𝓡𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵 𝓢𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓼 (𝓢𝓱𝓸𝓽𝓸 𝔁 𝓘𝔃𝓾𝓴𝓾)

XIV 𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓊𝒷𝓁𝑒

~~~

Shoto stood there frozen, trying to think of what to do.

There was no doubt in his mind now that he definitely was not supposed to be there, if it hadn't already been obvious with the darkly lit hallway and horrendous smell.

Looking around, he soon realized that he would most likely be able to hide in the darkness, and as there wasn't any other choice other than pretending that he was lost, which certainly was not something he was about to do, he simply took a few swift and quiet steps away from where he was standing until he stood near the wall in the darkness.

He tried to keep his breathing in check as he looked over to the man who was now standing outside the door, apparently trying to lock the many locks that Shoto only noticed until now. Whatever was in there was definitely something he was not supposed to see.

His heart was beating out of his chest as he watched the man begin to walk away, thankfully in the opposite direction he himself had came from. Only when he was completely out of sight did he release his breath that he had suddenly began to hold when the man begun to walk.

Looking both ways through the hallway, he bit his lip thinking about what to do now. The obvious choice was clear, walk away and pretend he'd never seen anything. But something in him, the same feeling that made him continue down to hallway, wanted him to continue forward, to see what was behind that door. It was as if his minds were having an argument.

Swallowing down whatever had surfaced in his throat from the disgusting scent that he just couldn't ignore. He decides to simply walk just a little closer to check out the door, he wouldn't even be able to get inside due to the multiple locks.

Biting his lip once again but only harsher this time, he slowly steps closer to the door, starting to feel as if he was going to throw up, if it was already horrible just standing a few meters away from the door, then now it was even worse.

It was a miracle just some simple magic could cover it up, and he seriously wondered as to why they had something like that so close to the main floor. Especially uncleaned. Even his own father wouldn't let it get to that state.

Just as suspected, the locks kept a tight seal between the door and the wall allowing no one to see what hid behind it. Though of course that didn't stop him from itching to freeze and break them one by one to finally discover whatever horrible sight would be inside.

But he wasn't that stupid.

He could already easily get in trouble for simply being here so why would he risk the chance of getting caught even more? 

Taking a deep breath, only to soon regret it as he almost regurgitates, he begins to walk back the same way he came from, knowing it would be best if he wanted to at least somehow find his way back to his chambers which was his original goal anyways.

Just as the staircase came into view once again, a voice suddenly echoed through the hallway.

"Who's there?"

His eyes widened as his breath got stuck in his throat.

He should have never went down there.

~~~

Toshinori sat still at his desk, his head in his hands while a sigh left his lips. 

He had been forbidden to leave his own chambers by Chiyo ever since his condition had gotten worse, but right now was not the time. He was way too worried about the young boy and girl who was now all alone in the woods, and since the king had now found out about him being gone, his worries had reached another level.