My eyes locked onto Felix even before I had stepped foot inside of the arena. I already knew where he would be since he never changed his everyday routine. Wake up, get something to eat, walk to the arena, and train. Well, that was his routine for the past month because of the great battle.

But I knew he was there, and my guess was right.

His shaggy brown hair shined in the sunlight as I stomped into the arena’s open ground with a glare that could melt him more than the sun was obviously doing at the moment.

“Felix!” My voice came out as a roar which I wasn’t going for but seeing how most of the people around me were instantly terrified – I took it as a win for me.  “How dare you?!” My voice was now echoing in the large place, but Felix still hadn’t turned around to look at me.

I walked over to him followed by Arjun, who was trying his best to be as threatening as possible since we were surrounded by bulky men training. Although, none of them approached us. I’m guessing they saw the crown on my head, and the murder in my eyes.

But only Felix was the one who wasn’t aware of my intent or maybe he was, because as soon as I reached him, I saw him bolt. Gathering the ends of my mantle in my hands, I scoffed at his audacity.

“Oh no, you don’t!” I yelled out and made sure to run after him immediately.

“Your highness!” I heard Arjun exclaim behind me, but I didn’t care. I was going to catch my idiot of a friend and then I was going to shove his head under water but take it out as soon as I knew he was drowning. And then do that all over again. Repeatedly.

“Why are you running, Felix?!” If I could see my face, I would’ve been terrified of myself. We had left the arena in our little chase and were now running into the streets of the city. As both of us zoomed past people, I was certain that we must’ve looked strange. Here I was, wearing a long mantle, and a crown on my head, chasing after a grown man.

“I’m running from you, you liar!” I laughed mockingly when he kept running after screaming that over his shoulder. How long was he going to run for even? And I was the liar? No, brother, I was more like the victim who was outwitted by the Queen.

He couldn’t outrun me anyway. I had trained with a lonely old man, who had nothing more to do than to be difficult with me. While Felix trained only when the arena was open and available for the fighters, I trained for the entire day because the old man was sadistic.

We passed through streets, and I frowned when the houses turned into trees around us, and the stoned pathways turned into grass and dirt.

Where was this man even running off to?

"Your highness, p-please stop running!” I heard Arjun’s voice from behind me, but I only had Felix’s back in my view. I had so many questions to ask of him and then kill him repeatedly.

He knew how important my house was for me, and he allowed the Queen’s idiot people to wreck it up entirely for renovations. Houses didn’t even need to be broken down completely to get renovated!

For a moment, I recognized the trees which we were passing by, while Felix slowed down. I could tell he was tired now, but he still didn’t stop entirely. I smirked when he looked over his shoulder at me and slammed into a tree.

He should’ve been paying more attention to his surroundings.

Laughing at him as he slid down the tree with groans of pain, I stopped sprinting and walked over to him with an evil glint in my eyes. He could see my intentions as well since he panted with exhaustion and terror.

“Look, I was there just to talk to you, and they came around like always, and they thought I was the one who lived there.”

My eyes narrowed as he began to speak. He sighed heavily before sitting with his legs crossed. For someone who had been a menace to my house, he sure was getting comfortable in front of me. “I was angry at you, and I ended up telling them to break everything down.”

“I trusted you!” He flinched at my outburst but then frowned the very next second. “I trusted you too!”

I stepped back when he suddenly stood up. “I told you that I wanted to marry the Queen and you didn’t even let me know before competing!”

Fine, I’ll admit that I had been secretive with him, but it was for a reason. I hadn’t planned to marry the Queen. Just to humiliate her. But look where that had me ended up?

Seeing how I wasn’t saying anything, Felix scoffed before pushing my shoulders with disdain. I didn’t realize that we had already been joined by Arjun by then since the very next moment, I heard a sword being brought out of it sheathe.

Felix stepped back instantly when Arjun came to stand in front of me menacingly. “Don’t touch the King.”

I rolled my eyes as I pushed Arjun’s shoulder. “Stand down. Felix is my friend.”

“Am I?” I frowned at the question. Of course, he was my friend. But while I had unconsciously forgotten everything about Felix’s betrayal and what he had done to my house – he clearly didn’t forget my wrongdoing. “Friends don’t steal Queens.”

