Zeke

  Zeke huffed as he stepped out of the portal Michael had created and noticed that they now stood just beyond the front gate of Akhia. They had arrived in the capital. “Couldn't you have at least placed us inside the palace?”

  Michael shrugged his shoulders as if the matter was beneath him, but the grin on his face betrayed how much he enjoyed this. “I'm sure there are some people who've missed you. You were away for quite some time. I couldn't be so unkind as to stop those people from seeing their lovely prince.”

  Zeke prepared to say something but he remembered Michael's warning from before. “Of course. Thank you.”

  “You're very welcome.” The three of them began walking forward.

  The sun shone brightly on them from above. The difference between the village from earlier to the capital was practically night and day. The houses were taller and were made of stone instead of wood. The path they walked on was also paved with stone. The people walking about had bright smiles on their faces. As if everything was right in the world. Knights stood at practically every corner.

  Zeke turned his attention to the man named Ronan. His clothes were rather simple. But he had a sword on his back. “So you're a swordsman too?”

  Ronan nodded. “Yes. I've been a man of the sword for a long time now.”

  “That's lovely. Perhaps we could spar together someday.”

  He looked unsure. “Well…I think…I'm not sure that I should.”

  “Oh come now!” Michael turned his gaze to Ronan. “Has your sense of pride been wounded because you lost to me? That's no reason to sulk. Anyone who faced me in combat would surely lose. You're no exception. So there's no reason you should feel bad.”

  “So you say. But I'd still be unsure if I should battle someone so quickly after a loss.”

  Zeke stared at Ronan for a moment. “Well we don't have to spar. We could also just spend time together if you want.”

  Michael scoffed. “Asking MY new husband to spend time with another man. How low will you stoop?”

  “I merely meant spending time together as friends. No need for hostility.”

  “I'm not being hostile. In fact, one could argue that I've been rather patient with you. Going out of my way to take you home, letting your rude comments slide, and now letting you plan events with my new husband. I truly am merciful you see. For I could…”

  Zeke tuned out the man's voice and decided to focus on the things around him instead.

  It's not bad here. A lot less tense. Like nothing unusual could possibly happen. Like a strange man running across a roof…hmm?

  There was a man with dark black hair who worked on the roof of a nearby house with a hammer in his hand. The man had an air of boredom to him. Yet he hammered away with such skill that it was almost impressive. It was a bit contradictory. Having such skill while he looked as if he'd rather be doing literally anything else. He certainly was strange. But he wasn't THE strange man in question.

  That man would instead be the man in yellow and black clothing who currently ran along a nearby roof in sandals. He rushed towards the man who hammered the roof. But he didn't look up. They would soon collide if nothing was done.

  “Look ou-” Zeke started to speak. But it was too late.

  The man in sandals slid along the rooftop and kicked the hammer man away at the last second. He flew through the air and the man in sandals jumped after him.

  The man in sandals smirked and twisted his body so far back it looked like his right foot would snap in half. Then he kicked the hammer man towards the ground.

  Zeke created a barrier slightly above the ground in an attempt to cushion the man's fall. But the instant the man touched his barrier…

  It shattered.

  The hammer man slammed into the ground with such force that the stones beneath cracked and flew upwards.

  “He broke through my barrier with just one blow? Impossible. Even the hellhound couldn't manage to do that.” Zeke stared up at the man with sandals as he landed next to the body on the ground.

  The hammer man had created a small crater with his body. His broken and twisted body. His right arm lay under his back. His left elbow was completely exposed down to the whites of the bone. His legs were bent and mangled in such a way that they resembled twin snakes coated in crimson. And his head spilled blood all over the stones below. Yet the man did not scream. His head had hit the ground with such force that he was likely instantly rendered unconscious. If he was even still alive. Could such a man be called lucky or unlucky?

  The man in sandals was certainly very strange. His hair and eyes were both two different colors. On his left side, he had black hair and a black eye. On his right side, he had blond hair and a yellow eye. His skin was tanned and he was rather tall. About the same height as Zeke was. “Hey now! Don't die just yet. The fun hasn't even started.” He looked down at the hammer man and lifted his hand.

  “Oh dear.” Zeke expected him to slam the man's head into the ground or something equally as violent.

  Instead, the man slapped him.

  Instantly the hammer man's limbs snapped back into place. His bones cracked as they became normal again.

  Water magic? It has to be. That’s the only way he could've healed him so quickly. But…that doesn't make sense. Most people need to carefully hold the areas they want to heal. They certainly couldn't do it in just a single touch.

  The man in sandals was clearly an anomaly. There was only one man who this could possibly be. His name was…

  “Judas Brightstone.” Zeke stared at him.

  “Oh? You know my name? Wow! I'm honored.” He licked his lips.

  “We never met personally. But I've heard about you in some of the towns I've visited.” Zeke heard the sound of multiple knights running over.

  “I see. That makes sense. Unfortunately, I've gotta run. But maybe we can play together sometime.” Judas winked at him and rushed off towards a knight.

  “Ah. You probably shouldn't-” Zeke tried to warn the knight.

  But it was too late. Judas punched straight through their armor and sent them into the ground. Then he dragged the knight's bloody body into a nearby alley.

