Mending Fences

     "Ugh", Hanso complained as he and Brynn rode on an Apis caravan under the scorching desert sun. "Do we really have to go, Brynn?"

     The Kougra said, "Yes, Hanso. Queen Fyora sent us to deliver this artefact to the Qasalan royal family."

     He scoffed, "You mean that dusty golden sceptre we found deep in the Faerie Caverns? The Queen said there's nothing special or magical about it, so why does she care about it so much?"

     Brynn groaned, trying to not lose her rather scant patience, "Because it is important to their history - that sceptre was made for the first ruler of Qasala, and, well, Fyora wanted to give it as a present to King Jazan and Queen Nabile."

     "And couldn't she have sent any of her guards to do it? Or a faerie, for that matter?"

     "...eh, to be honest, I think she sent us because we were the ones who found it in the first place, and no one thought of the artefact as important enough to endure this scorching heat for it. And well, the other Faeries were busy giving out quests, plus I'm already friends with Nabile, so, yeah, let's say I wanted to catch up and I volunteered ourselves to do it", Brynn shrugged.

     "And why couldn't you come alone?", Hanso pouted.

     She admitted begrudgingly, "Because, despite how much of a pain you can be at times, you're still my best friend. And, let's face it, going on this trip alone without someone familiar to talk to is boring."

     "Awh, shucks, thanks for the compliment, darling", he jested with a wink. "However...you know I really don't like going to Qasala because of you-know-who." He swallowed nervously.

     "I know, I know...", yet she added, "But you don't seem as preoccupied around him when you two do the editorial together."

     "Different circumstances. 'sides, it's been two years since we last did the editorial", he pointed out. "I... eavesdropped a conversation he had with the editor-in-chief of the Neopian Times back then, demanding not to ever be assigned to do the editorial with me ever again...among other nasty things I'd rather not repeat."

     Brynn frowned, feeling pity for the Ixi. "Oh, I'm sorry about that, Hanso."

     Brushing it off, he chuckled, "Nah. It's fine." It wasn't. It hurt. No matter how playful Hanso acted around him, he respected the grumpy Kyrii king enough and considered him a friend, albeit the friendship was one-sided. He sighed, and added, trying to change the subject, "You do the talking and the delivering of the...thing, 'k?"

     Brynn nodded, "Sure. But...", she had an idea. "Hm, perhaps you could try talking to him, to get the two of you to mend fences?"

     Hanso snorted, "Why? It's not like he'd just talk to me, not willingly at least. He hates me for some reason."

     She raised an eyebrow. "Well, reasons I can name a few...you sent him down the Qasalan sewer system one time, remember?"

     The Ixi gave a mischievous grin and snickered while reminiscing his prank on the Kyrii king. "Oh, well, yes, that." This got him an unamused glare from the Kougra, at which his smile faded. A bit more serious, he added, "But at the same time, I've never truly understood why he hates me so, and I'd like to get that cleared up, but..."

     "You'd have to ask him about it?"

     He sighed. "Yeah, and I really don't want that."

     "But why, Hanso? I'm sure if you behaved nicely enough and try to not be, well, you, he would be willing to listen."

     He shook his head. "Nnnope, thanks, I'd rather not take my chances, thank you."

     --

     Early the following morning, the duo arrived at the Qasalan palace. Queen Nabile quickly received them in her husband's throne room. "Hello, Brynn. Hanso", she greeted with a smile.

     "Good morning, your Highness", the Kougra said as she bowed along with Hanso.

     "Queen Fyora sent us a letter saying you had retrieved the ancient sceptre of Qa, correct?" They both nodded. "Wonderful! Then I shall inform my husband. I invite you to stay here. Tonight, we'll organize a banquet in your honor."

     "Oh, thank you, Queen Nabile, but it isn't necessary", Brynn said.

     "Please, I insist. You've recovered an ancient relic of great importance in my city's history. It's kind of a big deal, you know - and it's been a while since my people had a party!", she chuckled in a casual tone, then went back to her queenly poise. "Thank you." She ordered a guard to take the sceptre to lock it away in the palace's treasure room.

     Then, they were sent to their guest chambers. Brynn exhaled and sat on one of the beds. "Ah! See? We're off to a good start!"

     Hanso sat on the other bed. "Yes, because it was Queen Nabile, who is your friend and someone who doesn't hate me", he said in an annoyed singsong voice.

     Brynn turned to the Ixi, a bit exasperated by his negative attitude. "Oh, come on, Hanso, seriously? I mean, what are the chances King Jazan is still angry at you? How long has it been since you last spoke to him?"

     "Two years ago", he mumbled.

