Hi people. I'm sorry for the no update, I know it's been a long time. College is getting crazier. For all of you still willing to read my story, thank you. Here is chapter twelve. Enjoy.

Chapter Twelve: The Forest of the Mist – Finn

Prince Finn knew he was lost the moment his horse decided to swerve to the right. He had lost sight of the path and he had lost track of his knights. He did not know where they were; they had been right behind him a few moments ago.

Prince Finn glared at his horse grudgingly. If only he could have stayed in the path, at least he had a sense of which way to go. Now he was completely lost, with only a horse and a burning torch for company. His breath had fogged up in front of him and he was shivering from the cold of the dark forest.

After another long moment of searching for his knights in the forest, Prince Finn stopped his horse and climbed off it, exhausted. His legs still hurt from his previous accident in the Titans' Mountain, and it pained him to sit atop his horse for too long a time. He rummaged inside his sack of supplies for his water pouch.

The back of his neck prickled. His senses for danger became alert at once. He felt the presence of something, or someone, some distance behind him. He had learned from experience to trust his instincts, and right now, it was sending him a warning.

Instinctively, he unsheathed his sword and readied himself for an attack.

What he came to see, however, shocked him away from his senses.

It was as if he was staring at an old portrait, a long-forgotten face from a previous life. For there, standing in front of him, was the figure of his father.

He was not the mighty King Burt Hummel. Prince Finn had lost his real father many years ago, when he was merely a child. He had grown up without a father figure, depending on the wits of his intelligent mother, before the king took notice of Carol Hudson and took her as his queen a few years ago. But before all that, before there was even a Queen Carol, there was modest, beautiful Carol Hudson, and there was a Mister Hudson.

Prince Finn had only seen the face of his father from a rough charcoal sketch done by the kingdom's local artist that his mother kept hidden in her room. Growing up, Finn had always wondered what his father was like. Did they have the same eye color? The same dark hair? Was he anything like him, or were they two worlds apart?

To Finn, his father was a hero. He was a knight, and he had died in combat while protecting the kingdom's barriers from the goblins' attack. Finn's father had died a hero, and though he never knew him, he could not be more proud of him. That was why, when he was raised to royalty and was given the opportunity to be a knight, he took the chance without a doubt.

But now his father was standing in front of him. How was this possible? He had been deceased for eighteen years. He could not be here. The only explanation he could muster was that he was seeing a ghost.

"Father?" Prince Finn inquired. He recognized his father's face from the sketch, but he was not entirely sure. He did not expect his father to be so tall, so sturdily built. He did not know that his father's eyes were brown and that his hair was black. Most importantly, he never thought that he would grow up to be as big as his father. They were now the same height, with the same muscular arms and large body. It was as if Prince Finn was staring at an older image of himself.

"Finn," his father answered, his voice gruff and heavy. He was unsmiling, just like Finn remembered him from the charcoal sketch.

A lump formed in the prince's throat. "Father," he breathed. "Is this really you? I cannot believe that I am finally seeing –"

"You have failed me."

Prince Finn froze, unsure of what he just heard. "Father?"

His father turned cold, unaffectionate eyes towards him. "You have failed me," he repeated. "You have not grown into the man I always expected you to be. You are weak, indecisive, and most of all, you are a coward. You have accomplished nothing that has brought me any pride."

Prince Finn stared at his father disbelievingly. The older man's words pierced his heart like a sword. They rang inside his head like accusations, and the worst part was that he knew that they were true. Prince Finn had always been afraid that he could not live to everyone's expectations of him. Everyone wanted him to be the brave prince, the great leader, the noble heir that would one day succeed their beloved King Burt on the throne.

But Prince Finn had always had doubts about himself. He was not brave; he feared so many things, he was ashamed of himself at most times. He was clumsy; he would trip on his own foot and fall unceremoniously to the floor. He found it hard for himself to make decisions, to be the leader and ruler he was expected to be. He did not even know what he wanted to do with his own life. How could he decide on what could happen in another person's?

He had always known that he was not a fit ruler for the Hummel-Hudson Kingdom. But hearing those inexplicable truths from his own father, the one person he looked up to, hurt him more than he would have wanted.