  “I suppose that makes sense. If he's strong enough to shatter my barrier, even armor wouldn't do much good against him.” He watched as the other knights rushed into the alley where Judas had run off.

  “You said you'd heard of him before?” Ronan glanced over at Zeke.

  “Yes. He's a pretty famous fighter in an area of the kingdom most people call the dirt pile.”

  “Dirt pile?”

  “In this kingdom, the closer you are to the capital, the richer you are. The furthest villages on the very edge of the kingdom are called the dirt pile. Knights don't bother to venture there. Not even for supplies. I've been told the people there live quite a hopeless life. There's hardly anything of worth to be found. It's as insignificant as a pile of dirt. Hence the name. You have to fight to stay alive if you live there.”

  “And one of the villages you were in told you about that guy from before?”

  “A few of them. He's a pretty strong fighter. So I was told to run away if I ever encountered him or went into the dirt pile and saw him around. I thought they were exaggerating. But seeing his strength today worries me.”

  Ronan grabbed his sword. “Should we chase after him and the other knights?”

  Zeke shook his head. “No. Our goal in coming here was for me to go home. Not to help in some brawl.”

  “But…the knights don't know how strong that man is. Many of them will possibly die. Along with civilians.”

  Michael stared up at the clouds above. He admired how they were so far above everything else.

  “The knights are trained enough to know that they might not walk out of some battles alive.”

  “And the civilians!?”

  Zeke huffed. “Who CARES about some civilians dying?”

  Ronan’s eyes widened at that. He expected him to show some kind of regret or remorse but none of that became his expression. He shivered.

  Zeke’s annoyance only grew upon seeing Ronan's expression.

  “Well…can't we at least make sure this man is alright?” Ronan gestured towards the hammer man.

  “He looks fine to me. He doesn't even have any injuries anymore.”

  “True. And yet he still hasn't awakened. Strange, right?”

  Zeke shrugged.

  Right then, the door of the house that the hammer man had been working on flew open. A male in bright clothes ran out and cried out when he saw the collapsed hammer man. “Evan?”

  Zeke sighed. They wouldn't be able to slip away at this rate.

  The male in bright clothes had hair that was equally as bright. Bright orange with hints of yellow towards the center. It was almost as if he had flames living on his head. His eyes weren't nearly as spectacular. A mere dark brown. He grabbed Evan's shoulders and shook him. “Hey…are you…?” His eyes widened in horror as he saw the blood pooled around his body.

  “Don't worry. Most of his injuries have been healed already.” Ronan reassured him.

  The man glanced up as Ronan spoke. “Who are you?”

  Right at that moment, Evan's eyes shot open. At first, his eyes appeared to be rolled into the back of his head. Then his pupils slowly rolled down and his body arched upwards towards the sky. His blue eyes became brighter. He opened his mouth and a fierce almost inhuman scream erupted from the depths of his throat. The hammer man, who seemed utterly unremarkable in terms of magic before, now oozed with a large aura of shadow magic.

  Zeke jumped back a little. “What’s going on?” He whispered.

  But his voice was drowned out.

  Evan's body twitched as he continued to scream. The veins in his neck bulged. Then, as quickly as he started, his screams suddenly stopped and his body plopped back to the ground.

  A small crowd had watched from a distance after Evan had fallen from the roof. But once they saw the aura of shadow magic, their worry vanished and they instead began to disperse and hurried away.

  Michael looked down from the clouds and stared very intensely at Evan. “What is that woman thinking?”

  “Evan?”

  The man named Evan slowly looked up at the boy with bright hair.

  “Norman?” His eyes teared up.

  “Yeah? It's me.”

  “Norman! You're okay!” Evan wrapped his arms around him in a hug.

  “I'm not sure I understand. But yes. I'm okay. Why are you being so nice?” Norman chuckled as the other boy began to touch his face. “And affectionate?”

  Evan stared into his eyes with a strange look. “You're okay.”

  “Can we go now?” Zeke glanced over at Ronan. “See? He's fine.”

  Evan looked over as soon as he spoke. At first, his eyes went to Ronan and Michael. But then his gaze moved to Zeke and his eyes widened. “Zeke…Washington?”

  Zeke froze.

  Huh? Impossible! Right now I'm Ezekiel Clockwise. How can this random person know who I am? How can he possibly know who I am when I've never seen him before in my life? I've met quite a few people traveling through different villages. But I definitely would've remembered if I revealed my identity to anyone. So then how in the world does this guy know? HOW? HOW!?

  He flexed his hands to keep them still. He tried to calm himself before he spoke. “Pardon? I believe you're mistaken…I'm Ezekiel Clockwise…”. Zeke hated how vulnerable his voice sounded at that moment. This entire situation was one big mess.

  Evan blinked slowly. “Right…sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else.”

  “It's no problem! Well, we should be on our way!” Zeke laughed stiffly and walked away before any more conversation could ensue. He tried to steady himself as he walked.

  After the three of them had walked a bit, Michael stepped in front of Zeke to stop him. “Wait.”

  “I don't know him! I don't!”

