Pluto?  Would a Pluton even be willing to spare the money to fund his studies, given the state the country was in?

“Thank you for your generous offer,” Will finally managed to say.  “I will consider it further.”  He didn’t want Midas to sponsor him, not really—even if Midas was wealthy—but it would be impolite to say no without taking the time to think about it.  “In the meantime, might I suggest you send some of your healers to Venadica in my place?  If Zoe is to continue to stay healthy, then her healers need proper training on her disease.”

Will glanced at Lityerses as he said this and gave him a pointed look.  Lityerses was bearing witness to Will’s suggestion, so Lityerses would need to hold Midas to it.

Lityerses nodded that he understood.

“Then I will heed your advice and await your answer,” said Midas.

Will spared another peek at Nico.  He couldn’t see Nico’s eyes, but judging from his clenched jaw and the way he was sawing at the meat on his plate, Nico was absolutely livid.

When breakfast was over, they prepared to leave the estate.  Will exchanged goodbyes and well-wishes with Lityerses and Zoe along with an invitation to write, and then he gave Midas a more formal farewell.

Reyna gestured Will and Nico to their carriage with Mellie and Hedge, but Nico said, “My husband and I will be riding alone in the second carriage with the luggage,” and Will prepared himself to face Nico’s anger.

The second carriage—the luggage carriage—had to be rearranged to accommodate for their presence.  While he waited, Will looked back at Zoe and Lityerses.  They seemed nervous for him, Will noted, so he smiled at them reassuringly.  He could handle Nico on his own.

For the first few minutes of the ride, there was silence as they sat in the cramped carriage.  The luggage was carefully restrained but took up a great deal of the car, leaving Will and Nico forced to sit rather close.  The carriage clacked over the stone roads of Phrygia as Will looked over the luggage and out the window angrily—angry at Midas for the secrets that lay clustered in the cracks of those too-clean streets, angry at Nico for being angry with him, and angry at both of them for making Zoe cry.

Will wanted to be angry.  He couldn’t remember ever wanting to be angry before, but right then, he did.  He wanted to be angry because Nico was angry, Nico was about to yell at him, and Will did not plan on backing down.  After all, anger may not be good, but it could be useful.

Will had always tried to live his life in a way that ensured no one had a reason to be upset with him because he hated making people angry and he was terrible at dealing with it.  He always became submissive when anger was directed at him, ready to roll over and show his belly by way of apology, too desperate to please to fight back.  With Nico, Will decided, he would not be like that.

Nico, unlike Will, was short-tempered, quick to jump headfirst into an argument without thinking about the consequences.  But with Will, Nico, too, submitted easily.  As soon as Will smiled at him, Nico’s anger fizzled away.  And then, when Will tried to discuss it, Nico always quickly assured Will that nothing was wrong, that Will hadn’t been at fault, and that he was sorry he’d gotten angry.  It had taken Will a while to take notice of the problem, but he’d figured it out at their wedding after Nico stormed off when Will teased him about Cecil and Ellis.  Whenever Nico had gotten angry at Will before that incident, Will really hadn’t done much wrong.  That time at their wedding, Will had. And yet Nico had done the same thing he’d always done—brushed aside Will’s apology and assured Will that he wasn’t at fault, taking responsibility for the entire encounter on his own.  They’d never had a real discussion about what happened.

Will would not allow that to become normal for them.  He would not allow that to happen to his marriage.

So Will clung to his anger desperately, vowing to himself that he would be strong and that he would force Nico to be strong, too.

When Nico finally spoke, his voice was icy, clear, and firm, and Will didn’t think he’d have to worry about Nico succumbing too quickly to let out his feelings.

“How dare you.”

The fresh wave of fury that rolled over Will promised that he wasn’t in danger of surrendering, either.  “And what, exactly, are you referring to?” Will said.  “How dare I spend time with Lityerses, or how dare I heal Midas’ daughter?  I wouldn’t turn away a patient on the basis of disliking their father.  I’m a healer, Nico.  This is my duty.”

“You’re my husband and you have a duty to me.”

“Forgive me, but I do not think that my spousal duties include medical negligence.”

“I’m not asking you to abandon someone in need of healing.  I’m asking you not to meet with people I distrust without at least making me aware.”

Will scoffed.  “Do you have a list of people I am not allowed to speak to?”

“You didn’t need a list.  You knew very well that it would upset me.”

That, at least, was true.  Will had known that Nico wouldn’t like him being alone with Lityerses and Zoe while he healed her.  But that was hardly the point.  He didn’t think Nico had the right to be upset about it.

“And why should I consult you before healing someone?  I wasn’t aware that you had any authority in matters involving medicine.”

“Don’t speak to me that way,” Nico growled.

“You can’t give me orders without an explanation!”

“What is there to explain?  I’m asking you to behave like a husband ought to!”

“The way a husband ought to?” Will demanded.  “In that case, Your Highness, a good husband would never try to stop me from healing someone.”

“I’m saying that you should have consulted me!”

“I couldn’t consult you!  It would have been a breach of privacy to say something.  It’s my responsibility as a healer to protect the confidentiality of my patients and Plutons are so private about their health nowadays.”

“That is ridiculous,” Nico snapped.  “You shouldn’t keep secrets from your husband.”

“I didn’t keep a secret,” Will insisted.  “I protected someone’s right to confidentiality, and I’d do it again.”

“Not just someone. You were making deals with someone you knew I didn’t trust.”

“And what would you have done if you knew?  Would you have asked me to stop?  If you had, I wouldn’t have listened to you.”

“I would have at least liked to have been made aware!  We need to be careful what interactions we have with that family.  Look what’s happened—you didn’t consult me and now Midas has proposed sponsorship, which would get you even more involved with them!  You are not to accept his offer.”

Will hadn’t been interested in Midas’ patronage, but Nico prohibiting it tempted Will to reconsider.

He took a deep breath to quell the fury boiling inside him, and in a shaky voice, he said, “You are being ridiculously controlling and you have been this way the entire trip.  You won’t let me talk to anyone and if I go against your wishes, you fly into a rage.  Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me in front of Lityerses this week?  Your jealousy was out of line.”

“Embarrassed you?” Nico repeated.  “If you want to talk about embarrassment, then let’s discuss you using my given name in front of Midas—twice! Even after I asked you not to!”

“Yes, so I made a mistake!  I’ve been in the habit of using your given name and I said it without meaning to.  And I understand that you value privacy—even if you don’t seem to value the privacy of others—but somehow I don’t believe that’s all this was about.”

“Really,” Nico snarled.  “Then enlighten me, Will: what was it about?”

“This was because you didn’t want them to think that you allowed someone to see you when you were vulnerable, or that you trusted someone enough to let them use your given name.  You didn’t want them to think I was important to you.  You wouldn’t let them see us. You wouldn’t even let them see me. You kept trying to lock me in a box to show off when it suited you to have a husband who’d pick out all the problems with the welfare of Midas’ animals, but the second I said anything remotely positive about someone in that family, you’d explode.  Lityerses, namely.  Honestly, Nico, he’s not the same person you met before.”

“People don’t change, Will,” Nico growled.

“You’ve changed,” Will pointed out.  “You’ve changed so much in the years I’ve known you.  You’re hardly the person I met three years ago, and you’re certainly not the boy my aunt introduced me to in Venadica when we were children.  And right now, you’ve changed into someone who’s completely overbearing and absurdly jealous.”

“How was I supposed to know what you were doing with Lityerses?” Nico demanded.  “You wouldn’t tell me anything!  All I knew was that you were lying to me and you’d tell me you were going to look over some records or go to bed early or read a book, then I’d find you with Lityerses instead.  What was I supposed to think?”

“You shouldn’t have suspected me.  Frankly, I’m insulted that you’d even say that.  You know, Nico—you know I love you.  You know that you’re the only person I’ve ever loved.  How dare you think that I would go behind your back?  Do you really trust me so little that you would jump to these terrible conclusions when I didn’t tell you where I was for a few hours this week?”

Nico opened his mouth, but then he choked on his breath and averted his eyes.  He fell back against his seat and turned to look out the window instead.

They didn’t speak again for a long while.  They exchanged a few short words where mandatory when the carriages stopped for a while in a town several hours outside of Phrygia for a break.  After letting the horses rest and having a meal, they boarded again.  Will half-expected Nico to insist on the two of them taking separate carriages, but Nico climbed into the luggage car again, looked back at Will, and jerked his head to indicate for Will to follow.

Still, they didn’t speak.  Will kept his hands on his lap and looked out the window until he felt something brush across his pinky.  When he looked down, he noticed Nico’s hand on his own lap, lightly touching Will’s over where their thighs pressed together in the cramped car.  Will wondered if Nico had touched him on purpose.  He reached out with one finger to test the theory, then their hands slowly crept closer until their fingers were firmly entwined.

It was late into the night, about an hour outside Divitia, and Will had been half-dozing when Nico finally spoke up again.

“I was afraid,” he said.

Will had been leaning against the door, but turned towards Nico in surprise.  “Afraid?” he repeated after a moment’s hesitation.

“Midas,” Nico said.  “I was afraid he’d do something to you.  Lityerses, too.”

Will frowned, but waited for Nico to continue.

“When I was a child, I...Midas....”

Nico stopped and sighed.  He remained silent for another moment before continuing.  “Asterion.  Long ago, I told you that he had a cruel first master.”

“His master was Midas?”

Nico shook his head.  “No.  But Asterion’s master was involved in the same secret baiting ring.  At first, they mainly baited bulls, but when the Scarlet Delirium began to take a toll on the economy, bulls became too expensive and valuable to throw away for entertainment.  They turned to dogfighting instead.  And Asterion...you’ve seen Asterion’s scars.”

Will waited, but Nico didn’t continue.  “This was why you left Asterion behind?” he asked.

Nico nodded.

Will swallowed.  “Nico, were you...how did you end up with Asterion if...and if you know so much about this, then—Nico, did you see all this?”

Nico nodded again.  “Asterion’s first master was my old tutor, Minos.  All of this happened when I stayed in Minos’ estate in the countryside during the Scarlet Delirium.  I was the one who testified against them.”

“Gods above, Nico,” Will whispered, and the last lingering bits of his anger melted away.  He didn’t need it anymore—he wasn’t in any danger of falling victim to his own urge to quell someone else’s wrath.  Now Nico was vulnerable, opening up to Will in a way he hadn’t before.  Now Will’s job was to listen.

“And Lityerses,” Nico said.  “You asked if I didn’t like him because he was offered as a suitor, but that wasn’t...I didn’t even meet with him, Will.  I sent him away.  I don’t like him because Midas used to bring him to watch the fights.  I saw him there, Will.  I saw him laugh.”

“Oh, Nico,” Will said, gut twisting in disgust.  He’d known that Lityerses had gone to the matches, but laughing at them?  And Nico had been forced to watch him?  “Nico, I’m so sorry, really—and what I said—I know you don’t like being reminded of past suitors, but I went and said all that anyway.”

“It wasn’t exactly an unreasonable assumption—”

“No, Nico, no.  Listen to me.  I shouldn’t have done it.  I upset you needlessly, didn’t I?  And from the way you reacted, it seems like this is much more painful for you than I thought it was.”

Nico sighed.  “I just...when I was trying to court people before you, everyone kept berating me for what I was doing wrong.  Everyone was frustrated with me.  They all said I was just being difficult—first I refused to ever take a wife, and when they offered me husbands, I turned them away, too.  Everyone kept telling me I was being childish.  And if they didn’t believe I was being badly-behaved on purpose, then they just assumed I was a horrible person who no one would ever willingly agree to marry.”

Nico wasn’t exaggerating, Will knew—he’d had the reputation of being cold for years before Will met with him.  Cecil had even approached Will out of concern at his own wedding, hinting that he suspected Will had been forced into the arrangement.

“I’ve always felt like I wasn’t taken seriously,” Nico continued.  “And yes, I was...difficult.  But I was always so angry at that age and sometimes it was hard for me to control it.  The fact that no one bothered to listen to me only made me even angrier.  Besides, all my suitors came with an impression of me already in their heads that I couldn’t easily overwrite—except for you, of course.  Fortunate that I found someone who’d admired me as a child, wasn’t it?”

Nico smiled at Will like he was trying to make a self-deprecating joke, but Will didn’t find it very funny.

“I won’t tease you about it again,” Will said.  “And I certainly won’t make those accusations anymore.”

Nico’s smile twitched and he looked away.  “With other suitors, you’d be partly right.  I was rather terrible and some of them were, too, so yes, I have some rather petty grudges.  But Lityerses—I don’t think what you said would have upset me so much if it hadn’t been about Lityerses.”

“I understand,” Will said.  “But it still upsets you, so I won’t tease you like that again.  And as for Lityerses—what he did was disgusting, I agree.  I don’t approve in the slightest and I’m not trying to defend him.  But I do need you to know that he truly isn’t like that anymore.”

“Will, I know what I saw.  He laughed.”

“I know,” Will said.  He reaffirmed his grip on Nico’s hand.  “Actually, Lityerses and I discussed his father’s baiting.  He told me that he went to see the fights and that he enjoyed them at the time.  But Lityerses and I only talked about it.  I understand that hearing about the horrible things a person does and seeing them are very different.  You may never be able to forgive Lityerses, but can you at least try to listen to what I have to say?”

Nico’s jaw tensed, but he lowered his eyes and nodded.

“Lityerses only knew what his father had taught him,” Will started.  “He never had a reason to question Midas until his trial because he didn’t realize his father was doing anything wrong.  He’s learned since then.  He’s been scrutinizing everything his father does for years so that he’ll know if Midas ever does anything like that again.  He’s been looking into the wellbeing of the ponies, too.  He helped me go over the records.  Nico, I’m not trying to defend what Lityerses did, but children can’t be held completely accountable for acting on what their parents teach them.  What matters is who they grow up to be.  Lityerses is an adult now and he’s made his own choices.  He’s not your enemy anymore.”

Nico pursed his lips.  “I trust you, but it might take me a while to believe that.”

“I understand.  And there was nothing to be jealous of.”

Nico nodded.  “I know.”

“And if you do feel jealous anyway, I’d like you to discuss it with me instead of being angry about it,” Will said.  “I suspect you’d feel far less angry if you’d just talk to me.  You can’t just tell me how to act or who to spend time with.”

“I know,” Nico said again.  He rubbed his temple.  “I’m this way with Reyna, too.  I got so jealous when she was around Prince Jason because I was scared he’d take her away from me.”

“Nico,” Will said slowly, “you do realize that’s ridiculous, don’t you?  Just as ridiculous as me running off with Lityerses.”

Nico frowned in distaste.  “I didn’t think you’d run off with him.”

“Then what did you fear would happen?”

“I don’t know,” Nico admitted.  “I suppose I was jealous that you were talking to him instead of listening to me.  I was scared that you’d get hurt somehow.”

“You thought he meant to harm me?”

Nico sighed.  “I don’t know what I thought.  I wasn’t thinking.  I was...reacting.  That’s what I’ve been doing this entire trip.  I shouldn’t have come to Phrygia at all, really.  Given my history with Midas, Reyna offered to send someone in my place, but I thought I could handle it.  At the very least, I shouldn’t have brought you into this.”

Will felt a spark of annoyance flicker back up inside him.  “If you hadn’t brought me into it, Zoe would still be ill.  You wouldn’t have all the information you do on the ponies.  I didn’t need your protection, Nico.  I’m sorry you felt that way, but that didn’t give you the right to keep me locked up or to stop me from healing people.  Everything you worried about was entirely in your head.  I even tried to tell you that earlier this week.”

“I—”  Nico looked like he wanted to argue, but then he sighed.  “Yes.  You’re right.  I know.”

Will watched as Nico fiddled with the lace trim of his sleeve in the moonlight.

It was another moment before Nico started talking again.

“You were right to heal her.  I wish you had notified me, but...of course you saw to her first.  I wouldn’t ask you to neglect someone in need of healing.”  Another silence.  “I’m trying to apologize.  I’m terrible at apologizing.”

“No, we’re not doing this,” Will said, and Nico looked up in surprise.  “No,” Will repeated.  “We were doing so well and we’re not going to stop now.  You’re not just going to tell me you’re sorry for everything and then just expect us to move on.  You are going to explain to me why you’ve been so angry.  I’m going to tell you why I’ve been angry.  We will work out together what we did wrong and what we should have done instead.  Now tell me why you hated me using your given name in front of Midas so much.”