     "Wait, since you two last did the editorial?" Hanso nodded. She reassured him, "Well, it has been two years. People can change, you know."

     "And there are people who can hold a grudge for a very long time. And it gets worse when those people carry scary scimitars along with them." He sighed. "Well, I hope everything goes well tonight, for our sake...then, we'll go back home and everything will be okay."

     Brynn could see that one past experience was making him genuinely miserable, even though he, as usual, pretended that it didn't. In reality, his bravado and laid-back personality were just a facade mantained to hide his true feelings, feelings that had been hurt by others enough already, and that now had been hurt by someone he sincerely looked up to.

     She needed to do something to fix this, she thought. Mostly because, well, if Hanso wouldn't be willing to go to Qasala on any future missions, it would make things much harder for Brynn - and well, despite how often the dumb blue Ixi annoyed her, they still made a great team.

     After pondering for a while, she got an idea. She approached a young guard that was standing across the hallway.

     "Hello there, may I request an audience with the queen?"

     --

     Evening came upon the city. The slightly cooler weather was more bearable for Brynn and Hanso, who weren't accustomed to the hot desert temperatures.

     Brynn walked among the outskirts of the palace alongside the blue Ixi, in her Faerieland armour and cape. Hanso, on the other hand, wore an embroidered purple tunic and his usual trousers and boots.

     "You look nice, Brynn", Hanso commented with a grin.

     "Thank you, Hanso. You look quite elegant yourself", she teased.

     "Hey, I don't see a reason to be insulted!", he chuckled. "But seriously, thanks. Fyora thought I should look the part in these official events", he smiled proudly. As both partners entered the Grand Salon, Hanso's sly smile faded at the sight of King Jazan standing alongside Queen Nabile. "Oh drat, here we go again", he whispered.

     Brynn patted him in the back. "Relax, Hanso. Everything will be fine, I promise."

     There were many nobles attending the banquet. As the couple walked towards the rulers, muttering rose among them. Judging by their scornful looks, Hanso knew they must've been talking about him...

     He sighed, and began to wish more and more intensely that this mission would be over.

     As they stood before them, they both bowed. "Your Majesties."

     "Thank you for returning to us an ancient relic that had been lost to the sands", Nabile announced, while Jazan just nodded in agreement. The audience clapped.

     Brynn said, "Thank you, Queen Nabile. We're honoured to be here." Then she elbowed Hanso, signalling him to say something. The blue Ixi just uttered a quick "Yes, thank you, your Highnesses, you're too kind" with a fake smile and a brief gaze, and went on to cross his arms in discomfort.

     He and the Kougra went to sit down in one of the tables. Brynn extended her hand to her partner, trying to comfort him. "You did fine, Hanso."

     "Uh-huh", he exclaimed, as he sipped a Qasala fountain soda. He looked rather downcast, hence why Brynn asked if he was feeling well, to which he replied by nodding absent-mindedly and sighing.

     Brynn rose up and went towards Queen Nabile. The pink Ixi asked, "So?"

     "Eh, it's no use. He won't talk to me", Brynn sighed. "Did you talk to your husband?"

     "He's been more reserved than usual since we received the letter that said you two were coming here", she replied. "He did confess to me that he has mixed feelings about seeing Hanso again after such a long time."

     Brynn tilted her head to the side. "How is that so?"

     She explained, "Well, he told me that he lost his temper because of Hanso’s nonsense that one time..."

     "I can't blame him for that", Brynn snorted.

     Nabile smirked, but then she added, in a more serious tone, "And he knows he said some awful things he now regrets saying." She sighed, "He's afraid, no, terrified he'll end up becoming like his father..."

     Brynn empathized with the king - and she was aware that he only confided in his wife all of the lesser-known details of his past. So she added, "I understand...by the way, I was going to ask you, how has he been feeling lately? I read he was featured in the Games Master Challenge this year along with...er..."

     "Yes, I know, that horrid thing. He doesn’t want to talk about it", she finished. "I don't know what's making him feel queasier, if it's that or seeing Hanso again, or both", she said as she eyed the mournful blue Ixi. "Anywho, back to the issue at hand... Jazan told me he wishes to apologize to Hanso, but doesn't know how, without losing his temper in the process, that is."

     Brynn snorted. "Again, I can't blame him for that."

     Nabile mused some possible solutions for a moment. "Maybe...hm, would you two be willing to stay a little longer? I could arrange a private meeting between the four of us."

     "That would be nice, though the only thought in Hanso's mind right now is to go back home as soon as posible", Brynn sighed.

     She suggested, "Well, you'll have to be persuasive."

     "And you even more", Brynn chuckled.

     As Brynn went back to hers and Hanso's table, something happened that was bound to make their stay a whole lot longer.

