Rothenburg

Alfred was pouting. Why? The dragon was within his reaching distance, he just had too reach out. And that man, Ivan, was ruining it for him. He wouldn't be able to stand him after all.
Displeased with everything he crossed his arms and looked away.

There he noticed something out of place or rather, someone out of place. He knew that person even though he was entirely cloaked. And then panic accompanied with confusion surged in him, what was he doing here?

Alfred discreetly glanced back to his group; they were all preoccupied with that dragon and Ivan. So he stood up and made his way towards that man.

The dragon wasn't hurt at all. She was miffed that her wonderful plan was ruined. The small man would have fed her as much beef as she wanted and now she was lucky if she got a chicken bone. She hissed and crawled next to the huge blond griffins arms to sulk. Maybe he would feed her beef...

He continued to watch the group and drink his drink, then .. of course, one of them was bound to notice that he was there. Well, it couldn't be helped now! He could only smile as the other blonde approached!

"Hello!"

Alfred though didn't look too pleased, he approached that man with brisk footsteps. He stared at him disapprovingly, but instead of yelling he took that man's hand and placed a chaste kiss on the delicate skin.

"Your Majesty," he whispered. "Why on earth are you here? Don't you know it's a dangerous time?"

Arthur continued smiling, even through the disapproving look and especially the respectful hand kiss. Afterwards he pulled his hand away.

"I'm very well aware how dangerous it is!" He quietly replied. "Why do you think I am here? And really, such a show like that, when it is very obvious I don't wish to be seen so easily?"

"Well I certainly have no idea," he answered, still in a whisper.

"And I can't forget my manners, can I? Even though I'm the black sheep of nobility," the tone remained polite but his expression showed a bit of a childish pout.

Whilst playing with his stubborn of hair, which he called Nantucket, he eyed his king carefully. No mistake, it was their country's ruler but for a king to leave his country while war was in the air - that was something he couldn't understand.

"Again, Your Majesty...what is your reason for being here?" He tried again.

"You are hardly the black sheep of nobility, just different you could say!" Arthur added with a small laugh at the pouting.

"As for my reason for being here..!" His voice lowered a bit more now. " This is hardly the time or place for discussing anything properly. I'm sure you understand! Anyone could listen in. Change of topic then... what is your reason for being here?"

Ludwig glanced down at the dragon and at a piece of bratwurst. He nudged it over to the creature discretely. "Just don't try to eat my little friend," he said quietly. "There is plenty here right now for you to fill your belly on."

He looked at the exchange between Alfred and Ivan, then at the exuberant man's reaction to the entrance of... oh. He knew that man's face. Ludwig's father had some dealings with the King, but what on earth was that man doing here now? And while he might have been attempting to be discreet, he wasn't succeeding. Though that may have been due to Alfred's behavior.

Ludwig looked to Feliciano. "Do you recognize the man at the door?"

Ivan could sense the very moment the King stepped through the door. For a powerful king he didn't know how to hide him magic. It was spreading over every inch of the tavern like spores. He watched as his pet scarfed down food like it was going out of style. She'll make herself sick.....

The dragon scuttled across the table dragging a half eaten wurst to her master. He needed to eat, he was getting skinny again. She set it in front of him and chirped.

Ivan glanced at the bit of wurst and smiled, patting the lizard affectionately. "You eat it, I am full~"

The dragon shot a puff of smoke in his face, out of love, and dragged the wurst to the silent blond with the weird curl and offered it to him.

Alfred laughed nervously at his king's statement, he was happy he guessed.

As king Arthur lowered his voice he instinctively tilted his head just to complete the whole secretive atmosphere. His eyes widen at the other's words, it was a top secret journey, wasn't it? So exciting for his young soul. So, he nodded with enthusiasm and determined eyes. Roger, boss!

"Well I'm just passing by! Like you, Majesty, I'm also traveling. I've been wandering around the countrysides just to keep a watch, in difficult times like these many are taking advantage to commit crimes onto the innocent while the law's being busy dealing with political issues." He paused and chuckled. "You can say I'm the SOS hero!"

While listening to Alfred talk, Arthur finished his drink. Also taking note that maybe he was not as unrecognizable as he thought. Other's from Alfreds group were noticing, and oh god he didn't think to hide his magic! That could cause a problem!

"How very noble of you to go around protecting everyone! Just passing... right! Of course! Maybe you wish to go back to your group of friends and your brother? Or is it too dangerous?"

Just Passing through ... Right!

Alfred looked back at his friends and found that they were already staring, oh wonderful.

"Noo...why should they be? Hmpf maybe that huge guy over there who wouldn't share his dragon with me that bastard - oh forgive me." He ceased at the unbelieving tone the king spoke.

"You don't believe me?"

Matthew had been preoccupied watching the dragon scuttle around and missed it as brother leave the table. He even disregarded the sudden surge of magic he felt, deciding that it was probably just Ivan again, although it certainly was a different type altogether.

So it wasn’t until Ludwig mentioned a man standing at the door that Matthew looked up and pieced everything together. His jaw dropped. Matthew was certain of one thing; that the day was getting a bit too weird for his liking.