“I overreacted—”

“No, Nico.  Tell me why you were angry.”

“I....”  Nico stopped.  A second later, he started again, but then he stopped just as quickly.  Finally, he said, “I do like privacy, but you were right.  That wasn’t what it was about.  I didn’t want Midas to think that I was....”

“What?  Weak?”

Nico half-shrugged, half-nodded.  “I was a child last time we met.  I testified against him in the trial, but he managed to squirm his way around the law.  This time, I wanted to seem...powerful.  I wanted him to know that he couldn’t take advantage of my inexperience anymore.  I wanted to make it very clear that I was his prince and his duke and that he was to answer to me.  I thought that if you behaved more formally, he’d...I don’t know anymore.  It sounds silly now.”

“You didn’t want to be underestimated.”

Nico nodded.

“You could have said this to me earlier.  I would have been happy to help you intimidate him.”

Nico blew out a puff of air and smiled weakly as he shook his head.  “Will, you can’t be intimidating.  You’re too kind.”

“Nico,” Will said.  “I had him quaking in his shoes when I confronted him about the ponies.  I think I’m the one being underestimated.”

Nico blinked at Will.  “Yes,” he said, like he hadn’t considered that before.  He paused.  “Yes.  You are quite amazing, Will.  It really is a shame that you’re not making trips to Venadica.  If you want to accept Midas’ funding, I....”  Nico frowned, like the next part was difficult to say.  “Well, I won’t like it, but he is wealthy.  And you’re right, this sort of thing is your choice.”

Will frowned in confusion at the sharp change in topic.  “Thank you, Nico,” he said.  “It’s my choice, but your support does mean a lot to me.  And....”  Will looked at their hands, still joined on top of their thighs.  “I know that I did some things wrong on this trip, too.  Can you talk to me more about what made you so angry this week?  It can’t have all been about Lityerses, can it?”

Nico sighed and adjusted the way he was sitting to get more comfortable on the bench.  “I felt like you were being...oddly capricious,” he admitted.  “One moment, you were passionately involved in taking care of the pit ponies, and the next you were having tea with Lityerses or saying you wanted to go to bed early or telling me you wanted to relax and read a book.  I couldn’t tell if you really wanted to help or not.”

“I was with Zoe,” Will explained.  “And when I was with Lityerses, we were either talking about Zoe or the pit ponies.”

“Well, I know that now. I just didn’t know that then.”

“I thought you were difficult to read, too,” Will said.  “One minute, I felt like you valued my opinion and my help, and the next, you were brushing me aside.”

“Because I was upset because I thought you were difficult to read.”

“You didn’t have to act so vengeful.  You could have talked to me about it.”

“And you could have done the same.  But even if I had approached you, what would you have said?  You would have just lied to me about Zoe again.”

“I—” Will started, but Nico was right.

“You should have told me something, Will.  You could have said that you were healing someone.”

“Honestly, Nico, I didn’t think that it would cause such a problem.”

“I don’t believe that.  You knew that it would upset me.”

Will’s words caught in his throat.  “Yes,” he said after a second.  “Yes, you’re right.  I did.  But I didn’t do it with the intention of upsetting you.  Do you know how important confidentiality is to some people, Nico?  This wasn’t about keeping a secret or lying.  If I’d told you I was healing someone in the estate at Midas’ request, you would’ve had questions and I could have accidentally revealed too much.  I don’t think it would have been difficult for you to find out that I was looking after his daughter.”

“That’s ridiculous, Will,” Nico said, his snapish tone taking Will by surprise.  “You could have told me what you just said—that you were healing someone in the estate, but you couldn’t give me more information because you wanted to keep their identity private.  If I asked questions, you could have told me that you couldn’t answer.  Instead, you lied to me—and not very well, either.  It was obvious that you were hiding something.  I was confused.  You refused to spend time with me, I kept finding you with Lityerses after you told me you’d be doing something else, and I had no idea what was going on with you.”

Will swallowed thickly.  Nico was right.  He could have done something, but he hadn’t.  “I think that by the time I realized that not telling you about Zoe would cause such a problem, we were both already so angry,” he said.  “I didn’t especially want to talk about it and I’m not sure you would have listened at that point.”

Nico nodded.  “That’s true,” he admitted.  “After you made that comment about me judging Lityerses as an ex-suitor, I was so furious with you that everything made me angry.”

“I really am sorry about that.”

“I know.  That’s not the point, though—the point is that I still think you should have said something from the beginning, when I asked you what Midas wanted after he visited you that first evening.  Just that someone was ill.  For all I knew, it could have been a stable boy—or even a horse.  You didn’t have to specify that your patient was human.”

Will nodded.  “You’re right.  I don’t regret trying to protect Zoe’s confidentiality, but you’re right—I should have done something differently.  I should have told you enough to ease your worries, or I could have even asked Zoe for permission to speak to you.  I really did feel guilty about everything.”

“In any case, you did some impressive work this week,” Nico said, his voice taking on softer tone.  “You handled all the ponies and the mine’s records of them, you dealt with Midas so well, and you did all that while looking after Zoe.  I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate it at the time.”

Will smiled warily.  “Thank you, but you don’t have to flatter me.  I’m not angry anymore.”

“Maybe I just want to compliment my husband.”

Will’s smile felt more genuine then.  “So do you forgive me?” he asked.

“Of course I do,” Nico answered.  “Do you forgive me?”

Will did—there was no question about it.  Perhaps they’d need to talk about it more in the future, but he was tired of fighting and he wanted to smooth the whole thing over and move on.  It seemed like Nico felt the same.

Still, Will couldn’t resist teasing his husband just a little.

“Not yet,” Will replied.  “I require a display of devotion to ensure that your apology is genuine.”

Nico looked confused for a moment, but then he grinned.  “A display of devotion?”

“A kiss will do.”

So Nico gave him a kiss, and they continued to kiss until they reached Divitia.

Chapter Text

Despite the fiasco with his husband, Will felt more confident than he had in a long time after visiting Phrygia.  For months after his wedding, Will had spent most of his time with Nico or Hazel, but in the rare moments when he was alone, he hadn’t known what to do with himself.  He wasn’t studying, he wasn’t helping with his father’s ranch, and he’d felt so useless that may as well have been wandering around the palace aimlessly.  The Palatium de Divitae had been his new place of residence, but it hadn’t been home.  The trip to Phrygia had reawakened Will’s usual drive and passion and reinstated a sense of self-efficacy that he’d lost sometime after his wedding.  Now that it had returned, Will had no intention of losing it again; he had too much to give Pluto.  Firstly, he had to address the problem of pit pony labor, then there was the abysmal state of Plutonian healthcare and the slow recovery of the economy.  Will had a duty to Pluto.  He couldn’t let the country down.

Will chose to start with the palace infirmary.  It may not have been a matter of state, but Will knew that having a routine and working as a healer would protect him from falling into the cycle of idleness that he’d found himself trapped in before Phryigia, so he decided to try talking to Achlys again.  Unfortunately, Achlys wasn’t any more agreeable on Will’s second attempt than she was his first.  She practically chased him out of the infirmary the moment he showed up.

He’d try again later.

“And so now I’m not quite sure what to do with myself,” Will said.

Mellie hummed sympathetically and removed the hot iron from his hair.  As Will’s personal maid, she helped him with his hair every morning and was therefore the first person to see what clothes Will had chosen for himself, so she often corrected his attire, as well.  Since the wedding, Will had grown closer to Mellie than he’d ever been at his father’s estate.  Her familiar face was soothing in an otherwise foreign home and they often reminisced about Diana and the Sun Palace together.

“Have you spoken to the Prince?” Mellie asked.  “I’m sure he could order the physician to give you something to do.”

“That would make her hate me even more,” Will replied.  “I’m not quite sure exactly what she has against me, but I’d like to get along with her if I’m going to help in the infirmary.”

“True.”  Mellie took a pin from her apron and tucked his hair into place.  “She sounds difficult to get along with, though.  If she’s so rude to the Prince’s husband, then imagine how she must talk to everyone else!  I ought to tell you that you’re better off not working in the infirmary at all.”

“You may be right, but I’m not willing to give up just yet.”

Mellie picked up the hot iron again and moved to work on Will’s other side.  “Well, if I’m ever ill, I’ll skip the infirmary and go straight to you.”

Will smiled.  “Thank you, Mellie.”

“It’s as much for me as it is for you; I’d rather not visit her if I can help it.”  Mellie took another pin from her apron.  “Just a few more pins and you’ll be done.  Is there anything else you need me to do for you before I go?  I’m leaving the palace when I finish here and I won’t be back until this afternoon.”

“Where are you going?” Will  asked.

“I ordered a dress from a seamstress in the city,” Mellie answered.  “I offered to run errands for a few other members of the staff, so there are a couple of other things I’ll need to pick up, as well.”

“Is Hedge going to accompany you?”

Another pin from Melle’s apron.  “No, he has a shift with the Prince.  Pity, though.  I would have liked to spend the day with him.”

“Perhaps I can go with you, then.”

Mellie paused with a pin stuck between her teeth.  After a second, she shook her head and took the pin from her mouth.  “I’m not certain that’s a good idea.  If we were still in Phoebus, I’d take you with me, but I’m still new here in Divitia and I’d hate to get in trouble.”

“I wouldn’t let you get in trouble,” Will promised.  “Please, Mellie?  I don’t have anything else to do and I’d hate to be locked up inside all day.  I’d love to see the city.”

Mellie sighed.  “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to say ‘no’ to you?”

Will brightened.  “Then yes?”

“You can’t go dressed like that,” Mellie said.  “You’ll stand out too much. Put on some of your consor clothes and let’s undo your hair.  And I just put in all that work, too....”

Not an hour later, Will found himself sitting across from Mellie in a horse-drawn cart bound for Divitia.  The palace was on the outskirts of the city and the distance was too far to travel on foot, especially while carrying everything on the list of errands the staff had given Mellie.  When they entered the city, Mellie’s reasoning for opting for a cart rather than a carriage became immediately apparent.  A carriage from the palace would have drawn far too much attention.

Despite having lived in Divitia for the past several months, Will hadn’t seen much of the city.  He’d ridden through in a carriage on a few occasions, but he hadn’t taken the chance to actually get out and walk around on foot.  He’d known that Divitia wasn’t like Phoebus or Venadica, but the state of the city was far worse than he’d anticipated.  The sewage system was in dire need of updating, evidenced by the putrid smell of human waste permeating through the streets, and Will saw more homeless within the span of a minute than he’d ever seen in one place before.  Many of them were children, some elderly, and some closer to Will’s age.  Despite wearing his consor clothes, Will stood out; the fabric of his clothes, though either undyed or neutral in color, was too expensive to blend in.  It didn’t help that Will had bathed in perfumed water that morning and his smell kept drawing attention.  Even Mellie, dressed in her plainest skirts and bodice, was too conspicuous to look like she belonged in the city.

“Haven’t the cattle from my dowry helped the people in the city?” Will asked as Mellie led him through the street to the seamstress’ shop.  “I thought that the new jobs would lessen the poverty.”

“Oh, they have,” Mellie answered.  “The rest of the staff talks about it and even I’ve noticed the change since we first arrived in Divitia.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t helped everyone —or at least, some people aren’t feeling the effects of it yet.  Even several hundred cattle aren’t enough to employ the entire city.  Besides, many people aren’t able to work—they’re too old or too young, or perhaps they’re just not well enough.”

Then disease was a problem, too?  Will didn’t know what kind of expression he was wearing, but when Mellie looked at him, her voice softened reassuringly.  “But your dowry did help them, really.”

“Perhaps improving sanitation should be the next step,” Will said.  “Updating the sewage would cost a great deal of money, but it would offer at least temporary employment to Divitians and it would go a long way to curb the spread of disease in the city.”

Mellie smiled kindly and told him that was a wonderful idea, but Will got the feeling that she was merely being polite.  He didn’t have the opportunity to question her before she opened the door to a dress shop and gestured for Will to enter first.  The seamstress greeted them kindly, mistaking Will for Mellie’s husband.  When Mellie corrected her and introduced Will as another member of the palace staff, the seamstress quickly ushered Will out of the shop, insisting that it wasn’t proper for him to be there while Mellie was being fitted.  Mellie protested until Will assured her that he’d be fine waiting outside.

“Please be careful,” Mellie said, and quietly added, “neither of our husbands will forgive me if I let something happen to you.  Don’t go wandering off.”

“I’ll be right outside the shop,” Will promised.

Mellie looked doubtful, but let Will go.

Outside, Will leaned against the shop’s outer wall and kept himself entertained by watching people in the noisy streets.  Peddlers pushed carts of fruits and fish along the road, shouting out prices as they passed.  Other vendors stood on street corners or in front of shops advertising their wares to pedestrians, like the butcher across the street who was chasing off a graying beggar.  Some of the meat hanging in front of his shop was so fresh that it dripped blood on the road and Will wrinkled his nose in disgust.  The butcher would leave meat out in the crowded, busy street to spoil and gather dirt and dust?  It wouldn’t decay as quickly in Angelus as it would in the heat of Diana, but Will could still smell the telltale stench of rotting entrails coming from the butcher’s shop.

Will’s eyes wandered further down the street, back to where the horse-drawn cart he’d arrived in with Mellie stood waiting for their return.  A group of children had gathered around the horse, some hesitantly reaching out to touch its hide before stopping short and jumping back in fear while their friends laughed.  It was like they’d never seen a horse so close before.  Will debated approaching the children, but before he could, the driver chased them off and they scattered away.

From the other end of the road, Will heard a loud crash and the sound of breaking pottery.  He looked over in time to see a gaggle of teenagers running from a shop with their arms full of bread, quickly followed by an angry baker shouting and waving his fist.  The teenagers proved too fast for the man, bolting down the road and knocking over a cart of fruit to slow the baker down.  Hungry children rushed forward to steal the oranges before the vendor could even start to gather them and the teenagers escaped from view.  The baker shouted a few more profane words before stomping back to his shop.

Will nearly jumped out of his stockings in surprise when the old beggar he’d noticed earlier suddenly appeared right in front of him and said something.  Between the thick Plutonian street accent, the missing teeth, and the scratchy voice, Will had a hard time interpreting exactly what the man was saying.  It was obvious why he’d approached Will, though.  Will reached for his coin purse, but discovered it missing from his coat pocket.  Frowning, he searched his other pockets and found them empty, as well.  He was certain that he’d brought it with him, but—

Ah.  He’d been pickpocketed.

Well, that wasn’t very polite.  They could have just asked.

Will supposed it didn’t matter much in the end; he’d brought the coin purse with the intention of giving coins to beggars and whoever it had ended up with would have far more need of the money than Will.  He would have preferred to distribute the coins among more people, though.

“I don’t have...” Will started, but he stopped himself.  With the way he was dressed, it seemed like a flimsy excuse.  Even in his consor clothes, he was wearing more money than this man had ever had in his life.

Will looked down and noticed the man’s bare feet, dirty and calloused.  The shoes Will wore around the palace wouldn’t be useful for someone who lived in the city—they were too stiff, designed for fashion rather than function—but Will had changed into a more comfortable pair before leaving with Mellie.  Will lifted a foot and took off one shoe, then the other, and offered them to the beggar.

“Someone took my coins, but you can have my shoes,” he said.

The man gave Will a wide, gap-toothed smile accepted the shoes gratefully and wished Will the gods’ blessings, then scurried away like he thought Will might change his mind.

Mellie emerged from the seamstress’ shop a moment later with the news that her dress would be finished in an hour.  She took out the list of errands the staff had asked her to run and gestured for Will to follow her further down the street.  Will trailed behind her and stopped a few shops down to stand on his toes and peer over a crowd gathered around a store front to see what had them so interested.  He managed to catch sight of a satirical cartoon, but couldn’t figure out what it depicted before Mellie noticed he wasn’t beside her anymore and called for him to hurry up.

It wasn’t until Mellie accidentally stepped on Will’s toes when she took a sudden turn that she noticed his shoes were missing.

Mellie blinked at his feet, like she wasn’t sure she was seeing things correctly.  “What happened to your shoes?”

“They got muddy,” Will lied.

Mellie raised an eyebrow.  “So you took them off to get your stockings muddy, too?”

Will wiggled his stocking-clad toes on the warm, dirt covered stone road.  “Yes.  Well.  Um.  I figured, why stop there?  May as well dirty the rest of my clothes.”

