The forest was dark and quiet. Almost too quiet.

Callen stood on the edge of the forest and ice as he fiddled with his collar. Waiting. It was almost midnight, Callen could tell as he looked up at the sky, a full moon hanging right above him. The stars glowed and colors of green and purple and pink floated above him.

"Cal," a deep voice sounded from the shadows. Callen almost jumped, but he swallowed his fear. It's just father, he thought to himself. He couldn't help but wonder if it was some assassin his father had hired to kill him before he spilled all his secrets to the ice queen. He gulped and shoved those thoughts to the back of his head.

A dark figure stepped out, with brown boots and a hood pulled over his head. Callen didn't recognize this person for he wore a hood, but something seemed eerily familiar...

"Father?" Callen gasped as the man pulled off his hood. King Jeremee had thick black hair that reached his shoulders and a beard just as black. He had unforgiving gray eyes and stood almost a foot taller than Callen.

"Foolish, son," he growled, "Foolish."

Callen gulped."What do you want?" he managed to get out.

"I've come to offer you a deal. Thankfully you haven't died yet. That ice queen taken a liking in you, eh?"

"What sort of deal?" Callen asked suspiciously.

"A deal," Jeremee started, his gray eyes glittering, "that will make you accepted. Take me up on this offer or it will cost you your life."

"You wouldn't dare," Callen took a step back.

"Oh yes," Jeremee slithered toward Callen, his hand tightening around Callen's arm. "I would. You mean nothing to me, son. This deal will change that. Unless you are too afraid on what it has to offer?"

"Don't. Call. Me. Son."

"I can see it in your eyes. You want it so bad..." Jeremee smiled and his teeth gleamed in the light she'd by the moon.

Callen gritted his teeth and flinched as his father's hand squeezed his arm tightly.

"Join me, son, and the Fire Kingdom will rise above all others."

Callen couldn't stop the words coming out of his mouth. "I accept your deal then."

"You swear your allegiance?" Jeremee drew a knife and held it poised, hovering over Callen's eye.

"Yes," Callen said and he flinched as the knife cut at his flesh. It drew a jagged line from the corner of his eye and came back up to make an 'X'. He felt his blood trickling down his cheek. 

"Then so be it," Jeremee let out a dark chuckle. "Son."

Callen knew what his father did. He was branding him with a mark that would surely scar, to show that he couldn't escape. Not now, not ever. Callen did not flinch as the blood reached his mouth. He could taste the saltiness and it stung in his throat.

"So, how is it that you are still alive?" Jeremee growled. 

"Well," Callen started uncertainly, "She took me out of the prison."

"Details, son, details," Jeremee demanded.

"My rooms are right next to hers. There are four guards for each room. And the throne room... There must at least be thirty there."

"This is better than I expected, son." Jeremee let out a breath. 

"What do you want me to do?" Callen asked.

"Use this," Jeremee pressed a small bottle full of purple liquid inside of it. "within the next full moon. Anyone of high rank that will cause a distraction. I expect you'll know how to use it. And I'll see you at the next full moon. Don't fail me now, son." Callen swallowed the lump in his throat. Poison. 

"I won't," Callen replied. "Father."

As quick as he had come, King Jeremee disappeared into the darkness. Callen only stared after his father. His head was full of unexpected guilt as slipped the bottle of poison into his pocket.

*

And that's Chapter 9, pplz! What do you think Callen's gonna do with the poison? What's King Jeremee plotting? Hope y'all enjoyed! ^-^ <3 :3

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