Out Of The Woods

Nineteen

*This is part 1 of a surprise double update! Remember to vote and comment! Sorry, this is a little late but I also wrote two chapters so... enjoy! 

Until next time!*

-LunaMoon

Soren stood outside Ambrose's bedchamber, hands shaking as he hesitated to enter the room. The maids had mostly cleaned up the mess, broken furniture taken away to be burned, and the floors and walls scrubbed clean of blood. Although the room was cleaned three times over, the coppery stench of blood still hung thickly in the air. 

The only piece of furniture left untouched by the maids was Magnus's bed. No damage was caused to the bed, not even a drop of blood had gotten on it. 

Magnus sat at the edge of the bed, holding onto a small blanket. Running his thumb across the fabric, humming a soft tune. 

Soren's breath catches as he notices tears leaking from underneath the cloth tied around Magnus' eyes. 

"...Magnus," Soren says softly, his voice breaking. Soren's throat was raw, due to how hard he cried over the news that Ambrose was taken. "Can I come in?" 

Magnus nods hesitantly, making room for Soren on the bed. Soren began to feel sickly as soon as his foot crossed the threshold. He took a seat beside Magnus, sniffing the scent that emitted from the small blanket. The blanket definitely did not belong to Ambrose, but the scent smelt of both Ambrose and Johnathan... 

Strange.

Soren glances back up at Magnus, taking in the man's expression. His lips were set in a quivering frown, cheeks flushed a blotchy pink. His face was wet with salty tears, the scent of pain that surrounded him was almost suffocating. 

"Why are you wearing a blindfold?" Soren cocks his head to the side curiously, desperately wanting to avoid bringing up Ambrose in conversation. 

"I am no longer Ambrose's servant," Magnus says, inhaling sharply as if he was only now realizing it himself. Soren flinches at the mention of his older brother's name. "I'm afraid that if I remove the cloth..." 

Soren bites his lip, understanding why Magnus was so hesitant to take off the wrappings.

"You don't want to be trapped into another bind. Not if it isn't with my big brother," Soren says, eyes watering the more he thinks of his brother. His shoulders shake as he doubles over, suddenly so aware of the horrid smell of blood invading his nostrils with each breath.

Soren felt sick. He could barely contain himself, almost emptying the contents of his stomach onto the floor of the bedchamber. He doubles over, clenching his eyes tightly as he swallows thickly. Forcing the bile that rose from his throat back down. He wraps his arms around his stomach, groaning in pain, his insides churning like the sea during a storm. His mouth salivates as he heaves, body jolting harshly as he gags.  

Soren flinches when Magnus feels for his hand, gripping it tightly in his own. He squeezes Magnus's hand as he regulates his breathing, taking deep steadying breaths as he wills himself to calm down. Once his nausea passes, he pulls himself upright, his vision swaying slightly as he forces his heavy lids to open. 

"He'll be home soon, right?" Soren breathes, his eyes welling up with tears for the umpteenth time that day. "Ambrose will come home and everything will go back to normal. Ambrose... he will play with me and Bella, Daylen, and River... He will eat dinners with us... He will resume his studies so he can prepare for the day he takes over Father's position as King... He will-,"

Magnus silences Soren with a solemn shake of his head. Soren swallows thickly, releasing a shuddering breath. 

"He's dead, isn't he?" Soren says, his voice breaking. He flinches at the thought of Ambrose bleeding out, scared and alone. In a dark place where no one can find him. Crying out for his family, screaming at the top of his lungs even though it was pointless. No one would be able to hear his cries. The light fading from his eyes as he takes in his final ragged breaths...