Rothenburg

Alfred, finally out of the realms that was his very own imagination, paid full attention to king Arthur again. What was he thinking? Wanting to come in secret yet hitting a crowded tavern like this. There were so many things to ask. Everybody else looked like they knew him but, he found it quite funny, officially he was still "incognito".

"Are you hungry?" He asked his king without the proper "your Majesty" that he used to address the monarch with - just to play along, also for his own amusement.

Ludwig nodded to the king, only to hear the loud commotion from the entrance of the room. Gilbert was here. And had started a... Dear Lord. He'd really gone and done it. He'd claimed his yard as a commonwealth. He'd always thought his older brother was a bit touched in the head. He'd never realized it was so bad.

Okay... maybe he had. Now the question was, how would he deal with him. He knew there was no hiding him. Instincts would lead Gilbert to Ludwig. It just worked that way. So, he could either try to ignore him and have Gilbert create a scene, or he could actually confront him for once.

He stood and patted Feliciano on the back (this desire to touch him was getting bad) as he told the table to excuse himself for a moment. He walked over to his older brother and tugged on his arm. "What do you mean a commonwealth? It's the front yard of your summer palace, Dummkopf. And will you stop making such a scene. I'm trying not to get noticed." He glanced at his table full of nobles and royals. Okay... so blending in and not getting noticed were probably already long gone. But so far, no one would have suspected he was the prince.

But Gilbert, on the other hand, always stuck out like a sore thumb on a child insistent upon shoving it in your face so you could see just how sore it was. And by association, Ludwig's cover would be blown.

Matthew nodded and said he was fine, but he still couldn’t help but feel awkward for not regarding the king for what he was. “I’m sorry…” he said, and hopefully the other would know what he meant. Even though it may have been a hopeless case by then, Matthew didn’t want to make matters worse and draw more attention to…

Just then a man announcing about some newly founded commonwealth made his way over to the table. This only confirmed Matthew’s suspicion that this would be the strangest day he’d had in a while. Which was saying something considering previous days that very same week.

He raised an eyebrow as Ludwig pulled the man, who he assumed was named Gilbert judging from the name of his ‘commonwealth’, to the side. The prince must know him somehow. Matthew didn’t want to think about it (or any of this, really) too hard, lest he become seriously confused.

Gilbert didn't fight his younger brother's tugging. He'd learned long ago that when baby brother grew bigger than you, you learned to mess with him via your mouth, rather than your body. No more noogies for Ludwig. Such a shame. It used to be one of his favorite pastimes.

Gilbert eyed Ludwig and whispered, though allowed his volume to remain louder. "I'm sorry, but for God's sake shouldn't you let me know when you are attempting to be incognito in our own lands? Pssht."

He felt a pout coming on, and refused to act much more childish than the brother he practically raised. Lately, his brain was seemingly malfunctioning and allowing more beyond his barriers than it normally would. He'd have to have his cook investigated. Poison could do that. Right?

Snapping back to attention, the white-haired male felt the grin come back to his face. "Brother...there are women in The Commonwealth of Gilbert." He winked. "Aaaand, we have a flag. It's a good commonwealth."

Ludwig led his brother over to the table. "It's a few hundred square feet. It's a small commonwealth. But I suppose it is good enough for you."

A couple of women, some land and a flag, that would definitely be enough to entertain him. He sighed as he reached the table.

"Everyone, this is my bruder, Gilbert." He introduced everyone at the table. "Gilbert, this is Alfred, Matthew, Arthur, Toris Feliciano, Ivan and that is his dragon." He grabbed a chair so he could sit down, putting himself between Gilbert and Feliciano.

Alfred rose from his seat and shook Gilbert's hand energetically. Admiration clearly adorning his features.

"Awesome! My name is Alfred, nice to meet you. You really created your own sovereign, idependent place? That's fantastic! There must be so much freedom in your commonwealth, something like this...I dream of this kind of heroism!"
It dawned on him finally, that he was in presence of his own king, and decided to shut his mouth for good. How rude of him, he thought and wanted to rip off his own head.

Arthur nodded to the prince, of course he knew who he was! After being asked to hide his magic better by the one sitting next to him, he did so with a small glance to the dragon. "Sorry about that! I didn't really think!"

Then after hearing the small apology from Matthew, he glanced at him and gave a small smile!" " Do not worry about it, the people here are aware of who I am already, hopefully it won't cause a problem! So no need for apologies!

After the loud entrance of Gilbert, he looked on with humor about his own commonwealth was it? Then nodded as his was introduced, although Alfred's comment did make him stare at the other in surprise, even if he look like he wanted to kick himself! " Oh really?"

