Fowler: means 'bird-catcher'
Wyatt: means 'brave'
Duff: irish name for 'dark'
Robertson: patronymic 'son of Robert'

No one POV
Andy walked fastly through the long and dark hallway, the only audible sound were his footsteps.
He finally arrived in front of a huge wooden door and opened it only to find chaos behind it.
"We won't do as you say...it's a dumb plan"
"Oh yeah, cause yours is so brilliant"
"We have to vote, I refuse any order"
"We need Andy, where the hell is he?!"
"I'm here and you fighting just gave me a headache" Andy glared at them sitting at his seat around the table.
"Andy say something, Robertson's plan is shit" Brook said.
"We don't know when the Shadow Warriors will attack, we just know they will so we have to defend ourselves" Sonny explained with a calmer tone.
"So you plan to be a coward" Jack loudly commented with his arms crossed.
"Is to be smart" Harper defended slamming both his hands on the wooden table.
"Shut up!" Andy got up.
"We won't decide anything if we keep doing this. Our parents gave us the power cause they have faith in our decisions but arguing isn't the way"
The room went silent, the guards outside confused and scared about what was going on in there.
"They gave us the power to make smart decisions. When you will see that I'm right then I'm down for a talk" Jack said then went to leave.
Sonny couldn't hate Jack more, he always acts like a child when things don't go his way.

"Sir Jack...Sir Wyatt is here to see you" a servant said quietly.
"Yeah right, let him in"
A second after Brook walked in and saying that he was pissed off was an understatement.
"Who is he to tell me that my reign is a joke...A JOKE! I take my role seriously and no one has the right to insult us. Wyatt means brave so he's the clown here"
"Ignore him" was all Jack said.
"How the fuck could I ignore him. He defaced my name, the Wyatt's name and he wants my help against Rye" Brook rolled his eyes.
Jack stayed calm while his tailor was taking measurements for his new suit.
"Why don't we choose for ourselves?" Brook said out of nowhere.
"What?"
"We ignore the Circle and attack Rye. Simple"
"Edgar, please leave us alone" Jack ordered and in 2 seconds the tailor was gone.
"Are you out of your mind?! That's exactly what Rye did. The Circle exists so that we can't take over"
Jack couldn't believe his best friend but the idea was appealing...
"Jack...you can't stand Sonny, you've always loathed him so why should you listen to him? Our armies combined can make it"
Jack thought about it for a second and he found himself agreeing.

So the two kings started to plan everything secretly.
Some people in the castle questioned the frequent presence of Sir. Wyatt but Jack didn't care about rumors.
"Do the others suspect anything?" Jack asked while pacing the huge room.
"Nah, Sonny is way too far up his ass and Harper follows him everywhere like a puppy while Andy...well, he's Andy" Brook played with the little soldier on the strategic map.
"Ok...we have to make it"
They looked at each other and nodded.

-months later-
Sonny ran his hand nervously through his hair.
He was submerged by letters from all his allies who were pressuring him to decide regarding Rye and his Shadow Warriors.
"Sir...I know you didn't want to be disturbed but Sir. Dark is here" a servant said leaving the door open after Sonny nodded his head.
"We are fucked"
"I'm good, thanks for asking. How are you, Harp?"
"No Sonny, we are fucked. Duff killed us all"
At the mention of Jack's name, Sonny looked up from the letter in his hand.
"What are you talking about?"
"Duff and Wyatt attacked Rye and his Shadow Warriors"
Sonny's face went white, he couldn't breathe.
"They were planning it for months apparently..."
Sonny's mind was empty, he didn't know what to do or what to think.
"Does Andy know?"
"Yes, we found out together. What do we do?"
Silence, Sonny just spaced out.
"Sonny?"
"I don't know!" He raised his voice even tho it wasn't his intention.
"Sorry...I- it's just that Jack gets on my nerves...he sent us to death. Ugh!" Sonny was frustrated, he only saw red.
If before he hated Jack now he wished for Rye to kill him.
"We need to be ready in case they won't make it" Harper said and he was right, Sonny knew it but a part of him wanted to help.
But he didn't know what to do.
He trained his whole life for moments like this but he still couldn't bring himself to decide.