     A guard barged inside the Grand Salon. "Your Majesties!"

     Nabile asked him, "What is it?"

     "The Sceptre is gone!"

     "WHAT?", both monarchs said in unison.

     "Oh no, no, no...", Hanso groaned, while burying his face in his hands.

     --

     The room was plunged into utter chaos by the meticulous searching of every inch of the rooms by numerous guards.

     Brynn turned to look at Hanso. "Please tell me you didn't do this."

     "No, of course not, Brynn!", he cried. "Why would I steal that dusty old thing, anyway? It's not like I want to stay here much longer..."

     "Hey, it's fine, I believe you", Brynn whispered. "But I'm more concerned if you-know-who will believe you."

     "Yeah, tell me about it. Oh no, look." The king approached the duo along with his wife.

     "Hanso, are you the author of this?", he spoke in an angry tone.

     "No, of course not!", Hanso said.

     Brynn interceded, "Why, did your guards find anything, your Majesty?"

     Nabile responded, "No, and they've looked everywhere for it..."

     "But who would want to steal it? I don't think nobody but you knew of its existence until today", Brynn added.

     While Nabile remained silent, Jazan's face showed pure terror. "...not exactly", he said.

     Nabile looked intently at him. "Wait, do you think that-"

     "No, of course not, he would never-"

     Both partners looked at the monarch couple, "Who?"

     The king explained, "One of my advisors, Nadar. His ancestors were the ones that forged the Sceptre of Qa for the royal family back when the city was founded..."

     "And do you think he would try to steal it form you?", Brynn inquired.

     "I refuse to believe that, but...", he sighed, "With his brother, Nasir, as Captain of the guards, he would have access to the treasure room..."

     "Where is he supposed to be now?"

     The two monarchs guided the duo into the corridor where the treasure room was. The door of the latter was closed, albeit not locked. They opened up to find two guards laying on the floor, bounded and gagged. Brynn and Hanso rushed to release them.

     "What happened?!", Nabile asked.

     One, a Grarrl, said, "I-it was Nadar and Nasir! Th-they came inside, knocked us out and stole that Sceptre that was brought to the palace today!"

     Before they could say anything else, both monarchs felt something lightly touching their backs - and behind them were Nadar, a shadow Poogle, and Nasir, a desert Kau.

     "Nadar, why are you doing this?", Jazan asked, struggling to remain calm.

     The Poogle said as he held a dagger to his back, "I'm sorry, your Majesty. I do not wish to hurt you. I only wish to take what's rightfully ours."

     Nabile breathed sharply, "What do you mean?"

     The desert Kau explained, "The Sceptre of Qa had been returned to our family by the ruling monarch some centuries ago - there was even an edict that stated that our family were to be the rightful owners of it."

     Brynn asked, "There was?"

     Nadar added, "Yes, that one monarch's son, the king's great-grandfather, got greedy and destroyed that edict and kept the sceptre for himself."

     Hanso was confused about this statement. "Then how did it go from being here to the Faerie Caverns?"

     Nasir concluded, "One of our ancestors back then stole it from the treasure room and left the city with it, and was never seen again. I guess that's where he went. Now, you two, seize them, and lock them into one of the dungeons", he ordered the two guards Brynn and Hanso had freed.

     "And as for you, your Majesties, I think it's time for you to issue a royal pardon to our family", Nadar grinned with his menacing sharp teeth.

     As they left the room with the guards behind them and their hands cuffed in front of them, Hanso said, "I'd like to say something, if I may", then he cleared his throat, cringing a bit before saying "King Jazan...I'm sorry. I don't know if you care about that or not, but I know I've been a pathetic idiotic thief, like you said, and maybe that's why you hate me so."

     Brynn whispered, "Hanso, this really isn't the time-"

     "But when would be the time, Brynn? We don't know what these guards will do to us, or to them, for that matter." He sighed. "Thank you for believing in me all these years, Brynn. It's been fun. Brightvale, Faerieland, Gerapiktu...", then he winked at her. She got the signal.

     "Yes...Gerapiktu was quite eventful..." So, at a silent count of three, both of them stepped on one of each of the guards' foot, which sent them yowling, and they went a little further ahead and tugged one of each of the brother's ears, henceforth dragging them away from both monarchs and making them drop their weapons in the process. The Kyrii king then took Nasir's scimitar and Nabile took the dagger from Nadar.

     "Where is the sceptre?", Jazan angrily asked both of them, while holding the blade of the sword to the Kau’s chest.

     "It's in a secret safety deposit box hidden in my quarters", Nasir groaned. "Please, forgive us."

