Jack slid the saddle onto Topaz and finished getting him prepared. Today, I was to find Gavin and kill him. Yes, I had a kingdom to run, but I was the best tracker in the kingdom, so I had to do this. I trusted Jack with the responsibilities of the King of Achievement Kingdom while I was gone and he accepted boldly.
I turned to Jack after straightening my old knight uniform. It's only been four days and I already missed it. I slid my diamond sword into it's normal holder and began my good bye to my friend.
"I'm putting a lot of trust in you, Jack. You understand that, right?" I started, trying to sound proper.
Jack chuckled and opened his arms to me. I smiled and hugged him back, instantly feeling a wave of relief wash over me. At least I don't have to act proper in front of him.
"You stay safe, okay? Camp out in trees instead of the ground. Always have light surrounding you. Keep your energy up. Listen and wat-," Jack kept reminding me.
"Jack, I got it. I've known this stuff since I was in training. I've done more dangerous stuff, I'll be fine," I reassured. Jack smiled a little and hugged me one last time.
"I have faith in you, King Michael. Good luck," Jack said as I mounted Topaz.
"Hey, that's Michael to you," I told Jack, receiving a chuckle from him.
I galloped off and out of the kingdom gates. Hearing the knights chant my name as I rode past. I heard the villagers stop and chant for me as well. I smiled and waved, and quickly turned towards the forest, where Gavin escaped.
It was gonna be a long day.

I dismounted Topaz and led him towards a pond. I let him drink while I sifted through my pack and pulled out a couple of apples. I offered one to Topaz, which he gladly accepted. I began eating mine, hoping it would replenish my lost strength.
I found a fresh track of horse hooves and I was almost certain they were the ones of Gavin's rescuers.
As I got more into the mission, the more I realized I didn't want to kill Gavin. He was talented, too talented to go to waste. I could see him now, being my second in command as we ruled over Achievement Kingdom together.
Of course, if he were second in command, that would mean we would have gotten married and he would have became the King's consort. The fact that I could see that happening meant something to me, something that I couldn't quite conquer yet.
I shook my head, shaking off the romantic thoughts I was having. I was just delirious from all the stress. Yeah, that's it.
I stood up straight again and figured I'd call it a night. I tied Topaz to a tree and I began climbing it. I reached a good point and settled in the crook of the tree, being secluded from the ground.
I rested my eyes for a moment, feeling the need to replenish my lost energy already. I felt the sun going down as my eyes stayed shut, and when I opened them again, I noticed it was moon high.
But the moment I opened my eyes, I saw a glint in the corner of my eye.
I squinted to see it better and I soon made out that it was a dozen arrows nestled into a hole in the tree. They were sharp, obviously prepared for hunting or fighting.
I reached forward, trying to be quiet as I plucked one out of the hole. The bark was smooth and thin, something that couldn't have been bought, but made. The arrow head was made out of natural sulfur, which gave it a much more sharper edge. The feathers were made from real chicken feathers, plucked and cleaned. Whoever made it sure knew what they were doing.
That's when I saw the symbol.
It was a creeper face. Carved perfectly in the wood. My mind instantly plucked out one name for me.
Gavin.
These were his arrows. Which meant he was close by. And if he was close by that meant I'd have to kill him sooner.
But, he killed my father.
That thought kept running through my head. Every time I began to doubt myself I'd force myself to remember that. To remember the blood and Gavin's unconscious body.
I blinked open my eyes when I heard a noise. I looked down, noticing a creeper. Except, it didn't move like a creeper. It was too quick.
Nevertheless, I jumped down and drew my sword. The creeper stopped and jumped back.
Strange, creepers normally didn't do that. They come up on you and try to explode. Strange that this one wouldn't.
While I was lost in my confusion, the 'creeper' drew a bow and knocked an arrow. By now, I was certain this wasn't a creeper. Or maybe it was a skeleton in disguise?
"King Michael?" The thing breathed, a tint of fear lurking in it's voice.
I glared at the creature, preparing for a heavy blow to the neck. But before I could do anything, the thing pulled it's hood down.
Gavin.
My sword lowered for a moment. I was quickly mesmerized with his bright green eyes that matched his clothing. He looked exactly like a creeper.
But I quickly remembered what this mission was about and I lifted my sword again and lunged at him.
Gavin quickly sidestepped but I was prepared for it. I swept my leg out at his, knocking him to the ground. I jabbed the tip of my sword at his neck but he rolled away. He quickly stood back up and faced me.
"Michael, look," He started before I lunged at him again. This time he was prepared for the attack and he jumped away before I could reach him.
"I didn't kill your father!" He yelled at me before I jabbed my sword at his stomach. He jumped backward, of course.
"Lies! You were the only one there! You were the only one that could've killed him!" I growled, slowly stepping forward.
"But I wasn't! Before I got knocked out there was another person. A dark figure. He killed your father!" Gavin growled at me.
I stopped for a moment. For some reason, my mind told me to believe him, to listen to him.
I didn't get long to think before I felt an arrow embed itself in my shoulder.
I screamed and collapsed. I clutched at my shoulder, already feeling the blood begin to seep through my clothes. The arrow went straight through.
I looked back and saw a Skelton standing there, bow drawn back for a second hit. I closed my eyes tight and braced myself for the blow.
It never came.
When I opened them again, I saw Gavin standing over it. It was dead. Or dead dead. Gavin took it's arrows and stuffed them in his pouch before returning to me.
"Come on, it's too dangerous to stay out here. I have a friend who will take a look at your shoulder," Gavin said. He offered me a hand which I took without thought.
