CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Brenda paced around her room looking worried.

Couldn't they find another soldier?

The short man from the royal cabinet explained during the meeting that a neighbouring country needed to borrow a few of their kingdom's most skilled soldiers to enforce with theirs in order to overthrow their wicked king and Bryan was needed because he was the most strongest and bravest of all the soldiers.

He was the one keeping her company and he was beginning to warm up to her,even though she sometimes becomes shy whenever she was with him,she couldn't bear not seeing him for a day.

Shane was tied up and severely punished for killing almost a quarter of their guards and few of their soldiers.

"You've only been in this kingdom for six days and you've killed almost a quarter of our guards and soldiers. What if you were to spend more than six days? You would kill our entire army?"A guard said and slapped him across the face.

"I think it's time to put you where you belong"The man whose voice Shane recognized said and came in.

Two guards also came in with him and took Shane out of the dungeon.

' When would they stop taking me around 'Shane thought.

His mind raced to his sister.

What would have happened if Brenda had been the one who went in search of their mother.

The guards threw him violently into a room filled with about thirty people who looked unkempt.

Shane looked around.

Faces of about twenty people in the room looked familiar to him.

Bryan left the palace during the night with his father.

Brenda was worried.

Would she ever get to see him again?

' He's a brave soldier, I'm sure he'll come back safely 'She assured herself.

Five days passed and Shane was beginning to recognize the faces of the people he met in the new dungeon he was brought to but since the day the guards left him with them,he had not spoken to any one of them.

One particular face looked really familiar to him.

"Why are you staring at me?" A young man said to Shane when he noticed Shane was staring at him.

"I'm sorry, it's just that your face looks familiar" Shane said.

"Really,where have you seen me before? I've been in this dungeon since I was a child"

"Why?"

"Well...it was about twelve years ago,the people of this kingdom invaded my Kingdom and most of us were either killed or taken captive" He narrated.

' Twelve years ago? That was the same thing that happened in his Kingdom twelve years ago' Shane thought.

"What's the name of your kingdom?"Shane asked.

"Cyan Haven"

"What's your name?" Shane asked after hearing the name of the young man's Kingdom,it was the same as his.

"Derek" He answered.

"Derek?"Shane asked and he nodded "You don't recognize me?" Shane asked again.

He was sure the man sitting in front of him was his childhood friend.

Long ago before the war,Shane had a best friend named Derek but he disappeared during the war just like his mother - the queen.

He had thought his friend was dead but seeing him alive gave him hope of finding his mother.

"Who are you?"The young man asked.

"I'm Shane,your friend" Shane said happily.

"What? Shane?"He muttered,looking closely at Shane "Is this really you?"Tears of joy filled Derek's eyes as he remembered the happy times he had with his friend who had the same name and face like the person sitting in front of him.

He moved closer and cupped Shane's face.

"It's really you" He said and hugged Shane.

Brenda grew more worried as each day passed.

This was the sixth day yet there was no sign of Bryan

And, whenever she tried to raise the topic during a meeting,the members of the royal cabinet would tell her that the war was still going on as overthrowing required a lot of plotting and strategic planning and they would quickly move to another topic

After the reunion,Shane decided to ask his friends some questions

"What happened?"He asked

"Well,I was taken captive along with a lot of people from our kingdom. Some of us were sold as slaves,some were made to work in the palace and the rest of us were kept here"

"Why would they keep you here if they have no use for you"

"I don't know but they always make sure we're punished every single day" Derek said "But,what I do know about this kingdom is that every year,they invade at least one kingdom and take hundreds of people captive"

"So, the people in here are all from our kingdom?" Shane asked and Derek nodded

"But some were kept in another dungeon" Derek said "I got to ask though,what brought you to this hell of a Kingdom"

"I came in search of my mother"

"Your mother?the queen?"

"Did your father know about this?"

"No,he passed away two years ago"Shane answered sadly

"Wait, you're the king now?"Derek asked and Shane nodded

"And you left the kingdom without a ruler?"

"Not exactly"

"I can't believe this. You're the king and you risked your life to come to a Kingdom where you are being treated like a useless prisoner"Derek shook his head

"Like I said earlier,I came in search of our mother and this kingdom happened to be the first I found and I'm actually glad it's the first I found. So,do you have any idea where my mother is?"

"I...um" Derek stammered

Bryan returned three days later to the palace.

He went to the king's room immediately after his return but no one answered after he knocked

He figured the king must be in the rose garden watering the flowers

He went to the garden and he met the king watering the flowers just like he expected

He stood and watched

He always admired whenever the king watered the flowers

Brenda turned back and saw Bryan behind her

Bryan cleared his throat and looked away so that the king wouldn't notice he had been watching him for long

Brenda thought her mind was playing tricks on her

She was missing Bryan so badly that her imaginations were running wild

She walked closer to him and when she was sure it was actually him,she hugged him,not thinking twice of the implications of her actions

Bryan was surprised

He didn't expect the king would be this happy to see him to the extent of hugging him

He wanted to reciprocate but he refrained

'This is the king and not an ordinary person' He told himself

But as much the idea felt wrong,he also missed the king

He raised his hands slowly to hug the king

'Compose yourself Brenda. If it were to be your brother,he wouldn't be doing this' She thought and quickly released Bryan from her hug before he even had the chance to hug her back

Bryan quickly dropped his hands so the king would not know that he wanted to reciprocate the hug

Brenda cleared her throat

"When did you arrive?" She asked trying to avoid his eyes

She felt awkward

"This morning,you highness"

"I was so worried about you" She exhaled and blurted,not being able to stop herself from making that sentence

"Me too"

She looked at him,surprised

He was actually worried about her

She thought happily

'You could have said I was worried about you too your highness and not made it sound that way' His brain taunted him

But,he couldn't help himself

He was beginning to like the king

"Come,have a seat"She smiled, walking to a chair

"I got you something your highness" He said and she turned back to look at him

He handed her a small bag

"What's this?"

"Seeds" He answered "I um.."He cleared his throat "noticed you love flowers a lot so I brought these seeds so you can plant them. I thought it would be a nice addition to the garden"

"What kind of flowers are these seeds going to give me?"

"Orchid,petunia and sunflower "He answered

"Wow,thanks for the seeds" She said

He collected the seeds from the king

"I'll help you plant them your highness" He said and walked towards a spot that looked good for planting

It was close to the rose garden

"No, I'll plant them. You just came back not too long ago and you got the seeds for me,I should be the one to plant them"

"But, you'll be getting your hands dirty your highness "

"I don't mind getting my hands dirty"

"But I insist your highness"

"Fine, we'll plant them together " She said and joined him

They both began digging the soil

Bryan turned to face the king and watched as the king dug the soil

He moved his eyes away from the king's hands to the king's face

TBC...