A/N - Got another one out! This one is much shorter, but it has just as much meat as the others (at least prowessMaster44 tells me that. But I'm inclined to believe her). Once again, thanks to her for the editing and encouragement. Hope you enjoy! Chapters are mostly all much longer from here on out.

~Chapter 15~

After the crazy events of yesterday, nothing seems to be much out of place in the days after. Just normal routine. Maybe a few things added here and there. But after a while, Nicholas starts to notice the few things adding up more and more. The days progress to the point where at every moment of the day, he's doing some sort of chore or task for Xander.

Being the polite person he is though, Nicholas does all of these things without complaining at all. He simply accepts it as his duty and continues to do what is asked of him.

The people around him notice how busy Nicholas is. He may not be concerned about it, but the others sure are.

"Nicholas, do you realize you haven't stopped by the kitchen just to chat in over a week now?" Teresa asks one day while he is working on mending a pile of clothes Xander gave him at a station next to the stairway to the north wing.

"I'm sorry, I've been meaning too, but I've just been so busy lately," he explains.

"Do you think I haven't noticed?" Teresa comments. "The only thing you've been doing lately is work, work, and more work. This is so unlike Xander. Don't you think this is a bit excessive?"

"Not really," Nicholas says. "If this is what Xander wants me to do, I am perfectly happy to do it. It is my duty after all."

Teresa sighs. "Yes, I know. Look, Nicholas. I know that you respect Xander very much and you want to do all that you can to please him. I'm just worried that you're going to overwork yourself. Your friends miss you too. Perhaps you should say something to Xander the next time you see him."

"Alright, if it'll make you happy. I just really don't want to disappoint him if I'm not doing my work," Nicholas says.

"I know you do. I think it's really glad you've found someone of good character who you respect and want to devote your service too. If this is what makes you happy, you just keep on working," Teresa says.

"Thank you, Teresa. I'm glad you're looking out for me. I'll be sure to make time to chat in the future," Nicholas assures. Teresa smiles warmly and walks back to the kitchen.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Xander had snuck down the stairway and was listening at the door to the both of them. Not very fitting for a king, but at this point, he doesn't mind. The conversation he just heard gives him a lot to think about. He lingers at the door a little bit longer before heading back upstairs to his room, the wheels in his brain churning hard.

Before actually going into his own room, Xander decides to visit Camilla to help sort some things out.

Xander knocks on Camilla's door and she calls out in a sweet soothing voice, "Come in!"

Xander wanders through the doorway and shuts the door behind him. "I need some advice," he says.

"Big brother needs advice? Whatever for?" Camilla says soothingly.

Xander walks over to her bed and sits down beside her. "What do you think of Nicholas?" he starts off.

"Oh, the boy is such a dear. He's so polite all the time and Elise absolutely adores him. He's so cute too. He'll make a fine husband someday," Camilla observes.

"Go back to the part about him being polite. Lately, that's been bothering me a lot. He is so very polite around me all the time. He's very very loyal and he is overly concerned for my safety. You should have seen him on the patrol a few weeks ago. He couldn't take his eyes off the woods for fear something would jump out and attack us," Xander explains.

"Well, shouldn't you be happy about that? You've found a very good butler who is very willing to serve," Camilla says, concerned. "Whatever are you bothered by?"

"I'm not worried, really, just...frustrated," Xander says. "The past weeks I've been slowly increasing the amount of work I've given Nicholas and he does absolutely everything without question, even if it's absolutely ridiculous. I was just listening at the door to the sewing room in the staff's quarters and I heard Nicholas talking to Teresa, the head cook."

"Ooh, the king listening in on conversations? How scandalous!" Camilla teases. When she doesn't get a reaction out of Xander she says, "I'm sorry, dear. Please continue."

"Teresa was concerned about how much work Nicholas was doing. What really stood out to me is how she was saying she knew how I was a great role model for Nicholas and how she understands he wants to do everything he can to impress me," Xander elaborates.

"Well, I think that's really sweet," Camilla says. "The boy clearly adores you very much. You need to be friendlier to him."

"That's just the thing," Xander says. "It's just so...hard."

"Now why is that?" Camilla asks.

"Losing Gunter, a friend and almost a second father I'd had since my early youth was so hard on me. I lost him at a time I needed him most; when I was presented with the responsibility of being king. I think that loss still lingers within me somewhere, and with all the responsibilities I have now, it's hard for me to let that go and equally as hard to make a new friend," Xander laments.

Camilla stays quiet for a while watching Xander stare down at the carpet. Finally, she puts a hand on his back and slowly rubs it. "I know it's hard, dear brother, but I think you're being too hard on yourself."

"I can only imagine what being king is like; all those responsibilities and the condition of the kingdom on your shoulders, but to me, I think you've got the cause and effect backward," Camilla continues.

"What do you mean?" Xander asks looking up at Camilla

"You attribute you holding on to Gunter's passing as why you're so stressed and reluctant to make new friends. Call it a woman's intuition, but I think it's the other way around. Making new friends is exactly the way to help ease the pain."

"You haven't been able to make another close friend and that is why you still keep the memory of Gunter lingering in your mind. If you fill that void with another close friend like Nicholas, you won't feel as lonely anymore," Camilla explains.

Xander ponders that for a bit and after a while starts smiling in a relieved way. "I don't know why I didn't come to you earlier, Camilla," he says. "I think your woman's intuition is correct. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me."

"Anytime, Xander. Now start being more relaxed. It won't do good to have a king whose hair is white by the age of thirty," Camilla comments.

Xander laughs and smiles at her. "You always know what to say to make someone lighten up, do you know that?"

"That's because I'm funny, dear," Camilla says, her head tilted to the side. Xander smiles again and gets up to leave.

"Oh, by the way, don't forget that your five-year coronation anniversary is coming up next week," Camilla adds right as Xander is about to leave, making him turn around. "Just thought I might add that little tidbit in," she continues and winks at him.

Xander just raises his eyebrows and leaves, his mind a concentrated mass of whirring gears and circuits. Despite his active brain, he recognizes that Camilla left him feeling happier and a renewed plan for healing. He returns to his room to attempt putting that plan into action.