Once Upon a Time

The Backstabber - Nick

A/N: So here ya go! I decided to give you a little Hamilton to listen to, some salty King George can brighten anyone's day. If you didn't know, Hamilton is a musical about one of America's founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, and it is one of my favorite things EVER. This song is called You'll Be Back and is King George (played by Jonathan Groff) singing about the rebellious colonists, saying that they'll be back eventually. The animatic is done by szin over on YouTube, they're amazing, go check them out if you ever have the time. Also, on a totally unrelated note, this chapter excluding Authors Note has exactly 950 words and that makes me happy. Enjoy!

I carried my sister down the stairs over my shoulder. She had been frighteningly quiet since I had told her to shut up, but, then again, I guess I would be, too. We descended into the dungeon, which was completely empty excluding its newest resident. Elisus was never big on keeping prisoners, or really war in general. That changed rather quickly. I gently put my sister down, knowing after her defeat she had lost the will to fight. She harmlessly trailed behind me, her long blue dress trailing behind her. I led her to a small room with a bed, table, chair, and a mirror. It was a place we usually saved for more important people, like high ranking prisoners from other countries.

"You know what to do if you need anything," I saw her glance at the bell that would call someone to her.

I was about to leave Victoria, who had taken to lying on the ground, when I heard her voice, quiet and meek, "Why?"

I turned to face her, "I think I made the best decision for Elisus. That's one thing we can agree on. We both want the best for our people."

"And is locking their new queen in a dungeon the 'best for our people'?" she spat with venom on her words.

"Shailyn wanted to kill you," I told her, "Just be grateful you're not dead."

As I once more turned to walk out, she stopped me, "Promise me something, please. A favor as my brother."

"What?" I asked, still facing the door.

"Don't let Alexander die."

I looked at my sister, helpless and lying on the floor. Her deep brown eyes had tears welling up in them, and as I looked at her, I said, "You have my word."

As I walked out, I heard a sigh of relief. She really liked that guy, didn't she? I shook my head, that didn't matter now, I had given my word to save him. I would go find Shailyn and get Alexander after.

I made my way through the halls of the castle, looking around for my sister. I saw her in the throne room, giving orders to a ton of soldiers. I approached her and the soldiers backed off slowly.

"Are you satisfied?" I asked irritably, "Your older sister is now in a dirty cell, collapsed on the floor, crying."

"Having second thoughts?" my sister asked me, "Don't forget, this was all your idea to begin with."

"Now I'm seeing the error in it," I replied, "It didn't have to be this way."

"Now you see the error," Shailyn snapped, "When if we turn back and surrender, we'll be killed for treason!"

"Woah, Shailyn," I held my hands out towards her, trying to calm her down, "Calm down. No one is going to die."

"Calm down?" she shrieked, "If something goes wrong, we will die!"

"Shailyn-"

"No," she cut me off, then turned to the soldiers, "Escort him out."

"What?" I asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I can't let you stay here," she answered, "Doubt will get you killed. I will not let that happen to me. So you must leave."

"What, and you'll be queen?" I asked, exasperated.

She smirked and gave a curt nod, "Precisely."

"You really think you could be a good queen?" I asked, "You're far too caught up in your emotions."

"While you have none," she replied, "Tell me which is better."

I sighed, "Fine. If you want me to go, I'll go," as I turned, I said, "Goodbye Shailyn."

"Farewell, Nick," she replied.

I walked back through the castle and almost left before I remembered about my promise to Victoria. I raced to where I remembered Alexander had been knocked out, and I saw him on the floor, a small trickle of blood coming from his head.

"No no no no no," I knelt down by his side, tilting his head to look at me, "Alexander? It's me, Nick. Look, I'm here to help. Victoria sent me."

"Victoria?" His voice came out as barely more than a whisper.

"Yes," I told him, "She needs our help, but first we have to get you out of here. You're badly hurt. Can you stand?"

I saw him struggled for a moment before finally getting on his feet with a bit of help from me, "Come on buddy, one step at a time."

He nodded, "One step," he panted in between deep breaths, "At a time."

We had made it to the castle gates when he practically collapsed in my arms. I slung the prince over my back and carried him like that to the stables. There was a carriage there that I knew we could take to the docks so we could go back to Amaria. I opened the sleek black door of the carriage and pulled Alexander and I in. I laid him down gently and put a pillow under his head to absorb any impact the rocky carriage ride would present. I couldn't let the wound get any worse.

"Alright Alexander, we'll get you help in no time," I assured him.

"Victoria?" The whisper came again, startling me.

"We have to leave her here. We'll come back for her," I replied.

Alexander nodded and fell asleep on the chair. I sat down across from him and instructed the driver to start moving. The city moved outside as I gazed out the window, thinking.

Was Alexander going to survive? Hopefully.

How was I going to help Victoria? I would figure it out when Alexander got better.

Would Amaria welcome me after using them to take down my sister? Hopefully. 

What exactly had I been thinking?

I had no idea.