So what Sonny did the following days was waiting, he waited for something... news about the battle or perhaps a letter from Jack that asked for help but he knew that Jack would never.
He barely ate, couldn't sleep and everyone was worried.
He looked sick and all the maids didn't know what to do.
"Just leave me alone"
Sonny kept saying for a week.
He didn't leave his room nor his bed and even Harper wasn't allowed inside.
"Sir..."
"No Mandy, I don't want to see anyone" Sonny cut her off.
She nodded then went back outside but a loud voice echoed in the whole castle.
"Robertson if you don't open this fucking door, I swear-"
"What do you want Andy?" Sonny opened the door, still in his sleeping attire.
"God, we are in a war and you look like this..." Andy walked past the boy inside the room.
"You came here to insult me?"
"No, I came here cause we have to sign a peace agreement. We are a lot stronger than Rye if we combine our armies but Jack already made his choice so we don't have time to help him. We can just defend" Andy explained and Sonny thanked the universe for his presence.
The Fowler's were a family known for being pacific, strategic but pacific and it showed.
"Ok...we'll sign the agreement but will Rye agree?"
"I sent an ambassador there, we'll get news soon" Andy said composed with his hands behind his back.
He always looked tidy and composed without a single hair strand out of place, he took after his mom.
"But please get your life together, you're a king for god's sake"
And with that Andy left.

But during the night, Sonny couldn't stop thinking about Jack, what if he died?
No, he couldn't be dead, it's Jack...he can do it...right?
His mind was filled with just one thought: Jack.
This kept going on the next night and even the next one and the next one...
When they got news from the front Sonny wasn't relieved cause they weren't about Jack, he didn't know the reason for his obsession but he knew that he needed to know something to calm down his tormented soul.
The news only said that some soldiers of the Brave were coming back but no sign of Jack.

Till one night when Sonny couldn't sleep as usual.
He decided to walk outside in the huge gardens of the castle.
It wasn't that cold outside, just a soft breeze that carried the delicate smell of the flowers he ordered to plant.
It was a calm night, it almost seemed like a war wasn't going on but something ruined the peacefulness.
A labored breathing and some mumbling.
Sonny had his hand on the sword just in case.
"Is there someone?" He asked aloud by no reply.
He kept his guard up then saw someone laying on the ground.
"Oh god" he ran towards the body that almost looked lifeless.
"Jack?! What the fuck happened?!"
"I-...I didn't know where else to go..." he managed to say then his face scrunched in pain.
He was bleeding and a lot.
"Tell me what happened"
Sonny ripped out his shirt to stop the bleeding.
"I was trying to spy an army that was settled way too close to the north but they found me...fuck"
There was blood everywhere.
"Ok ok. I'll carry you inside now"
Sonny managed to carry him inside without causing Jack more pain but all the guards looked at their sovereign confused.
"Mandy...bring me some bandages and keep all of this inside the castle walls. No one has to know he's here"
"Yes sir"
"Oh and bring some of my clothes"
Mandy obeyed the orders immediately.
In the meanwhile, Jack was twisting in pain biting the pillow to keep it quiet.
"Ok let me see...god..."
Sonny pulled up the shirt and a huge cut was across his chest, shirt stained with blood.
"It hurts" Jack strictly said stopping Sonny's movements.
"I know but I have to medicate you" Sonny said back as strictly.
Mandy came back with everything the Lord asked then left again.
"Ok now you have to sit up"
Jack tried to do it but needed help, it was kinda embarrassing for him to be in such helpless conditions.
"You're hurting me" Jack clenched his teeth in pain.
"If you stop moving..."
"The things I do to protect your useless reign" the king closed his eyes to focus on something other than pain.
"No one asked you to protect my useless reign" Sonny stopped his movements which made Jack open his eyes.
"I..." the younger king didn't know what to reply.
"Exactly as I thought"
Sonny went to put stitches.
"Stop. Stop. Stop"
Jack couldn't handle it.
"I'm halfway through, one more minute and I'm done"
Jack gripped his wrist and breathed in.
Sonny looked at his face, tired and marked by pain and for a split second he thought 'thank god he's alive'
"What are you staring at?"
"Nothing" Sonny said quickly then went back to stitching.
He eventually finished and bandaged up Jack's torso hoping that his medical work was enough.
"You're lucky that my mum was a nurse and that she taught me something"
Jack rolled his eyes but thanked him.
"Emm...you should, you know, shower"
Sonny pointed to the rest of Jack's body that was covered in blood.
"Scream if you need my help again"
"Ah ah ah really funny"
Jack didn't smile but it was funny to Sonny.

