“I told him not to go too far.” I sighed in an annoyed way in the presence of Luther, but truthfully, I was worried. Sure, this was a bustling city during the day, but it's a territory for dangerous activity at night. “Did he get lost on his way to find a toilet?” I asked myself in a whisper, and headed for the streets in search of him. We could've been back at the castle by now.

A prince like himself had only experienced darkness for the first time this week, growing up privileged with light magic in his castle, lending him night blindness in the present. And dressed like the upperclassmen he is, he's surely to get-

“Empty your pockets,” a deep voice demanded from within a dark alleyway. The person being mugged stepped backed into the alley, away from the mugger, and into a sliver of light from a nearby window. The light illuminated only a part of his face, but I could recognize that chin and collar with less. Leo!

The rugged thief stepped into a part of the light holding a rusty, but sharp knife at Prince Leo, and a panic washed over me.

Before I could even think, I was already lunging at the mugger. I first grabbed his hand, and pulled his fingers back to force him to drop the knife. He landed face first into the dirty ground, covered in melted snow and garbage.

“Leo, run!” I shouted, holding the mugger’s arms down. Yet, Leo didn't move. His arms were still up in defense, with a look of terror on face. Run! Run! Why aren't you running?

He reached his hand out to me quickly, but not before someone grabbed me by the hair. I didn't understand what was happening at first, I just grunted from the pain and grabbed onto the hand pulling me up by my hair. I didn't realize I had closed my eyes from the pain, but when I opened them, I could see the shadows of more people at the entrance of this dead-end alleyway, guarding our exit. Three of them- no, maybe four, or five people in total. I fucked up.

I felt something press against my neck, so close that gulping down would scrape against it. Leo's voice cracked, but he managed to say, “Happy-!” before the armed person holding me interrupted with, “Don't speak, or I slice open his neck.”

One of the shadows crept closer to us, and demanded of Leo again, “Empty your pockets. Now.”

Leo didn't hesitate this time, quickly pulling his pockets inside out and letting the money he had fall onto the floor, all while he carefully watched over me. When he had finished, he put his hands back up in defeat, and looked above me at the person holding me hostage. I could see the sweat running down Leo's face, illuminated by the small source of light.

“Good, now stay there,” the man I took down earlier said, before gesturing his chin to his accomplices at the exit. The gang member holding me dragged me along with him slowly, ensuring Leo would stay in place. When we had reached the street, the man quickly threw me to the floor, and fled from the scene.

“Happy!” Leo shouted while rushing to me, arms out as if he could've caught me. I tried to lift myself up from the ground on my own, but I was trembling. When did I start to tremble?

My voice trembled too, “I'm sorry.” I couldn't do anything to help.

Leo dropped to his knees and grabbed my hands to help me up. “Are you okay?” He lowered his head to check my neck, then ran his thumb over it to ensure there was only a minor cut. I'd never seen him look so worried. “Why did you do that?”

My voice continued to betray me. “I-I saw a knife pointed at you, I was scared.”

He pulled me into a hug, supporting the back of my head with one of his hands. I just grabbed onto the back of his jacket and balled my hands around the fabric, shivering in his arms. “Thank you, but please, don't put yourself in danger like that again.”