Chapter Text
He layed in his bed, pressing a pack of ice on his forehead to stop the headache.
There was already a huge, purple bruise forming around his left eye and he couldn't even leave the room because of it. Not that he cared about people’s glances, and it was just a training accident after all, but he really didn't need dad scolding him for not being careful. As if he wasn’t a reckless teenager once too.
Dad was busy. Robby knew he was because he was busy every single day recently, not even knowing that his son existed for sure. So it wasn't likely that he would just make his way towards Robby's chambers to check on him, but if Robby left, he would most probably run into the old man - it was just his luck.
Their overprotective and too motherly maid gave him some remedies and the ice pack, and Robby was grateful for it, but he also had to give her the puppy eyes so she wouldn't tell anyone anything.
The only other person that knew was Miguel who caused the injury when they were goofing off during their training. But Miguel was his trustworthy friend, not to mention that he was a well known nobleman as well and didn't need to ruin his reputation by getting into trouble. So he easily agreed on keeping his mouth shut until the black eye faded completely.
Robby’s eyelids were getting heavier and heavier as the pain was pulsing in his temples, and he would most definitely fall asleep right away if some really annoying and loud footsteps coming from the hall didn't interrupt him.
Whoever it was, the person was in a rush, and obviously on their way to disturb Robby which was the last thing he needed at the moment. The day was pretty loud in general when Robby thought about it now. He heard some yelling and the sounds of metal every second, but he figured that those were just some new recruits, training outside of the castle and their masters, scolding them.
But as soon as Miguel swung the door open and Robby spotted the sweat on his forehead and panic written all over his face, he started having doubts.
His senses were a little bit alarmed now, but he didn't want to make the headache even worse so he closed his eyes. “Miguel, not now, please. I'm a little…”
“Robby, the hell?!” Miguel cut him off, surprising Robby with the frustration in his voice. “Why are you in the bed?! Are you deaf? We are under attack, you idiot!”
Robby wasn't sure how to react so he just furrowed his eyebrows.
Yeah. Classic Miguel.
“Nice one.”
“What are you talking about?!” Miguel looked absolutely freaked out now. “You don't know about the threats Lord Silver has been sending your dad recently? About taking his throne and shit?”
“Yeah, but those were just…” Robby spread his arms. “Threats.”
“Well, they weren't empty, cause we are under attack! Can you finally get up please?”
Robby sat up, but didn't leave the bed. Not yet. “Miguel, are you telling me that Silver is…outside?”
“Him and his army!” Miguel was gesticulating with his hands aggressively, obviously losing his patience. He approached Robby’s bed and grabbed the boy’s wrist, helping him to his feet, and throwing the ice pack away. “We gotta get out of here. Now!” He started dragging him out of the room before Robby could ask any more questions. The confused prince didn't even know what was going on, but when they left his chambers, he could hear the sounds of a fight louder.
Those were no recruits.
Miguel was right. He could hear the sounds of metal hitting metal, threats and screams of pain. Generals yelling commands at the soldiers. Women and children…
He could smell death in the air. How come he fucking didn't notice before?!
Their kingdom…his dad’s kingdom was under attack. Lord Silver, their greatest enemy and the traitor, came back to take what he claimed was his, although it never belonged to him.
And…
What was he going to do to his dad? To him? To Miguel? To anyone who would refuse to kneel before him?
Robby doubted that dad’s army had any chance, to be honest. There were a lot of traitors among their lines, and Silver had been collecting them for years, leaving dad with a poor amount of men. And half of those were old men who were too tired to move out of the kingdom and follow Silver.
Robby should have known that this day would come, but his childish naiveness had taken over and he had convinced himself not to care about politics and the army. Just to piss off dad, as per usual.
He stopped in his tracks when he realized that Miguel was not leading them towards the throne hall. Neither dad’s office.
“Where are we going?” He asked, eyes wide and heartbeat in his ears. “We have to help dad!”
“Robby…” Miguel took a breath. Robby knew that what he was about to say wasn't going to satisfy him. “I’m sorry, but your dad sent me to get you…out of the castle. Through the secret chamber, you know. He doesn't want you in here.”
“What…” Robby’s face became a pale mask when the meaning of those words hit him. Dad knew they didn't stand a chance.
Robby was an heir to the throne, Silver wouldn't let him survive this.
That was why he didn't want him in the castle during the battle for the throne. Sure, Robby had an excellent sword master who trained him well to his exhaustion, but Robby had never experienced a real fight to death. With real weapons.
He wasn't ready for this, he would never be able to win a fight against some skilled soldiers from Silver’s army, let alone Silver himself.
How could he possibly help dad without getting himself killed?
But also…how could he run away just like that? Like a coward?
“Miguel, I have to go to dad,” he said, trying to escape the other boy’s grip. But Miguel didn't let him go. He was his old friend, they had known each other since they were kids, but Miguel was still a little bit more loyal to his father than him.
He would rather die than ignore the king's order.
“No, Robby. We gotta get out of here,” he insisted firmly, dragging Robby even further from the throne hall. Robby protested, but Miguel was strong enough to drag him around like a rag doll.
After passing a few corridors, Robby finally realized that Miguel wouldn’t let go of him and it was useless to scream at him and draw unwanted attention.
If they got caught because of him, he would never forgive himself.
So he followed along as shameful as running away was, towards the secret chamber where Miguel led him.
They used to use it when they were kids, sneaking out of the castle to cause trouble in the kingdom, two innocent kids looking for fun.
It seemed to be so far in the past, although they weren't even eighteen yet.
And now they became fugitives.
Nothing but a bounty for all Silver’s hunters.
Robby couldn't even catch a breath the moment they finally stopped running. He knew those woods that surrounded them, dad often used to take him here when he had been hunting wild boars.
