113

❤️ A Painful Goodbye ❤️

Ashland Kingdom: Palace:

Storm woke up, his eyes getting used to the darkness around his room. Gently getting out of the bed, careful not to wake up Kira- who was sleeping peacefully- he heads for the bathroom. Passing the candle that was on the wall, it springs to life, lightening up the room.

He was careful not to wake up Kira, he took his bath quickly and quietly and when he opened the bathroom door he saw Kira standing there and staring at him with raised brows.

"Don't tell me you're trying to ditch me to go to Altamon yourself?" Kira's eyes narrowed at him.

"I thought you were sleeping," Storm mumbled and passed her- naked and all- going to the wardrobe. "I wasn't planning to ditch you Juno. I just went in there to have my bath." he lied. His plan was to sneak out while Kira was still sleeping.

"I would never have forgiven you if you left me. Let me quickly have my bath, I will join you soon."

Storm said nothing to that and focused on wearing his clothes- dark as the night itself- to blend. With his color it will be very hard for his enemies to see him just in case it was Kando's plan to lure them out.

He waited patiently for Kira who was true to her words, it was a quick bath.

Putting on one of Gwen's gowns, she and Storm left the room.

The quietness was welcoming as they stepped out into the compound and saw Morgan with three horses. Storm immediately recognized his own horse.

"I thought you would never come out of your room. I had almost left," Prince Morgan said as he handed Storm the reins of his horse and the second horse to Kira. The pain on his back wasn't that much and even if it was paining him he said nothing about it, besides it is nothing compared to seeing Gwen in a few hours time.

"Thank you." Kira thanked him as she patted her now horse on the head.

Storm frowned, "You're riding with me on my horse."

"Serious Storm I can ride a horse with my eyes closed. And I am riding this horse, maybe next time, so don't argue with me," she said and sat on the horse.

"Yeah I had forgotten you're a fighter yourself." Storm said with shrugged shoulders as he sat down on his horse. Morgan sitting down on his own horse. "Where is Uncle Emera and my other brothers?" he asked.

"He and the night shadow people had gone to hide in Altamon." Morgan answered. Storm smiled at the name Morgan had given his brothers.

"Let's go then, we don't want to keep them waiting," he said and whistled once and he led the way to Altamon.

Soon they reached the border of Altamon and Storm looked around them carefully. He saw his brothers and they each nodded at him. Emera came to meet them.

"We started early like you suggested so that we could reach here and hide ourselves." Emera explained just in case Storm was looking for him.

"Thank you Uncle Emera." Storm thanked. "None of them should engage until we are certain it's a trick and until I give a signal."

"I have told them that Storm, we will be waiting for your command," Emera said and went back to the place he was before.

It was as if the guards and Emera knew their job because all of them were wearing black clothes except Kira whose dress was pure white.

Storm, Morgan and Kira were the only people seen standing at the border of Altamon as they awaited the appearance of Kando.

**

Kudarma Kingdom:

He wasn't one to refuse such an offer on a golden plate. He took his time with Gwen and he made sure she spit no other name than his own name. By the time they were done Kando knew he was running late, by now Kira and Storm would have been waiting for them.

Kando watched patiently and silently as Gwen put on her clothes from his resting place at the window side - the one she came with- and it seems he was in no hurry, soon she was fully dressed like he was.

"Are you ready?" Kando asked as he turned around to face the moon. His eyes ran around the length and breadth of the Palace. He saw his brother who nodded at him which means the coast is clear and they have to hurry out of here. Returning his nod. "We have to get out of here Gwen before it's too late." he added, stretching out an arm towards her which she took with strong hold.

"Kando," she said softly, which brought his attention to her with a raised brow. And Gwen wondered how he did that. "What we did some minutes ago, doesn't it mean anything to you? I told you I love you but you haven't given me a reply yet. Don't you love me the way I do? I thought you'd be happy that I am in love with you but you haven't spoken a word or returned it. You know a simple 'Yes or No' might save me from thinking. Do you love me or not Kando?"

Will it change anything when there is Morgan? Kando thought and then with a shrug, "You don't want to know my answer Beautiful," he said and bring Gwen closer to his body, hugging her- hoping she could hear the sound of his beating heart to let her know how much he wanted to repeat the words 'I love you'- and then was flying out of the room. He made sure his wings didn't give off too much noise. He could have stopped by at Adaoh prison at least for her daughter to see and bid her goodbye but he couldn't, the guards there will alert Dean and even if he killed them, Dean will somehow know. He keeps count of the guards in his palace; both the ones he has killed and the ones still breathing.

Approaching the border of Altamon, he first noticed Kira and Morgan before Storm, then he noticed the armies of Ashland trying to blend with the darkness around them but failing woefully at that.

