Cherry Blossom Snow

Breaking Point

Following the assassinations of many close relatives, King Lubin III became increasingly paranoid. He already didn't like going out in public, but his outings became even less frequent. After his mother was killed in her own heavily guarded home, he no longer felt safe in the city, so he planned to depart for Windsor Castle, making no more public appearances at all, at least for a while. However, his wife and their young adult sons, Lubin and Jared, insisted on staying at Buckingham Palace.

Jared was the younger of the two brothers. Being rather shy and quiet, he actively avoided making public appearances and had no interest in being a celebrity or taking part in Royal engagements. Jared's body was short and lean. He was rather pale, with shoulder-length brown hair, and his protruding brown eyes seemed perpetually worried. He rarely interacted with anyone outside family, and even among family, the only ones he enjoyed having around were Lloyd, Nanette, and his mother. Nanette had been wanting to introduce her friends to Jared for a while, and he had finally agreed to meet them.

"Hello, young ladies," Jared began, his voice soft but friendly. "I'm Jared, and I'd prefer you just call me that. I don't particularly care for titles or formalities. Nanette has told me wonderful things about the lot of you. It's good to finally meet, although I'm sorry for not being the most sociable."

Mia, Evangeline, Pwalvaserk, and Iminathi stood alongside Nanette, Lloyd, and Jared, waiting for Prince Lubin, who wished to personally guide a tour of Buckingham Palace. Soon arrived a tall, pale man with black hair, wearing a cat costume and a tiara, smoking a joint.

"There he is," Jared declared, his tone laced with cynicism. "Please allow me the honor of introducing my older brother, His Royal Highness The Prince Lubin Charles Henry George David William Edward John Alexander Richard James Eric Alfred Edgar Paul Harold Daniel Stephen Oliver Malcolm Donald Eustace Geoffrey Samuel Arthur Louis Reginald Michael Philip Thomas Bartholomew Jason Kenneth Nigel Douglas Joseph Robert Ernest Christopher Jonathan Peter Gregory Adam Zachary Nathaniel Gerald Lawrence Eugene Gabriel Vincent Raymond Andrew Patrick Spencer Russell Kevin Matthew Albert Joshua Brian Ronald Timothy Jacob Nicholas Frederick Anthony Benjamin Stanley Edmund Archibald Windsor, Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Duke of Normandy, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland."

Lubin stood and stared, followed by a much delayed wave of his right hand. He turned to Nanette. "Who are these people?"

"My friends," said Nanette. "I told you about them."

"Oh, right. I remember now. There's the albino."

"That's Mia."

"Of course," said Lubin. "And the spastic one."

"Evangeline."

"Then there's the crippled alien."

"Pwalvaserk," said Nanette.

"And lastly—"

"Iminathi."

"Of course, the—Jared, what was the polite word for their kind?"

"Human," said Jared.

"Really?" asked Lubin. "All this time I thought I was a human. To think I'd been casually insulting myself without even knowing it."

"No, you are a human. And she's a human, too."

"I suppose next you're going to tell me the French are humans, too."

"Why do you hate the French?"

"Same reason I hate the Irish. They use letters wrong."

"You're functionally illiterate. By choice."