It was a nice place. The most peaceful thing about it was the silence, and it was so so different from all the noise in the castle. They could only hear the wind moving the branches, the songs of birds that had no idea that the kingdom was suffering, and their own heavy breaths.
Miguel wasn't satisfied with the break they had to take, but Robby would pass out if they didn't stop at least for a second.
They didn't see any soldiers nor bounty hunters on their way which was a good sign, but it didn't mean that they were out of danger. Silver would figure out all the places where they could hide, and the forest wouldn't go unnoticed for sure.
They had to get out of the kingdom completely in order to stay safe.
Robby leaned his back against the uncomfortable bark of the nearby tree, and pressed a hand on his chest, still gasping. “We can't…we can't keep doing this.”
“What do you mean?” Miguel frowned, putting the rim of their shared water bottle to his lips, and taking a sip before passing it to Robby.
Robby drank before he spoke. “We can't keep running, Miguel! We have to find help and save dad! What are you planning on doing? Hiding forever?”
Miguel approached him to put a hand on his shoulder, but Robby stubbornly pulled away, knowing what his friend was about to say. “Robby, you know that you can't save your dad all alone.”
“I said we have to find help,” Robby reminded him. “That means finding someone who will do the saving for us. But we have to do something.”
“Who would help us, Robby? You know how powerful Silver is.”
“But we can't…”
His words were interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps, getting closer and closer to them. Their owner had obviously no idea they were there, and it would be good if it stayed that way.
Miguel’s eyes opened wider, he reacted faster than Robby, grabbing the boy by his forearm and dragging them behind the tree he was leaning against til now.
He left him there because the tree wasn't wide enough to cover them both, and ran towards a couple of bushes, ducking behind them. Robby covered his mouth to stop the loud breaths that were slipping through his lips. His heart was beating so loud that he was afraid the stranger could hear it.
He subtly looked from behind the tree to see what was going on as the footsteps suddenly stopped.
There were two tall men dressed in leather standing in the middle of the forest road. Both of them had bows and arrows hanging on their back, and one of them was examining the mud beneath them.
Hunters.
“Humans,” said the one examining the ground. His voice was low and hoarse as if he wasn't used to talking.
“Where’d they go?” The other one asked. When he curiously looked around to examine their surroundings, Robby quickly ducked behind the tree, closing his eyes, and hoping.
“No idea,” he heard the first man’s voice. “The tracks are visible only here. Where the mud is wet.”
“So they’re long gone?”
“Nah,” the tracker let out a scoff that somehow caused Robby’s ears to start beeping. “It's fresh. They’re around.”
Robby didn't dare to look at them again, but he knew that they had to grab their bows as they were examining the forest with their eyes. They had to look up at the trees - Robby doubted that they were new at this so they obviously assumed that they climbed the trees and hid between the thick branches and leaves.
Robby immediately looked at Miguel who was only a few feet away, curled up behind the green bushes. The other boy met his eyes and put a finger to his lips.
Robby gave him a tiny nod and remained quiet.
“How many?” He heard one of the men.
The other one let out a silent chuckle. “Hopefully the whole unit. Bastards think they can take us if they attack from the woods. But I know those woods better than the back of my palm.”
“So we’re gonna surprise them with a few arrows, aren't we?” The first one laughed as they were coming closer to Robby's hiding place.
Robby was ready to stand up and start running any second now, although he knew that one of the arrows would certainly find a way to his body if they spotted him.
If they were at least half as good as dad’s hunters… Wait.
Robby suddenly jumped on his feet, showing his face to the archers with raised hands. He heard Miguel's muffled scream, but he didn't care about that.
One of the men yelled something when a person appeared right in front of him and pointed the bow at Robby, but the other one stopped him with a loud shout.
“Don't shoot! That's not Silver’s soldier.”
Miguel chose the moment to show up as well, leaving the bushes hesitantly with shaking hands and knees. “Don't shoot him, please.”
“Miguel, those are ours,” Robby turned to him, a tiny relieved smile forming on his lips. Those hunters weren't looking for them, they were examining the forest in case Silver’s men were hiding in it.
That was only proved a second later when both men recognized him and put the bows down. “Holy shit!” One of them hissed, turning to his buddy. “That's our prince, Rylan.”
“Yeah, idiot,” Rylan snapped at him, nudging him with his elbow. “That’s why I said don't shoot him!”
Robby was well aware of the state he was currently in. His hair was messy, his bangs were getting into his eyes and he had to constantly brush it away to see anything. He was covered in sweat, dressed in a dirty white shirt and brown leather pants that had tree bark and leaves on them already. His face was also dirty, and he must have looked super exhausted. His eyes were slowly closing every minute, not to mention his black eye.
So he didn't blame those guys for not recognizing him right away. He looked more like one of those bratty kids from the neighborhood that were constantly stealing the crop and pissing off the citizens.
“I…” the other hunter hesitated when he realized that he wasn't sure what to do next. He was about to kneel in front of Robby, but the boy stopped him.
“No! No, no. No need to do that. Could you just…” he took a deep breath, emotionally preparing himself for the answer that he was afraid of. “What does the situation look like? Do you know if dad…if anyone is…”
Rylan looked down, letting Robby know that his worries were justified. “I’m sorry. Our soldiers are still fighting, but I don't think we will last long. We were sent here to find Lord Silver’s units, in care they were hiding in the woods. That would be a great strategy.”
The other one nodded. There was sorrow written on his face. “We don't know how the king is, but… it's likely that Silver will either lock him up or…” There was no need to finish the sentence. Robby knew that dad’s chances of surviving were low, although hearing it from those strangers made it even ten times less bearable.
