Chaotic Curiosity

Two and a half princes

Ever since the carriage departed from Dampladre, I've been bound, enduring long days and restless nights. I attempted to keep track of the days since Evrart's troop transported me to another town to ensure my ‘safety’. If it weren't for Nikolai, I would not be in this situation, trying to cleanse him of all the problems he caused by merely existing.
As I was only allowed to stay in the carriage and stretch my legs during breaks, I spent most of the time daydreaming about Kevdran, my hometown. I recalled how I met Nikolai and instantly became a member of their royal family. At other times, I pondered what Nikolai might be doing now. Is he sailing the seas with his loot to their hideout, celebrating each night, or is he at a tavern, drinking himself blind and starting brawls? Maybe he's already captured by the Ignaz troop and on his way to be executed. Who knows, he might even be dead already.
At mid-day, the sun weighed heavily on the soldiers' necks. They took more breaks than usual, letting the horses drink and rest in the shade of trees. It was my chance to loosen them up a little. "May I go down to the lake? The sun is overwhelming me, and I need water," I asked.
The guards looked at each other, and the youngest was pushed forward, commanded to take care of me, as I posed no threat to any of them. Yet.
Down by the river, I purposely struggled more with my hands tied behind my back. They might have turned purple or black by now, given that it's been four days already. As I leaned down to drink from the river, I shifted my weight forward and splashed headfirst into it. The youngster took a moment before pulling me out.
"Are you trying to drown?" he exclaimed, looking back to see if anyone had seen us.
"No. You know, it's quite hard to drink without your hands. And I can't wash my face with my feet, obviously," I replied, water pearls dripping from my hair onto my shoulders and chest. I could see he was struggling with his decision.
"Listen, I don't want to get you into trouble. I'll be quick and won't say a word when we go back. Just let a man wash."
The youngster looked at me, and his suspicion slowly faded. He untied me, and I stretched my arms and wrists. I expressed my gratitude and started to wash my face and hair, drinking in big gulps and enjoying the brief freedom. I wasn't planning to escape. I first needed to know where we were headed since I had no idea where we were. I only knew that the sun was facing us as we moved forward and never warmed our backs. We were headed south, but since it was my first time in Mantheaus, I had no clue which village would be near.
The boy's name was Maxim, a common name in the northern parts. He tied me loosely and brought me back to the carriage. As I sat down and watched him close the door, I silently mouthed "thank you," and I could swear I flustered him. The next day, during our break, Maxim volunteered again to help me out. We sat by the river, and I asked him about how he became a guard and how I was supposed to be a traitor. I tried to explain to him that I was no traitor, merely a messenger, but he didn't seem to understand.
"Do you prefer Prince Evrart or Prince Lyth?" I asked, nibbling on a piece of bread.
"Well," he pondered, his hand lightly stroking behind his ear, a gesture that betrayed his uncertainty. "I haven't met either of them. But Prince Lyth is known to be a stern leader. People fear him more than they respect him. In contrast, my leader, Evrart, is a charismatic man. I once saw him from a distance, warmly interacting with villagers, gifting toys and coins to children. He seems nice." From this, I inferred that Maxim's allegiance to Evrart may have stemmed from his fear of Lyth.
"But isn't Evrart aligned with Ignaz?" Maxim remained silent. Fuck. I had been too direct. I had to shift the topic and slowly circle back to it. "If the northern Kevdran were to take over Mantheaus, what would the world look like? You're from here, right?"
The young lad nodded, his eyes cast down at his bread-dusted hands. "I don't think that would ever happen. Sir Evrart would never allow it. He would fight-"
"Maxim, get back here. We need to keep moving."
Our conversation ended there. I had heard enough. On the fifth day, while locked in prison, I pieced together bits of information by occasionally eavesdropping on the guards. Even Maxim had not realized there were two types of guards: three were Ignaz's minions, while the remaining four were from Evrart. The carriage was clearly Lyth's, and so were the horses. They were ill-tempered beasts. I overheard a conversation that could help me navigate my journey, but before I could listen closely, an arrow pierced through the window, and the horses went fierce. I immediately ducked and hit my head, and the carriage shook violently. There was fighting outside, an ambush. Who would attack a useless carriage like this? I wasn't even a politician or royalty.
I struggled to free myself from the ropes. Finally, I broke loose and reached for the door handle when an energetic wave blasted through me and the carriage. It toppled over, and everything went black. When I opened my eyes, a white lion was staring down at me—or rather, a person wearing a lion mask. They spoke, but my mind was hazy. They shook me roughly, then dropped me, and I lost consciousness again.
How did I become Nikolai's closest friend? I couldn't even protect myself, let alone stay out of trouble. Nikolai was always so independent; why did he even need me?
Cold water splashed over my face, and I jolted upright, wiping my eyes. Evrart stood over me, slapping my shoulder. The carriage was in ruins, engulfed in flames. Bodies littered the ground—those of the Lions, Ignaz's and Evrart's people, the horses. Maxim lay nearby, lifeless, presumably having shielded me from harm.
"You alright? You seem out of it," Evrart chuckled, snapping his fingers in front of my face. Lyth was here too. How could both princes be present? Lyth threw an severed limb, causing me to vomit on Evrart's shoes, the supposed prince and lieutenant.
Something to wake up to: