Only slightly longer than the last update... I hope it isn't too terrible.

Thank you Kie Averi and SeveRemus. Without your comments, I would find it difficult to update.

Frederick twirled the empty goblet in his hand as he gazed out his westward facing bedroom window. Soon a knock came from his door. A guard announced the arrival of his brother Lyondell. Frederick placed the goblet on a nearby table stand and turned towards the bedroom entrance.

Lyondell entered and took a seat across from Frederick. Once the guard had exited the room, Lyondell raised an eyebrow in question. Frederick rarely called Lyondell away from spending time with his wife and children. They usually arranged meetings ahead of time. This was completely unplanned.

“Have you seen Mathew recently, Lyondell?” Frederick asked smoothly as he poured wine into his empty goblet.

Lyondell looked at him quizzically. “What are you talking about? Of course, I haven’t. Mathew left a few weeks ago.”

“And what was the reason he gave us?” Frederick took a sip of his wine.

“He wanted to explore the world or something,” Lyondell answered with distaste. A decent prince stayed home and took on responsibilities. Mathew wanted to play explorer.

“Who was Nathan closest to, Lyondell?”

Lyondell jumped slightly. Everyone in the castle had gone out of their way not to mention the name of his youngest brother. Hearing it now, from Fredrick’s lips no less, had surprised him.

“Prior to Mathew’s leave, I found his behavior odd. He was quiet. Almost mournful. I think he felt guilty, Lyondell,” Frederick said as he smiled at his younger brother. “Where do you think Mathew really went?”

Lyondell could feel his stomach flip. His hands began to sweat. Mathew couldn’t have gone looking for Nathan, could he? He had helped get rid of him! If their father found out, Mathew would be punished, too.

“I knew we should have killed the little bastard,” Lyondell seethed.

“Only you and I wanted him dead. The others didn’t want the blood of their brother on their hands,” Frederick chuckled. “I want you to look for him, Lyondell. And I want you to kill him. Because if you don’t, Father will kill us.”

Lyondell stared blankly at his brother. Leave? He would have to leave his family behind. He barely spent enough time with them as it was. However, the look in Frederick’s eyes was one that demanded Lyondell to obey without question. Frederick was not a man to trifle with.

Lyondell swallowed the growing lump in his throat. “When should I leave?”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“You can’t return to Genom!” Jason said happily, a giant grin on his face.

Adrian could have hit the boy. He could have wiped that taunting grin right off his face. Instead, he took a ragged breath and calmed his nerves. Now was not the time to lose his temper. He had to remain calm. He had to rescue Nathan.

He turned back to his brother who was now visibly fuming with anger. The two of them had never gotten along the way brothers should. Whispers that the throne should have gone to Adrian had fueled Adam’s jealousy. Adrian had to suffer through years of his brother’s bullying. They had had many fistfights. Each one had ended with a battered younger brother and overly smug Adam.

“Let me in. We need to talk.” Adrian waited for his brother’s response.

Adam continued to glare at his younger sibling. Adrian felt his confidence waning. Finally, Adam nodded his head at the guards at the gate.

Adrian stepped forward slowly.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Kyle had watched the scene play out before him quietly. Many emotions had run through his veins. Betrayal had been chief among them. How could Adrian have called him a friend all these years? They had been partners, even lovers, and not once had Adrian told him the truth. Kyle was furious.

Adrian disappeared behind the gates without looking back.

“I… don’t understand. He’s a prince?” Celeste asked as she looked at Kyle.

“Apparently, he is,” Mathew replied. He looked just as dumbfounded as the rest of them. Adrian never gave off the impression that he was royalty. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He was a vulgar, rude mannered man.

Then again, Kyle thought, he could be quite charming when it suited him. He was a master with the sword, a skill he probably acquired through hours of tutoring from private masters. He was well read. He knew how nobles would react in certain situations, a skill that came quite handy when cornering noblemen and holding them for ransom. There was so much about Adrian’s past that Kyle had never bothered to ask about.

“I’m going back to the tavern,” he said monotonously as he turned on his heels and headed back the way they had come.

He heard Mathew and Celeste follow him.

“Sh-should I tell Michael?” Celeste asked shyly.

“Why don’t you see if that boy has woken up?” Kyle suggested.

Kyle heard Celeste’s footsteps run off as Mathew continued to follow him.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Adam led Adrian and Jason to a private room off the main entrance. Adrian saw him whisper to a guard before closing the doors. He waved to a couple of empty chairs. The two men took a seat. Jason stood next to Adam with a triumphant grin on his face.

“Where is Gregor?” Adam asked suddenly as he looked at Jason with hostility. It was obvious that the two did not like each other.

“He kidnapped a boy that I was taking care of,” Adrian interrupted.

“Why would he do that?” Adam questioned with disbelief.

Jason cleared his throat. “If I may interrupt, Prince Adam,” he said sweetly. “I will be the interim wizard while Gregor is away. Once you return to the palace, your father will give you all the details you need to know about what has occurred here today. Rest assured that we did not kidnap anyone. If someone left with Gregor, they did so consensually.”

