The Once and Future King (Hetalia)

IV: Unwilled

"Where are we going?" Francis asked.

"Shut it, or we'll gag that mouth of yours," said Mitch, a few paces in front of Francis.

He was leading their entourage, a group consisting of the stolen horses and a dozen other men. Francis was around the middle, someplace where he couldn't run away that easily.

"Actually," Mitch said, "why hadn't I thought of it sooner. Let's do that now."

"Fine, fine, I get it!" said the sorcerer, sighing. "I'll . . . be quiet."

Francis directed his attention to his surroundings. Much of the forest they were crossing didn't seem that much different from the road they were travelling on before.

Trees had been cut down to pave a way deeper in the forest, a path riddled with roots and rocky terrain. The vegetation became denser as they delved further, the air slowly being saturated with darkness.

A darkness that wasn't natural.

"Maybe you should have thought of blind-folding me instead of gagging me," Francis said.

"Didn't I say to shut up?" Mitch responded.

"Aren't you the least bit worried I may break my bonds and escape? I could tell the others just where your camp is and the King's knights will ransack it."

"That's only if you escape. There's no way that's going to happen."

Francis couldn't help but feel a slight jab to his pride. This was his own opinion, but he was a pretty competent magician. Especially when it came to his personal safety. Francis was more well-versed in self-preservation than any other magic out there. If he wanted to escape, he could.

And he would have, if he wasn't so curious as to why Mitch was bringing him, and only him, to their camp. It didn't matter where or what or how. What was it that Francis could do that the others couldn't? What could he possibly offer a bunch of renegades?

He decided to voice this question out loud. Thankfully, Mitch didn't find enough harm in the inquiry to gag him.

"Honestly, this problem is personal and doesn't involve your idiot king, or your equally stupid friends back there," said Mitch, jerking his head behind him. "I need you because we're being harrassed."

"You're being . . . harrassed."

"Yes."

"By who?"

"By what," Mitch corrected.

"And you need me to get rid of it?"

"Precisely. Up for it? Not much of a choice, mind you, so you're doing it anyway." 

"What happens when I get rid of it?"

"The monster is slayed, everyone is happy. If you manage to make me happy, I might decide to let you go, free of charge. But we still get to keep your things."

"You might."

Mitch hummed an affirmative.

Francis didn't like those chances, even though it was the only thing he had at this point. There was no way he could make a run for it without the risk of being shot in the back with an arrow. 

He'd considered letting the monster into the camp and have it kill everyone there, but Francis couldn't be sure whether the monster would turn around and attack him too. He had no choice but to comply to the wishes of his captors.

"Very well," the magician consented. "I will try my best to eradicate your pest problem, but magic is a dangerous and raw power. If I injure anyone, that's on you."