The archer ignored the defeated cries as he continued on. Once he'd figured out it was Atri behind the entire scheme, he knew he had to ditch little miss and the big guy.
Obi hated that it had come to this. He'd left his old life behind, yet he couldn't help but look out for the kid the moment he'd found that arrow.
"Why didn't you take my advice, kid?" Mumbled Obi sadly to himself, the time he'd dreaded had finally come. He has to decide whom to protect and who to save between Atri and Zen.
This should have been easy, Atri was one of his own, right? So why did Zen's smiling face and warm gestures keep flashing through his mind?
Master had been the one to go out of his way to let him in, he'd allowed the assassin to reside in the palace of all places. At first he had told himself Zen was attempting to keep him under closer watch, but then he'd been handed the royal badge of messenger.
Zen had taken a chance with Obi, much like he had with Atri. To his mounting horror the discussion they'd had over a drunk Shirayuki now made complete sense.
After what Atri had done, Zen didn't trust as easily. He doubted his instincts and even his ability of being a future king, yet he'd still sat and spoken with Obi. Opened up to him, stood up for the man against palace guards and even his brother.
Obi shook his head of the thoughts as his destination came into view, this small harbor was only known to the underground and sure enough the very boy he'd saved all those years ago was standing a mere few feet away.
Atri turned towards Obi's direction, the archer had honestly expected to be shot at, but surprisingly the man smiled and even beckons Obi over.
"I've been expecting you, Obi. You sure took your time" States Atri as Obi walks towards him "How does it feel?"
Obi stops and stares, unsure to what Atri is asking about "I'm not sure what you mean?"
Atri chuckles, hand playfully smacking into his back "You're a free, man! You no longer have to work for the Wisteria's, just like when you saved me, I saved you."
Obi had to keep his mouth from dropping open, pure guilt filling him as the words hit home "You did all this for me?"
Atri smiles and nods "Mostly, but I can't give you all the credit, though. I was planning on getting my revenge, but once I saw you there and heard you call him Master, I knew I had to save you. That's what drove me."
"I see, well thank you" lied the archer, Obi honestly wasn't sure what to feel.
Atri begins untying the rope keeping the boat tethered "We'd better get moving, I doubt anyone will find this spot, but better safe than sorry."
Obi takes one last look behind him as he jumps on board "What now?"
Atri hands the man an oar "Now we sail, you're free and I've finally gotten my revenge."
"The Mast- I mean, Prince is dead?" It took way more will power than it should have to not call Zen his master and to even speak those dreaded words together.
"Zen is exactly where I need him to be right now." Answers Atri, all laughter and joking seemingly gone.
Obi had to cover his sneer, Atri's response was a classic they'd teach during training, avoiding the topic yet still giving an answer. Meaning Master was still alive and close.
But where? Obi couldn't look to be too concerned with his search, Atri's pointed stare was still watching him with distrust.
Obi didn't have the time to try to gain Atri's trust, he had to save the Master and get back to the castle quickly. He didn't know if Atri had any accomplices coming or not.
Find the Master, save Master, but where could he be? Obi would have noticed if Atri had a living hostage with him, yet there was no signs of the still missing Prince.
It was at this time Obi turned his attention to Atri, studying the man as he paddled in the front. The pony tailed archer sat upon a wooden crate, sweat dripping down his face in droplets. Yet the man refused to get up and grab the flask of water next to Obi.
"Are you alright, Atri? You're sweating pretty bad, why don't we switch spots? I've got more shade back here."
"No!" Atri momentarily tensed, but just as quickly the reaction was gone "I mean, I'm the captain, so I get to sit up front."
It was an obvious lie, Atri had to know Obi would see right through it. Suddenly this ride together seemed more and more like a death sentence.
Oar now raised, poised and ready for battle "Tell me where my Master is."
Atri makes no response, simply and silently standing "I really had hoped you were on our side, Obi."
Obi's grip on the oar tightened "Where is the Master? I don't want to have to kill you."
Atri's eyes widened "You'd really kill me for him? You'd choose that royal over me? Over your own people?"
"I left the underworld and anyone associated with it. Clarines is my home and Zen Wistaria is my Master."
Atri shakes his head "No, you're just confused! They've brainwashed you, Zen forced you to serve him!"
Obi shook his head "Master didn't force me to do anything, he gave me the choice of leaving if that's what I had wanted. I chose to stay and serve him."
Atri's form shakes with anger and confusion, his grip on the oar now slipping "That's not true! You'd never turn on us, Obi ... It's all Zen's fault you left, stupid Prince!"
Obi didn't miss the subtle glances Atri shot to the wooden deck, nor the hits of his foot into the planks. Atri was barely even looking at Obi, all of his attention seemed to be centered downwards.
"Tell me it's a lie, Obi!" Cries Atri "I went through all this in order to exact revenge and free you! If it's Zen or the older brother you're worried about, then stop. Izana won't put his little brother at risk and I've got Zen under my complete control, neither one can hurt you!"
That statement alone relieves Obi of most of his stress regarding the Master, he was indeed still alive. "I never asked you to save me, had I actually been a prisoner, I would have escaped on my own. Master offered me a home, job and a new life that I've come to deeply care about."
In a rage and the shaking of his head, Atri charged forwards "Lies, it's all lies!" Obi easily met the swing with a block of his own as the two weapons clashed.
"Everyone said that you were dead, they didn't believe me when I told them you'd been caught, forced to serve under the Wisteria's no less!"
