To Save Athena and Rose

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Ezekiel went to the Stables and Xavier was still there, brushing the manes of the horses.

He was wearing a thin fabric without sleeves that showed off his muscles and tight black pants that matched his boots, his hair was packed in a ponytail but still dropped at his back.

"What's the news?" He asked.

"I don't know what went wrong, but she does not trust me," Zeke said.

"How would she, I heard you were blackmailing her for watching you swim," Xavier said and chuckled.

"Who told you that?" Zeke asked.

"A little birdy," Xavier said, and in a short while his eyes gleamed red and his hair had some white strands.

"I did," Zavian said before disappearing without a trace, Zeke still couldn't get used to the shift between Zavian and Xavier.

"Okay fine, but I said you were the one who ordered it, so I'm sure she wouldn't turn her prince down," Zeke said.

"Hmm, So you lied,"

"Maybe,"

"That's a fucking lie," Xavier said.

"Whatever, but I know she won't turn you down," Zeke said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

After waiting for a while, Sarah finally approached them, seeing this, Zeke couldn't help but smile, he knew lying that it was her superior who ordered her would work, and just like magic, it did.

"Your Highness, Sir Ezekiel," Sarah said with a slight bow.

"Sarah, how have you been?" Xavier asked dropping the hay he was carrying down in front of the horses.

"Good, Your Highness," Sarah said, she couldn't comprehend why she was suddenly polite to him, back then, She and Athena would tease him and make fun of him right in front of him but right now there was this superior aura around him that even if she tried to be informal she couldn't. Maybe it was because he had been away for a long time and whatever sort of informality had vanished.

"You--You ordered me to come along with you on your journey?" She asked again.

"Sarah, look at it this way, it's not an order just a friendly consultation, I am heading to Stones Kingdom and we will need a maiden to tag along with us," Xavier said and Ezekiel nodded behind him.

"It's your choice, if you want to come along then, great. If you don't, I respect your decision," Xavier said but Sarah was quiet for a while.

"Sarah?" Zeke called.

"What is the purpose for going there?" She asked, she wanted to know the purpose of going all the way to a different kingdom before leaving, she had never left the castle walls before and she did not want to leave for no reasonable explanation at all, especially when Alex was right here.

"To save Athena and Rose from that evil king's clutches," Xavier said with a sigh. His hand was balled into fists as he said that trying to suppress his anger, if he had known he would have come back after he won that competition, but he decided to stay. He blamed himself for not being there for Athena and now he would journey to the end of the world to find them.

"To--to save Athena and Rose?" She stuttered. She had forgotten about them for a while but suddenly hearing their names again jump-started the pain she felt when they were taken away.

"Yes, I wasn't..."

"...I'll come along," She said, cutting the prince's words off. If it was to save her friends she would gladly do so.

"Great," Ezekiel said, grinning like a cat.

"But Alex has to come along too," She said and the two guys' faces turned sour instantly.

"Alex!!" They called simultaneously.

"Yes, he had always blamed himself for doing nothing when Athena and Rose were taken away, and he vowed to get them back one day," Sarah said while Zeke and Xavier glanced at each other now and then.

"Why does he have to come?" Zeke asked with a groan.

"You hate him too huh?" Xavier asked and Zeke nodded.

"He's always involved one way or the other with our girls," Xavier whispered to Zeke, remembering how involved he was with Athena and noticing how involved Sarah was with him.

"Besides, Stones Kingdom will have a lot of soldiers and if you're not carrying an army with you, you should at least add up some manpower," Sarah said, trying her best to convince Alex to tag along.

Xavier was on the verge of refusing, how did things turn out like this Zeke suggested we bring Sarah along and now Sarah is suggesting we bring Alex along who knows who Alex might suggest to come along to until the whole Cranes kingdom follows them to Stones Kingdom.

"Fine! If he agrees then he can tag along with us," Xavier said, biting his lower lip.

"We live at dawn," He said again.

"Are you crazy?!" Zeke whispered to Xavier as they watched Sarah rejoice.

"I'm going to ask him," Sarah said, grinning like a cat as she scurried away.

"I think I am," Xavier said and then facepalmed himself.

"Ha! I can't wait to see how this is gonna turn out," Zavian said and Xavier could hear the mischief evident in his tone.

Sarah ran to Alex's chamber which was located at the east wing of the palace. Thankfully she saw him outside with his rifle, practicing his targets.

"Hey Alex," Sarah shouted, jolting Alex and he fired the rifle with a loud bang, which missed the target.

"Sarah, we talked about this, don't creep on me like that," Alex said, running his fingers through his styled blonde hair.

"Sorry, it won't happen again," She said, panting hard, from running all the way here and the shock she felt when Alex suddenly fired after she called his name.

"I--I have news," She said, panting heavily.

"Well, tell me," He said and Sarah tried to talk but she was too overwhelmed that the words didn't want to come out.

"Oh God," She said, trying her possible best to relax. Alex got her a glass of water and she gulped it down. That was enough to settle her heart rate.

"Prince--Prince Xavier and Sir Ezekiel are heading to Stones Kingdom and they told me to tag along," She said.

"That's great, at least you can see the outside world now," Alex said.

"No, it's not that," She said, looking into his eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I told them to let you come with us," She said.

"Why would you do that, I go out all the time with General K," Alex said.

"No it's not about you going out of the castle walls," Sarah said and Alex's brows creased in confusion.

"It's to save Athena and Rose," She said, holding his hands in hers and Alex's eyes widened at her words.

"This is an opportunity Alex, I know about the vow you made to save them, and this is your chance to help us save them," She said again, releasing his hands and they dropped to his sides. He was still silent and just staring blankly at her, Sarah stepped back.

"We leave at dawn, and I expect to see you," Sarah said and after flashing a smile she turned away and left. Leaving Alex's mind in turmoil.