Mellie sighed.  “You gave them away, didn’t you?”

“My coin purse was missing!  And there was a poor old man with bare feet and I couldn’t just give him nothing—”

“You were pick-pocketed, too?  Really, you need to learn to be more aware of your surroundings.  You’re lucky you weren’t mugged!  What was I thinking, bringing you into the city?  I have half a mind to make you wait in the cart until I finish.”

Will didn’t mean to pout, but he did it anyway.

Mellie pursed her lips.  “Oh, stop it.  You know I can’t be upset with you when you look at me like that.  I won’t make you wait in the cart, but don’t complain to me when your feet start to hurt.  You’ll have to do without shoes until we get back to the palace.  Come on, follow me.”

Mellie led Will towards the next street.  She nearly had to pull him along when Will stopped to watch a group of hungry children and skinny dogs picking through the discarded viscera in the alley behind the butcher’s shop, searching for something salvageable to eat.  Will stopped again a few shops down when a fight broke out across the street.

“Shouldn’t we stop it?” Will asked.

“Absolutely not,” Mellie said.  “This is exactly the kind of trouble you shouldn’t be getting into.”

“But—”

“You’d just end up making the situation worse.  Now, hurry up—we won’t get back to the palace before dark at the pace you’re moving!”

Mellie ushered Will along.  She dropped off a watch for repairs at a clockmaker’s store, then picked up a pair of shoes from the cobbler.  (Regrettably, they were women’s shoes and far too small for Will to borrow.)  Mellie was purchasing some fabrics when Will was approached by a small, skinny, dirty child who said nothing, but held out his hand to ask for money.

Will looked at Mellie.  “Can you spare a few coins?”

“You shouldn’t have gotten pick-pocketed,” Mellie said.  “Be more cautious next time.”

“But he’s just a child,” Will insisted.  “Please, Mellie, I’ll pay you back when we get home.  I’ll pay you double, even.”

Mellie sighed.  “Oh, alright.  Just this once.”

So she said, but by the time they returned to the dress shop, Will had convinced Mellie to hand coins out to three more children and he’d lost his coat to an expecting mother.  He had to pawn off four of his waistcoat’s buttons to the seamstress help Mellie pay for her dress.

“I’m sorry I took all your coins,” Will mumbled on the way back to the cart, his arms filled with the bundles of fabric that he was helping Mellie carry.

“I’m sorry I took your buttons,” Mellie answered.  “Let’s consider it even.  Next time, watch your pockets.”

They arrived back at their cart and the driver helped them in, and for a while, Will was quiet.  It was one thing for him to lose his coin purse—Will could handle that.  But what about the poor baker who the teenagers stole bread from, or the vendor whose cart of oranges had toppled over?  They’d lost a full day’s income.  The Divitians who’d stolen were hardly to blame, either; Will had little doubt that if they could have paid, they would have.

“Is something bothering you?” Mellie asked.

Will sighed.  “It’s just that the city is so poor.  Maybe the cattle from my dowry have helped, but there’s still such a long way to go.  I thought that sanitation work could help more, but you didn’t seem to agree with the idea earlier.”

“It’s not that it’s a bad plan,” Mellie quickly assured him.  “It’s a wonderful plan, really.  Only, it won’t fix everything.  The city’s problems are far too deep and complicated.”

“Because not everyone can work?” Will asked.

“Yes, that’s part of it,” Mellie answered.  “But there are other problems, too, like...well, let’s take one example.  Something the staff talks about is the issue with people around your age who were orphaned as children during the Scarlet Delirium.  Those who would have been apprenticed to their parents never learned trades, and without parents, they have no dowries, so many of them are struggling to gather enough money to marry now that they’re old enough.  And if they have children without getting married, their children will face all sorts of problems—you know how Plutons are about that sort of thing.”

“Surely employment can help,” Will said.  “Then they’ll be able to raise enough money to marry.”

“But usually their parents take care of dowry payments,” Mellie said.  “Parents start dowry funds as soon as a child is born.  They save money for years.  For people who are trying to get married right now, it’s too late to start saving—they spend most of what they earn just trying to survive.  Even children who didn’t lose their parents are struggling.  For years, families hardly have had any leftover money to save and some parents even had to use the dowry funds of their children to keep their families alive.”

Will frowned.  Venadica had programs to care for orphans, so Will wasn’t familiar with the problems parentless children usually faced.  Leo had been fortunate enough to be born in Venadica.  He’d lived in the children’s ward until he was old enough to move to the consor dormitories, and had never lived on the streets or gone hungry.  The Sorority even had dowry funds for Venadican orphans—Will recalled Leo mentioning it once.  But Venadica couldn’t finance the dowries of every orphan in Pluto, nor could Will send every orphan to Venadica.

Will wondered if Reyna knew about the problem with the orphans.  He’d have to discuss this with her.

“Mellie,” Will said.  “I’d like to come back to the city with you some time.  Perhaps we can do this again?”

“Perhaps,” Mellie answered.  “Just make sure to keep your hand on your coin purse next time.  You’re too easily distracted.”

Will sighed.  Mellie knew very well that the incident earlier that day hadn’t been the first time Will had gotten pick pocketed.  She’d told him many times that he was far too sheltered to survive outside of a palace.  Living in Venadica didn’t count, she’d told him; the Matestra would never let anything happen to her nephew while he was in the Sororal City.

When they reached the palace, several members of the staff rushed forward wearing terrified expressions, demanding to know where they had been all day.  One ran inside to notify everyone that the Prince’s consort had been found while the others wasted no time berating Mellie for bringing Will into the city.

“No one knew where you were!” one maid said.  “The Prince has been out of his mind with worry.  What were you thinking, bringing His Highness into the city with you?”

“Mellie was only doing as I ordered,” Will said.  “She tried to refuse, but I insisted.”

Mellie cast Will a grateful glance when the staff stopped chiding her in favor of fussing over Will.  They took the rolls of fabric he was carrying and urged him to go inside and find the Prince to give him some peace of mind.  One manservant hurried ahead of him to draw a bath even after Will insisted that he would be fine using the washbasin.

At their persistence, Will entered the palace to find his husband, flinching at the first touch of the cold marble floors against his stocking-clad feet.  He didn’t have to look long; Nico appeared almost immediately on the landing above him and called his name while he ran down the stairs. 

“There you are!” Nico said.  “I’ve been looking for you all day!  Where have you been?”  He halted when he reached the bottom step, looking Will over with a confused frown.  “What are you wearing?”

“I went into town with Mellie,” Will said.  He pecked Nico’s lips in greeting before starting up the stairs.  “I was just about to wash up and change my clothes.  I had a wonderful day, but I feel so filthy after spending all that time roaming the streets.”

Nico’s frown only deepened.  “You went...to town?”

“Mm,” Will replied.  “Mellie had some errands to run and I asked to accompany her.  She picked up a new dress and did a few favors for the rest of the staff.”

After standing at the base of the stairs for a moment, Nico hurried after him.  “Didn’t you bring a guard with you?”

“I didn’t see a need to,” Will answered.  “Please don’t scold Mellie for it, though—she’s gotten in enough trouble already.  Besides, no one in Divitia knows me well enough to recognize me yet and I wore the plainest clothes I own.  I was perfectly safe and inconspicuous.  Well, I tried to be inconspicuous, anyway.  But it was nice to explore the city on foot.  I hadn’t had the chance to do that yet.”

Nico followed Will as he turned to the corridor leading to their apartments.  “Didn’t you at least inform anyone you’d be leaving?”

Will shook his head.  “That didn’t occur to me.  I suppose I should’ve.  Apologies for worrying you.”

“Well, make sure to tell me next time,” Nico said in an uncertain tone, like he didn’t quite trust Will’s assurances about the lack of danger.  “And take a guard with you.  Anyway, where are your shoes?  And your coat?  And what happened to your buttons?”

“Oh, right,” Will said with a glance at his clothes.  “Well, there was a poor old man with bare feet and I lost my coin purse, so I gave him my shoes.  After that, I met a charming young lady who was expecting and the least I could do was give her my coat—it’s not like I don’t have plenty more.  Then I convinced Mellie to give some of her coins away to hungry children and she didn’t have enough left for her dress, so I offered the seamstress my buttons to pay for what she couldn’t.”

Nico was quiet for a moment, so Will turned and prepared himself to be scolded again.  To his surprise, Nico clapped his hands on either side of Will’s face and tugged him into a kiss.

“You are far, far too kind for your own good, Will,” Nico said.  “And by the gods, I love you for it.”

Nico kissed him a second time, then a third, then he took Will by the hand and pulled him the rest of the way to their apartments, insisting that Will deserved a warm bath and a nice meal.

Chapter Text

Will had intended to start working on city improvement plans as soon as possible, but Nico appeared to have other ideas.  After Will returned to the palace, Nico spent the rest of the day and most of the next doting on him.  While the gesture seemed sweet at first, by the afternoon Will found himself so distracted by Nico hovering over his shoulder that he could hardly think, let alone theorize ways to reconstruct the Plutonian economy, so he subtly suggested Nico ought to help Hazel brush up on her fencing.  Nico’s expression fell and Will felt immediately guilty, so when Nico asked if he was being bothersome, Will hurried to explain that he wanted to do some research and that Nico’s presence made it difficult to focus—“because I love you so much,” he said, which provoked a blush and a soft, sweet smile from his husband, and then Nico agreed to give Will some alone time.

Will found Reyna flipping through papers in her study.  He’d never visited her chambers before so he hovered outside the door awkwardly for a moment, holding a large scroll under his arm while he watched the top of Reyna’s head and tried to think of a way to politely announce himself.  Reyna made an excellent friend, but she was intimidating as a soror and advisor.  Will always felt small around her—unless, of course, she chose to dull the sharp, authoritative aura that she normally gave off, but she was selective about the circumstances under which she did so.

Finally, Reyna looked up.  “May I help you with something, Your Highness, or would you prefer to continue lurking in the doorway?”

“Oh,” Will said.  “Uh, yes.  I wondered if you had a moment to spare?  I’d like to talk to you about a few things I noticed in the city yesterday.”

“You mean when you decided to run off without telling anybody and set the whole palace in uproar?”

Will bit his lip.  “Um—” he started, but Reyna gave him a knowing, if exasperated, smile.

“Have a seat, Your Highness,” Reyna said, gesturing to the chair across her desk.  When he did, she folded her hands in front of herself and leaned back.  “I presume you want to talk about the financial state of Divitia?”

“Well, uh, yes,” Will stammered.  “I thought, if you’re amenable, we could discuss some ideas I had for recovery.”

Reyna nodded for him to continue.

“I’ve been looking into Divitia’s aqueducts,” Will said, unrolling the scroll he’d brought on top of the desk to show her a map of the city’s sewage system.  He’d uncovered it from the palace’s archives that morning before Nico had woken up to distract him.  “It’s all horribly dated.  Nothing’s been touched for a decade.  No maintenance, no upgrades—nothing apart from an occasional cleaning.”

“And for a reason,” Reyna said.  “You know what happened a decade ago.”

“Yes, the Scarlet Delirium,” Will answered.  “But the system needs to be renovated.  I didn’t have an opportunity to examine anything while in the city, but I’m sure it’s in desperate need of repairs and I know it’s inefficient.  The streets are filthy, Reyna.  All that sewage not being properly drained—it must be affecting the health of the citizens.  Sanitation and clean water greatly decrease the risk of spreading disease.  Construction would provide at least temporary employment for some of the citizens and jobs in sanitation would offer a more permanent solution, which won’t fix the economic troubles of the people but should somewhat ease them.  We could contract engineers to design a new system.  Venus’ aqueducts are supposed to be incredibly brilliant—perhaps we could implement something like them here.”

Reyna sighed.  “Will, your enthusiasm is admirable, but you need to think smaller if you want to help people.  Venus has the most sophisticated sewage systems in the world.  The Duchess had the entire island updated less than half a decade ago, but we don’t have the funds to build anything like it in even one city.”

“Then what about the Venadican system?” Will asked.  “Or the Phrygian?  I can write to my aunt and Lityerses to ask for the city plans.”

Reyna shook her head.  “A new system is impossible.  The most we can do is repair and give some minor updates to the one that already exists.”

Will looked down at the map of Divitia’s aqueducts.  “I’ll put more thought into it, then,” he said, rolling the paper back up.  “Smaller thoughts.”

“Have you talked to your husband about your ideas?”

Will paused.  “That’s...um...well, no.”  Nico hadn’t seemed very keen on discussing things earlier.  He’d been more interested in distracting Will with kisses and light touches and pretty smiles.

Reyna sighed and rubbed her temple.  “Gods above, then what do you talk about?”

Her tone caught Will by surprise.  “What do you mean?” 

Reyna shook her head.  “Forgive me, Your Highness, I shouldn’t have said anything.  That wasn’t appropriate.”

Will’s frown deepened.  Your Highness?  Just a moment ago, she’d called him ‘Will.’

Reyna pursed her lips when Will didn’t let her relent.  “It’s really not my place,” she said.  “Only, the both of you seem to be building a habit of not discussing things with each other.  Like in Phrygia.”

“But we talked about what happened in Phrygia,” Will said.  “Besides, do I really need to tell him everything?”

It came out sounding more sour than Will intended, and Reyna picked up on it.  “Are you still fighting?” she asked.

“No,” Will said.  “It’s just that I don’t see why I need to report to him so much—or anyone else, for that matter.  After I went to town yesterday, everyone kept scolding Mellie and I.  Why do people need to know where I am or what I’m doing every second of the day?”

“Everyone wants to see you safe, that’s all,” Reyna assured.  “Well—your husband has the additional motive of wanting to know your schedule so that he can put himself in it whenever possible.  He likes spending time with you.”

“I’m just not used to having to report my activities so much.  I used to leave the Sun Palace to explore Phoebus and Delphi all the time, and in Venadica I lived in the city.”

“Phoebus, Delphi, and Venadica don’t have the same level of crime as Divitia.”

“Yes, I noticed,” Will admitted, thinking of his lost coin purse.  “But it’s still restraining.  Almost suffocating.”

“You could tell the Prince you feel that way,” Reyna suggested with a faint clip of exasperation in her tone.  “Just an idea.”

Will frowned.  “You really think Nico and I don’t talk seriously enough?”

Reyna folded her arms.  “I didn’t say that, precisely.  It just seems like there are a few important things that you’ve neglected to mention to one another.”

Will had to admit, they did spend a considerable amount of time kissing or talking about unimportant nonsense.  “Then is there something that Nico hasn’t told me?”

“I didn’t say that,” Reyna repeated, but she didn’t deny it, either.

“Perhaps I should talk to him,” Will said.  “You’re right, after all.  We’re married.  We should talk to each other about these things.”  And if there was something Nico hadn’t told him, Nico might feel better about discussing it if Will opened up to him first.

“I’m going to see Akhlys and offer my assistance in the infirmary again,” Will said.  “If Nico asks for me when he finishes Hazel’s fencing lesson, will you tell him I’ve gone there?”

Reyna nodded.  “Yes, Your Highness.  Leave the aqueduct map here and I’ll look over it.”

Will glanced at the rolled paper in his hands.  “Really?  But I thought you said we couldn’t do anything.”

“I said that you need to think smaller,” Reyna corrected.  “It’s a good idea, Will.  We can’t do it on the scale you’d like, but if you and I do more research, we’ll find a more obtainable solution.  I’ll contact some engineers to hear their initial thoughts.”

Will beamed.  “Thank you, Reyna,” he said, setting the map back down on her desk.  “I appreciate your time.”

“Always, Your Highness.  And good luck with Akhlys.  Maybe this time she’ll be more agreeable.”

“Somehow I doubt it,” Will mumbled, but he thanked her all the same.

Will, as usual, found Akhlys alone in the darkened, dusty infirmary.  The door was only barely cracked open, like she was trying to make the space as uninviting as possible without rendering it unavailable.  Will saw her silhouette shadowed in the back of the infirmary behind the desk, handling a silver instrument and blinking at it with bleary eyes.  Will squinted, but he couldn’t tell what it was.

“What’s that?” Will asked as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Akhlys slammed her instrument down on the desk and Will cringed.  He hoped the instrument wasn’t too expensive.  “You again!” Akhlys barked.  “How many times must I chase you off?”

“But I—”

“Out!” she said, standing up and waving her arms to shoo him away.  “Leave!”

