Bow had played a million games with his siblings where they got captured by guards, but in all those times he'd never realized how it was actually terrible? And not even a little fun? Why had they wanted to play this?

They'd taken his bag, and now he wasn't even going to even have the squashed bread. Dirk was going to be so mad at him. If he ever even got to see Dirk ever again.

His legs shook underneath him as the giant knight ladies forced him forward. They were way too big, with cloaks and helmets that went all the way up and those big pointy spear things. He'd never been more scared in his entire life than he was as they shoved him into a large room in the main part of this place that he was now pretty sure was either a castle or fortress. Huge archways loomed over him. They were probably going to tie him up and lock him in some dungeon where he would never see the sun again. He probably shouldn't have tried to run, but what was he supposed to do when huge metal people started chasing him? And ever since one had clamped her hand down on his shoulder, he'd barely been able to breathe, let alone think of a way out.

The room was super fancy, crystals, lights and gold everywhere. At least the last thing he'd ever see was pretty. One guard stepped away and the other one dug her fingers even deeper into his shoulder, daring him to make a break for it. His legs wouldn't have listened to him even if he knew of a place to run to.

The other guard was back now, beckoning them forward.

"Prisoner coming forward for sentencing." She barked and shoved him forward. Everyone in the room turned to stare at him. Bow kept his eyes on the polished floor, which just reflected his own terrified face back to him, until the guard yanked him to a stop.

He looked up despite himself, but there was only a small hovering step. Then he looked up higher than that and he was truly panicked because... was he dead? Had he died in that explosion and he didn't even realize it? Or somehow stumbled into the temple of an actual goddess?

There was no doubt in his mind that the lady in front of him was an angel, like the kind painted all over plenty of murals and pottery in his dads' collection. She didn't look like any normal person he'd ever seen in his life, even without the giant pink wings tucked behind her. Her hair was a long pale pink like a wild rose and her skin gleamed like polished stone.

The guard was pushing down on his shoulder, hard. He could barely think for the blood rushing in his ears. Now he was probably going to get smited! Smote? Smitten? He'd be dead either way!

"Show some respect!" the guard hissed. He had no idea what that meant so he just stood there frozen until she jabbed the back of his leg with the base of her spear and he fell forward. He slammed painfully down onto his knees and the guard held him there. Why hadn't they just said they wanted him to bow? A bead of sweat was sliding down his face, but he couldn't do anything but look at the floor.

"What is the meaning of this? This is a child." The angel / goddess lady said.

"Your majesty, we know the Horde trains child soldiers. Multiple witnesses saw him fleeing market that was attacked today." The guard grabbed at the edge of Bow's shirt and tugged roughly at it. "You can smell the smoke on his clothes yourself. Mostly likely, he—"

"Alright, that's quite enough. You are dismissed. You are all dismissed. I want everyone out but those at their posts."

"But your majesty — "

"Did I not make myself clear? Out!" Her wings flung out to the sides to punctuate her shout, and the guard took a step backwards.

"At once, Queen Angella." The guard let go of his shoulder and it still stung from the pressure but he didn't dare move, couldn't do anything but stare frozen at the floor, even as he heard low voices and footsteps moving around him.

Did everyone go? Was he alone? The room was suddenly very silent. Was that because they were going to cut off his head and they didn't want anyone to see all the blood? Purple boots appear on the step directly in front of him and he swallowed.

"You may get up now." Bow very slowly lifted his head. The angel lady, who he guessed must be the Queen from what the guards said, was standing over him. She moved towards him, and he winced. He squeezed his eyes shut. "It's alright. I apologize for the rather rude welcome my guards gave you. I will not let anyone hurt you."

Her voice was soft and her accent made everything she said sound pleasant. He cautiously opened one eye and then the other. To his surprise, the Queen sat on the bottommost step, her face level with his. She smelled nice, like the special soap his dads kept for company.

"On your feet, now, that's it." Bow scrambled back to his feet, his legs shaking. She was smiling at him and it was a friendly smile, but he still could barely breathe. "Now, what is your name?"

It took him several chances to get the word out. "Bow."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Bow." She held out her hand. Was he supposed to kiss it? Shake it? High five? None of those seemed very queenly. He stared at it for a minute and then cautiously saluted. She laughed and linked her hands in her lap. "My name is Angella, and I'd like to help you out. Do you think you can tell me how you ended up here today?"

Maybe it was because her voice was so soft and nice, like his dads' after he had a bad dream. Maybe it was because so many terrible things had happened in a row and this was finally someone sitting down and offering to help him. Or maybe it was just because he'd reached the limit of what a six and three quarter year old was supposed to deal with in a single day. He burst into tears, sobbing like he hadn't since he was a toddler.

And to his complete surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and they were soft and warm and that only made him cry harder. He was probably getting a lot of snot and tears all over her fancy cloak, but she didn't seem to mind and he couldn't do anything to stop the endless waves of hiccuping sobs that kept rolling out of him. And all the while, the Queen rubbed his back and shushed him gently until he finally composed himself enough to talk. He'd never particularly felt the need for a mom before, but in that moment, he could see the appeal.

He told her everything. About the Horde and the old man and the market and the stand with the little mechanical toys and the lady who gave him a cookie and the explosion and the running and even about asking the woods to help him. He almost didn't tell her that last part because it seemed kind of silly now that he said it out loud, but for some reason he trusted her and it felt important to explain why he was even here.

Once he'd finished his story, Queen Angella regarded him for so long that he thought he'd said something wrong and almost started crying again. Then she seemed to decide something and nodded. She gave him a gentle squeeze on the arm before rising to her feet.

"You have had quite a day, young man. And I will do everything in my power to get you back to your brother and your family." Queen Angella put a hand on his shoulder. She gestured behind him and he turned to see there were still guards there. They were just stationed around the edge of the large room, which looked a whole lot bigger now that there was no one in it. One of the guards came over—Bow couldn't tell if it was the same guard who'd caught him before or a different one, they all looked the same—and the Queen said something softly to her. The guard nodded and left the room.

"I have sent someone to find your brother. I'm afraid the situation at the edge of the wood is not safe enough for me to send you back there just yet. Until then, all we can do is wait." A curl had flopped in front of his face and she tucked it back behind his ear just like his dads would have done. Bow smiled for the first time since the market, and she smiled back. "Come, let's get you cleaned up."