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"Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success."
-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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When Mitch woke up, he didn't feel any sort of comfortable. His entire midsection was painful and sore. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking a few times to clear his vision. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before the voices that spoke nearby registered in his hearing. They spoke in low voices.

"Just think of what could have happened if you didn't come at all."

"Think of what could have happened if I had come sooner...I just barely saved him in time. I...I almost made Princess Samantha an orphan and killed perhaps one of my closest friends I've had since I was a kid."

Mitch could tell that one of them was Vikk, he didn't need to hear his name to know it was him speaking. And he didn't like how he was talking about himself either. He groaned, struggling to sit up very slowly. He touches his head, his movement catching the attention of the speakers.

"Whoa, sire, wait a second, you need to rest," a voice said making Mitch looked towards them seeing Vikk, Quentin, Sub, and Red. His eyes soften a bit, lowering his hand as he saw the concern in their eyes.

"D-Did we win?" he mumbled making Vikk smile a bit and nod.

"Yes, yes, Shivoa is safe. Rob, Jerome, Prince Ty, and Jordan are securing the island as we speak," he said.

"S-Sammy?" Mitch mumbled.

"Lachlan, Captain Max, and Preston are bringing the princess home right now. She should be here any minute now," Vikk said. Mitch nods, looking away from Vikk. He touched his gut, groaning a bit.

"What hit me?" he mumbled.

Quentin grabbed Mitch's arm, sitting on the bed beside the king. "The equivalent of being kicked in the gut by a horse three times, sire. You're bedridden until your stitches are out and the wound healed over," he said.

Mitch tilted his head a bit confused. He may be a bit fuzzy on what happened with the dark mage, like what was said between them, but he does know that he only got punched since that was very memorable to him. "What wound?" he asked.

Quentin sighs. "I had to repair damage to your spleen and liver. The mage hit you hard enough to cause a rupture in your intestinal wall as well, you were bleeding internally, you would have died if I didn't repair it by hand," he said making Mitch suddenly aware that he had to been asleep for a long time for all of this to have happened.

"How long have I been out?" he asked them.

"Two days," Vikk answered.

"Seto?" Mitch asked looking at Quentin since he is the physician here.

Quentin bit on his bottom lip back, letting Mitch know that he isn't going to like what he is about to hear. "I was treating him, but I was kicked out of his room by some light mages. He needs treatment, Prince Ty tried to get me in there but they wouldn't listen to him. I think they will only listen to you, Mitch," he said.

Mitch nods a bit. "Probably," he said. He gripped his shirt a bit, letting out a shaky breath.

Quentin shakes his head, knowing what he is probably going to ask. "No, this is the first time you woke up that you have been of sound mind and body. You are not leaving this bed--"

Mitch looked at Quentin. "And what about Seto?" he asked. Quentin's expression softens, not knowing what to say. Mitch looked at Vikk. "Get Jerome..." Vikk nods before he leaves to get the hybrid.

"A-Are you sure you should be on your feet yet, sire?" Red asked.

Mitch shakes his head. "N-No but I have too," he said.

Quentin moves the blanket. "Let me check on the bandage," he said in which the king lets Quentin lift his shirt to check on the bandage. That's when Mitch notices the pile of bloodied bandages on the table, as well as medical equipment and bowls of water and bloodied towels as well. Mitch knew the likelihood he was going to walk away from the battle without an injury was very low...he just didn't expect the injury to be this bad. He hates worrying his friends which is why he never told them that he expected to get hurt...

A few minutes later and Jerome comes in with Vikk in tow. The hybrid comes to the bed, looking at his best friend. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Mitch nods a bit. "J-Just help me up, Jerome..." he mumbled. Jerome sighed and sets his battleax against the wall. Vikk and Jerome both helped Mitch move to the edge of the bed, the king putting on his boots. Quentin lifted Mitch's shirt to check the bandage for fresh blood.

When he found none, Jerome put Mitch's right arm around his neck, Vikk taking Mitch's left. "On three. One...two...three," Jerome said before Vikk and him lifting the injured king to his feet. Mitch felt a burst of pain ring through him making his knees buckle and his two friends had to grab onto him so he didn't fall over when his feet couldn't support his weight.

Jerome gripped Mitch's shirt. "Do you want to sit back down?" he asked the king worried.

Mitch shakes his head. "N-No, just...give me a second..." he mumbled in response. Mitch took a few moments to regather himself before they started on, Vikk leaving the support to Mitch's left side since Mitch was mostly injured on his right side. Mitch gripped Jerome's shirt, mostly leaning on the hybrid for support since the pain was making it very hard for Mitch to operate and cope. He lets out a shaky breath and nods. "O-Okay, let's go."

