Chapter 3

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The latest chatter in The City of Swindon is about none other than the Crown Prince himself. 

"Have you heard? The Crown Prince has gone missing!"

"Isn't he the one who always fights alongside the Commander in battles?"

"I heard someone tried to assassinate him -"

"Do you think the two princes were the ones who tried to kill him?"

"Nonsense, the king favors the youngest prince out of the three of them, everyone knows that -" 

If Arthur didn't know better, he would brush it off. 

“How about the king’s brother, the prime minister? What if he has something to do with it?”

Unease settles in the pit of Arthur’s stomach as he hears about the prime minister. Something's not right, he must be overthinking. He slaps himself mentally. 'Focus on looking for the kid first.'  

Arthur roams the streets in search of the boy, rounding every single alleyway and nook he could possibly find. The knots in his chest tighten when he can’t seem to find him. ‘Where could the kid be?’ He reaches the outskirts of the city, the only place he hasn’t searched thoroughly. He rounds a stranded corner and finds Erwin curling himself on the crooked bench, pulling his knees close to his chest with a somber expression on his face. Arthur lets out a sigh of relief.  He sits next to Erwin and sags against the bench; the kid jumps in surprise like a deer caught in headlights.  “Arthur? How – how'd you find me and why are you here?” Erwin asks, unable to contain his shock. Arthur folds his arms. “You randomly left and the best time you chose for a walk is at night, where dangerous creatures appear,” Arthur grunts. “It’s freezing too, you’re going to worry me to death one day if you continue to do this...that is until we get you back home,” 

Erwin exhales, curling himself further. “I bought hot chocolate while I was looking for you, here,” Arthur gives him the warm paper cup, Erwin takes it, holding it tightly. Arthur sips his cup. They didn’t speak after that, merely gazing at the starry sky. They sit there in comfortable silence.

Erwin starts, “Do you have a family that loves you?” Arthur was taken aback at the blunt question. Erwin winces. “Sorry – I shouldn’t have asked -”

“No, it’s...it’s fine,” Arthur manages to say. “Just...surprised.” 

Whenever he got the chance to talk with Erwin back in the cabin, the boy would share a few snippets of his life. He didn’t share much but three minutes as he told his story, Arthur could already tell that the boy was living a hard life. Protectiveness spikes through him. 

‘Don’t tell me...’

‘...I didn’t have the best family growing up, being the oldest child and all...” Erwin confesses.  Arthur cues for him to continue, having his full attention. 

“I don’t think being the Crown Prince helps either.” And that - was something he did not expect the kid to confess out of the blue. Arthur ends up spitting on his drink, choking. Erwin panics, attempting to help him. Arthur steadily recovers, wheezing. He gawks at Erwin...no, the Crown Prince. The one they were supposed to investigate. He stammers. “You - you’re the Crown Prince? -” Has Arthur hit his head on a cinder block?

Erwin breathes out. “Uh...yeah, I’m not lying if that’s what you’re thinking – I can give you proof -” He puts his cup of hot chocolate down as he raises his hand – and a sudden burst of golden power emerges from it, forming a golden swan. It floats gracefully in the air. Arthur’s jaw drops, mesmerized. One of the few known facts in the Kingdom Syndril was that only the Royal Family have powers that stabilize the kingdom to prosperity. There is a limit to how they can freely use their powers. And speaking of few known facts...

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