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He'd been putting it off for a while. Avoiding it really. The encounter with Mjolnir had been bittersweet, but what was worse was the fear in his bones. That paranoia on the tip of his tongue he was forcing doubts upon. Whatever the case, he had taken an oath to be an ally, and it would reflect on him poorly to not pay the presiding royal of the dark moon a courtesy visit overt he matter.

He'd done so when Mintaka had been taken, he'd do so again with the dangers another of his people faced. A woman he knew in another life- one who would never recall that which she once had been.
Moving from rooftop to rooftop, he kept his eyes open trying to feel for the flickering power of chaos. It was only when he passed by a mirror left behind in an ally did he make any remark.

"For being a royal, Remarque is a pain in the a** to find." Ruffling his hair, Castor looked at his own appearance, fixing his tiara briefly.

"The man should at least have some sort of calling card, I mean really."

He'd been ready to go when the smooth tones of a man who knew just how to get under his skin reached his ears. And that crackling power the bespoke of chaos of a higher order than the norm.

"Got to look good for the masses you know. Never know when someone wants an audience with me- or to kill me." Turning heel, he couldn't help the small grin on his face. The chaos royal might not be a true ally, but he was respectable, and they did share a like goal and a like mind- protecting their people. Even if from themselves.

"Been a while. Figured we should have a small chat. Things have-" He felt the muscles in his back twitch, wings shifting as they had finally, a year later, mostly healed. "-Changed since we last spoke. And while I would love for us to hang about your mirror, an alley isn't romantic."

A thumb jerked to motion behind him.
"Park sound a fair enough place to chat?"

There were not smart quips this time as they walked. No witty or snarkily remarks. Castor was almost somber looking as he strode under the street lights, shoulders back as each step was a click click of armor on pavement, on stone. A solder's march, his face was rather mirthless now and his silence was more telling than anything. This was not a matter he'd taken lightly, nor would be entirely pleasant.

When they reached the park he fell slightly, a heaviness on him clear. Castor the aloof royal was his persona. Now was Castor the prince and politician. The Castor who would try is best to do right by the senshi who scorned him and thought him mentally unstable. All the better they did, it made these dealings all the more secret, all the more hidden. For who would suspect the royal so openly intolerant of chaos to make an alliance with one?

"I have no doubt you have heard part of what occurred last year- The misguided, ill planned, and doomed to fail attack upon the nergaverse and it's leader Metallia?" Remarque would had been living under a rock to not know.

"I was taken captive." He looked the other Prince in the eyes, a silent 'Understand what I say without my words'.
"Alkaid held me for over a month and let many think I had been slain for a time." They had kept him alive, not because they sought to do so, not entirely, or that were too weak to kill him, but because had he broken, had he been weak enough to turn, he'd have been a deadly effective weapon. Even he understood their reasoning. Killing him would have been a waste. But their choice to not even bide their time, to instead-

"I was not fortunate enough to escape. I was returned."
Words without words. Metallia held the senshi in such contempt, him and all like him in such a view as weak and a non-threat she'd let one of their most powerful, what could have been broken or slain or worse returned to his people.

"I tell you this because I failed to think that our situation was so dire. Some might see my release a sign of weakness on my part, but make no mistake, it was a threat. One that has a gross implication to you and yours." A sober look.
"There will be no place for those who defy my will. I will rule all. The tyranny that is Metallia is clearer than other, even if few see it."

The prince of hail shook his head.
"I fear the future many saw draws closer. The knights and senshi grow restless. They have grown reckless. Desperation will drive a people to extremes. I fear for them- just as I worry of those in your own court." He asked plainly.
"How does the dark mirror fair as of late?"

Castor nodded. They danced around things, each other, but they shared a commonality. They would fight for theirs. They had too much to lose by pointless conflicts.
"I'm.." He hissed behind his teeth. "Coming to understand that I have placed myself in both an advantageous position while in a precarious one. Just as I have been forced to acknowledge that my personal feelings cannot cloud my actions. Not any longer."

Bitterness. "I must abandon hope for being able to save or spare the lives in the thrall of that which calls itself Metallia. We cannot know if her grip and death would not take them with her- just so, I cannot ignore those who'd be placed in a position to be held under duress from her. Our alliance is bluntly, to our benefit. But it does our people little by the way of offering them protection and aid. Three royals can only do so much."

He looked at Remarque for a moment, a tiny smile.
"Granted, you have Leto and you both are quite capable given the size and foundation of your court. Best I could offer you by way of recruitment is if I hear of a senshi who'd seek a loved one in chaos. I'd rather have them bound to the mirror than to a tyrant."

