The Prince's Captain

Chapter Twenty One

For days after Tristan killed Luka, the town of Endolias was in an uproar. Most of the townsfolk were confused as to why the prince they had thought was dead had suddenly returned and killed the man while the rest of them rejoiced with finally having the monster of a man out of their lives.

The guard, who Tristan had learnt was called Zach, that had lead them to the castle had left them to spread the news about the killing, the new king they would have and why it had all happened, explaining to the townsfolk that the man had broken in and killed the previous king and queen right in front of the prince and Theodore. While Zach had been doing that, Tristan had led his small group of friends through the castle and together with Theodore they reminisced about all the fun they used to have in the hallways.

When they had gotten to the ballroom that their parents had been slaughtered, the pair walked to where they had last seen them to find there wasn't a stain from the blood; as if it had been cleaned almost immediately to stop it from staining the white marble floor. After inspecting the room, Theodore lowers to his knees slowly and places his hands where his mother and father had knelt while that man had driven swords through them both.

"Ares, this is where I last saw our parents," Theodore says without looking at his older brother though he could feel that the man was coming closer, only raising his eyes to meet the others when he kneels beside him, "they were kneeling like we are now, only they had been tied up. Father was killed first and right before mother died her eyes captured mine, there were tears in those eyes and she looked like she had wanted to say something to me. I realise now that she probably wanted to say something, anything, about you but didn't get the chance."

"I acknowledge that what they did was for the benefit of the future Theodore, I'm not angry at them or you." Ares tells the blond with a small smile and a chuckle when Theodore nods slightly. After that nod, Ares takes a second to study his younger brother as he looks around the room and frowns at the dark hair that had sprouted slightly from Theodore's scalp and the frown deepens when Theodore turns to look at him. The blue that Ares had noticed days before had grown considerably and he was surprised that Tristan hadn't mentioned it, though Ares couldn't remember the last time he'd seen them close since the kiss they'd shared the night before coming here. He wondered how Tristan would react when he finally noticed the blue.

Zach had spent some time reintroducing Theodore to the guards of the castle, making them realise just exactly who Theodore was and creating a fuss about beginning training as soon as the young blond was ready, which was going to be immediately but Tristan had walked in and stolen the future captains attention rather quickly by grabbing his hand and dragging him away from the guards, leaving with a grin to the men staring after them. Tristan dragged Theodore all the way to his old room, pulling the blond down onto the bed with him and wrapping his arms around him. The two hadn't been intimate for a while but that was the last thing on their minds as they held each other close and eventually fell asleep, only to be woken up hours later by Ares who wanted to train with Theodore and the guards.

Theodore grumbled out a farewell to Tristan as he kissed his cheek and got out of the prince's bed to follow his older brother down to the training room where three guards, including Zach, were waiting for him. Walking inside Theodore cracks his knuckles and rubs his hands down his face and through his hair, again Ares noticed the black that had spread a little more.

"Sorry for asking this, but who exactly are you again?" Zach asks Ares who shrugs slightly.

"This is Ares, he's my older brother. My parents lied to everyone about having another child." Theodore supplies, cutting off any response Ares could've given for himself.

"That's strange they would lie but we trust your word Theodore," one of the guards said which earns him a nod from both the boys in front of them.

Theodore walks over to the weapons wall and studies the many weapons while tied his long hair into a tight braid that starts at his scalp to the tips.