“Bullshit!” Adrian roared.

“Aidan, would you shut up,” Adam snarled at the outburst. “You have no say in whatever Genom does. You left. You’re dead to father. I’d like it to stay that way. How much do you need to stay out of sight?”

Adrian was livid. Did Adam honestly believe that he could be bought off?

“The boy belongs in my care. If you do not order Gregor to return him then I will go to Genom,” he announced with full conviction. Adam visibly paled. Adrian’s presence in Genom would be a threat to his throne.

“He can’t return, Prince Adam,” Jason said smiling. “He made a Contract with a wizard. He can’t return. He’s not a threat. He’s just a silly peasant, now.”

“And it was Gregor who made that Contract with me!” Adrian yelled.

Jason frowned and muttered a string of words under his breath. Adrian’s throat constricted. He grabbed at it with both his hands and tried to shout. He suddenly realized he couldn’t talk.

“You can’t possibly believe that, Prince Adam. Gregor would never disobey the king. He made a Contract with a wizard named Clia.” Jason’s smile returned. “He must think you’re stupid. Surely you know that your father is far too intelligent to allow a traitor to be one of his top advisors?”

Adam remained silent as he looked back and forth between the two men.

“Gregor has only recently found out about Aidan’s escape plan and his life here. As I said before, if you want to know the details he’ll tell you once you return to Genom. However,” Jason’s grin deepened as his eyes sparked with mischief, “Gregor did inform me that he’d keep all information concerning your brother a secret from your father. If you want. Everyone favored your charming brother, but Gregor believes you are more suited to the throne. Once your father learns that your brother still lives…” Jason trailed off.

Adam was silent, calculating his options. It was obvious that Jason’s words had an effect on him.

“Is that so?” Adam beamed with delight. “Order the guards to arrest him, Jason. Make sure is executed first thing tomorrow morning. He tried to impersonate a dead prince.”

Adrian’s throat had gone dry.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“He’s stable,” the physician informed Michael as he packed up his medical equipment.

“Thank you, doctor,” Michael said as he shook the man’s hand. “I’ll have someone take care of him until he regains consciousness. You don’t need to check back with us.”

The doctor frowned slightly and nodded his head before exiting the bedroom.

Michael looked at the pallid boy shivering on the bed. His eyelids fluttered briefly and went still. Michael would get his answers. Then, he would kill Morgan with his own hands.

“Sir, that girl, Celeste, is here to see you,” a man informed Michael from the other side of the door. “She says she has some news about Adrian.”

“Let her in,” Michael responded gruffly. Lately the girl had been clinging to him. He didn’t seem to mind, though.

Celeste opened the door and tentatively stepped inside. She blushed and looked at her feet. Michael cleared his throat, signaling her to report her message.

“Um, Adrian went to Princess Gwyneth’s estate. He yelled at the guards to let him in. It seems he thought that a wizard there had taken Nathan,” she stated bashfully. “He said that his name was Prince Aidan. Of Genom. Prince Adam allowed him to enter.”

“What?” Michael’s jaw dropped. Surely, this girl was lying. The man who had worked for him for so long was no prince! “Where is he now?”

“He was there the last I saw. Kyle went back to the tavern. If, uh, you don’t believe me, you could just ask him.” She looked away. Obviously, she was hurt that her word was not good enough to be believed.

“Stay here with him,” Michael pointed to Morgan. “If he wakes, come get me.”

Michael rushed out of the room before she could respond.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Kyle sat at the kitchen table silently brooding, a bottle of hard liquor sat out before him.

Mathew waited in the doorway, too hesitant to sit at the table with the angry man. Kyle had already shown his dislike of Mathew multiple times. He didn’t want to get too near the man when he was in a bad mood.

Mathew sighed as he thought about what had happened earlier. Adrian was a prince of Genom. The other prince, the one that was supposed to take the crown, had been on the other side of a gate. His enemies, princes he was raised to hate, had been so close. It was irony at its best.

Mathew grimaced as he shifted his weight to his right leg. Did Adrian know about Nathan’s lineage? Had he known all along about who they were? He couldn’t possibly, Mathew thought. Unless Nathan told him? There were still so many questions that needed answers. Morgan was the key to a few of them.

The sound of the tavern door opening surprised Mathew. He turned his head to find an angry Michael stalking towards him.

“Did the girl tell me the truth?” He glared at an unresponsive Kyle. “Is Adrian really a prince?”

Kyle started laughing. “Yes, he’s a prince. All this time…”

“Holy hell,” Michael cursed as he walked to the table and sat down in an empty chair. He grabbed Kyle’s liquor and took three giant gulps. “All this time. How many years has it been? Six? Seven? Our Adrian… a prince.”

“You don’t seem as angry as you should be,” Kyle noted as he lifted his head to look at the man across from him.

Michael leaned back in his chair. “He’s earned me lots of money over the years. I’ll wait to hear his explanation first before I go judging him.”

