Once the letters were finished, I found myself still devoid of ways to keep father from my mind. His strong, scolding voice drove me out of the room before long, and into a walled garden.

He didn't trust me with his legacy. My mind taunted me as I walked the narrow path between herb beds. It was dark but my night vision had always been able to kick in quickly. He trained me for it my whole life but I messed up when he needed me most. The thought brought bile up into my throat. I failed him.

I paused by a gnarled tree to wipe my eyes. Bloody tears were getting in the way. Three breaths were needed to steady myself.

So I'd fucked up awfully, now I had three options: stay with Evie and risk irking her family's kindness; go back home and take my crown before my abdication was made public; or head back to the war. Only now I didn't want to support the war, not when the Bences were so affected by Nicholas's passing, not when Mrs Edgware was short of a husband and would soon have one son less.

So what to do?

"What are you doing, boy?" A sharp voice made my blood freeze in my veins. I turned, half expecting to see the king ready to punish me for having broken into his study. But no, he was no king. His white sideburns and moustache stood out clearly in the moonlight, his polished mahogany cane glinted in it. Captain Bence stood up from where he had been sitting, his eyes mere slots as they assessed me.

My tongue felt dry as I went to respond. "My apologies, sir. I didn't realise you were here." The deep, gravelly baritone of his voice had shocked me - I had half expected him to speak in the more silky way his daughters did.

"That was not my question." He replied calmly.

"I-I was..."

"You're a long way from home to be running to something, so I expect you've fallen into this garden to run away from something. I'll wager it's one of my daughters." He laughed loudly, makimg me feel ever more uncomfortable.

Shaking my head quickly, and keeping my eyes to his boots, I explained, "No sir, your daughters are charming. I was merely trying to clear my head."

The Captain inclined his head to a space on the bench next to him. I sat down. "I am short of a son." He murmured, tapping his cane on the ground. "If the messenger from the village is to be believed, you are short of a father. I offer my condolences." He had very kind eyes actually. Evie's were sharp, but his were kind.

By way of response, I tried to smile.

"Nicholas hid up that tree on frequent occasions." The Captain continued, his cane still tap tap tapping on the tile. "He fashioned himself a slingshot out of sticks and some silk, used it to fire berries at his sisters. The twins used to scream when the berries stained their little white frocks, Lina always tried to catch them in her mouth." I laughed as I imagined Evie waiting with a dropped jaw on the other side of the wall. "This is the last letter I received from my son." The Captain offered me a neatly kept letter. I didn't take it, out of respect, but as he jerked his hand again, I took it.

Dearest family,
The 14th is now put up near the border. We are to be fighting on Gringle Field soon. General said this battle would be one of the most important in the whole course of the war. Papa I know it's to be important because apparently Prince Gavrila himself orchestrated it. Not only that but his division is here too! At my own encampment. Ridge and I have been observing their training technique and have been copying it to some success. I am in excellent health and look forward to seeing you all at Christmas.
Oh and Anna, I've found the perfect gift for you. I hope you spend the next few weeks suffering over what it is.
Have you had any word from Evie? I've heard no news of large scale destruction at the palace and am becoming concerned.
Your loving son/brother,
Nick

My breath came in short bursts when I gave the fragile paper back to the Captain. "I feel terrible." I murmured. His idolisation of me made me feel sick.

The Captain shook his head and - to my shock and horror - clasped my shoulder with his free hand. "I understand. It was Nicholas's choice. That battle was just badly timed."

"Still though..." A loose button on my boot distracted me.

"Gavrila of Ilragorn." The Captain spoke loudly, making me jump. I looked up to see him holding my eyes intently. "The day I lost my son devastated my family. I didn't think I'd see them smiling again. Not until you came home to Lina." My breath caught in my throat but I still couldn't look away. "You helped my family to smile again. Even though it meant leaving your own. Thank you."

I shook my head, wanting to dispel the tears from my eyes so I didn't look like a little schoolboy. "I..." The walls of my throat were stuck to each other. "Please don't tell this to Evie." I begged him, turning to face the Captain ever so slightly to enforce my point. He nodded calmly to let me continue. "I... I sort of... I don't..." It was so hard to say it aloud.

"You've abdicated." The Captain nodded. "Everyone knows, well, my girls don't yet, but I believe the rest of the country does."

Dread settled in on me like ice cold water. "How do you -"

"The messenger from the village. He also said you'd committed an act of treason and must be turned in at the earliest possible opportunity. Of course I know this is untrue. Nonetheless I'd prefer for you to stay here and keep safe."

Bile bubbled up in the pit of my stomach. Fana had already sent out my death warrant? How dare he? And mother...how could my own mother condone that?

"It is true." I murmured. "He poisoned my father against me. He made him force me to abdicate. He took my whole future I just...lost it. He had to go."

The Captain sat back a little. "I cannot condone that." He shook his head and the ice in my bones trebled. "But you may stay here, lie low. We'll keep you safe."

The realisation of all the letters I'd just sent hit me like a brick. "Sir," I murmured nervously, fully wary of keeping on his good side, "they know I'm here. I sent letters. I didn't think that he'd want me..." Dead. I couldn't say it. My brother wanted me dead.

A slight wind picked up, chilling the hairs on my arms, beneath the borrowed clothes.

"We'll keep you safe, boy." The Captain murmured again. "You're safe here."