With his brother's words burned firmly into the back of his brain, Charlie was lead from the hospital room. He forced himself to not look back a final time, and he didn't respond to his brother's farewell.
You didn't tell him what father promised you in return for cooperation, guilt ate away at him.
He hadn't been able to bring himself to say goodbye to the man who he had crippled, especially with the knowledge that it would be their last.
"Love you, Art," he whispered under his breath as he paused for a final time by the closed door. Then he followed his brother, he didn't even have the energy to refuse or resist. Every ounce of it had been drained from him in the last few days.
If Arthur had heard him in his unconscious state, he didn't make a noise or move. Charlie watched him in silent pain. Then left the room for the last time, wincing.
Despite not knowing where he was going, Charlie followed on in silence. Every step taken as though he was certain that the next would be followed by an attack. Until he was lead out to the edge of the cliff.
The sunlight only just began to peek through the stormy clouds above head, it was a gloomy and grey day. Somewhat fitting, but it did make Charlie rather cold as he followed his brother through the great gates of the palace.
Were Charlie to guess, he would have said that there were a thousand, maybe two people surrounding the gates and along the cliff side. They all turned to look at the man in chains as Robert lead him through the castle gates and onto the path.
Cautious murmurs filled the area, as they stared at him as though they were faced with a myth.
More a monster then a myth, Charlie cowered beneath the stares.
However, when the doors reopened a few moments later Charlie was but a passing thought. Silence fell and every gaze, including his own, turned to stare at the man who exited. No one dared to speak as the doors creaked shut again.
The King walked forward, undeterred by the hundreds of eyes staring at him as he walked side by side with his guards. Charlie straightened, trying to spot Evie among their ranks but he was unable.
Please let her just be somewhere else, he begged to anyone who he thought might listen. His mind began racing with all the possibilities of where the young woman could have been. Most of which were negative and horrendous to think about.
Had his father not begun to talk, Charlie would have turned to his brother and begged for answers, but he didn't get the chance.
Armed to the bone to the point where he rattled with every movement, the King reached his dark horse and mounted with surprising ease for how much weight he wore. Charlie watched in silence.
Only once he was seated, did he look up to the rest of the army and nodded simply.
Activity returned to the area as they all hurried to get ready to go. In his distraction, Charlie didn't notice Robert moving to take the chains leading from his neck to a hand, to replace it with a long length of rope.
Looking down when he heard the clanging of metal as it fell to the ground, Charlie bit back a laugh. "Are you kidding?"
Robert only regarded Charlie with boredom as he lifted himself onto a horse. "What?" he growled, his tone all but ricocheting with annoyance.
"You have me on a leash, I'm not a dog." He replied, forcing his tone to not take on the same growl as his brother. He needed to behave himself, or at least as best as he was able to under the circumstances.
"Of course your not," Robert replied taking up his reins with a sigh. "Dogs can obey orders."
Charlie chose not to respond for the sake of his own dignity, the young wolf shifted. Knowing he'd be able to keep up with the army better on four legs then two. It wasn't as though his father would allow him a horse or even a mule.
Patience had never been his virtue, but right now the seconds seemed to drag out. Charlie waited, his tail snapping side to side as the anticipation began to grow in his chest. It felt wrong to be excited, considering what would meet them in a few days, however, he would have done anything to get out of the hateful gazes of the others.
Violet, atop a mare of her own, approached where Robert stood and came to a halt beside him. She lifted a hand to cover her eyes from the bright morning sun, and let out a low sigh. "We'll reach Kravendown within three days by all accounts."
Robert nodding, even Charlie could see that he was only half listening at this point. The concern etched onto his expression.
It made Charlie worry as to whom Robert was so worried about.
The sound of hooves on the concrete outside of the castle quickly gave him his answer.
From the castle doors, the bright ginger of her hair was the first thing Charlie could see as she walked past the crowds and towards her husband and friends. She carried herself tall, a pretence of strength, but Charlie could see something which told him otherwise.
Evie was covered almost head to toe in bruises.
She seemed to inwardly wince with every step her trusty steed took, and Charlie could hear her inhale sharply as she struggled to find comfort. He couldn't tear his eyes away, no matter how hard he tried.
Part of him admired her strength for continuing through it in spite of it all.
A much larger part of him hated himself for making it necessary for her to go through it.
"I still don't think it's a good idea that you come." Robert's words took Charlie by surprise, too distracted in self hatred that he had forgotten where he was and what was happening.
"Where am I safer other then at your side?" Her retort came quickly. Of all the things hurt, her sense of humour and wit was apparently not one of them. She smiled in spite of the bruising and the pain, but the light in her eyes had faded.
Robert only snorted, not swayed by her attempts at sweet talk, merely annoyed by it.
Yet even through his annoyance, there was a shine of affection in his gaze. As though to spite the frustration, he couldn't help but love the woman even in her defiance. He could see a similar look reflected in Evie's blue eyes.
Charlie felt his lips begin to quirk upwards, even in wolf form. He bit it back and forced his face to remain straight. He tried to make it appear as though he wasn't listening, even if he was hanging onto every word with quiet amusement.
