Finn was awake and drugged to high heaven.

"Easy now," Kai cooed, helping the prince up. Finn had a loopy grin on his face that looked almost painful with the swelling. It had been a week since the fight with Sir Harold and while Finn was doing better, he'd been in so much agony from his wounds that he'd been stuck in bed. The pain had reached its peak in the morning at which point Leinos had brewed a more potent pain potion that had some hilarious effects.

Finn blinked sleepily. "You're a good friend." he mumbled to Kai, "Where's my crown, it should be on your head."

Tigris suppressed a chuckle as Kai sputtered. "Why didn't you bring that recording device he made you? I'd love some blackmail." Tigris teased, and Kai's sputtering turned into choking.

Aodh smirked from the doorway. "I could go get it." he offered while Finn processed the words, his eyes widening slowly.

"The device!" he gasped, looking at Kai with wide, childishly enthusiastic eyes, "Roche helped me make it! She's so smart but she's not you, or I would have made her a device too." Finn frowned, "Maybe I should make her one."

"I don't think you can even put your shoes on right now, much less make another device." Kai told him gently as Finn made small waving motions with his hand. Tigris was trying so hard not to laugh that her face burned with the pressure of it. Aodh had no such qualms and was openly chortling in the doorway.

Finn jutted his chin up defiantly. "Nuh uh! I can do it! Watch me!" he insisted, trying to swing his legs off the bed. He hissed immediately, his hands darting to his chest. Tigris' laughter died down immediately. She reached forward to steady him, but Kai was already there, gently easing Finn back down.

"Easy now, Finn. You've hurt your ribs." Kai soothed as Finn still struggled to get up.

Finn blinked at him. "Where's Roche when you need her?" he mumbled.

That made Tigris snicker. "Roche would break your ribs more, Finn. You don't want her here."

"Nuh uh," Finn stared up at the ceiling with far away eyes, "She's so strong! So powerful!"

Aodh snorted in the doorway. "This is golden. Kai, get the recorder."

Finn didn't seem to hear him. "She knows so many words." his eyes seemed to refocus slightly, "Where is she?"

Tigris shrugged. "She said she had some deliveries to do for Verita. She'll be here soon, probably."

"Huh," Finn's nose scrunched up with drugged confusion, "She hasn't come to visit me. But I did this for her."

"You got beat up for Roche? Trying to impress her, were you?" Aodh teased.

Finn's frown deepened. "She could heal me. She knows so many words." he pouted, "Why hasn't she come? Maybe she's in trouble again!" Tigris traded a nervous glance with Kai as Finn tried to get up again, wincing.

Tigris shook her head. "She's fine. She's just running an errand. I'll make sure she comes to see you soon." she promised, holding her hands placatingly. "Alright?"

"Mhm," Finn's eyes unfocused again as he sat back, "Roche is a good friend. Not as good as Kai. Kai's the best. I love Kai."

Kai's lips twisted with a rueful mix of endearment and embarrassment as Finn rolled over to face him, his green eyes sparkling.

"I love you. You're so smart and you don't even realise. You know so much without reading a single book." Finn repeated, totally serious.

Aodh was howling from laughter in the doorway as Kai went beet red and began to stammer, backing away from the bed.

"Finn, you're making Kai uncomfortable." Tigris chided roughly over the sound of Aodh cracking up. Finn blinked at her.

"Am I?" he mumbled, his eyes beginning to droop shut, "I should listen to you more, but you don't listen, do you? I've seen so much about you... you in the future. You and Aodh. It's all so terrible."

Aodh stopped laughing.

"Don't talk like that, Finn." Tigris told him, her throat suddenly tight.

Finn's eyes drifted shut as he began to slur his words more heavily. "I always do, but you never listen. You don't know what I saw, it was so awful. I saw us all turned around and upside down and in pieces. But you won't believe me, will you? I love you, but you never listen, not about the things that matter. You never have and you never will."

The last word was drawn out slightly, twisted and tugged into a low whine. Kai quickly leaned forward, interrupting the awkward silence. He placed a cool compress on Finn's forehead, brushing Finn's chocolate curls off his brow with a gentle hand.