Ludwig sighed and drank some more beer, deciding being drunk was a better idea than sober. "Don't be too impressed, Alfred. It's his front yard. On family property, that he will inherit and rule when our father passes."

He glanced at the dragon, holding out another piece of wurst if it wanted it. He planned to keep it stuffed so it didn't go nibbling on Feliciano. Hmm, nibbling on...

That thought... was best not dwelling on.

Feliciano waved at Ludwig's brother, smiling to him brightly. That surely was a lucky coincidence! They had come to the town with the aim of contacting the prince's family, and after a few hours in it they had already met one of the members!
He felt the urge to hug him and tell him all the story - and sure, they would find a solution for everything. Anyway, all he did was glancing at him, wondering what he really meant with having a Commonwealth in a yard.
He surely looked funnier than his brother, but also a bit crazier.
He looked at Ludwig, studying his reactions and deciding that he would let him decide when and what to reveal to his brother.

In the meanwhile, it seemed that the Woodland Realm's king had recognized him. He wondered what kind of reason brought him to wander incognito in the Rhynland as well, hoping that the other's circumstances weren't as dangerous as his.

"But everybody started from a tiny patch of earth, right?" That he said to Ludwig - and this time he really hit himself.

"O-of course not," he assured his king. "I don't really...mean it."
His head sunk.

Ivan and his dragon sat back to watch the going on at large. They were here to gather information, not start anything or call to much attention to themselves. He felt slightly out of place surrounded by all this royalty, he was of noble blood yes, but he answered to no higher authority. Unless they paid him. Sretya tugged his hair and trilled. She was bored. And wanted beef.

She noticed the worst and studied it before reaching her head out and taking it hesitantly. She gobbled it and stared at the blond griffin. She decided that she liked him after all.

Ludwig glanced over at Gilbert and rolled his eyes. Leavei t to his brother to make his own "commonwealth." He leaned in close to him. "Once we are not in such crowded company, I will have to speak to you about issues with our country."

He saw the dragon taking the wurst from him and he gave it a faint nod. He could like that little lizard as long as it stopped going after Feliciano. He extended another slice of wurst between his finger and thumb.

He glanced back at the smaller man.

"A commonwealth is a commonwealth--by definition a great place--no matter how small." Gilbert grinned and smiled to the dirty blond with glasses.

As he turned to his brother, Gilbert saw the smallish male with the curl waving to him enthusiastically. He waved back and his teeth glimmered as he grinned. The young one seemed fun. He hoped he didn't get eaten by the dragon.

Wait...why did his brother have a dragon?

Sitting beside his brother as Ludwig spoke to him about their country, the white-haired man eyed the beast. Ludwig held out a wurst, and the beast ate it. It was being fed so much he assumed even it had to be full. Eck...wurst. Not his favorite food.

"Yes, we should speak in private. Brother? Why are you feeding a dragon wursts?"

"Better for it to have wurst than Feliciano's fingers." He hoped the dragon would stop eating the food once it was full. He didn't want to make it sick. He looked at his brother.

"So, when you inherit our father's land and become king, what will you do with your Commonwealth?" he asked.

It was a scary thought, his brother as king. As the younger brother, there was no guarantee h would ever be in the same position, given that both Roderich and Gilbert were certain to rule, and could easily fight over their uncle's property. Which was why Ludwig made himself useful as a warrior instead.

"Hehe...that's cute. You like him. My little brother has a crush. Hm?" Gilbert covered his mouth as he watched his brother.

Through his fingers his voice was muffled but understandable. "Uh yes. Something I'd like to speak with you about my brother."

He shifted around in his seat to view the dirty blond character with the glasses. He was speaking to another gentleman with very thick eyebrows--Gilbert was jealous. Of the eyebrows. Very nice. His barely showed up at all. Made him look like a painted doll or something. Manly brows were the thing to have, and this male sported a very sturdy set.

Gilbert grinned at the confused blond man with glasses. "Sir...do you not know where babies come from? I could show you--well I assure you, there will be no babies after, but you'll certainly get a better idea of it than thinking we come from dirt."

Feliciano looked at the brief exchange between the two brothers - Gilbert looked so different from Ludwig, hadn't the prince introduced the guy as his sibling, he surely wouldn't have recognized them as brothers.

He wondered for a moment what Gilbert could mean talking about "crush".
"The baby dragon is a Miss." he said "And she's incredibly cute, no wonder everyone likes her~"
Now that the animal was again on his master's shoulder, she didn't look dangerous anymore.