He knew he wouldn't be attacked by anyone, they stood no chance against him, the only person he is afraid of is Storm and a little bit of Kira. Taking the risk by landing in front of them.

Gwen, who had wished it wasn't over reluctant, let go of Kando as she got swept off her feet by Morgan, her eyes never leaving Kando's. It was as if his eyes were telling her 'You see why I can't return your love'.

"I have missed Gwen," Morgan said, crushing Gwen with almost all his strength.

Storm's eyes roamed all over Gwen and when his gaze finally settled on Kando, he realized Kira was talking to him in a hush tone. With a frown present on his face, he came down from his horse and marched over to meet them.

It didn't escape Kira's eyes to see the sad longing looks from Kando as he watched Morgan and Gwen. She came down from her horse and went to meet him. Her movement caught his eyes and he stared at her until she was close to him- not that close- but close enough for her to lean forward as if she wanted to whisper a secret to him.

"You like her, don't you?" Kira whispers for only him to hear. "And don't you try to deny it. I saw your eyes Kando."

Kando lips tugging into a smile. "You've caught me Kira." he whispered back.

"Does she know? So that means when we were in prison all that you've been saying about her was true... you really love her."

Kando nodded his head.

"If you really love her, why bring her back? I get you want to protect her from Dean, at least you could have taken her somewhere safe not back here into the waiting arms of Morgan. You know how she feels towards Morgan, don't you?"

"Don't add more pain Kira."

"But does she love you?"

"Yes she told me that before I brought her here but I can see her love for me is now gone now that Morgan is back into her picture. I told her she was confused and I was right," Kando said. If someone happens to glance at them, they would think they were lovers. He then smiled at Kira and winked at her. "And speaking of love, I can see the handsome devil has stolen you, your heart and body from Dean."

Kira blushes a little. "You are right on that one, but before I come across you or Dean, I have already met Storm. And believe me or not, our lives are interwoven with each other." Kira agreed, not denying anything.

"Speaking of the handsome devil, he is heading here. Please don't tell him I have feelings for Gwen," Kando said trying to keep his smile at the same time begging Kira with his eyes.

"What are you whispering about?" Storm asked as soon as he closed and pushed Kira to his body which made Kando smile the most. He wasn't expecting this, Storm and Kira together finally. Dean will be mad with jealousy.

"Oh nothing serious, just telling him how much I love you Storm." Kira lied and gave Kando a brief nod of thanks. she will tell Storm once they are back in the Palace. "Anyways, thanks for keeping to your words, we thought you were no longer coming." she added.

"Yes, we have been waiting since and I was about to call it a night when I saw you," Storm said. "Good thing you came because I have made a promise to myself that if I encounter you in the future, I will have your head rolling out of your body."

Kando laughed out, not loud, he didn't want to wake up the people of Altamon over his silly laugh.

"I am serious, it isn't a threat but a guarantee." Storm said with seriousness.

"No one is killing anyone, Kando here is my friend and he kept to his words just like he told us Storm. Stop threatening him." Kira jabs his side playfully.

"Of course sweetheart," Storm said, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you for bringing her back- to me- and unhurt." Morgan's voice was heard. He approached them with Gwen in his arms.

Kando nodded his head, his eyes staring into Gwen's own. "Well my work here is done. If I hear something I will definitely tell you," he said as he finally tore his eyes off hers and with a slight nod to Storm he flew upwards and out of their sight.

"I hope I get to his face again," Storm said, watching Kando disappear from the sky. "I kinda feel bad for him, I hope the next time I get to see him won't be as a corpse." he added, surprising Kira with his words. He saw the look he was receiving when she raised her head up. "What?"

"Why do you say so?" Kira around to face him with her arms crossed.

"He took a big risk by bringing Gwen back and I don't think your Dean will be happy when he realizes she is no longer at his grip." Storm explained.

"Aww, you are actually worried about him, that's sweet of you my love," Kira said touching his chest. "Kando is a strong fighter, if he is in trouble he knows the way to the palace." she added and left Storm to crush Gwen against her, holding her tight. This was her sister, her twin sister, and it felt good hugging her.

"Kira..." Gwen started crying. She doesn't know if it is because she was hugging the person she had come to know as her sister or because Kando left without a parting word for her. In the end she decided it was both.

"It's okay Gwen, you're back to where you belong," Kira said, pulling away from the hug to stare into the eyes of Gwen. "So I guess you know? About us?"

"Yes, Adaoh told me everything," Gwen answered, cleaning off the tears from her cheeks. "And there is more." she added.

"More?" Kira eyebrows shot up. "Let's get back to the palace where you can explain more."

"You're coming with me Gwen." Morgan said. "My horse can take the two of us, come my dear." He added and made to go to his horse when Gwen's voice stopped him.