Will almost backed into the corridor again, but then reminded himself to stand his ground.  “I thought if we talked a bit more, we might come up with an arrangement that suits both of us.”

“My current arrangement is miserable enough,” Akhlys said as she stormed out from around her desk.  “I do not need men puttering about my infirmary making a mess of things, too.”

Will blinked in surprise.  It had been a while since the last time his gender had caused an issue; healing was a women’s discipline, but it did not actively exclude men.  People generally did nothing more than express surprise at seeing him in a woman’s role.  It wasn’t uncommon for patients to feel more comfortable with a female doctor, but they were usually polite if they requested another physician, sometimes not even speaking up until Will noticed their unease and asked if they would rather be treated by someone else.  Comfort and trust were of utmost importance when treating a patient, so Will considered it his duty to provide that for them.

But Akhlys wasn’t a patient.  Akhlys was a fellow healer clinging to outdated rules of conduct, brushing Will aside because of his sex.  Will was reminded of a few researchers at the Grand Expo who had all but ignored him until they realized who he was—a student of Asclepius and the nephew of the Matestra.  Within the first few days of the Expo, Will had learned to introduce himself as Asclepius’ pupil at the beginning of every conversation so that he’d be taken seriously from the start.

“I understand your apprehension,” Will said, forcing his tone to sound polite.  “But I am a perfectly qualified student of medicine.  I studied in Venadica under Asclepius, and if you like, I can share my research with you and—”

“I do not care!” Akhlys interrupted, now standing so close that Will could see the yellow crust that always seemed to line her eyes.  “I do not want anyone’s assistance, least of all a bastard like you.”

Will felt like he’d been slapped.  People didn’t call him that—not to his face, at least.  Natural-born, yes, but bastard?  Most people wouldn’t dare.

“Akhlys!” roared an angry voice, and Will and Akhlys both whirled around to find Nico in the open doorway to the infirmary, still clothed in his fencing gear and eyes blazing with fury.

Will had seen Nico angry before.  He’d been formally introduced to Nico’s temper during their trip to Phrygia.  But he hadn’t seen Nico angry like this.

“What did you just call my husband?”

Akhlys’ usually pallid face went white.  “Your Highness, I did not mean—”

“Oh, but I think you did,” Nico snapped.  “I demand you apologize this instant.  I will not allow anyone in this palace to speak to my husband that way.”

“Nico, it’s alright,” Will said, trying to sound soft and soothing.  “She doesn’t need to—”

“Yes, she does,” Nico interrupted.  “No one speaks to the Prince’s consort that way.  Akhlys, now.”

Akhlys, Will had thought, only seemed to know two emotions: anger and misery.  But now he realized she also knew fear.  Akhlys’ sunken eyes had grown in terror, her thin body recoiling in fright.  And despite how unlikable her personality was, Will couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

“I apologize, Your Highness,” Akhlys croaked.  “I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s quite alright,” Will said.

“It isn’t,” Nico insisted.  “I don’t care how long you have worked here, Akhlys.  I don’t care how many kings you have served.  If you treat my husband this way again, I will see you removed from the palace.”  His hand latched firmly around Will’s wrist and he tugged his arm.  “Come,” he said, pulling Will through the doorway.

Will followed obediently, but looked back at Akhlys as they left, worried in spite of himself that she’d be alright.  Regardless, his chances of developing an amicable professional relationship with her seemed worse than ever.

Only one person, aside from Nico himself, had ever called Nico a bastard to his face, but that had been more than enough to cement the idea in his mind as a child: Nico was a bastard, and that was unforgivable.

And yet, it had been a long time since Nico had last thought of himself as disgusting due to his birth.  He didn’t think he was lesser than anyone else because of it and he didn’t think that it made him undeserving of his title.  Without realizing it, Nico had become more comfortable with the knowledge that he was natural-born, and while Nico knew that he had been improving since long before his engagement, he was also aware that a large part of it was thanks to Will.  After all, Will was natural-born, and Will deserved the world.  How could being natural-born be disgusting?

So when Nico heard the word ‘bastard’ directed at his husband, his temper flared into an uncontrolled inferno.  He knew what it felt like to be called a bastard, to be told that his very existence was shameful, and to be forced into believing that he was worthless.  Nico wouldn’t hesitate to banish anyone to the depths of Tartarus for making his husband feel that way.

From over his shoulder, Nico heard Will’s voice, small and uncertain: “Are you upset with me?” 

Nico slowed to a stop in front of their rooms and turned back to face him.  “Of course not,” he said.  “Why do you think I’m upset with you?”

“You are pulling me.”

Nico looked down at their hands, finally noticing that he’d grabbed Will by the wrist.  He let go immediately, but Will’s sleeve was already wrinkled.  “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

Nico frowned.  Will kept saying that, but it wasn’t alright.  It wasn’t alright for Akhlys to speak to him the way she had.  It wasn’t alright for Nico to drag him away without permission.

But Will entwined his fingers with Nico’s and led him through the door to their apartments.

“I’m not upset with you,” Nico repeated, closing the door behind himself for privacy.

“Yet it seems like you disapprove of how I handled Akhlys,” Will said as he deposited himself on the chaise in front of the cold fireplace.

“No, I—” Nico stopped.  “Actually, yes, I do.  You can’t let her speak that way to you, Will.  What would you have done if I hadn’t shown up?  Would you have just allowed it?”

Will raised an eyebrow calmly.  “It’s not as though her opinion is particularly uncommon.  I’m not ashamed of who I am, but I do realize that with my parentage being what it is, I was never the ideal candidate for a prince’s husband.”

“You were the perfect candidate for a prince’s husband!  I chose you, didn’t I?  And I did so knowing very well that your natural parents weren’t married.  That at least should be enough for Akhlys to know better than to speak to you that way.  How dare she call you a...a....”  Nico waved vaguely, unable to say the word.

“It’s nothing that I haven’t heard before.”

Nico clenched his fists.  “Who else?  I’ll make every one of them apologize—”

“No one in the palace,” Will assured calmly—too calmly for Nico’s liking.  “I don’t think I’ve been called a bastard since before we were engaged, actually.  It wasn’t uncommon for the families of prospective suitors to either refuse me or offer little in return for my dowry—‘on account of the circumstances of his birth,’ they’d say, if they were being polite about it.”

“Polite?”

“Oh, and Octavian calls me a bastard all the time, but that hardly counts.  No one listens to Octavian.  The point is, I’ve gotten used to it.  It was a bit of a shock to hear from Akhlys, but it doesn’t bother me much.”

“Well, it bothers me!” Nico snapped.  “It’s disgusting.  How could anyone imply that you’re sullied or...or impure?  And what does the marital status of one’s birth parents mean, anyway?  That doesn’t make you a....”  Nico gestured again.

“But I am a bastard.”

Nico felt something inside himself shake and threaten to crumble, like he was ten years old again and Minos...Minos....

It’s no wonder you’re so incompetent, bastard that you are.

Selfish bastard brat!

Your sister may have been a bastard too, but at least she was intelligent.

You’re nothing but a whore’s filthy bastard!

But I am a bastard.

“Stop saying that word,” Nico choked.  “Natural-born.  You are natural-born.  You’re not...that.”

“Natural-born, then,” Will relented, but the hint of exasperation in his tone suggested that he was growing frustrated with Nico.  “And it’s not disgusting.  I thought you didn’t care?”

“I didn’t!” Nico said.  “Don’t,” he immediately corrected.  Why was it that he always said things wrong when he got this way—angry and nervous and too emotional to string words together properly?  “I meant they are disgusting—the people who call you that—not you and not your birth.  I just hate that vile word.  I don’t want anyone to use it on you.”

Will sighed.  “Nico, I appreciate you trying to defend my honor, but—”

“Will,” Nico interrupted, “the Queen Consort is barren.”

The silence that followed lasted only a second, but it boomed and echoed in Nico’s ears for what felt like hours.

He’d said it.  He’d finally said it.  Nico had always intended to tell Will about his biological parentage, and now that Will was his husband, Nico didn’t have to keep the secret from him.  He still felt a sharp, brief jolt of terror that Will would be disgusted and announce he couldn’t love Nico anymore, but that fear was quickly crushed beneath the heel of certainty that Will would not abandon him or begrudge him for being natural-born.  Nico had said it because he trusted Will, he reminded himself.  It would be alright.  After all, he and Will were the same.

“Barren?” Will repeated.

Nico nodded.

Will was quiet for another moment.  Then he said, “That’s nothing to be concerned about.  It’s normal for women her age to stop cycling—”

Nico blinked.  “Wait, what?”

Will tilted his head curiously.  “Haven’t you heard of menopause?”

Nico hadn’t, but he felt fairly certain that Will had misunderstood his point.

“Will, she’s always been barren,” he said.

Will stared at Nico, his head still tipped to one side.  At first, all Nico could read in his expression was confusion, but then the lines of Will’s face began to change—slowly, then all at once.

Will sat up straighter.  “Then you mean...you mean, she’s not....”

Nico ached to hide his face, but forced himself not to look away from Will’s eyes.  “She’s not my birth mother.”

“Oh,” Will said.  “Oh.”

And he fell silent.  Nico watched and waited until the shock in his eyes had dulled just a bit more before he spoke again.

“Will, you can’t tell anyone.  If it becomes known that I’m not the King and Queen Consort’s natural child, the country will go into chaos.  People hate me enough already; they’d love a reason to throw me out of the line of succession.  No one else can know about this.  You understand that, don’t you?”

Will nodded.  “Yes, of course,” he said, his brow furrowing adorably.  Nico wanted to kiss the wrinkles away, but it didn’t seem like an appropriate time.

“You have questions,” Nico observed, gingerly sitting beside him on the chaise.  Will glanced at Nico when he sat down, his mouth opening to say something, but hesitated.

“You may ask anything,” Nico said, weaving and unweaving his fingers anxiously.  “I’ll answer what I can.”

Will wet his lips.  “Can you tell me about your birth mother?  Who is she?”

“Do you recall my governess, Lady Maria?  I’ve mentioned her before.”

Will nodded.

“She was my birth mother.  Before Bianca was born, Maria was one of my mother’s—that is, one of Persephone’s ladies.  When my father and Persephone discovered she couldn’t have children, Maria became...a surrogate, I suppose you could say.”

“How did they manage to keep it a secret?” Will asked.

“When Maria’s condition became too obvious to hide, they said Persephone’s pregnancy had complications,” Nico answered.  “Everyone in the palace was told that she would remain in her rooms and was only to be attended by two of her ladies—Maria being one of them.”

“And the other?” Will asked.

Nico pursed his lips.  “Her name was Marie.  She was Persephone’s half-sister and Hazel’s natural mother.  When I became heir to the throne, I was already fixated on the idea of taking a husband, so if I was to remain childless, my father needed another heir to continue the royal line.  Maria and Bianca died around the same time so with Maria gone, Marie was the best option for a surrogate.  She already knew that Persephone couldn’t have children.”

And Nico’s parents had trusted her.  Why wouldn’t they trust Persephone’s sister?

That trust turned out to be misplaced, in the end.

“And what happened to Marie?” Will asked.  “You speak of her in the past tense.”

“She’s dead now,” Nico answered.  He tried to remain impassive when he said it, but something in his voice must have alerted Will.  Will watched him with a studious gaze, like he was trying to answer a puzzling question, and Nico avoided looking at him directly.

“I’m sorry,” said Will.  “I know that Lady Maria was important to you, but was Marie...?”

“No,” Nico answered.  “Marie—she was...well, that’s another story.”

Memories of that night still tormented Nico’s dreams.  Sometimes, he still woke up gasping, desperately clawing at the invisible hands clamped around his throat.  He still saw the shadow of someone looming over him in his nightmares, reaching down to strangle him in his sleep.  Just last month, he’d bolted upright in bed, clutching his own neck, coughing, gagging—it was a miracle that he hadn’t woken Will.

“Does Hazel know?” Will asked.

It took Nico a moment to remember Will was still asking about their natural birth.  “No,” he said.  “I wasn’t supposed to know, either.  I found out on accident.”

“Accident?”

“My tutor, Minos.  He told me while we were on the countryside.”

Will frowned.  “How did he tell you on accident?”

“He was angry,” Nico explained.  He couldn’t recall why Minos had been so furious at that particular moment.  Perhaps the memory had been lost in the shock of what happened after, or perhaps Nico hadn’t known why to begin with; towards the end of Nico’s stay at his estate, Minos’ temper started to become so easily tipped that Nico had a difficult time keeping track of exactly what he’d done wrong.  Minos hadn’t always been so harsh with Nico, but once Nico found out about the baiting....

“He lost control of himself,” Nico went on.  “He shouted at me and called me a....” He cut himself off, unable to stomach saying the word.  “But he didn’t mean to say it.  At least, not the first time.”

“Nico,” Will said, slowly and deliberately.  “That does not qualify as finding out ‘on accident.’  You do understand how that’s not an accident, don’t you?”

“He was angry,” Nico repeated.  “He couldn’t control himself.”

The lines of Will’s face drew tight and hard in that unforgiving way that always caught Nico by surprise.  “I don’t believe that’s true,” Will said.  “People don’t do things on accident when they’re angry.  They use anger as an excuse to justify themselves.  And you couldn’t have been more than ten years old at the time!  What sort of person says that to a child?”

Nico bit back the urge to argue that Minos couldn’t be blamed.  After all, Nico knew what it was like to be that angry—to feel fury well up inside him so hot that he saw red.  He knew what it was like to lose his grip on himself and fly into a rage, to do and say things that he’d be ashamed of later.  Nico had done it before.  He’d done it to Will.

Nico’s stomach lurched.  No—he wasn’t like Minos.  He couldn’t be like Minos.  He wouldn’t.  He’d never, ever hurt Will the way Minos had hurt him.

“Where is Minos, anyway?” Will asked.

Nico clenched his fists.  “Gone,” he said firmly.

Gone, Nico repeated in his mind.  He’s gone, he thought again, the way he’d practiced.  For nearly a year after returning to Divitia, Nico had stayed up late each night, holding his knees, rocking back and forth, and reciting the words over and over until they were firmly planted in his head.  Minos was gone.  It was over.

Will nodded.  “Good,” he said.  Nico flinched, but Will didn’t seem to notice.  “So Minos knew about your birth.  Who else?  Akhlys would have overseen the pregnancies, I assume.”

“She didn’t,” said Nico.  “My father requested a sororal midwife—your aunt.”

Will raised his eyebrows.  “Artemis?”

“Maria’s first pregnancy happened while Artemis was still a soror in Venadica.  She was sent here when my father asked for a midwife,” Nico explained.  “She became Soror Princepa of Delphi before I was born, but she still answered the call when my parents asked for her help again.  Maria was without a midwife for the first few months, though. Artemis had other matters to attend to in Diana before she could travel to Pluto—she was helping deliver you, actually.  By the time Hazel was conceived, Artemis was the Matestra, the Scarlet Delirium was in its downswing, and I was living on the countryside.  Artemis left Venadica to stay here in the palace under the guise of diplomatic purposes.”

“And I must have already fled Pluto with the other Venadican children, so I didn’t even know she’d left the city,” Will said.  “Did Bianca know any of this?”

Nico shook his head.  “No.  The only other people who know are Reyna and a few of my father’s closest advisers.  Hestia, too.”

Hestia had been there the day Nico found out.  She’d entered Nico’s room to find him crying, and Nico, too distraught to feel more ashamed than he already did, had told her everything.

Will looked confused for a moment, then his expression cleared and he said, “I’d forgotten you were friends with Hestia.  She was a maid at Minos’ estate, wasn’t she?  I always wondered how you came to know each other so well.”

“We looked after each other,” Nico said.  “We had to.”

Had to, from the moment Hestia found the beaten dog hidden in Nico’s room.  Had to, when Nico needed her help smuggling food to Asterion.  Had to, when Minos discovered them and....

Nico looked up and found himself pinned under the gaze of Will’s soft blue eyes, almost crushed by the gentle understanding in them.

“You can tell me anything,” Will said, but he didn’t ask for details.  Nico was grateful.  One day, he’d tell Will everything, but today he’d already said enough.  He could only bear his soul so much before the pain immobilized him.

“I know you brought all this up because of what Akhlys said, but you realize you could have told me any time, don’t you?” Will said.  “If you were trying to comfort me with the knowledge that both of us are natural-born, or if you felt you somehow owed it to me to tell me....”

