Blood of Kings ✔️

T H R E E

Ash snowed down from above through the summer heat. It covered the path they were treading on. There were men still alive, charred and burned from the fire. Rowan could hear the moans for help. It bothered him, at first, but the pain coursing through his own legs distracted him from such thoughts for awhile. They had been walking for what seemed like miles and he was growing tired. Still, he followed close behind. He did not want Aleksander to leave him.

There was no doubt in his mind now. Aleksander was the boy who had a dirty face when they played. He always had bruises, cuts, and scrapes going across his arms and legs. It made him seem like a child who had not been raised as royalty but as a mere peasant boy instead.

"Go away. Leave me be," Aleksander muttered. Rowan's eyes softened, but he still lingered. "You have no reason to be here any longer."

"I have ever the more reason to be here, Alexei."

Aleksander stopped in his tracks and turned his head just enough so that his eyes met with his own.

"Friend, dear friend."

He continued to walk on causing Rowan's resolve to lessen.

Rowan was no fool. He knew a ten-year-old friendship would not help heal the wound that had been festering for well over a decade. His family had destroyed his and took over a kingdom once thought to be friends. Despite that, Aleksander was the only true friend he had ever known to have.

He picked up his head and noticed the familiar, naturistic scenery changing into civilization. Buildings and houses appeared over the top of the hill they climbed. The laughter of people carried on the wind. As they approached the town, Aleksander stopped and turned around.

"Go."

"I thought— I had thought you had perished."

Rowan saw him clenching his hands tight into fists.

"I would have never—"

"Go. Find some guard, so I can be free of you."

"Do you not remember all the times at the river? How we use to play? And the basement. I was frightened of it for the longest, but then I found you hiding away in it." Aleksander walked away, but he only grabbed onto the side of his blood-stained shirt. 

"I had saved you that day, as I have saved you aplenty many years after," Rowan could hear his own voice shaking. "And you have saved mine, had you not?"

Aleksander gazed into his eyes for the first time since escaping the fire.

"I cannot go back, Aleksei. My father is dead and my kingdom is taken over by a usurper. It was well-deserved," Rowan added as his grip tightened. "But this usurper, Aleksander, it is a thing from the fiery pits of hell."

Before he could say anything more, Aleksander spun him around till they were both on the ground. An arrow whizzed by landing a millimeter away from his head. His eyes grew wide and caused his heart to pound. He had no time to think before Aleksander pulled him up to his feet by his wrist and dragged him into the town.

Rowan did not bother to look back. He heard the armor and the clamoring of steel against the cobblestone streets. He watched as Aleksander knocked over carts and stalls. It stalled the men for a few seconds before they broke free. The onlookers screamed and fell on the ground as they were pushed and shoved. Yet, some made way for them.

"Your daggers," his voice boomed through his ear. "Take them out now."

Rowan was quick to do what he asked, although bewildered by it. He handed Aleksander one before taking out the other. As soon as he did Aleksander took him down a narrow alleyway. He could hear them gaining. Their shouts and jeers only grew more apparent.

"Drag it through the barrels or knock them over until its contents spill. We must do this quick!" 

Aleksander knocked down the barrels into narrow space. Rowan mimicked his actions and cut through some of the barrels he could not reach in time. Aleksander continued to tip over barrels until the black liquid spilled across the cobblestone. He threw away his dagger and took out his long sword. It dragged across the ground causing them to slow. Rowan did not know what he was doing, but he trusted in him. Before the men could exit out the alleyway, the liquid caught fire from the sparks causing flames to erupt from the friction of stone against steel. He felt Aleksander bring him close as more of the oil erupted into flames.

"The Black Swan, do you know of it?"

Rowan shook his head as they continued their run. His breath was leaving him as quick as it came. He hadn't the slightest idea why they were still running.

"Go further north from here. Down the dark alleyways of Yasent until you reach a corridor labeled, "Stygian."

A sharp jolt stopped him in his response.

Rowan saw five men clad in armor pressing forward. As he took a step back, he realized there were barrels they could climb onto the roofs of the smaller buildings. If they knocked them over they would be free of them.

"Go!" He looked from Aleksander and back onto the men.

"This time, I mean it, Rowan." He gave him a push as the men drew closer.

Sweat trickled down Rowan's face. His eyebrows furrowing in thought, but he listened and ran to the barrels. He climbed up the nearest one he could find, one step at a time. As he looked down, he saw as Aleksander was facing down three opponents while the other two tried to get passed. After all the years of being away from him, Rowan could not ever think to abandon him again.

He looked around and ran further as Aleksander had slain two and was now battling three at once. Again, he looked down. He drew back a couple steps before jumping down and landing onto one of the men's back. Soon as he had his arm locked around his neck, Rowan plunged his dagger into the man's neck. Rowan wasted no time in kicking one of the soldiers in his shin causing the man to kneel on the ground. Aleksander followed up by taking his sword from one of the soldier's neck and into the other. 

Before Rowan could say anything else, he heard Aleksander's sword fall onto the ground and felt arms wrap around him. His eyes were wide but, after a moment, his body lost its tension and he was quick to return it. 

"Ask me what you will, Rowan."

Rowan knew Aleksander would be gone soon after. Still, he was in need of him. 

"Help me kill a king."