Tales From Fox Forest

Chapter Nine

Yayayayay my book is thriving

Anyways back to hating myself

Anyways...sorry I'm writing this while in a bad mood

And when I'm angry, I take my anger out of characters

So the next chapter will be angsty

TRIGGER WARNINGS : ANGST and implied frickle
frackle with the cream cheese bagels

Thomas POV
I can't wrap my mind around what I just saw and heard.  Literally everyone is disappearing for no reason but I know the royals are behind it. 

Roman and Remus...those are the twin brothers from Brothers Arrogant.  I guess they haven't killed each other yet.  Well, I don't think they would be here if their father was dead and Remus was plotting his brothers assassination.

"What do we do now?"  Patton breathed.  "What...just happened."

"I don't know,"  I mumbled. 

"I don't know either,"  Patton echoed.  "But Evan's gone now.  They must've taken him to Briar Palace.  Maybe that's where all the others are."

"Well, how do we get there?"  I asked, standing up determinedly.

I don't know much about these people but I care about them.  I watched Evan get shot with a harpoon gun and then get kidnapped by two murderous brothers.  Virgil was kidnapped by knights of the Briar Palace.  And now most of them have gone missing. 

"We can't go there,"  Patton cried, tears pouring down his cheeks.   "Stories and people get snatched up by the soldiers all the time and they never come home."

"But we could try to save them,"  I grabbed Patton by the shoulders and made him look at me.  "We could make a rescue team and storm the palace or something."

Patton shoved me off angrily, standing up to push me away.  There was anger and fear in his eyes.  But then he let out a chocked sob and slid back down the rock.

"You don't get it Thomas,"  He cried.  "You're not from here.  When people are taken to the palace, they're taken there to be killed or parades around like pets.  We are never going to see Evan again and if the others were also taken, they're not coming home either."

"You're just going to stand by and let that happen?!"  I couldn't help but yell.  "Doesn't this mess up their stories?!  Don't you care that they're gone?!"

"I care!"  Patton sobbed.  "But I can't do anything about it!  I'm just a dumb baker."

"Patton...no,"  I whispered gently.  "You're not just a dumb baker.  You care about them and I get it, you're afraid to stand up to this King.  I'm the dumb one.  Suggesting we go running to a guarded palace to fight a king I know nothing about except his story titled The Corrupt King."

"You're not dumb Thomas,"  Patton told me.

"Then you're not either,"  I said sternly..

"Okay..."  Patton sighed.

We embraced in a hug and just held each other for a good minute.  Patton cried against me and I could practically feel the emotional pain radiating from him. 

"Okay, lets do the next right thing,"  Patton mumbled, mostly to himself. 

He stood up and together we left the sea cave.  The storm I saw earlier was overhead now.  The sand was stained with blood and a large pool of blood was gathered in a tidal pool.  I don't know how siren bodies work but I don't think it's good for any living creature to bleed that much.  And Evan needs water to survive.