  “I wasn't talking about that. But don't worry. There's something strange about that man.”

  Zeke felt a bit relieved. He hadn't been alone in thinking something was off. “So what is it?”

  “You.” Michael gestured at “Ezekiel” and shook his head. “Do you seriously intend to walk up to the royal palace looking like a random gentleman?”

  “Oh. Right.” Zeke nodded but still looked unsure of what to do.

  “Your appearance is an illusion caused by shadow magic, no? Just undo it.”

  “I would. But we're surrounded by people…”.

  Michael sighed as if he'd rather be doing literally anything else. He grabbed Zeke's shoulder. An aura of shadow formed around him. His white hair was almost like a beacon as waves of shadow magic exploded from within his body and created a thick cloud that surrounded them. Ronan stood still next to them. But the shadows were so thick that he was hardly visible. “There.”

  “What did you do?” Zeke glanced around in confusion.

  “I sent out so much shadow magic that I essentially froze everyone in the capital of Akhia. Don't worry. They're still breathing. They just can't move. Or see. Or smell. Or taste. Or feel. They don't even realize that they've stopped.” Michael smiled as if he expected applause.

  “I see. And the only reason I can move is because you're holding on to me?”

  “What a smart boy you are.”

  “You don't have to talk down to me like I'm a little kid. We're the same age.”

  “I'll do as I please. Now hurry up before I change my generous mind.”

  Zeke nodded as he pulled a large shard of glass out of his pocket. “Thank you.” He took a deep breath and focused on the shadow magic that surrounded his body. Not the magic from Michael. Not even his own mana. But something else entirely. He undid it.

  Zeke's body began to glow red. He channeled the feeling of the mana that surrounded his body and forced it downward toward the shard. As the red moved lower, his body changed. His hair changed from dark black to a neat blond. His eyes went from crimson red to dark blue. His skin was no longer quite as pale but now had a bit of a tan to it. His outfit went from a mix of black and red to white and blue. The last of the mana shot past his hands and into the shard as his gloves went from red to blue. The glass shard now glowed bright red. He was now truly Zeke Washington. In both name and form.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I see. It was a magic item using someone else's mana. That's how you made yourself look different.” Michael nodded. “Who gave you the item and the mana to use?”

  “A friend.” Zeke put the shard back in his pocket.

  “I see. It's not often I actually use magic. Be grateful.” He waved his hand and the shadow magic dissipated.

  “Would anyone be able to do that?”

  “Probably not. It takes a large amount of shadow magic to do something like that. Especially on such a large scale. Anyone who tried to replicate it would likely send themselves to an early grave. Do you see now? I am truly a blessed existence in the world. Most people aren't lucky enough to have such an extraordinary person around them so often. Most people could never see a spectacle such as that.” Michael let go of Zeke's shoulder.

  “Such as what?” Ronan turned towards Zeke and Michael. “Wait…huh?” He tilted his head and looked Zeke up and down.

  Zeke nodded as the people around them began to move again. “I can certainly see why you'd feel so special.”

  Ronan shook his head. “Am I just going to be left in the dark here?”

  Michael and Zeke were both a solid foot taller than Ronan. It was like the two of them were quite literally in their own little world and looked down on him from above. Michael gave Ronan a pat on the head. “Worry not about the specifics. Keep walking.”

  He sighed but knew better than to say anything further on the matter. The three of them continued to walk through the streets.

  Now that Zeke looked like himself, people began waving to him.

  “Oh my! The prince has returned!” A well-dressed woman bowed.

  Zeke gave her a smile and a wave.

  “Hello, Prince Zeke!” A man with a tophat smiled at him.

  “Hello! I hope you're having a wonderful day!”

  “Prince Zeke! Prince Zeke!” A group of children cheered alongside their parents.

  “Listen to your parents and be sure to study!” Zeke waved at the children.

  The people mostly paid attention to Zeke with occasional glances at Ronan. Whenever their gazes would drift to Michael they would look away immediately. But that was to be expected. Nearly everyone in Akhia knew about what Michael had done. If they didn't, they were likely too young to know.

  “Honestly, walking around like this is so mundane.” Michael shook his head.

  “I thought you were fond of walking. That's why you didn't bring us directly to the palace, right? Or does it not feel as good because people are cheering for me and not you?” Zeke smirked at him.

  “I should rip your insolent tongue out of your mouth. Imagine being so proud of meandering around like a commoner. Can't you at least appreciate the beauty of riding in a carriage?”

  “I can't say it's the worst feeling in the world.”

  Michael's expression morphed into one of disgust. “There's something deeply wrong with you.”

  Zeke merely chuckled as the three of them approached the royal palace. By now there was a large crowd cheering for him as he walked towards it. A group of knights stepped forward to keep the crowd a certain distance away from the fence and private land that surrounded the palace.

  The palace was tall. Many of the nearby houses weren't exactly short but the palace stood out even among them. The building itself was white but banners were hanging around the windows. The banners were all the same. They were all dark purple. At the center of all the banners was a large black dragon's head.

  Zeke scoffed nearly every time he saw the banner.

