Marcus stared at the ground.

He felt foolish.

He thought he was the puppet master.

He thought he was the wise older brother guiding the naive hero.

But the hero had been watching him the whole time.

"How long?" Marcus asked. "How long have you noticed?"

Theo sat down on the grass next to him.

"Since the Royal Ball," Theo said.

"That was months ago."

"I saw Lady Vivienne," Theo said. "She asked you to dance. She did not ask me."

"I stepped on her toes," Marcus mumbled.

"She didn't care," Theo said. "She was smiling. A real smile. Not the scary assassin smile."

Theo picked at a blade of grass.

"Then I saw the letters," Theo continued.

"What letters?" Marcus panicked.

"The ones from the Duchess," Theo said. "They arrive every morning. They smell like lavender."

"Those are business!"

"Brother," Theo said gently. "Business letters do not smell like flowers. They smell like ink and sadness."

Marcus blushed.

"And the Professor," Theo went on. "She brings you coffee."

"She brings everyone coffee."

"No," Theo corrected. "She brings you the good coffee. The imported kind. She gives me the academy sludge."

Theo looked at him.

"And Iris," Theo said. "She follows you."

"She's observing human behavior."

"She is observing your behavior," Theo said. "She stands on the roof and watches you read."

Marcus looked up sharply. "She does what?"

"It is a little creepy," Theo admitted. "But she seems happy."

Theo dusted off his hands.

"I assumed you knew," Theo said.

"Why would I know?"

"Because you know everything," Theo said simply. "You know how to fix a stance. You know how to calm a panic attack."

He looked at Marcus with total faith.

"You are the expert on people, Brother. I thought you were just playing hard to get."

Marcus laughed. It was a dry, hysterical sound.

"Hard to get?" Marcus said. "I was trying to be invisible."

"You failed," Theo said.

"Clearly."

Marcus took off his glasses. He cleaned them on his shirt.

"So," Marcus said. "Let me get this straight. You don't want them. They don't want you. And everyone knows this except me."

"Pretty much," Theo said.

"And the fate of the world?"

"We are still saving it," Theo said.

"But the alliances!"

"Brother," Theo said. "Look at me."

Marcus put his glasses back on. He looked at his brother.

Theo was big. He was broad-shouldered. He looked every inch the hero.

But his eyes were the same eyes Marcus remembered from childhood memories of previous Marcus.

They were kind. And they were tired.

"I can fight," Theo said. "I can kill monsters. I can lead armies."

He leaned forward.

"But I cannot make them happy," Theo said. "I do not know how."

Theo gestured to the empty air.

"The Professor needs someone to tell her it is okay to rest. I cannot do that. I would just tell her to do pushups."

Marcus cracked a small smile.

"The Duchess needs someone to treat her like a person, not a leader," Theo continued. "I cannot do that. She is a Duchess. I will always salute her."

Theo looked at his hands.

"Lady Vivienne needs someone to make her feel young. I just make her feel old."

"And Iris?" Marcus asked softy.

"Iris needs someone to explain the world to her," Theo said. "I do not understand the world myself. How can I explain it?"

Theo looked up.

"You do those things, Brother. You do them without trying."

"I'm just a life coach," Marcus said. "I just listen."

"I don't know what life coach is exactly, but.. that is enough," Theo said.

The wind blew across the training yard. It carried the scent of pine and sweat.

For the first time since coming to this world, Marcus didn't feel the crushing weight of the plot.

He just felt the presence of his brother.

"You really don't mind?" Marcus asked.

"Mind?" Theo looked confused. "Why would I mind?"

"Because you're the hero," Marcus said. "You're supposed to get the girl. Or girls."

"I get the sword," Theo said. he patted the hilt of his practice weapon. "I like the sword."

It was such a simple, Theo-like statement.

Marcus realized he was crying.

Just a little.

"Oh," Marcus said. He wiped his cheek. "Dust."

"Yes," Theo agreed politely. "So much dust today."

✧✧✧

Theo stood up.

He reached down and pulled Marcus to his feet.

Theo's grip was like iron.

"So," Theo said. "It is decided."