"You don't have to worry about that Morgan, I will be going with Kira..." she trails off staring at Kira. "If you don't mind."

"Of course not." Kira said beaming with a smile as she sat on her horse and waited for Gwen to sit behind her.

Gwen ignored Morgan's pained expression. She had felt nothing when he had hugged her. How can things change within her within these few days with Kando? She loved Morgan before she was kidnapped by Cando but now seeing Morgan again she felt...nothing, absolutely nothing for the handsome young man pouting at his horse.

Kira started leading the way back to the Palace. She knew Storm and Morgan would be at their backs together with Emera and the armies. She kicked her horse to go faster. At least Kando was right, he did come for war.

"Are you okay Gwen?" Kira asked, glancing back at her briefly so that Gwen could hear her.

"I am," Gwen said close to her ear. "I am happy to be back but at the same time sad. I don't even know what is wrong with me- with my heart- anymore."

"It's about Kando isn't it? Don't worry when we get home we will talk more on this," Kira said, focusing on the road ahead of them.

Gwen couldn't say anything, her thoughts were filled with Kando. She doesn't know what to do, she has told him how she felt but he couldn't believe her.

Will he ever love her the way he had when he met her? If it wasn't for Morgan she would have realized her feelings for Kando, but now, he believes she is confused and doesn't believe her.

***

Kando didn't immediately go to the palace, instead he flew round and round until he got tired and was about to fly to the palace when he caught sight far below him.

As he flew lower but carefully he realized this was the forest at the back of Dean palace. The forest none of them pay any attention. He stopped just above the top of the trees, careful not to make a sound, he saw a group of men wearing all round black with their faces covered and one needed to tell him these are assassins. They were at the open clearing of the forest, where there were no trees.

Whose assassins are they? Are they Dean's own? Impossible.

He saw a little child, a female child sleeping in the lap of a man, peacefully without a care in the world. A fire made with firewood was closer to the man- probably to keep the child warm. The man, a young man, was barking out some orders at them, he was the only one who wasn't wearing a mask. He seems to be their master or something related to that as they hurried to do as he said. Staring at the young man's face, Kando could have sworn he felt familiar and he had seen the man somewhere around Ashland Kingdom but where.

As carefully as he had come, he flew and left for the palace. He is going to inform Cando about what he saw and they will investigate together before anything.

Those assassins.

That little girl.

The young man whose face was familiar.

The red X sign he has seen on Dean's forehead.

What connection do they have altogether?

He felt he was missing something.

He saw his brother at the same place he had seen him when he left with Gwen and flew down to meet him.

"Where are the guards, don't tell me you made them fall asleep?" Kando said with a smile. The pain in his heart easing. Apart from Gwen the only person who matters the world to him is his brother, Cando. Staying together, he realized his brother has a gift, unlike him who is stronger, Cando was blessed with the gift of making people fall asleep. Though they hide his gift from Dean.

"You know me that well, though I did not try that with the guards guiding Adaoh. They might rant it out to master telling him how they all slept off all of a sudden." Cando said with a shrug. "I can see everything went well?" Cando asked casually at his brother.

"Yes, I have returned Gwen and she is happy with them."

"You mean with your love rival? I wonder why you can't fight for her. If I were you I would have fought tooth and nail to have her but you just let her go, like that."

"It's for the best Cando, besides speaking of love, what do you know about love?"

"At least I know you loved her that was why I had brought her here in the first place and now you've returned her. All my hard work is going down the drain." Cando said with a lopsided smile.

"I am sorry for allowing your hard work to go down the drain brother."

"It's okay, I'm not offended."

"Wake the guards up, there is something I want to show you, outside the palace." Kando said finally and ignored Cando questioning eyes.

When it was clear his brother wasn't elaborating more, Cando sighed and closed his eyes, soon they could hear some hurrying feet and about four guards were seen coming towards them.

"Where have you been?" Cando demanded as soon as they reached them, raising up his voice a little but not that loud. "Isn't it your turn to guard the palace?"

"We are sorry my Lord, we fell asleep..." One began with a pleading voice.

"Please don't tell Emperor Dean, he will have our heads." another one pleaded.

"It's okay, we won't inform him but do not let this repeat itself again," Kando said.

"Yes my Lord," they chorus together.

Without another word to them, Kando flew upwards and Cando allowed his wings to sprout out from his back and flew upwards, trying to meet his brother.

He was surprised when he saw where they were going. No one has ever been there before which made him wonder why his brother is taking him to the forest.

Kando stopped at the place he had seen those assassins, the little girl and the familiar face but his eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"What is it, Kando? Is something wrong?" Cando asked when he saw the look on his brother's face.

"They are...gone."