It had been a week now that I had first visited the Crown Insurgence base. One week since Damon had met Courtney again. One week since I admitted my feelings towards Damon to myself AND Vivian and lastly, one week since Vivian left.

It felt weird, honestly, not having him around. Not as my lover, but he had become really close to me as my friend. My only true friend that I ever had. I didn't know the importance of those because I had never had one but when he left, I realized what it was like to lose a friend.

Damon tried asking me 'Where did he go?' 'Why did he go?' and stuff like that but I always managed to avoid that topic. I told him some nonsense about it being a family emergency but I very well know he didn't believe me.
I didn't have a choice. If I were to tell him why Vivian left, he would come to know about the way I feel about him. And I was not ready to have that talk just yet.

Anyway. Apparently some of the people from the Insurgence group had already found out about the Kings whereabouts. The Red Wings had held him hostage in a nearby forest, just a few miles from here. Here, being the base of the rebels.

After last week, I have been here living with them. Damon tried very hard to get me to go back to the Palace with him everyday but I refused straight out. He too, actually, was going to stay here with me but Paul and Serena didn't allow him. 'You need to be a rebel to live with one', they said.

So now, here I am. Surrounded by an entire rebel group of around 50 people, Damon, his friends Josh and Shawn and the Palace guards. All of us in fighting gear and a weapon of our choice in our hand.

"So what's the plan?" asked Josh.

"A few of our boys have found out the exact location of the king. So we go there and get him back. It's as simple as that," said Paul

"No it isn't," said Shawn. "Don't forget that these guys were the same people who broke into the Palace and took King Rupert away in front of everyone. We need to be alert. Besides, no offence Amelia, but how do we," he said pointing at himself, Josh and the guards, "trust them?" he said pointing at the rebels.
"I understand you trusting them because of your family," (Huh. Looks like Damon tells them everything) "and Damon trusting them too because he trusts you. Not that we don't Amelia but we need more reason than that to go into a fight with them just like that."

"I completely understand, Shawn, but right now we don't have a choice. We need to take every shot at getting King Rupert back so if you guys want the same thing that we do which is taking those Red Wings down and getting our king back, I'm sorry but you will have to come with us. You guys can go separately but we all know the odds will be better if we stick together."

He seemed hesitant at first. He looked at Josh and they had a silent talk. Only by their expressions, must I add. And then both of them looked at Damon and they did that weird thing again.

Ultimately, Shawn sighed and said, "Alright. Lets go do this."

***

"How much more do we have to walk?!" whined Josh. "Why can't we just take a car?"
"Because that will attract too much attention," replied Damon, annoyed.
"Gosh I am going to have to take a pedicure after we go back first thing," said Josh.

I chuckled at his antics and kept on walking.

"You know at some point you are going to have to tell me what's wrong right?" said a voice beside me. Damon.

I rolled my eyes and replied, "And how many times am I supposed to tell you that nothing is wrong," I lied.

Damon easily caught onto my lie and held my arm. We waited for everyone to pass us so that we were walking last, after which he said, "Is this something to do with Vivian leaving? Amelia, while I am honestly really happy that that idiot is gone I would never do that to you, I know how important he is to you. I really have nothing to do with it."
If he only knew.

"Or is it because....?" he trailed away.
"Because what?" I asked him, eyebrows raised.
"This might sound too self conceited of me to say but you aren't upset because of Courtney being around right?"

My breath hitched. Crap he can't know. I'm not ready yet.
So I gave him my best fake deadpanned look and then looked ahead to where Courtney was walking.
"Seriously, Damon. Whatever you two do, it's your business. I am no one to have a say in it okay? Now of you'll excuse me. I have an abducted king to find," I said and walked in front hurriedly.

For the rest of the journey I completely avoided him and it looked like he was keeping a distance too. However as soon as we heard some noises in the distance, we all crouched down and I felt a hand taking mine.

I looked into his green eyes and they silently communicated with me to remember that this wasn't the time to think about why he was holding my hand right now. I gave in.

We all took in the scene in front of us. There on the ground was King Rupert on his knees, his hands and legs tied and a cloth stuffed in his mouth. For being abducted for so many days he looked oddly good enough. Besides the few scratches on his clothes and the little amount of dirt he was covered in, he looked okay. I didn't dwell on this though and saw the figure next to him.

He too was in the same condition as the King with a few scratches and cuts here and there.
He looked around my age and I must say, boy, did he look good. Why was everyone around me suddenly so good looking. Ugh. 'Inferiority complex kicking in', I thought to myself.

"Do you know him?" I whispered to Damon. He shook his head in the negative but there was still some sort of a doubt on his face.

"Okay everyone, you know what to do. I want everyone of us to come back alive and every one of those Red Wings dead. They are about as many as us, if not a little more. We can take them," said Serena.

Everyone nodded and soon got into position.
"One. Two. Three. Attack!" she screamed. At once, all of us came out of our hiding spots and began attacking.

There were gun shots and swords meeting everywhere.

Two men lunged at me, with swords in their hands. I dodged both of them and one by one took care of them both. Then came one more. Then two more.
What the hell was Serena talking about?! These people were definitely more than us!

I quickly saw the opportunity, though, and went with one of the rebels to free the King and the boy next to him.
Since my partner was busy helping the King I started untying the one next to him.

As soon as the cloth came out of his mouth he coughed.
"You okay?" I asked him putting a hand on his shoulder. He nodded and looked up to me.
"You got another sword?" he asked.
I smirked and handed him one lying on the ground which belonged to one of the attackers who had gone down.

"Take him to rest," he said to my partner, talking about the King.
"We'll finish the rest of these off and come."
I raised my eyebrows. He seemed....confident.

Hmm.
Anyway.
I soon forgot about all of that and did exactly what he said we were going to do. Finish the rest of them off.

***

"We haven't lost anyone have we?" asked Paul. Everyone shook their heads.

Damon stood beside his father with a frown on his face.
"Just ask what you want to, son," said the King.

"Who is he?" said Damon, referring to the boy standing next to me.

"That, Damon, is Theo."

Damon staggered back in complete and utter shock.
I went and stood next to him and held his hand in a comforting way.

"What's wrong Damon? You know him?"
He simply nodded.

"Y- y - you told me he was dead," he stammered looking at his father.

"I thought so too, son. I was shocked myself when I found him captured here."

"H-how is this possible?" whispered Damon, looking at Theo.

"Damon, what's wrong?" I asked him now worried. "Who is this?"

"I'm someone who he thought died a long time ago," said Theo as he walked up to us.
He then stood in front of Damon and said, "Hello, brother."