Crumbling Down

Chapter 3

Kert

They have guns. Ammunition, put in crates. Rifles, assaults, and pistols are among them. Natasha seemed to see my surprise since she chuckled deeply. 

"Oh, you royals don't stay updated, don't you?", she pointed to the crate.

"You stole them, didn't you?", I laughed. She nodded and smirked widely. This deep connection. She used to steal money from Mother's inventory. Since the downfall of Soto happened when we were kids, not even Mother would let us have money. But with her carelessness, Natasha would show all sorts of coins. To our playful amusement as kids, I thought she would use it for herself.

 "You can say my stealing came to use," she teased. I smiled, and as much I want to re-connect with her, both of us know Soto is dying every day.

"So, you're in charge?".

"In this village, yes. But all I know is that there are more of the rebellion than rallies and the attacks", Natasha admitted. More? How can this rebellion lead to much of a complex system? A tug of pain feels like I'm so ignorant of the uprising. How can we not see it? The noblemen trading places, the number growing large in demand? It's slowly making sense. However, there is much to learn.

"My lady--I mean Natasha... we can't keep making attacks. It's leading us to nowhere", a soft voice peered at her. Natasha smiled at the soft-spoken voice. She was pretty. Radiant blue hair cut cropped below her neck. I leaned towards to Natasha.

"Who is that?", I whispered.

"Mika," she responded.

"You know you're not good at whispering, right?", Mika laughed, although she doesn't look irritated nor her voice portrayed it. I redden from end to end.

"R-Right...", I cringed as Mika smiled and the girls were talking alone. Our secret base is bigger than I thought. The tunnels connected to different stations as well. People were roaming around, some with friendly gestures, but others growl and stormed their way to who knows where. The tunnels surrounding of metal caught me in shock. So they were on Natasha's side the whole time? In Soto's palace walls, our nobles who can wield metal created many archetypes, one of the significant reasons Soto is not crumbling down in demise. A quick bump tampered my vessels, and with a click, water formed around my hands.

"Can you say excuse me, buddy?", I hissed, the figure rapidly attempting to escape the tunnels. It fumes me more.

"Hey! I'm talking to you", I shouted and fury bubbles.

"I-I'm...I'm sorry...p-prince", a shaky-timid voice caught my recognition. Avery? The one who warned me about the palace attack, what is he doing here?

"Avery, what are you doing here?", I settled. He turned, his olive skin stiffened and his eyes darted around the tunnels. No escape here, buddy.

"Y-your...Your Highness...", he kept stammering, and with ease, I put a hand on his shoulder. He flinched at my touch but settled unlike before.

"Hey, I didn't mean it, okay? I'm sorry I acted on you like that", I assured, and my apology sincere. I know how Avery panics quickly and I should've watched my temper, especially around him. He is still shaking, but I smiled, fighting my hardest not to slap him and scold him for quit being a coward.

"Breathe...", I reassured him more, and he settled like how I want him to.

"I'm not surprised many people can hear your bickering," Natasha teased, looking at Avery with a sympathy look. He smiled and still shook.

"You know how I am, Nash. Still hard to control it", I said, throwing my hands up. She narrowed her eyes.

"Kert...That temper would bring us to unknown battles. Rather you know how to control it now, no complaints", her bluntness hit me hard. Of course, she likes being blunt with people regardless.

"So you know how I am, baby brother," she laughed and seemed to read my mind. I smiled and chuckled along with her. Something tied us as siblings. Avery had left, but of course, I didn't notice.