hi, heres an update. i havent finished this book and its been a year already lmaoooooo

small chapter, but meh you know? i might update earlier. hope you like this, or not. maybe you will. *sits down* enjoy

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Ashton walked from side to side in the hallway, just right at the end of the staircase that led to the royalty bedrooms and rooms they used for their entertainment. He kept walking back and forth, practicing his speech multiple times before he actually went to Luke and said it. Ashton did his best to practice his speech, a way to tell Luke he what was wrong - and also hoping that the other boy would forgive him.

He thought about it deeply. All that ethos, pathos and logos he had learned recently were forming in his head but honestly, he was so nervous not even that was working. Maybe he should approach him calmly and try to explain, or ask advice (from whom?).

"Hey." he heard Luke's voice saying.

He was right in the middle of the stairs, using a yellow shirt and regular jeans. Luke's eyes shined when he looked at Ashton and he swore that, on that moment, he was falling in love a little more.

"Luke, good morning." Ashton breathed out, extending his hand to the prince.

Luke laughed nervously and took Ashton's hand, walking down the steps. He kissed the curly-haired boy's cheek when he got to the final step.

Ashton took both of Luke's hands on his own, letting out a nervous breath as he avoided meeting the younger's eyes. He knew they were staring at him, the familiar thoughtful/love-like look he usually got from them. Ashton took another deep breath, still staring at his shoes hoping that now some message from the Gods would be sent to help him.

But his mind was now blank.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked, caressing Ashton's cheek carefully.

"I need to talk to you." Ashton said "I-Look, it's urgent."

"Don't talk to him." said Luke's father, who was coming down the stairs as well. As Luke started getting ready to fight back the king smiled softly, intervening.

"I want to talk to him."

Luke smiled and nodded. He kissed Ashton's cheek and left the room, leaving the two of them alone. Luke's father motioned for Ashton to follow him to the entrance, and he did as told (because, after all, who would refuse an order from the king?).

They walked outside, Ashton following quietly behind the other man. He had never been to this part of the castle, or even seen this entrance. The guards that were watching over the gate nodded at the king, giving the familiar dirty looks to Ashton (he got them so often it already felt home-like).

"As you probably have noticed." The king said, waiting for Ashton to get on his side. Then, he kept walking, as the boy listened to him carefully "We are a family of traditions."

Ashton nodded, muttering a 'yes, sir'.

"Things can change but we never lose the real motto — thinking about the people. Not just one or two, but all of them." Andrew said, sighing "This might sound a little selfish, but sometimes I think more about my family than the citizens, but that's because I'm a father. And I've learned it from my own.

"A thing I also learned was Hayden's story." Ashton shivered as he heard the name, but nodded firmly as they kept walking to lands that now got darker "He had a dark past, and he let that darkness invade him. Suddenly the most important thing to him was power, not the influence of that power in other people's lives. It resulted in death and tragedy, some died for the sake of their pride, others for the sake of a better future."

Ashton sighed, they stopped.

"I never knew the story like that." Ashton started "He was not my father but, he was still a part of me."

The king smiled at the boy, patting his back in comfort. Ashton smiled at him sympathetically — both of them were fatherless, he felt a little bit of a friendly bond between them.

"I believe I misjudged you." Andrew said "After long thoughts I decided that I should accept you, not only as my son's partner but as a person. It was foolish of me to think such evil things of you without actually knowing you." The king leaned down, picking up a daisy from the burnt floor "You gave light a chance."

Ashton smiled, his heart filled with joy — then he remembered what was actually happening. He had to tell him before it was too late, he had to warn him about Caroline.

And then he heard several mischievous giggles.

Behind him was Caroline along with his brother and sister. Both of them looked frightened, Lauren was forcing her evilness once again.

"Well well Ashton, seems like our plan worked perfectly." she said, approaching him "Thank you for bringing him to the location. Now we will end him."

"What?!" The king shouted "You were working with them?"

"No! It's nothing like that!"

As he said that, the king started getting beaten up.

His mind was running in circles, all he could think about was destroying Caroline and every single one o them that were truly evil. Ashton took the people off of the king, fighting them back as he yelled for the man to run.

Ashton watched from the corner of his wye as he got up and tripped to far away, he was obviously feeling weak. The metallic taste of blood was all over his mouth, his body hurt in many parts and he tried to cough.

"What did you do?!" Caroline asked "We had him here! We could have killed him!"

"I'm not gonna let you do that." Ashton said firmly, getting up and coughing.

The woman walked rapidly to him and cut his cheek with a knife, leaving a scar exactly on the same place Hayden had his. Ashton hissed and looked at her, who gasped and dropped the knife.

"We're going to leave you now." she said "If you ever show your face around the Outlands don't expect to come out of there alive."

Ashton watched as they left, breathing heavily as he shared a look with his siblings for the last time.

***

"If it's Uno where is Dos Tres Quatro?" Calum asked as they played the card game "It doesn't make sense. Do those sequels exist, can I—holy fuck is that your father?"

They rushed to the king who was covered in bruises and even small specks of blood. Luke took off his own jacket and gave it to his father, supporting the king with his arm.

"Dad who did this?" he asked, worried.

"Ashton, the Outlanders" he breathed out "there was an ambush."

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as i've said before my name is ana rita and give me your hot opinions

ana rita