"Easy now, my lord. Does that feel better?" Kai asked hesitantly, glancing as Aodh and Tigris sheepishly like Finn's delirious words would reflect upon him.

That's all they were, Tigris assured herself, words of delirium.

Finn sighed under Kai's touch, his features relaxing.

"Tha's nice," he murmured groggily, "I still want Roche. Roche would make my pain go poof."

He flicked his hands out gently, like he didn't have full control over them. Kai leaned forward to adjust the sheets.

"Go to sleep. Maybe Roche will come by when you wake." he suggested, pinning Aodh and Tigris with a look that warned them not to talk.

Finn made a snuffly sound of agreement and nestled into his cot. After a few moments, he began to snore loudly. Kai pulled away slowly.

"So," Aodh broke the silence first, "It looks like Finn's got a bit of a crush."

Something flashed across Kai's face, a blend of horror and some other emotion that Tigris couldn't identify before his expression smoothed over. Tigris felt an uncomfortable stirring in her chest as she looked away before Kai could notice her staring.

"Don't encourage this, Aodh. If Father thinks Finn's pining after a servant, he'll have him in the dungeons." Tigris sighed, running a hand through her hair, "He's just delirious."

"Oh, I know." Aodh assured her with a devilish smile, "But we must tease him with this forever."

Some of the bitterness in Tigris' chest dissipated at the jest. She grinned. "Oh, of course." she agreed, "And that little serenade he did earlier."

Kai's lips twitched. He turned away before the nobles could see him smile. "Where is Roche, anyway? She hasn't swung by in a while."

Tigris had noticed that as well. Her maid had been unusually busy, running deliveries for both Leinos and Verita. The physician had taken to the maid and was teaching her some of the healing arts. Unfortunately, that kept her rather busy and unable to visit her friends. Tigris doubted she would see Roche at all if she weren't her maid.

"Still recovering from her own injuries and running errands." Tigris explained.

Aodh frowned, all traces of mirth leaving him at the mention of the maid. "I still find her suspicious."

"Seriously?" Tigris threw up her arms in exasperation, "Aodh, she's worked with me for over a year. It's time to get over your grudge. She might be annoying, but she's a loyal maid."

"I'm being serious," Aodh insisted, leaning closer. "Don't you think it's a little bit suspicious that she re-entered the city in the nick of time with real Harold?"

From Finn's side, Kai frowned deeply like he didn't believe the words one bit. Tigris didn't either.

"Think about it," Aodh said when he saw their disbelieving looks, "That prophecy said that there'll be a traitor in the court that'll threaten us all. Then Roche shows up and suddenly we've had not one, not two, but three threats in one year."

"Don't be ridiculous, Aodh. That's just a coincidence." Tigris scoffed.

"So you don't believe in that prophecy?" he countered, his eyes intent.

Tigris hesitated. She wanted to say that she didn't, that the prophecy was fake, but a bit of doubt seeped through her assured front. It did seem a bit strange that Lady Ismere had mentioned a Council and then Harold's copy had mentioned a Councilman making him.

Still, Tigris had shoved away these coincidences.

"Father is convinced that the Council of Seven is a made up group of inkbloods." Tigris told her brother quietly, "To say otherwise would be to doubt him. Is that what you want?"

Aodh flinched. Above all else, he was loyal to the king to a fault. He would rather die than speak out against their father. He looked away guiltily. "You know how Father can be about inkblood." was all Aodh said, "Are you willing to risk this kingdom's security over his feelings?"

"Are you suggesting working behind his back?" Tigris countered, "Because investigating possible traitors based on this prophecy would do just that."

Aodh's lips thinned. "Fine. But just keep an eye on Roche, would you? In the scenario that the prophecy proves to be true, it would be best to have a list of suspects."

"And you think Roche should be on that list?" Tigris scoffed, "She was willing to jump off a cliff for me."

"To gain your favour!" Aodh pointed out, his face more serious than Tigris had ever seen. "Think about it. Isn't it a bit odd that her mother happened to have a prophecy about the enemy we face lying around her home?"