It was so easy to imagine the castle, his home, on fire, Silver walking through the flames just to get dad’s crown and to kill him. Surrounded by his army, hundreds of deadly weapons and war machines, puddles of human blood… Robby gulped. He knew that if he saw the result of this war, he would start vomiting. Maybe it was only for good that he had escaped.
And of course, he was grateful for Miguel, it would be way worse if his friend stayed in the kingdom and died as well. Now Robby had at least someone in this world.
“If I may ask, my liege,” Rylan interrupted his dark thoughts, fortunately. Robby looked up at him and gave him a nod. “What are you planning to do right now? If Silver finds out the heir escaped, he will hunt you down. Do you have a place to go?”
Robby’s eyes laid on his feet before looking at Miguel whose shoulders were dropped and face full of worries. They were just kids. They had no idea what to do next.
Rylan obviously got the answer to his questions before Robby even said anything. “You know, we are on a mission, but I’m certain that there is nothing more important than getting you to safety, so…”
“You don't have to do that,” Robby cut him off, shaking his head already. “You should come back. Tell dad that the woods are safe and that…that I’m alive. So he’s not worried. You need to come back. Don't worry about us. We will find help.”
He resisted the urge to look at Miguel for confirmation. He knew that his friend thought that he was fully capable of protecting them both, and that he would sacrifice his life in order to save Robby’s without hesitation, and that was the reason Robby would be glad if they weren't alone in this. Those two hunters could be useful, give Miguel a break, watch out for them both during nights.
But their mission was more important than Robby. It wasn't necessary to have two guardians, it would only draw more attention. People would more likely notice four people - two of them having long bows - than two young boys without weapons.
Besides they were dad’s source of information. He was probably stuck in the castle, planning the defense and strategy with his generals. Those two were his eyes so he could see what was going on outside.
They were spying on Silver, they couldn't just ignore the king's orders and let him win the war all on his own when they were so important.
So as much as Robby wished to get some responsibility off Miguel’s shoulders, the kingdom was something bigger than both of them.
He didn't have much choice considering those facts.
“Are you sure, my prince?” Rylan asked with one raised eyebrow as if he wasn't expecting Robby to say that.
Robby could read his face like an open book and he knew that the hunter would like to return to the castle with good news more than to escort them to safety.
“Yeah,” Robby nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. We’ll stay in the shadows. It's much smarter to hide than to fight in a situation like this. So you don't have to worry about us.”
“Where will you go?” The other hunter asked, but Rylan opened his mouth before Robby.
“Don't tell us,” he said. “Even if you know the answer, do not tell anyone. I personally can give you my promise that I would never tell Silver anything, but it's easier to say that. Especially during torture.”
Robby gulped at the last comment. Silver torturing someone just to find out his hiding place was the last thing he wanted to happen, but he feared that it was inevitable. And Rylan knew it too.
He looked at the man with apology in his eyes, but the hunter didn't seem to care about that. He offered him a warm smile and bowed his head. “Good luck then. You should probably get going. The sooner, the better.”
“He’s right,” Miguel agreed, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Ready to run again?”
“I was thinking,” Robby's voice interrupted the peace of the night.
They were still in the woods when it darkened outside so Miguel allowed them another break. They needed rest after the whole day of running and they also couldn't see anything in the dark so the best option was just waiting for the daylight.
They were laying in the long grass behind some dry bushes that were covering their bodies, and although it seemed pretty safe, Miguel insisted on staying awake and watching over Robby. Robby was glad that he managed to convince the boy that they should take turns after every three hours.
Now, Miguel was still on a huge hard rock, checking the road while Robby was tossing around, struggling to fall asleep. After a while, he gave up and looked up at the stars, feeling tears in his eyes. He was grateful for the darkness so Miguel couldn't see him in his weak moment.
He couldn't help but wonder if dad was among the stars now or if he was still alive, defending his throne.
Robby regretted that they had never had much time for each other, now it was too late for that.
“About?” Miguel whispered back, not even questioning why Robby wasn't sleeping.
“We have no idea where we’re going, do we?”
“Of course we do…” Miguel stopped talking when he realized that there was no point in lying and giving Robby false hopes. The boy had his orders, he had to get Robby out of the castle. But he had never thought about their destination. “No. No, we don't.”
“Well,” Robby continued, sitting up to look at Miguel, though he couldn't see much. “How about we go to the neighborhood? He is a pretty powerful king. He has an army. He could help us.”
Robby didn't like the silence that followed.
He knew Miguel didn't remain quiet only because he had no idea who Robby was talking about. He didn't say a word because he couldn't believe who Robby was talking about.
“Robby…” he finally let out. It almost sounded like Miguel blamed Robby for thinking about such a solution. “You’re joking, right? That’d be a suicide.”
“Well, maybe, but I don't think he’d be able to…”
“What? Kill us?” Miguel interrupted him almost angrily. “Robby, he would not hesitate to kill me. He doesn't even know me personally, I guess. Well, in case he doesn't remember our five years old asses stealing his stuff. But that's off topic. He is not like that anymore, Robby. You know that he got mad when your dad left and built his own kingdom.”
“Dad left because he couldn't live with him under the same roof! They hate each other,” Robby explained. “I don't think he hated me, though. I wanted to stay with him.”
“Robby, you were five. Five! He used to give you his desserts so of course that you didn't want to leave! If you were older back then, you would have realized that the man was insane! And still is. You know what he had done to your dad back in his childhood.”
“That’s in the past, though…”
But Miguel was too stubborn. “What do you think your interaction will be? You think he’ll welcome you with words My sweet baby, you came back to me? You know he is cranky all the time. And he hasn't seen you for the whole eternity. The only thing he knows about you is that you are going to inherit your dad’s throne. Not his as you were supposed.”
