Jurao entered his suite a few hours later to find his Gardener reading in his parlor.

Braelin looked up as he entered, then back at his books as he said, “People kept coming to talk to me.”

“You do have one of the highest positions in the realm now,” Jurao nodded, closing the door behind him, “You can stay here until your permanent residence is done if it bothers you.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Braelin said, focused on his reading.

Jurao hummed and went to change into his sleep robe. He returned and poured himself a drink - his usual nightcap of demon fruit brandy. He took a seat next to Braelin - Feyl would be in soon, and they usually played a game or two of Ascension before bed. Technically, Feyl was supposed to help him with his routine - but they both preferred having a conversation as friends instead.

“More plant books,” Jurao asked.

Braelin nodded, “I don’t even know the names of most of them - I figured out what they needed from them, but it’s not a substitute for actual knowledge.”

Feyl breezed into the room then and sighed, “Why am I not surprised? Should I leave you two alone for the night?”

“Why,” Jurao asked, “Did you have plans.”

“Learn to ask a question!” Feyl said, throwing a candlestick at the king.

Jurao caught it and set it on the side table.

Feyl sighed again, sitting across from the king and pulling out the Ascension set, “I don’t have plans, Jurao. I just thought I might be interrupting.”

“What would you be interrupting,” Jurao said, setting up the pieces on his side of the board.

“Jurao, why do people usually visit each others’ rooms at night?” Feyl asked.

“You come to play Ascension and complain,” Jurao replied, “Braelin’s here to avoid people.”

Feyl opened his mouth, then shook his head, “No, nevermind. Neither of you seem to care what everyone else thinks anyway.”

“Is that why you were upset in the gardens,” Jurao asked.

“Of course it was!” Feyl said, “I already know you haven’t been embarrassed a day in your life, but you need to consider your position when you do these things!”

Jurao hummed, watching as Feyl made his opening move. He enjoyed playing against Feyl because they came from very difficult schools of thought - he played as a military tactician, while Feyl played as a member of the court. It made it difficult for them to predict each other, even with their long friendship.

“Not only did you hand a human trespasser a royal appointment,” Feyl went on, then paused, “No offense, Braelin - from what I’ve heard and seen, you’re fully dedicated and qualified for the job.”

“None taken - I assumed if I was caught, I would be executed,” Braelin replied, giving the game a cursory glance before returning to his reading.

“See! Very reasonable,” Feyl said, “But you have him walk next to you, and I know it's because he evaporates as soon as he’s out of sight, but the court doesn’t know that. You let him stay in your suite, you make a huge public apology to the gardens the second day he’s here…”

“I apologized because Braelin made a very strong argument that we were taking the gardens’ protection for granted - and I agreed,” Jurao said, making his own move, “I also believed that the public apology would reinforce Braelin’s authority in his position and that all the other Heads of Staff respect him as an equal.”

“Oh, it certainly did that,” Feyl sighed, clicking his piece down aggressively, “Unfortunately, it also made the entire court believe you’ve cut off an arm.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Jurao frowned, considering his next move carefully.

Braelin looked up, tilting his head as if to check the king still had all four limbs.

Feyl rolled his eyes, “There’s this old story about a king from the Fractured Realm Ages that fell deeply in love with an enemy spy.”

“The Fractured Realm Ages?” Braelin asked.

“Around one hundred millennia ago,” Jurao explained, “There would be several kings ruling individual kingdoms - similar to the Human Realm. Wars were constant, as each king attempted to conquer the entire Realm.”

“What changed?” the human asked.

“Well, every hundred years, the Entertainer throws a party in the Gateway Realm to celebrate peace between the Realms,” Feyl said, “Gorgeous event, she’s not the Entertainer for nothing. In any case, to encourage other Realms to participate, the Deities attend and grant one wish to each ruler invited.”

“The wish cannot cause harm to any other Realm,” Jurao said, “But one demon king - Lavven - wished for power enough to unite the Demon Realm. Since it was seen as poor taste to ask for power but technically didn’t break the rules, the Goddess of Judgement Vemera created the Thousand Caves of Torment. Any one person who could survive them would have their power increased tenfold - but it would only open once every hundred years, the day after the celebration.”

“This game is based on the ensuing battle the demon kings of that Age engaged in,” Feyl snorted, “Since they not only had to survive the Caves, but fight each other for the right to be the one to Ascend.”

“Lavven won, and since all his major competition had already been destroyed, he easily united the Demon Realm after becoming the first Ascended Demon King,” Jurao said, “And at the next celebration, he wished for the Royal Trials. As a less deadly competition that made those wishing to become King prove they were worthy of Ascension without killing their rivals.”

