Missing Arrows to My Broken Bow**EDITING**

Chapter Seventeen

Marie and Alex held each other as they cried. "Phillip,Edward, and Ella are going to Deltana, to retrieve the king, or be with him until he can return home. It is only a few hours. From home." Marie said quietly.

Alex nodded. Weakly. "I would like to go. I must."

Edward entered the room. "Father will be ok. He is likely a bit calm.He will see papa again."

Ella hissed. "Only in death. Have you no decency?"

Alex shook his head. "No Edward is right. Zack and Jack will see each other again."

Ella looks on, sad and distraught. "What do you mean?"

Edward sighed. "Father shared with me that he and papa are what is known as ethereal soul mates. It means that they are going to return after death and are soulmates in every lifetime."

Alex nodded, as he was aware of the secret as well. "So when each passes, they will live a life waiting for the other if they don't die together. It is best described that Jack will be in a new life now, and his mark will remain, and he gets a new one. Zack will join his life when he passes."

Phillip went wide eyed. "Meaning, that when father passes he will meet papa again."

"And that means that papa is out there somewhere,waiting for father." Edward said.

Alex was Smiling a little. Despite his heartbreak. "They say it happens for every 1 in a million pairing."

Marie held her father tightly as he continued to struggle with the fact that Jack was gone.

The castle was quiet that day, as the kingdom is in mourning. No one was expecting this.

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"Zack, please know I love you and I am at peace. I know I will see you again soon." Jack said as they laid in the aftermath of the attack.

Jack was covered in his own blood as well as Daniel's and a bit of Zack's. Jack knew he was dying here.

"No. You can't leave me. What about our children, our grandchildren. What about me? Why did it have to be you.why... what will I do without you..." Zack cried as he held  Jack as best as he could. His own injuries stealing a proper goodbye.

Jack weakly squeezed Zack's hand. Slowly and shakily bringing it to his lips. Jack gingerly kissed it before he coughed up blood.

"My love. you lived 25 years without me. Besides I believe this is not the end for us. In every lifetime we will find each other. I have to believe that  and so do you."  Jack said weakly.

His breathing was getting shallower, and he felt it getting harder to hold on.

"I will find you. I will always find you. I love you. My whole heart is yours my love. Always has been and always will be." Zack said as he mustered all the strength he has.

He pulled himself to Jack. His adrenaline taking over and he moved so Jack's head was in his lap, Zack wanted to look him in the eyes. The deep brown eyes he loved so much.

Jack smiled through the pain as he saw Zack's face in front of him. "There you are. What a beautiful sight. I am so grateful this last thing I will ever see in this lifetime is you. I love you."

"I love you too. Please wait for me in your next life. Please." Zack said through his tear.

Jack's breathing stopped as Zack leaned down and kissed him one last time. As Zack could feel the life leaving Jack's body. His heart broke.shattered. He was a broken man.

"No. You can't be gone Please No. come back."He cried out loudly. Making a few birds  leave the nearby trees.

A knight from his camp, Sir Reginald trotted over, with a physician on the back of his horse. The physician climbed off and started to treat Zack's wounds. Handing him an ale to help ease the pain Zack sipped it as he was tended too. Jack still in his lap.

"You majesty, we must get you to safety. I will ensure Sir Jack is brought to Deltana's castle for a proper burial."  Sir Reginald said.

Zack held on to Jack a little tighter. "No. He will be transported in a coffin from the local church, and he will be taken back to Adoranda in a carriage, he belongs in the tombs with me."

Sir Reginald opened his mouth to argue.

"That is not a request. It is a command. And I am assuming you sent a knight for our children?" Zack asked as he continued to look down at Jack.

Zack slowly closed Jack's eyelids, they were cold. And lifeless now. His Jack was no longer in this body.  Zack leaned down and kissed his already cold forehead.

"Yes your majesty. The prince's and Princess were told of what has happened. I imagine they will arrive in Deltana while you heal." The knight said cautiously.

"Very well. Please get me on a horse as best as possible, and I will fight the pain a little longer. The physical pain I feel cannot outweigh the heart break I have."  Zack slowly stood and he couldn't look behind him. The sight of his dead loved ones, Jack, his best and loyal friend Rian and Daniel, among others was not something he wanted to see ever again.

Sir Reginald stayed behind to clean up and move any bodies, and Zack followed the physician to the castle.

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Zack woke up in a cold sweat. Screaming in terror as he had a vivid nightmare of losing Jack.

Philip in the chair near him stirred awake as he has fallen asleep at his father's bedside. Guarding him. As Zack was paranoid now. They were still in Deltana, and Edward returned home to act as King until Zack returned.

"It's ok father. It's ok." Phillip coaxed his father gently.

Zack laid back down and Phillip grabbed a wet and cold towel from the basin next to the bed. He placed it in his father's forehead. To cool him down and calm him.

"I know you miss him. I know it is haunting you." Phillip said as his father took his hand.

"Just let me die so I can see him again." Zack said in a moment of vulnerability.

The King was usually much more stoic, and he was getting better(regardless of Jack haunting him) at controlling his sadness. Determined to return home with his bearings about him.

Phillip shook his head. "I cannot lose you too. Please."

Zack nodded. "You are right. Besides. He is out there waiting for me. I know it."

Phillip sighed. "Will you seek him out?"

Zack shook his head. "I have no idea where he is, or what age he is. I will have to wait until I am hopefully dropped into  his life."

Phillip nodded. "I respect that decision. It is just hard for me knowing that my papa is out there. Somewhere."

Zack sighed. "He is not who you know as him though my sweet boy.He is someone else entirely ."

Phillip shrugged. "I would know the difference."

Zack smiled fondly. "Me too."

After Phillip talked him down. Zack laid back in bed. Trying to relax and resist the urge to scream again.

He closed his eyes and this time instead of a nightmare, he saw him and Jack in the field of wildflowers where they shared their first kiss. And Zack was happy.