Betrayal and Trust Part II (different writer) - AU fanfic

The plan.

One wrong decision can haunt you forever.

***

A few days earlier...

The king's face reddened until the point where his skin almost appeared purple. The guard in front of him had to use all his willpower to stand tall and not shrink back in fear. Don't shoot the messenger, please.

"Yes, your Majesty. The Queen is nowhere to be found, and neither is her horse."

Trying to maintain his composure, while blazing with fury, the king fumed "How long?!"

The poor, confused soldier didn't understand the question. "I'm sorry, Sire, what do you-"

That was too much. Frederic's booming voice bellowed through the empty castle halls. "I SAID, HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN GONE?!"

"S- since yesterday, milord." The voice of the terrified guard was barely audible.

"WHAT?? WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN INFORMED? I AM THE KING !!" He was really losing it now. First his wife had dared to stand up to him, and helped a prisoner escape, and now she had the audacity to disobey his orders and leave the castle? Did he still have control over anything? It felt like everyone was mocking his power. And if there was one thing the King absolutely hated, it was the feeling of not being taken seriously. It angered him and made him lose his cool. The King did not often have these outbursts, in general he was a very calm and reasonable ruler, but when his authority was challenged like this... the people around him better be on their guard.

"SEND OUT GUARDS IMMEDIATELY!"

"That's being taken care of, your Majesty." A haughty, nasal voice filled the room. "I have called for two of our best men to come to the throne room. They will be here in an instant."

King Frederic calmed down a bit. "Thank you, Nigel. At least someone in here is still loyal to me."

"It is my honour to serve you, milord. And if I may add, this is a cause dear to my own heart. For the sake of our kingdom, I will do everything in my power to eliminate the threat of that maniac boy, Varian."

His soothing words always had exactly the effect he desired, and while the king calmed down, a new flame started burning even brighter in his dark eyes. His hatred for the boy who caused all of this. The boy who disregarded his orders, taunted his might and haunted his nightmares.

Because Frederic knew the boy was right about the black rocks. But he could never admit that.

Before he could get lost in his thoughts, the two guards entered.

***

Pete had recovered really quickly, and now felt totally fine again.

While Stan was relieved to see his best friend awake and well, Pete was still a bit confused about everything that happened. He had woken up to the friendly face of the Queen, which was strange enough as it was. Then he had told her about the voice in his head. He couldn't make any sense of it, but clearly the Queen knew something he didn't. Pete couldn't forget her petrified expression and how she'd sprinted out of the infirmary. The news he received the next day, that Queen Arianna had gone missing, didn't surprise him that much.

Stan, on the other hand, was completely clueless. He was supposed to go with the other soldiers under the Captain's command, but Varian's flight had changed that. The troops had departed early and in a hurry, and Stan, who'd been watching over Pete, had completely missed it all. He had no clue what was going on. And now they'd both been summoned to the throne room. They were awaited by a clearly angry King, a horrified messenger and Nigel, looking smug as ever.