So the king waited for the other king to be done.
It was weird that Jack was showering in his bathroom, they barely stepped in each other reigns let alone in their castles.
"Sir...I have some food for Lord Duff. If you desire something else don't hesitate to ask"
"Thank you so much Mandy" Sonny smiled at his favorite maid who bowed lightly before leaving.
"I can't believe I'm asking you this but...I need you to put on the shirt, I can't really move my arms up" Jack asked ashamed.
Sonny smiled at how vulnerable the boy was.
"Your clothes are too big" Jack complained.
"Or maybe you're too small"
"Shut up"
They sat in front of the fireplace, Sonny watching Jack eating.
"What about Brook?"
"I sent him back a couple weeks ago, I knew it was too dangerous so in case I couldn't make it...but the Wyatt's are way too stubborn when it's about war so took forever to send him back"
Jack hugged his knees while thinking about his best friend.
"Why the fuck did you do it?"
"Cause you wanted to be a coward and my people aren't cowards. My ancestors didn't build all of this to let it vanish like this"
"But it was a dumb decision and now we have to figure out Rye's conditions for the peace-"
"What?! Why the fuck did you agree in a peace?!" Jack raised his voice.
"Cause you sent us to death, we had to do something"
Sonny didn't get Jack's anger.
"You always have to take the last decision, the Circle isn't about you!" Jack got up way too quickly.
"What are you talking about? The point of the Circle is to avoid the presence of one king"
Sonny wasn't following Jack.
"Me and Brook decided for ourselves so there wasn't any need to get involved" Jack held his torso.
"I did it for you! To save you for god's sake!" Sonny finally admitted and Jack turned around to face him.
"You're so far up your ass that you didn't realize that all of us signed it for you. You fucked us but we, I still decided to save your ass"
Sonny sometimes couldn't stand Jack's stubbornness.
Silence fell between them and they probably woke up the whole castle but they didn't care.
"Why? Why are you doing all of this? Even helping me now...we all know that if I died my reign would be split between you guys since I don't have a successor"
"Yeah, your reign is also in the most strategic position since it's covered on each side by ours and could be a great conquest but I didn't want you to die...couldn't let you die..."
And for some magical force, the two boys were standing face to face.
"Why?" Jack asked confused.
He just wanted to know the reason for all of this.
"You ask too many questions"
"And you answer to none of them"
Jack's eyes flickered to Sonny's lips for a split second and the curly boy caught it.
"You're an asshole" Sonny said under his breath.
"Well, then there are 2 assholes in this room" Jack sasses and Sonny attacked the lips that just insulted him.
The kiss was heated and Sonny was being careful not to hurt Jack but the boy hissed in pain breaking the kiss.
"Shit sorry"
Jack leaned against the other boy who looped his arm around him.
"Fuck, you can hurt me even with a fucking kiss"
"Fuck off"
Sonny helped him to sit on the armchair but Jack pulled him down right after, continuing the make-out session.

