Eyes, Blood, Hell - FINISHED

Chap. 1

When I stepped into the throne room, I didn't expect to find the king and queen dead. The parents of my best friend, dead beside their glittering throne. The pristine floors were now red.

I heard a thud behind me. Dan. I whirled around, finding Dan, my best friend and also charge, on the ground, trembling; a leaf in the wind. Dan— formally known as Prince Aedan to everyone, but to me, he was simply Dan.

"Dan?" I said slowly.

"M—My p—parents—" He choked out.

My brows furrowed in sympathy. For me, it was just a bloody scene of the king and queen dead, but for him...

"....Hold on for a sec. Can you do that? Lemme assess."

Dan managed a weak nod, leaning his head on my shoulder. I supported his weight, hugging him to my side. Then I looked up.

Guards were starting to rush into the room.

"What were you guys doing while the king and queen were killed in their own throne room?" I demanded.

One guard faced me. "W—We were told to take a break by Prince Arther himself!"

"That doesn't mean you get to leave your spot! Anything could happen! Especially with no guards around! And look what happened!" I hissed.

Dan whimpered from the crook of my shoulder. My face softened. "Dan, are you okay?" I asked him quietly.

He nodded into my shoulder. I sighed. It wasn't the response I was looking for, but it had to do.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the hall. A tall, regal figure stepped into the throne room. And froze. The tablet he had been holding crashed down to the marble flooring, the glass screen shattering instantly.

Dan flinched, and I hugged him tighter.

"Prince Arther," I greeted the newcomer.

His dark green orbs darted around the throne room, reaching the bodies of his parents, then the red all around, then to me, then the guards.

"Wha— What...." He gasped, eyes widening with every passing second. Then his eyes landed on one of the guards. The guard I had heard from earlier. The one with the dark golden hair and frazzled look.

The guard spoke up before Prince Arther could. "P—Prince Arther! Y—You told us to leave our post! We had to follow your orders!"

Prince Arther's fingers were shaking.

"I... only told you guys to take a break because I knew you guys worked so hard. If— If only I knew this would happen."

A sob broke out from him. He clapped a hand over his mouth and then straightened his posture. "E—Everyone, please head to the main wing. I will discuss what we shall do." He announced.

I wondered if I was the only one who heard the tremble in his voice. Prince Arther suddenly looked so much older than his age (22, pretty young if you ask me, but Dan is  even younger so...), his brows furrowed.

It was at this moment, that I saw the family resemblance between him and Dan.

The same dark green eyes, the same dark red hair— except Dan's was always so tousled, like a forest of little spikes and curls and Arther's managed to always stay slick and styled.

The same dark purple dot under their left eye— a symbol of their royalty status and also the deep meaning that the two had powers of a royal.

I inhaled deeply. "Prince Arther, I am awaiting further orders."

Prince Arther turned to me.

"Just... Just stay here, with my dear brother. Don't— You won't need to assess anything. I will take care of it. Do not strain yourself. Just take care of my brother." He told me.

I nodded. "Will do, sir."

Prince Arther nodded. His golden cloak swished as he moved out of the room. Golden cloaks, another status sign, that someone was royalty.

Psh. Like status really mattered. 

Finally, I looked at Dan again. His eyes were squeezed close tightly, afraid of the reality he had to face if he opened them again.

I gently traced the bridge of his nose, then his eyebrows, then his eyes.

Dan's eyes fluttered open. "What are you doing?" He asked with a quiet voice.

I smiled at him. "Comforting you."

He dug his face into my shoulder again, his ears reddened.

I stifled a laugh. He was so adorable.