  Keeping that thing up as if the dragon has any interest in us. He made his stance pretty clear five centuries ago. Yet they keep those banners up as if he's still working with the kingdom. Leeching off of his name and the power that comes with it. Absolutely revolting. My only experience with the dragon is through history lessons and books. Even so, I feel like I understand him. Staying around the kingdom would mean dealing with this crappy family. Eunzir, I envy you.

  Waiting at the entrance were two knights. “Hello, Your Highness. Mr. Bennett. And…?” One of the knights tilted their head at Ronan. “State your business, sir.”

  The second knight elbowed them in the side. “Ahem! Mr. Bennett, might that be one of your husbands?”

  “You would be correct. I'm glad at least one of you has a working brain.” Michael nodded.

  “But even so…we still have to check his person to make sure he isn't hiding anything dangerous.” The first knight spoke up.

  Michael's expression darkened. “My patience wears thin. My good mood is slowly being ruined by all of the idiocy I'm being forced to deal with! Does it matter if he has anything dangerous on him? No! I would say that it does not. Even if he did, I could take care of him in an instant. Or are you doubting my power? Please tell me you're not. I would hate to be underestimated. You're belittling me, is that it? Shall I prove my strength to you here and now and show that I am NOT someone to be pushed around!?”

  “No, Mr. Bennett. I apologize for the disrespect.” The knight bowed his head.

  He clapped his hands together and smiled. “Splendid! I love it when someone understands their mistakes. Obviously, I'm perfect. So I don't make mistakes. But it is admirable to see a man who understands when he has wronged others. You are forgiven.”

  The knights opened the doors and the three of them walked inside.

  The inside of the palace was the opposite of the outside in terms of color. While the outside was mostly just white aside from the banners, the inside was a mix of different colors that came together. The walls were light brown. Over the floor at the entrance was a bright red carpet. A bit further in the floors were smooth and made of marble with a bright blue butterfly carved in the center. There were a few vases on tables that held a variety of different colored flowers taken from a nearby plot of land that the Washington family owned. There wasn't a speck of dust to be seen. There had surely been a very thorough cleaning earlier in the day.

  Waiters walked in and out of rooms in a hurry. Some of them carried plates. Some of them held glasses of wine. The ones who carried things moved into the ballroom.

  Only one young man stood still amid all the people who moved around. A young man with light skin. His eyes and neat hair were about as dark as the uniform he wore. This was Gunther Hudson. Zeke’s personal butler. Despite being Zeke's protector, he was actually several inches shorter than him. Some people questioned the decision to have such a small man as Zeke's protector. Especially since they were the same age. But Zeke knew better. Gunther might not have been as big as some people but his lean body actually made deceiving others quite easy. His blows had personally surprised Zeke in the past.

  Zeke resisted the urge to sigh upon seeing the other man. He had thought that his extended time away from the capital would've convinced the ones who called themselves his parents that he didn't need a butler anymore. But apparently not. “Oh. It's you.”

  “Yes. It's nice to see you as well, Your Highness. My heart danced with worry at the idea of anything happening to you. You really must be more careful when going out for so long.”

  “I'll do what I please.” He crossed his arms.

  “Is doing that not what caused His Majesty to summon you home?”

  Zeke had no retort. It was technically true. But the little smirk on Gunther's face as he said that made his blood boil.

  “Hello to you as well, Mr. Bennett. Did you have fun outside?”

  “I did. This is Ronan Tusvaine. He's my new husband. Ronan, this is Gunther Hudson.”

  “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tusvaine.” Gunther bowed.

  “Ah. You don't have to bow. I'm just a mere swordsman.”

  “Whatever your title might be, you are undoubtedly one of Mr. Bennett's husbands. And thus, I shall treat you with as much respect as anyone else in the palace.”

  “Alright. Thank you.” Ronan gave a small smile.

  Michael smiled. “Gunther might be Zeke's personal butler, but he occasionally cooks while Zeke is away. And let me tell you, his cooking is marvelous. A meal truly fit for a God. Why, if he didn't work for Zeke, I would have swept him off his feet and taken him as one of my husbands.”

  “You honor me with your praise, Mr. Bennett.”

  “So? Was there something you needed? We were about to head upstairs.” Zeke tapped his foot on the floor.

  “I was just thinking you should pop into the ballroom.”

  “Is there a need to?”

  “Not particularly. But it might be nice to say hello to some of the people there since you've been gone for so long.”

  “Well if there's no reason then-”

  “You're so right, Gunther!” Michael interrupted. “Zeke has been gone for quite some time. Surely His Majesty can wait a few more minutes while he says hello to a few people.”

  Zeke stomped his foot on the ground repeatedly. “Ugh!”

  “Your Highness, you are nearly a fully grown man. You shouldn't stomp your feet like a stubborn child.”

  “QUIET!” Zeke yelled. He took his bag off his shoulders and shoved it into his hands. Then he strolled past Gunther and practically kicked the ballroom doors open.

  A few heads turned as Zeke walked in. He already had a smile on his face. He waved to a few people as he walked through the room with the others behind him. The room was fairly packed. People sipped from wine glasses. Others ate and tried not to dirty their clothes. A chandelier dangled above all of them.

