Will had mumbled his full-titled name to himself after Crow left the room softly. It was like a spell was being said to him from someone else, though indeed it was his voice speaking. It was echoing in his ears.

Again, and again Will repeated the name. Softly and quietly the words echoed into the bedroom.

It took a few minutes and then Will's eyes widened a little bit. “He... knows. He... knows.” Will mumbled the two words a bit more before something cold fell on his hand. He stopped and looked down to his hand, then lifted it to see the small wet drop on it better.

“A... tear?” Will asked, his voice cracking a bit.

He put his fingers to his mouth and covered his lips as his eyes squinted shut, making the tears blur his vision. His lashes became soaked with tears within seconds. Unable to bear it, Will closed his eyes tight and doubled over, his forehead onto his knees.

He knows! But-- why now? W-why am I even crying? I haven't cried in years! This is stupid! He cursed himself, softly sobbing into his fingers, enough to let out little gasps of air but no real sound.

It wasn't... A dream? Will leaned farther forward, feeling his heart ache. If that was a lie, it was a really cruel one! I can't just...

After several more minutes, Will was softly sobbing still, but calming down. He was holding his head as the throbbing of his headache had returned from the crying. It was all Will could do but to let the crying just happen. He couldn't turn it off.

He gave in to the headache and the throbbing and just laid back onto the pillows and the blankets. If nothing else right now, sleep could calm him down.

Kidnapped. Lied to. That girl with the elf ears... The bird, Crow. And all around me I smell lavender. Such... a disgusting smell. And... that... dragon who turned into a man.

Will's thoughts spun round and round, spiraling towards doubt and fear. Any slight bit of relief or shock he might've felt from the spell of his full titled name that had been given to him from Crow saying it before had all but melted away. His tears had rinsed his being clean and pure of anything. Any thoughts and emotions other than his curiosity, doubt...

No. I can't even doubt now. All I can do is go back and serve Alexander like... Like... Like a good servant should.

At that thought, Will opened his eyes briefly. He saw the darkened room in colorful black and navy blurs of light. Nothing came into focus, and he just closed his eyes again.

Not like a brother. Like a servant. Be a servant. I... I am a servant, serving the Marquis Alexander Light Bel'vaz.

Outside the room, Akiio uncrossed his arms and straightened up off of the door. With no word or expression he left down the hallway to return to his bedroom. These tears that had been shed were of an emotion Akiio couldn't place its name of, but he knew he shouldn't tell anyone. The feeling deep in his gut told him so.

Chapter 13
When Will awoke several hours later, the smell of lavender was thick in the air. He groaned a bit, squinting his eyes as he sat up. The smell bothered him, but the headache and itching of his eyes from the tears the night before were just as bad.

Thirsty and curious, Will stood up and found his shoes. Once he had them on, again he inspected the window. His heart sank when he saw it was the same navy dark outside with the balls of light and odd air about. Nothing's changed. Is it even morning? He thought.

Somewhere outside the room, Will heard a clock strike and ring six times. Will looked to the door after counting the rings. Six stands for midnight, noon and six... So what time is it?

Wanting to find that clock, Will left out of the room. First he checked the bookshelf down the hall. He looked up the staircase that was dark and ominous. Since he heard no pendulum sound echoing from that direction, he headed toward the other stairway. Down the lighter steps, Will found a kitchen, a study and a dining room.

Nobody's here.

He was quiet a moment, standing in the hall as he listened.

I don't hear anyone either.

All he could hear was the faint echoing of the pendulum of the clock swinging in a room nearby. As he walked toward the door to the store room, Will noticed the smell of lavender as it grew stronger and stronger.

Strange. I don't remember smelling this when I first got here.

Will eased the door open and glanced inside. After a moment, he stepped in. Again, nobody was there. So, Will went and looked over the shelves.

He saw a platinum sword sparkling in the low light behind the front desk. Near it, he saw a light switch, and turned it on. A warm yellow orange glow lit the room well instantly. As Will looked around he noticed strange bottles and canisters filled with even stranger names.

Eyes of a Dragon. Poisoned Toe. Rose Hair. Owl Snot. River Purifier. Will stopped as he reached the end of one row, noticing the large grandfather clock made out of rosewood against the wall. It's pendulum was made of beautiful brass, swinging back and forth and keeping perfect time. It's face was golden with brass hands, and the roman numerals looked like onyx carved to the shapes. For a few seconds, Will just stared at the beautiful clock. It was taller than him, though just as wide. Twelve, so probably noon. He concluded as he took in the sight of the clock.

Then Will went back to looking around. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted an old red book on one of the shelves. This one had a title on the spine, written in faded silver, Lavandula. Will reached to touch the top of the spine to pull the book out and see it's cover.

“Stop!” came a shout.

Will jerked his hand back, taking a step back. He turned his head to look at the accuser.

Crow, dressed in jeans and a dull red button-up and boots, came walking over to Will. His hair was messy like bedhead, so any refinement he may have had before from their first meeting was gone. Still, there was an air of charm about his face.

“You shouldn't touch anything in here.” Crow said glancing to make sure the book hadn't been moved.