Robby knew that arguing with Miguel would be absolutely useless so he laid on his back again and rolled onto his side, showing his back to the other boy.
Miguel scoffed. “What are you doing now? Pouting?”
“No,” Robby answered, his voice was calm and he almost smirked at his own words. “I’m getting rest. There’s a long journey ahead of me.”
“You are not going to him. Robby…”
“If you don't wanna go, then don't.” Robby tossed a little, closing his eyes. He finally managed to find the most comfortable position and he started thinking that getting some sleep would be possible after all. “I’m leaving first thing in the morning.”
And Miguel followed him. Of course he did.
Robby didn't expect anything else from him, although it took him a few minutes to catch up with him because he was too stubborn to leave. He had actually thought that if he stayed still, Robby wouldn't have enough courage to leave alone.
But the boy knew that Miguel was too loyal and too predictable so he wasn't afraid that he would stand behind for too long. The prince even laughed a little when he saw Miguel running after him - and that was the first time he actually felt lightened and slightly happy since they had left the castle.
“Changed your mind?”
“Not a word,” Miguel mumbled, pretending to be angry which made Robby chuckle again.
The rest of the walk was quiet, but more comfortable and peaceful than before. They weren’t running anymore although they were well rested now. Robby decided that it was useless to move fast and get tired too early, also running could draw a lot more attention than walking.
They left the woods and a long stone road appeared in front of them, surrounded by miles of corn field.
The day was pretty hot and the boys were sweating, and lacking water. They only had one bottle - Miguel hadn't had time to grab more because they had been in a rush, and now they were trying to spare as much as possible, but their dry throats were starting to hurt.
The road was longer than it seemed to be and they spent the whole day just walking under the hot sun, slower and slower with each step. Soon, Robby sat down on a rock and let out a breath, telling Miguel that a short break wouldn't kill them. Miguel agreed because he was too exhausted. He pulled out the water and offered it to Robby who took only one sip before handing it back to Miguel. Neither of them had any idea what to do once they ran out of water. They hadn't even found any brook nor even a small lake and they doubted they would.
They slept in the corn field, although there was no need to hide because the road seemed abandoned.
At least until around noon the other day when they heard a weird sound of wheels moving on the rocks. When they turned around, they spotted a carriage behind them. There were two black horses attached to it and the voice of a coachman with a long whip, guiding them.
They couldn't see him properly, but he was dressed in a black robe, wearing a weird hat - to protect his head from the sun, obviously.
Miguel was ready to duck behind the crop and hide, he even reached out with his hand to grab Robby and drag him to safety too, but the prince already started waving at the man, ignoring Miguel’s shocked expression.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” Miguel asked him, his voice sounded almost angry, although Robby didn't think he had any right to be angry for this.
“Getting us a ride?” Robby turned to him as if it was obvious.
The prince quickly turned his back to the carriage, taking a hand of mud from the road. Then he smeared his clothes and face with it. He also took off all the jewelry he had around his neck, wrists, and fingers, and tousled his hair to make it messy.
Miguel started to get what he was doing.
When the carriage finally approached them, they moved aside, waiting for the coachman to stop.
And he really did. He yelled at the horses loudly and they stopped as one, giving the man the opportunity to look at the boys.
Miguel was also dirty, but not as much as Robby because he didn't have time to do that. But thankfully, he wasn't wearing any jewelry nor too noble clothes that would give away their origin.
Also his face wasn't well known around the kingdom like Robby’s so he didn't even need any mud to cover his features.
“Excuse me,” Robby asked in a high-pitched voice, playing a scared little kid. “Are you heading to the neighborhood?”
The man snorted. “I’m a salesman, kid. I'm looking for the best market. And I’m not gonna find it in this kingdom, trust me.” He raised his eyebrows then. “Are you running away from the war?”
“Yes,” Robby nodded. “Our parents told us to go to the neighbors’ kingdom and find safety.”
He tried to sound as sad as he could, making the man believe that they were orphans now.
And he obviously bought that. “Let me guess, you wanna ride?”
Robby looked at Miguel for a second before turning back to the man with big eyes. “Would you be so kind?”
The man obviously wasn't very emphatic. Although he seemed to be sorry about what happened, he didn't seem to be too willing to help them. He examined them from face to toe, laying his eyes on Robby’s dirty face. “You’ll get mud on my seats.”
Robby felt his heart stop, suddenly regretting that he made his face so dirty. But he could never know who the man in front of them worked for. Even if he was on their side, he was still a salesman and the only important thing to them was money.
And Robby was pretty sure that there was a huge bounty on him by now.
It wouldn't be wise to tell the man who he really was. “I’m sorry. I fell down.”
“Then wash it.”
Robby nervously shifted on his feet. “We don't have any water anymore.”
That wasn't entirely the truth. They still had a little of the liquid, but he would never waste it to wash his face.
The man let out another annoyed snort, pulling a piece of brown cloth out of his leather bag, and handing it to Robby. “Here ya go, kid. I won't let you into my carriage with that on your face.”
Robby locked eyes with Miguel whose face looked more than frustrated now. He didn't have much choice so he simply wiped the mud off his face with the cloth, looking at his feet the whole time. When he was done, Miguel understood that it was his turn.
“Can you give us a ride now, sir?”
The coachman didn't insist on examining Robby's face and he didn't even care about the fact that the boy didn't look at him once since he wiped his face. He didn't find it suspicious, thank God, and let them enter his carriage.
They traveled for another four hours until they finally left dad’s kingdom for good. Robby had a strange feeling in his stomach that he didn't like when they crossed the borders. There was something in the air that was telling him to turn around immediately.
Something that was telling him that he wasn't welcome here anymore.