  Alright. I'll have one conversation. Just have to find someone worth talking to.

  Zeke listened in on conversations as he walked to try and find one that seemed interesting.

  “...and I told him I wouldn't have a drink with him. A drink with him always means flirting! I'm a married woman!”

  “My son wants to join the knights. Can you believe it? I don't think he should go. He ought to be focusing on his studies more if you ask me…”

  “...I wonder when His Highness will choose to marry. He's always running off on his own for so long. Maybe he's found a lovely young lady who he fancies and he intends to hide her from the public!”

  Zeke cringed at that.

  “Ugh. That girl is here again.”

  He paused and turned to see an older man. He held a wine glass in his hand as he stared at someone.

  “Seriously? I wondered why the food smelled bad.” Another male spoke up next to him.

  “Why did the prince have to bring her here anyway?”

  Zeke walked over towards the two of them.

  “It doesn't matter if you put her in fancy clothes. She's still an urchin at heart.”

  He slammed his shoulder into the man so hard that all of the wine in his glass spilled over his clothes.

  “You little oaf! Watch where you're-”, he froze when he turned to see who had bumped into him. “Oh! Your Highness. I'm so sorry for my rudeness. I thought you were someone else at first.”

  Zeke clasped his hands together. “Oh dear. I'm the one who's sorry. I ruined your nice outfit.”

  “It's not a problem at all, Your Highness. I can get this stain sorted out. You needn't worry!”

  “Are you certain?”

  “About as certain that the sun will be bright tomorrow.”

  Zeke winked at him. “Let's hope we don't experience a rainy day then! Hope you enjoy yourself!” He gave the man a large smile and walked off in the direction that he had stared at earlier.

  He came up to them a few moments later. Three people stood together and talked.

  The first was a young man with dark green hair and bright yellow eyes. He wore an emerald green vest and had a bright red rose on his chest. He was a bit shorter than Zeke but not by much and his skin was about the same shade. He was William Grusworth.

  The second was a little girl with blond hair and eyes as yellow as the dress she wore. She currently sat in a wheelchair and she had a yellow sunflower in her hair. She was Sally Cogsworth. She technically didn't have any ties to nobility or riches. Ordinarily she wouldn't be at a place like this. But Zeke had rescued her from a rather unfavorable situation and taken her into his home. She was three years younger than Zeke.

  The third was another young girl with dark black hair and eyes. She wore a red dress and her long black hair was tied up in a red ribbon. Her skin was about as pale as “Ezekiel's” if not lighter. Her name was Minerva Akunar. She was Sally's girlfriend. That was another reason people weren't fond of her.

  “This is quite the unusual group. Well, two of you are expected.” Zeke turned his gaze to William. “One of you is quite the surprise.”

  “Zeke!” Sally smiled at him. “You're back.”

  “I am.” He returned a smile of his own.

  “Your Majesty.” William nodded. “Or would you prefer if I called you Zeke as well?”

  “It really doesn't matter what you choose to call me.”

  “There's no reason to be so cold. I missed you. You stopped coming to school and now you spend most of your days being elsewhere.”

  “I stopped going to school years ago. With you at least.” Zeke had previously attended a nice school. He and William hadn't exactly been friends. But he also couldn't say he hated him either. “But I am glad you're well, I suppose.”

  Minerva smiled softly at him. “Welcome back.”

  “How have you been, Minerva?”

  “Well…I don't exactly get the nicest stares from people. But Sally keeps me going.” She held onto the back of Sally's chair.

  “They probably don't like us very well. We're different.” Sally pretended to stretch her upper body and let her hand rest on Minerva’s for a moment.

  “Well, that's terribly tragic for them!” Zeke shrugged. “You'll always be welcome to stay.”

  “Thank you.” She nodded and then looked behind him. “Michael!”

  “Why hello, Ms. Cogsworth.” He smiled down at her. “I didn't get a chance to say hello this morning. It truly left a wound on my heart.”

  “Who's the boy behind you?”

  “Oh. He's just a very special someone I'm welcoming into my life.”

  “Really?” Sally smiled and then glanced up at Minerva.

  “Yes. People may say whatever they'd like. But I believe love is love. Be it with a man and a man. A woman with a woman. A monster and a human. Everyone should be allowed to freely express themselves. And if some people should be uncomfortable with that, you needn't surround yourselves with them. Should anyone personally offer you trouble, let me know. I'll be sure it's the last thing they do.” He nodded.

  Sometimes he almost sounds reasonable.

  “Are you here to stay, Zeke?”

  Sally's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “Oh. I'm not sure yet. I just came home because Michael brought me here.”

  “Please stay! Even if it's just for a little while. Please?”

  Zeke gave her a small smile. “I'll try.”

  Minerva glanced over at Ronan. “You're a swordsman?”

  “I am. Why?”

  “I happen to like the sword as well. Perhaps we can have a nice duel.”

  Ronan looked uncertain.

  “Don't worry. If you're afraid of hurting her, you shouldn't be.” Sally smiled at him.

  “Is that okay?” He glanced over at Michael.

  “You can have your fun.”

  “I’ll talk to you guys later. As much as I enjoy this conversation, I truly did come back for a reason.” Zeke glanced towards the exit.

