Ƭɦҽɾҽ WιƖƖ Ƈσɱҽ α RʋƖҽɾ, Wɦσʂҽ Ɓɾσw ιʂ lαιԃ ιղ Ƭɦσɾղ 👑 ƠƇ Ɓαƈƙʂƭσɾყ -[BOOK 1/2]

ƭwҽƖⱱҽ

TW// cussing, crying, panicking, talk of suicide and staged suicide

I think that that's it?

Artemis's POV

I woke up in a bright room. The last thing I remembered was my old father slicing my wrists open and then hiding in my closet. Am I dead? Is that why it's so white? What is that beeping noise? Where am I? Why is it so cold? What is that thing poking inside of my arm? Why can't I move? Who's that faint voice I hear? What is happening?

I panicked and my breathing staggered. The beeping intensified and I heard a voice that I couldn't make out. I heard what sounded like a door opening fast, followed by more voices.

"Hey! Don't knock her out, man! She's just scared and confused. It's not a damn seizure." A man's voice said. "Hey, Artemis, clam down. You're ok." He said to me.

Who is this? Why is his voice familiar?

"D-Don't- Don't do it...pl-ease...don't h-hurt me..." I pleaded. I just assumed that this was my psychotic old father being crazy and trying to sound sweet so he can manipulate me. "What? What are you talking about? It's ok, it's me! It's your dad! And Jeb and Cade are here too." He said.

Wait, was this the king? I tried to focus through my blurry sight, but it was hard. I could sort of make out their figures, and it did look like them. I felt a hand grab mine, holding it against their heart. It calmed me. Was this Jeb? He's the only one who's heart has calmed me.

My vision cleared up and the loud beeping subsided. It was him. The king, Jeb, Cade, and that nurse who I still don't know the name of.

There was also another doctor. A man. His name tag said "Grinstead."

I'm in a hospital, oh!

"I'm- I'm sorry." I apologized. "Don't be sorry. You panicked because you didn't know where you were. That's normal." The king replied. I nodded, biting my lip.

"Artemis, why- why did you do this?" Jeb asked, gently placing his hand on my arm, more specifically my wrist. I looked down at my bandaged arms. "You could've came and talked to one of us instead. Where did you even get that huge knife?" The king added. "Yes, we are always available. Why did you do this?" Cade asked. The nurse just sat there silent.

"I...I didn't."

They blinked a few times at me.

"What are you taking about?" The king asked. "I didn't do this." I repeated. They looked confused. "He did. He did it. He's in my closet." I said. "Don't be ridiculous. I get that you're upset and you don't wanna be sent anywhere, but really? A man in your closet?" Cade asked.

"No! I'm not- no! That's not what I mean!" I said a little loudly. "He came in my room and cut me up. He made it look like suicide! He hid in my closet before you came in my room! I'm not lying, I swear!" Tears came to my eyes.

"Wh-Who?" The king asked. "My old father. The one that was locked up." I said.

Their faces changed drastically.

"You- You said he wasn't gonna get out and hurt me...I-I believed you! Now look where I am. I shouldn't have trusted you. This always happens when I don't go with my gut." A few tears rolled down my face.

I felt arms wrap around me tight. It was the king, my father.

"I'm sorry, daddy, I'm so sorry. I should've yelled for help, but he said if I did that he'd kill you all." I sobbed, hugging him back.

"What...What did you say?" He asked. "I said that he said he'd kill you all if-" "Before that." He said. I paused, wiping my eyes, sniffing. "I said 'I'm sorry' twice." I blinked, confused as to why he was asking me this.

"You called me daddy instead of sir." He said.

Then I realized that, yes, I did say that.

"Oh...sorry." I apologized. "Sorry?! Why?! Do you know how happy that just made me?" He asked. "It did..?" "Yes! Fuck, I just found out that you're my kid a week ago. I am delighted to hear that."

I nodded, leaning against him.

"Would you like me to inform the royal guards that an inmate escaped the dungeon and is hurting people?" The doctor asked. We all looked around at each other.

"Don't worry, we already know." Jeb said. The doctor tilted his head, confused, before realizing.

"O-Oh! Your- Your majesty, I am so sorry, I did not realize this was you!" He gasped. "That's ok, son. I didn't expect you to." Dad smiled. "So, His majesty has a secret daughter, I see!" The doctor said, trying to ease the awkwardness.

"No, actually, I just found out about this kid a week ago. And no, I don't have a queen." He reached over ruffling my hair. I then felt my ears pop out. I hadn't even realized that they were gone. "Oops."

The doctor stood with his eyebrows raised in shock.

Dad made his pop out too.

"Don't tell anyone, m'k? Nobody knows what I look like, let alone the fact that I'm not completely human. It's a royal thing. Most, if not all royals are like this." He said. "Won't tell a soul. Pretty neat, if you ask me." "That's great to hear."

"Ok, well, Ar...Artemis, is it?" He asked. I nodded. "Right. Artemis is doing just fine and you all are free to go home once I get these IV's out." He said.

I paused.

"But...he's still there...I can't go back home when he's still in my room. And if he's not in my room, we aren't gonna find him in a fucking castle." I said, starting to get scared. "Hey, I will get every guard to check every single room. They'll get him out." Dad said. I nodded.

"I'll page them right now, actually, so they can be starting before we get there." Jeb said.

"Right. And if they haven't found him by time we get back, if you're tired enough, you can sleep with me in my room. We can have a couple of guards outside the door to make us safer." Dad said. "Ok..." I replied.

Soon after, I was discharged, and we got in a nice car, and started the drive back to the castle.

Words: 1,090