The coachman wasn't talking to them at all. He was either yelling at the horses or humming some funny song like all the travelers. Miguel and Robby didn't talk either. They hadn't slept much recently so they both leaned their heads against the comfortable seats and closed their eyes.
They weren't worried that the man would take a wrong turn and sell them to some slavers, it didn't even occur to their minds.
When Robby woke up and looked out of the window, he could already see the huge stone castle in the distance with towers reaching to the sky.
His heart sank. This used to be his home. He had been born in that large building, running down the halls, goofing off in the yard… and now it all felt so unfamiliar.
They were stopped by four soldiers after half an hour. They were fully armed, checking every carriage that crossed their territory.
One of them was holding a piece of pergamon, the other one was examining the faces of all the travelers. The other two were standing behind them, holding sharp spears, and guarding them.
Robby turned to Miguel and shook him awake. Miguel was a little disoriented at first, looking around with barely opened eyes until he noticed Robby’s worried face.
“What's wrong?” He mouthed.
“I think…” Robby looked out of the window once again, trying to confirm his theory. He saw the carriage in front of them. The soldier examined their faces, but focused more on some young boy in there than the old man.
Shit.
“I think they might be looking for us, Miguel.”
“What?” Miguel’s eyes opened widely and he leaned closer to Robby, looking out as well. “We don't know that.”
“But what if they are?”
“The news about you escaping couldn't get here so soon,” Miguel shook his head, trying to comfort both of them.
“But there are a lot of roads here and someone with a horse could get here faster than us. Silver obviously doesn't want me to find a safe place and he knew that I would run here.”
Miguel put a hand on his knee that was bouncing nervously. “Robby, it's gonna be alright.”
Their coachman patted the carriage hardly to draw their attention. “Just a quick stop here, boys.” That was all he said before he told the horses something and used his whip to guide them towards the soldiers.
“Shit, we should have got out of here earlier and found another way to get here,” Robby murmured, more to himself than Miguel. “You think they’re gonna…”
He didn't manage to finish the question because the door to the carriage swung open as the soldier reached them. The one with the pergamon grabbed Robby’s chin - not exactly gently - and turned him to himself, squinting his eyes before looking down at the pergamon again.
Robby could clearly see that it was, in fact, his portrait on the pergamon - and it was a wanted poster.
He wasn't wrong. His heart literally stopped beating.
When the soldier turned to the others and told them to confirm his suspicion, Robby knew it was over for him.
“Holy shit, that's him!” One of the men said loudly, drawing the coachman’s attention.
“What?”
The soldier’s face got from excited to more serious as he looked up at the man. “I’m sorry, sir. We are looking for the fugitive prince from King Lawrence’s kingdom. And we are afraid that we just found him.”
“What are you talking about?” The coachman left his spot and got down to look at Robby whose face was literally sweating now. He could hear Miguel’s fast breathing next to him.
“Oh, flying fuck!” The man suddenly let out, making Robby wince. “I knew the kid was familiar! Shit! I could’ve been rich by now!”
That wasn't good. That wasn't good at all.
The soldiers turned back to Robby, one of them pulling him out by his wrist. Miguel followed.
“I’m afraid that you are under arrest, my prince.”
They did not shove him into some cage and bring him straight back to Silver.
They also did not separate him from Miguel.
Actually, it turned out pretty well, after all.
The whole arrest thing sounded scary - especially when they tied his hands behind his back, and one of the soldiers dragged him to the castle on his horse, but he ended up exactly where he wanted to.
The coachman got away with his “crime” when he explained and swore on his mother’s life that he’d had no idea who Robby was and only had thought that they were some kids who’d just lost their parents.
They let him go because they didn't know what to do with him anyway, but Miguel didn't get so lucky.
He was arrested as well, as Robby’s partner in crime or something along those lines.
Robby was quiet the whole ride while the man on the horse with him was beaming with excitement, obviously happy that he was going to get some money.
When they arrived at the castle, Robby and Miguel were dragged to the throne hall. They forced them to kneel and held spears above their heads in case they decided to stand up.
And then the king entered the hall.
He was moving slowly, but Robby doubted that it was because he was old. He wasn't that old. He was stalling for some reason. He didn't even look at Robby’s face, he just approached the throne and sat down with a loud, totally “not-king” huff. “Well, well, well.”
The moment Robby finally met his eyes, the soldier behind him pushed his head down, making him look at his feet.
“Look who we have here,” king Kreese continued. His voice didn’t sound mocking nor necessarily evil. But not happy either. He certainly didn't wrap his arms around Robby in a warm hug, and didn't welcome him after all those years.
However, that was expected.
“H-hey,” Robby said, still not sure if he was allowed to look up.
“So nice to see you showing me some respect, kid. Thought I would never see that in my life,” Kreese scoffed, not even trying to act like he didn't know that Robby and Miguel were forced to kneel.
That comment was enough for Robby. He looked up, pulling away when the soldier tried to grab his head again. Then he stood up, taking a few steps forward.
The soldiers were ready to stop him, using whatever method they wanted, but Kreese stopped them by raising his hand.
“Yeah, well, I didn't exactly come here to show you respect,” he spat. “I need help.”
Kreese chuckled at that, standing from his throne. It looked almost as painful as it felt for him because Robby could almost see his old bones struggling. “You would never come back if you didn't. I heard what happened.”
“I know you have,” Robby nodded. “You are the only one with an army I know.”
“One little problem, Robby,” Kreese smiled bitterly, pacing around the room. “You are the son of my greatest enemy.” He spread his arms, chuckling. “Why would I help you?”
“He is not your greatest enemy,” Robby rolled his eyes. “You two have the same enemy. Silver is…”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kreese cut him off. He sounded like he was bored with Robby. “But he also offers a hell of a lot of money. I’m sure you know that there is a huge bounty on your head, kid.”