“Is that the…oh my, it is. What is he…?” was all he could say as he looked across the tavern at his brother with the king of their homeland. And by the looks of it, Alfred was making it difficult for king Arthur to remain incognito.

"No need for apologies, of course I believe you. To be here of all places as well!" He laughed a little, then glanced to see Matthew now had his attention on them.

" I think I have officially been found out by most in your little group over there, now Matthew as well? Would it cause a problem to go sit with them?"

"No, I don't think they'd mind. Good people," he said with a wide smile even though he barely knew almost everybody there in the group. Nevertheless he was pretty sure of his own words.

He bade the king to go first.

Ludwig glanced at Alfred wondering if the king was actually going to come to their table. If he did, he wasn't entirely sure how to address him. The other man appeared to be trying to stay incognito, despite what Alfred was doing to make him otherwise. Treating him as a king would only make matters worse.

Not to mention the fact that Ludwig had met Arthur before. Always in griffin form.

"Then I trust your judgement if you say so!"

He followed his gesture to go first, though not without hesitation. At least three of these people knew who he was, it clearly did not take much to figure him out. With the attention completely on him, he carried on walking to the table. Giving a quick look back to Alfred, he greeted the others at the table.

"Hello! Do you mind if I sit here with you?"

If the day hadn’t been uncomfortable enough for Matthew, to top it all off, now the king was walking over to their table. Nothing Matthew had ever learned about etiquette would help him in this situation. Most people didn’t come across their king in a foreign tavern after all. In the end, though, he decided that concealing the king’s identity for the most part was a higher priority.

“No, not at all, please do!” Matthew ended up saying when Arthur asked for an invitation to join them. He smiled if only to hide the fact that he was inwardly freaking out over whether or not he had said the right thing.

Alfred on the other hand was stealing yet another chair from a table for him to sit down. His king didn't seem uncomfortable so he had no reason to worry.

And once again he was distracted. Damn cute dragon.

Ivan scooped the dragon off the table and placed the creature on his shoulder.

"I hope you do not mind if I join you as vell~" He grabbed a chair sat down beside the king. His dragon leaned over to sniff the woodland dweller before loosing interest and settling his gaze on the loud sunny blond. The dragon thought he looked like a idiot.

Alfred the hero followed every move of the dragon, from time to time he would even stare agape. Then - his heart skipped a beat when the dragon let his piercing gaze rest on him. That moment Alfred was sure, the dragon was in love with him. It looked at him with admiration and Alfred was the happiest man on earth.

He wondered if his king would also love to ride a dragon.

"Thank you very much!" Arthur grinned at the polite blonde and sat down! He seemed nervous, of course he didn't blame him, right now no one had any idea why he was here, "Are you alright?!"

Then of course to be joined by another, who sat right next to him, which an odd accent and a dragon. It made him jump a little, he didn't remember seeing him before!

Suddenly the door bangs open and Gilbert barges in.

He looks around with a giant grin.

At the top of his voice he announces: "A new commonwealth has been established! The Commonwealth of Gilbert. Join now!"

As he stepped into the room, he spotted his brother at a table. He walked directly over to him and sat across from him with his eyes flashing. "You know we have a flag."

The dragon looked away from the idiot and focused instead on the person next to her master who was bleeding magic all over the place. She wanted to see if those caterpillars on his face came off but decided against it. They looked like they had poisonous barbs.

Ivan and the dragon looked up at the sudden burst of noise and followed the albino all the way to the table. Another loud obnoxious idiot enters.

Ivan leaned over and whispered in the kings ear. "Excuse me your highness, do you mind reigning in your magic a bit? Its making mine harder to suppress~"

Feliciano looked as Ludwig fed the small dragon with one of his sausages - it was a cute scene, indeed. Before he could take a piece of meat and give it to the dragon as well, the animal went back to his master's shoulder. At that point, everyone's attention was focused on the person who had just entered the inn.
Did he know him?

Feliciano stared as the person went to sit down at the table together with Matthew's brother. He definitely looked familiar, but he needed some time to place the blond man in the right place of his memories. Still, those funny eyebrows were difficult to forget - but the thing that really helped him remembering was the association of those eyebrows with the shocking memory of disgusting food.

Yes, yes, that one had to be ruler of the Woodland Realm, he remembered now. Years ago, he had come to visit the Kingdom of the Sun and had insisted to offer his family a lunch made by his own cooks. It turned out to be the worst idea ever.

So he had to be Alfred and Matthew's king as well, that was why the blonde had stood up to greet him. He was a bit confused by Matthew not greeting him in any formal way - was he mistaken? Many years had passed and his memory was a bit blurry. He waved at the man, wondering if he maybe recognized him - but then again, he was still a child when the kind had come to his kingdom.

He didn't have the time to say anything, anyway, because almost immediately another guy popped up, and this time he addressed directly Ludwig. Feliciano looked at him puzzled, and then at the door again, wondering if someone else had to come in and join their table. Not that he minded at all, after all that time of lonely wandering through the woods, having the chance to eat with so many people was just welcomed.


((sorry Arthur if I made up that story, I guess it makes sense if the royals know each others at least a bit.))