Everyone Needs Love, Even a Bad but Sad Boy

Kikimora Blackmails Hunter

The next morning when Belos had woken up, he noticed Hunter was curled up beside him in his arms. He didn't have the heart to wake Hunter up, so he quietly slipped out of bed. Flapjack pulled on Hunter's hair and ended up waking him up. "Ow! What the heck?!" Hunter shouted.

Belos chuckled at Flapjack's little stunt as Hunter glared at him. "Get used to it. He likes pulling hair." he stated.

Hunter found his cloak and mask on the dresser, then he quickly changed and joined his uncle in the throne room for a meeting with the Coven Heads. Unfortunately, it had to be cut short due to Belos and his curse acting up. Hunter managed to get Belos out of the room so that way he could get the curse under control. Little did they know, Kikimora was behind the door listening to everything they were saying. Belos took off his mask and so did Hunter, who was getting more worried about his uncle and the curse. Belos told him that it was nothing to worry about, he had it all under control.

"Uncle. You're getting worse and worse. Maybe I can help. I read up on some wild magic that might..."

"Owlet." Belos interrupted. "I told you before, wild magic is dangerous. I can't risk losing you. Promise me you won't do any wild magic."

Hunter didn't say anything, instead he hugged his uncle tight as a few tears slipped out. "I don't want to lose you either. I won't use wild magic, but I want to help you."

Belos began stroking Hunter's hair to calm him down; Kikimora slowly opened the door and she saw Emperor Belos and Hunter in each other's arms. She started to smirk at the moment, Belos had gone soft and started treating the Golden Guard more nicely. This was something she can use to her advantage and torment the Golden Guard at the same time. Belos dismissed Hunter for the day, Kikimora quickly shut the door and waited. Once Hunter walked out of the throne room, Kikimora pretended to come out of nowhere and started walking beside him. She started acting all nice towards Hunter until they reached his room. She grabbed Hunter's arm roughly then he dragged him away.

"Kikimora! What are you doing?!" Hunter shouted.

"Now I see why Belos was so easy on you. You're weak and pathetic. So of course, he treats you like a baby. Well, if the emperor has gone soft, maybe it's time for a change of leadership, Baby Owlet." Kikimora muttered out loud.

Hunter's eyes widened, Kikimora had overheard everything he and his uncle were talking about. He managed to free his arm from her grip then threatened her to keep quiet or else. But that only made Kikimora laugh like a mad woman. "Or what? You gonna go cry to uncle? Face it, Golden Guard. I got a lot riding on this. Now just imagine what the other coven heads might think if they knew about the emperor going soft. Unless..."

"Unless what?" Hunter asked, suspiciously.

"Unless you do a little favor for me." Kikimora smirked.

"What do you want?"

"I was going to deal with those Firebees just outside the forest near the castle. But now I think I'll have you do it for me. Their hive is near the training grounds and it's making it almost impossible to train new recruits without sending them to the Healers. Do this and I'll keep your little secret."

Hunter knew that making a deal with Kikimora would be a death sentence but if he didn't do this, then Kikimora would rat out both him and his uncle to the other coven heads. So, he reluctantly agreed to do the job for Kikimora. She smiled sickeningly sweet then walked away. Hunter walked outside to the training grounds unfortunately, he didn't see the tree root and he tripped over it, crashing into the tree with the Firebees hive. The hive broke open and the whole swam looked raging mad. Hunter panicked as the bees charged straight towards him, he picked up his staff and ran back to the castle. But not before the Firebees left a few burns on his arm and he got stung a few times too.

He managed to get to his room and quickly shut the door before anyone could see him. Flapjack noticed all the burns and stings on Hunters' arm, and he looked worried. "Flapjack, I'm fine. Just please don't tell Belos." Hunter begged.

Flapjack promised to keep this between them, Hunter made sure to head into his bathroom to remove the stungers from his arm. He made sure to heal his wounds then wore a long sleeve shirt to cover them up before heading to the dining room for dinner with Belos. On the way, he bumped into Kikimora again and with one of the Abomatons from the Blight family. "What do you want now, Kikimora?" Hunter groaned.

"I just came to see if you kept your end of the deal. Would not want people to know that the Mighty Golden Guard is nothing but a weak little kid that still needs his daddy?" Kikimora mockingly stated.

"The Firebees were taken care of. Now keep your word." Hunter said, calmly.

"Very well. Although, I would like you to do a few more favors for me in the future. Whenever I need you too. Think you can handle that, baby Owlet?"

"That wasn't the deal!"

Kikimora stepped closer to Hunter "What's the matter? The wittle baby throwing a tantrum?"

"You know what? I think I'll let Belos know about your little coup." Hunter started to walk away but Kikimora used her magic to lift him off from the floor then drag him back towards her. "Put me down!" Hunter ordered.

Suddenly, Kikimora noticed the emperor looking their way and she saw a few burns on Hunter's arm which was exposed. She smirked then released Hunter but once Belos reached them, she made up a lie that Hunter was on the training grounds where the Firebees were, and he was stung. Hunter set death glares at Kikimora as Belos ordered Hunter to follow him. Belos took Hunter to his room then he pulled up the sleeves, exposing all the burns and stings. He put some medicine on the burns then pulled out the hidden stingers that Hunter missed from before. He then put bandages on Hunters' arm to cover the wounds. Hunter cursed and sweared Kikimora in his head the whole night as Belos kept a close eye on him.