Castor shuffled once more wings flexing. It was a sudden thought.
"I'd like to move our alliance along in a manner. Do you agree that this would be a beneficial position? Say, should I hear wind of those seeking loved ones among chaos I would try to guide them to you and yours; if to keep them from the thrall of Metallia. Just as you might guide those seeking someone from order to myself or another of order such as Camelot?"

"We cannot stop people from following their hearts or making rash or foolish decisions, but we can try to ensure they are given choice."

They were in agreement then on that matter. Chaos would be chaos, but free will and choice was better than to be servant and under the thrall of another. Two evils, but one vastly less than the other.

"If I am doing twofavor s then you'll permit me to ask for one more." ITW as personal but-

"Tell me of Mjolnir." Hands clasped each other and Castor stood, pensive for a beat.
"I- I fear for her and what I saw when the beast from mirrorspace came forth. She was in another life, someone close to me. I owe her, even if she does not recall me and the oaths between us."

There was a heavy sigh released as Remarque answered, and Castor found his eyes closing and head titling back in thought. Perhaps it was foolishness and his own misbegotten memories that compelled him yet his wasn’t an oath breaker. Not knowingly and when he could prevent it at the least.

Some of the past Castorian virtues wouldn’t be brushed away, that was the princes hope for himself if anything,


“Damn. Well, what I know is that the beast took on a mocking form of that which once was Mjolnir’s. A farce of a replica if one could call it that. I may not know of your mirror… creatures, but what that thing was was anything but legitimate. My memories of her home world may be scattered and fragmented, but I’m quite aware of what is real and what is a forgery. Her past life-“ He paused, blue eyes looking to the other prince, wondering how much to offer.
“She was my lover for a time before her world demanded her sacrifice through her duty. It was not our most recent lives but one in the distant past. My concern for her is two fold. One is how did your mirror being manage to gain such a form and then-“ He frowned.
“-Understand, our alliance is relative to the threat of Metallia. If chaos is reaching your home worlds, that poses a problem. Both for us of order, and for yourselves. After all, you’re prevented from visit your homes correct?” He was sure this was still the case.

“If chaos has managed to grasp her world while she is not there to protect it, to guide it, then it is possible that it could be killing her. I vowed I would-“ he searched for the right words, “-I loved her then. And she was taken from me. If her world is in danger so might her soul. Deaths do not end one’s vows and promises.”

Castor grunted, the only verbal sign he'd heard what Remarque said. If the prince hadn't heard of any others having those mirror beasts taking forms from their worlds then just what had caused Mjolnir's case?
"As before, and as stands, I will aid you and yours to see you to your worlds. If you find anything, let me know."

Tapping his fingers on his crossed arms, Castor leaned his head back in thought. The second half of what the prince of the mirror senshi was complex in every manner. Death never stops emotions. Feelings and memories might be buried but over time they returned. Castor just had both the fortune and misfortune to have gotten a lot more than perhaps any other. Living on your world for extended periods did that.

Hands falling to his die, Castor looked to his counterpart, a shrug lifting and lowering his shoulders.
"Perhaps a form of love. I miss her, what I remember of her. But I am well aware she is not the same woman in whole. I want her to be safe and have the joys that were robbed of her. Yet my feelings for her, as a woman now are... muddy. I know her but I also don't." He shook his head a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"Women and love are far too complicated."

Castor's snot was utterly undignified of a prince, much less a grown man.
"I'll join, but only if you swear we'd begin a true war to wipe Metallica and her filth from existence. As for 'white moon'," He shook a finger at the dark mirror royal.

"Not my queen. Not my princess. I won't align myself with weak minded simpletons who will wait for a dead savior who will not come." It was spoken bluntly and with weight. Castor true had little love for the white moon senshi who sought Serenity- the dead princess.

"But, as you and I lack the loyalties and resources we need, I suppose we must remain allies of temporal benefit. At least until Metallica is dead." For now however, there were other threats on the horizon of more personal matters and also of unkown charges.

"I'll let you know if I see or hear of changes among the senshi or knights. As of now, things have gotten back to a general ebb and flow, but I fear it's begun.. complacency. Senshi and knights feeling emboldened after the failed attack, and the negaverse is rippling in the dark. Both sides are stagnating, and like any mounting pressure-" He made a motion with his hands like an explosion.

"Complacency is beginning to settle in all sides, but it won't last. It never does."