Return of the Heir Chapter 11

"italics": are dreams and personal flashbacks
"bold italics": are flashbacks that have been lived by some or all of the characters

About one hic down river, Novaton's form surfaced coughing up the blue energon from the river. Climbing onto the shore a few inches he laid down onto his chest panting; the wound in his side still pulsing with pain. Cold northern air blew upon him making him shiver, making him unable to hear the approaching pedsteps until he saw a pair of orange peds appear before him. Looking up he saw red optics stare back at him with an unreadable expression. Laying his helm back down only one thought crossed his mind, that he was going to die cold and unable defend himself; blue optics offlined nanokilks later.

He could occasionally feel his body jostling around and see the tops of the trees. The sound of zaphorse hooves making a soft thudding on the ground while the driver wore a hooded cloak. Novaton could see the faint lights of a small building as they drew closer and closer before falling into recharge once again. His body felt like it was floating. There was a ghostly scene surrounding him in the ruins of what appeared to be a city center. The quiet was filled suddenly with a howling wind and blazing heat; when he opened his optics, flames filled his vison and burning symbol appeared on the ground. The two swords detached from the symbol and pointed towards the sky; then in a flash of light everything was black. The same voice that had haunted him for several orbital-cycles spoke the same "Return."

The ground gave way from underneath him; falling forever until he felt something cold and wet on his forehelm and a servo on the back of his helm. Novaton slowly opened his optics to see a dimly lit room, a burning fire, and when he looked to see who or what was next to him; "Coalfire?!"

The blue and purple femme smiled, wrapping her arms around the white mech as best she could. "I'm so happy to see you Novaton; when I heard what was going to happen to you, I prayed my mate would bring you back before they found you."

"Timegazer is here?"

The femme who raised the white and blue mech before her face was shocked and happy all in one. "Yes, he is my little one."

"You know I'm not a sparkling anymore Coalfire?"

"I know Novaton, but I raised you so I'm like your carrier."

"Novaton!"

Both bots turned to see Copperheart and Starfire running towards them. Both femmes jumped onto the berth that Novaton was resting upon when white and blue arms embraced the little ones. "I've missed you … we both have."

The white mech smiled while Coalfire chuckled "I've missed you two as well."

All of them heard another mech cough; Novaton looked behind the Coalfire to see a tall, sturdy, and muscular mech lit by the flames before him. "She may be like a carrier to you, but she is not your true carrier Novaton."

The aforementioned mech felt as if his spark had frozen, 'true carrier'; who was this mech? Bolting upright and ignoring the pain he was in from falling into the river, Novaton put himself between the unknown mech and the femmes. "Who are you and what have you done with Timegazer?!" The mech stepped forward away from the fire; shocking Novaton with his blue, sliver, and orange colors.

Once in the white mech's line of sight. "Hello, Novaton."

Ramrod straight, the aforementioned mech couldn't believe his optics, 'that voice', "Timegazer?"

Back in Iacon, Optimus slammed the door shut behind him. He had just been with his sire when Kup told them what had happened with the escapee, nay, Novaton. The sorrowful face of Kup looked Ultra Magnus in the optics, telling him how the escapee fell over the cliff after Sentinel interfered. "I'm sorry your highness. The prisoner failed to come with us and when I tried to approach him alone, Prince Sentinel Prime of Rodion got past me; Novaton took one wrong step back and we lost him below the surface."

"It is a sad moment for all of us, but what done is done. Thank you for trying Captain, you are dismissed." The Captain of the Iaconinan Guards saluted his king and left the throne room. The king then turned his icy blue gaze to the visiting prince, "Sentinel, I told you to let my guards handle this and yet you disobeyed my orders."

"It won't happen again; but at least the criminal is dead."

"That may be true, however, he was supposed to meet his end by the executioner's ax. Now that this is over and done, we shall prepare for your and my son's bonding next deca-cycle."

Optimus sobbed on his berth for not only Novaton, but for himself. Novaton was the only one that ever treated him like a courting mech should; never did anything, always willing to listen to him, and multiple others thing that Sentinel never did. His spark ached knowing that he would never see the kind face or smile of the mech he loved again. Strength spent crying and a breaking spark soon took its toll on the prince and recharge soon followed.

Somewhere deep within Florine Forest, Novaton still couldn't believe his optics. "You can't be Timegazer; he's green, not blue."

The white mech saw Coalfire look towards her mate, "Sweetspark, it is time he learned the truth…" she looked at the rest of her family "…about everything."

Timegazer looked at her and back to his family, taking a deep invent "Novaton, Timegazer is the name I went by to raise you until you were ready to know the truth."

"The truth about what" the white mech said not liking this at all?

"My true name is Solarflare, Captain of the Kaonite Guard and I knew your creators."

"Who were they?"