Atri's movements were quickly becoming ragged and uncoordinated, anger blinding the young man as his arms moved continuously. "I should have killed Zen all those years ago like we planned! If I had, Wistal would be mine, I'd rule over all of Clarines and you'd be calling me your Master!"
Obi snickered, his plan of dodging had gone on long enough, Atri was getting tired, swings rarely even needing the coverage. "Zen Wistaria is the one and only person I'd ever call my Master. He's earned that honor and as such it's my duty to rescue him."
Obi pins an exhausted Atri to the boats edge by his neck, oar pressing deeply into his wind pipe "You'll ... Never find ... Him"
Obi leans in close to the man's left ear "I already have" the dark haired male pulled back and upon sight of Atri's condescending look, casts his eyes to the boats bottom.
"No!" Atri begins to struggle anew, he had to kill Zen in order to fully free his friend and savior of all those years ago. "Zen has to die! He deserves everything that's coming to him for what he is, what all he's done!"
Obi tuts out loud, wicked smile adorning his face as the oar is pressed deeper into his neck. "You're the one who has to die, you endangered my Master."
Atri began to choke from lack of air, face turning a shade of blueish purple, hands trying desperately to relieve the pressure on his neck.
"You tricked yourself into believing you did all this for my sake, but the truth is that you hate Izana for what he's done to your people all those years ago and cowardly you decided to take it out on my Master."
Atri's lungs began to burn, throat in so much pain as little by little what oxygen he'd managed to take in was depleted.
"You're a fool, Atri" mocks Obi, preparing for the final strike "I sincerely hope my Master can forgive me for what I'm about to do, but you should have listened to me when I told you to get out of this life."
Tears rushed down the pinned man's cheeks, puffy, bloodshot eyes pleading with the man who was seconds away from killing him. Ironically the only person who had any chance of stopping Obi was Zen and he'd made sure no one could hear him down below.
The amount of pressure increased and bit by painful bit, Atri's life left him. Everything flashed before his eyes, the slaughter of his people, fake friendship to Zen, luring the Prince to what should have been his death, his own group turning their blades on him.
Originally, Atri had believed Obi saving his life was a godsend to try again, testament that Zen truly had to die. But looking at it now? He realized that day was nothing more than the beginning of his own personal hell.
"If you had listened to me and gotten out, if you hadn't taken my Master ... It probably would have been ... Better."
With a single snap, the deed is done and without even a backwards glance, Atri's corpse is tossed into the rippling waters.
Obi pushes the crate Atri had been so deemed to sit on, revealing a small sliding panel "You were talking to the Master this whole time"
Carefully, Obi slides the panel open, he couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted him.
The missing Prince was chained and gagged below his feet, sweat covering his face, blue eyes clenched due to the brightness of the sun. "Master, I've finally found you,"
Zen blinks away the pain as he looks upon Obi, relishing in the knowledge that he was saved, this whole situation was over.
"Don't worry, Master. I'll have you out of there and back to the castle in no time at all." Claims Obi as the dark haired male uses the hammer he'd grabbed from the lone box to pull out the embedded nails.
True to his word, in less than ten minutes, Zen was fully uncovered, his chains being broken, ropes unknotted, gag removed "Obi,"
Obi pulled his Master into his arms, noting Zen didn't even attempt to fight against the treatment "Its ok, Master. You can sleep, you're safe now."
The Prince's eyes slowly blinked closed as he finally allows the exhaustion and fatigue to take over. Limbs going numb, head lolling to the side as Zen feels himself slump into Obi's waiting arms "Thank ... You"
Obi easily maneuvered the unconscious prince a top his back, arms crossed around his neck. Zen now carried piggy back as the boat docks and the archer wastes no haste with their exit.
"You know Master, I don't think I've ever seen you so laid back." Expresses Obi to his still sleeping rider, noting the warmth radiating from Zen's forehead. "In a few hours you'll be back at the castle with your beloved little miss."
The Prince shows no reaction he'd heard anything that had been said, maybe Zen was too out of it to have listened in to Atri's death?
Obi shudders at the thought of Zen knowing why he'd been put through all this. His Master might have had no choice, but to sit back and hear a man die by his own hand.
"I want to apologize for Atri's actions against you, Master. Had I known the man was dangerous I would have taken care of him months ago."
The archer had discovered Atri on day one, yet he hadn't relayed any information to the Master. "I am deeply sorry for not informing you, I should have and I'll accept any punishment you deem fit."
A soft mumble is the only response from the Prince, a slight turn of his head has Zen now faced towards Obi. "Sleep well, Master"
The journey home grows silent as Obi masterfully makes his way through the acre woods. All those secret shortcuts in his old profession seemed to finally be putting used for a good purpose.
What he'd once used as a check point for heists or vantage point for murder was now leading to the safe return of the kingdoms youngest Prince.
Obi snickers as images of Zen becoming his King come to mind. He had no doubt his Master would make a great ruler, one of the best.
The second Prince was nothing like his brother Izana. It was the elder who had all the enemies, he who had ruined lives. Obi couldn't give the man too much criticism, after all, he himself used to do the same.
"You've changed me for the better, Master. Showed me kindness when I deserved none, put your trust in me even knowing what I'd done, what I was hired to do. You, Zen Wistaria, second Prince of Clarines and some day future King, are the only one I give the honor of being my Master."
Obi couldn't help but smile as the castle lights shone into view. "This is my home, I belong here to serve and protect you and those you care for, I'm loyal to you and you alone."
Another muffled mumble is his reward, signaling the Prince was either in a deep sleep or listening to every word and was too tired to respond any other way "Welcome home, Master"