"Aodh-"

"I was a bit wary of Fake Harold so I asked him a few questions. Do you want to know what he said?" Aodh's eyes practically glowed with barely tamped down disgust, "He said that if I had any concerns about his reports, Roche would be able to corroborate them."

Tigris blinked at him. "You're kidding."

"I'm not." Aodh's face was as unforgiving as stone. He stepped closer to Tigris, placing his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I know you think she's been a loyal maid, but it's clear that she's a bit suspicious. I'd rather we find out if she's the traitor now rather than give her the chance to destroy the kingdom or 'put out the flame'. Whatever that prophecy implied."

Tigris' mind was whirring quickly enough that she felt dizzy. Roche, a traitor? It was laughable. The girl couldn't even lie about stealing Tigris' breakfast properly, could she really be in the league with inkbloods?

It seemed impossible.

Kai cleared his throat. "My lord, if I may?" he asked, waiting for Aodh's nod of approval before he spoke, "I don't think that Harold's copy was working with Roche. While you were on the training grounds, I caught Harold speaking to Roche and it didn't look friendly."

Alarm shot through Tigris like an arrow. "Was Roche threatened?"

"She said everything was alright," Kai hesitated, "But I could have sworn I saw Harold's copy glaring at her later on. And Roche seemed adamant that there was something wrong with him. She was very concerned for your safety. I don't think that's something an imposter would do."

Aodh frowned at the words. "She could have reported him." he pointed out, "If she was so concerned."

To Tigris' surprise, Kai's normally gentle features flashed with irritation.

"She did," Kai said, his voice slightly sharper than usual, "She presented her concerns as any maid can, to her employer. She told Tigris and Finn, but no one believed her."

Tigris narrowed her eyes at Kai's sudden belligerence. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" she asked gently. Kai's eyes flared.

"How could I?" he asked, "Finn already knew and no one was taking him seriously. If I went to the king, Sir Harold's word would be taken at higher priority. I'm just a servant, my lady!"

Tigris felt the words strike her like a slap. She flinched.

"You didn't say that you faced such a thing!" she exclaimed. Aodh cut her a bewildered glance, like he couldn't believe she'd say that aloud.

Kai's face darkened with a furious flush.

"I shouldn't have to!" Kai snapped, "You're royals, you need to listen to your people! Roche had faith that you'd do the right thing and listen, but you didn't. You shut her down almost instantly and pulled away, like you did for years before she came along!"

"Kai-" Aodh tried to interject quietly, but the servant wasn't finished. Kai stood, his hand blotting sweat from Finn's forehead as he did so.

"I held my tongue and my dearest friend got bruised and bloodied while you two wondered how such a thing was possible," Kai seethed, pointing at the unconscious prince, "I watched Roche try to tell you, right before the final match, that the imposter would be fighting, but you brushed her aside. How on earth is anyone compelled to tell you their concerns about traitors if you push away the people who try talking to you?!"

The words rang through the air, as clear as a bell. Kai stood in front of Finn, hands clenched and shaking. He stared up at the two conscious royals, blanching slightly as the weight of his rant hit him.

Still, he didn't take the words back.

Tigris wanted to say something, to break the terrible tension that had fallen over them, but she couldn't find an excuse. The words were painfully true. Tigris glanced at her brother, wondering if he had some counterpoint.

Aodh simply gaped at Kai, like he was seeing the servant in a new light for the first time.

Kai eyed them both, smoothing Finn's sheets with shaking hands before he stepped closer. Tigris' breath drained out of her lungs as she saw the anger that still simmered in his eyes.

"I have watched you two grow for years," Kai said quietly, his voice betraying none of the ire in his gaze, "And Roche is the first person I've seen that has challenged you for the sole purpose of helping you. She's a good, kind, woman who has only sought to aid you. I've held my tongue these past few weeks while she has not, and I've seen too many knights and Prince Finn get injured because of my reluctance to support her claims." He tilted his head up in a way that reminded Tigris of Roche. "I won't stay quiet again and let her take the fall for voicing my thoughts."