“No, that wasn’t why,” Nico assured.  “At least, that wasn’t the only reason.  I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time.  And yes, maybe I did think you’d take comfort in the fact that we’re the same, because I know I do.  I was ashamed of it for a long time, but then I met you and...you weren’t.  If you don’t feel ashamed, why should I?  So when I told Akhlys to apologize to you, I wasn’t just trying to ‘defend your honor’ or whatever it was you said earlier.  I think I was trying to defend myself, too.  It sounds selfish, but—”

“It doesn’t,” Will said.  “Not in the slightest.  And it bothered you when I wasn’t as upset with Akhlys as you were, didn’t it?  You wanted me to stand up for myself because then I’d be standing up for you, too.”

Nico swallowed thickly and managed a short nod.  “Maybe being called a ba— being called that doesn’t bother you as much as it bothers me, but my experience with that word is different.”

Will’s head inclined encouragingly.  “Minos?” he asked.

Nico nodded again.

“Then you must have really hated it when I called myself that.”

Nico’s eyes drifted towards the tiled ground.  “I don’t mean to tell you what you can and can’t say—” he started.

Will reached out and placed his hand on top of Nico’s.  “It’s alright,” he assured.  “No, you can’t tell me what to say or not say.  But this?  I can do this for you.  I won’t use that word anymore and I won’t allow anyone to call me it, either.  It’s not like I’m especially fond of it, anyway.”

And then Will kissed Nico, and Nico hadn’t realized how much he needed it until that moment.  He knew Will still loved him, but the physical affection made it feel more real.

Will didn’t care that Nico was natural-born.  He would love Nico no matter who his birth parents were.

“Thank you for telling me this,” Will said.  “It couldn’t have been easy for you to talk about that, but I’m so grateful that you did.”

“I wanted to tell you sooner — almost did, a few times.  But I decided to wait until we were married.  It’s a family secret, and now you’re part of the family.”  Nico didn’t add that he’d also wanted to wait because once they were married, Will wouldn’t be able to leave him.

Well—that wasn’t quite true.  The marriage was unconsummated.  Will could still leave.  Will didn’t know that, though.  He wouldn’t leave if he didn’t know it was a possibility.

Nico’s stomach twisted.  How could he even think that?  Will wasn’t disgusted.  Nico had known that Will wouldn’t be disgusted.  And besides, he couldn’t trap Will in marriage—he wouldn’t do that to someone he loved.  So if Will had wanted to leave him....

It was best not to think about that.  Will would never have left him for being natural-born and it was an insult to Will that Nico had ever worried.

“I trust you,” Nico said, partly to remind himself.  Something about speaking the words out loud solidified them further in his mind the same way the kiss had, allowing him to reaffirm his grip on their truth.  Will had never given Nico a reason to doubt him.  Nico could trust Will.

“And you always can,” Will said.  “I’m your husband.  You can tell me anything.  Happy things, sad or angry things—even simple, unimportant things.  Anything, Nico.”

Nico resisted the instinct to avert his eyes.  Eye contact was hard for him, especially at times like this when he felt uncertain, or scared, or guilty.  Nico trusted Will, but he couldn’t tell him just anything.  Most things, yes.  But not anything.

“But only if you want to,” Will continued, like he sensed Nico’s hesitance even though Nico had tried to hide it.  “I understand that some things are difficult for you to talk about and other things you may rather keep private.  You can tell me anything, but you don’t have to tell me everything.”  Will waited a moment, like he was giving Nico a chance to say something, but when Nico stayed silent, he said, “Anyway, you were right about Akhlys.  That was an awfully nasty thing to say.”

Nico wrinkled his nose.  “It was completely out of line.  Even if I weren’t natural-born, I would have been furious with her.  No one speaks to the Prince’s consort that way.”

“My gallant protector,” Will said, sliding his arm around Nico’s back and kissing his temple.  “What do you say we spend the rest of the day like this?  I seem to have a free schedule.”

“But I thought you wanted time to yourself,” Nico said.

“I did,” Will answered.  “And now I want time with you.  Are you agreeable?”

Nico sighed contentedly as Wills lips brushed over the crest of his ear.  “Yes, I’d like that,” he said, and he leaned into his husband’s side and let the comfortable warmth of Will’s love wash over him.

Chapter Text

Will frowned as he read the words on the paper in front of him again, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on his waistcoat.  Mellie had brought him a letter from Lityerses earlier and he’d been puzzling over it all morning.

Most of the letter was straightforward—Lityerses updated Will on Zoe’s wellness (to Will’s satisfaction, she was progressing as expected) and told him that plans for renovating the mines were moving forward, albeit at a slower pace than Lityerses suspected was necessary.  But it was the final couple of paragraphs that had Will confused.  

“I worry that the events in Phrygia may have disrupted your life more than necessary,” Lityerses had written.  “Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but I have been concerned about you since your departure.  I apologize for the tension my family forced between you and the Prince and I sincerely regret any trouble I personally may have caused in your marriage.

“I am no stranger to household distress.  For a long time, I have felt as though I could not speak out against my father, but thanks to you, I now feel safe enough and courageous enough to raise my voice.  I hope you never find yourself in a similar situation, but if you do, you may consider me an ally.”

At first, Will had thought that Lityerses meant to express the kind concern of a friend, but the last sentence caught him off guard, the same way Cecil had at his wedding when he voiced his worries about Will’s marriage.

Will reached the last button on his waistcoat but couldn’t find the corresponding hole, and he looked down to see that—for the second time that day—he’d buttoned it incorrectly.  Sighing, Will undid the buttons to start over.

Lityerses hadn’t seemed to have a problem with Nico before.  Granted, he had seemed concerned when Will left, and Will supposed he couldn’t blame Lityerses for that.  Nico had lost his temper several times in Phrygia and his jealousy hadn’t been at all well-concealed.  But surely Nico hadn’t behaved badly enough for Lityerses to compare him to Midas?

Finally finishing his waistcoat, Will picked up the letter and sat on the edge of his bed to examine it.  His situation wasn’t like Lityerses’.  He’d resolved everything with Nico.  He had plenty of freedom in the Palatium de Divitae.

Well.  Will could stand a bit more freedom.  For one thing, he’d like the ability to choose to leave the grounds whenever he liked, but he understood Nico’s insistence that he bring a guard with him.  Will had the freedom to leave so long as he followed the rules.  He was planning to go into the city that day, in fact.

And yes, Will would like more to do inside the palace.  He’d appreciate being able to work in the infirmary, but Akhlys wasn’t going to let him.  He wanted to help Divitia, or Angelus, or even Pluto as a whole, but he hadn’t been very useful so far.

So maybe Lityerses had a point.  Will couldn’t lie to himself; he did feel trapped in the palace.  None of that had to do with Nico, though.

Then again, Nico hadn’t been much help, either.

Will started at a light rap on the doorframe and turned to see his husband watching him. 

“Is that another letter from your family?” Nico asked.

Will folded the letter in half, irrationally worried that Nico would be able to read its contents from across the room.  “No, from Lityerses,” he said, carefully watching Nico’s reaction.  Nico didn’t say anything, but Will noticed his expression tighten.  “Are you still jealous?” he asked.

“No,” Nico said, but it was an obvious lie.

“Because we’ve talked about this,” Will said.  “You don’t need to be jealous.”

“I’m not.”

Will opened his mouth to reassure him again, but thought better of it and stopped himself.  Badgering Nico further would only embarrass him. 

Nico cleared his throat and nodded to the paper in Will’s hands.  “What did he say?”

Will tightened his grip on Lityerses’ letter.  He didn’t want to lie to Nico, but what was he supposed to say?  “Lityerses thinks you mistreat me”?  That would only upset Nico.

“That is, uh, I mean—you don’t have to tell me,” Nico said, glancing down at his shoes.  “I didn’t mean to pry.  I just meant...if you’d like to share.  Or don’t.”

Will nodded.  He could tell that Lityerses still made Nico uncomfortable, but he also knew that Nico was trying.  Nico only meant to express interest, the same way he did when Will received letters from his family.

“He updated me on his sister’s health,” Will said.  “And he thinks Midas has been stalling the construction planning, so he asked for advice.”

“I see,” Nico said, folding his arms and looking at the marble floor between them instead of at Will directly.  “So you and Lityerses are...friends?”

“I think so, yes.”

“Right,” Nico said.  “Good.”

Will frowned at Nico’s uncertain tone, but he refrained from saying anything.

Nico glanced up at Will’s face and sighed, letting his arms fall back to his sides.  “I’m not jealous anymore.  Especially not after what we talked about yesterday.”  He took a seat next to Will on the bed and continued, “I’ve always been terrified to tell you about...well, you know.  And since we argued in Phrygia, I’ve been especially nervous because I thought it was only a matter of time before we argued again.  So when you reacted the way you did yesterday, I felt relieved.  I know you love me.  I know I don’t have to be jealous.”

Will frowned.  Nico should know not to be jealous because Will told him not to be jealous.  Why did Nico need more?  And why did natural birth matter so much to him when he claimed he didn’t care about Will’s?

Because of Minos, Will remembered.  Of course Will’s unconditional acceptance meant so much after Minos had trained Nico to be ashamed.  For Nico, natural birth was something very different than it was for Will.

“Nico, I didn’t react the way I did because I love you,” Will said.  “I reacted that way because that’s how any decent person should.”

“Perhaps so,” Nico said.  “But you’re still amazingly kind.”

Will averted his eyes.  He wasn’t especially good or kind.  Nico only thought so because he’d been treated so poorly in the past.

And Nico might feel differently if he knew Will had spent the morning thinking that maybe he wasn’t quite happy with his marriage.

Nico cleared his throat.  “So why are you dressed like that?”

Will looked down at his clothes.  He’d decided to wear consor attire that morning.  “I was thinking of going into the city again today, so I chose some clothes that would blend in more.  Don’t worry—I promise to take a guard this time.”

Nico shook his head.  “You’ll have to wait for another day.  You need to prepare more thoroughly—have a schedule of your activities, mapped routes, evacuation plans and such.  I can talk to Hedge about setting up a trip for you if you’d like.”

“A schedule?” Will asked.  “But I was perfectly safe last time.”

“Will, last time you went into the city, you lost your shoes, coat, buttons, and coin purse.  Frankly, you’re lucky you weren’t mugged.  You have to take matters of safety more seriously now that you’re a part of the royal family.”

Will frowned.  “But you used to shirk your guards all the time when we were courting.”

“On the grounds of well-guarded estates and in safe sororal cities, yes—but never in Divitia,” Nico pointed out.  “Besides, we’re not courting anymore.  You are my husband now and there are new rules of conduct.  Just stay within the palace grounds for today.  There’s plenty to occupy yourself with here.”  Nico set his hand on Will’s sleeve and continued, “And if you can’t think of anything to do, you could always entertain me.”

It was said jokingly, but Will couldn’t manage a smile.  “Right,” he said.  “Then I suppose I’ll get some reading done.”

A flicker of disappointment danced across Nico’s face, but it was quickly gone.  “Change your clothes first,” Nico said, pinching Will’s sleeve between his fingers.  “This fabric is awful.  I’ll send someone to pick out a more appropriate outfit.”

Will almost argued that he’d rather choose his own attire, thank you very much, but he bit his tongue and nodded anyway.

Nico kissed his cheek.  “Come find me when you’ve finished your reading.”

Will stood in place while Nico left.  He didn’t reach out to Nico or kiss him back.  He didn’t want to.

Nico wasn’t like Midas, but perhaps Lityerses wasn’t wrong to be concerned.  Will’s marriage wasn’t perfect.  He was frustrated with his life at the palace, with his inability to do anything meaningful, with his lack of freedom—and maybe he was upset with Nico for contributing to it.

“I shouldn’t be too angry with him,” Will whispered to himself.  Nico was only enforcing the rules and trying to keep Will safe.  He wasn’t confining Will on purpose.  He loved Will.  And honestly, Nico telling him to change his clothes didn’t bother Will much.

Except...maybe it did.   While Will knew that his fashion sense was lacking, this wasn’t a matter of mismatched separates—it was Will’s consor attire that Nico had said he disliked.  These clothes were a symbol of something that was important to Will.

And what had Nico meant by “you could always entertain me”?  Will’s purpose as Nico’s husband wasn’t to entertain him.  He knew that Nico had meant it jokingly, but lately, Will had felt like that was all he was good for.  Nico hadn’t asked Will for his advice since Phrygia, Akhlys had all but banished him from the infirmary, and even Reyna had told Will that his ideas for city improvement were flawed.  This wasn’t what a marriage was supposed to be like.  Daphne and Lou Ellen had their own responsibilities and jobs to perform around the Sun Palace, and even Hyacinthus, a courtesan, ran parts of Apollo’s estate.  Perhaps it was because Will was new to the Palatium de Divitae and hadn’t earned his position yet, but sometimes, Will felt more like an entertainer for Nico than a husband.

It’ll change, Will tried to tell himself.  Everything was still new.  It had only been a few months since the wedding.  They’d talked in Phrygia and Nico had told Will how much he valued him.

Will took a deep breath.  Maybe he was overreacting.  It would take time for him to settle into the palace.  He would have to be patient and keep trying to help where he could.  If he showed everyone that he was ready, then they’d start to trust him with more responsibilities.

Will picked up his jacket and slid his arms inside, deciding to forgo Nico’s fashion advice in favor of wearing his consor attire.  Since he couldn’t go into the city, he’d try talking to Reyna again instead.

When Nico entered the palace library that afternoon, it was with much more of a spring in his step than he generally had on his way to his lessons.  While he sometimes enjoyed self-study, he’d always hated attending lessons with the self-important, pretentious palace tutors who always seemed disappointed in him.  Even Reyna’s lessons were barely tolerable. 

But ever since his conversation with Will the day before, Nico had felt unusually relieved, like a physical burden had been lifted from his shoulders.  For a while after Phrygia, it had seemed like Will was growing distant, but their talk had left Nico without doubts: Will was one of the most wonderful things that had ever happened to him.

And the sooner Nico finished his afternoon lesson, the sooner he’d be able to find Will and spoil him for it. 

To Nico’s surprise, he found Will sooner than expected, standing across from Reyna at a library desk and looking over some maps and documents.  For reasons that Nico could not fathom, he was still dressed in his consor clothes, but he did look up and smile at Nico, which Nico thought made the ensemble look much better. 

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Nico said.  “What are you wearing?”

Will’s smile faltered.  “I forgot to change,” he said, and then turned his attention away again.

Nico shifted his weight, recalling the time that Reyna had suggested he’d teased Will too harshly about his attire and wondering if he’d gone too far again.

“Did you need something, Your Highness?” Reyna asked.

Nico blinked in confusion.  “My lesson?” he said.  Had he gotten the time wrong?

“Is it that late already?” Reyna asked.  “My apologies—I must have been distracted.  Would you mind if we moved the lesson to tomorrow?”

Nico blinked.  “You’re canceling a lesson?”

“Postponing,” Reyna corrected.  “Will and I have been going over Divitia’s sewage system all day.”

“Sewage system...?” Nico repeated, and then, “Did you just call him ‘Will’?”

“I gave her permission months ago, but she barely ever does it,” Will muttered.

Reyna has never used Nico’s given name.  Granted, he’d also never asked her to.  Since when had he even wanted her to?

He’d deal with that later.

“What’s this about the sewage?” Nico asked.  “Did something break?”

“No, it’s working as it should—that’s the problem,” Reyna answered.  “His Highness thinks it’s outdated and inefficient.”

Will huffed.  “Now it’s ‘Highness’ again?”

Reyna failed to conceal a smile and Nico felt suddenly, bizarrely envious, but he squashed the feeling down.

“So...the sewage system?” Nico prodded.

“I’ve been looking into it since I went to the city the other day,” Will said.  “We’re trying to think of cost-effective ways to improve it.”

“Yesterday we discussed reaching out to Lityerses and the Matestra to ask about sanitation in their cities,” Reyna added.  “The engineers of Phrygia and Venadica did especially impressive work.  They might put us in contact with them.”

Nico felt another, sharper stab of jealousy.  Not of Lityerses; what he’s told Will that morning was true.  He knew that Will had no romantic interest in Lityerses—although he couldn’t say for sure that Lityerses felt the same—and he trusted that Will loved him.