Robby wasn't really in a laughing mood, but he still let out a dry chuckle to let Kreese know that he found their conversation ridiculous. “We both know you’re not gonna sell me to Silver.”
“Do we?” Kreese raised his eyebrows, genuinely curious about what Robby was going to say.
“Robby…”
He ignored Miguel’s warning voice and smirked at the king in front of him. “Yeah. He betrayed you. You won't trust him ever again.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Kreese gave him an acknowledging nod, thinking about his next words for a while. “Doesn't explain why I’d help you, though. You wanna know what happens next, Robby?”
Robby suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. When he looked around, he saw more than just the two soldiers that escorted them in. There were at least six of them, all holding their spears, ready to attack any second. Their facial expressions were all different. Some of them were shocked by the way Robby was talking to their king who they respected to their cores. Others looked just furious, prepared to kill him in the blink of an eye.
Kreese was looking at him with his cold piercing eyes, burning holes into him as he started moving towards him. Robby resisted the urge to step back because that would make him look like a coward. Also his back would meet the sharp tip of the spear that was pointing at him.
He straightened his back and proudly waited for the king to approach him. He kept reminding himself that there was nothing to be afraid of. Sure, before he had started goofing off in front of Kreese and stealing some interesting things from his chambers when he was four or five, he had been afraid of him. The man looked generally scary - Robby had always thought as a kid that his face kind of looked like a skull.
He was covered in wrinkles and he was old, but he wasn't unable to fight. Robby adored his dad as his only hero, but he couldn't deny that Kreese was always stronger than him.
He wasn't wearing any king’s robe as he was supposed to. No cape, not even a crown on his head.
He was dressed in simple black clothes - if Robby met him on the road, he would have thought that he was a bandit.
And he had a few knives and daggers attached to his leather belt. That was how Robby remembered him - always carrying weapons. He bet he had some little blades in his shoes too.
When Kreese was only a few inches away from Robby, he looked down at Miguel. “Throw the other boy in the dungeon.”
“No!” Robby yelled as soon as the order left Kreese’s mouth, but the soldier behind Miguel was faster. He grabbed the boy by his upper arm and dragged him to his feet. Robby’s face darkened and he clenched his fist.
He threw himself at the soldier and tried to punch him, but someone grabbed him from behind and shoved him towards Kreese who held him in place while Miguel was being led out of the room.
Robby squirmed, trying to escape Kreese’s fingers that were wrapped around his forearm roughly. “No! He didn’t do anything!”
“Alright,” Kreese continued, obviously not really satisfied with what he had just done. One of the soldiers grabbed Robby again, holding him instead of Kreese who clapped his hands. “Now, let's see what we’ve got.” And he started counting on his fingers. “Trespassing, disrespect towards the king, attacking my soldiers… Yeah, I think we’re gonna have a nice little execution this beautiful morning.”
Robby’s eyes opened wider at the words, and he felt two soldiers grab him by his upper arms, ready to drag him out of the room any time.
Robby looked at Kreese in shock. “What? No…wait!”
He is not gonna kill me.
When that thought popped into his mind, he forced himself to calm down and take a deep breath. “Alright, you can kill me.”
“Thank you for your permission,” Kreese gave him a pleased smile.
“But,” Robby wasn't done, “you send your army to save dad. That's my last wish.”
That made Kreese laugh out loud, although the smile didn't reach his eyes. He slowly came closer to Robby, grabbing his chin. “It's cute how highly you think of yourself.” He turned to the soldiers. “Take him away.”
“No…” Robby tried to kick the soldier behind him, but it hurt his own foot when his limb made contact with the armor. He kept squirming and trying to escape the grasps when the soldiers started dragging him away. Kreese turned his back to him, refusing to look him in the eyes. Robby wasn't going to let it end like this. “No! Please…you have to help me. Please, grandpa.”
Everyone suddenly stopped as if some supernatural force just decided to pause the time in the world. Kreese looked a little bit stiffened at Robby’s words and the guards were obviously confused. They didn't know if they should keep trying to get Robby out and lock him somewhere or just wait for the next orders.
There was a minute of uncomfortable silence during which Robby could only hear his own heartbeat.
Then Kreese finally spoke in a cold, low, and kind of scary voice.
“Leave us.”
“Your majesty…” one of the men holding Robby started, but Kreese raised his hand to stop him. His back was still facing them all, but Robby was grateful that he couldn't see his face.
“I said leave us alone.”
That was all the soldiers needed to let go of Robby and leave the room without any other questions or comments. It was none of their business, although Robby could almost feel their curiosity in the air. When they left, the room suddenly became even more tense than before.
Robby shifted on the balls of his feet, back and forth, calculating his next move. If Miguel wasn't who knows where, he would probably try to run, but he couldn't leave the boy after everything Miguel had done for him in his life. Also, the guards were probably right outside the door so he wouldn't stand a chance.
“Do you know the feeling when you want to sentence someone to death twice?” Kreese’s stern voice filled the room, making Robby shiver.
“They don't know, do they?” Robby looked around the room as if the soldiers could jump into his view once again. But they were all gone already.
He heard Kreese’s dry scoff. “What?” The man finally turned around, giving the coldest smile he had ever seen. “We aren't even blood-related.”
“You used to care about us.”
Kreese nodded in agreement. “Yes, and then I got backstabbed by your father.”
“Dad wouldn't have left and built his own kingdom if you didn't try to choke him!” Robby was yelling now. He still feared the consequences a little, but he wasn't going to let this man talk shit about his dad who was likely in some dungeon or dead by now. “You were acting like an asshole to him the whole time!”