  “Am I included in the enjoyment?” William smirked at him.

  “I suppose there are worse things in the world than talking to you.” Zeke turned around and began to walk away.

  To his surprise, William slid up next to him before he could get very far. “Hey. Zeke?”

  “Yes?” He turned to look at him.

  William seemed a bit nervous. Then he looked him in the eyes. “He still talks about you sometimes. Lukas I mean.”

  Zeke's eyes grew wide at that.

  “That's all I wanted to say.”

  “...I hope you enjoy yourself. See you later.” Zeke gave him a strained smile and continued towards the exit of the ballroom. After he got out, he immediately rushed towards the stairs and ran up.

  Up past the second floor. Where the waiters and other workers of the palace stayed. And further up to the third floor. Paintings of the previous kings for the past five centuries hung on the walls.

  Gunther kept up with him with ease. Michael walked up the steps slowly without a care in the world. Ronan simply walked next to Michael. But his expression seemed to scream that he would rather be running as well.

  Zeke walked away from the stairs and felt the urge to sigh again. A bunch of knights stood in formation outside of the throne room. A single man spoke to one of them.

  He was a fairly tall middle-aged man with light brown hair and dark blue eyes. He always wore fancy suits. His name was Paul Crockdale. He was the King's advisor and often handled a lot of matters in the kingdom.

  “So you're telling me that those three broke into a man's home, killed him, collapsed the house and potentially killed an innocent woman and several other knights, and you haven't found them yet?” He spoke to one of the guards who must have come in from outside.

  “I'm sorry. They seem to have vanished into thin air. We have men searching for them though. With luck, we shall find them soon.”

  “If they're gone now, it's probably too late already. Don't extend yourselves too far. I'll inform His Majesty about it. If you're lucky, you'll get to keep your job. And your head.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Paul nodded and then looked over at Zeke with a smile. “Hello, Your Highness! It's so nice to-”

  “Save it.” Zeke strolled past Paul and pushed open the very large doors to the throne room.

  The doors flung open. Zeke walked over the dark blue marble floor. Some pillars stretched up to the ceiling. Knights stood around the room. At the very back there were three thrones of different sizes. On the right was the smallest one. Elizabeth Washington, The Queen, sat in that one. She had on a white dress and there was a tired look in her amber eyes. Her hair was orange.

  On the left was a slightly bigger throne. Anderson Washington, The King, sat in that one. Zeke had gotten his hair and eye color from him.

  The middle throne was the largest of the three. It was golden and had a black dragon engraved into it. Eunzir. A man and a woman stood next to it and waited patiently. There was no one currently sitting on that throne.

  “My son. How nice of you to join us.” Anderson stared coolly at Zeke.

  “Ditch the pleasantries, Anderson. Why did you want me here?”

  “You running off on your own has become a bit of a problem.”

  “How? What does it matter what I do? I'm old enough and mature enough to do as I please.”

  “Oh yes. Running off on your own for months at a time without any protection when anything could happen to you is truly the height of maturity.” Gunther spoke up.

  “Gunther.”

  “Yes?”

  “Silence yourself if you value your tongue.” Zeke glared at him.

  “Of course, Your Highness.” His tone would've given away that he didn't take the threat very seriously. The smirk on his face only confirmed those suspicions.

  “You silence the boy but he is right.” Anderson sat up in his chair. “You are the prince. You are the heir to this kingdom. What do you think would occur if something were to happen to me and you weren't here to lead in my stead, boy?”

  Zeke shrugged. “You have a council who can handle things. And your little dog.” He nodded at Paul.

  “Silence that smart mouth of yours. I bet that attitude of yours would vanish if that boy was forced to suffer because you wanted to run away like a brat, wouldn't it?”

  He glared at Anderson. “Charlie…Charlie wouldn't…he wouldn't.”

  “He would. And you know it. He would be pushed into a life he had no idea how to deal with because of you. Is that what you want?”

  “Don't pretend like you care about him!”

  “DO YOU WANT HIM TO SUFFER OR NOT, BOY?”

  Zeke looked down at his shoes for a moment. “I don't.”

  “Then you will remain here. You will perform your duty as the prince. Or people will doubt that you can properly lead Akhia one day.”

  “Hmm…what if I changed their opinions?”

  “Huh?”

  “If people doubt my skills, shouldn't I show them that there is no reason to do so?”

  “I suppose.” His eyes narrowed as he stared at Zeke. “Why?”

  “Well, I was just thinking that the fastest way to change someone's opinion isn't through talk but rather action.”

  “Get to the point, boy.”

  “I want to become a knight.”

  “What?” Elizabeth frowned.

  Anderson didn't say anything. He just stared at Zeke.

  “Zeke. I really don't think you should-”

  “I didn't ask for your opinion, Elizabeth.” Zeke rolled his eyes.

  “What do you think?” Anderson turned to Michael. “You were the one who found him. Do you think it would be wise?”

  Michael shrugged. “I only went to find him because I wanted a new husband. It doesn't really matter to me.”

  The man who stood near the largest throne suddenly stepped forward. “Wait. What?”

