The One They Call Dark One

16) The Life You've Always Wanted

"So Cara, how old are you?" Liam asked. The boy snorted, "I'm only ten Liam, what about you? You're just a kid." Liam responded, fiddling his thumbs, "I'm only five, but if I'm not weird if that's what you mean." Cara laughed, "No, no, no. I don't care if your weird, I care if you're okay. That's what friends are for, right?" he smiled, walking towards the village, but stopped when Liam refused to follow, "What're you standing there for? The Dark One might find you out near the castle, plus you were hanging around with his knights. If I didn't know any better, you'd be dead any minute."

"I hang out with his servants and knights all the time, didn't ever bother me." He added, "Bye!" He waved at the knight, but it whispered to him, "Careful with the boy young sire, be back by dinner. Your father will destroy this whole kingdom if you're not home by then." Liam nodded, running off following his new friend.

"Cara! Where are we going? I have never been past the village square before..." Cara only looked at him as if he were mad, "Really? Well I'll show you around." He grabbed his arm, and ran off into the markets side of the kingdom. "My parents own an apple stall nearby. If you want, you can have one. The only thing good that's happened to this kingdom is that the Dark One finally has a heart."

"What do you mean by that?" Liam asked.

"I mean, he's generous and kind now. He decreased the prices of the stalls, now all of us have enough dab-loons to use to make a profit. He even has a family of his own now. He does what's good for his people, and so much more! I don't think he's evil anymore, but the elders and old adults here don't think so. They've been under his evil rule for years, I don't think they can trust him as their ruler." Cara replied as kindly as he could.

Liam laughed, imagining his father as an evil man is possible, but he's never seen that before. He didn't want the boy to know of his father, but still bragged, "I met the Dark One's love once, she's beautiful." This caught Cara's attention, "Really? She's nice, right? There have been rumours that the Dark One's true love is the princess. Is that true?" He nodded, "Yes it is, and she doesn't care. From what I know, the princess doesn't want to go back to her kingdom. She loves living with the Dark One, rather than her birth place. Now that is amazing."

Cara was intrigued by the boy's knowledge of the Dark One, but didn't care how he knew. He saw the boy as a friend, something he's never had, and respected him, "Hey, my family would love to meet you! Maybe you can change their mind about the Dark One!" Cara ran towards a food stall down the dirt path and Liam hastily followed. "Mama! Papa! Come here! I want to introduce you to someone!"

The two adults who stood by the food stall smiled at the boy running towards them, the woman holding him in a hug, "Cara! I thought you were playing tag with the other boys! Where've you been?" Cara scoffed, "I don't have any friends remember mum? I did however get one! Ma, Pa, meet Liam!" Cara gestured to the small boy behind him and he smiled, "H-Hi..."

Cara's parents hugged Liam, and smiled. "Hello, Liam. Tell us, how'd you end up meeting a fine boy such as Caramar?" Liam chuckled, "No, he found me actually. I didn't have anyone to play with, so the castle guards were my only people to help pass my time." The father gasped, "Why are you hanging with things such as them? The Dark One is nothing but a monster! He killed my grandparents he did! Crushed their heart when I was only a boy like yourself!" Cara argued, "Papa! He knows what the Dark One has done, so it isn't a problem!"

"Tell me boy, how long have you had his knights as your friends for? Two days? A week?" He asked, and Liam replied, "My whole life. Ever since I was born, the guards were my friends. One time, my mother was busy and my father too. The guards took care of me and until know they've been there for me." The mother gasped, giving me a look of guilt and pity, "Oh you poor baby, you must have such bad parents if they gave you to those guards! How has the Dark One not noticed that? You could've died!"