Arjun remained in front of me as Felix glared at me. “As far as I know now, I’m just a loyal subject to you, your highness.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing as I nudged Arjun to back away, but neither did the guard move nor did Felix’s expression change. “No, Felix, you’re my friend. Please, I’m sorry. I didn’t even plan on marrying Amelia, and I forgive you for what you --” I didn’t even get to complete my sentence since I heard a dark chuckle.

“Amelia? You’re even calling her by her given name.” Yes, only because she had allowed me to. It wasn’t like I had any choices in any matters right after I won that damned fight. It was like I had handed over my life to the Queen and her old advisor.

They were now ruling over my life with rules that I didn’t sign up for. But Felix knew none of this, and by the looks of it, he didn’t want to either.

Shaking his head as if reading my mind, he sighed. “Go back to your castle, Bran. Our friendship ended the moment you married the Queen.”

I wanted to step forward and stop Felix from leaving but Arjun’s body stopped me from doing so. But it wasn’t just him that halted my movements. It was also the sound of leaves shuffling from beside us which caught all three of our attention.

My eyes widened as Arjun turned to the source of the noise while shielding me with his body. “Get behind me, your highness.” Well, I was already behind him, but I didn’t say that out loud.

Because whatever it was behind the bush, it was there for me, or more like, he was there for me.

…..........................

The Queen raised her arms above her head as she stretched out her limbs. She had been working on the kingdom’s finances and trade since morning. But she had finally completely half of her work for the day and now had the entire evening and night for herself.

She smiled knowing that she wasn’t going to spend her free time all by herself. She was married and she didn’t mind being with her King. A giggle escaped her lips when she thought back to how much Bran disliked being called King. Amelia could tell from the frown on Bran’s face whenever she was referred to as a King.

But while she had gotten used to being with Bran as a spouse, the other woman hadn’t been too comfortable.

Bran had gone out of her way to stay clear of the Queen’s company. Amelia wondered if it was because of the kiss they had shared. Well, she had shared with Bran, since she was the one who had initiated it. Poor Bran didn’t even know what to do.

Amelia frowned immediately as a thought entered her mind. What if Bran wasn’t the same as Amelia? As far as she knew, she had been somewhat pleased when she had found out that the winner of the arena’s battle was a woman and not a man.

It wasn’t like the Queen had anything against men but that she didn’t want to be with one in a marriage. Did that make Amelia odd? Yes, it would have if Bran hadn’t been there to challenge her into said marriage. Amelia smiled remembering that day.

Feeling like going to the other woman now, Amelia called out to Elric, who usually stood right outside her study room. “Come to me, Elric.”

A moment later, a terrified guard entered, and Amelia frowned immediately. “Where is Elric?”

The guard already looked scared but when he heard Amelia’s strict voice, he completely dropped to his knees. “Please f-forgive this foolish subject! Advisor Elric left me to stand g-guard outside your door because he has to attend to some important matters!”

Amelia frowned while looking at the guard. What important matters were there for Elric other than to stay by her side?

It was as if she didn’t even have to speak since the guard took her silence as a command for him to explain. “T-The King has g-gone missing from the c-castle which is w-what --”

The guard didn’t even have to finish his sentence since Amelia was already frowning and speaking up, “What?!” Her eyebrows were furrowed as she thought back to Bran and how she didn’t look like she was going to run away from the castle, which only led her to one conclusion.

What if Bran had been kidnapped?

Amelia thought back to her aunt and how she had been glaring at Bran with pure hatred. What if she had hired someone to abduct Bran? What if she had done it to kill Bran? Amelia’s eyes widened at her own train of thoughts, and she immediately stood up from her seat.

“You!” She pointed to the guard, who bent further on the floor. “Go, get my carriage ready! I am going to pay my aunt a visit!”

It had only been a week since Amelia had called up all the noblemen and noblewomen to warn them, but her aunt had still gone out of her way to do this.

As Amelia’s mind turned over and under with the conclusion that it was her aunt who had done something to Bran, the guard stood up and sprinted out of the study to complete the task he had been given.

There was going to be a mess in the kingdom and none of the parties involved were going to be able to clean it up afterwards.