  Michael sighed as if he had forgotten something important.

  “You got a new husband?”

  “Yes. I did.” The man walked up to Michael. “But…you said that I would be your new husband before you left.”

  “I know. And I do apologize. But I had forgotten. You'll just have to join the others in waiting. If I get tired of him, I assure you that you'll have your turn.”

  “But you promised!”

  Michael's expression darkened. “I try. I try and I try. I was having such a good day. But then everyone decided they wanted to push me today. I've expressed such patience today. And all I asked from you was to have a bit of patience in return. Was I throwing you out? No! Did I tell you that you would never have the opportunity to be at my side? NO! All I asked was for you to WAIT! BUT YOU WON'T EVEN DO THAT! You just want what you want right now without even considering how I feel. Fine. If you wish to trample over me, then I shall do the same!”

  “Wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect!”

  “Your life is forfeit.” Michael swung his hand at the man's middle.

  It happened in nearly an instant. There was no buildup of magic like earlier. And yet, a tremendous force slammed into the man's upper half. His body twisted. His face caved in and all of the bones in his body were crushed in an instant as the man's upper body was torn to shreds. The force that had been caused by a simple hand wave slammed into the wall on the left side of the throne room and tore a giant hole in it. The man's bloody lower half fell to the floor. His blood and guts spilled out with a wet thud.

  Ronan stared down at the body with horror written on his face. Everyone else in the room was already used to Michael's outbursts.

  “If you had accidentally hit one of the pillars, this entire room might have collapsed on top of us.” Anderson shook his head.

  Michael grabbed Ronan's wrist and let him forward. “I knew what I was doing.”

  “We'll need to repair the wall now.”

  “Then you had better get someone to repair it, Anderson.” He sat down on the largest throne and pulled Ronan onto his lap. “Does this cause you discomfort?”

  “Not…particularly.” Ronan was a bit hesitant.

  “I'm glad. I wouldn't want to make my husband uncomfortable.”

  “Right…”.

  “Are you afraid of me now?”

  “A little.”

  “Do you understand how pointless it is to try and fight me now?”

  “I do.”

  Good boy.” Michael smiled at him.

  “But…I'm still going to try and become stronger.”

  He hummed. “If that's what you want. Sooner or later you will understand that no amount of training will ever make you as strong as I.”

  Zeke turned his gaze back towards Anderson. “Has this bloody spectacle given you time to think?”

  Anderson let out a small sigh. “You may become a knight if you desire. But Gunther must be with you at all times.”

  “WHAT?”

  “Were you not listening to anything I said, boy? Running off on your own is exactly why this is happening. If you want to be a knight, you take him with you.”

  “But-”

  “Are we done?”

  Zeke grit his teeth. “Yeah. We're done.”

  “Then you are dismissed.”

  He turned around and walked towards the exit.

  Gunther bowed. “If you'll excuse me, Your Highness.”

  Paul spoke up. “Your Highness. About the rebels. They've attacked a house today. At least two lives were lost. Possibly more.”

  “I see.”

  “What would you like to do about them?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing?”

  “If we respond to them as if they are threats, people will think they are threats. If we ignore them, the public will know not to take them seriously. We'll take care of them eventually. Quietly.” Anderson chuckled.

  Zeke turned back to Anderson and Elizabeth. “Someday I'll make you two regret how you've treated Charlie and Hayden.” He pulled open the doors to the throne room.

  “Is that so? Then do your best, boy.” The last thing he saw before the doors closed behind him and Gunther was Anderson's twisted smile.

  Zeke and Gunther walked over to the stairs and headed up another flight to the fourth floor. The fourth floor was where most of the royal family slept.

  “Aren't you going to say anything?”

  “You instructed me to be quiet.”

  He had indeed said that. “Right. Well, you can speak now.”

  “Your Highness, do you hate me?”

  “What?” Zeke turned to him in surprise. “No. Not particularly. Why?”

  “You just seem quite annoyed at my presence so I felt the need to ask.”

  “You do annoy me sometimes. But I don't hate you.”

  “Good.”

  “Huh?”

  “It doesn't really matter if you hate me because you're stuck with me until your parents decide otherwise.”

  “Maybe I will have someone take your tongue out of that very reckless mouth of yours. If my opinion didn't matter, why did you bother asking?”

  “Well…it made my heart feel a bit lighter.” Gunther smiled at him.

  For the second time in only a few moments, Zeke was surprised. He gave his own small smile in return.

  The two of them walked towards Zeke's room. A familiar sound echoed throughout the hallway. The sound of something repeatedly making contact with the ground.

  A boy came around the corner. A boy with hair the color of a carrot. His dark blue eyes stared at Zeke as he limped. His walking stick in his right hand made sure he didn't fall over. He currently wore a long-sleeved shirt and simple black pants. He was Charlie Washington. Zeke’s little brother.

  “Hey…Charlie.”

  Charlie grunted and limped past him.

  “Don't want to talk?”

  “To you? No.”

  “You just did.”

  His eyes widened and he glared at Zeke.

  “Where are you going anyway?”

  “What do you care?”