"Slowly, okay? Don't push yourself too hard. I don't want your stitches tearing at such a vital stage of healing," Quentin advised. They went slow and steady, letting Mitch set the pace. Mitch felt like his gut was on fire, it was almost unbearable to stand but he can't let himself show such weakness, he is already showing some by needing support to walk since he doesn't trust himself to be able to stay standing on his own two feet with how much pain he is in.

But when he heard her voice, he straightens up a bit, his eyes flickered up to see a little five-year-old girl with Preston and Mitch's little sister, Kyleigh. Mitch smiled a bit.

Princess Samantha Hughes, the spitting image of her mother, she is a little five-year-old princess of Shivoa and is perhaps the only thing that Mitch would willing to give his life to protect without hesitation. While she is young, she reminds him of Jessica. And while that did make it hard on him, especially since it took Mitch some time to move on after Jessica's death, but he wasn't willing to make the same mistake that he knows King Nathan Ellis made with Prince Ty. But Jessica died during childbirth and while Mitch was happy to have a daughter, he was destroyed over losing his wife. And losing her during a time of war was even harder on him.

He wasn't emotionally or mentally stable enough to take care of Samantha at first, no, her care fell onto his friends and the servants who knew how torn up the king was. But when his devastated state started affecting the kingdom and their standing during the Decade War, that was when Jerome, Vikk, Lachlan, Rob, and Preston talked some sense into the king in a harsh but very much necessary way.

Kyleigh was the primary caretaker of Samantha during when she determine that Mitch wasn't fit to be a parent at the time. And while he hates pushing his daughter onto his little sister, he will admit that he wouldn't have gotten through all that without her. They both had lost a lot after the accident and assassination of their parents, but the two stayed by each other's sides. Also, Mitch knows how much Kyleigh loves Samantha and loved Jessica as well.

He'll regret not being there for the best moments in Samantha's life, like first walking and such, but he has no one to blame but himself. And now Samantha isn't a replacement for Jessica, but she is a reminder of what Mitch promised. Plus, she has livened up the island, given the people hope and joy since the little princess is so kind and optimistic, much like her mother was.

As soon as the little princess saw her father, her face lights up. "Daddy!" she exclaims seeing him. She let go of Kyleigh's hand and ran towards Mitch. Kyleigh loses her smile remember how Lachlan told her that Mitch was injured.

"Wait, Samantha, don't--"

Mitch slipped his arm from Jerome's shoulders and crouches down against his pain which he swallows deep down. Samantha throws her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as he picked her up, resting her against his left side since his right side is sore. Jerome grabbed Mitch, seeing him sway a bit, and held him up but made sure that Sam couldn't tell. The hybrid knows that nothing he can say can talk the king out of being with his daughter when he should be resting and recovering from his wounds.

Samantha looks at Jerome. "You kept your promise," she said making Jerome smile at her.

"Well, of course. Your word means so much more than your father's," he said making the little princess giggle. Kyleigh and Preston come over to them, Kyleigh moved to Mitch, wanting to remove the princess from her injured brother.

"Here, your father needs to deal with some things and you need a bath, Sammy," Kyleigh said as an excuse to get her off Mitch. "Come on."

Mitch kisses Samantha's cheek making the little princess giggle and hug Mitch tighter. "Hmm, you do need a bath," he said.

Samantha loses her smile, her grip tightening on Mitch's clothes. She didn't want to be separated from her father just yet. "But--"

Mitch arched an eyebrow up at her. "You have dirt and mud on you, Sammy. You do need a bath," he said to her. Samantha looks at Mitch. He gives her a soft smile knowing she is gonna argue back. "Did you have fun though?"

She nods. "Yeah, I got to ride in a boat! And Lachy let me turn the wheel! And there was this cool girl who can make ice with her mind, just like how Uncle Rob does," she said making Mitch chuckle softly. He always found it funny how she only refers to Rob as Uncle Rob while the others have nicknames she made for them. Mitch set the princess down on her feet.

"Well I would love to hear more but after I go and talk with Seto. After your bath and--" Her eyes light up suddenly.

"Setty's here?! Where?" she asked gleefully as she looked around. Mitch chuckled, remembering his daughter's little crush on the sorcerer. When Samantha first met Seto, it was perhaps one of the funniest things ever given how she had clung to him for the entire day. It took both two guards to pry the princess off the poor sorcerer. And while she loves Seto, she acknowledges Brice, who is always with the wizard it seems. So it is clear who her favorite is, but yet again, Samantha loves magic.

