𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍 || 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚 [ I ]

Chapter 27

He was hiding behind a bush of red, yellow and orange flowers. A mile away from the town where he had grown up, even further away from the castle where he had worked, but only ten steps away from the first tent of many. The whole day, the sun had been beating down on him and he was sure that the heat had made him sweat enough to fill two whole bathtubs, all because of the black cloak he had draped around himself. The young man hiding in the bushes had not wanted to wear the thing in the first place, but his best friend had ordered him to. And it had been for very good reason. After all, the cloak was not meant to come off as fashionable, it had to hide him from unwanted attention.

So there he was, Killian the cook's son, acting as a spy for Archenland, crouching down between some flowers he was sure the girl he hadn't heard of in two years would've liked, wearing a very uncomfortable black cloak, all the while being dangerously close to the camp filled with hundred of enemies.

He had been doing this for a while now, sitting in the bushes, listening in on the conversations the Telmarines were having, keeping an eye on Lord Efrain and waiting for something to happen.

The thing was, nothing ever did happen.

All the Telmarines did was wait. Wait for an order from their new Lord, but every time Lord Efrain stepped outside of his tent after a counsel with few of his trusted men, he only came to announce that something would happen soon.

Like the Telmarines, even Killian was beginning to get tired of the fact that they had no plan. But whenever he felt that way, he had to remind himself to feel glad instead. After all, if the Telmarines had no plans, then that would mean they wouldn't attack, right?

But it also meant that he had to keep sitting there, crouched between the bushes, the black cloak wrapped around himself. It was tiring and Killian often regretted his decision to volunteer as spy.

He could very clearly remember the day and moment he'd made it.

Darrin walked into the throne room with the most solemn look Killian had ever seen the prince wear. He suddenly looked more mature, like his adulthood had finally caught up with him despite his efforts to keep himself uncaring and childlike. It seemed that in a short period of time everything had changed and that had affected Darrin greatly.

First it had in a positive way.

Darrin's father, the King of Archenland had changed for the better. He and his son had made amends and had gotten closer each day, discussing politics and such. Killian had seen Darrin get wiser and less reckless.

It was the moment that Darrin seemed to care more about other people than only himself, that Killian found himself exchanging small talk with the prince. It had been the beginning of their friendship. He didn't want to brag, but the cook's son was convinced that he had unleashed something else in the prince, like a certain kind of care for the people, his people. Whenever something would happen amongst them, or whenever a important decision had to be made, Darrin checked with Killian to assure himself that what he was doing was right by the Archenlanders.

Of course, his flirty behavior and careless character remained.

That was, until Ellyn had made her appearance in Anvard. Killian still laughed when he thought about the endless discussions he had had with Darrin, who denied he had any feelings for the kind and beautiful lady. It wasn't until Ellyn snapped back at him when he tried to flirt with her, that he knew that she was the one. A lady by his side was just what Darrin had needed to become even wiser, because with everything that he did, he did not only think about the Archenlanders, but about the opinion of his fiancée as well.