Hey y'all! This story's going on longer than i expected but oh well. hope you enjoy!

Shout Outs!:

Melissa Waters

Thanks! No prob.

2016jsaprinceton

Will do! ;)


I traveled the countryside, avoiding the main roads, as I made my way to Bevin Conner's estate. I really wasn't in that much of a hurry, if I didn't make it back before Jaron did then he would be king—I truly held no objections other than who would get Amerinda's hand in marriage. I chuckled to myself at the thought, Jaron, king? Oh the Regents would have their hands full…

It was a long trip, what should have taken two days by the main road would take at least two weeks—give or take a few days—by back roads and country land. My thoughts were filled with Amerinda, my deceased parents and Jaron. "I wonder how he likes his life…gives him the freedom he always craved."


I was nearly to Conner's estate, having taken a shortcut through the dense woods that cut through the mountain instead of around. It was hazardous, defiantly only meant for the horseman or braved foot traveler, but the sooner I found my proof the sooner I could return to the throne or to protecting Jaron. I breached the mountain and saw a small village at its base and heard a death bell ring three times. I bowed my head, knowing who it was meant for. "Jaron, I hope you made it…"

A few days later I made it to Conner's estate, but never expected what greeted me. I walked my horse up the front path and a servant came out, I take that back. He wasn't a servant but looked to professor. He stormed past me, grumbling the whole time.

"Insolent boy. Can't believe he's king. Actually I can imagine it, Jaron was just as bad. Oh I ever get my hands on his majesty I'll…"

Finally I stopped him, "Excuse me sir, but may I ask who it is you're talking about?"

The man paused for a moment before he spoke, "Well everyone knows already anyway…Bevin Conner had planned to set a prince on the throne to prevent Carthia plunging into war—or so he said. He brought in three possible boys to take the missing prince's place and I had to tutor two of them. Roden was alright but Sage, oh I could just kill him! Never in my life have I had such an insolent, rude, and infuriating student as he!"

"Yes, well…?"

The man recomposed himself and continued, "Through certain, events, Sage ended becoming chosen for the part only to recently learn that he WAS the prince all along! He played me for a fool, all that time I spent trying to teach to read and somewhat educate him and he knew it all along!"

I smiled, Sage, he made it. Funny, Conner's attempt to take the throne back fired. Quickly covering up a laugh I had to ask, "So is Conner with the prince now?"

He answered flatly, "He's King Jaron now. And, in a way. Jaron exposed Conner as the one who murdered the royal family and apparently having tried to murder him four years prior."

My heart stopped as the pieces fell together, "He hired the Avienan Pirates to kill Jaron?" It was a struggle to keep my voice controlled.

He nodded, "Indeed. Now, if you don't mind I'd like to get back to my life."

I nodded, "Of course, thank you."

I watched him leave and sat still on my horse for long minute. It seems that Jaron already accomplished what I was coming to do…sounds like him. If your going to do it, do it so no one will forget. For better or worse. "I suppose its time I head back."

I turned my horse around and made my way back to Drylliad, taking the same roads I did before.


I was encamped for the night when a soft glow a fair distance away caught my eye. Curious, I quietly made my way closer and picked up on their voices.

"King Veldergrath will no doubt be furious when he finds out that Jaron wasn't dead and Eckbert played him for a fool."

"He played everyone for a fool."

The first voice responded again, "Aye, but it will be Carthya's down fall. The boy king is so inexperienced he will have no choice but to accept Veldergrath's offer."

"And if he doesn't then he will quickly loose in the war." A new voice spoke.

I quickly and quietly made my way back to my camp, I had to warn Jaron. Because the devils know he'd reject Veldergrath's offer, whatever that was, and had to know that war was coming. Mounting my horse. I silently cursed at my luck, being stuck smack in the middle of the road, both directions. I decided to press ahead on the path, taking care to avoid the Avienan camp.

*O*O*O*O*O*O*O*

Making it back to the castle took half the time it did to get to Conner's, at the expense of my horse. It was night when I entered the castle through the sewage canal. I'd have to talk to Jaron about fixing that, the door was unlocked and wide opened. I absentmindedly wondered if Jaron had used the passage. I prayed he had, if for nothing more than to make Conner walk through here, make him like the rat he was. The kitchens were empty and I had no trouble slipping through the castle to the servant chambers, it took everything I had not to run to Jaron's chambers and embrace him, to tell him I wasn't dead. To show that I was alive just like he was. To finally be the brother I had been, and more hopefully now that I wasn't training to take the throne.

I didn't, however, instead quietly waking Rehin. He mumbled then shot up, wide eyed. "Darius! You'd never believe it, Jaron-he's, he's alive!"

I smiled, "I know. Come with me, I need to talk."