Jerome sighed. "It's sad she has a crush on Seto and not any of us given she barely spends a lot of time with him compared to the rest of us," he said making Kyleigh and Preston nod, agreeing with the hybrid.

But her gaze stops on Vikk. "Vikky! You're here!" she said before she rushed over to the captain. Vikk chuckled and crouched down, hugging the little princess as she threw her arms around his neck.

Quentin crossed his arms, looking at Jerome. "Well, at least it is clear who her favorites are," he said making Jerome narrow his eyes at the medic.

Red looked at Jerome. "You would think she would love Jerome since he is like a giant teddy bear," he said making Jerome snap his attention to the soldier.

"What did you call me?!" he snapped making Mitch laugh but he winced when he did.

"O-Ow, don't make me laugh, it hurts," he mumbled so his daughter wouldn't hear him. He looked at Red, Quentin, and Sub. "She's at that phase where she has crushes on people and such. She has a crush on Seto, Vikk, and Lachlan. But she loves Seto more than Vikk and Lachlan."

Vikk looked at Red and Sub. "She has nicknames for all of us too. She calls Jerome, Fluffy, for instance, because of his teddy bear like appearance," he said making the two soldiers smile. Vikk then detached the princess from around him and gently gripped her arms as he looked at her. "You can go see Seto later. I'll tell him that his biggest fan wants to see him. Meanwhile, you need to do what your father and aunt said in getting a bath because you stink."

She pouts, crossing her arms. "That's rude!"

Vikk shrugs his shoulders. "Truth hurts, Sammy," he said.

She lowers her arms. "Is Jason here?" she asked Vikk. Vikk loses his smile, caught off guard by the question. He wasn't expecting for the young Shivoan Princess to ask about the Skaldian Ex-General.

"He probably is, come on," Kyleigh said going up beside her niece. "We'll go bug him after your bath otherwise he'll just take you to the bathtub."

"Bye Vikky! Bye Dad, Fluffy, and Purston!" she said before she left with Kyleigh to be cleaned up.

Vikk stood up, looking at Mitch. "Why was she concerned about Jason?" he asked.

Mitch looked at the captain. "Oh, that right. She loves Jason too. And he is surprisingly good with kids. It is almost as hard to detach her from him as it is from Seto and you," he said.

"The princess is innocent, so she sees only the good in people, not the bad," Jerome said before he put Mitch's arm back around his neck. The king leaned into Jerome, needing a moment to recover from the reunion. But Mitch felt more at ease knowing that Samantha is back in the castle, she's back on the same island as him. While he trusted his sister and Preston with his daughter's safety...he couldn't help but be worried about her. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something ever happened to Samantha.

He let out a shaky breath and nodded before he spoke, "Let's get this over with so I go lay back down."

They made their way over to Seto's chambers, which he could tell was Seto's since two mage knights were standing outside the door. Mitch removed his arm from around Jerome's neck, the hybrid worried for a moment but held himself back. He knew how Mitch worked, displaying weakness like that to people you are trying to imitate doesn't work well.

Mitch swallowed down his pain and feelings, so he could get this sorted out quickly. He walked up to the two mage knights, with Jerome, Preston, and Vikk close by in case he needs support.

"Move," he said when the knights blocked his path.

"Can't do that--"

Mitch narrowed his eyes at the knights. "Who owns this island?"

The knights hesitated, staring at Mitch. "Y-You," one said.

Mitch nods a bit. "Exactly, so move the f*ck out of my way or I'll kick you off this island," he snapped coldly at the two. The knights moved out of the king's way, letting Mitch enter the room, not bothering to knock since he figured they probably won't want him in any way. Upon entering, he saw Brice there arguing with mage knights.

But Mitch stopped, pushing aside Brice for now and looking at the sorcerer in question. And what he saw only enraged him.

Seto is pale as a ghost, panting, with his wrists chained over his head to the headboard. He was laying on top of the covers, looking sick and in pain. Quentin rushed over to Seto, pushing through the two knights that tried to stop him.

"I'm a doctor, move!" he shouted pushing through them and getting on the bed. Preston and Red went to the bed, looking at Seto. Quentin moved Seto's arms, touching the wizard's face feeling the heat radiating off his skin.

"Oh god, is he okay?" Vikk asked.

"Is he still alive?" Red asked because that was a question that a valid upon looking at the wizard.

