[Automatic] (An Aarmau AU)

[Chapter 28] Gone

"APHMAU", a familiar voice screamed at me. "APHMAU PLEASE WAKE UP"

I couldn't tell who the voice belonged to, I just knew I liked it. It felt familiar and kind, almost like a hug after a long day.

Yeah, I liked it a lot.

Something felt wrong, like fire was everywhere. I wanted to listen to the nice voice and wake up, but I couldn't.

The voice kept talking, it sounded distressed and sad. I wanted to help it, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't wake up.

Then the voice disappeared, and everything went dark

[One Hour Earlier]

We all walked in silence, scared that any noise could give away our position.

The forest was a lot less scary in the daylight, but the knowledge of what we were about it do was worse than any trees at night.

Katelyn led the way, her blue hair swaying in the ponytail she had quickly thrown it into. I followed suit, the bag of supplies lazily thrown over my shoulder and Katelyn's gun strapped to my side. Nicole was last, keeping lookout and continually listening to her internal radio.

"We need to stop here", Katelyn whispered, turning around to see us. "The castle is up ahead and I need a minute to recheck the routes and plan"

I nodded and Nicole tuned back into her radio. Katelyn sat down on a fallen tree trunk and started going over her map for the fifth time. With them both distracted I silently excused myself and walked till I was out of earshot.

Finally alone, I pulled out the short note that Aaron had sent us only two days before. It had been crushed a little in my pocket and it was dirty from its trip, but for some strange reason I couldn't make myself throw it away.

Aaron believed in us, that's why he had sent the note. He knew we could defeat Shad and end all this.

I just wish I had the same confidence.

I knew it was selfish to think that after this was over Aaron would be mine again. He had a country to run and people to protect. I needed to come to terms with the fact that he was a prince and I was a mechanic. We were never meant to be together and that's just the harsh truth.

It was cruel that destiny had decided to put us together, at the same time the world was trying to tear us apart. Aaron one of the first people to ever treat me with respect and showed me kindness that I didn't deserve it.

I guess I just didn't want to lose that.

Xx

"Sir you need to hold still"

I squirmed a little in my chair as one of the personal servants did my hair. I tried not to pull out my shirt that was neatly tucked into my pants, and my face itched from the makeup they had put on it.

I hated formal events and the way we had to look for them. When I became king I decided I would make it a law that you had to wear sweatpants to all formal events. No more uncomfortable tuxes or tight dresses.

The lady finished with my hair and I was finally able to look at myself in the mirror. I looked older, with my hair slicked back and my fathers old tux on. It was almost frightening, like I had aged twenty years over night.

Although with all the stressed I'd been dealing with lately, looking twenty years older was the least of my problems.

My meeting was to start in twenty minutes and I was nowhere near ready. How could anyone be ready for something like this? The decision I was about to make could destroy everything my father and grandpa had worked for. All the peace and prosperity they had achieved.