“Oh please!” Kreese rolled his eyes. “He was a kid when the accident happened. If he really left because of that, he would have left even before you were born. Of course there was some tension between us since then, but we talked it out. Then one day, he left just like that without any explanation.”
“And why do you think that happened?” Robby asked. “You wanted me to start my training at five. Dad didn't want that. Even I remember that day so don't tell me that you don't. You had this huge argument about it. Dad wouldn't have a problem with my training. He knows that the younger students start training, the more skilled they become in the future. Dad didn't want me to train with you. He was afraid that you would strangle me if I messed something up. That is why he left.”
“Robby, you are a fucking child!” Kreese’s voice was so loud and intense now that Robby fought the urge to cover his ears like he used to when dad and grandpa had argued in his childhood. “You don't know what you’re talking about!”
Kreese started taking huge steps towards him and Robby took a few steps back until his back hit the stone wall behind him.
“You can either get the hell out of here,” Kreese continued when he approached him. “Or you can die here.”
Sure, Robby knew that Kreese wasn't completely alright in his head - his dad kept reminding him almost every single time when he mentioned him by accident - but he didn't remember him like this. Kreese had been so nice to him back in his childhood. Back when Robby was a toddler, Kreese used to carry him around, show him all kinds of interesting stuff and always explain everything. He used to tell him lame jokes that had made him giggle back then. He used to feed him, play with him when dad had been too busy. He had read him bedtime stories about heroes, dragons, and princesses, tickling his belly every time Robby had gotten scared and hidden under his sheets.
As Kreese said, they weren’t blood related, but he never had a problem with Robby calling him grandpa. He had raised his father as his own son and Robby had never really come up with another way to call him.
Too bad dad’s overprotectiveness ruined everything. Dad had been too worried about Robby training under Kreese because he could have never forgotten about the one time when Kreese had tried to strangle him. And the worst thing about it was that Robby didn't even know who to blame.
He hadn't wanted to leave this castle because he hadn't understood what had been going on back then, but he hadn't had much choice. Kreese hadn't had any right to keep him, he belonged to his dad as his only son and the heir.
Dad had been well-known around the world thanks to lots of his adventures and he was powerful enough to take half Kreese’s army and build his own kingdom in the abandoned neighborhood.
Robby hadn't seen Kreese since then, but he would have never thought that the man would hate him enough to execute him.
And he still didn't believe that.
“You wouldn't kill me,” he said firmly, pressing his lips together stubbornly. He managed to keep an eye contact this time and he was proud of himself for that.
“Are you sure?” Kreese raised his eyebrows, another smile forming on his lips.
He’s bluffing.
Robby took an unexpected step forward, his face now only a few inches away from Kreese’s. The boy looked up in the man’s eyes, but his hand reached out to grab one of the daggers the king had attached to his belt.
Then he quickly staggered backwards, putting the sharp blade to his own neck before Kreese could react.
“Put it down, kid,” Kreese scoffed, acting like he didn't take the situation seriously. But Robby could clearly see the way his shoulders became tense. “You'll hurt yourself.”
“But you don't care, do you?” Robby smirked, running the blade across his skin and drawing blood.
Kreese’s pupils dilated when he spotted the thin red line on the boy’s neck.
“Robby, c’mon,” Kreese rolled his eyes in an attempt to hide his frustration. He held out his hand. “Give it to me.”
Robby took another step back.
“Give me the dagger, Robby. Now.” Kreese became impatient.
Robby gave him a nonchalant shrug, although his heart was beating a little bit faster now. “Figured I’d rather die by my own hand. Who knows what kinds of executioners you have here.”
“Robby, don't be a fool,” Kreese said, his voice intense. He moved closer to Robby who stepped back once again and pressed his back against the cold wall. “Drop it. Right now.”
“Funny,” Robby smiled bitterly. “You said we weren't a family. That gives you no right to tell me what to do.”
“I’ve never said that,” Kreese denied with a frown. He was already exactly where Robby wanted him. “I said we weren't blood related. That's true. And I’m a king. I have every right to tell you what to do. And I’m telling you to gimme that fucking weapon, Robby. That's an order.”
“You are not my king.”
That seemed to be the last straw. Kreese lost his nerves and threw himself at Robby in an attempt to take the dagger out of his hands. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned. Of course, Robby had never wanted to kill himself, it was all just a plan to remind Kreese that he actually cared about him somewhere deep under the surface. He locked his emotions in a cage, kept his heart cold, but Robby knew that only he could help him become what he had once been.
And it worked.
He just didn't expect Kreese to be so active.
As the man made the sudden movement, Robby got startled, and tried to step back, but the wall stopped him and his hand jerked up as he tried to get the dagger as far away from Kreese as possible.
When he felt the blade run across his jaw, he let out a scream of pain, throwing the weapon to the floor and covering his bleeding face. He felt the sticky red liquid oozing from the thin, but deep cut through his fingers. The blade thankfully avoided his mouth, nose, and the most important thing - eyes. It was just a superficial injury, but it hurt like hell.
And it made Kreese freeze in place like one of those stone statues that decorated his yard.
“Robby!” When he finally came to his senses, he approached the boy immediately, pulling his hand away from his face so he could take a look. Robby felt tears of pain stinging his eyes, but he didn't let them fall down. That would be humiliating.
Actually…this was already humiliating.
Kreese gently examined the cut. He acted immediately - grabbed the dagger from the floor, cut off a piece of cloth out of his black robe, and pressed it against the injury, wiping the blood off. He held it there until all the liquid soaked into the fabric and it finally stopped bleeding.
Then he dragged Robby to one of the cabinets he had behind the throne and pulled out a bottle of rum, pouring it over the cut, making Robby hiss in pain. “Ah, it stings…” Robby tried to pull away, but Kreese held him in place.
