An update!

And I'm proud! :D

Why? Well, because Jerome and everyone else meet again!

Except for Adam, but that'll come soon ( ^ω^ )

I like this chapter, because everyone sees each other again, after ten years.

How about dem apples?

Anyway, my goal for this chapter is 11+ votes, because, it's awesome to feel proud of a chapter and getting feedback and support.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll see you in the next update c:

❤Much Love!❤

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We go to Jerome and Mitch, who were running from what had occurred earlier. Jerome couldn't help but look at Mitch in a weird way sometimes as they ran. He couldn't believe it, Mitchell, the son of a king, saved him from being killed by a knight. The knight and Mitch could have been friends for all Jerome cared, but Mitch acted as if Jerome were a good friend about to die in battle. Jerome didn't know what Mitch was thinking, but he could tell that Mitch was confused with his own actions. If Jerome were a prince and had done the same thing Mitch did, then he'd be confused as well, no doubt about it. Mitch stopped, putting his hands on his knees, probably catching his breath. Jerome then approached Mitch, "You, it's you again, why did you-"

"I DON'T KNOW! I don't know ok! I just did it! I don't know why, or how, but I did it! You'd better be happy because I just risked my own reputation to save your life." Mitch exclaimed, turning around and glaring at the bacca.

"Don't act like I was asking for it." Jerome said, glaring at Mitch.

"Well you were the one wandering towards the wall!" Mitch retorted.

Jerome's eyes widened, "Wait, you were, following me?"

Mitch stayed quiet, trying to find an answer. Jerome waited, crossing his arms.

"I guess you can say that..." Mitch answered, massaging his neck awkwardly.

"Well? How else can you explain that?" Jerome said, hoping that Mitch gave him a good answer.

"I guess, curiosity hit me, I just saw you, and I started following you." Mitch said, looking at Jerome. Jerome stayed quiet, with no expression clearly shown on his face.

"Well, I don't know how to clearly respond to that." Jerome admitted, frowning. Everything went silent for a while, except the light breeze which shook the leaves above them, that is, until Mitch turned around and started walking again.

"Where do you plan on going?" Jerome asked, looking at Mitch.

"Anywhere far away from here, I don't think they'll like seeing my face for a while, especially Preston and Adam." Mitch answered, continuously walking. Jerome tilted his head. He of course knew who Adam was, except Preston, but he could tell it was the knight he fought, and just as Jerome expected, they were indeed friends. Jerome started walking, catching up to Mitch.

"Well, I do have a suggestion." Jerome said hesitantly.

"For what? A hiding spot?" Mitch asked, not looking at Jerome.

"Kind of, I guess you can say it's where we've been hiding for a long time." Jerome said. He couldn't believe it, he was opening up to a prince who's father is a power hungry man. Who knows of Mitch could be the same.

Mitch stared at him blankly, "You've been, hiding? No wonder my father doesn't know you exist."

"I guess so." Jerome said. Suddenly, he heard leaves crumbling, which made him look up quickly.

"What's wrong?" Mitch asked, giving Jerome a questioning look. Jerome didn't answer, and gripped his axe. Mitch probably realized how cautious Jerome was, because he took out his sword, his back against Jerome's. Then, Jerome saw a blue figure come out of the bush that made noise, and there stood Quentin, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Quentin?" Jerome asked, looking at him I'm surprise.

"Jerome, what are you doing, what is he doing here?" Quentin asked, stepping back once he saw Mitch.

"Well, it's nice seeing you again as well." Mitch said, putting his sword away.

"Jerome, answer my question." Quentin said, ignoring Mitch.

"He, he saved me." Jerome said, looking down at the grass.

"Saved you? From what?" Quentin continued, his voice calm and collected, Jerome expected him to panic, but he didn't, he never did.

"From a knight." Jerome answered, looking at Quentin again, who had his arms crossed, his face expressionless. Quentin's eyebrows raised, but that's all he did, he didn't say anything else.

"Quentin, did you find him?" A female voice asked. Jerome tensed, oh no, it was End. Knowing her, she probably would just take her sword out and kill Mitch in his spot.

End came out from behind a tree, and sighed, "There you are Jerome, we've been looking-" She stopped. Jerome knew she saw Mitch.

"You..." She said quietly, which wasn't good, she never spoke quietly unless we were hiding. Her expression turned into a glare, and she took her sword out menacingly, "It's you!"

"End, wait, we can reason it out." Quentin stated, trying to hold her back, but she continued walking towards Mitch, who took out his sword and pointed it out in front of himself.

"Don't come any closer." He said, glaring back at her.

"End, stop." Ty said, coming out into the clearing and jogging towards End, who stopped once she was near Mitch's blade.

"How can I stop, if the prince of an ambitious man is standing right in FRONT OF ME. Don't you remember what happened today, or should I say, ten years ago? Yes? Then why would you stop me? Huh?" End asked, looking at all of us.

"What are you guys doing? Oh..." Billy said, coming out as well, stopping in his tracks once he saw what was going on.

"Look, I know what happened! I know that my father is the king, and I know how much of a jerk he can be, but I can only say one thing, I am NOT like him. And, I'm sorry ok?! It wasn't my fault! None of it was!" Mitch exclaimed glaring at End.

End sighed and looked up at Jerome, hoping he had something to say in defense. "He's right." Jerome said, frowning, "No matter what you accuse on him, and whatever you, me, and everyone else used to believe, he's right."

End furrowed her eye brows at this, and refused to think about what Jerome just told her, then, she gave up. He was right.

"Look, just put your sword away, both of you actually, and everything will be fine." Billy said, looking at End. She looked back at him, and sighed, putting her sword away. Mitch looked at everyone, and slowly put his sword away as well, making sure everyone wouldn't ambush him.