"I think she likes you too." Feliciano added patting Ludwig on the shoulder: the blonde and the dragon seemed to start getting along quite well. Then he realized that almost all the wursts from the tray were gone, and he hadn't tried one yet.

"I wanted to taste the wurst too~ Can you feed me as well?" he asked cheerfully, pointing at his own open mouth.

Ludwig wanted to smack his brother. His cheeks turned very pink at the suggestion of Feliciano as his crush. It might have been true, but he didn't really need the reminder of how awkward he felt around him.

Instead,k he just elbowed his brother in the side to get him to shut up.

Then he heard Feliciano's request and felt his cheeks grow hot. "Um..." He picked up a piece of the wurst and plopped it in the brunet's open mouth. How could the man be so comfortable with him? Ludwig usually intimidated everyone he was around. Instead, he was asking Ludwig to feed him.

The dragon curled herself around her masters neck and sighed in his ear. She watched the Griffin feed the little human and snorted. Humans could be so disgustingly affectionate.

Ivan patted her on the head and leaned back in his chair. The shockingly white blond, Dilbert or something, was quite interesting to watch. He was ever so energetic and passionate, but it was controlled somewhat.

With all that was going on, the new appearance of the loud brother and everyone in this Tavern seemed to recognize him straight away, not to mention the strange man with the even stranger dragon, Arthur concluded that maybe it was not such a good idea to come here so openly.

While everyone was more interested in the newcomer, Arthur sent Alfred a glance, stood up and headed towards the door.

Alfred caught the meaningful look of his king and rose to follow him. He was confused, King Arthur did want him to follow, right? They left the crowded tavern, confusion never left his his eyes.

Feliciano chewed happily his piece of wurst - delicious, he was glad he could seize a bit of it before it all disappeared into the dragon's mouth.

He saw the Woodland Realm's king leave the table, and Matthew's brother follow him after a moment. He wondered what was happening, if things were getting bad for them as well. He wasn't in the position to ask anything, anyway.

He went closer to Ludwig, staring him in the eyes with a significant glance, pointing again at his mouth and asking with a smile for more meat.

Of course he could have taken the food with his own hands, but he liked those little moment of tenderness. Furthermore, although all the people they had just met seemed all nice and friendly, he still believed that Ludwig and Matt were the only two persons he could really trust. Both of them (Ludwig especially) had proven themselves protective and caring, and his dependent nature required him to ask for attentions.

Ludwig got another piece of the wurst and again fed it to Feliciano. He was certain the other man had no idea what he was doing to him, sitting so close and having him do something so like a lover would. But at the same time, he certainly would offer no complaints for how it was making him feel, regardless of what his brother would say about it. He liked the little human, despite so many things that should have made it the contrary.

He leaned close. "I don't know what they're going to talk about, but I think once we finish eating, I'll need for you, my brother and Matthew if he is so inclined, to meet in our room and discuss the situation with our countries at the moment." He wouldn't admit he intentionally brushed their cheeks as he pulled away, but he couldn't say he hadn't.

"There is still some more wurst left if you would like it." He was already prepared to feed him again.

Matthew knew what Gilbert had implied to Alfred and he looked at Ludwig’s older brother suspiciously. However, before he could step in, guided by a protective brotherly instinct he didn’t know he had, both Alfred and Arthur got up and left the tavern. As much as he wanted to know what was going on, it really was none of his concern.

Besides, he had already promised to help Ludwig and Feliciano, and he wouldn’t let his course shift so easily. He glanced at the two who were apparently discussing something that must have been important if they were leaning close to each other.

He heard a movement from somewhere to the side of him and almost jumped out of seat. But it was only Ivan’s dragon. Matthew shook his head to himself; due to all the commotion, he had almost forgotten about her and her master’s presence.

Gilbert turned away from his brother and Ludwig's crush to glance over the tall man with the dragon. Very interesting. She seemed pretty well behaved and her human seemed fairly laid back.

He looked directly at the dragon and smiled warmly. "So, you liked the wurst eh? I can promise you we do have better food in our country."

He sat back and eyed the other blond who seemed to be glaring at him. "Hm? You need something dear?"

“Eh? Oh, um, no, sorry to disturb you,” Matthew said, averting his glance and trying to remember why he had been staring at the man in the first place. He then remembered that he was supposed to be angry with him and mentally kicked himself. Oh well, so much for his resolution to become more assertive.

He decided to distract himself by looking at the small dragon perched on Ivan’s shoulder. It seemed tame considering its species, but wondered if dragons were supposed to eat foods like wurst. He hoped she wouldn't become ill from eating everything that was given to her at the table.