I lead us through the halls until we were outside, finally Rehin couldn't hold his tongue any longer. "Did you know all these years that he was still alive?!"

I smiled at him coyly, "Who do you think found him in the first place?"

Rehin started to say something but stopped before asking, "What did you want to know?"

"What happened to Conner?"

"Him? He's in jail, Jaron exposed everything he'd done. Darius?"

Rehin's voice was guarded as he spoke, my voice was as equally guarded, "Yes?"

It took him moment to answer, "Conner, he…he's the one who hired the pirates four years ago."

An anger burned in me again but I didn't show it, "I know, Rehin. I assume Jaron's in his quarters?"

Rehin nodded with a frown. "Aye. There's been a fuss about placing a regent over Jaron to help him…"

A laughing frown crossed my face, "Why does that not surprise me?"

Rehin continued, "Anyway. They wanted Jaron to leave and go to a safe house due to an attempt on his life-"

"When did that happen?" I asked but it came out as a hiss.

He wasn't fazed by my anger, "The night of your family's burial. He's alright though…I think." I sent him a questioning look. "He took the Regents offer to leave…only to come back the next day and lock himself in his room. The only one whose been allowed to see him is Princess Amerinda. What's weirder is Mott is nowhere to be found."

"Who's Mott?"

"Sorry, someone who came with Jaron and Conner and hasn't left Jaron's side unless he's ditched him…which has happened on more than one occasion."

I nodded, "Thank you Rehin, but now I think it's high time I see my brother."

Rehin grinned and nodded, "Good luck. He's been awfully tense."

"That is not like Jaron."

"He's changed. I think for the better."

"I hope."

I slipped out into the hallway then quietly made my way to Jaron's room' hiding when anyone passed by because I wanted Jaron to be the first one to see me alive again. There was a guard at his door so I backtracked a bit to a window that was on the same wall as one of Jaron's windows and climber over. I'm starting to make a regular habit of this…

Sliding his window up carefully, so as not to make it squeak, I slipped in and padded over to his bed. With a mischievous smile I learned over his ear and said, just loud enough so he would wake up. "Guess who, Jaron?"

Jaron shot up instantly, mouth open to scream and eyes wide in terror. I barely managed to clamp my hand over his mouth before he screamed, muffling it. "Geeze Jaron. I'm deeply hurt."

When I removed my hand he asked shakily, "Who the devil are you?!"

I frowned, his voice had certainly changed over the years but no matter, and reached for a candle and lit it. "Am I that unrecognizable?"

However, as the words fell, so did my smile. The boy sitting in the bed couldn't possibly be Jaron, certain features were all wrong—and while some of them could be explained through time, such as his hair-it was far to light, other features almost certainly could not.

His eyes widened even more, if possible, in terror, "Y-your th-the prince! But you're dead! Oh saints save me it's a ghost!"

I launched forward and pushed aside his bangs to reveal his upper forehead here he had a small scar from a climbing accident when he was young, but it wasn't there. A deep growl rose up in my throat at the imposter, "Who are you?"

The boy squeaked, "Pleased don't hurt me! I'm doing this on Jaron's orders! He told me to act like him until he got back and-"

"Got back? From where?" I hissed, confused and worried if Jaron was having someone act as his to keep them off his tracks.

The boy was shaking as he answered, "From the pirates. We told him it was a horrible idea but he left in the middle of the night!" He added quickly.

My blood boiled, and unfortunately I took it out on him, "The pirates? The Avienan Pirates? The ones who tried to kill HIM?!"

He nodded vigorously and made a confirming sound.

Half thought of sentences and words filled my mind and mouth before I finally asked, "Why the devils would he go there?!"

The boy calmed down a bot so that he was longer shaking, "He, he said that war was coming to Carthya and we'd need all the help we could get."

"And your being in his place serves as what purpose?"

"To keep the Regents off his back and have me do whatever I can to stall their meeting to place a nanny over him."

I had to resist the urge to chuckle, those were no doubt Jaron's words. But the question still begged, how was Jaron planning to get their help? And I asked him as much.

"I honestly don't know…I think he's hoping to Roden back on his side…but I don't think that'll work it all out…"

I remembered what I had read about them when I had first heard that Jaron's ship was attacked and he dead. "He must be planning to become their king."

He paled, "That…sounds like Jaron…oh! I knew he was going to get himself killed!"

I sighed heavily, a million thoughts racing through my mind, before I finally turned to the boy. "Not a word of this, to anyone—EVER. Especially not to Jaron. Am I understood?"

He nodded quickly, the fear fully back in his eyes. Good, let him think I'm a ghost ready to kill him on the spot. With one last hard look sent his way, I extinguished the candle and slipped back out the window.


So? I'm sorry, i really couldn't help the whole ghost thing, especially with Tobias.