"Alright, Mitch, explain why you're here." End said, her voice calm now.

"Jerome and I escaped the knights, because, well, I saved him when a knight of mine started attacking him." Mitch answered. Quentin and End looked at each other, making Jerome wonder what they were thinking. Were they thinking if they should trust Mitch, or possibly something else?

"Were there any knights following you?" Ty asked, looking around.

"We don't know, but if they did, then we must have outran them." Jerome answered.

"Sounds fairly promising, come on, let's just go back." End said, turning around and walking away. Jerome looked at End, then back at Mitch, who looked around uncomfortably. End turned around, "Mitch, are you coming or what?"

Mitch looked at her, "Y-Yeah, I'm coming." Everyone looked at End in surprise, Jerome could tell that they were confused. He bet they thought that Mitch wasn't coming with them, but they were wrong. They all followed End quietly, back to the same area of where the alliance was. Jerome couldn't help but wonder, how would everyone else react? Would they just be ok with it, or will they start to loose their trust in all of them?

They then came across the large mountain-side, and once they did, End started climbing her way there. Everyone else did as well, but Quentin and Billy always suggested that they made steps, but End would decline the idea because of how risky it would be. Jerome wouldn't protest at all about it, because he wouldn't be paying attention in any meetings. Jerome looked down at Mitch, who was having some trouble. Just as Mitch slipped on a rock, Jerome gripped Mitch's hand and helped him up.

"Thanks.." Mitch said, gulping.

"No problem, come on." Jerome said, making his way up like the rest, who were cursing whenever a rock slipped beneath their feet. But, End was the first one to reach the entrance, looking down at us climbing. Once the rest of us got up, we entered the cave, leading into the large room from before. Everyone looked at them and welcomed them, that is, until they saw Mitch.

"It's the prince!" Someone piped up, making everyone stop doing what they were doing. Jerome cringed at the remark, and looked at End, who was expressionless.

"Don't worry, he's with us." End said, waiting for someone to say something else.

"What is this? You with the prince? What a big surprise." Robert said, walking up to End in a superior way.

"What are you implying, Robert?" End asked cautiously, looking straight at him seriously.

"I mean, no offense, but I thought you said that we'd never be with anyone from the kingdom, unless you changed your mind with this, alliance thing." Robert said, looking back at her.

"Are you saying that she is a traitor? Hm?!" Violet exclaimed, glaring at Robert. Maybe Jerome didn't like her a lot, but now, he wanted her to choose her words carefully.

Robert looked at Violet, "I may be, because, haven't you thought about how fishy this is? The leader of this alliance, bringing back the son of the man who ruined our lives, unharmed and well."

"For your information, I saved Jerome's life from a guard who started attacking him, thank you very much." Mitch said, glaring Robert. Everyone started murmuring.

"It's true, he did." Jerome said, defending Mitch from any more accusations. Everyone in the room looked at Robert, to see what he had to say.

"He may have, but do you actually trust him?" Robert asked. Everyone looked at End, waiting for her respond. Jerome looked at her as well. End pursed her lips in thought, carefully thinking about what to say.

Finally, she looked at Robert seriously and nodded, "Yes, I trust him."

Everyone was quiet for a short while, until Violet said, "If she trusts him, then so will I." Everyone looked at Violet, who looked over at End and nodded.

"I will as well." Billy stated. Everyone else murmured in agreement, nearly making Jerome sigh in relief, but he stayed quiet.

"Alright, sure, good luck not having many people glaring at you behind your back, Mitchell." Robert huffed. And with that, he walked away. Mitch sighed in relief. End sighed and closed her eyes, leaning against the rocky wall. Jerome sometimes felt and for End, she was the one who had to make decisions, while everyone looked up to her for help. Everyone got back to doing what they were doing, but some people glared at Mitch while passing by, making Mitch uncomfortable.

"Well, that just happened. Anyway, follow me Mitch. I'll show you where you'll be staying." End said, looking at Mitch, and walking off towards the other rooms. Mitch followed, but Jerome stayed, leaning against the wall, and thought to himself. Why did Robert just start going against End? Is he trying to break the alliance on purpose? Jerome wanted to know urgently, so he started making his way to where all the baccas stayed.

"Jerome? Where are you going?" Quentin asked. Jerome turned around and saw Quentin, standing by a table filled with scrolls, his facial expression making him look serious.

"To find Robert, I have to talk to him. He seemed too suspicious when he started going against End. I'm the only one who can get him to talk." Jerome answered.

Quentin nodded, "I understand, try not to get angry again."

"Don't worry, I won't." And with that, Jerome made his way to a room filled with a few baccas, who were doing their own thing, like anyone else who lived there. Jerome looked around the room, and sure enough, he saw Robert, who seemed to be carving something with a piece of wood.

Jerome walked up to him, "Robert, what were you thinking?"

Robert looked up at Jerome, his face expressionless, "I don't seem to understand what you mean."

"You know what I'm talking about Robert, how would you accuse End of betrayal?" Jerome said, glaring at Robert.

"The idea on it's own seems like a big conspiracy, Jerome, I don't see how you trust them. I swear, one day you'll regret being apart of this, you will have no trust in humanity, and who else would you have? Nobody, exactly, because you would have driven your own kind away from yourself, and only being isolated by the humans who look at our species as filthy animals!" Robert continued aggressively.

"Your being ridiculous, how can my friends betray me?" Jerome asked, gritting his teeth.

"It can happen, especially with the prince, how can you forgive him, for what happened long ago?" Robert asked, giving Jerome a challenging look.

Jerome sighed and got up, leaving the room. But, he stopped, and looked at Robert with certainty,

"Oh he's Forgiven, but not Forgotten."