~Chapter Two~

Lying Your way Out

After leaving behind his new found friendship with Timpani, Blumiere had to make it back up the mountain to the forest. He remembered Timpani talking about a long path that led up the mountain to the forest, it really was a long path, but it was far better than trying to scale the side of the mountain where he fell. After about an hour or so, he made it back to the forest, it was difficult to find a way back in, it was almost like the vines and tree's made a thick wall around it, and it was impossible to just make a path. Finally after a while of searching, he found a weak spot that he was able to cut through using his sword. When he broke through, he was in an area of the forest that was unfamiliar to him. Although there was somewhat of a path that he could follow, he did not follow it for long when he could see the kingdom walls, as he got closer he started noticing soldiers patrolling the outside walls, of course he could just walk past them and be seen, he was the son of their leader after all, but he knew if they found him it could mean trouble, he wanted to try to get past them and get to his father without having to be taken to him by the guards. Luckily there was a spot on one side of the castle walls that had vines growing up it, Blumiere waited for the guard to go past then ran to the wall and jumped on to the vines, he climbed his way up and made it over the wall, and to his surprise someone was waiting for him on the other side. It was his father. Blumiere yelled "AHHHH! D-dad…Uhmm what are you doing here? Hehehe…" His father replied with a very serious tone "And just where have you been for the past three DAYS!?" Blumiere quickly started to act serious, he knew he had to, or his father might not believe the lie he was about to tell "Father, I apologize for being gone. You see, on my patrol three days ago, I found a new trail I'd never seen before; I followed it, thinking it may be a trail from an outsider. I followed it and-"His father looked angry now and said sternly, cutting off Blumiere in mid-sentence "You actually expect me to believe this stupid story?! You've lived here your entire life, and you've never had problems finding your way around before, never! And now you expect me to believe that one day you just randomly get lost?!" Blumiere looked down in silence, he didn't know what to say, and he thought that he would have believed him. And sadly, he did not have a backup plan… his father slowly approached him and said "I don't know where you really we're, but I swear I will find out…" Blumiere had a shocked look on his face, he was terrified that his father might find out, or that he might get the truth out of him somehow…He made a promise to himself, that he would never tell him the truth. Ever.

The both of them walked back to the castle in silence, Blumiere kept his head down as he walked behind his father. As they walked to the castle, many of the towns people we're staring and talking, apparently they we're wondering where the young lord had been for the past three days. They eventually made their way into the castle, and many guards and servants kept approaching them, joyful that the young lord had returned home safely, just as Blumiere was going to go to his room, trying to avoid his father; he turned to Blumiere and said "I want to see you in the Throne Room in five minutes, no exceptions." Blumiere sighed and said "Yes, sir." He knew this meant trouble for him… Blumiere went to his room, changed clothes quickly and made his way to the Throne Room. The Throne room was where his father spent most of his time during the day, here, his bedroom or his study. Blumiere approached the throne room, two guards opened the extremely tall doors for him, and he went inside.

Upon entering, he saw his father sitting in his throne, with about six guards on each side of the room, The Guards always fascinated Blumiere, he wondered how they remained so stoic and stood so still all day long… he thought that it must be the worst job in the world… But it was hard for him to think about that right now, since he had much worse things to worry about than the guards and their boring jobs. Without saying a word, Blumiere stood in front of the throne where his father sat, he was told by one of the guards to stand about eight feet from his father, This felt very weird, he felt as if he were on trial or something…it did not feel like a "father and son chat" to say the least. After a few moments of silence, his father began by saying "Son, I know that you were not lost in the forest for three days, as I said before you are far too smart for that…" Blumiere swallowed hard, he had no idea what to say… he just stood there with a nervous look on his face… another moment of silence fell over the room, then his father began talking again saying "Your silence proves your guilt in my opinion…I believe you went out of the forest…" the guards in the room gasped at the kings accusation. No one had ever tried to leave, and the king believing that the first one to try was his own son was a shocker indeed. Blumieres' father stood up and said "Lord Blumiere, for the crimes of trying to leave the forest walls, endangering our people and the Dark Prognosticus I sentence you to three weeks solitary confinement in your quarters…" To Blumiere on a normal day that would not have been bad punishment at all, but he wanted to see Timpani again… what would she think, him being gone for three weeks, she would think he broke his promise… Blumiere did not have much to say in defense, but he began talking anyway…"Wait! Father, its not what you think, yes its true I left the forest…" This shocked the guards even more, since they did not even fully believe he would try to do something like that, Blumiere continued talking "But I did not meet any outsiders, no one saw me…I swear it! Our kingdom is not in danger, nor is the Dark Prognosticus!" His father looked at him with a satisfied look on his face, and said… "I will choose to believe you…but do not think I trust you either, you are still not allowed to leave this castle…" Lord Blumiere was sort of relieved that he had his father believing him…but he knew trying to leave again was a crazy idea…but he did not care, he had tricked his father before, he could try to escape at night when most of the castle staff was asleep. Of course there would still be guards surrounding the place, but he had to try at least!

He could not stop thinking about seeing Timpani again…