ATTENTION IMPORTANT! For Fates Gate's Part 1 the last chapter is KIll and Spill ending with Arthur in custody. If you hadn't read it yet please do as it is up now. Please finish part 1 before you read part 2 to have a good understanding.

Chapter 1: The Pained Prince

When Arthur woke up he was in chains. Someone had wrapped his wound so the bleeding had stopped and his shirt was removed, a folded regal one next to him. He wasn't sure how to put it on though as both his wrists were chained to the bench he was sitting on.

He took in his surrounding slowly, it was dark and cramped. He seemed to be in a closet of some kind. Memories started to slowly come back to him and with every passing second worry and fear tightened in his chest. Matthew was all by himself and he was…..on his way to the castle. Just the thought of seeing the queen again made Arthur shudder.

He forced himself to calm down. He had to remain composed and display the appropriate reactions a prince would display. He was no longer just Arthur anymore, he was Prince Arthur Kirkland the Third. He cleared his throat and called out. He was not going to allow himself to be chained down like some common criminal.

The soldier that had recognized him, appeared in the doorway, opening the door more so light streamed in. Arthur recognized him, he knew this man….from somewhere. He racked his brain for a name but could find none.

"It sure has been a long time. I guess I would be surprised If you did remember me, Prince Arthur." He bowed lowly, his familiar voice bringing back memories to Arthur.

"Of course I remember you, Antonio. We spent long hours together sword fighting and you trained me very well. You may rise," He said quickly hating the authority in his voice. He just wanted to be Arthur, just wanted to save Matthew and live peacefully with him together. Run a tea shop, read books, go to the park. But that was no longer an option.

Arthur directed his attention to Antonio who had risen looking impressed. He quickly unchained Arthur explaining the only reason they had chained him was that the prince had been flailing and yelling "Matthew" in his sleep and the soldiers were afraid he would open his wound that the doctor had stitched once they boarded the blimp.

"Ah, so we're on the Air Dragon. I assume we will be arriving at the castle soon then," Arthur replied curtly ignoring the slightly implied question of who Matthew is.

. . .

"Yes sire we will be arriving there in about three weeks. You were out for two days already so…." Antonio trailed off nervously running a hand through his short brown hair. He had been very shocked indeed to see Prince Arthur at the crime scene but he didn't dare ask about it.

He was simply a knight bound to serve royalty. The only royalty he ever relaxed around was Duke Francis. He had nothing against Arthur but the last time he had seen the prince he had been a young boy, now a man stood in front of him, disgruntled and still as short as ever but very much a prince.

Antonio would have like to ask Arthur many questions indeed but instead he bit his tongue and showed Arthur around the blimp. Arthur seemed very intent on exploring the airship. He was polite and curt with all the soldiers, but he seemed distracted and very spacey.

"Sire aren't you going to eat….." Antonio questioned softly. Arthur had assigned him as his personal guard and the two of them were sitting in the dining room. It was a lavish room with over twenty hand crafted tables each fitted with a lacy tablecloth. Usually the room would be full but the ship had been sent this time not as a touring expense but as the fastest way to reach the city that Duke Bard was rumored to be in.

Antonio thought about filling Arthur in about the politics of the capital, but he assumed Arthur knew. After all, why else had Arthur killed the duke unless he was somehow still in touch with his brother.

Maybe he was something of a secret weapon and never really ran away. No matter, they still had to take Arthur back now, the king would want to see who had killed the Duke when the soldiers had been sent to simply arrest the duke.

Antonio could still hardly believe his surprise when he had found Arthur there, standing in the room with the Duke's dead body. Oh my he was so confused and had so many questions! He would have to interrogate Francis later and find out all the juicy gossip.

. . .

Arthur did not know of the politics or any of that so as the blimp got closer to the capital he found himself getting more and more anxious. He hated the fact they were in the air as if they had gone to the capital by carriage or boat he would have escaped.

That wasn't an option 1300 feet in the air. Days passed with a painful slowness to them. Arthur played cards with the soldiers and chatted them up some, hoping to win their loyalty so if the queen really did try to kill him, he'd have half a dozen allies. But to be honest he was more worried about Matthew then himself. He kept replaying the last couple of days over and over again in his head.

He just prayed the boy wouldn't freak out too bad when his mother never returned, and that he wouldn't think Arthur had abandoned him. But for all the prince knew the lad hated his guts by now.

After all if had almost been two weeks, and it would be almost three weeks by the time Arthur got to the capital and that wasn't even factoring the time it would take before he could request an audience with his father the king.

Days passed so very slow. Arthur made a habit of pacing the entire length of the ship, over and over again. He often woke from nightmares of Mathew dead or hating him or in the god forsaken room again with another pig like the duke. Arthur shuddered and tightened his fist ignoring the look Antonio shot him.

His talk with his old instructor had been strictly small talk and even though Arthur wished he could confide in the man he still was unsure who he could trust or not. All of the soldiers sported the emblem of the house on their dark navy jackets, but anyone of them could have been corrupted by the queen.

So Arthur spent the days mostly in solitude or trying to win over men and still feeling alone. In fact it felt like an entire month had passed by the time they finally reach the capital, and by the time they descended, docked, and traveled to the castle it had indeed been a month.

Arthur was sure Mathew had given up hope by now and swore he would make it up to the lad, if he ever saw him again. No! He couldn't think like that he wouldn't. Things would work out. They had to.

Arthur was led out of the carriage. He was in chains again even though Antonio insisted they would be removed as soon as the King allowed it.

"Don't worry Sire the King won't punish you I'm quite sure…." Antonio insisted although by the way the Spaniard shifted and avoided Arthur's eyes he wasn't 100% sure.

Arthur swallowed the fear and nostalgia that had shot through him as he was led into the castle. Everywhere he looked a memory popped into his mind.

From the old tapestries on the walls, to the giant statues several of which were broken due to him and his brothers from what seemed like a different lifetime ago. Far too soon and yet not soon enough Arthur was standing in front of the ivory door that led into the throne room.

A large 3D serpent ran up the door it's head the handle of the door. The bloodline of the Kirkland's had always associated themselves with reptiles as their house symbols. Arthur's father had specifically liked the red crested viper. So the flags were changed and the animal was found everywhere throughout the castle. Even on the important doors like the one leading to the throne room.

Seeing as he was handcuffed Arthur didn't open the door himself but he could still easily recall the odd feel of the handle and he shook himself trying to focus on the present and not the past.

"Bring Him forward," A voice boomed that Arthur instantly recognized as not his father. He was shoved forward and fell to his knees head bent shaking where he knelt. His father was no longer the king. Had he died?

Arthur wasn't surprised and was more surprised how the realization that one of his brothers was on the throne hadn't hit him earlier. He was sure he knew which one too and he was screwed. He was dead, he knew it in the core of his being. Never again would he see Matthew, never again would he get to look into the beautiful, tortured, violet eyes or see the lad's heart wrenching smile.

"Sorry, Matthew I am so sorry" Arthur thought desperately, over and over again. He had tried he really had tried his hardest. He prayed he had done enough that Matthew was living happily, that he had saved the boy, given him wings and the opportunity to fly.