But jealousy, as Nico knew well, was not exclusive to romantic situations.  Nico had been prone to bouts of jealousy for as long as he could remember—he’d been jealous of Jason’s past with Reyna, of Hazel’s relationship with his parents, and, at least previously, of Will’s friendship with Lityerses.  Nico was still learning how to manage his feelings and sometimes he wasn’t very good at it, but he had at least learned how to recognize them.

So yes, Nico was jealous.  Nico was jealous that Will had gone to Reyna and not him.  He’d planned to reach out to engineers, but not to Nico.

Nico swallowed and forced himself to remember the talk he’d had with Will after Phrygia.  If Will didn’t tell Nico something, he had a reason.

But why?  Why wouldn’t Will have gone to Nico, the Duke of Angelus, about his ideas for city improvement?  Why wouldn’t Will go to his own husband?  What reason could Will possibly have for not talking to him?

Nico knew why—if Will wouldn’t go to Nico, then he didn’t think Nico was worth talking to.  It was because Will and Reyna were Venadi and Nico was not.

The King’s advisors brushed Nico aside often enough; it was nothing that Nico wasn’t used to.  After all, Nico was the spoiled, hot-headed prince who’d been skipping his lessons since he was ten years old.  What did Nico have to offer?

But Will had never brushed Nico aside before.  He’d never acted like being Venadi made him better or smarter than Nico.  Surely Nico was mistaken.  Will wouldn’t treat him that way.

“I see,” Nico said.  He hesitated, wondering if he should say something more or question them, but decided against it.  He’d only lose his temper if he tried.  His fingers flexed and he took a deep breath.  “I have to go,” he said, and turned away.  It wasn’t the best way to leave the conversation—Nico knew that—but he also knew that he had to take himself away from the situation.

I’ll calm down, then I’ll address this, Nico told himself.  That was the right way to deal with his anger.

But he’d barely taken three steps down the corridor when he heard heels clicking on the marble floors and Will caught up to him.

“Are you alright?” Will asked.

“Perfectly,” said Nico, his voice sounding clipped even to his own ears.  He tried again.  “Go back to Reyna.  We can talk later.”

Will hesitated for a second, but reached Nico again in two large strides.  “You’re upset.  Why are you so upset?”

“I’m not,” said Nico, but he knew his tone wouldn’t convince anyone.  He tried walking faster, hoping that Will would take the hint and leave him alone.

“Something about my ideas obviously made you angry.”

Nico clenched his jaw.  He continued walking towards his rooms but stopped trying to shake Will off.  “Your ideas are fine.  I don’t have a problem with your ideas.”

“Are you upset because I was going to contact Lityerses?”

“Lityerses!” Nico repeated, his blood heating up all over again.  “No, this isn’t about Lityerses.  I’ve already told you, Will—I don’t care about Lityerses.  I’m not jealous of him.”

Nico avoided looking at Will, but he didn’t need to see Will’s face to know that Will still didn’t believe him.

For a moment, Will was quiet.  “Then why are you so upset?” he asked.

“Because...” Nico started, but stopped.  He glanced at a gold-framed mirror as they approached the stairs and caught Will’s eye in the reflection.  He looked away again.  “Were you going to tell me about your ideas?” he asked.

“Of course I was.”

Nico waited.  Will didn’t elaborate.  They climbed the stairs in silence.

“You didn’t mention you were asking Lityerses about the sanitation in Phrygia this morning.”

“You just said you didn’t care about him.”

“I don’t!” Nico insisted.  “I just...I don’t understand why you didn’t mention you were discussing ideas with him.”

“Because I haven’t yet.”

“But you’re going to?”

“I plan to, yes.”

Again, Nico waited.  Again, Will didn’t add anything else.

“Was this why you wanted to visit the city?  To learn more about its sanitation?”

“Part of the reason.”

“And you’ve talked to Reyna about these ideas?”

“Yes.”

They’d reached their apartment.  Nico stopped outside the door and finally turned to face Will.  “But not me?”

Will sighed.  It was the kind of frustrated sigh that Nico’s tutors sometimes gave him—not one that he expected to hear from Will.  “I only approached her about this yesterday, Nico.  I was going to talk to you, too.”

“When?”

Again Will sighed—the same frustrated, tired one as before, and gestured for Nico to enter their chambers for more privacy.  Nico did, and Will shut the door behind them.  “Nico, if you have something to say, please stop playing games with me and say it.”

Nico took a deep breath and gripped the lace edges of his sleeves.  “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t hide things from me anymore.”

At once, the frustrated look on Will’s face became hard and cold, like Nico had slammed one door shut and yanked another one open.  “That doesn’t mean I need to report to you about everything I do,” Will snapped.  “I’m tired of getting your permission for everything, Nico.  I thought we agreed that you’d stop being so controlling, yet you demand to know my whereabouts at all times and you constantly tell me how to dress.”

“Controlling?” Nico repeated, hot anger welling up inside him yet again.  “This has nothing to do with controlling you.  You tried to go into the city after I clearly warned you it was dangerous, and now you’re planning to rebuild Divitia without telling me!”

Will scoffed.  “Really, Nico?  Rebuild?  All I did was discuss ideas with your advisor.”

“Then why didn’t you discuss them with me?”

“Because Reyna and I are Venadi,” Will said, like it should have been obvious.  “I wanted her input.”

Nico clenched his jaw.  So he’d been right—it was because they were Venadi and Nico wasn’t.  It was because Will thought Nico wasn’t smart enough or educated enough to be useful.

He swallowed, took a deep breath to steady himself, and said, “Do you think that because I’m not Venadi, I don’t need to know the details of what goes on in my duchy?”

“I only met with Reyna once about this before today,” Will said.  “I was going to bring my ideas to you once we’d made them more presentable.”

“And how long would that have taken?  Would you have gone weeks without consulting me?”

“I don’t know.  Does it matter?  I wasn’t hiding things from you.”

“Yes, it does matter.  You don’t have the authority to make plans for the city on your own.  You are not the prince.  You are not the duke.  Those titles belong to  me.  You are only a consort.”

For a moment, Will was silent.  Then— Only a consort?” he whispered.

Nico almost backed down, but he held his stance—feet set wide apart, hands balled into fists, and shoulders firm.  He would not let Will look down on him.  

“Yes,” Will said finally, his voice sounding halting and shaky but so cold that Nico barely recognized it.  “I am your consort.  You want me to play the part of an obedient husband?  Very well.  I will be obedient.  I will stay in the palace.  I will dress the way you want me to dress.  I will speak only to the people you allow me to speak to about the things you allow me to discuss.  But do not expect me to act both subservient and content.  If you insist upon being my prince, then that is all you will be.”

“Excuse me?” Nico said, but Will had already started to retreat to his own room.

Then the crushing realization of what Nico had just said finally dawned on him.  He’d lost his temper again.  He’d gotten angry and started spewing nonsense and he had, once again, hurt Will.

He wanted to apologize.  He wanted to beg Will for forgiveness and ask him to stay so that they could talk like they had in the carriage ride from Phrygia.  But Nico was still angry and confused and when he opened his mouth, what came out was, “Where do you think you’re going?”

Will paused and turned back.  “Do you have any idea how bored and frustrated I’ve felt since we married?  Because you have done nothing but make me feel even more suffocated.  You constantly tell me where to go and what to wear and who to speak to.  And now you tell me that I’m not even allowed to think about projects without consulting you because I’m only your consort?  Only?”

“I think you misunderstood what I meant—” Nico started, but Will cut him off.

“No, Your Highness, I don’t think I did.  This is not the first time you have talked down to me.  You did this in Salacia, then in Phrygia, and I refuse to allow it any longer.  When you’re ready to apologize, you’ll likely find me in my rooms or in the gardens, as it seems those are the only places I’m allowed to go without getting permission first.”

“Will, wait—” Nico called out again, but Will had already disappeared into his own room, the door slamming loudly behind him.

“No,” Nico whispered.

He’d done it again.  He’d opened his mouth when he should have kept it shut, he’d lost his temper, and now he was going to lose Will.

Will slammed the door shut and without stopping to consider what he was doing, he slid the golden bolt to lock it.  He pressed his back against the door and slid to the floor, hiding his head between his knees and shutting his eyes so that he couldn’t hear Nico outside or see the gilded walls of his bedchamber.

Only a consort.

This is exactly what Will had feared, yet he had been so certain it would never happen.  Only a consort—like Will was a lover but not a partner, like being a consort wasn’t good enough, like Will would never be Nico’s equal.  Only a consort—like Nico had forgotten everything else Will could be and would never, ever give Will the life he wanted. 

Because the truth was, Will hated his new life.  He’d tried to see the best in it.  He’d tried to be happy.  But the fact remained: Will was miserable in Divitia.  He hated that he had nothing to do, that he felt useless all the time, and that he was confined to the palace grounds.  He hated that Nico only seemed interested in Will’s advice when he asked for it and that Nico seemed to prize Will as a trophy more than a partner.

And Will was angry.  He was angry at Nico all over again, even more than he’d been in Phrygia.  Will had never learned how to deal with anger because he’d always avoided it.  The fury fell over him like waves that crashed into him and then rolled back just as suddenly, leaving Will exhausted and distraught until the wave reared back and fell over him again.  Tired and confused, with his emotions muddled together like sticky wet sand, Will could do nothing but fall to the floor and cry.

He’d thought they’d gotten past this.  He thought Nico appreciated him.  Had everything Nico said in the carriage ride from Phrygia been a lie?  Did Nico even really know him?  Did Will even know Nico?

Will lifted his head to rub his palms over his wet eyes.  All his life, he’d had people defending him and fighting his battles for him, but he didn’t have his aunt, friends, or older siblings there to take care of him anymore.  He needed to learn to look after himself.  He could not keep allowing people to walk on him—least of all his own husband.  Nico wanted a subservient disciple and a happy lover, but Nico could not have both.

Chapter Text

Will was on the edge of the marble fountain in the garden with Bonnie on his lap, sitting for Hazel as she sketched, and he was conspicuously not looking at Persephone’s balcony.  Nico was on said balcony having tea with his mother while Hedge stood guard, and he was not with his husband because he still hadn’t managed to properly apologize.

“You can go join them if you’d like,” Persephone said.

Nico tore his eyes away from Will and Hazel.  “What?”

“You seem distracted,” she continued, selecting a different thread color for her embroidery.  “It won’t hurt my feelings if you’d rather spend time with your sister and husband than stay here drinking tea and watching me embroider.”

Nico sighed and shook his head.  “No,” he said.  “I don’t think I’m welcome.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Persephone said, like she always did when Nico said something self-deprecating.  She thought she was being helpful when she did that.  She wasn’t.

“No, it is,” Nico mumbled.  “Will’s not talking to me.  We fought the day before yesterday and he’s barely spoken to me since.”

From behind Nico, Hedge glowered.  “This is exactly why I said that you were too young to marry!”

“You may have a point,” Nico admitted.  Perhaps he should have waited to bring Will into his life until he’d learned to control his temper.  Perhaps he should have discussed Will’s expectations for marriage more clearly before the wedding.  Perhaps if they’d waited longer, things wouldn’t have ended up the way they had.

“He’s acting like a child,” Hedge went on.  “It’s ridiculous.”

“No, he’s not,” Nico said.  “Stop saying that, Hedge.  I was the one in the wrong and he has every right to be upset.”

Hedge grumbled to himself and left to guard the balcony door instead.

“Why is Will upset?” Persephone asked, setting aside her embroidery hoop.  “He doesn’t seem like an angry sort of person.”

Nico shifted in his seat reluctantly.  “I lost my temper while we were arguing and I said some things that I shouldn’t have.”

“Like what?”

Nico took a deep breath and sank deep into an ashamed slump. “I told him that he was only my consort and that he didn’t have any authority in my duchy.”

“Nico,” said Persephone, her voice sounding scolding and disappointed.

Nico shrank further into his chair.  “And that’s not all,” he admitted.  “Apparently he’s been frustrated for months but I never bothered to notice.  I’ve been making everything worse for him without realizing it.”

“Did you apologize?” Persephone asked.

“Not immediately,” Nico answered.  “I tried to yesterday, but....”  He winced as he remembered calling out to Will in the corridor the day before, hoping to win back Will’s favor after he’d spent the better part of the day avoiding Nico.

“I have nothing more to say to you at this time,” Will had told him.

“Will, please,” Nico had said, grabbing his sleeve.  “You can’t go on avoiding me this way.  This isn’t what I want—”

“What you want?” Will had demanded, pulling his arm away.  “You petty, spoiled prince.  Why would what we want matter?  It doesn’t seem to matter what I want.”

Nico cleared his throat.  “The apology didn’t go well.”

“Do you understand why he’s been frustrated?” Persephone asked.

“I think so,” Nico answered.  “He hates the restrictions of palace security on travel.  I tease him too much about the way he dresses.  But I think it’s mostly that he misses consor work.  He said that he feels useless here and that I’ve done nothing but make it worse.  I did ask for his help in Phrygia, though.  I think he liked that—or at least, he would have, if we hadn’t been fighting at the time.”

“You fought then, too?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Nico mumbled in embarrassment.  “When we argued yesterday, I was angry because I’d found out that he and Reyna had been discussing ways to update Divitia’s sewage system without telling me.  That’s why I said what I did—I felt like I was being left out.  But I ended up making him feel useless.”

Persephone hummed thoughtfully.  “I think I understand what Will is going through,” she said.  “I also spent many years studying on my own in Venadica because I was going to be a soror before I married.  When I moved here after the wedding, it was difficult for me to adjust to how much less freedom I had.  But I think I had an easier time than Will because I’m a woman.”

Nico frowned.  “What does being a woman have to do with it?” he asked.

“Because it is traditionally the wife’s duty to be the source of wisdom.  When we married, I immediately became your father’s chief adviser—just like Reyna is for you.  Will has rather feminine interests.  He may prefer feminine spousal roles, as well.”

“Then he involved himself in city planning because he’s a consort, not in spite of it,” Nico said.  “You think he was performing spousal duties.”

“I think that you should ask him instead of assuming,” Persephone said.  “But I do believe it’s possible that he thinks you are in charge of the traditionally masculine marriage roles, whereas he takes on the feminine ones.”

“I had not thought of it that way,” Nico admitted.  Perhaps if Will had been a woman, Nico wouldn’t have felt so demeaned for being left out of the planning.  Perhaps Nico had been looking at Will’s gender rather than at Will himself.

“One of the reasons I married him was because he was a consor,” Nico recalled.  “We thought he’d provide valuable counsel.  I’ve completely ignored that.”

“Even if Will doesn’t prefer the feminine spousal roles, his feelings of uselessness might stem from the fact that you and Reyna take care of everything so well on your own,” said Persephone.  “With you handling the masculine duties and Reyna the feminine, maybe he feels like there’s no room left for him on your team.”

Nico closed his eyes.  “And now I’ve upset him so much that I’m not sure he’ll ever forgive me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true, Nico.”

Nico pursed his lips in annoyance.  He hated when Persephone said things like that.  It made him feel like she wasn’t listening.  “Mama, you didn’t see how angry he was.  And...there is another problem.  Something beyond our relationship.”  He looked over his shoulder at Hedge to make sure he was still by the door, then leaned forward and whispered, “Just before we fought, I told him the family secret.”

Persephone glanced down at Will and Hazel, still together in the garden.  “You don’t think he’d tell anyone, do you?  Surely he wouldn’t.”

“I don’t think so.  That wouldn’t be like him.  But...he’s never been this angry before.  Mama, I’m so sorry—I lost my temper with him and I might have put the whole family at risk.”

Not to mention that with his marriage unconsummated, Will could still leave.  And Nico intended to tell him as much.

He’d made up his mind on the matter already.  Will thought that he was already trapped in his marriage to Nico, but Nico could not let him believe that.  He would not force Will to stay in a marriage with someone who hurt him.  If Will wanted to leave, then Nico would let him go.  

But it wasn’t just Nico’s fragile heart on the line.  An annulment would mean that all dowry payments would be reversed.  An annulment would send Pluto crashing back into debt.

Nico swallowed.  A part of him wanted to confide in Persephone, but he couldn’t—he couldn’t deal with the mortification or shame of telling her how badly he might have failed the family.  He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he may have lost the love of his life.

“What do I do?”  Nico asked.  “How do I apologize to Will?”

“First of all, let’s try to think of ways to solve the problem.  That way when you talk to him next, he’ll know that you are serious about making things better.  Do you have any ideas?”

“Make him an advisor, firstly,” Nico said.

