Chapter-12|Misunderstandings

Suddenly, Mark started crying, "Mom! I am so sorry I ran away from everything—"

Nick and Steve were startled and just stood there. After a while, the doctor restitched Mark's wound and was examining the cat. "My lord, are you okay?" asked Steve.

Mark scoffed and nodded. "Nick, can you get a bed for Steve?" asked Mark.

Nick nodded and asked, "My lord, Mr. Steve will sleep here?"

Mark nodded and replied, "I just want him to keep me company. Plus, he doesn't look like he can walk that much."

The doctor finished checking the cat and said, "My lord, some wild animal attacked this poor cat, but thankfully she's not internally injured. I'll send some meds for her in the morning."

Mark nodded. "I'll take my leave then," the royal doctor said and left.

Nick asked, "I'll get going to get a bed for Mr. Steve," and left to get a bed for Steve. After Nick left, Steve asked Mark about who attacked him in the forest.

Mark scoffed, "I don't think you will believe this, but that day I was attacked by Princess Anna."

Steve, flabbergasted, just sat there and listened to Mark while he explained what happened that day. Steve, shocked, looked at Mark pitifully. "My lord! You must be so hurt," said Steve and lightly hugged Mark.

Suddenly, Nick opened the door. "My lord! I have brought the bed for Mr. Stev—" Nick looked at Steve hugging Mark and walked back out.

"We-we weren't doing anything," said Mark.

Nick replied, "Sorry, my lord! I shouldn't have come in without knocking."

Steve looked down in shame. "Come in, Nick," said Mark.

Nick slowly opened the door, placed Steve's bed on the floor, and knelt to the ground. "I-I am sorry, my lord! I-I—"

Mark, embarrassed, replied, "He was just comforting me—"

Nick replied, "Yes, my lord! You guys looked very comfortable."

Mark scoffed, "NICK!! It's not what you think. I just told him what happened the day I left the palace, and he hugged me out of pity."

Nick nodded. "I am sure you must be right, my lord!"

Mark chuckled. "Looks like he'll not get it, so let it be."

Nick set up a bed for Steve. "Mr. Steve, you can rest here."

Steve nodded and replied, "Don't add a prefix to my name. Just call me Steve."

"Nick, you can leave now and come with me to the forest tomorrow morning. I want to check something," said Mark.

Nick nodded and replied, "Sure, my lord! I'll take my leave now. Good night to both of you."

Nick left the room. Mark yawned. "I am so sleepy. I'll go to sleep now. You should sleep too, Steve."

Steve nodded. "Yes, my lord!" Awkwardly, both of them went to sleep.

At night, Mark's mother was crying beside a dead body. "Mark!!!" she cried harder. "Mark!! Wake up!!" The dead body was Mark's. "Mark!!!" Due to the sadness, she passed out crying. He could clearly see his mother crying beside his dead body. "Mom-Mom, I am sorry—I-I—"

"My lord! My lord, are you okay?" Suddenly, he woke up and saw Steve worried, sitting beside him. Seeing him awake, Steve took a breath. "My lord, are you okay?"

Mark nodded. "Yeah, I just had a bad dream."

Steve replied, "You have been having quite a lot of bad dreams these days, my lord! Was it a nightmare?"

Mark said, "No, it was just a bad dream. You can go back to sleep."

Steve nodded and went back to sleep. Mark lay back down on his bed, trying to go back to sleep. After an hour of trying but being unable to, he got up. "Maybe I should stroll for a little bit..." Slowly, not making any noise, he got out of the room and started strolling. After a few minutes, he came across a guy dressed as an assassin. Mark took out his sword right after noticing him and hid behind him. Carefully, after following the guy for a while, he wondered to himself, "Was I always this good at sneaking?"

Suddenly, he heard a soldier communicating with the assassin.

The soldier asked, "Lord Steller, what are you doing here so late at night?"