Watching his brother with his wife was as close as Charlie was ever going to come to having a family of his own. Or even someone who loved him back. He knew it was for the best, having a partner would be too dangerous, but it didn't mean that it didn't hurt.
He would have to suffice with watching the ones he loved have families, and dream about what might have been had things been different.
A hefty sigh fought it's way to the back of his throat, and he swallowed the lump as he tried to rid his mind of such thoughts. Now was the time to think of only fighting, if he wanted a chance to actually do some good in this war.
The prince was not used to people saying no to him, Charlie thought to himself. Of all people, his wife is the one least likely to follow. No matter how annoyed about it he may get, Charlie noted.
"Anywhere is safer then a battlefield," the prince replied as calmly as he was able to.
Evie straightened up, taking up her reins and looking her husband firmly in the eye. "Anywhere isn't where you are."
Charlie almost felt bad for eavesdropping, but it warmed his heart to listen to them. To see how happy they were, even in years of war. Charlie prayed that they were going to stay that way, and vowed to do what he could to ensure it.
Even if the care wasn't reciprocated from his brother.
As though she had only just realised that Charlie was nearby, the young woman turned her gaze to him. Charlie almost looked away, part of him was crying out to get out of the stares of the people who hated him.
However, what he saw in her eyes wasn't hate but pity. A flicker which lit her gaze for a mere moment before her eyes danced away. She didn't say a word, and Charlie was desperate for her to.
The side of him which was animal, or at least the part which wasn't driven by the desire to murder everything in sight wanted to call out. Wolves were social creatures who needed a family, and now that he was back in one from being long deprived he hated having to see it melt again.
It hurt him to see them regard him like a stranger, but in spite of it he knew it was for the best.
Biting his tongue as not to whine in pain when she looked away, he lowered his tail in defeat.
She may not have hated him yet, but there was time for that to change.
Now was the time to minimise the damage for when the inevitable bomb went off and hurt them all over again. Charlie could only pray that the damage wasn't physical, or at the very least could be fixed.
He wasn't going to let Arthur happen all over again.
He was angry enough with himself for letting Arthur happen in the first place. He would have burned off his own arms and legs in order to turn back time and reverse it all.
But that wasn't an opportunity, and now he had to do his best to right his wrongs.
It would take a lifetime, and that would be the cost as well. But he promised himself that he would do whatever it took to make sure that when he died, he left another legacy other then the destruction he had created so far.
He would keep his loved ones safe, even if they no longer loved him in return.
Long ago he had accepted that he would eventually lose everyone he ever cared about. But he would never return it, regardless of what they did to him. He had long lost the right to have anything to fall out with them over.
This had been the straw which broke the camel's back.
Now he was left to carry the burden of his failures and do his best to make sure his family didn't have to bare them.
As much as he wanted to be part of a family again, he knew from experience that it was never going to end well.
His memory flashed to the young witch, Briar, from earlier that morning and part of him pined for her voice. It was a sensation he couldn't explain, and he scolded himself inwardly for it.
Shaking the thought from his head, he looked up to his father who had cleared his throat as though to speak. In an instant every set of eyes was on the King, including Charlie who waited once again in anticipation for the order to set off.
"Ready?" His tone distinctly implied that he didn't care if the answer was no or not. Charlie twitched his ears forward, trying to pick up on any sign of anything from his father's tone. Fear, anger, excitement. He unable to find anything.
Firm as a brick wall as usual.
Charlie wondered whether or not it was a good thing that his father showed no sign of fear for what lay ahead.
He may have not been anywhere near the battlefield, for reasons which were more then obvious. However, he had heard the stories and knew there was little good or happiness to be found.
War had ravaged the land for almost as long as Charlie had lived in isolation, and the toll had been huge. The news that it could be coming to an end should have been at least some what of a relief.
The fact that no one knew which way victory would spin made it terrifying.
A cry rallied from the troops to indicate that the answer was yes regardless of whether they were or not. Charlie remained perfectly silent, trying to make pointed eye contact with his father but his efforts failed.
All the King needed to do was gesture, and the army had set off as one. A thundering of hooves and multiple other animalistic sounds of the other shifters as they made their way back down the Cliffside.
Charlie hesitated, looking back at the palace one last time. Exhaling softly as he watched the grey clouds beginning to form over head. He had been back at the place he had once called home all but a couple of days, and now he had to leave again.
This time with the knowledge that he was never going to come back again.
The deal he had made with his father made that a certain fact.
It wasn't a sad moment, more bittersweet to the young wolf. It may not have been a happy home, but all of the memories with his mother had been here. It was a part of his history, most of which he didn't remember.
The great looming grey castle would forever be embedded in his mind, if he wanted it to be or not. He took it in one last time, trying to remember a happier time when he was younger, before it had all gone to hell.
Nothing came to him, no matter how hard he tried.
Only a vague image of a raven haired woman, her laughter filling the halls. A sound which was cut short even in memory form.
A sudden yank around his neck told him that he had waited too long, and he had to move fast before he was pulled over and dragged across the dirt as the armies left without him.
Without looking back, Charlie trotted after his brother and the others. Wondering what tomorrow would bring.
Hoping he'd at least live to see his father carry out his promise.