Quentin nods. "Yeah, yeah, he is just working through magic exhaustion the long and rough way. He's developed a fever and..." Quentin stopped seeing blood on Seto's face but no evidence of wounds on him. He looked up, looking at the cuffs, seeing cut and red rashes from around the tight cuffs, dry blood trailing down his arms and dripping on the pillows and his face.  Quentin looked at the mage knights. "Remove the cuffs, now!"

"Can't do that," one said.

Quentin got off the bed, stepping towards the knights. "You are making his recovery so much harder on him than it has to be. If you allowed me to treat him from the start, the most he would be is exhausted and healthy-looking. He wouldn't have a fever and he certainly wouldn't have cuts all over his wrists from the cuffs--"

"Quentin, stop, and let me handle this. You focus on treating Seto. Red and Sub will get anything you need," Mitch said going up beside the physician. Quentin nods and goes back over to Seto, telling Red, Preston, and Sub what to get and what he needs while Vikk, Jerome, Brice, and Mitch work on getting the cuffs removed. "Who is in charge here?"

There are five mages in the room, and only two of them look like the standard mage knight soldier while the others look more like officials or mages like the ones of the council or the Fyre brothers.

"I am, I'm Captain Arthur Vass," Arthur said before he crosses his arms at the king. "And just know, sire, that that mage is a criminal. He broke laws, he is"

Mitch motioned to Seto. "And that justifies this treatment you are giving him? I-I know what Seto you are charging him with, but if he didn't help us during the Decade War, I would cut ties with Laenadur," he said shocking everyone but Vikk and Jerome.

Arthur turns more towards the king. "Why? Why would you break the alliance between Shivoa and Laenadur? You would comprise an alliance that is almost two decades old over some Master--"

Mitch shakes his head, stepping towards Arthur. "No, I would break it because your Magic Council turned its back on Shivoa when we needed help during the war and still have the audacity to expect help from me when they have problems they want to push onto others. Seto did break your laws and restrictions, but they were laws and restrictions that your Magic Council had NO right to implement in the first place!"

Arthur stepped towards the king. "Those laws protect mages--"

Mitch shakes his head at Arthur. "No, those laws were created because of what happened between the Magic Council, me, and General Rob. That's why they were created--"

Arthur's eyes narrowed at Mitch. "You mean the fledgling traitorous dark mage that you are foolish enough to trust as your general?" Arthur snapped.

Preston snapped his attention to the mage. "Hey!" he shouted walking away from Quentin and going to Arthur, shoving his finger into the mage's chest. "Don't you dare call Rob a traitor or a dark mage when it was your Magic Council that turned your backs first! You abandoned him after he willingly traveled to the Perilous Lands to save a bunch of people from the hands of the dark mages!" Preston lowered his hand, his hands balling into fists. "And I was one of those people he saved! He was a hero and yet when he needed help, your Council shunned him because he saved humans and hybrids! Rob would have died if I hadn't gone to Shivoa and got Mitch, Vikk, Lachlan, and Jerome to rescue him. Mitch dropped everything to rescue Rob after I told him what happened, he did what your Council was supposed to do from the very start. Just because Rob isn't a pureblood mage doesn't mean he deserves to be tossed aside like yesterday's news."

Mitch grabbed Preston's shoulder, stopping his outburst. while he agrees with all that was said since all of that did happen. Two years before his father's death, Mitch went to go rescue Rob with the help of Jerome, Vikk, Lachlan, and Preston. And while his father didn't like the venture because of the dangers, Mitch's father never told him that he did the wrong thing. His father's only complaint was that he should have brought more men since the Perilous Lands are dangerous. After the rescue, Rob and Preston stayed in Shivoa with Mitch's father's blessing.

Preston glanced at Mitch, seeing he wants to take over. He went back over to Quentin, still mad, but trusting the king to handle this knowing all he has done to protect Rob from the Magic Council.

Mitch stared at Arthur for a second before he spoke. "Those laws that your Council created, they actively and knowingly violate almost about every agreement that exists between Shivoa and Laenadur, going back to when my father was king! I've asked those laws to be abolished because of that. You can't be allied with a human kingdom and have laws that tell your people they can't participate with human kingdoms. It doesn't work like that and frankly, I'm done with it," he said.

Arthur's eyes widen a bit. "W-What are you saying?"