The two boys fell asleep curled next to each other, for the first time in weeks Sonny slept peacefully.
"Sir Robertson?" Mandy knocked a couple of times.
"Let me sleep" Sonny mumbled pulling Jack closer but he touched the stitches by accident waking up the boy.
"Robertson you need to stop" Jack scolded.
Sonny just nozzles into his neck as a reply, leaving wet kisses all over.
"I need to write to Brook or else he'll get my head. Plus, I need something for the pain. It's killing me" Jack rolled on his back, pain visible on his face.
Jack stayed with Sonny for a while cause first of all it wasn't safe out there and no one had to know where Jack was and second, he had to heal before.
"Brook is getting out of hand with the letters" Sonny said bringing in the room a bunch of envelopes.
"He's also getting out of control with my reign...he wants to live in my castle" Jack laughed but not too hard cause his wound still hurt.
"Yeah, I-"
"Your highness..."
It was Mandy, she was out of breath as she ran across the whole castle.
"Are you ok Mandy?"
"Yes sir...I-emmm...Sir Dark is here and demands to see you...he's like coming here right now..."
At the information, Sonny's eyes widened and two seconds after, Harper appeared around the corner.
Mandy left and Sonny closed the bedroom door with a slam.
"Hey...how you doing?"
Harper arched his brow.
"Are you ok? Why are you so weird and why did you shut the door?"
"Oh nothing...just making some changes so...but no I'm not acting weird"
Harper chose to believe him anyway.
"Ok, whatever...I'm sorry for coming here without notice but I had to talk"
"Ok...but is everything alright?"
Sonny was so focused on Jack the last days that he ignored everything around him.
"Brook took over Duff's reign and you know it wasn't the agreement"
They walked through the hallway, Sonny listening carefully.
"That's a problem. We have to say something. Jack is gone, they killed him-"
"No" Sonny cut off, his voice echoing in the hall.
Then another scream.
"What is going on?" Harper was more than confused.
"Shit"
Sonny ran to his room.
Jack was sitting on the floor, hand on his wound.
"Are you ok?"
"I think my stitches or something I don't know...it hurts" he cried and Sonny ached for him.
"What the fuck...I- what on earth is going on here?!"
Sonny ignored his best friend and went to pick Jack up.
"Squeeze my arm when it hurts too much" the curly king said even tho he already knew that his boy would have squeezed it at the minimum level of pain.
After a bunch of minutes, Sonny was done checking his wound but Jack didn't look fine.
Not much time has passed since he got injured but it seemed like he would never be able to recover.
"I know that look and you know it's not true" he sat next to him, holding his fragile body.
"I-..." Harper witnessed everything and it was like someone did a smoothie with his brain.
"Ryan, tell me now what is going on"
And with that Sonny had to explain everything.

A year passed by and a lot changed.
Jack went back home cause Brook was a terrible leader for his reign and also it was still his reign, his people.
They signed the peace with Rye and even though the Circle has to pay a debt, everything was back to normal.
About Sonny and Jack, the situation was...complicated.
No one suspected anything except for some servants but they definitely didn't say anything so the two boys kept seeing each other.
Jack spent a lot of time in Sonny's castle while the curly boy spent the summer at Jack's family estate.
He is always surrounded by mountains and it was nice to change the environment for once, the soft hills that characterized Jack's land were a nice change.
"So what do you wanna do?" Sonny asked while they were laying on a huge field of dandelions.
"You mean now or in the future?"
"Both" he ran his hands in Jack's hair.
"Mm...right now I want to stay here and do nothing"
"Mm..." Sonny scooted closer so his chest touched Jack's back.
"And in the future...nothing new about my duty of king but maybe I could change place..."
"What do you mean?"
"I have a place, it's old and my family used it in case of an attack but it's still gorgeous. Maybe I could move there...you know it's close to north..." Jack turned his head to look at Sonny.
When the other boy connected the dots, he kissed Jack and didn't stop.
He didn't stop cause he couldn't get enough of it.
You hate drugs and being addicted but once you're in that circle you can't get out.
Jack was Sonny's Circle.

___________________________________
Note*
This one is extremely long for no reason and I put a lot of effort in it so I hope you guys like it.
It's kinda different from the others but I like this type of story.
Have a great day and take care🦭