Yay I was able to get the chapter out before midnight! So I'm not late! I would've had it uploaded sooner but my laptop has been acting up for the past two days and I had somewhere to be today. I'll upload the epilogue tomorrow instead of waiting another week since it'll be short.

Also, if you happen to be reading my Moulin Rouge story, I know it's been a while since I updated but I've started writing the next chapter and hope to get it out sometime before Christmas.

Anyways, enough of that, here's the chapter!

Chapter 12

The clapping and cheering of the guests drowned out Arthur's screams of agony outside. But the joyous applauding soon turned to silence when the lights went out and a strong wind blew the windows open one by one along with the front doors. Standing at the entrance was none other than Ivan. The air blowing in caused a chill to run down Alfred's spine, though it was partially because the sight of the sorcerer made the prince feel cold and uncomfortable. Something in those violet eyes reminded him of a freezing snowy night. The taller prince pushed 'Arthur' behind himself protectively.

"Who are you?"

Ivan just chuckled, ignoring the question. "Prince Alfred...how naughty of you, pledging your love to another."

"What are you talking about?" Alfred stepped forward, closer to the intruder. "This is Arthur."

Ivan laughed louder. He was pleased that Alfred had fallen for his trick, but couldn't help but think how funny it was that he was stupid enough to not know the difference between the real and the fake Arthur. Toris must be a better actor than he thought. "No, Arthur is mine." The evil enchanter held his hand out and closed his fingers around what he imagined to be Arthur in his palm.

It then clicked in Alfred's mind. This must be the one who took Arthur away. The one who had been holding him captive. The one who put Arthur under the spell. He furrowed his brow, a scowl forming on his lips.

"You," he growled out. "You have no power here! I made a vow of everlasting love, your spell is broken!"

Ivan grinned, unable to contain his giddiness anymore. His plan was working wonderfully and it felt so good. The feeling of knowing that everything around Alfred would soon crash down, that the other had put his lover to death himself. "You made a vow alright. A vow of everlasting...death!" The sorcerer pointed to the false Arthur, a blast of light shooting from his fingertips, hitting and knocking him down.

'Arthur' held his arms up defensively, not anticipating the attack. He fell back with a grunt, his arms covering his face.

"ARTHUR!" Alfred rushed over to his fallen fiance, not knowing what the magic did and fearing the worst. He moved the other's arms away from his face to inspect him for damage. But where he expected to see forest green eyes, he instead saw a pair of guilty, apologetic blue eyes. His blonde hair had grown and turned brown as well. This wasn't Arthur. "What...?"

"You should have just left him to me. Now because of you, Arthur will die." Ivan gestured to one of the open windows. Alfred looked up to see the real Arthur flying away from the castle.

"Arthur!"

Arthur breathed heavily as he flew as fast as he could in his weak state back towards Swan Lake.

Chasing after the swan once again, Alfred raced off the castle grounds on horseback and into the forest to find his way back to where he found Arthur the night before. All around him he could hear Ivan's voice. "He's fading fast, little prince~"

"No!" Alfred denied. He had finally gotten so close to having Arthur back, he wouldn't lose him now.

Back at Swan Lake, Arthur's trio of friends could hear the echo of Ivan's laughter. "Something's gone wrong..." Gilbert muttered. Even inside the dungeon, Lovino could hear Ivan's laugh everywhere. Lovino knew there was a way out but at the time he thought it was safer to stay inside. Now he wasn't so sure.

Arthur's vision was becoming fuzzy, the image of the Swan Lake castle blurry in the distance. He could barely fly strait anymore as it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay airborne.

"If you hurry, Alfred, I'll let you see him one last time."

Once Alfred came to a patch of thicker tree branches in his way, his horse stopped, unable to get past them. So he quickly dismounted the animal and began to cut them down himself with the sword at his side.

Finally Arthur came into Gilbert and company's view. But they knew something was wrong from the way he was flying. "I don't think he's going to make it.." Antonio muttered. "Come on, you can do it.." Gilbert silently cheered the prince on. Arthur flew lower until he was able to touch the water, finally allowing himself to fall to the ground when he reached the shore. Laying on his back, he changed back to human form. The spell had run its course now that he was on the brink of death.

Soon after, Alfred had made it to Swan Lake. Barely noticing the three animals following him he rushed over to the fallen prince, kneeling to the ground and scooping the other into his arms. "Arthur..." he whispered. "What have I done...? I'm so sorry..."

"Alfred..." Arthur forced his eyelids open, looking up blearily into Alfred's blue eyes. The younger prince was paler than usual. "I feel so weak...I'm..."

"No, don't say it...You'll live, you have to...The vow I made was for you..." Alfred held the other close with his head against his chest, listening to his weak heartbeat.

Even when he was so close to the end, Arthur couldn't help but smile. "I know...I love you, Alfred..." His eyes slipped closed and he took his last breath. Alfred felt his heart skip a beat when Arthur's stopped completely. He pulled back enough to look at Arthur's pale face. "No...Arthur! Wake up," he pleaded as he shook the other lighly. "Please...wake up! You can't die! Wake up and yell at me! Call me a stupid git for doing this to you, hit me for endangering your life again!" By this point, Alfred could feel tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. But his sorrow was soon replaced by anger when he remembered the one who was really at fault here. He looked around, knowing that he must be close by watching him.

"I made the vow for him...Do you hear me?! The vow I made was for him!"

"No need to shout, little prince~"

Alfred gently laid Arthur on the ground then stood up, turning to the voice behind him. "Don't let him die," he growled out, glaring at the sorcerer.