     "Release them", Jazan ordered the two other guards, and they proceeded to release Brynn and Hanso. "Now, as for the two of you", he said menacingly to the two brothers. "Take them away". So they were thrown into the dungeon.

     "Thank you, both", Nabile said to the duo. "That was some quick thinking back there."

     Brynn explained, "That was something we did back on a mission we had on Gerapiktu a year ago."

     "Which was my idea", Hanso clarified.

     She rolled her eyes, smiled, and continued, "Though their guards were less menacing than yours are, your Majesty", she said to the king. He nodded.

     "Yeah, but that one huge guard with the skull mask was scary", Hanso noted.

     "But he still screeched like a little girl when I stepped on his foot", Brynn giggled. "I think you were a lot more afraid of the ruler's daughter, that mutant Pteri. She was quite the crazy fangirl of yours."

     He shuddered while reminiscing that. "Ugh, thanks for reminding me."

     --

     The next day...

     The two Neopets sat down in a table outside of Qasalan Delights, each of them eating a Qando pita for breakfast.

     "I still don't understand how those two would just throw away their lives and lose the trust of the king forever for a silly dusty sceptre", Hanso said as he munched on his food.

     Brynn shrugged, "Me neither...but then again, 'greed can make even the wisest of men act like fools'."

     "Are you really quoting Hagan?", Hanso laughed, and Brynn giggled. She then turned to look at her pocket watch, and added, "Are you done? We must be going."

     "And just where are we going?"

     They went into the palace's garden.

     "Oh, please tell me you did not."

     "I did."

     There, the royal couple was sitting on a table under a palm tree. As soon as Hanso saw Jazan, he panicked. "Oh, no. No no no." He tried to flee, but Brynn tugged him by the arm.

     "Relax, dummy", she said. "It's all under control, I promise."

     "It's not good to make promises you can't keep, y'know?!", he complained. They approached the table, made a brief bow, and sat down.

     The air was tense between the Kyrii and the Ixi, albeit less tense than usual. A deafening silence reigned between them over the tea party, while their partners chatted lively. Nabile looked at her husband, who looked terribly uncomfortable. She elbowed him gently, and signalled him to say something.

     "Um...", he began. "Yes. Thank you for saving our lives, Hanso."

     "No problem", the Ixi replied. Then back to silence.

     Brynn and Nabile waited for a while. But then Brynn threw her hands up in the air, and groaned "Dear goodness, you two are impossible."

     "I know, right?", Nabile rised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So...plan B?" Brynn nodded, and both women rose up from the table and left.

     Hanso stuttered, "W-wait, where are you two going?", while Jazan mouthed an indignant "Nabile! What are you doing?"

     "We're just going to sit here", Brynn reassured them as both friends sat on a bench not too far from them.

     "Yes, until you two stop being childish and apologize to each other", Nabile added.

     Both the red Kyrii and the blue Ixi turned to look at each other, groaned, rolled their eyes and crossed their arms petulantly. And back to silence.

     But then...

     "...I have to ask. Did you mean what you said yesterday? Or was it just a diversion you used against the guards?", Jazan inquired.

     "Yes, every word", Hanso said.

     "Then I'd like to apologize as well for insulting you that one time", he sighed. "My temper has made me do terrible things that I deeply regret..."

     "Hey, it's fine, I understand", Hanso shrugged.

     "I know it isn't, Hanso. I said some truly awful things."

     Hanso nodded, and empathized, "Yeah. Well, I can understand why you have such a harsh temper - especially if others keep bringing up your past mistakes so much. I'm sorry about the GMC, by the way."

     Jazan sighed. "I really don't...want to talk about that...I've tried so hard to try and keep my family and my people safe from harm...I even stopped practicing magic, since I'm afraid I might end up going insane, just like my father...yet, it seems all that most Neopians care about is my past, the evil prince who laid a siege on Sakhmet, not who I am now."

     Hanso mused, "Yes, I've read about your efforts to keep your city safe, they truly show you care and that you're a good king, too. So don't mind what others think or say about you, because it's not worth your time. Huh, but if you still practiced magic the ordeal with the guards would've been way easier", he pointed out with a sly smirk.

     "Perhaps", Jazan replied. "But it's better that I don't. I'm finally achieving some peace in my life."

     "Well, I'm happy for you, you deserve happiness", Hanso said sincerely, and both smiled.

     He added, "Hey, it's fine. I forgive you." What the king said about him back then still hurt, but both of them had matured in the past few years, so much that holding a grudge was, as Nabile put it, childish, immature.

     Finally, he asked, "Could we start over?"

     Jazan still wasn't completely sure to trust the Ixi, but he had taken the first step, after all. Maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of a worthwhile friendship.

     The End.