My Knight {DISCONTINUED}

Chapter 2

Tom didn't get a wink of sleep that night, he was awake with fear and questions. Instead of worrying himself to death Tom double checked that everything was packed, washed his roommates clothing, polished their armor and by the time he was done it was 4 am, one more hour to kill before he could leave with Prince Edd. Nothing left to do, he decided to go to the training room and get some more practice. He carried his things quietly there since he wanted to be all ready to go when 5 am struck.

When he arrived he set his stuff on the floor and closed the door behind him. He changed into his armor and began to beat up the punching bags. He made sure to aim right where the face would be located. Then he fought with dummies and used his sword although it wasn't very useful since the dummies couldn't attack and he was damaging them to the point where they were just clumps of cotton. As Tom kept practicing he heard a door open and slam behind him and assumed it was Bing.

"Oh Bing, sorry did I-" He stopped.

There in front of him was Prince Edd. He was wearing a green royal outfit and carried a sword even though he wasn't supposed to have one and he wasn't wearing his crown.

"P-prince Edd!" Tom stuttered out and kneeled before him.

"I'm so sorry, is it time to go?" Tom said as he stood up, but when he saw the clock it was only 4:30 am.

"N-no, I was just uh..." Edd seemed lost.

"Prince are you alright?" Tom wasn't sure what to do, "Maybe we should head out, by the time we get outside it'll be 5 or something." Tom said to break the silence.

He quickly gathered his stuff and carried Prince Edd's stuff even though he offered to carry it. Tom got more and more sweaty when he realized if he should or should not talk with the prince. What would they even talk about? He could ask why he snuck into the training room. Was he going to watch him train? Tom blushed at the idea, no that was far too strange.

When they finally arrived at the carriage Tom admired the beauty of it. It had a way of entrance in the middle of it, with windows on the back, and most of it was blocked off by big thick wooden walls which Tom thought made it easier for him to protect Prince Edd. After taking in the view he put Edd's stuff inside and then sat down at the front with his sack.

"Thank you, knight for carrying my bags." Prince Edd kindly said as he began to get into the carriage.

Time finally came to leave and Tom sat at the front, leading the horses while Edd sat inside the carriage. As Tom sat and kept watch, he became more and more tired and his lack of sleep last night wasn't helping him.

"Would you like for us to change shifts?" Prince Edd as he poked out his head from the carriage window.

"No thank you Prince Edd, I'm fine." Tom reassured as he shook his head to stay awake.

"But you I've gotten lots of sleep and from the looks of it you didn't, plus this part of the land is very peaceful." Prince Edd wasn't taking no for an answer, he felt guilty that he was sitting and sleeping peacefully while his knight was tiring himself out.

"How will you be able to protect me if you're so tired?" That seemed to get to Tom since he finally let Edd sit up there with him.

"I'll only allow you to sit up here for a few minutes, then you'll go back in." Tom said sternly, "You can't change that."

"Of course," Prince Edd smiled and held the reins tight, "So tell me what's your name?" Prince Edd asked.

"Not important." Tom said, it was better if he wasn't distracted, "Maybe I should-"

"No, you've barely had a break, stay," Prince Edd said firmly, "Here have some water." He handed Tom a cup with water and quickly drank it.

"Thank you." He said as he wiped his chin and gave the cup back to Prince Edd.

"I don't think we've had the proper introduction, what's your name?" Prince Edd repeated.

"Tom." He stuck out his hand for Prince Edd to shake it.

"Tom, simple and easy, I like it, you can address me as Edd."

"Oh no Prince, that's very disrespectful, I don't' think-"

"Don't worry about it, there's no one that could know, no one can hear us for miles, watch, HELLO!" He yelled but all that came back were echoes.

Tom grew more and more nervous about the whole situation. Not only was he at a disadvantage if bandits tried to attack but Prince Edd was treating Tom like an old friend.

"So tell me Tom, were you born into the kingdom or brought here?" Tom didn't want to say much about his past, "I was brought here at a young age to become a knight, it was always my dream." He lied.

"Interesting," Edd said as he turned to look out into the land

Tom not wanting the environment to go awkward, chose to ask a question that had been biting him all day long.

"How come you have to go to this royal meeting?" He asked.

Edd turned to look at him, "Well, it's because I'm going to be betrothed to their prince." Edd smiled sadly, "I have to marry him so there won't be any war between the kingdoms, it's my royal duty." Edd sighed before he looked out into the land again.

"It's silly but I want to meet my true love not by forced marriage but by chance." Edd said, "Does that sound crazy?" He asked Tom.

"No, maybe this is your chance and you'll love him the moment you meet him." Tom tried to give Edd hope but they both knew that arranged marriages weren't the best, Edd's parents were arranged and they were very cruel, which surprised Tom because Edd was nothing like them.

"I think you should go back inside now, Pr- I mean Edd, thank you for everything." Tom thought to himself for a while after Edd went back in.

He thought about what Edd had told him, about meeting his soulmate, his one and only. Tom never really put much thought into the idea of a partner due to him being a soldier; he could die in combat and not come home to his partner or he could transform into his monster form and be deemed unlovable with whomever he was. He sighed at the thought of becoming that monster, sometimes he wished his father had found another way to save his mom and him.

Soon the sky turned black and filled with stars. They set up camp in a forest and left the carriage for Edd to sleep in. Tom took off his armor and laid out a blanket over the front seat.

"Oh Tom you don't have to do that, come in here with me!" Edd gave his hand to Tom and helped him in, "Here, you sleep on the seat from the left and I'll be on the right." Edd set up his sleeping bag and closed his eyes.

Tom was going to say something but chose not to since the prince was already sleeping. He looked out the window for a while and admired the stars. Soon after he drifted to sleep, letting his worries seep away.