I struggled to mount Topaz but Gavin helped out. He mounted him as well, in front of me and took my arms to wrap around his waist. I didn't object, knowing I wouldn't be able to keep myself upright. He quickly ordered Topaz to go, guiding him through the forest. He obviously knew what he was doing. Carefully navigating his way though the dark.
When I blinked my eyes open again. I saw light. No not the bad kind but the kind that told you you were near a house.
Gavin slowed Topaz to a halt and slid off of him. He held his arms out for me when I slid off him as well. I felt very weak from blood lost, and Gavin helped steady me with his arms.
He led me into the house and I was instantly greeted with a wave of warmth. I smelled food cooking and bread baking. It was amazing.
Suddenly, chaos broke loose when Gavin ushered me forward, letting me sit on a bed.
Another man came forward. He had dark hair and glasses. He quickly began inspecting my shoulder, being as gentle as possible.
"Can you fix it, Ray?" Gavin asked him hesitantly.
"I believe so. It's going to be painful, but it'll probably save his life," Ray answered. He stepped back for a moment to look me in the eye.
His eyes widened so much that I could see a ring of white around them.
"King Mogar! Gavin, do you realize who this is?!" Ray and another man, Geoff? said.
"Yes, now help him before he bleeds out all over my bed!" Gavin ordered.
Ray nodded and quickly went to work. He wasn't what I would call a professional, but damn, did he do a good job.
Taking out the arrow was probably the most painful part. It took both Ray and Gavin to get it out and I screamed through most of it. I ended up passing out from the pain. When I woke up again, Ray was just finishing cleaning the wound and Gavin was washing the arrow off.
Ray stitched up the wound, which was quite painful, but nothing I hadn't experienced before. The stitches were very precise and careful, obviously done very well.
Ray stepped back for a moment to admire his work. I closed my eyes for a moment, finally feeling the effect of my pulsing adrenaline come to an end.
Ray bandaged up the wound and told me to stay still. I listened, knowing that if I moved, I was at risk of opening the wound again.
Gavin came over to me, offering me food. I smiled and gladly took it, despite my exhaustion.
The flavors were bland and tasteless, nothing like what I ate in the kingdom where they made everything with spices and such. But right now, I was too hungry to care.
Gavin and Geoff sat on another bed while Ray talked to them and made his leave. He reminded me to stay still before leaving.
Geoff eyed me nervously and Gavin gave me a look that I couldn't identify. It was a little awkward, the quietness that is.
Luckily, Gavin broke the silence.
"Are you still gonna kill me?" Gavin asked.
Maybe not so lucky...
I stopped eating for a moment and thought. Gavin could still be guilty. He could be lying and I could be right about him.
But, if he was guilty, then why'd he save my life? Any normal criminal would run and leave there pursuer to die, but Gavin didn't.
Not only that, but I owed him now. He saved my life, so perhaps that meant I had to spare his.
"No," I breathed finally.
Gavin smiled and nodded before taking my plate and walking over to the basin.
"I didn't think so," Gavin purred.
"So, Mogar-," Geoff started.
"Michael. Mogar's a nickname," I told him.
"Michael, what's been going on? It's not everyday that Gavin gets caught by the King," Geoff said.
I knew what he was asking. He was wondering why Gavin ended up at the Kingdom as a prisoner.
"It's a long story that I'm still unsure of the facts," I told him. Geoff nodded, understanding and getting up to take over Gavin's work.
"Do you still not believe me though? I know you probably feel like you owe me," Gavin muttered as he sat on the bed I was on.
"I don't know what I believe. I was always taught not to believe a word a criminal says. But you seem to be telling the truth. It's kind of a battle between logic and heart if you ask me," I told him. Gavin nodded, understanding apparently.
"But, what were you doing out in the forest at night?" I asked him.
"I was... Um...," Gavin started nervously. He looked back at Geoff and turned back to me, beginning to whisper.
"I needed to vent a bit, ya know? Kill some mods to release some emotions. I just found out something that kinda changes everything in my life," Gavin whispered. I cocked my head questionably.
"My parents. My real parents were from another Kingdom. They gave me to Geoff so I didn't have to endure the attack that was happening there. I don't really know much, but just to think that my real parents might still be alive somewhere, it's a lot to take in," Gavin started. I was surprised that he was opening up to me this much. I was about to kill him not even two hours ago and now we were talking like nothing ever happened. But I nevertheless continued to listen while he ranted about the parents he never knew he had.
After his rant, I gently took his hand in mine and smiled at him, hoping to make him smile. It did.
But my happy thoughts were diminished when I thought of the possibly of Gavin being a prince. If he were a prince... And he knew then he was very well in danger now.
"Gavin... You aren't a prince, are you?" I asked him. What were the chances of him being a prince? Like 1 in a thousand. He couldn't be-
"I believe I was at one point," Gavin breathed.
I sighed and looked down at our still intertwined hands. This is great. Just fantastic. Note my sarcasm.
I tried to remember the protection spell my father did on me so many years ago, back when my mother was still alive. It was the only thing that could protect Gavin at this point. If he knew about his past, then the monsters would know too.
He would know too.
When I came up with nothing, I began to worry for him. He was in a great deal of danger. He is in more danger than when I was hunting him down.
Gavin lifted my head up gently to look into my eyes. I tried to mask all my emotions with others but for some reason, Gavin could see past it. He could see the fear and worry in my eyes.
"What's the matter, love?" Gavin asked me. I began to blush at his word choice.
But the happy romantic moment was diminished with three words.
"You're in danger."
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Author's Note:
Hello! So plot twist! And super long chapter!
Anyway, thank you for reading, it means a lot that you guys take the time to read this. Please leave some feedback as well. I'd really appreciate it and it really gives me a boost to continue writing.
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed.