Part 32 – This is Goodbye

"But... Nell, I need you!" Simon said, his eyes filling with tears. "You are the first friend I have ever made, in fact, you are my only friend! And I just want to share my good fortune with you!"

Nell shook his head once more.

Something told Simon, that this time, he can't force the healer to do as he wanted.

He has his own life, too.

"Can't I... can't I change your mind anymore?" he asked one last time.

Again, Nell shook his head, before touching Simon's hand once more to continue their healing session.

"I guess this is the last time I get healed by you, then?" he asked sadly.

Nell reached out a hand to path his left shoulder.

"Then I should thank you with all my heart." Simon gave the healer a bright smile.

"Thank you for everything, Nell," he told the novice priest. "I shall tell the servants to give you a small amount as compensation. You may leave as soon as I leave for the capital, and I wish you all the luck in your travels."

Simon and his brother Juno visited the kingdom of the West Twin the next morning.

The citizens exulted him once more, throwing flowers upon his path and singing him praises. He waved at the crowd as he passed, his face shining with pride.

Even more people welcomed him as their entourage entered the West palace. A choir of children sang of his glory, while performers danced around them. There were even trained beasts who lowered their heads as he passed by.

King Maurice Jobert Krems of the West Kingdom stood waiting by the Palace gates when Simon arrived. He welcomed Simon with open arms as soon as the prince got off his charger, and ushered him inside their palace.

"Welcome, dear nephew!" he said with a wide grin on his bearded face. "I welcome the Twin Kingdom's Hero into my humble abode!"

"I am most delighted with your invitation, your majesty, King Maurice," replied Simon with a deep bow.

"Oh, please drop the formalities, just call me Uncle Maurice!" said the King with a loud laugh.

"T-then, I thank you for the invite, Uncle Maurice," Simon said with a shy smile.

This was the first time he had seen this uncle up close.

During royal events, the younger princes are assigned on a table separate from the kings and the first two sons, as well as the queens and royal consorts or concubines.

King Maurice, as his father's twin, does have a lot in common with King Morel.

Their eyes were both as blue as the sky, and both have the same golden hair as Simon's, though theirs already had a lot of gray mixed into it. In fact, even their beards were about the same length.

But that's where the similarities end.

King Maurice, unlike Simon's father, is much fatter, as he has let himself go through the years.

He is well known as a very lax ruler who prefers to go to parties and hunting expeditions, rather than attend political meetings.

That is why he has left all the responsibility of governing the kingdom to his wise queen.

She was educated in the capital, after all.

"You do know my twins, Lucy and Skye?" the king asked his nephew.

Two young lovely blonde princesses stepped forward and gave Simon a curtsy. "And my two eldest sons, Hayle and Jude?" two princes in grand blue coats gave him a curt bow.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," said Simon, bowing himself.

"The pleasure is ours, oh, great hero," replied the West Twin Kingdom's eldest, Prince Hayle." He looked about the same age as Largos, and acted the same, with the same sarcastic tone.

"For today's special guest, we had prepared a hunt in the Royal Woods," said the king as they led Simon further inside the palace and out a back door, towards a vast open area. "Alas, your father informed me that you cannot stay too long since you would be leaving for the capital later this afternoon?"

"That is right, Uncle Maurice," Simon replied. "We're supposed to leave for the capital soon, since the Emperor had summoned me."

"Ah, but isn't that such a shame?" said Prince Hayle with a disappointed look on his face. "We were so looking forward to seeing the Twin Kingdom's Hero in action!"

"I-I guess so," said Simon, feeling relieved, "perhaps we can do that some other time, when we return from the capital."

"Then why not hold a small hunting game instead?" Prince Jude suggested.

"A small hunting game?" asked Simon.

"I'm afraid we don't have enough time for that, right, brother Juno?" he asked his brother who has been very quiet since they left their castle.

"Of course we do!" Prince Juno replied, standing next to Prince Hayle. "We still have more than enough time to spare."

"Good, shall we head to the enclosed garden, then?" asked Prince Hayle, his smile widening.

"Actually, I don't think feel like doing something else this morning," Simon said, raising his voice. "I haven't recovered my strength, yet, and I might injure myself further if I force myself to do something I'm not used to."

He couldn't wait to visit the capital, after all.

Besides, he's never been hunting before.

Only his majesties, the Kings of the Twin Kingdoms, and their two first born sons were allowed to participate in such events.

He was also hesitant to use a crossbow, when all he had ever handled before, was a simple composite bow and arrow.

"Oh, but I thought you said, you're feeling much better already?" his brother Juno asked him in a sarcastic tone. "Isn't that the reason why our Father decided to send you to the capital immediately?"

"That's true, but I really haven't recovered all my strength yet..." Simon insisted. "Would you want me to get injured if I force myself?"

"Really? Is that all the new 'Hero' is capable of?" said Prince Jude who gave a little laugh to pass his comment as a joke.

Simon felt his face burn as the two other princes laughed at this joke.

"I guess I'm not the hero you expected me to be," Simon looked straight at his cousin's dark blue eyes. "but I am still a hero none the less," he continued. "I did get rid of the behemoth, after all, or perhaps you wish to challenge me to a duel to prove myself?"

The smile on Jude's face disappeared as Simon kept his gaze at him.

Even Juno was surprised to see the challenging look on his brother's face.

"O-of course, not, cousin Simon!" Jude quickly replied with an awkward laugh.

"Jude, how could you act like that to our Kingdom's 'Hero'?" asked his brother Prince Hayle before facing Simon. "Don't mind him, cousin, it was just one of my brother's harmless jokes. I hope you don't take it against him?"

"O-of course not!" replied Simon, keeping his face straight as his heart kept pumping.

He can't believe that he actually talked back to somebody!

He was actually glad that Jude didn't take the challenge.

"I do hope we can go hunting together some other time," he told them.

"Of course," Prince Hayle replied. "We shall be looking forward to that day."

Simon and his companions went straight to the banquet hall after that. Their entourage left the Twin Kingdoms as soon as the feast was through, and left for the capital just as the sun was traversing down the horizon.

Later, the procession of carriages and knights on horseback reached past the Twin Kingdom's borders and entered the East Rim of the vast Twilight Forest.

Simon watched the scene outside his window changed from a residential area, to fields of wheat, to an open field with the woods at the edge. He was starting to get sleepy, when the carriage they were riding suddenly came to a halt, hurling Simon towards the empty seat in front of him.

"Ouch! What was that?" he mumbled as he rubbed a carpet burn near his elbow.

Simon looked out the windows. There were knights stationed on both sides of his carriage.

"What seems to be the problem?" Simon asked the knight to his right.

"There's a stalled cart in the middle of the road," the knight replied. "It seems to have broken it's axle. You may step out of your carriage if you wish, since this might take some time."

"Oh, if you say so," said Simon with a good stretch. "Since the sun is about to go down, why don't we ask the wagoner to share some supper with us?" he added.

The knight did not reply, instead, he watched as Simon opened the door to step out of the carriage.

Something silver flickered at the corner of his eye as he alighted the carriage steps.

Suddenly, the world was turning upside down.

Simon found himself staring at the darkening sky as his body fell back from a push behind his legs!

He saw another knight standing just behind the carriage's door.

He was holding a long sword which he swiped at Simon – he would have lost his head if he hadn't fallen backwards!

He watched as the knight lifted the sword once more and aimed the tip at his chest!

"Do it quick!" the knight he talked to earlier snarled, pulling out his own sword.

He never got it out of its scabbard, though, as another sword struck out from inside the carriage, severing his head.

Simon heard himself scream.

Warm blood splattered all over his body.

Memories of his brothers at arms rushed pass across his eyes, filling his mind with memories of the massacre in the Dark Woods of Elenore.

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Go to Part 37

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