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"Excuse me, Sir William," you said as you approached the brunette male. "Have you seen Thomas and Toby by any chance?"
"No need for formalities, (Y/N)," he chuckled, waving off your polite address. "They're probably in the forest. Come, I'll take you there."
William gestured for you to follow, and you fell into step beside him as he led the way out of the castle grounds and into the dark, lush forest ahead.
"You know, I've always wondered," he began, his tone casual. "What made you want to save Tom that day? He's an annoying little piece of shit - I wouldn't have minded if he was gone."
You knew he was joking, but the flippant way he spoke about Thomas's life still bothered you, especially since the young prince seemed to be like a brother to William.
"To be honest, I kind of see my own little brother in him," you replied, memories of your life before this game flooding your mind. "I was devastated when I lost him, and I can't imagine what Thomas's siblings would go through if they lost him."
William's expression sobered, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "You're kind of half-right and half-wrong. Enzo and Eret wouldn't give a fuck if he died. Phill and Toby, on the other hand, would ball their eyes out." He let out a humorless chuckle. "It's kind of hard to relate to you guys and the experience of family love."
"Why aren't you all a family here?" you asked, your brow furrowing in concern.
"No, actually," William replied. "I was homeless - well, that was before Phill took me in. I've never met my parents, but I did have an older brother, Cillian. We got separated when we were younger, and I haven't seen him since."
Your heart ached at the pain and longing in his voice. "William, that's awful."
"Nah, enough of the stupid sob stories," he said abruptly, halting in his tracks. You could see the discomfort in his posture, the way he tried to brush off the vulnerability he had just revealed.
Falling silent, you followed him deeper into the forest, your mind racing with the realization that the young men you had encountered were not merely the privileged royals you had initially assumed. They, too, had their own scars and struggles, hidden beneath the veneer of power and privilege.
As you ventured further, you couldn't help but wonder what other secrets and complexities lay in store, and how your own fate would continue to intertwine with theirs. The path ahead was still shrouded in uncertainty, but you were determined to navigate it with an open heart and a renewed sense of purpose.
"We're here!" William announced, pointing towards a large, dense bush that towered over you.
"A bush?" you questioned, raising a brow in skepticism.
"Oh, not just any bush," he smirked. "Try poking your head through it."
Curiosity piqued, you did as he suggested, pushing your way through the thick foliage. On the other side, you found yourself in a round, grassy clearing, approximately fifteen meters in diameter, surrounded by the continuous line of trees that made up the forest.
In the center of the clearing, you spotted the two young princes, Thomas and Toby, seemingly engaged in a heated scuffle.
"It was nice accompanying you, (Y/N)," William said, drawing your attention back to him. "But our conversation ends here. I'll be happy to see you later on, though."
With a wink and a blown kiss, William turned and departed, leaving you to navigate this new environment on your own.