“Did you have rivals, my lord?” Braelin asked.

Jurao nodded, “Most of the lordi that attempted to cede from the United Realm first faced me in the Trials. Losing in an individual fight is not the same as losing a war, so they made a second attempt.”

“Ah,” Braelin said - then looked at Feyl, “What happened with the cut off arm?”

“Oh, right,” Feyl said, “This king loved the enemy spy so deeply that when she asked them to cut off their arm so that she may continue to sleep on it, the king did so. Ultimately, this led to her defeat.”

“Her defeat?” Braelin asked.

“King is a gender-neutral title in the Demon Realm,” Jurao said.

“True, but I was referring to the spy,” Feyl shrugged, “Seeing how ridiculously devoted the king was to her, she betrayed her first master and swore her fealty for truth. Then she told her lover how to defeat the other king.”

“… that doesn’t sound like a defeat,” Braelin frowned.

Jurao smiled, “Maybe not to human standards - although things turned out well for the couple, part of being a spy is keeping your emotions from overruling your mission. Thus, as a spy, she lost.”

“Ah,” Braelin said, returning to his book, “That makes sense.”

Feyl sighed, “And you have no opinion on all this, Braelin?”

“On all what?” Braelin asked.

“The fact that everyone believes Jurao is infatuated with you,” Feyl rubbed his forehead.

“But he said he isn’t,” the human frowned.

“Fortunately,” Feyl smiled while a vein pulsed at his temple, “That wasn’t my question.”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that smile directed at anyone besides me, Jurao thought to himself. It was usually when Feyl was trying to help him understand which social norm he’d unknowingly broken.

Braelin hummed as he thought, then shrugged, “It doesn’t seem important.”

Feyl sighed heavily as he flopped back in his chair, “You know that’s why so many people are trying to speak with you, right? To curry favor with Jurao?”

“Wouldn’t that happen just from being made Royal Gardener?” Braelin asked, eyes on his reading.

Feyl opened his mouth - then closed it with a roll of his eyes, “I suppose I cannot argue that. Are you inclined to physical intimacy? I know Jurao isn’t, but he also forgets what’s too close at times.”

Jurao couldn’t argue with that - looking over, he realized what Feyl meant. The couch could seat two average-sized demons comfortably, and while Braelin was around three feet shorter than he was, the human was sitting with his back against the armrest and feet up. It left very little space between them - the king hadn’t noticed until that moment.

Braelin looked up with a frown - and seemed to have the same realization. He tensed as if about to move - then ultimately shrugged and relaxed again, “I’m not.”

“I didn’t think you were,” Feyl sighed, sitting up to take his turn, “Kindred spirits - just what I needed…”

“Minaz and Kloy said so as well,” Jurao said.

“I wonder why that could be,” Feyl drawled - then held up a hand, “That was rhetorical. I know why, and you wouldn’t understand.”

“If you say so,” Jurao replied. Then he paused, “Ah. When you asked why people usually visit each others’ rooms at night, you were referring to trysts.”

“That’s a polite way of saying it, but yes,” Feyl sighed, rolling his eyes.

Jurao hummed, “Well, I’m sure everything will calm down in time. And if people believe I’m interested in Braelin, then they’ll be less likely to hassle him.”

“Not purposefully, certainly,” Feyl agreed, “You know you can’t just hide from them all forever, though, right?”

“I can’t?” Braelin asked.

“What did you do before you came here?” Feyl asked calmly as he could.

“I was a gardener,” the human replied.

“Where?” Feyl asked through his teeth.

“At the castle in Urding,” Braelin replied, then hesitated before adding, “But my uncle was the Head Gardener.”

“So,” Feyl paused as well, smiling benignly, “You were a royal gardener before this, but not the Royal Gardener, yes?”

Braelin nodded.

“Ah, no wonder you got separated during the usurpation,” Jurao said.

Braelin nodded again, “It was very confusing. I thought most people liked the king - well. I suppose it was just most commoners?”

“That fits with what reports I’ve read,” Jurao said - which was true. The former King of Jost, Ebener, had been popular with the common people of the kingdom. But his more modest lifestyle and unwillingness to raise taxes during a bad harvest year had led to ire amongst the nobility, ultimately causing his usurpation.

“I didn’t really interact with anyone but my family, though,” Braelin said.

Feyl sighed, “Yes, but your uncle did, didn’t he?”

“… he did,” Braelin confirmed, “But mostly just the castle steward for work.”

“So he never dealt with complaints or suggestions from nobles that frequented the garden?” Feyl prompted.

Braelin shrugged, “I never paid attention to that sort of thing.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Feyl sighed, rubbing his forehead, “Nevermind. The point is that talking to nobles about the gardens is part of your job, so you can’t ignore them all forever.”