The distance between them felt both too large and too small at once. Tigris knew instinctively that it would take two heartbeats to cross the distance between them. It took one singular beat for Aodh to shuffle closer to Tigris, like he was fighting a battle with her. Against Kai.

"You're a good friend, Kai, but surely you realise-" Aodh began to murmur, but Tigris grabbed his forearm, squeezing it hard enough that he shut up. She released her brother, crossing the distance between her and the servant. Each step felt leaden, the pull between them magnetic. The fire in Kai's eyes made ribbons of wonderful heat stir from the depths of her stomach to her chest.

Kai watched her approach, leaning back slightly like he wanted to escape. The emotion in his gaze never wavered once. He stayed stock still, completely collected as Tigris stopped a hair's breadth from his face.

"Any other advice?" she asked, her voice raspier than she intended.

Kai licked his lips, his eyes fluttering like he was tempted to drop her gaze. Still, he held strong, those warm, honeyed, impassioned eyes boring into Tigris'. "No, my lady." the words were softer, "If you feel as though I've said something wrong, I will gladly bear the punishment."

Tigris held him there with her eyes. She knew exactly what her Father would do to a servant who spoke out in such a way. He would have them in the dungeons for a week without food or water. If he was in a foul mood, they would be exiled, or worse, executed.

But Tigris had never agreed with such treatment. Especially when the words that had been spoken were nothing but the truth.

"It's a good thing that there's nothing wrong with what you said." Tigris found herself saying.

Kai's breath slipped past his full lips with a sigh. He sagged back, his ire seeming to fade and leaving panic behind. "I'm sorry if I was too forthcoming-"

"Don't." Tigris reached forward, her fingers skating past his palm. Electricity followed the touch, crackling up her arm. "Don't apologise for speaking your mind to me, not when I deserve it."

Aodh cleared his throat. "Tigris-"

"No, Aodh." Tigris spun to face her brother, crossing her arms when she noticed his scowl, "He's right. We'd do well to pull our heads out of our asses. We've been fools not to listen to him, Roche, and Finn."

Aodh pursed his lips, staring at Kai for a long moment. Then a slow smile split his face. "I never thought I'd see the day." he crowed, "Roche has turned you into a rebel, hasn't she?"

Kai's cheeks darkened with a blush. He tore his gaze away bashfully. "I- well, no-"

Tigris chuckled, clapping the man's shoulders. "What my brother means to say is well done. You've been in our service since we were children. If you can't speak to us when we're being idiots, then no one can. So," Tigris smiled warmly at him, feeling her heart skip a beat when Kai's eyes softened, "Thank you, my friend."

"If Finn wasn't asleep, then I'd take us out for drinks." Aodh said with a smile, "Kai's first rant. It seems worthy of celebration."

"My lord!" Kai's eyes were as wide as saucers, "I did not rant!"

"You did!" Tigris chortled, "C'mon. Drinks are on me, Roche can watch Finn for a bit."

"Maybe tonight," Kai conceded with a small smile, "Finn has a few more salves that need applying. Perhaps after dinner?"

Tigris felt a strange twist in her chest. Aodh shrugged.

"Any time is a good time for drinks."

"Careful," Tigris said, shoving away the strange musings of her heart, "You're starting to sound like Roche. I'll tell her to watch over Finn tonight, by the way."

"Only if she can," Kai said kindly, easing himself back to Finn's side, "If she's available, it would be an honour to visit the taverns with you."

Tigris hid her grin as she left the infirmary with Aodh, wondering if her brother noticed her sneaking another glance at Finn's servant as she retreated from the room.

A/N: Something big is coming :)

Also, what did you think of this chapter? I really wanted to show Tigris and Kai's relationship in this. I didn't see too much chemistry between Arthur and Gwen in the show tbh, but one thing that I did notice was that Gwen's outspokenness was what really cemented Arthur's interest in her. Tigris is different from Arthur in many ways, mainly in the sense that she's already learned the value of loyalty to a degree that young Season 1 Arthur hadn't. I think what Tigris values, above all else, is honesty, blunt truths, and wisdom. It's what she enjoys from Roche, and now from Kai.

What do you think about all of this? As always, happy reading!