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The night was still and quiet when a sudden, frantic knocking at your door jolted you awake. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you opened the door to find Toby standing there, his expression etched with fear.
"(Y/N), (Y/N), he's back, he's back!" the young prince whispered, his words tumbling out in a rush as he grabbed your hand and pulled you towards the castle's exterior.
"Who's back, Toby? What's going on?" you asked, your brow furrowed with concern.
"Enzo! Lorenzo Hellbringer, my other brother," Toby replied, the tears streaming down his cheeks. "He's back from his 'excavation trip', and he's downstairs, talking to Thomas. He's in a bad mood, (Y/N), and Tom has a very rude mouth. He might say something that will anger Enzo even more. Enzo might hurt him by accident, I know it. Please, please, help him, (Y/N)!"
You felt a surge of panic and sympathy for the young prince, your heart aching at the fear in his voice. You had barely met Lorenzo, but the rumors you had heard, courtesy of William, painted a picture of a powerful and cruel individual, one who dealt in the ways of warfare and assassination.
Pulling Toby into a comforting embrace, you murmured, "Shh, shh, it's okay, Toby, it's okay. I'm here. I won't let anything bad happen, I promise. Come on, let's go and save Tom." With Toby as your guide, you followed him towards the castle's garden, where you spotted two familiar figures engaged in a heated argument. Stopping a safe distance away, you strained to hear their conversation, hoping to intervene before the situation escalated.
Tom was furious, his expression twisted with a mix of determination and resentment. He had been waiting for this day for months, ever since he had heard that the royal assassin academy was accepting new recruits. It had been his dream to become one of the elite warriors who served the emperor and protected the empire from its enemies. He had trained hard, mastering the use of daggers and bows, and studying the rich history and lore of the assassins. He was ready to prove himself and join their ranks.
But his older brother, Lorenzo, had other plans. Enzo was already a royal assassin, one of the youngest and most talented in the academy. He had been Tom's idol, but when the young prince had expressed his desire to apply for the academy, Enzo's attitude had changed. He had become cold and distant, telling Tom that he was too young, too naive, and too reckless to join the assassins. Enzo had insisted that Tom had to wait until he was older, wiser, and more experienced.
As you listened to the brothers' heated exchange, your heart ached for Tom's frustration and Toby's fear. You knew that you had to intervene, to try and defuse the situation before it spiraled out of control. Taking a deep breath, you steeled your nerves and stepped forward, determined to be the voice of reason in this escalating conflict.
"Enzo, please, let me go. I've been preparing for this for so long. I know I can do it. I know I can be a great assassin, just like you." Tom pleaded, holding his brother's hand.
"Tom, you don't understand. It's not that simple. It's not a game. It's a life of danger, violence, and death. You're not ready for that. You're not ready for what it takes to be an assassin." Enzo said, pulling his hand away.