“Couldn’t Gaele talk to them…?” Braelin asked.

Feyl sighed again, more heavily, “The majority, yes, but the higher-ranking nobles will want to talk to the person actually in charge, which is, unfortunately, you.”

Braelin sighed through his nose, “That is unfortunate…”

Jurao snorted, “Sorry - I hadn’t considered that aspect in appointing you.”

“Well,” Braelin sighed, “As long as I can take care of the gardens, I suppose it’s worth it.”

Feyl shook his head, “You know, most people would see this the other way around.”

“Why?” Braelin asked.

Feyl waved a hand vaguely, “I give up - you wouldn’t understand the reasoning anyway.”

Braelin shrugged, turning his attention back to his book and seemingly uninterested in the answer.

“Do you know court etiquette, Braelin,” Jurao asked.

“I know the human version,” Braelin replied, “At least, the Jostian version.”

“Well, that won’t be exactly equivalent,” Feyl said, then sighed, “I suppose I can take time out of my schedule to teach you our customs. I won’t bother with how you address Jurao, since he no doubt approved whatever you’re using now.”

“I’d appreciate it, Feyl,” Jurao said - after all, he trusted Feyl as much as any member of his inner court.

Feyl waved a hand again, “I’m the only one with the patience to deal with a second you anyways.”

“Thank you,” Braelin said, but without much enthusiasm.

“See?” the valet said, “That’s exactly how you sounded when I forced you to learn etiquette, too.”

“I did not,” Jurao said, “I didn’t say thank you at that time.”

“True,” Feyl huffed, “So Braelin is at least more polite than you are about learning things he needs for his job even if he doesn’t want to.”

“I didn’t need court etiquette as General,” the Demon King replied.

“You did so,” Feyl scoffed, “You just didn’t realize how important it was, so I was gracious enough to make sure you knew anyway.”

“Have you two been friends a long time?” Braelin asked absently.

“Since we were kids,” Jurao replied, “Feyl’s cousin wanted to join the army, so Feyl was always coming to find her - and usually found me instead.”

“Because you always got in the way of me finding Exka,” Feyl shook his head, “You never did tell me what she bribed you with.”

“Nothing, I just thought she should be able to do what she wanted,” the Demon King shrugged, “Especially considering how good she is at it.”

“That… makes perfect sense for you, actually,” his valet sighed.

“What does she do?” Braelin asked.

“Since I brought Minaz in as my Right Hand - which also makes her Captain of the Royal Guard - Exka became General in my stead,” Jurao explained.

“So at the current moment, she does nothing,” Feyl snorted, “Since the upstart lordi have been put down.”

“Ah,” Braelin nodded.

“... do you know what a lordis is, Braelin?” Feyl asked.

“Some form of lord?” the human offered.

“It’s a gender-neutral address for nobility similar to lord or lady,” Jurao said, “We still use lord and lady as well, but lordis works for anyone that isn’t one of those or for when one is uncertain.”

“Similarly, princelin is the gender-neutral address for prince or princess, or one of that standing,” Feyl added, “I imagine a few of them will come running once the rumors of all this reach them…”

“You mean the news,” Jurao asked.

“The news that you appointed a human as Royal gardener will only pique their interests,” Feyl replied, for once not bothering to complain about Jurao’s unquestioning tone, “But the rumors that you’re infatuated with said human gardener will be what brings them to the castle.”

“But I’m not,” Jurao replied.

Feyl sighed, “Yes, well, they don’t know that, so they’ll come to investigate.”

“Why would that matter to them,” the Demon King asked.

“Because you’re on friendly terms and you’ve never had a romantic interest, so they would be curious to know what sort of person might potentially cause you to have one,” Feyl replied, smiling in satisfaction as he knocked over one Jurao’s pieces, “And thus, I ascend.”

Jurao sighed, leaning back and taking a drink - which made it 237916-192618 in Feyl’s favor, though Jurao was the only one that kept count.

“That’s not so odd, is it?” Braelin asked.

“What is?” Feyl asked.

“Not having had a romantic interest before,” the human replied.

The valet hummed, “Not having one itself isn’t particularly unusual, no - it’s more the idea of someone who hasn’t had one gaining one unexpectantly that sparks curiosity.”

“That makes sense,” Braelin nodded.

“Was it different in Jost,” Jurao prompted.

Braelin nodded again, eyes focused on his book, “Most everyone seemed to think it was odd I’d never had an interest in anyone, but I just like plants more than most people.”

“I would have never guessed,” Feyl said drily, then rose, “In any case, good night.”