"What is decided?"

"You will handle the alliances," Theo said. "You will date the women."

"Date?" Marcus choked. "All of them?"

"That is a logistics problem," Theo said. "You are good at logistics."

"Theo, that's insane."

"It is efficient," Theo countered. "They are happy. The kingdom is secure. I can focus on training."

Theo put his hands on Marcus's shoulders.

He looked down at him. Theo was three inches taller now.

"Brother," Theo said. His voice was thick with emotion.

"Yeah?"

"You have always protected me," Theo said.

Marcus blinked. "That's my job, I guess? But wait... when did I protect you?"

"When we were kids," Theo said. "You fought the bullies. You took the blame when I broke the vase. You helped me with my homework."

"You were a messy kid," Marcus deflected.

He wasn't there but he had vague memories and emotions left behind by the previous Marcus.

"You dedicated your life to me," Theo said. "Even now."

Theo squeezed Marcus's shoulders.

"You spend every day trying to make me the hero," Theo said. "You worry about my future. You worry about my destiny."

"Someone has to," Marcus mumbled.

"No," Theo said firmly.

He looked Marcus in the eye.

"Let me protect you for once."

The words hung in the air.

Marcus opened his mouth to argue. He wanted to say he didn't need protection.

But he did.

He was tired. He was terrified.

He was... lonely.

"I am strong," Theo said. "I will defeat the Demon Lord. I promise."

Theo's eyes burned with a golden light. The power of the Hero.

"I will keep the monsters away," Theo vowed. "So you can be happy."

He let go of Marcus.

"You deserve to be happy, Brother."

Marcus couldn't speak. His throat was tight.

He had spent two lives trying to be useful. Trying to fix people. Trying to earn his place.

No one had ever told him he could just be happy.

"Theo," Marcus rasped.

Theo looked uncomfortable with the emotional moment. He coughed.

"Also," Theo added quickly. "If you date the Duchess, maybe she will lower the taxes on steel imports. That would help the blacksmith."

Marcus laughed. It was a wet, shaky laugh.

"I'll see what I can do," Marcus said.

"Good," Theo said.

He picked up his towel.

"I am going to the showers," Theo announced. "Then I will eat four chickens."

"Sounds like a plan," Marcus said.

Theo started to walk away. Then he stopped.

He turned back.

"Brother?"

"Yes?"

"Stop worrying about the prophecy," Theo said. He tapped his head. "It gives you wrinkles."

"I don't have wrinkles!" Marcus protested.

"You have stress lines," Theo said. "Professor Seraphina noticed. She is worried."

Theo grinned. It was a rare, mischievous expression.

"You should go tell her you are okay. She is in her office."

Theo waved and jogged toward the barracks.

Marcus watched him go.

The "dense" protagonist. The muscle-head. The simpleton.

Theo was the smartest man Marcus knew.

Marcus stood alone in the training yard.

The sun was setting. The sky was painting itself in shades of orange and violet.

He took a deep breath.

The air didn't smell like destiny anymore. It didn't smell like duty.

It smelled like freedom.

He looked toward the main building.

Seraphina was in her office.

Catarina was probably writing a letter.

Vivienne was likely sharpening something.

Iris was... well, Iris was probably in a tree.

"Logistics," Marcus muttered to himself.

He ran a hand through his hair.

He was terrified. He was overwhelmed. He had no idea how to manage four powerful, terrifying women.

But for the first time, he wasn't doing it for the plot.

He was doing it for himself.

He adjusted his coat.

He straightened his spine.

"Okay," Marcus said to the empty yard.

He started walking toward the main building.

"I guess I have a date."

Or four.

But he would cross that bridge when it burned.

.

.

.

A/N:

How was the chapter? Was it good, just okay or bad?

It took me a while to write this one, as I had to experiment a lot to make it more emotion and feel good (realistic).

If you liked this chapter, please leave some power stones and even golden tickets if possible. And a review will be even more appreciated.

And of course if you have any critique or writing improvements tips feel free to leave it below.

And don't worry Theo will still be dumb from time to time, so don't be disappointed his antiques are not over yet

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.