Sonadow - King and his slave

Part 25

While Sonic's knights were dragging Eggman and Scourge out from the mansion, Mephiles' knights were still gathered around their king, looking at him with worried looks on their faces. Blaze had knelt down next to king Mephiles and the older king was slightly leaning against her while the medic was checking that he wasn't bleeding anymore.

"This is all I can do for now. We should head back to the castle and as quickly as possible," the medic said as he finished and turned to look at Blaze. Blaze nodded slightly and looked at her king then.

"My king, can you stand up?" she asked. Mephiles groaned slightly and nodded.

"Yes I can.. Just.. help me.." he said quietly. Blaze nodded and helped the older king up from the floor. Mephiles leaned on Blaze slightly while the female knight was having her arm around him. Mephiles was feeling rather weak and defeated, and he disliked the fact that his knights were seeing him in such a bad condition. He was supposed to be a strong king but now he wasn't really looking like one.

"Are you sure you can walk, my king? Because we can carry you," Blaze said, making Mephiles push his self-pity thoughts aside. He shook his head and groaned slightly in pain again.

"I'm fine.. I just.. need help with walking, that's all.." he said and smiled tiny bit to Blaze, just to show her he really was alright and that he could take the pain.

"As you wish, my king," Blaze said, still worriedly. Mephiles smiled a bit more to her before he let his gaze travel along the room. He was obviously looking for something. Or someone..

And it didn't take a lot of time from him to finally see the person he was looking for. Now the old king was looking at his son, Shadow, who was being hugged and nuzzled by the younger king. Mephiles looked at the pair seriously, having mized feelings about these two together, but his gaze softened a bit when he noticed a pair of beautiful, ruby red eyes looking back at him. Shadow was looking at his father with worried eyes. This made Mephiles' old heart both melt and sting.

Shadow looked at him before he turned to look at the azure hedgehog who was holding him. He said something to Sonic and soon the young king nodded to him and let him go. Shadow then turned to look at Mephiles again and he started to slowly walk towards him. He was almost looking nervous, which somehow made Mephiles amused despite of the pain. Mephiles gently pushed Blaze away a little, making the purple cat almost immediately wrap her arm back around him but Mephiles told her not to help him. Even if Blaze didn't like this, she did as he said and let her king stand on his own. She took a few steps back and looked how Mephiles held his own side slightly and groaned in pain as he carefully and slowly started to walk towards Shadow. The two alike looking hedgehogs met each others at the middle of the room. They just looked at each others quietly. Neither of them really knew what to say at the moment even though both of them had so much things they really wanted to say.

After a long silence something finally happened. Mephiles carefully moved Shadow's shirt a little, like Scourge had done earlier, only a bit gentlier this time, so he could look at the birthmark again. Shadow tensed up a bit when the older king was now touching the birthmark a little. Mephiles looked at it, making sure it really was real but there was no question of its authenticity. The birthmark was real, very real. Mephiles sighed softly in relief with slightly watery eyes and a little smile on his lips now. He slightly stroked Shadow's shoulder which made the ebony hedgehog relax a little.

"It really is you.." Mephiles whispered. Shadow could feel how tears started to build up in his eyes again.

"Father.." he said with a little whimper. Mephiles carefully moved closer and wrapped his arms around the shorter hedgehog, bringing him close to his chest as he hugged his long lost son tightly yet very gently and affectionately.