“Yeah, and it's gonna leave one hell of a scar,” Kreese said, not exactly proudly. “What the hell were you thinking?! Are you out of your fucking mind? I blame your father.”
The last comment was quiet as if Kreese mumbled it more to himself than to Robby. It was good to know that Kreese didn't blame only Robby for his stupidity, but Robby just wished he would stop reminding him of his dad.
“Me?! You are the one who jumped at me!”
Kreese raised his hand to slap him, but stopped in his tracks when Robby flinched in panic. He took a breath. “Alright, kid. I get your point. Don't ever do that again or else I swear to God…”
“Does this mean you’re gonna help me save dad?” Robby looked at him with big puppy eyes.
“Robby…”
“No!” Robby pushed him away from him, feeling a wave of anger spreading through his whole body. He couldn't do this anymore. He had already wasted too much time. “You don't know how it feels!” He yelled at Kreese.
“Kid, I know…”
“No! No, you fucking don’t! This huge fucking palace you live in…” he stopped to look around. He needed to take his anger out on something. He needed… He spotted a ceramic vase on a stand, approached it, and slammed it to the floor, shattering it to pieces. Kreese didn't even flinch. He eyed the shatters of ceramic and looked at Robby, absolutely calm. Robby looked back at him with a red face, pointing his finger at him. “You have never been even slightly worried about someone taking your throne! You have everything! You have always acted mean towards dad and when he left, you stopped caring about us completely! Like we were some strangers! You never helped us when our kingdom was hungry. You never helped us when the citizens weren't happy, when there were not enough soldiers, not enough food and water. When we were struggling with everything! You were sitting here, on your fucking throne, eating from your golden plates, drinking wine, and laughing at our situation!” Robby felt tears well up in his eyes that he couldn't hide anymore. “Like we were never a family! And now when…” Robby started to sob. “Now when your mortal enemy decided to take over some kingdom, for some fucking reason, he didn't choose yours! He chose dad’s. And dad doesn't stand a chance if you don't help him! I don't even… I don't even know if he’s still…” Robby burst out in tears before he could finish. His knees buckled and he fell on them, covering his crying face.
There was a long silence, filled only with Robby’s whimpers and sobs until Kreese drew a breath and bent down next to him, rubbing circles on his back. “Robby…” The old man obviously didn't know what to say, but when he saw that Robby didn't pull away from his touch, he wrapped his arms around him in a warm hug. “First of all, I would never laugh at your problems. I want you to know that.”
Robby cried into the crook of his neck loudly, but he could still hear his words. He wasn't sure if they meant anything.
“And we are a family, Robby,” Kreese whispered into his hair. “I may not get along with your dad, but you’ll always be my family. All those years since you left, I’ve been so…empty. I have everything. I have a castle, I have soldiers, I have food and water, I have gold and diamonds. But I’m lonely, Robby. I’ve never admitted that, but I am. The only thing I do not have is my sweet little grandson, you know that? I would give everything I have just to hear your giggles again.”
Robby calmed down a little bit at that. His whimpers became only quiet hiccups now, and he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around Kreese’s waist tightly. He smiled into his shoulder.
“And I’m sure that your dad is alive,” Kreese continued. “Maybe it didn't take Silver too long to take his throne, but he wouldn't kill him. He needs him as leverage. He knows that you escaped, and he knows that you can bring an army to your kingdom. That's why he spread those wanted posters with your face on them. Also if he killed your dad, Johnny would die a hero, and Silver doesn't want that.”
Those weren't very good comfort words, and Robby would be grateful if Silver didn't kill dad for any other reasons, but the most important thing was that he probably wasn't dead. Robby trusted Kreese. He was a powerful king and a skilled and experienced soldier. He knew a lot about strategy, hostages and Silver.
Robby pulled away from the man, rubbed his eyes and let out a snort. “Shit. I broke your vase. I’m sorry.”
“That old piece of crap?” Kreese scoffed. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna have to execute you for that.”
Robby looked up at him, and when he saw his absolutely serious face, he let out a healthy laughter that made Kreese crack a smile.
“There it is.”
“Does this mean that you’re gonna help me?” Robby asked again, his face pale again and he chewed on his lip as he was impatiently waiting for Kreese's answer.
The man sighed. “Yes. Yes, this definitely means I’m gonna help you.”
Robby almost smiled, but then Kreese raised his finger. “Under one condition.”
Robby raised his eyebrows, not expecting something too horrible. In case it didn't have anything to do with Miguel who he had to still get out of the dungeon. “What is it?”
“If we defeat Silver and save your dad’s kingdom…” Kreese started, adding more drama. “...I’m gonna keep one thing from your dad.”
“I don't know if dad’s gonna allow that.” Robby bit his lip, but Kreese put a finger to his mouth to stop him from talking.
“You.”
“What?”
“I’m gonna keep you, Robby. Forever. You won't leave me ever again.”
Kreese didn't say it as a threat, but Robby’s heart still sank at those words. It wasn't like he didn't want to live with his grandpa or that he was afraid of him. But his dad… How could he ever leave and betray his dad like that?
Did he have a choice, though? He didn't stand a chance against Silver without his army. It was either his dad alive but without him or dead/locked up forever.
“Are you doing this to piss off dad?”
“No, that's not important anymore,” Kreese shook his head. “If I really wanted to piss him, I would simply lock you in some chamber right now and keep you from now on. But I want you to be happy, Robby. That's why I’m gonna save your dad first, and then I’m gonna keep you here. So I won't have to die alone.”
“Dad won't let me…”
“I don't care about that,” Kreese shook his head firmly. “You’re gonna go with me after this is over.”
Robby looked at him with curiosity. “And if I’m not?”
“Then I’m gonna declare a war on your father.”