Flower Amongst Thorns [Boy x Boy]

Chapter 28

"Good." The older woman grinned, "Let us get going then."

"Just a second," Artios requested, earning a curt nod from the head of palace guard, before turning to Elizabeth, "Are you going to come with us, or are you heading back to Celyn?"

The horse grunted towards the other side of the mountain to imply that she would be returning to her master, confirming the swordsman's suspicions. He could see her eyes turn slightly glossy at the thought of leaving.

"Ivy would be really happy if you stayed. He didn't even get to say goodbye..." Artios added before almost inaudibly mumbling, "I wouldn't mind either."

At this point Ivy had passed out from the pain, laying limp in the thief's arms as the man stood in front of the mare, fever still raging.

The mark was still in the process of completely fading out. At this stage it looked like the removal was gonna take a while since only a small bit had disappeared.

Elizabeth sadly shook her head in response to the swordsman's indirect request, and then snorted towards the other direction again.

Logically, Artios knew that she had to go back at some point. Celyn was probably waiting for her, and as much as Elizabeth liked Ivy, Celyn was her family and she had to go back.

The trader had been kind enough to let her help them, and now she needed her back. However, was it bad to think that he didn't want her to go? That he didn't want to have to say goodbye yet?

The mare nuzzled Ivy's hair with her snout, placing a small green leaf in there as a her sign of goodbye. The flowers had all disappeared and the scene had gone back to normal at sunset so there was nothing else around to pick up.

She then unexpectedly lowered her head to tap the older man's hand with her nose, almost like a fist bump.

Artios eyes widened in surprise. The mare only ever showed any such signs of friendship and affection to Ivy. The swordsman thought she hated him, which was understandable considering his unlikable personality.

He cautiously raised his arm and hovered it near her hair as though he were asking for permission, and the mare leaned into the touch, allowing him to pet her for the first time.

"Thanks for everything Liz. We wouldn't have been able to do it without you. I know I may have been kind of, a little bit mean to you sometimes now that I think of it, but you really helped us out." The thief slowly pulled his hand away, clearing his throat with an embarrassed blush and tightening his grip on Ivy again. "Just know, if you ever need anything and I'm sure Ivy would agree with me on this, you always have a place with us."

The horse neighed happily with a nod, a small tear rolling down her eye before she galloped off in the other direction only after nuzzling Ivy's hair one last time.

As much as Artios didn't want to admit it, he was going to miss that damn horse. He hoped they got to meet again someday.

Nefari called out again and this time the swordsman followed in her wake. They were on their way to the castle, on their way to his new life...

It all seemed so ridiculous now that he had the time to actually think about everything that had happened in the past few days. Who would've imagined he would somehow end up getting involved with a prince, let alone follow him straight to the authorities willingly? Definitely not him.