“Yes, I think that’s necessary,” Persephone agreed.  “What else?”

“We could talk about things he can do around the palace,” Nico went on.  “He likes animals.  Perhaps he could look after their health.”

“He could be Akhlys’ assistant,” Persephone suggested.

Nico grimaced.  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.  She’s already sent him away several times after he tried to help her.  I’d have to force Akhlys to take him and I don’t think that’s what Will wants.”

“Then what about things outside the palace grounds?  You said he’s frustrated that he has to stay here all the time because of security.”

“Perhaps I can be less strict about it,” Nico said.

“I don’t think that attitude will fix the problem,” Persephone said.  “His safety is still important and I don’t know that strictness is the issue.  The issue is that you are the one being strict.  Let him work with Hedge to plan his security on his own.  I think he will feel like he has more freedom if he has more control.”

“More control?” Nico repeated.

“Yes.  Autonomy is a powerful thing, Nico.  Will needs it—and that includes control over the way he dresses, even if he is horrible at pairing separates.”

“I’ll let him dress however he likes,” Nico promised.  “And then what?  How do I apologize?”

“First, you have to stay calm and in control of your temper.  Do you think you’re ready to do that?”

Nico nodded.  “Yes.”

“When you talk to him, you must recognize what you did wrong and acknowledge the way Will feels.  If you’re not sure how he feels, you can always ask him for clarification.  Say, ‘can you help me understand what I did wrong so that I don’t hurt you again?’”

“And then?”

“And then you apologize.  Express regret for your behavior and tell him how you plan to do better in the future.  Talk to him about some ideas that you came up with to make Will’s life here better and ask him for his own.  Then you move forward and do better.”

If Will even decided to stay, Nico silently added.  He bit his lip and clenched his fists in his lap.

“I’m scared, Mama,” Nico said.

“I know, sweetheart,” said Persephone.  “You’ll figure this out.”

“Not just this,” Nico said.  “I keep losing my temper with him.  I’m scared I’m turning out like....”

He didn’t continue.  Persephone didn’t ask him to.  She placed her hand on top of Nico’s and squeezed.

“You are nothing like that man,” Persephone told him.

Nico didn’t meet her eyes.  He wasn’t so sure.

After a few moments of silence, Persephone said, “Do you remember when you came back from the countryside and the Matestra sent a soror to help you adjust?”

Nico nodded.

“We could write to see if Artemis can recommend someone to help you again.  Would you like that?”

Nico tried to swallow a lump in his throat, but he couldn’t, so when he spoke his voice came out as a croak.  “Yes.  I would.”

“You really don’t want to work on the project anymore?” Reyna asked.

Will was slumped in his seat in the library, his arms folded as he glowered at the documents Reyna had brought him.  “Of course I want to,” he said.  “I’m not  allowed.  If you have complaints about it, take them to Nico.”

Reyna sighed and deposited the documents she’d brought on the carved wooden table between them.  “First of all, you are allowed,” she said.  “Secondly, why do you care whether or not you’re allowed?  Isn’t the health of an entire city more important than some silly rules or spite?”

“It’s not spite,” Will protested.  “I’m doing exactly what Nico wants me to do.”

“This isn’t what he wants,” said Reyna.

Will snorted, remembering Nico’s weak attempt at an apology the day before.  “You can’t go on avoiding me this way,” Nico had said.  “This isn’t what I want—”

“He wants attention,” Will said.  “And he doesn’t want me involved in policy matters—he made that quite clear.”

Reyna put her hands on her hips.  “I think you misunderstood what the Prince was trying to say when you argued.  He wants you to be happy.  Do you realize how hard he worked before you married to make the palace feel more like home for you?  He talked to Her Majesty about it nearly every day, asking how he could make life here more comfortable for someone from Southern Jupiter.  He’s asked the kitchens to make food that reminds you of Diana.  He requests for the temperature to be higher in your apartments because he knows you prefer the heat.  He gave you the bedroom that traditionally goes to the heir.  He even found a dog to be your companion.  The Prince can be difficult, stubborn, spoiled, and immature, and he has a terrible temper.  I know that—I’ve been with him longer than you.  But, he’s also sensitive and he has a good heart.  He’s been through more than you know.”

Will looked away.  “He’s told me about Minos.  I already know what he’s been through.”

“Told you everything?”

Will opened his mouth to say that yes, of course he had, but reconsidered.  “I...I think,” he said.

“He hasn’t,” Reyna said.  “I know what he’s told you, and it wasn’t everything.  Will, Minos used to tell him that he was stupid and that it should have been his sister who lived while Nico died.”

Will felt his throat close up like he was going to be sick.  “He told him what?”

“Every time that I think I understand how horrible it was for Nico, I realize that I have no idea.  Every time that I think it’s stopped bothering Nico, I find out that Minos still haunts him.  And then you, intentionally or not, told him that he wasn’t good enough or smart enough to be involved in city planning in his own duchy.  Of course he lashed out.  He’s spent the past decade fighting against his own thoughts telling him exactly the same thing.”

“But I never said that he wasn’t smart enough!” Will protested.

“Well, it’s what he heard,” said Reyna.  “You told him that you asked for my input and not his because I am Venadi and he is not.”

“That’s not it.  I’m just....”  Will sighed.  “I’m tired of having to report to him all the time.”

“Then you did it out of spite.”

“No, I didn’t,” Will insisted.  “I always go over my plans with other Venadi before giving a report.”

“But you wouldn’t let someone who’s not Venadi help you make the report?”

“That’s not true.”

“It sounds like it is,” said Reyna.  “Maybe you ought to re-examine your biases, Will.  You’re angry because you feel undervalued, don’t you?  You’re trying to stand up for yourself—that’s why you’re being so spiteful.  He felt the same way when you argued.  He’s learned to remind himself that he has every right to speak up when people talk down to him—it’s actually a sign that he’s healing after what he went through with Minos, but sometimes Nico takes it too far.  He went too far with you.”

Will looked away, his stomach knotting uncomfortably.  “Maybe...maybe he didn’t,” he admitted.  “Maybe I misunderstood.”

“No, he was out of line,” Reyna said.  “He told you that you were only his consort.  That was unacceptable.  Nico’s past trauma and his continuing struggle to deal with it does not excuse treating you poorly and you should not allow him to do so.  But it does mean that sometimes he has a difficult time expressing himself, controlling his emotions, and connecting with people.  Sometimes you have to be patient with him and sometimes you have to work a little harder than you normally would to understand how he feels.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be angry with him.  It means that his anger was also justified.”

Reyna waited for a moment before she picked back up the documents on Divitia’s sanitation.  “If you’re still quitting, then I’ll continue this project on my own.  I’d like your help, though.”

Will chewed his lip.  “Alright,” he relented.  “Let’s get back to work.”

Later in the evening, Nico asked for an audience with his father to tell him he intended to make Will his adviser.

“He’s been unhappy here,” Nico admitted.

Hades watched Nico with a steady stare, his expression both impassive and strangely readable, written with something akin to shock or awe, like he wasn’t used to Nico opening up to him and wasn’t entirely sure how to handle it, but was glad that it had happened.  

Nico himself didn’t know why he’d spoken up, but before he could question it, Hades spoke.

“You’ve done quite a bit for him,” he said.  “I’m sure he appreciates it.”

“I made the mistake of assuming I knew what would make him happy instead of asking him myself,” Nico said.  “It turns out that I was wrong.”

“Then what does he want?” 

“I think he feels like he lacks the freedom to be himself.  He misses the way his life was in Venadica.  When we were in Phrygia, Midas offered to sponsor him.  Whether or not Will accepts will be his choice, but having Midas as a sponsor would be...less than ideal.”

“I don’t know how regularly we can pay for travel or how much financial support we can give his projects, but perhaps we can make an offer of sponsorship,” Hades said.  “I don’t know that it would be comparable to Midas’ offer, though.”

“I’ve offered to use Angelian funds, but he seemed reluctant,” Nico said.  “More than returning to his studies, I think Will wants to be useful.  I think he wants to practice medicine, but Akhlys won’t take him as an assistant.  I thought he could be a palace veterinary consultant instead.”

Hades nodded pensively and rubbed his chin.  “We used to have a physician and a pharmacist, but Achlys has been filling both roles for nearly ten years,” he said.  “Perhaps it’s time we hire a separate pharmacist again.  Do you think he’d be interested?”

“I think he would love that,” Nico said.  “I’ll ask him.”

He paused.  Hades didn’t say anything, either.  For a moment, the study remained silent and Nico felt the strange urge to fill it, to keep the conversation going.  He didn’t talk to his father like this often—without arguing or getting angry at each other.  He liked moments like these.

Nico cleared his throat.  “Do you think you could help me with something else?” he asked.

“Of course,” Hades answered.  His voice sounded as steady as usual, but somehow Nico could feel Hades’ continued astonishment at Nico’s willingness to speak and he knew that Hades wanted to keep the conversation going, too.

Nico took a deep breath.  “I was hoping you could help me draft a letter to the Matestra.”

Chapter Text

Nico was pacing.  He had been pacing outside Will’s door for at least ten minutes, and before that, he’d been pacing inside his room.

“You’ve gone over everything you have to say,” Reyna reminded him, not for the first time.  Nico could hear the clipped impatience that was starting to creep into her voice as she grew frustrated with him.  “Just go in and talk to him.”

“Right,” Nico said.  “I know what I have to say.  I can do this.”

He came to a stop in front of Will’s door, reached out to knock, and then stopped.

“I can’t,” he said, for the fifth time.  “I can’t do this.”

“Yes, you can,” Reyna insisted.  “All you have to do is apologize and talk to him.”

Nico nodded.  “Yes.  I can.  I can.”  He took a deep breath, reached out again, and—

“But what if he’s busy?” Nico asked, pacing away again.  “Perhaps I ought to wait until after supper.”

“Your Highness.”

“You’re right...you’re right...unless...what if he doesn’t want to talk to me?  What if it’s better to wait for him to approach me?”

“Your Highness, if you don’t go in there right now and talk to him—”

“It’s hopeless.  He hates me, I know it.”

“For the love of Rhea,” Reyna muttered, storming over to Will’s room.  She made a few quick raps on the door, and when Will’s voice called permission to enter, she looked at Nico and waved for him to go inside.  Nico shook his head and took a step back, but before he could escape, Reyna grabbed his arm, opened the door, and said, “His Highness is here to see you,” then she practically threw Nico in the room and shut the two of them alone inside. 

Will’s room was bright in the afternoon sun, with the light from the windows sparkling on the gold in the walls and ceiling.  Will lounged on the seat in one of the windows, holding a book in his lap.  His face was the only thing in the room that was hidden in shadows, but Nico could tell he was watching him.

Nico cleared his throat.  “I have come to apologize,” he said, just like he’d rehearsed, but his voice quivered in spite of his efforts to keep it steady.  “I have not handled this argument well and I have been rude to you.”

Will said nothing.  He did not stand.  He only continued to watch Nico.

“I have cooled my temper and I’ve thought about this carefully,” Nico went on.  “So if you’re willing, I’d like to talk now.”

Will closed his book and set it on the floor next to him, but he did not get up or offer Nico a seat.  “Then let’s talk,” he said. 

Nico brushed his hands down his coat and shuffled a few steps forward to stand in front of Will.  When Will didn’t speak, he cleared his throat.  “I—”

“I am furious with you,” Will cut in.  “I have never been this angry in my entire life, did you know that?  I have never felt more insulted than I did when you told me that I was only your consort.  Do you understand why?”

“Because it made you feel useless,” Nico said quietly.

“Useless, powerless—and I already felt useless and powerless enough.  I have been so miserable here, Nico.  I don’t feel like the consort of a prince.  You won’t ask me to help you or advise you—save once in Phrygia, and we both know how that ended—and you turn me away any time I try to be involved.  I don’t feel like a consor, either.  I’m not practicing medicine or studying.  The court physician hates me and I don’t even know why.  Nico, I don’t even feel like a husband .  I feel like I’m less than a courtesan.  An entertainer, perhaps.”

“Will,” Nico said, his chest clenching painfully.

“And then you told me that I was ‘only’ a consort,” Will went on.  “You.   My own husband.  You are supposed to support me, but instead, you took everything that I have feared, every insecurity, and you threw it in my face.”

“I know,” Nico said quietly. 

“And that’s not all,” Will continued.  “I don’t know anyone.  I don’t have any friends.  My family and everyone else I know are far away.  I’m in a city that I’m unfamiliar with.  I don’t understand how the palace is run and I always feel like a burden.  Nico, I’m not happy here.”

“Will, I....” Nico started.  I didn’t know you felt that way, he considered saying.  But he should have known.  He’d wanted to make Will happy so badly, but he’d completely failed.

Very slowly, Nico stepped closer to Will, hesitantly touched his shoulder, and knelt on the floor in front of him.  He noticed Will’s eyes on him, the whites turned pink like Will was trying not to show his tears.

“Did you know that I didn’t always want to marry?” Will suddenly asked.  “I was willing to, but I wanted to be like a soror.  I wanted to stay in Venadica and study, or return to Diana and be an advisor for my brother or a tutor for his children.  I always thought that if I married, I would have to give up on my aspirations as a consor.  I would have new duties as a husband, and perhaps as a father, too.  But then my aunt told me I might have the chance to marry you and all that changed.  Do you know why?”

“Because you admired me as a child?”

Will’s lips pursed.  Nico couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or amused and he spent so long trying to figure it out that the intensity of Will’s eyes overwhelmed him and he had to look down. 

“That wasn’t what I meant,” Will said.  “Marrying a prince would be different from marrying a minor noble.  If I married you, I wouldn’t have to sacrifice my aspirations.  I would be close to Venadica.  I could be a royal advisor.  A prince’s consort has a great deal more authority than a simple consor, even one with my connections to the Matestra.  If I married you, then I could use my education and influence to make a difference in the world.”

“But you don’t have that,” Nico said, his voice shaking and his hands trembling in his lap.  “So you’re unhappy.  I’m so sorry, Will.  I’m so sorry.”

Recognize what you did wrong and acknowledge the way he feels , Persephone had said.

“I know I’ve done things wrong and that I’ve hurt you,” Nico said.  “I made you feel alone and powerless when I should have supported you.  I know that I’ve done this before, too—in Salacia and in Phrygia.  You deserve much better than the way I’ve been treating you.  And you are brilliant, Will.  You are as brilliant as you are kind and you have so much to offer.  I should not have taken that for granted.  I’m so sorry, Will.”

Will was still quiet.  His silence terrified Nico.  Did Will not believe him?  Or was it too late and Will had already grown weary of him?

Then Nico finally heard him move.  He was shocked when Will leaned down to wrap his arms around him.  Nico quickly returned the embrace and pressed his face against Will’s coat to breathe in his calming scent.  How was it that he had become so desperate to feel Will’s arms around him after only a few days without?

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Nico said against the fabric of Will’s coat.

“I know,” Will whispered, releasing Nico far too soon for his liking.  “Sit next to me.  Let’s keep talking.”

Nico struggled to his feet, his legs feeling wobbly beneath him, and Will moved to the side of the window seat to make room.  When Nico sat next to him, Will reached out to fix a lock of Nico’s hair—a short gesture of affection that filled Nico with guilt more than it did with hope.

“This isn’t the first time you have lashed out at me,” Will said with unnerving calmness.

“I know.  I have a terrible temper and—”

“If this marriage is to work, you must learn to control it,” Will interrupted.  “I have allowed this for too long.  It ends now.”

“Yes,” Nico agreed.  “I know.  My temper is...it’s something I’ve been working on for years.  But lately....”  Nico swallowed.  Once again, he remembered what Persephone had told him: listen to the problem, apologize, and propose ways to fix it.  “I can do better.  I will do better.  I’ve already...I sent a letter to Venadica for help yesterday.”

“Help?”

Nico stared at his hands, clenching and unclenching in his lap.  “My emotions.  I sometimes...get overwhelmed.”

“Oh,” said Will, softly and quietly, with gentle understanding.

“I used to take special lessons,” Nico went on.  “It was kept very quiet, but when I got back from the countryside, your aunt sent me a soror to guide my adjustment.”

“And did that help you?” Will asked.