  Zeke rolled his eyes. “I care because you're my little brother, Charlie. It's my job to protect you. So I have to know where you are.”

  “Please. If you really cared about protecting me, you wouldn't go wandering for months. You wouldn't leave me here by myself. All alone.”

  “You're not alone though. You have Gunther. And Sally. Or Minerva. You can talk to them.”

  Charlie shook his head. “You don't get it.”

  “Well then explain it so I do.”

  He began to walk away.

  “Hey!” Zeke grabbed his shoulder.

  Charlie shook himself loose and fell to the floor.

  “Sorry.” Zeke reached down to help him up.

  He slapped his hand away. “I can get up by myself!”

  “Charlie. I just want to help.”

  “You only make things worse when you want to help. So just…leave me alone!” He grabbed his walking stick and tried not to fall over again as he stood up.

  Zeke sighed. “Shouldn't you at least take someone to guard you?”

  Charlie glared back at Zeke. “You and I both know why our parents obsess over making sure you have someone to protect you. And we both know why they couldn't care less if I had someone protecting me.”

  And with that, he left.

  Zeke continued over to his room. “Could you wait out here?”

  “Of course.” Gunther nodded. “Are you certain you won't need my assistance?”

  “I'm sure I'll need you at some point. I'll call you in later. I just want…”.

  “Some alone time with him?”

  He nodded.

  “Alright. I will stand watch until you need me.”

  “Thank you, Gunther.” Zeke entered the room and closed the doors behind him.

  The inside of Zeke's room was very blue. The walls were dark blue. It was spotless in terms of dust. But the actual room itself was full of things he'd found during his travels. There was a window on the left side of the room. If one looked outside of it they would find a view of the gardens below. The blue curtains in front of the window were closed in such a way that little to no sunlight came in. There was a door in the back that led to the bathroom. In the center of the room was a very large bed with blue blankets on top.

  “I'm home,” Zeke called out to the bed.

  “...Zeke?” Someone in the bed responded.

  “The one and only.”

  A head popped out from under the blanket before it was pushed away slightly. A young man whose sweat dripped down his forehead in buckets. His blond hair was constantly stuck down to his head. His skin was pale and his veins were visible. His eyes were dark blue but they were currently bloodshot. He wore a large shirt that went all the way down to his waist. The shirt was much too big for his frail body. But it clung to him anyway due to how sweaty he was. This was Hayden Washington. Zeke’s twin.

  “I hope you don't mind that I'm getting your bed all wet.” Hayden gave him a weak smile.

  Zeke began to take his outside clothes off. “Why would I mind, Hayden? Anderson and Elizabeth don't bother giving you your own room. Where else would you sleep? A guest room? Outside? No. It's fine.”

  “You shouldn't call them that.”

  “Well, when they're worthy of being called parents then I shall address them as such.”

  He shook his head. “Okay.”

  “Did they have anyone taking care of you?”

  “No. Gunther came by to check on me whenever he could.”

  “They had Gunther doing work around the house and taking care of you? They're going to wear him out. I'm grateful he was here for you though.”

  “He's nice to be around.”

  Zeke chuckled. “Is he now?”

  “Yes. Very nice.” Hayden coughed.

  Zeke kicked his pants away. “They should have a doctor with you.”

  “There's no point.”

  He frowned and began to climb into bed.

  “You'll get sick.”

  “You've never gotten me sick.”

  “But I could.”

  “You won't. And if you do, so be it.”

  “You can't get sick. You have…to take care of Charlie.”

  “Ugh. Charlie.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” Zeke shook his head. “He's just…bratty. Were we that bad at his age?”

  “He's only two years younger than us. Stop talking as if we're ancient. Plus, you're still that bad.”

  “Am not!”

  “Are too!”

  “No!”

  Hayden raised an eyebrow as if to prove his point.

  “Fine. You win.” He patted him on the head with a gloved hand.

  “Zeke…maybe you should find something better to do.”

  “Hmm?”

  “The doctors. You know what they say. I won't last much longer. You shouldn't…get close to me.”

  Zeke rolled his eyes and pulled Hayden into a hug. “I don't care what the doctors say.”

  “But-”

  “They said you wouldn't make it to see fourteen. But here you are. Alive. Now.”

  “Barely.” He muttered into Zeke's shirt.

  “But you're alive. We're both seventeen. Eighteen isn't too far away. Maybe Anderson and Elizabeth feel comfortable giving up on you because they think you'll die any day now. Maybe they're right.”

  Hayden looked up as Zeke said that.

  “Or, maybe they're all wrong. You might die next month. Or next year. Or ten years from now. But you're still alive right now! You're alive.” Zeke placed a hand over his chest to feel his heartbeat. “So I'm not going to be like everyone else and write you off as dead because they think you could die any day. You are alive!”

  He nodded. “Thanks, Zeke. It means a lot. Really.”

  There was nothing that could truly be done for Hayden. Healing magic could heal physical injuries. Not sickness or illnesses or poison.

  Zeke released Hayden from the hug and instead lay on the pillow next to him.

  “Hey. Zeke?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Can you tell me about the different places you visited?”

  A huge smile came over Zeke's face. “I thought you'd never ask!”