The young prince could not speak for a while. When he could finally regain his senses, he said, "But I have tried, father. I have lead armies into battles, I have saved the kingdom from wild beasts' attacks… even right now, as I embark on this quest, I wish to please you. I will save the princess and bring our kingdom great pride. I will be the son you have ever wanted, and –"

"Who could ever tell you that this quest was not bound for disaster?" his father interrupted. "You have done little progress until now. You have not even reached the Southern border, and how much time left do you have on your side? Very little. What would happen if you fail, Finn? Would Isle de Lima crumble to dust because we cannot rely on you?"

Prince Finn could not answer him. His heart ached tremendously, and he felt tears springing behind his eyes. "But father –"

"You are doomed to fail, Finn," his father continued. "Admit it. You know it is bound to happen. It is only a matter of time." He straightened himself up. "I died in combat. I brought my kingdom and family great honor. But you… you will bring us nothing but shame."

Prince Finn closed his eyes, shook his head. "No," he whispered. "No, that is not true, father…"

"You will bring us nothing but shame!" his father cried, and those words slashed right through the prince's heart.

Suddenly, his head was filled with voices. They were all screaming at him, throwing their accusations, their insults, their mocking.

He heard the voice of his teacher from school. "You are just too dimwitted to be in this class, Finn Hudson. You are a failure."

He heard the voice of his childhood friends, laughing from glee. "You are dumb, Finn Hudson!" "You are lame!" "You are a big monkey!"

He heard the voice of one of his knights in the castle. "That dimwit can be our prince? Well then, I hope I'm dead once he's king, because I sure think he will throw our kingdom into a royal chaos!"

He heard laughter. He heard jeers. He saw disappointed faces, sighs, eyes that looked away from him…

"I believe in you, Finn."

His heart gave a little jolt. Amidst the unpleasant voices and grim images, one clear voice rang inside his head.

"I believe in you, Finn. You are a good person."

With a start, he realized it was the voice of one Princess Rachel Berry.

Her face came into view. She was dressed in her peach-colored dress, with her sparkling tiara, diamond necklace, and flowing brown hair. The sun had caught in her eyes, and they were now ablaze with light. Her smile was wide, warming the prince's heart.

"I believe in you, Finn Hudson. You are a good person. You are smart. You are a wonderful prince, and one day, you will make for a wonderful king as well."

They had been standing over the Schuester Kingdom's balcony. It was the last time Prince Finn saw her. She held her hands in hers.

"Do not mind what other people say about you. Do not care. Just remember that you are special. You are wonderful. You are the best man I have ever known. You are brave, noble, and kindhearted." She smiled at him. "You are perfect, Finn Hudson. I do not care what others say about you, but you are the only one for me." She leaned in close then, and whispered softly in his ears, "I am so proud of you."

You are brave. Noble. Kindhearted. Perfect. I am so proud of you.

Instantly, Prince Finn's heart burst with warmth. His lips formed a smile, his heart once again at ease. He remembered his love for the princess, her smile, her beautiful face, everything that made him love her with all his heart. She was proud of him, and that was all that mattered to him. Let the whole world hate me, he thought, but as long as she loves me, that was all that mattered.

The prince focused solely on the princess' smiling face. He remembered the feeling of hugging her, kissing her, wrapping her safely in his arms… he longed to see her again. To hold her and tell her that he loved her.

There was a hissing sound. It intensified until it buzzed in the prince's ear. Then it disappeared.

When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see that the figure of his father had vanished. Instead, on the spot where he had seen him before, now lied the path he thought he had lost. The forest around him seemed to be brighter now. He could see the path again, clear as day, and he knew with certainty which way to go.

Before he could mount his horse once more, though, there was the sound of another set of hooves approaching him. He turned around and readied his sword, only to find Knight Sam, atop his horse, racing towards him.

"Sam!" the prince cried in relief. "I thought I lost you!"

"I thought I lost you too, Your Majesty," the fair-haired knight answered. "Your Majesty, your path has brightened as well! You have passed the forest's test! Congratulations!"

Prince Finn frowned. "What do you mean –?"

"I will explain to you on the way," Knight Sam answered hurriedly. "But now we must find Ryder, before it's too late. Follow me, Your Majesty! We must find him immediately, then pray that the mist had not entrapped him!"