Nico shrugged, then nodded.  “Sometimes,” he said.  “She helped me make sense of everything that happened at the Lotussium and taught me some ways to manage how I felt.  I did try to use those the other day—she taught me that sometimes when I’m angry I should walk away and calm down.  I tried to walk away when I got angry after seeing you and Reyna working on city plans, but...it didn’t work out.  I should have told you that I needed time to myself.  If I had, I’m sure I would have been able to think more clearly about it.  I shouldn’t have been so angry.”

“No, that’s not true,” said Will, shaking his head.  “You had every right to be upset about that.  You were right—I went to Reyna because we’re both Venadi and I excluded you because you’re not.  That was wrong of me.  I have to apologize, too.”

“Oh,” Nico said dumbly.  “You don’t need to apologize.”

“Yes, I do,” said Will.  “I was wrong and I hurt you.  I understand why you were so angry.  What you said to me afterward was not acceptable, but you were not wrong for feeling angry after I insulted you.  And I’m sorry that I didn’t realize you needed time to yourself.  I’ll try to be more observant next time.”

Nico swallowed.  “Next time?” he asked.

“You and I are very different people—of course we’re bound to argue every so often,” Will said.  “I am not so naive as to think it will be fixed by one conversation.  But we’re married now.  We have to keep working on this together.”

Nico’s gut churned.  “There is another option,” he whispered.  “You don’t have to stay here.”

Will frowned.  “What?”

“It’s not too late to annul our vows,” Nico continued, his voice sounding like a croak.  “By Plutonian standards, the marriage hasn’t been consummated.”

“I...I don’t understand,” Will said.  “Plutonian standards?”

“We can talk about the details another time,” Nico said.  “The important thing right now is that we can still annul the marriage if that’s what you want.”

For a long, terrifying moment, Will was silent, then, in a soft voice, he said, “Is that what you want?”

Nico took a deep, shaky breath.  “I don’t want you to stay because you think that you don’t have a choice.  I want to be a good husband and that means I have to give you the freedom to leave.  I won’t force you to stay in this marriage if it makes you unhappy.”

“Nico,” Will whispered, and suddenly his hands were on top of Nico’s, holding them firmly, yet gently.  “You really think I’d want to leave?”

“You said you never wanted to marry in the first place,” Nico said.  “You have dreams of staying in Venadica or returning to Diana to stay with your family.  And you’re miserable here, Will.  I don’t want to be responsible for that—”

Suddenly, Will’s arms were around him again and Nico’s nails were digging into the fabric of Will’s coat.

“I’m not leaving,” Will said.  “I have new dreams now—dreams that you’re a part of.  I want to work through this with you.  This is where I want to be.”

Nico’s eyes burned and he pressed his face against Will’s shoulder.  He clung to Will’s back tightly, willing himself not to cry or tremble.  “I want you here, too,” he whispered.

“But I’m still angry and I need things to change.”

“I know,” Nico said, pulling away from Will’s arms to fish through his coat pocket.  “I’ve done a lot of thinking about that.  I already told my father that I plan on making you an official advisor.  I wrote down some other ideas, too.”  He found the paper in his pocket and took it out, unfolding it and handing it to Will.  “My mother suggested that you should work with Hedge to plan your own security.  She said that it would make you feel like you had more freedom if you were in charge of your security.”

“Then you’ll allow me to go to the city whenever I want?” Will asked, looking up from the scribbled notes that Nico had given him.

Nico shifted uncertainly, but said, “I’m beginning to realize that it’s not my place to ‘allow’ you to do anything.  But...I’ll trust you to make your own security plans, yes.  Please just promise me you’ll be safe.”

“I will.  And maybe sometimes you can accompany me.”

“If you’ll have me,” Nico agreed.  “I also had some ideas for medical work you could do, since Akhlys has made it clear she won’t work with you.  You could be a veterinary consultant.  My father also said we might hire a new pharmacist, if you’re interested in the job.  We can look at the pharmacy later.”

“I’d love that,” said Will.  “And I have some ideas of my own, too.  There are public health projects I’d like to work on with Divitia, beginning with sanitation.”

“Then you will accept the position as my advisor?” asked Nico.

“Yes, of course I will.  And from now on I won’t leave you out when I’m making plans.  You were right—you should be a part of that.”

“We can also talk about organizing trips to Venadica, if you’d like,” Nico said.  “I’ll support you if you choose to accept Midas’ proposal of sponsorship, but he’s also not your only option.  We can find other ways, so you don’t have to feel pressured if—”

“I wrote to Midas and declined a while ago,” Will interrupted.  “I only waited to be polite—it would have been rude to refuse him without at least pretending to consider his offer.  I thought you understood that?”

“I...I didn’t want to assume.  I was trying to respect that it was your choice.”

“Well, we had the same opinion on the matter,” said Will.  “I don’t want to be associated with that man.”

“What about your studies?” asked Nico.  “I know you’ve said that you’re not comfortable accepting Angelean funds, but my offer still stands and my father offered his support, as well.”

“Thank you, Nico,” Will said.  “Perhaps someday, but as your new advisor, right now I suggest that royal funds should be used to benefit your people, not to show favoritism to your husband.  Besides, there’s no reason I can’t continue my studies here.  You have wonderful libraries and tutors.”

“If you need something more or something newer for your studies, we can talk about it,” Nico added.  “And you can wear whatever you like—if you want to walk around with a green coat and orange breeches, I won’t say a word.”

Will frowned.  “What’s wrong with wearing a green coat and orange breeches?” he asked. 

Nico blinked.  “I...uh...nothing.  Of course there’s nothing wrong with—”

“I’m joking,” said Will.  “I’m aware that I have no eye for fashion.  Do you realize why I was so upset that you told me to change the other day?”

“I thought...” Nico started, but trailed off and shook his head.

“It was because you told me to change out of my consor clothes.”

“Oh,” said Nico.  “And you already felt like I was denying that part of you, didn’t you?”

“Exactly.”

“Then from now on, I promise not to do that.  Wear consor clothes as often as you like—or clashing colors.  What you wear is your choice.  I’ll respect that.”

“But...perhaps I’ll take the feedback when we have guests,” Will said.  “Not everyone is so accepting.”

“I understand,” Nico said.  “Are...are we alright now?”

Will squeezed Nico’s hand.  “I think we will be.  We have a lot to learn, but I believe that from now on, it’ll be easier.”

That evening, Nico tentatively approached Will and asked if he’d like to share a room for the night, quickly adding that he wouldn’t mind if Will would rather not.  Will accepted Nico’s invitation—he and Nico didn’t always share a room, but they did so frequently enough that Will had grown accustomed to the warmth of another body beside his while he slept (another three bodies, if he included Asterion and Bonnie).  They spent the night with Asterion at their feet and Bonnie dozing on her back between them while they whispered more about their fight.  Nico opened up about the adjustment lessons he’d taken after spending so many years of his childhood secluded on the countryside, and Will admitted to his own newfound struggles with anger, frustration, and loneliness, and confessed that he wasn’t sure how to make sense of his feelings, either.  When Nico suggested that Will could take adjustment lessons, too, Will was surprised, but after a few encouraging words from Nico, he agreed that it was a good idea.  By the time they fell asleep late that night, Will felt warmer, more comfortable, and like he and Nico understood each other better than before.

In the morning while they were still lying in bed, Will once again asked Nico about what he’d meant when he’d said that their marriage was unconsummated.  Nico went red and stammered through a vague half-explanation, but Will understood his meaning regardless of his clarity and flushed just as dark as Nico.

“Did you want to do that?” Will asked.

“I did, but not...right now,” Nico answered haltingly.  “Consummation makes marriage very, very permanent, and that scares me.  I’m not sure we’re ready for that.  We’re barely even adults—maybe we need to grow more and settle into our marriage before making such serious commitments.  I think waiting could be good for both of us.”

“I think that’s very wise of you,” said Will.  “And I agree—maybe it’s best we wait.”

“Of course, if the...physical aspects make you uncomfortable, we don’t have to consummate it at all,” Nico added.  “No one will know unless we tell them.”

Will wasn’t sure how he felt about the physical aspects yet.  It had shocked him and even sounded a little bit frightening.  He certainly didn’t want to do it right away, but maybe one day, he’d feel more comfortable.  “Let’s set that discussion aside until we feel like we’re ready,” Will decided.

Asterion got out of bed a moment later and lumbered to the door, so Will stood up to let him out.  Bonnie bounced after Asterion, and then Will went back to sit on the edge of the bed and comb his fingers through Nico’s messy morning hair.  “I’m going to get dressed,” Will said.  “You stay here as long as you like.”

Nico leaned into Will’s hand.  “I’ll get up in a moment,” he said.  “I’m taking you to the pharmacy before breakfast.”

With a light kiss to the top of his head, Will left Nico to go to his own room.  After he dressed, Lityerses’ letter caught his eye.  He picked it up and reread it, then sat down at his desk to draft his reply.  He gave feedback on Zoë’s health, offered a few words of advice and encouragement for dealing with Midas, and then requested information on Phrygian sanitation.

“I’d also like to thank you for the concern you expressed in your letter and to assure you that your influence has not upset any balances that didn’t need to be upset,” Will wrote.  “The truth is, I have been having a hard time—both in my marriage and in adjusting to life in Divitia.  I’ve felt lonely, bored, and unappreciated.  Your words gave me the push I needed to confront my husband about some issues we’ve been having.  Unfortunately, neither of us handled the discussion well and we only ended up having another argument—a particularly bad one, at that.  But after taking time to cool our tempers and think about what went wrong, we tried speaking again, and that time, it went extremely well.  The Prince has made me an official advisor and he’s offered me the position of palace pharmacist.  Although he can be stubborn and short-tempered, he also has a good heart and he cares for me very, very much.  He will do whatever he can to make my life here a happy one.  That is why our marriage will work—the arrangement was convenient for both of us, but the convenience is nothing compared to my love for him and his love for me.”

Will read it over again and, satisfied with what he’d written, signed the bottom of the last page and blew on the ink to make it dry faster.  Just as he was folding the paper, Nico tapped on his door and peeked inside.

“Oh, Nico,” said Will, turning around in his chair to greet him.  “Wonderful timing.  I wanted to ask what you thought of these clothes?”

As Nico looked him up and down, cleared his throat, smiled, and said, “They’re...colorful.”

“I think that purple and green go together wonderfully, don’t you?”

Nico kept smiling.  “Yes, it’s lovely.”

“And I do love floral patterns,” added Will, running his hands over his waistcoat. 

“They look beautiful on you,” Nico agreed.

“Did you notice my shoes?” Will asked, sticking out his heels for Nico to see them—pink with blue ribbons.

“Very good,” said Nico. 

“I was thinking of adding a hat.  Wouldn't that be nice?”

“Um.  Indoors?”

“Of course.”

Nico’s eye finally twitched, but he said, “I’m sure it would look handsome.”

“Oh, excellent—I was thinking of wearing the one with the lace, but was worried that it wasn’t colorful enough.”

Nico made a choking sound, then his eyes widened.  “Oh gods, you’re joking,” he said.  “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

Will laughed and rose from his desk, then he shed his green coat in favor of the lavender one he’d left out on the bed.  “Yes, I’m joking,” he said, turning back around and holding up his arms for Nico to inspect his new ensemble.  “Much better, right?”

When Nico hesitated, Will frowned and looked down at himself.  “Is it not?” he asked.  “What did I do wrong?  The coat and breeches are both purple.”

“Well...they’re very different purples,” said Nico.  “It’s really not so bad, though—I promise.  Besides, you can wear whatever you want.  What matters is that you like it.”

Will looked at his clothes a moment longer, trying and failing to see the difference between the purples, and decided that he was happy with his outfit.

“So, are you writing to your family?” Nico asked.

“No, to Lityerses,” Will answered, looking back up from his clothes to watch Nico’s reaction.  When Nico’s shoulders tightened, he asked, “Are you still jealous?”

“Maybe a little bit,” Nico admitted.  “But that’s alright—I’m working on it.  You don’t have to keep asking me if I’m jealous or worry about my feelings.”

“Are you sure?” Will asked.

“I’m sure,” Nico answered.  “So is it a social letter or are you going to ask him for details about Phrygian sanitation?”

“Both,” said Will.  “I mentioned you.”

Nico’s head tilted to the side.  “What about me?”

Will grinned and stepped forward.  “I said that you are stubborn, short-tempered, and that I love you very much.”

Nico frowned.  He didn’t say anything.

Will touched his arm.  “Nico—”

“You haven’t said that since we fought.”

“What?”

“That you love me.”

“I—”

“I love you, too.”

Then Nico’s arms were around Will’s waist, and Will hugged him back.  It felt warm and right and Will was glad to have it again.

“I also wrote that we had a fight,” Will said. 

“Oh,” said Nico.  “That’s good.”

Will pulled away to look at Nico.  “Is it?  Because I understand if you want to keep that private.”

Nico averted his eyes.  “When I was living in the Lotussium, I couldn’t send many letters to anyone outside Minos’ estate because of the quarantine and...well.  Later I found out that Minos may have been purposely cutting off my communication with anyone else, as well.  When things started to get bad, I didn’t have anyone outside to talk to or ask for help.  So yes, I think it’s good that you can tell someone that we fought—particularly someone who’s nearby but isn’t my family or my family’s staff.”

“Nico,” Will said sadly, reaching out to touch Nico’s cheek.

Nico caught his hand and held it instead.  “It’s alright.  All that’s over now.”  He kissed Will’s fingers.  “Come on, let’s go see the pharmacy before Jules-Albert arrives with breakfast.”

Nico led Will out of their apartments by the hand, down the stairs and past the infirmary, then opened the door to the palace pharmacy.  Barely any light came in from the dirty windows, but what little did caught on dust particles floating through the air.  Something smelled stale and something else smelled acidic, and a hundred other smells that Will couldn’t identify meshed together into an olfactory nightmare.  There was a pile of broken glass shoved away in a corner, the floors had stains, papers were strewn across every surface, and drawers were half-open or falling out of the cabinet.

“What do you think?” Nico asked from behind him.

“Nico...it’s awful,” Will said.  “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a filthy pharmacy.  You store medicine here?”

Nico looked around the room with an uncertain frown.  “I thought all pharmacies were like this?”

“Gods, no,” said Will.  “It’s horrible.  I’ve wasted months that I could have spent organizing!  How did Akhlys let it come to this?”

“Then you do want to work here?” Nico asked in a tentative voice.

“Nico, I need to work here.  It’s dusty and dirty and the floors are stained and for the love of Rhea, what are all those smells?”

“Akhlys doesn’t like the cleaning staff to meddle,” Nico said.

“She doesn’t want the pharmacy cleaned?  Well then, I suppose you might as well stop cleaning the kitchens, too.”

“Will—”

“I need to change out of these ridiculous clothes into something more manageable,” said Will.  “Where’s Mellie?  I’m going to need her help.”

“Then I suppose we’re eating breakfast here?” Nico asked.

“Eating here?   Gods, no!  There’s no telling what sorts of substances are tainting the surfaces.  We’d poison ourselves if we ate here.”

“Then how about we go back to our rooms, just for a little while,” suggested Nico.  “After breakfast, we’ll spend the day here organizing.”

Will looked at Nico in surprise.  “You’ll help?” he asked.

“If you’ll let me,” said Nico, his hand sliding into Will’s.  “Come on, let’s go eat.”

In the end, Nico was not very good at helping when it came to tidying up the pharmacy, so he was confined to a desk and chair where he was tasked with stacking papers and writing new labels while Will and Mellie handled the cleaning.  Reyna entered at some point in the afternoon, presumably to take Nico to his lessons, but after watching them in the doorway for a moment, she entered the room and offered her help.  By evening, the room had been dusted, the broken glass had been swept up, the windows had been washed, and the stains had been mopped, and Will had started looking over the inventory.  It was dark outside when Nico put his hand on Will’s shoulder and convinced him to rest for the night.  “It’ll be here in the morning,” he promised.

Will nodded and let Nico pull him away.

“Are you happy?” Nico asked as Will readied himself for bed.

Will looked over his shoulder and saw Nico sitting on the edge of the bed and blinking back at him, his spine straight and hands folded in his lap.  He looked nervous, but hopeful, too.

“Yes,” said Will.  “I’m happy.”

Nico let out a breath and his posture relaxed.  “Good,” he said.

Will smiled and approached him to put his hand in Nico’s hair.  “Thank you for listening to me.”

“And thank you for listening to me,” Nico answered.  He kissed Will’s wrist.  “I’ll do better from now on.”

“I know,” said Will.  “We both will.”