Ivan smirked. "Is that a threat?"

Alfred strode up to the other and grabbed his black scarf, pulling him down to eye level. "Don't youdare let him die!"

"Ooh it is a threat~"

"You're the only one with the power...Now do it!"

Having enough of Alfred yelling in his face, Ivan shoved the prince to the ground. "Only if you defeat me." Magic sparked from his hands and with a lightning strike of power Ivan became the very beast that killed King Scott and his men. With silvery white fur, sharp teeth, large wings, and piercing violet eyes that almost glowed, he let out a terrifying shriek.

"The Great Animal," Alfred mumbled, his eyes widening in horror.

On the sidelines Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis held each other quaking with fear. "I'm betting on the animal," muttered Antonio. Yes, it was an awful thing to think, but things weren't looking so good for Alfred right now.

Alfred shook his fear off. This was for Arthur, he couldn't be a coward now. He had to be Arthur's hero. He drew his sword from the scabbard at his side. "I won't let Arthur die!"

The creature shot forward, making a snap at Alfred. The prince stepped to the side and swung his sword like a bat, leaving a deep gash in the monster's shoulder. Ivan screeched in pain and craned his neck to inspect the injury. He then grinned a cheshire cat smile and flew high into the air. Alfred looked up but lost the beast in the trees. He looked in all directions but it was nowhere to be seen. Then when his back was turned Ivan burst through the trees and tackled Alfred to the ground. The prince rolled onto his back and held up his sword preparing for another strike. But the giant animal took the sword into its mouth and shattered the blade with its teeth. Now without a weapon, Alfred looked around for anything he could use. He picked up a large rock and banged it against the claws holding him down, the pain causing the monster to loosen its grip enough for the prince to slip out.

Suddenly Gilbert got an idea that could help Alfred in his fight. "The bow, Alfred's bow! The one Ivan threw into the lake!" The black eagle grabbed Francis. "Swim to the bottom of the lake and get the bow," he said before throwing the poor frog into the lake, a yelp being heard just before he hit the water.

While Francis went in search of Alfred's bow, the prince was being lifted into the air by the beast, its claws digging into his arms. He tried to pry them off but the grip was too tight. When Ivan thought they were high enough, he dropped the prince leaving him to free fall into the trees. When Alfred had fallen low enough, Ivan grabbed him again and thrown him into a tree. Alfred let out a yell at the pain in his back.

Hearing the commotion outside, Lovino decided he should go out and see what was happening. Though he was afraid of the monster he could hear shrieking, it sounded like his friend could use his help. So he took a deep breath and dove under the water, looking for the hole the others had escaped from earlier that night.

In the lake, Francis let out an "aha!" when he spotted Alfred's bow. He swam to it and pulled at it, but part of it was stuck in the dirt. Before he knew it, Antonio had jumped in too and pulled the bow up with his motorboat speed. When the two of them resurfaced, Alfred was laying on the ground barely conscious. "Throw the bow!" Gilbert yelled to them. And Antonio did just that, tossing the bow to the shore with Francis still holding onto it. The weapon and attached frog landed right next to Alfred. Francis quickly got up and slapped the prince's cheeks trying to keep him awake. "Wake up, wake up!"

When Alfred opened his eyes, he saw the frog pointing to the bow in front of him. He decided not to question the animal and grabbed his weapon. He picked himself up and reached to his back for his quiver of arrows only to realize that he didn't have it with him. Great, a bow and no arrows. What's he supposed to do with that?

"Alfred!"

Said prince turned to the voice yelling his name. He was surprised to see his best friend Lovino standing at the other side of the lake, dripping wet, and aiming his bow and arrow at him. Good thing Ivan didn't take them from him when he was captured. Finally grateful Roderich had taught them the catch and fire technique, the Italian prince swallowed his fear and released his arrow.

As the Great Animal charged down, getting ready for his final attack, Alfred whirled around and caught the arrow fired at him. He quickly aimed it back at the beast flying at him and released. The arrow shot him right in the heart. Down he fell towards the lake water. Upon impact an explosion of light and colored clouds covered the grounds but soon dissipated. With the death of the sorcerer, the three cursed animals returned to human form. Francis had wavy shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes, and a light stubble on his chin. Antonio had curled brown hair, green eyes, and tanned skin. And Gilbert was back to his albino self. The three friends hugged and cheered in victory.

"Woohoo!"

"He did it!"

"We're human again!"

But their celebrating soon came to a stop when they remembered one of them was not so lucky. They turned back to Alfred, seeing that he was back by Arthur's side. The prince got down on his knees and pulled the other into his arms once more. "Arthur...I'm sorry...I only wanted to break the spell, I didn't mean for this to happen..." Though he knew he couldn't hear him anymore, he felt he needed to say it. "I love you...your courage, your determination, your stubborness...I love it all, I always have...I just wish I had realized it sooner..." He leaned down, gently kissing Arthur's forehead.

"I love you, too...git..."

Alfred's eyes grew wide as be backed up enough to look down at Arthur's face. When blue eyes met green, Alfred felt he could cry in happiness. Arthur was alive.

"Arthur...!" Alfred held him close in a hug once more, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. The nearby trio resumed their cheering for their friend.

Looks like Alfred was able to be Arthur's hero after all.

Woohoo! Happy ending! All we have left is the epilogue, so look forward to that tomorrow!

Also, sorry if the fight scene sucked, I've never really been that great at fight scenes.

Reviews would be nice!