The Arcadian council passed the judgement. The news came to Griffin in his makeshift tent, a smile lighting his once dull face. Everything was going as planned. He picked Alexander’s sword and headed to where he was tied.

One look at how helpless Alexander was made him burst in laughter. Alexander stared at him coldly, sweat dripping from every part of his body. A knight from behind him poured cold water on him, which he was glad for.

"It’ll only be a matter of days if not hours before the whole continent becomes mine." He looked at Alexander mockingly,"Even Valoria!"

A cold metal settled on Alexander skin which turned out to be his sword. Surprisingly, not a hint of fear could be detected on his face.

"And then I’ll kill you and marry Isadora to one of the witch leaders." He knew how to hit the right spot because the next moment, Alexander had tried to descend on him. Luckily, he was well restrained with the ropes.

"Easy boy," Griffin teased. "Thank God you won’t be alive to witness." He smirked and kneed Alexander to the stomach before walking back to his tent.

Alexander was left groaning in pain when he noticed something, or was it someone, unusual move through the rocks. He focused his eyes in the burning sun but only saw the hem of an Arcadian Knight’s uniform. Who could that be?

Time seemed to stand still for Alexander. And adding to the heat, he barely survived. The witches would punch him at will and others would have a meal in front of him. His lips had cracked by now and his legs too weak to support themselves. He clasped in the log like a dying Jesus. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

At one time, a witch offered him a bottle to only find it was a bitter decoction when he tried to swallow. He spit it his mouth burning but the witch walked away laughing. His through had turned hoarse by evening save for his stomach that had been whining since morning.

Relief filled Alexander when the sun sunk beneath the rocky mountains but that was the end of one misery and the start of another. With the sinking sun came the cold. His once wet clothes were stuck on his skin and just a thin fabric, it didn’t help much.

He shivered like a flower in winter when darkness set in. The witches could be heard talking in caves while others lit a born fire in the clearing. Several make shift tents were set up too and Alexander was surprised to see some Crescian authorities he knew visit Griffin. This plan was laid.

Someone dashed out of the darkness and started working on the ropes. Alexander said nothing until he was all untied. He pinned the man to the ground unable to make his face in the dark.

"It’s Brandon Your Majesty. We need to leave now before we are caught." Alexander released his iron grip on him surprised. Brandon was the last person he had expected to save him.

And before he could ask anything, a witch who was among those around the bonfire noticed something unusual in the previously quiet place. The silhouette of Alexander that they saw from the distance of the bonfire was gone and replaced by a lone pole instead. He picked a torch from the ground to take a closer look.

"Someone’s coming," Brandon pointed. Alexander craned his neck to see a lone witch stalking to their side. Brandon led him to a rocky place where they hid with Alexander panting. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care?" Alexander asked. "Hell I’m not okay. I need water," he whispered.

"Mine got finished while I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to stress you. There is a spring in the woods. If we reach there, you can have..." The witch was already close, a ghostly expression registered on his face when he saw a lone pole and ropes on the ground.

"You have to take care of him before word spreads," Alexander said watching the witch crouch. He was too weak to do it, otherwise he’d have turned the whole camp ablaze. If there was a mistake Griffin did was to let him see another day. He imagined the most cruel way he’d end his life but none seemed to please him at the moment. In the end, he ended up clenching his teeth.

In a steelth movement, Brandon caught the witch by surprise and before he could make an alarming sound, he curbed his mouth and strangled him to death. He threw the limp body off him and offer the torch. But he knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Alexander’s disappearance got discovered.

"Let’s go," he said dragging a frail Alexander with him. With one arm placed over his shoulder and the other over his waist, they walked through the shadows until they came to where Brandon had hidden his horse. Brandon helped Alexander climb first and when he had got hold of the reins, a clarion call sounded in the camp. "Find Alexander and kill him!"

The horse dashed down the hills and through the woods, and fortunately, no one came after them. Brandon slowed down at the spring to only have Alexander drop from the horse and crawl to the spring. This surprised him as it came from a king.

Five minutes was what it took to quench Alexander’s thirst. He didn’t know the amount he had consumed but his throat still burnt, after such an intake! He washed his face and when he turned to look at Brandon, he found the guy staring at him like a stranger.

"What?" He asked removing his shirt to wipe the water on his face with it.

"Nothing," Brandon said looking at the other way. "I’ll light a fire." He said and was about to leave when,

"Why did you help me?" He had nothing but to humiliate Brandon his whole life. Why would he help him anyways?

"Because I wanted to," he curtly replied. "You’re my king after all." He added leaving Alexander to ponder over that.