When enemies met, they were as warm as spring.
When old friends reunited, their eyes reddened with emotion.
During the days he had lived under another's roof in Dragoncloud City, constrained at every turn, Tales had dreamed countless times of returning to Starfall.
But if anything could douse his homesickness, then Duke Jenn Cavendish of Iris's elegant, flawless smile was probably one of those things.
Prince Tales would never forget the insane scenes he had encountered in Starfall six years ago, during his Northern Mission:
Whether it was the Mummy-like vampire hag opening her bloody maw and black eye sockets at him with a shrill howl, or the pure-white bloodthirsty monster without limbs forcibly pinning him beneath it and tearing at his neck.
Those two scenes had served as the climactic surprises in most of his nightmares over the past six years, surpassed only by Giza, who occasionally appeared as the hidden final boss in his ultimate nightmares to urge him to sleep and rise early and remain optimistic.
Whenever he thought of this, Tales felt a dull ache begin in his neck.
As if it were being strangled, or bitten through.
So Tales would never forget the true culprit behind it all.
"I never expected you to come, my ducal friend," Tales said with a brilliant smile. His right arm went around Jann's back and rested on his far shoulder. In the eyes of the onlookers, he looked like brothers with Duke Jenn, strolling arm in arm:
"At least, not this early."
Jann likewise gave him a gentle smile, his left arm around Tales's neck as naturally and affectionately as if he were embracing his own younger brother:
"These past few months, I have missed Your Highness terribly."
"I could not wait to see you."
"My princely friend."
Jann's