Kyle snorted. He obviously didn’t agree.

Mathew wanted to know the truth as well; knowing one’s enemy was of vital importance during war. These thoughts only racked him with guilt. He cared more about politics than finding his own brother. He had to concentrate on one goal.

“I take it the boy didn’t wake up?” he asked Michael as silence descended the room.

Michael stiffened. “No. The bastard is still unconscious.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Celeste watched Morgan sleep. She still couldn’t believe what he had done. Morgan was an idiot, but he was no murderer. He was not a kidnapper. She had gotten to know him well when they were Sam’s playthings. They had developed a close relationship out of a painful situation. It felt like so long ago now.

Celeste pulled up a chair and sat by the bed. She was weary from the day’s events. So many things had happened.

Her wandering thoughts were cut short when she noticed Morgan’s arm twitch. His eyes slowly opened and focused on her face.

“Morgan,” she whispered as she reached out to touch his hand.

“What did I do?” Morgan asked softly. His eyes glistened with unshed tears before falling back into unconsciousness.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“Shit,” Gregor cursed as he carefully wrapped his broken arm in a piece of cloth he tore from his cloak. He turned his head to check on the boy. Nathan was staring off into the distance, a haunted look on his face.

The two of them had been traveling all day. Their destination was a Genom outpost several hours outside Norta. They’d rest there, get medical treatment and food, and then take off for the capital. Once there, Nathan would be in no immediate danger from Katrina’s psychotic hands.

Gregor turned his head around to peek at Nathan once more. Nathan’s mental state was another worry. He hadn’t spoken a word since their departure. Katrina had broken him. In his current weak state, he could easily be manipulated by magic. Gregor could do something that was usually impossible: he could alter his memories. If he could accomplish this, there would be fewer complications in the future. Nathan wouldn’t want to go home to Adrian – who obviously cared for the boy - and he wouldn’t remember his experiences with Katrina. Gregor didn’t like having a broken boy who flinched at every sound or touch.

There were certain barriers he had to overcome if he were to do this. He thought more about the necessary procedures as the outpost came into sight before them.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Michael ran numerous underground criminal operations. Many of the men who worked for him had, at one point or another, ended up behind bars. In some serious instances, some men had ended up on the gallows. To prevent the execution of his loyal followers, Michael had assigned Ellie to the Trinity prison. There, she kept a close eye on the incoming prisoners and their sentences.

By her appearance, others judged Ellie to be an innocent, kind woman. She believed in repentance. She was the nurse who cared for the ailing and lonely prisoners who wanted to make changes in their lives. She was the woman who served men their last meal. Everyone trusted Ellie.

A new prisoner was brought in before Ellie could make her evening rounds. She immediately recognized him. She always knew she’d see him there one day.

“And what has this one done?” she asked a young guard sweetly.

The young man smiled at her. “This guy impersonated a prince. He’s being executed. Tomorrow. Only a dumbass would do something so stupid,” he laughed. He slapped a hand to his face. “Oh, sorry, miss, excuse the language.”

“Don’t worry, sir, I’m used to it,” she giggled flirtingly. The man winked at her before dragging the prisoner to his cell.

-=-=-=-=-=-

“Where’s the rest of the prince’s entourage?” asked a confused soldier as Gregor and Nathan approached the small camp.

“They are still with Princess Gwyneth,” Gregor explained. “I have some pressing matters to discuss with the king so I will be returning early. However, I ran into a gang of robbers earlier.” Gregor held up his wounded arm.

The soldier – that Gregor now realized was a captain – ordered the camp’s doctor to examine Gregor’s arm. The doctor motioned for Gregor to join him in his tent. Nathan followed the two men silently.

“Have a seat, Lord Gregor,” the doctor said as he pulled out his equipment. He took Gregor’s arm in his hands, making Gregor wince slightly. “How long ago did this happen? Usually wizards heal quicker than the rest of us.”

“I wasted my energy defending us,” Gregor lied. “I didn’t have much left to heal myself.”

The doctor nodded his head as he cleaned the wound and pulled out gauze. His eyes wandered to Nathan. “Does he have any wounds?”

Gregor shook his head. “No, but he’s a little shocked from the attack…”

Nathan was staring at his feet, lost in a world the other two men could not see.

“We’ll be taking off in the morning-” Gregor began.

Nathan started screaming. He clutched his head with both his hands and wavered until he fell to his knees. Gregor stood up and rushed to the boy, putting his hands on his shoulders and shaking him.

“Stop, stop, listen to me!” Gregor shouted. If he had had any strength left, he could have used a spell to knock the boy out. “Look at me, Nathan!”

The boy stopped screaming. He rocked back and forth and slowly looked up.

“Dead people… bloody… arrows,” he muttered frantically, his widened eyes transfixed on the man behind him.

Gregor grimaced as he looked at the doctor he assumed would see plenty of carnage in the future war. He's getting stronger. I need to get him to Genom and train him quickly before he kills himself.