Secrets Of The Wisteria (Velvetfrost)

Chapter 29

"The plan is in action?"
"Yes, father."

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Tommy waited anxiously in his room, his worry growing more with each passing second.
He had no clue if Eret would believe him.
The door opened, revealing the guard standing in the door way.

"Eret," Tommy smiled, "Come in. I need to tell you something very important."
Eret took a breath in, then sighed.
"What is it?"

"So. You're aware that I am aware about my royal history?" Tommy prompted.
Eret nodded, eyes narrowing.
"Well, you know how the king overthrew my father right?"
Again, Eret nodded.

"Okay, if you tell anyone about what I'm about to say, I'm going to reveal to the king that you've been sneaking out to meet Foolish."
Eret gasped, reaching for his sword on instinct before catching himself.

"W-why, would you...what would be so...?" Eret couldn't finish his sentence.
"Listen, I know where my father is being held. I know what the king is doing to him. And I know something you don't."

Eret rested his hand on the handle of his sword, as if ready to pull it out, though both knew he wouldn't.
"The king is lying to you, Eret. I overheard your conversation with him last night. After you left, I heard him telling someone else how he couldn't really bring back Wilbur."

Eret's heart froze yet leapt into his throat at the same time.
"He...he...lying..? W-what!?"
Tommy nodded. "Yeah, I heard him saying he only wanted Ghostbur to keep your 'hope alive' or something like that."

Eret swallowed, the sadness glossing over his eyes quickly turning into anger.
"H-how do I know you're not lying!?" He challenged, "You could be tricking me! Besides, he's shown me the revive book. I know he has it."

Tommy blinked, before it clicked.
"Ant's father has the real revive book. We can show you. The one the king showed you is probably a farse."
Eret gritted his teeth.
"Prove it."

Tommy looked stuck, then glanced off to the side.
"Well...I can't right now. But if you come with me next time to meet Ant, and his father can show you the real revive book."

Eret looked as if he was waring with himself internally, fighting himself about what he should do.
"Fine," Eret relented after a silent pause, "I'll come with you and see. When are you going to meet them next?"

"Tomorrow night," came Tommy's immediate reply.
"Okay then. Come get me when you're leaving."
"It's a deal."

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Eret groaned, torch in hand.
"This better be worth it, or you've wasted time."
Tommy looked up at him with bright eyes.
"It will be. I promise. We'll show you!"

They came to the Wisteria, where Ant and Red were curled up next to each other.
"Oh, Tommy. Is this Eret?" Ant said, turning to Red, who nodded.

"Hello Prince Red, it's been a while," Eret addressed the former royal all to politely.
"Red," the boy responded, "It's just Red. I'm not your prince any longer. You owe me no amount of respect or that title."

"Oh," Eret muttered, "Well, where's this revive book you said you would show me?"
"Oh yes," Ant spoke, "Follow me. Don't worry, as long as you're under the kings protection, no one will lay a hand on you."

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Eret tried to lay low. He kept his head down and didn't get a few feet away from the prince.
Murmurs filled with hatred and malice flooded his mind. Who knew something so tiny could hurt so much?

"What is he doing here?" One whispered.
"Probably trying to bring the prince of the Velvet Kingdom back," another hissed.

Eret tried not to listen. He tried to block them out. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, Ant and Red had lead him to the castle, where the king waited with a calm, stern look on his face.

"Your highness," Eret spoke softly as he dipped his head. He didn't bow, even though every instinct screamed for him to do so. But he didn't. That would be blasphemy, of course.
"None of that," the king shook his head, "Follow me."

The small group followed the king up to his bedroom, where he pulled out an odd looking book.
"That looks like the revive book," Eret said, "The one the king has."

"Has he ever showed you how it worked?" The Frost king questioned.
Eret shook her head, the realization dawning on him that it really could've been a lie without proof.

"Then allow me to show you," the king said, his voice free of judgement as he ventured to a dead lizard that had been laid on the man's desk.
Eret wrinkled her nose at the sight, grossed out by the smell of decay radiating from the creature.

The process is quick.
The king opens the book, mumbled something, then his eyes go blank and he's still for a few moments.
When he comes back to reality, the lizard is scurrying around the room, and is quickly caught by Ant.

"See then?" The king prompted to the younger.
"Will you help us now?" Red asked as if he was desperate, voice pleading.
Tommy strode up beside him, "Yeah, he was lying to you! You gotta believe us."

Eret looked at the ground. His mind reeled as they tried to decifer what had just happened.
The king, the man who practically raised him, had been lying this whole time.

Eret was aware the king wasn't the best man, but a monster? She just couldn't believe this.
Eret sighed. Even if she didn't want to accept it, she had to. It would be for the good of their home.

"I believe you," Eret sighed, "I'll help you overthrow the king. What do you need from me?"
The others shared a look, smiles stretching across the face.

The king gave Eret a soft, kind look that could be mistaken for fondness if you looked too long.
"We need you to help us break Philza out of prison," the king said finally, "We'll keep the king out of the castle."

Eret looked confused.
"How do we do that!?" She asked, blinking rapidly.
"Simple, really," Tommy spoke, "He still thinks I'm loyal to him. I'll tell him I spotted Red at our farthest border. Should keep him busy for a while."

Eret groaned, shaking her head with the feeling of doom and dread building in her stomach.
"When do we do this?"

"A few days," Ant responded.
"I see," she muttered, looking down before looking around at the others again.
"This is insane," she sighed, smiling, "I'm in."