CHAPTER SIX

It didn't take us long to get to the great wall when we left the forest. Taking only some few moments after spurring the horses to gallop, we could see the kingdom gate from afar off, I could hear Arthur sighing beside me, probably happy to be back to the kingdom

When we arrived at the kingdom gate, there were quite a number of people waiting in their carriage and was already forming a queue, we didn't have any other option other than joining the queue as well. Some carriage had been checked in while some were being checked out.

We were stopped by the guards positioned there. They moved from one wagon to another as they check what was inside. The guards came back to the first wagon, which was where I was sitting.

After the check, the head guard came over to us and dismissed the guards that checked us. Turning to Arthur, he started a conversation with him.

"Why did it take you long to get back to the kingdom," The head guard asked.

"Tobias, we didn't know that we were going to be late," Arthur replied with a hint of annoyance.

"What happened this time around?" The head guard asked as he smirked.

"You already know what happen at this season," Arthur replied rolling his eye at Tobias, he wasn't ready to rise up to his bait.

The head guard laughed, he knows but he still wanted to tease him, he had been a victim once.

"Come on, you can tell me, what was supposed to happen?" He asked trying not to laugh.

"Tobias, stop pulling my leg," Arthur warned him. "Will you open the kingdom gate now, I don't like recalling that moment," Arthur asked.

"No, not until you tell me," he said.

"I won't," Arthur said hardheadedly.

"You know you have to pass through me to get to the second gate, and if I don't tell the guards to open the king, even if you are the king most trusted aide, everybody becomes the same when they want to leave or enter the kingdom because I don't play with my job," Tobias said nodding his head proudly.

"And you don't always like sitting with the coachman, what changed?" Tobias asked. It was strange seeing him with the coachman and not instead resting.

Tobias looked from Arthur and made a jerking motion with his head towards the little boy. "Is he the one? Tobias asked coming to the little boy side.

"Hello boy," Tobias said running his hand through the small boy hair.

"Hello," I replied back. I didn't like the fact that he was running his hand through my hair. I avoided his hand and slapped his hand away.

"He is just like you," Tobias said to Arthur as he left the boy hair alone. "Is he your son?"

Son! Where did this man come from? Does a child sprout from a journey, where did they resemble each other? He must be insane, really insane! Or there must be a problem with his eyes.

"Is this one of your joke?" Arthur asked surprised by the sudden conclusion of Tobias. He couldn't see Carlos but he was sure he was laughing at his predicament as his shoulder shook continuously. "What is funny?" he barked at Carlos. Carlos stopped laughing.

"Is he not your son?" Tobias asked as he wondered. As far as he knows, Arthur never allowed him to touch his hair, even though they grew up together.

"He is not," Arthur said as he frees himself from the issue. "Don't you have eye to see? Why don't you look at him, you must be able to guess where he is from," he said to Tobias.

Tobias looked at the small boy, he has a delicate structure and now that he carefully observed, he almost misplaced him as a girl. No, no, Tobias, stop thinking about that, he might be a son of a noble. But the eye, they were the blackest he had ever seen, not even the priest of the kingdom could win against him. His nose was just perfect; not big and not small. He will grow up to be the center of attraction … but the clothes, why would he be wearing such a cloth: furs. Fur clothing was for people that came from the rock. Where did Arthur get such a fine looking boy?

"He is from the rock," Tobias said after his analysis. "But when did the 'Rocks' has such a fine specimen of children?" he asked but no one answered him, not even the small boy.

A wagon arrived at their side, pulling a wagon cart that contains little children. Those children were hunger-stricken, and clothes-deprived. Tobias looked at the wagon, at the children inside the wagon cart and looked back at the small boy. There was such a huge different between them. What is happening here? Can someone help me out, he cried in his heart as he was in the dilemma. Arthur look perfectly normal, was this one of his prank at getting back at him.

The number of carriage dwindled at the gate as the congestion was eased up. It was soon Arthur group to go in but at that time a carriage came out of the gate being drawn by four highly breed of horse. The carriage was white, spotless, and adorned with shiny pearls.

I look at this carriage amazed, I was expecting it to leave as soon as it came out, but it did the opposite, it only move forward for a bit and stopped, thereby blocking the kingdom entrance.

There was a collective sound of awe as the people saw the carriage and the horses, it seems like they've recognized who it belong to, as I could see that nobody was complaining or protesting among the people surrounding us, he must be an influential man to shut the people up with just his presence.

Tobias, Arthur and Carlos hissed at the sight of this. I was surprised. They seem to be displeased at the sight of the carriage as if he was their nemesis or archenemy.

"He just like to show off," Arthur said with a bit of detest in his voice as he saw the carriage.

"Who is inside the carriage?" I couldn't help but to ask. This was the first time that Arthur and Carlos will show such a reaction, wondering who could it be.

"That carriage belongs to the first cousin of the king," Tobias answered my question this time.

"Oh, oh, why did you say that he likes to show off, isn't he part of the royal family?" I asked. 'Isn't it proper for a royal to behave like a male peacock?' I asked myself.

"He is part of the royals, but he always behaves like this whenever he is up to mischief," Arthur replied.

"Arthur, do you think the king sent him to welcome the lady?" Carlos asked Arthur. Because there was nothing the man will achieve showcasing himself at the kingdom gate.

"I guess," Arthur replied considering the possibility

"Then he should have come over to this place, or is he expecting the lady to go over to meet him there?" Carlos asked.

"He feels it is beneath his status to welcome a lady by coming over to meet them, I think that is what he is trying to pass across? Tobias said.

"Is that the only reason why you people hissed? Because of his pride or will I say his 'ego'?" I asked.

"That is not even close to the reason, although his pride and ego are part of it, number one reason is because he is a bad omen," Arthur said.

"Bad omen?" I asked.

"Yes, bad omen. Everybody in our kingdom already knows that he is a cunning man and wherever he goes, something bad must happen," Arthur said.

"You just wait and see what he will do next," Arthur concluded.

"I don't think he will ever change, just like an old adage says 'the apple doesn't always fall far from the tree', Carlos said.

"Tobias, won't you tell him to get going," Arthur asked Tobias, finally getting back at him.

"M-m-me," Tobias stammered. "I think my shift ended minute ago, I was going to ask you for a ride," he said as he made an excuse. Him, to go face that man and end up losing his head, no – never!

Nicholas was surprised; Tobias seems to be afraid of the man. Wasn't he the one bragging just moment; where did that side of him went?

Tobias climbed up the wagon and sat down beside Arthur, Arthur shook his head at him. Tobias wasn't bothered by this action; he took hold of his guard uniform and pulled it off. Underneath his guard uniform was a black cloth. Nicholas was surprised, was he expecting this man and prepared ahead.

Bringing out a small, round container, Tobias open it and apply it to his face, he was no longer Tobias, the head guard, he was now the Tobias, an ordinary citizen of the kingdom.

"You won't change," Arthur commented. He was used to the coward Tobias. Back when they grew up, Tobias always avoid punishment by making up some excuses.

"What are you referring you?" Tobias asked acting innocent.

"Y-y-you," Arthur said, "I give up."