Will's surprised look on his face melted away. Now, he was getting annoyed. Annoyed? Will questioned that for a split second, feeling his jaw clench briefly. “Lavandula is lavender, right?”

Crow nodded, crossing his arms. “Yeah. Why?” He turned, starting to walk back down the aisle toward the door. “C'mon. I'll make you breakfast.”

Will looked back to the book. “I've been smelling lavender since I got here.”

Crow stopped at the door, turning to look toward the aisle Will was still down. “Say again.”

Will came out of the aisle, his sky blue eyes intently focused on Crow. “Why does it smell like lavender in here?”

Crow shrugged. “It's a cleansing smell. Keeps out the other smells.” And he turned back to the door.

“Other smells?”

Crow stopped again, regretting he'd said that. “Yeah.” he replied, weakly. “Believe me, you don't want to smell the Spider Blood.”

“Why?”

Crow hung his head a bit. Damn it. I just need to shut up.

“What do you sell here?”

Crow turned a bit, looking over his shoulder at Will. He wasn't moving; just standing there with those eyes boring into Crow. Feeling it'd be easier to just stick to the truth, Crow let out a sigh. “Well, we sell odd-ball things. You know, whatever gods and them might need. Lisez makes it a point to get whatever it is her customer is seeking.”

“That includes stealing.” Will stated.

Crow looked to him. With a small nod he answered, “Yeah. Stealing, too. Even from other gods. If someone wants it, Lisez will get it.”

“For how much?”

Crow's eyes jerked to Will. The gold in them glinted in the warm light. “Why?”

Will answered without thinking, “There's something I want.”

And Crow replied without thinking. “She can't bring people back from the dead.”

Crow swallowed his words when saw the curiosity in Will zap up into nothingness, and was replaced by a cold empty stare. It could've been a glare, but any malice needed for it to be wasn't there, and the right muscles weren't moved. It was just a stare, but a different one from when Will's curiousness was present a second before.

Will finally spoke. “That's not what I want.”

Crow nodded a bit. “Right, well. How about that food? It's past noon, so I'm gonna guess you're hungry, huh?”

Will didn't say anything, but he started walking toward Crow. With a slight smile, Crow opened the door and moved for Will to pass through first. “After you.” Will glanced at Crow as he walked past, then stopped on the other side. Crow came through and closed the door, and then led Will into the kitchen.

“So what do you want?” he asked, starting to rifle through the fridge.

Will came in and took a seat at the breakfast bar on one of the stools. “To smell honey.”

Crow laughed a bit, pulling out some eggs, carrots and an apple. He turned toward the counter and started to peel and slice the carrots first. “I take it you don't like smelling lavender all the time?” Will didn't answer, just watched. Crow bobbed his head, watching his hands as he chopped the carrot up and started on the apple. “Look. The reason you fainted before was because you got a whiff of Dove's perfume. It's a bit too strong for humans, and it has a strong drowsiness effect. Kind of like valerian.”

Will nodded, watching as Crow cracked the eggs into a hot pan and began to make sunny side up eggs.

“So,” Crow continued. “Since I got back, a bit after you had arrived, we've had lavender burning all around. That perfume effects me too, and for some reason Lisez doesn't appreciate me sleeping on the job.” He laughed a bit.

With no reply from Will, Crow just served up the sliced apple and carrots and the eggs to the both of them. He got Will a fork and himself one, and then they began to eat in silence with Crow across the counter still.

When he was halfway through his meal, Will spoke.

“I don't want to be here.”

Crow stopped eating for a moment. He looked at the expression on Will's face. It wasn't quite sadness, but it wasn't anything but that either. He let out a depressed breath as he looked back to his food, poking an apple slice with the tip of his fork. “I'm sure I'll be able to take you home soon.”

“When is soon?”

Crow looked back up to him. Will had started to eat his last few apple slices. “Tomorrow...?” Crow guessed, shrugging his shoulders. “I'm not sure.”

“She didn't tell you?”

“She doesn't get to make the call.” Crow answered.

At that, Will suddenly stopped eating. He finished the apple bit in his mouth and then looked up to Crow with a testing stare. Crow looked up after a few seconds, feeling himself being watched.

“...What?”

Will stared at him for a moment, focusing, and boring his eyes into Crow's being once again. They were fixated on Crow's golden eyes. Studying the glints of gold, and the shimmer as it peered into orange and yellows. It was as if they were...

“What color are your eyes?”

“What?” Crow asked again, blinking with confusion.

“Your eyes.” Will repeated. “What color are they?”

“What do they look like?”

“...Gold.”

Crow nodded. “Then, yeah. They're gold.” And he went back to eating.

With an uneasy feeling, Will went back to eating too. The air was uncomfortable around them now though. It's like they're really gold and not eyes at all. He couldn't have been born with them like that. He's a human, he said. So... Maybe it wasn't just his name that was taken because he tried to steal? Hm... I guess, it's better not to guess. Or assume things. But... Will glanced up again to Crow as they ate in continued silence. They shimmer just like the King's golden crown and jewels.