'This isn't going to end well' Solarflare thought, "Your creators were the royal family of Kaon, Lord Megazarak and Lady Ironstar; you are their son, Prince Megatron: Heir to the Kaon Throne."

Novaton's processor stalled, he was a royal; "Impossible, if you are who I say I am then why am I here and not in Kaon?"

Solarflare could see the confusion and the underlying temper about to rear its ugly helm, 'Like sire, like creation; "I will tell you the story if you promise to listen to everything I've to say?" Novaton nodded his helm for the mech to continue. "I've known you since birth and when you were born, I've never seen your sire so proud; it was during the coldest part of the cold season when you were sparked and hearing your first cries made me proud knowing I had another future king to pass my knowledge off to as well as your sire had. Sadly, your carrier didn't survive the birth; she only had time to say good bye to you and your sire. The kingdom mourned her death but celebrated your birth.Your sire loved you with all his spark and to this day I still remember his voice saying over and over again "I love you and not even the unmaker could harm you without going through me first."

"I take it there is more?"

"You would be correct; the trouble began with a slave trying to sell his goods in the market. Outraged by this your sire went to Iacon to discuss the matter and when the king refused to stop it…that's where the divide began …Iacon forces attacked Kaon in the middle of the night. Your sire ran to grab you before the castle could be breached; in full armor, he ran down the corridors with me in tow as we ran to the garden where your carrier was buried. Going through a hidden gate, I followed him down to the banks of the Radon where he placed you into a small metal crate."

Novaton could see the cleanser building in Solarflare's optics, "What happened?"

Solarflare smiled at Novaton, but the smile soon disappeared; "He wrapped you in the mesh blanket your carrier made for you and wrapped this around your neck…"the blue mech handed Novaton a leather-bound item. When the white and blue mech opened the wrappings, a neckless fell into his servos. "It is the Kaonite crest, your sire's crest. The colors of the swords were change to match your colors; true ones at least."

The white mech looked at Time…Solarflare, "True colors?"

"Yes, while you may be… well why don't I finish the story, "You cried after leaving the warmth and sound of your sire's spark; not wanting Iacon forces to hear you, Lord Megazarak sung you a lullaby. Placing the top on the crate, he pushed you into the calm moving current of the river. I knew he wanted to stay with you, but as king he was needed to rally his troops. After both of us saw you disappear over the horizon, your sire ran back up the embankment tears flowing down his face all the while."

Novaton couldn't believe what Solarflare was saying; his own sire sent him away, "Why did my sire send me away, didn't he love me?"

"He loved you No… Megatron, Solarflare is telling you the truth. I used to work for your creators as well, I would look after you when Lord Megazarak was busy and when he was done, all his remaining energy was spent with you."

"I understand Coalfire, but how did I wind up here?"

"Well…" It was a dark and cold night as a little crate floated down the Radon until it landedon the bank of the river. A femme was gathering energon for her family when she saw the crate and when she opened it she saw a tiny silver, black and red sparkling. She took it into her home and was greeted by her mate who saw the newborn and froze with fear.

"Dearest one, I know who this is and he is in great danger if he is found."

"Wait, who is he"

"It is a story for another time, now we need to re-name him."

"What shall we call the little one then?"

Solarflare contemplated all kinds of names, "We shall call him Novaton. He will also need a repaint and a new form."

"Coalfire and I took you to a metallurgist who gave you a new form and paint. Coincidently a day before we found you, and after the fighting had stopped, your sire asked me to find you but not return you, for fear of Iacon forces finding out you were still in Kaon. "The new dawn brought a red sky; the ground was littered with the bodies of the fallen and energon stained the streets. The sound of pained cries of loss and the wounded filled the air, King Megazarak looked at his longtime friend and captain 'If my son is still out there Solarflare, I want you and your mate to raise him as your own since it is still too dangerous for him to return. However, when the time is right, I want you to bring him home.'

"You have my word, my lord.""I knew you sire was right and it has been twenty stellar cycles since I last saw him. Darkness has since fallen over Kaon and the surrounding land for reasons unknown. But something tells me that once we reach the city, all of our questions will be answered. With that being said, we must rest since it is a long journey for all of us. We leave for Kaon at sunrise."

"So, Novaton is actually a Prince?"

"Yes, my dear, he is Prince Megatron; the sparkling from the story of The Lost Heir."

"Cool!"

"Yes, my little Copperheart; now you and your sister need to go to recharge."

"Ahh, do we have to?"

"That's right Starfire; now off you go" spoke Solarflare.

Novaton was left in the corner he was in within the small apparent hunting cabin. Looking out the window he thought all about what Solarflare had said about his past, he still couldn't wrap his processor around that his name was actually Megatron, and that darkness had surrounded the city since his disappearance, 'What could I possibly have to do with any of this?'