Warning: I always try to keep content not as detailed as it could be to avoid triggering anyone but these next chapters may be upsetting to a lot of people and there may be triggering words or descriptions as well. I want to take this time to remind people there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Believe me I know how hard it is to find it or even see that far sometimes. But as I hope to show through Mathew it gets better. And if anyone needs anyone to talk to for whatever the reason I'm here for you guys! You are definitely not alone

Chapter 11: The Troubled Thief

He had made eight trips to the kitchen and back to Mathias and seven trips to the bathrooms where he found plenty of medicine and first aid kits. However seeing all the other wealth and expensive trinkets Matthew got greedy. It had been several hours and Mathias was pleased with all that Matthew had gotten but Matthew insisted to go back.

"Last time I promise Mathias….they have so much stuff they will never notice, I just want to get some better weapons, and then we can really protect ourselves." He said determined his confidence growing.

Hell he hadn't even seen a single soldier. He conducted himself through the rooms and halls with ease. There were several rooms he didn't go in but he remembered the armory in case there was enough time for him to steal stuff from there.

Mathias had made several runs with the help of the other street kids to the base and back compared to the two miles they had to run to and back from Matthew had the easy job. He crept down the fancy red carpeted hallway.

Perhaps it was the style reminding him of the duke but he was growing angrier and angrier as the night stretched on. Then as he was making his way to the armory he spotted the first guards of the night. He hid from them easily enough but it was what they said that made his heart drop.

"Arthur in chains? Can you believe it? Of course the whole kingdom has gone to berserk what I wouldn't give for that attention.

Now the prince is involved in something like this. Did they even tell you why we need to find the kid?" One guard spoke as they passed but they were moving down the hall and Matthew only heard part of the second soldier's reply.

"Probably for the same reason we had to hunt down the one guy and be-head em huh?" He laughed and then poor Matthew couldn't hear the rest.

"And that's Prince Arthur to you! we don't even know if he really ran away or not there's not a lot known about it. But whoever the kid is he's important if two princes came for him. We low rank soldiers never get the low down so let's just get back to work."

No Matthew didn't hear that because if he did he might have never done what he did next. If he had heard the rest he might have thought it was a different Arthur but just hearing Arthur in chains Matthew was clutching his chest and gasping trying not to cry or freak out.

"Of course! My mother must have gotten him arrested before she disappeared! Why did I never think of that? I've got to save him," Matthew whispered to himself solidifying his resolve.

Luckily the prison or more or less the dungeons could be reached through the fort. Mathias had warned him that if he were taken below to commit suicide with his dagger or he would be tortured beyond belief.

Matthew was terrified was petrified he had to force himself to take a step. But he couldn't leave even if it was just a chance it was his Arthur down there. It took a while for his shaking legs to cooperate but eventually he was staggering to the dungeons.

He wanted to go alert Mathias to leave without him but there was no way in hell the leader would let him go….at least not alone. But if he was going to die he didn't want Mathias to go down with him, besides at least he was helpful to someone in the end.

He got to the second floor. Where the princes were staying. And then to the ground floor. It was like a mini castle and if he had been reminded of the duke on other floors he sure as hell was reminded of him now.

His stench was everywhere and the thought finally occurred to Matthew this probably was his main home. Matthew fell to his knees shakily trying to breath but it felt as if that fat man was on top of him again. He wanted to scream he was sweating bullets drenched in that cold sweat he experienced after a particularly bad nightmare.

Except this wasn't a nightmare. He was in Duke Bard's house and if the duke caught him he'd never see the light of day again. It was like tunnel vision he ran his stealth forgotten he sprinted for the dungeons.

He wanted nothing more to leave but he couldn't leave Arthur behind. It might not really be him but something tugged on Matthew telling him it was his Arthur. He could feel it feel Arthur was here.

He turned the corner panicking and slammed into a guard. He bounced back panicking panicking so so much. He could hear the duke breathing down on him feel his hands all over him.

It was awful he shoved past the stunned guard crying he was screaming inside he needed to see Arthur he had too. He stumbled blindly grabbing the door that would lead to the dungeons, he recognized the smell of death and the steps down reeked of it.

He never got that far. He never got to die. He took two steps down but all feeling of Arthur being anywhere was gone replaced by the Bard. His stench his voice his hands.

Matthew bent over and threw up sobbing he leaned forward arms spread into the air and let himself fall. Fall to the hell below fall down the very very many stairs that would certainly mean death.

At least he would have if the guard hadn't grabbed him by Mathias's coat collar and hauled him up slamming the door.

"What the hell are you trying to do kid!?" the surprised guard he had ran into had gotten ahold of himself and raced after the kid. It wasn't hard to follow the boy for in poor Matthew's sheer terror he was no longer stealthy.

"NOOOOO NOOOO," Matthew screamed hysterically. He wanted to die he wanted to die so terribly bad. He heard the far off shouting as the guard called for back up the boy flailing like a crazed animal.

But all Matthew heard was his mother and duke bard's laughter. His head exploding with it and his vision clouded over in extreme distress. Overwhelmed and so sick and tired of it all he desperately grabbed the dagger waving it in the air.

He wouldn't let that nasty man touch him again he wouldn't let himself be an object any longer. He couldn't take it not after Arthur had showed him he could be happy. Just the thought of the seeing the Duke was enough to make him die.

But being in the Dukes home where that man could violate him all he wanted? No he couldn't wouldn't let that meant to stab his chest he fully intended on killing himself.

But an extremely strong hand grabbed his wrist waving the dagger until he was forced to drop it. There was a clatter and Matthew fell with it into a dark dark abyss all hope gone.

He wouldn't even get to die before the Bard stuck himself inside Mathew again. He screamed bloody murder for everyone to hear his voice cracking screeching out his anguish and torment until a hand quickly clasped over his mouth and his screams turned into torturous moans.

"ARTHUR ARTHUR ARTHUR!" he sobbed desperately eyes filled with tears heart beating wildly in his chest and he prayed it would break free from his rib cage and shoot out of his chest leaving him no more pain no more anything.

That what he desired more than anything right now was for it to end before he was placed into the devil's rough smooth hands.

Even more than his desire to hear Arthur speak once more to see his beloved friend was his desire not to hear the husky moans of the Bard and be forced to stare into those dark greedy lust filled eyes.

"A..a….arthur…..," He choked through the gentle but firm hand clamped over his mouth. His voice sore and hoarse he pleaded with whatever God of celestial being there was to spare him as he stammered and cried out his friend's name.