Jason had to grit his teeth painfully and hold Shade back as he tried to jump up and get between the two with worried squeaks. All the little dragon knew was that Jason felt for Ash and that Ash had saved Jason. And so he didn't want to see Ash hurt as much as Jason did. Jason felt the cracks in his cheeks deepen as little Fatespeaker pecked at them,trying to stop their silent increasement. "Let me go.I'm not worth it." Jason whispered softly,both his hazel and purple eyes pained.

He flinched at Jason's words, but he didn't reply. Rowan and Ash faced each other across the icy room, two statues each waiting for the other to make the first move. Ash had taken a battle stance, his sword out in front of him, his expression was reluctant but unwavering. Rowan held his blade casually at his side, tip pointing toward the floor, smirking at his opponent. Neither of them seemed to breathe. Then Rowan grinned, a predator baring his fangs. "All right, then," he muttered, sweeping up his blade in a blindingly quick move. "I think I'm going to enjoy this."

He lunged at Ash, his sword a jagged blur through the air. Ash brought his weapon up, and icy sparks flew as the blades screeched against each other. Snarling, Rowan cut viciously at his brother, advancing with a series of savage head strikes. Ash blocked, ducked, and suddenly lunged, stabbing at Rowan's throat. But Rowan spun gracefully aside, his sword licking out and back again. Ash whirled with inhuman speed and would've cut him in two if the older prince hadn't leaped back.

Smiling, Rowan raised his weapon. The gleaming point was smeared with crimson. "First blood to me, little brother," he taunted, as a trickle of red began to drip from Ash's sword arm, speckling the floor. "There's still time to stop this. Turn over the princess and beg for Mab's mercy. And mine."

Jason worked on rebinding his hands rapidly with nervous fidgeting as he held back,not wanting to go against Ash's wishes to let him handle it. Shade tried to distract him by helping but Fatespeaker motioned across her throat as to say not to and Shade nodded and fluttered up and sat besides his icey sibling.

"You have no mercy, Rowan," Ash growled, and lunged at him again. This time, they both moved so quickly, twisting, jumping, spinning aside and slashing with their blades, it was hard to see it as anything but a beautifully timed dance. In fast-forward. Sparks flew, and the sound of blades clashing echoed off the walls. Blood appeared on both swords, and red splattered the floor around the combatants, but it was very difficult to tell who had the advantage.

Rowan suddenly knocked Ash's blade aside, then thrust out his hand, sending a jagged spear of ice at his brother's face. Ash threw himself backwards to avoid it, hitting the floor and rolling to his knees. As Rowan brought his sword down at his kneeling opponent, Ash ducked aside, letting the blade miss him by centimeters. Grabbing Rowan's arm, letting his brother's momentum carry him forward, Ash spun and threw him to the floor. Rowan's head struck the ice, and they could hear the breath leave his body in a startled whoof. Quick as a snake, Rowan flipped over, sword in hand, but by that time, Ash had his blade at his throat.

Jason yanked the binds tightly into place,his eyes never leaving the fight and he flinched as he realized Ash was literally at his brothers throat. 'I'm not worth this.' He thought. Fatespeaker was gently soothing shaking little Shade as he hid in her ragged icey wings from the fight. "Sssssss~.Ssssss~." She cooed softly to him,trying to go 'Shhhh' but it wasn't easy when you were made of ice. Either way it soothed Shade but not Jason.

The older prince chuckled, raised his head and spit blood in Ash's face. "Go on then, little brother," he challenged, as Ash winced but didn't shy away. "Do it. You've betrayed your queen, sided with the enemy, drawn a sword against your own brother. You might as well add slaughtering your family to the list as well. Then you can run off with the half-breed and live out your sordid fantasy. I wonder how Ian would feel, if he knew how easily he's been replaced."

"Don't talk about him!" Ash snarled, raising the hilt as if he really would thrust the sword through Rowan's throat. "Ian is gone. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him, but he's gone, and there's nothing I can do about it." He took a deep breath to calm himself, the longing on his face plain to see.

Rowan sneered, narrowing his eyes. "Ian was too good for you," he hissed, raising himself up on his elbows. "You failed him. If you'd really loved him, he would still be here."

Ash flinched, as if struck a physical blow, and Rowan pressed his advantage.

"You never saw what a good thing you had," he continued, sitting up as Ash backed away a step. "He's dead because of you, because you couldn't protect him! And now you disgrace his memory with this half-breed abomination."

Pale, Ash glanced at Jason, and he saw Rowan's arm move a second too late

Jason's mind anilized what the older prince was saying and realized with wide eyes that....Ash had had someone before...and their death had broken his heart. He probably didn't want to lose someone else he loved. He wanted to hold Ash and tell him,it was okay. That he must have tried his best. Just as he had with his sisters and father,though not able to stop the insane twin of his and the shattering that had broken his father to far all to quickly. But it must have been worse for Ash because it must have been heart wrenching to lose a lover,someone other than Ash that Jason had never had before. "I'm not an abomination." He muttered softly.

Ash was already moving, the honed reflexes of a fighter kicking in even when his mind was elsewhere. Rowan sneered and dismissed Jason. Rowan pulled a dagger out of seemingly nowhere and slashed at Ash with it. Rowan's lunge carried him right onto the point of Ash's blade. Both brothers froze. For a moment, everything ground to an abrupt halt, frozen in time. Rowan blinked and looked down at the blade in his stomach, his eyes wide and confused. Ash was staring at his hand in horror. Then Rowan staggered back, dropping the knife and leaning against a wall, his arms around his gut. Blood streamed between his hands, staining the white fabric crimson.

"Congratulations...little brother." His voice came out choked though his eyes were clear as he nodded at Ash, still frozen in shock. "You finally...managed to kill me."

Pounding footsteps echoed in the hall, and faint shouts carried into the throne room. Ash didn't hear, he was still staring at his brother in a horrified daze.

Jason rushed over besides Ash and clutched his shoulders with frail but firm hands,gently Shaking him with a guilty and pitying gaze. "Ash...I'm so sorry.Please,if they find you here and Rowan like this,please I don't want to see what they'll do. Please." Fatespeaker dropped to the ground and rubbed against Ash's legs like a cat,trying to reassure him. Shade starred in literal frozen horror at the elder prince. "Eeee~?" He sounded even more guilty and confused.

He snapped Ash out of his trance.

"Yes, run away with your half-breed, Ash." Rowan coughed, a line of blood trickling from his mouth. "Before Mab comes in and sees that her last son is dead to her. I don't think you can do anything more to betray your court."

The voices were getting louder. Ash shot Rowan one last guilty, agonized look, then gently squeezed Jason's hand and ran for the door. Ash pulled him along like a madman, running through hallways that all looked the same. It was a miracle they didn't run into anyone, as footsteps and sounds of pursuit echoed all around them. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence at all, as Ash seemed to know exactly where he was going. Twice, he yanked him into a corner and pressed his body up against Jason's, whispering at him to be silent and not move.