Mitch let out a breath, returning to a normal state of calmness, or at least as calm as he can be. "I will allow magic in Shivoa, mages will always be welcomed here, that won't ever change regardless of the relationship between Laenadur and Shivoa. And neither will my position with Fadea, that town will continue to be supported and protected by Shivoa like my father and I swore we would. And I'm naming Seto the Royal Court Wizard for Shivoa, meaning...if you don't give me those keys right now, I will consider the harsh treatment you given him as a declaration of war for which Laenadur will surely lose," Mitch threatened. The mages in the room were shocked, and so was Red and Sub who have heard of their king's cold nature but never seen it up close. It was hard for the two to see their king, who was barely able to stand on his own two feet a few minutes ago, now be threatening war against the Magic Council.

Arthur looked at one of the mage knights. "Release him," he said.

"Arthur--"

Arthur looked at the sorceress beside him. "Silence, Sarra," he said before he looked at Mitch. He was expecting the king of Shivoa is be ill-tempered because of what happened with the dark mage army, but never over Seto's condition. "You sure about this? Shivoa isn't in a good position to be losing allies--"

"Estron was already lost and Laenadur has only ever caused problems, headaches, and given demands. They have only every pushed and taken but never gave. It is the mages like Seto that are Shivoa's real allies, so don't you dare stand there and try to tell me that Magic Council cares when they would abandon their own without hesitation or a good reason. If the Magic Council doesn't abolish the laws they created that directly violate the treaties between Shivoa and Laenadur" --Mitch pointed at the windows, motioning outside-- "as well as answer for knowingly pushing an army of dark mages on my people and almost turning a blind eye--"

Arthur shakes his head. "No, we weren't going to turn a blind eye, we were going to help--"

Jerome scoffs. "No, you weren't! The Magic Council turned a blind eye, pushing the dark mages onto us to protect Laenadur, their initial target! They only agreed to help because the Fyre Brothers, Seto, and the people of Fadea came running to us warn us about the incoming army! They forced the Magic Council to aid because they would look really bad if they didn't help us. That's why the council helped us, they weren't going to take responsibility because the dark mages would be doing exactly what they wanted!" he exclaimed.

Arthur looked at Mitch. "Wait, they weren't going to help? But I--"

Mitch nods. "I'm not blaming you for what happened with the dark mage army, Captain Arthur since you probably weren't told the truth to start with. But I am blaming you for what you are doing to Seto right now. The current Council members are corrupted mages who will do anything to keep their power. They've seen me as a threat to their power ever since I rescued Rob from the Perilous Lands. They see me as an interloper, letting the magic community be housed in my kingdom, away from the Council's manipulation and lies. They want control, they are no better than King Izic since it is clear to me that this attack also had Skaldian involvement. And if they have allied with Skaldia...then I can't allow Shivoa to be allied with them. Once your mages are done rebuilding my kingdom, I want them off my island. The only mages I will allow are those who live in my kingdom and Fadea, as well as Seto, Rob, the Fyre Brothers, and their friends. Those are the only mages allowed on my island for the timing being. And until those laws are abolished, the alliance between Shivoa and Laenadur is severed. Now release Seto and get the hell off my island!" Mitch demanded.

There was a silence for a few moments, but Arthur did as the king ordered. Seto being released, leaving to supervise the rebuilding effort and leave once it was all done. But once the mages left, Mitch's actions were immediately called into question.

"Are you sure that was smart? We have been allies with Laenadur since your father was king," Vikk said making Mitch look at the captain.

He sighed. "I've been thinking about severing the alliance for months, Vikk. I didn't say all of that without doing a lot of thinking and considering first. It's just...this attack and Seto, those were the last straws for me," Mitch said.

"You are still going to protect the town of Fadea and house mages still, why?" Red asked the king.

Mitch looked at Red. "Because the people don't deserve to suffer for the actions of corrupted government heads," he said before Jerome grabbed the king when he started swaying. Mitch groaned, leaning into the hybrid as he touched his head. "T-That took a lot out of me..."

Quentin nods before looking back at Seto, inspecting the sorcerer's torn up wrists. "I can only imagine, Jerome take the king back to his chambers. He needs to rest, I'll check up on him after I'm done with Seto," he said. Jerome nods, putting the king's arm around his neck again.

"Bet that felt good though, you've been keeping all that in for a long time," Jerome said to Mitch.

Mitch nods as he spoke, "Yes...I only hope that t-the council abolishes those laws to keep the alliance. If they are smart...they will." He looked at Preston, Red, and Sub. "H-Help Quentin with Seto. Vikk and Jerome can help me back." The three nods before Vikk and Jerome left with the king, helping him back to his room so he can get some much well deserved rest.